MISSION 004 WRAP-UP

[etrayamods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: August 9th and going forward
WHERE: Returning to Etraya
WHAT: End of Mission 004 Log
NOTES\WARNINGS: N/A

⏵ there's no place like home ⏴ On the morning of August 9th, every Etrayan’s earpiece receives a message from Eos: FAIL or PASS in big, bold letters with no further context. Players are free to choose which response their character gets; if they were able to go through Moorecroft without letting on that they were from Etraya, or another city bubble in general, they will receive a PASS. Those whose identities as Etrayans were spoiled, will get a FAIL. This response has no bearing on whether or not they participated in the midnight breakouts, nor what condition they’ve managed to get themselves into. It wouldn’t be the first time some kids from Moorecroft tore up the town looking for answers, even if it is the first time in a while they’ve managed to get as far as they had and cause as much damage as they have. Regardless, any responses sent to Eos will bounce right back to the original sender, with a RECEIVER UNAVAILABLE error: it seems that, shortly after sending through their results, all of those from Etraya have been disconnected from Eos’ network, and reconnected to Aurora’s by the friendly companion bots stepping through another portal in the middle of Moorecroft’s park. They’ll offer waves of their hands, and usher everyone back to Etraya proper. They’ll offer explanations similar to what Aurora would give to newcomers arriving to those who were dropped in with Eos, as well as offer to assist them in getting settled in Etraya. The companion bots will allow Etrayans to step through the portal with items they can carry, minus the smaller android babies. If they insist, it will be explained to them that, much like the companion bots native to Etraya, these babies are meant to assist newcomers in settling, and they cannot take them from Eos. Welcome home. At the very least, everything looks normal on this side. ⏵ whispered secrets of the night ⏴ Or it seems normal enough. While previous excursions outside of Etraya have featured environmental changes, the city bubble now appears exactly as it had before everyone left. Buildings stand as pristine as ever, animals have been fed and cared for, and everyone is invited to return to their homes for a quick rest. But as you meander through the familiar streets and over bridges, an unsettling stillness clings to the air. The usual sounds of Etraya–the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the chatter from the companion bots– feel slightly off. Shadows stretch a little too long, lingering in the corners of your vision, and the light, although warm, seems to cast an unnatural tint over everything. It’s as if the city itself had been holding its breath in everyone’s absence. As days pass, the eerie stillness begins to ebb. The animals gradually resume their usual activities, and companion bots return to their routines, chatting with Etrayans as they wander the city and help set up new facilities. Yet despite the return of normalcy, a sense of unease lingers. The city feels different as if it’s been touched by something while you were away. There are no curfews on Etraya, unlike Moorecroft, but those who wander in the dark may be unable to help but notice that it almost feels as if something is watching you, waiting for you to let your guard down. Etraya appears to be the same, but something has changed, shifted. And it’s only a matter of time before that change reveals itself. Those who wander outside at night during their first several days back will feel like they are being watched, but will be unable to find what is watching them, regardless of the method they use to try and discern what it is. ⏵ sea la vie ⏴ The unsettling sensation of being watched gradually fades over the next few days. Etraya begins to feel more like the place you remember: slightly empty, but comfortably so. The weather shifts unpredictably, with cool breezes one day and almost stifling warmth the next. The companion bots, seemingly oblivious to any lingering unease, appear to be in full vacation mode. They spend a significant amount of time on the two small, sandy islands that are just south of the hospital, setting up for what looks like the perfect beach day. Chairs are arranged in neat rows, colorful towels are spread out across the sand, and a small shack has been built just off the side of the bridge that offers swimsuits and any other beach-related item that they could need - or most of them! The narrow river means surfboards are out of the question; instead, the bots provide massive tube floaties, perfect for lazily drifting down the currents. ⏵ polaroid pandemonium ⏴ Everyone receives an invitation to Corrine’s Cafe, along with a table number. The invitation may arrive via a companion bot delivering it to them physically, or as a direct message from Aurora via their earpiece. The invitation instructs them to meet at the cafe at a specific time and sit at a designated table. At each table, two envelopes sit in front of two chairs, each containing a collection of photos. These images capture significant moments from your history - events you may have forgotten or ones that have shaped who you are. On the back of each envelope, instructions for the task await: discuss the moment featured in the photo with your partner, and share what it means to you. Whether it’s a memory of a terrible ordeal, or one of your happiest times with your loved ones. The choice to participate is yours; however, Aurora and the companion bots make it clear that your place at the table is pre-reserved whether you show up or not - meaning, your photos may still be viewed by others, even if you decide not to show up. ⏵ NOTES ⏴ This log marks the end of their visit to Moorecroft! Characters return to Etraya on August 9th regardless of what shenanigans they were getting up to within the other city bubble. We'll be following up with the mission: breakout threads, as well as continuing to follow through with NPC threads and provide further information for those still participating in plotting. For any questions relating to the contents of this log, please use the mod queries thread. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ. ⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Comments

Laura | XMCU | OTA!

[shoplifter]

⏵ whispered secrets of the night | around town ⏴

[Laura had felt something was off, when they returned to Etraya. She couldn't put her finger on it — and it seemed like nobody else could, either — but she still knew, deep down, that there was a shift while they were gone. Or maybe because they were gone? She's not sure. Either way, she finds herself restless as the days progress; she scales up the walls, watches from up high, tracks the other citizens of Etraya for any signs of distress (or, well, in case they're the ones causing trouble).

But there's nothing. Nothing but an uneasy feeling of being stared at. By who... that's the mystery.

Maybe they're always being stared at, though.

Anyway, sorry if she's watching you like a hawk from a high perch or tree. It's not terribly unlike a housecat watching a mouse: not necessarily dangerous, but inquisitive and ready to do some harm if necessary.

Also, at times accidentally sprinkling chip crumbs on people down below.

... Sorry.]

⏵ sea la vie | beach ⏴

[When the beach happens? She's a little awe-struck. It doesn't necessarily erase the unease she'd experienced before, but it sure does distract her. Immediately, actually. And at an opportune time: she has just started learning how to swim, thanks to Ororo's kind guidance. Not only that, Ororo had helped her pick out a suit, one that she hurriedly had gone to collect and put on.

... What? She's still a horsegirl through and through.

Putting her feet in the sand, she looks hypnotized by the sight. She'd never felt sand like this before, so fine and soft. Nothing like mud. Grainy, a little uncomfortable, but also nothing like the jagged, unpleasant stones on a forest floor.

After a moment, though, she curls up on herself a little. Her arms clutch her legs, pulling them close, and she watches the ocean distantly as the wind plays with her hair.

Then, she buries her face in her knees.]

⏵ polaroid pandemonium | corrine's cafe ⏴

[The polaroids Laura spreads out on the table are startling at first.

There are a few she recognizes were photos taken at one point, especially among the children; the image of her and Gabriela was something she faintly recollects, too. The others, though... those were not technically possible. Not really. Delicately, her fingers almost hover in their touch as they run along the different images. Gabriela. The other children. Charles and her father.

People from home. Complicated relationships from complicated people.

And not for the first time, an aching feeling of loss, especially once her eyes land on Logan's smiling face.

She didn't need the photo, to remember that one genuine smile.]



[OOC: Wildcard or starter in mind? Feel free to hit me up on simpledog!]

polaroids;

[agoddessonce]

[ The idea that whatever powers that be here have always been Watching them somehow is unnerving, but not new to Ororo. There are celestial and cosmic beings out there that can see it all, and know it all - so of course they had some sort of method of reaching out to see past events in their lives.

Some of it is startling - Ororo discreetly keeps any of the more violent photos inside the envelope that her pictures came in. But she takes one out to show Laura from her side of the table. ]

I have one of Logan, too. See?

[shoplifter]

[Oh, now this is a change of pace. She blinks at the picture, at first pleased by the sweetness shown in the image... and then looking a little more puzzled, just before she looks back up to Ororo. A lightbulb has taken far too long to light up in her head. In her defense, she's eleven.]

Were you boyfriend and girlfriend?

[She learned the concept in school, during their last mission.

The children where were obnoxious about it.]

[agoddessonce]

[ Ororo is anything but obnoxious about it, smiling as she lays it on the table for Laura to take, if she wanted to. ]

Something like that. We have known each other a long time, and I love him very much. [ She sees no need to lie or embellish their relationship, not to Laura, even if this was not the Logan she was familiar with. ]

He's a little bit different from the Logan that was here briefly. Much shorter, as you can see.

[shoplifter]

[She does pick it up. It's always a little more special, when you can hold the memory in your hands.]

I hope I don't stay so short.

[Mean, Laura! But also, it would be nice to not be so small. She is so used to being underestimated by people who look (literally) down at her. The woes of being a child with very few feet on her. She makes up for it by stabbing lower, but still...]

What else is he like? your Logan. He knows the other me like you do, yes?

[agoddessonce]

I think your mother's genes will help make you a little taller. [ And keep her slim enough to do some fancier kicks and tricks than Logan would be capable of as he's built like a tank instead. Ororo finds herself smiling at the unintentional comparison she makes. ]

Logan does know the other you, yes. They have worked more closely, more often. [ Which doesn't mean he knows Laura well, but he should at least know Laura better than Ororo knows Laura. ]

But as for what he is like? ... He is a man with a very difficult past. It's given him quite a lot of rough edges - but he's one of the most honorable men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. And when you become important to him, there is nothing he won't do to keep you safe. [ Her eyes turn fond, distantly affectionate. ] He'd argue that he doesn't ever do the right thing - but I have often found that he does his best to, especially when it counts. I trust him with my life.

around town—

[sow]

( well,

he never thought he would end up in a silent stare down with a tiny humanoid perched atop a tree like some kind of feral little beast, but here he is. at 7'2" with six pairs of large seraph wings, ari easily catches the eye. it doesn't shock him that he immediately draws attention wherever he roams. )

You got sumthin' you wanna fuckin' say? ( his voice is oddly melodic for how crass his tone is. )

[shoplifter]

[UNFAZED.

Her father was a crass mutant asshole, too; it's like hearing a familiar tune.

Since he's asked, she'll just be honest about her thoughts; it's good to be honest.]

Sí.

If you were cooked, would you taste like a chicken?

[These are crucial inquiries.]

[sow]

( a child's curiosity is a marvelous thing.

he can at least appreciate the straightforwardness. )

Why? You plannin' on eatin' me?

[shoplifter]

... If we didn't have food and you died, maybe.

[BLUNT HONESTY. She is down for a little cannibalism, if it involves chicken-flavored wings!]

Are you a mutant?

[FEARLESSLY ADDING MORE WEIRD QUESTIONS.]

[sow]

( kids say the darnedest things. )

Sure. You could say that. ( he's been called worse. ) But I prefer nephilim.

( he stretches out his wings, one jutting up to point at her. )

What're you? ( they wouldn't bring a child here if that child was normal, would they? )

whispered secrets of the night

[tocastashadow]

[Shadowheart prefers to spend her time outdoors. It's more familiar to her than the strange little flats. All her most recent, and happiest, memories are beneath an open sky.

So she and Scratch are settling down under a large tree for the evening. There's been something different since returning from Moorecroft. A pervasive sense of being watched. She knows Scratch can feel it too; he's been restless, wandering in anxious circles, sniffing the ground and the air as though he can catch whatever's out there.

He's the one that notices the girl perched in the tree. He barks and whines, his pointed ears standing to attention as his tail wags back and forth curiously before he starts snuffling up the crumbs that have been scattered around in a veritable doggy buffet.]

What have you found there, boy?

[shoplifter]

It's from my granola bar.

[She looks extremely interested in Scratch, her eyes glued to the dog as she lays sideways on the branch and watches him with interest. Laura may be a born and bred instrument of death, but she's also a child who will instantly drop everything to give her undivided attention to someone's pet.]

... I like your dog. Where did he come from?

[Did Shadowheart always have a dog? Has she been leaving Laura high and dry for dog petting this whole time? She has questions.]

[tocastashadow]

[Shadowheart looks up, startled to hear a voice coming from above her, and has to peer closely through the foliage for a moment to be sure it's who she thinks it is.]

I found him in the woods, back home. And then I asked Aurora to bring him here.

[shoplifter]

Aurora actually does things like that? Giving people pets.

[It makes Laura wonder if she can ask for a pet, too...

Though maybe just wandering around long enough will give her something...]

Does he like getting pets? On the head?

[tocastashadow]

Of course he does. That's why he and I get on so well: I love to pet him, and he loves to get pet.

[Scratch has seemingly eaten his fill of crumbs, and now is more curious about the person who dropped them. He stands beneath the tree and woofs up at Laura.]

sea la vie

[decohere]

[despite living out in the San Francisco area for the last several years, she never really managed to make trips out to to the beach, being in hiding and all. afraid of existing in crowds, where her condition would draw far too much attention. here, nobody knows or cares who she is, so it's a bit easier to go unnoticed as she strolls barefoot along the shoreline.

she isn't dressed for the occasion. still in the same thing she arrived in, a long-sleeved zip up over a dingy grey bodysuit, and no intention to change into anything more revealing. but she doesn't mind the splash of the waves against her legs. she looks relaxed, almost.

until she spots the young girl in a curled up pose that looks... well, familiarly miserable in a way that twists with guilt when she turns her head away with the intention to ignore. give privacy. she bites slightly at her lip, glances back over. there's nobody checking in on her. how many times had that been her? Ava hesitates, before wandering nearer. crouching down, and calling out softly in hopes of not startling.] Hey... hey, are you okay?

[shoplifter]

[Laura's body does seem to tense, but nothing else comes of it — definitely a good idea, calling out first, though Ava wouldn't exactly know why. Hindsight will be great later. Instead, the sad little girl turns her somewhat embarrassed stare toward the woman and her soft voice. It's admittedly a weakness — the way Gabriela, or Jean, or Ororo calls to her, it sets her at ease, and the stranger fits in well with their worried faces.

Looking away, she hugs her knees more tightly.]

I am — [always okay, she wants to say, petulantly. But she hears Damian's disapproving tt noise he always makes, in her head.] I am sad. But it will go away, sooner or later.

[decohere]

[she hasn't been socialized enough to feel all that comfortable with how to interpret the body language of others, outside of limited framework of her missions. but this is obvious misery for even Ava to understand, especially when confirmed by the girl. sad. the feeling twists in her own stomach. one that's never gone away, not really.

she goes from crouching to sitting with a flicker of movement that confuses the transition between positions. but the blurriness settles quickly.]

I am too. Do you... want to talk about it?

[shoplifter]

I don't know.

[If Laura could be described as anything, it's brutally honest, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. She's still trying to navigate it, this idea of being... normal. Of having natural emotions and being able to comprehend the thoughts that come and go as a free person. She looks troubled by her own answer anyway, even if it is truthful.]

I can't tell if I want to or not; I don't understand why.

[decohere]

Hm. [a small sympathetic nod. she understands that feeling well enough. of not fully understanding your own feelings.] Well. You don't know me. So it's natural not to trust me. Especially with something as important as your feelings. And sadness is one that makes us feel... vulnerable.

When I was your age [or roughly however old this girl is, Ava's not familiar enough with kids to really estimate.] the people I was surrounded by. They weren't very sympathetic to what I was going through. Treated my problems like a burden. Or used it as leverage against me. So I got used to just... shoving it all down and... [letting it fester and eat her alive. she shrugs. because even now she's still doing it. refusing to ask for help because suffering alone is more manageable than giving people more ammunition against you.

but she's self aware enough to know that's not healthy advice. and neither is her way of dealing with it, plotting revenge against everyone she blames. Ava frowns, woefully inadequate for this.] But even if you can't explain why. It's still okay to just feel how you feel.

Polaroid pandemonium

[levelshift]

[Accelerator receives his invitation, and after realizing that chances are high this is another stupid attempt to get them all socializing, promptly heads out. He doesn't go to the cafe to mingle, he's there to scope the event out and see if there's anything Aurora pulled from their personal lives to present to others. She had done that last time, so he isn't putting it past her to do it again.

He hates that he's right.

Entering the cafe he notices Laura, but first makes a beeline for his table number, where he scoops up the envelope without looking at its contents. Then he goes to the front counter and orders a coffee, because he could really use one right about now. Then he goes over to her table.

Photographs, that's what it is this time? Yeesh. He pauses, sipping his coffee.]

Shit, you knew a lot of people back home.

[.... Well, a lot for a little kid who spent her entire life locked up in a lab.]

[shoplifter]

[She considers that as she leans over her polaroids, eyebrows raised in thoughtful appraisal of all the familiar faces. She's never been very good at being anything but blunt, and her quiet grief doesn't quite register in the way she says, casually:]

All of the grown-ups are dead now.

[A pause, before she looks up and offers a more positive response.]

But my friends are with me. The adults made sure that we could survive and get to be children. So... even if I leave here, I'll at least have my friends from the lab. And we'll all be able to learn how to be kids. That's good, isn't it?

[levelshift]

[Her bluntness doesn't bother him. He's like that, and he's aware kids her age, especially ones who haven't had the chance to socialize normally, tend to be like this. Last Order and the Sisters can be this blunt.

Still, it's a bit depressing to hear all those adults are dead. Not that he's feeling any real empathy for them, but it would've affected Laura.]

................

[He nods slightly.]

Yeah, that's good. You shouldn't have to miss out on your entire fucking childhood because of a bunch of bastard adults.

[Like he did.

He gestures at one of the photos.]

Why's that one labelled Eden?

[shoplifter]

[She looks to the picture as well, looking a little more fondly at the children in the image.]

It's the cabin where we all found each other again, in North Dakota.

We were separated, but we all knew to go to Eden; the nurses told us to.