⏵ APHAIA ⏴
At the request of those inhabiting Etraya, Aurora has adjusted the mission schedule a little in order to send everyone into a world that is actively dying. Which means that, on the morning of March 14th, everyone will be directed to a glowing, purple portal situated just outside the hospital. Aurora will recommend that those with pets leave them behind; given the mission parameters of survive, she anticipates that it will not be a place for companion animals to accompany their owners to. She will not, however, force this: people are welcome to bring their companions if they'd like!
Once they have stepped through the portal, it will become clear that survival will not come easily. The sky overhead is fractured into a kaleidoscope of neon colors, artificial stars blinking in and out of existence among shards. Towering structures resembling stadiums and coliseums stretch endlessly into the horizon, their surfaces plastered with massive holographic advertisements displaying the face of past "champions" - many of whom appear to be long-since deceased.
From the moment they step through the portal, cameras whir to life around them, zooming in on their expressions while loudly announcing their names, their specialties, and what they are capable of. Applause echoes through unseen speakers when talents worth the excitement are announced: those with fighting capabilities, unique extraordinary powers, or odd talents seem to get the loudest reaction.
And once introductions are complete, a loud, booming voice cuts through the noise:
WELCOME, CONTESTANTS! ARE YOU PREPARED TO SEE WHO AMONG YOU IS THE SMARTEST, THE HOTTEST, THE STRONGEST, AND THE SHINIEST? ONLY THOSE AMONG YOU WHO ARE WORTHY WILL SURVIVE. KALI TYCHI!!
There is no introduction to the voice. No explanation.
Welcome to Aphaia.
⏵ SURVIVAL SPOTLIGHT ⏴
Aphaia is a dying world. Once vibrant, now it is little more than a stage - an arena where survival meets spectacle and death is a form of entertainment. Cameras are everywhere, their mechanical eyes dissecting every action, hesitation, every moment of weakness. To the residents of Aphaia, it's all a game. After all, they know they are living on borrowed time - why not make it fun?
Towering holograms flicker with advertisements for upcoming challenges, massive leaderboards shift constantly, tracking the contestants' popularity in real time. Every move is judged, and every breath is measured.
Participation is not mandatory, but refusal comes with some hefty consequences. Those who refuse to play fade into the background, their scores slowly dropping closer and closer to zero.
And when it does bottom out? They disappear. No body, no remains, just - erased entirely from existence.
Now, survival is not just about brute force (although there is some of that too!), but about entertainment. Contestants are not simply fighters, but performers earning the favor of other contestants.
Each contestant has a score, visible using the HUD of their earpiece. Scores range from 1-100, with 80+ reserved for crowd favorites. The moment scores hit zero, they disappear, presumed (and are) dead.
New contestants start with a randomized score, assigned the moment they step onto Aphaia's surface. From there, their survival depends on strategy, skill, and showmanship.
Nanotechnology laces the very air they breathe, embedding itself into their bodies. It monitors oxygen, tracks food intake, measures every potential need for everyone, including alien species whose needs differ. Supplies are scarce - meaning only those who keep their scores up receive rations, shelter, and medical aid. The lower one's score? The less they get.
And there are no second chances.
⏵ DISTRICTS ⏴
Aphaia is separated into four districts.
The Colosseum is where blood is currency. A high-tech battle arena where combatants are pitted against each other for entertainment, the Colosseum is always prepared for any battle one may wish to take part of. The floors shift, and the environment changes at the whim of the audience. It's built to support any challenge that requires physicality: the floors will break into massive labyrinths meant to confuse individuals, or the walls will raise to create rooms that are difficult to escape to test one's intellect. Within the Colosseum, contestants are invited to battle one another and others for glory. Are you a warrior? Built for combat? Do you have capabilities that shine through with physical action, rather than mental stimulation? This is the place for you.
A place of luxury, the Symposium is where alliances are forged - and broken. Here, the highest-rated contestants (those who rank Luminary or higher) are invited to partake in fine dining and lavish parties. Violence is not permitted within the walls of the Symposium; while this may provide the false illusion of safety, it is anything but. Whispered betrayals are passed between contestants within the walls of the Symposium, with deals struck to ensure that those who rank high enough to enjoy all the benefits it offers continue to be able to visit.
In the heart of Aphaia is the Agora. Pulsing with flashing billboards featuring the faces of many past and current contestants and live polls of the current scores of those who are still alive, the Agora is where contestants are invited to engage with the public to shape their own narrative.
In the streets, many contestants can be found putting on quirky performances, participating in challenges, or conducting interviews with other contestants. Charisma can be just as valuable as brute strength, and this is the place for those who rely on their ability to sweet-talk others to make sure their points remain high. This is where the facilities for the non-physical challenges resides, such as Echoes of the Past and Tychaios.
The Agora contains the housing district in which contestants reside. There are a few massive apartment towers stacked to the sky. The high-ranking live in luxury, enjoying rooms up to two bedrooms with plenty of space - the lower ranking individuals reside in smaller apartments, with significantly less amenities.
On the edges of Aphaia are the Backalleys, where rules are meant to be broken. A maze of shadowed corridors and hidden tunnels, there are multiple "convenient" corners where camera blind spots can be found. Here is where people come to converse between one another outside the eyes of the audience or to find temporary sanctuary from their lives being consistently narrated. However, it is also well-known that while they may be able to find areas where the cameras cannot reach, the Gamerunner is also aware of these blind spots.
⏵ RATED & REVIEWED ⏴
While the highest rated contestants get to go to The Symposium, those middling or in danger of falling off get invited to only the finest of trashy talk shows.
Anyone can see how this daily, midday TV show plays out. Stand in front of a television long enough and you’ll see reruns of bruised competitors hashing it out in front of an audience over failed plans, ruined alliances, and broken friendships. If you want to see the worst in others Kathiki Pidón is the show to watch.
Though one might wonder why anyone would ever go on this thing, it is a nearly universal guilty pleasure. There is a chance to raise one’s own rating without risking one’s life. But say the wrong things, and you may become more unpopular than ever. It is a desperate place to go- but they do always give a hot meal to anyone who agrees to come on. It might be your only chance to recuperate.
This is also a great opportunity to try to lower someone else’s ranking by airing out private grievances very publicly. Was the only reason you lost because you were tricked or betrayed? Is there a secret alliance you want people to know about? Or perhaps you need a platform to earn a little sympathy.
Kathiki will be more than happy to host you, donning his usual black and gold suit and holding his slim microphone for you to speak into.
For those who are a little shier, Kathiki has a private booth in the back of the studio where you can pour your heart out in front of a camera. This can have the same benefits, but it may be edited in very unfortunate ways before the public sees it.
⏵ NOTES ⏴
Please use our NPC Threads toplevel on this post for any NPC interactions you'd like! This includes Kathiki.
For all questions relating to this mission, please refer to the plotting post. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.
⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴
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etrayamods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
etrayalogs2025-03-14 11:19 am
echoes of the past -- sorry for the delay i am here!!
So he's already here, curiously turning it over in his hands. Any one of these people could be using this to their advantage — it's what he would do, after all — but there's nothing for it. He's here, and there's nothing overtly. He'll have to put the damned thing on.
So he does, and for a brief second, everything goes dark — ]
no subject
There's a girl running down the stairs from the overpass in a summer uniform, blood dripping down from a head wound. She looks pretty banged up but she doesn't slow down, because above, still on the overpass, is a shock of white hair and mocking laughter. That version of Accelerator does a casual little backflip off the overpass, defying gravity like it's no big deal, and sinking down to the ground in front of the girl.
Then he declares a thrilled "Too slow!" and taps his foot down, sending the gravel at her like bullets from a shotgun. It's a force like an explosion, and he knocks her to the ground.
The real Accelerator can't recall this memory - all part of the challenge - but he recognizes the location. He recognizes the girl, himself. He knows what this is. Stunned, he stumbles backwards until he hits one of the shipping containers, nausea rising in the back of his throat. He doesn't throw up, but he covers his mouth with his hand, his legs shaking (thank god for the crutch).]
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Real? She's bleeding from the head, so his assumption is that it's a real fight. Something serious. He explodes the ground beneath her, and he watches her fall to the ground.
The other side of the shipping container makes a sound, and he steps around it, peering into the dark, a twin to the kid above, the only contrast was that he looked ill, sickened by it. Silently, he nears him, a tap of his steel-toed foot on the metal, as if to announce his presence. ]
So what did she do to you?
no subject
Accelerator tenses at the footsteps, the question that makes static in the back of his head ring in his ears. He shakes his head, remaining against the shipping container, watching himself as he tortures this girl.]
Nothing. She didn't do anything.
[How could she? None of the clones ever stood a chance against him, there's no way one he can't remember could somehow hurt him.
The clone hits the ground, this time coughing up blood. She looks half-dead, even in the darkness of the night, but she's shakily pushing herself up, mumbling to herself. Accelerator tells her if she isn't going to run then he's going to end it, and she corrects him in a monotone voice: she was never running, she was luring him to the target area.
As she glances back at him, a bluish spark of electricity jumps from her head to his feet, and there's a beep. A split second later a massive explosion goes off, throwing gravel and black smoke into the air.]
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[ He watches for longer. Watches her stand up half-dead, watches her monotonously speak. He hadn't expected Accelerator to be the type to lash out, not like this, not this much. Maybe it's because he thought the boy had a lot to learn, but here he is. He says that she hadn't done anything, yet he fights her like this.
He doesn't know she's a clone, or even the circumstances of the world.
He watches. He waits.
An explosion rocks the entire area.
He lifted a single moveable eyebrow. It's curious, isn't it? ]
She gave up that easy? [ His eye narrowed suspiciously. ] Why were you fighting at all, if she was nothing?
no subject
Does it fucking matter? There's no good reason for me to be doing any of this.
[The girl declares that no signs of life can be heard as the smoke starts to clear, and there -
Accelerator steps towards her, one hand against a bleeding wound on his head, but otherwise very much alive. Startled, she tries to run, and he declares a mocking "Too bad!" as he grabs her leg. She hits the ground hard, he leans in, pinching at her thigh -
And rips her leg off. The static keeps on building up in the real Accelerator's head as he stares, unable to look away. The girl tries to hit the simulated version of himself with a sudden burst of electricity, but all he does is stand there, holding her leg, grinning. The attack bounces off of him and hits her, sending something flying.
A small, cheap pin, the kind you get from gacha machines. He had seen it when she was running down the stairs off the overpass. It had been mostly green - green with a frog, like Gekota or something - and it sends his mind spinning, because why in the hell does a Sister have something like that on her? He can't recall any of this memory, did he even notice it at all?
The girl hits the ground, as does the pin, and Accelerator tosses her leg away like it's a bit of trash.
"So much for playing tag. You'd probably die if I just left you here, but waiting's a pain in the ass."
She starts dragging herself away from him, bleeding out through her massive wound. The fake Accelerator notes that, wondering what she's doing because that way is a dead end (it does, indeed lead straight to the river), before sighing and sauntering on over to a lone locomotive, his hands back in the pockets of his jeans. Tapping the machinery with his foot, it's launched into the air and over his head.
The real Accelerator's eyes are still on the girl, who has stopped. She's picked up the pin. She's picked up the pin. Why didn't he ever notice that before? Through the thousands of trials he'd been constantly looking for any sign of humanity from the Sisters, any indication that they could feel something. Anything. And here she is, holding that stupid Gekota pin close like it's some treasure. Why didn't he notice?!
The locomotive lands, completely crushing her.]
no subject
His eyes watch as it goes flying. His breath caught in his throat, watching it fly through the air, until it crushes her flat.
He assumes it does, anyway. He can imagine the results under the metal.
Silco always thinks of power as something that can be created. Shimmer allows Zaunites to become monsters stronger than anyone else. Jinx could pick him up like a ragdoll with her power.
It's nothing like this. ]
No? You seem rather determined to do it.
[ After all, killing a girl was still killing a girl. ]
She barely even scratched you.
[ Did he have some kind of shield? ]
no subject
No, she - [He's cut off by a sudden screaming. It isn't hysterical, and it isn't coming from the clone.
It's enraged, absolutely furious, and it's coming from another girl bolting onto the scene. She looks identical to the previous girl, but her leg is intact and she's completely uninjured. Electricity is sparking in arcs all around her, and it tries to slam into the simulated Accelerator, but it just bounces off. The girl isn't deterred, skidding to a halt and pulling up iron sand from the gravel all around them. Once she has enough she closes it around Accelerator, who only looks faintly amused as she tries to crush him.
It all ricochets off of him. That stuns her, and as she pauses she notices the leg. Her leg, discarded next to the locomotive.
Hugging herself, she starts screaming again. This time, it seems her electricity is sparking out of control. Attracted to the nearby railway tracks she rips them out of their bolts, and launches several tons of metal at him. It goes just as well as every other attack, though this time she actively has to dodge a few pieces of metal that bounce back at her.
Accelerator, who has been standing there the entire time without a care in the world, cheerfully proclaims her to be the 'original.' Something about how 'the clones' took her place, but he could speed all this work up if he fights her instead. That seems to jolt her back to reality, and she raises something from her pocket - an arcade token - at him, demanding to know why he's doing any of this.
He indulges, still completely amused by the entire display, and explains: it's for power. Not just the power of being a Level 5 or Academy City's strongest. He wants completely and total invincibility, so that the very idea of opposing him is unimaginable. She should understand this, since she's also a Level 5.
That breaks Mikoto. Power. All of this is for power? She died for power. She rages, electricity flies, and she fires a railgun at him, point blank.
It bounces off of Accelerator, narrowly missing Mikoto by inches, blasting clear through the railway steel behind her. She stares as he continues casually, that it isn't a big deal, it's not like he's a murderer when he's fighting things that can be created at the push of a button. There's only a small pause when he notices her shellshocked expression and he just laughs, realizing that that pitiful attack was her at her best, and begins to stalk towards her -
This time, he's interrupted by dozens of identical clones appearing behind Mikoto. Carefully explaining that the experiment could be disrupted if the two Level 5s fight, they request that he back off. With a huff he acquiesces, and before he leaves he introduces himself to Mikoto.
"I'm Accelerator. Nice to meet ya."
As he walks off her legs shake and she collapses to the ground. The memory then freezes, and the Gamerunner's voice can be heard. Time to figure out what in the memory has changed!]
no subject
[ He asks, his tone a little dour, a touch annoyed. He disliked games like this because the best source of information was always going to be the person themselves. He suspects, however, that this isn't going to be so easy.
His lips twitched, as he considered. ]
No, I bet you don't. That would be too easy, wouldn't it?
[ His fingers drift along the metal of one of the railroad cars, while he looks on the scene curiously. ]
I assume the tokens would be the most obvious, and easy to change. Therefore, not likely that. The creatures you're fighting themselves... Hm.
[ A tip of his head. Curious. Accelerator stands there so casually, but just earlier... ]
Are you invulnerable?
no subject
At the second question he just sighs.]
... Something like that, yeah.
[It's a lot more complicated than just invulnerability, but the basic idea is similar.]
no subject
[ Yeah, that's what he figured. Accelerator, you have so many powers, he doesn't even really know where to start.
Well, that's a thought for another time. He wants out of this damn thing, and if they solve it, surely nothing bad will happen and he can just leave.
Right? ]
So why did you get hurt earlier?
[ He asks, remembering the blood. ]
no subject
... Right, yeah. That shouldn't have happened. I don't know why it would've.
[He was only facing two espers, no magicians or demons or Magic Gods. Sure, one of them was another Level 5, but the #3 can't even come close to matching him.
There's a little ding noise to indicate the change has been identified, but instead of the software shutting down their surroundings simply change. It goes from a train yard in a modern city to... a river?]
no subject
They don't even give us a chance to breathe, now do they, b — [ oy?
It cuts off, because he knows this. He knows where they are. In the moment, it is fleeting, the memory. He doesn't remember all of it. He doesn't remember what lead to it, or what happened during, but he remembers afterward. The details are fuzzy, as they are ripped from his head, but he knows this place. He knows what happened here.
Even removing his memories doesn't remove his ability to know precisely what moment it is. It is everything. It changed everything.
Accelerator will see them, in the water. Thigh deep, arguing. It smells of rot, and smoke, and there are bodies drifting away in the river. Silco is younger, much younger, but so is Vander. He gestures like he always does, long hair whipping from the wind as the storm starts to roll in. Clean face, no scars. No eye. They're fighting, arguing, but it turns.
Like lightning, Silco is in the water, struggling. There was no sliding, no tripping. No, this was a fight. A hand around his neck, before he's under, fighting for his life.
Silco looks away, he doesn't need to see what happens, he knows the results. ]
no subject
He recognizes Vander first, because even though he's younger he's still bigger. Then it's Silco, no damage to his eye so this was before that happened -
That's all the observation his brain gets through before Silco is shoved under the water. He stares, watching the scene play out. The death of the Sister is still floating around in his mind, so all of this feels even more unreal.]
... Is that you? And Vander?
[He'd seen their bickering occasionally on Aurora's network. It wasn't his business, so he didn't pay it any mind and mostly just skimmed over it. But this? This is a lot more than insignificant bickering.]
no subject
[ A put upon sigh. ]
Do you remember what I told you when we first met? [ About his eye. Where it came from. 'Someone I was close to decided to take their anger out on me over the result.'
His hand lifted, in the general direction. It's happening. Hands around his neck, he can almost remember them. Remember how tight they were. Remember how his head swam, and then there was the water, and he thought it might be all over, if he just... let go.
It could be so easy. So calm. But there was — that thing —
There's struggling in the water. Splashing. There's a knife at Vander's hip. A hand drifts, and pulls it. Silco's lashing out, trying to fight him off, a glancing shot at his arm, he digs in, he tries to escape — Vander is lunging to try and catch him again.
He almost gets away. ]
no subject
He's out of control.
[He's mumbling that, mostly to himself, still staring at the scene. After a moment, he raises his voice to ask another question.]
Why is this even happening?
[He can't help wanting to know the details, for better or worse.]
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[ He agrees. He can hear him. Silco's hair is tugged — it was longer then — and Vander yanks him back, his hands finding his throat a second time, before he dunks him under again. ]
It's happening because I didn't want to do things his way. We disagreed, and... [ A tightening of his lips. ]
Well. Apparently he was so convinced of his righteousness, that he decided this was the right course of action.
[ He doesn't say what action it was.
Silco doesn't surface this second time. Vander holds him under. He struggles. His hands are trying to find purchase, but this time...
This time he doesn't come back out. ]
no subject
I knew he could be pushy and project his feelings onto people, but this....
[This is a lot more than Vander aggressively treating him like his daughter or one of his other kids. This is far, far beyond that.]
He didn't actually kill you, did he? Is this the change, the part of this fucking challenge that we have to figure out?
[He's aware Echo can bring the dead in, but Silco hasn't gone as far as ranting about being dead. Did he just get away with a fucked up eye as a souvenir of this occasion?]
no subject
He tries to reach for his head, as if aiming to take the damned thing off. Does it work?
Still, he speaks. Even while the announcement filters through the speakers. ]
He did not. I got away. With barely my life, and...
[ And the eye. The injury. It hadn't looked like that at the time, of course, but he doesn't share that. ]
There is a lot more to the man than the lot of you know. [ A beat. ] We grew up together. [ He peels off the headpiece, still speaking. Reality crashes in. Real reality. There are no more visions. Nothing else to keep him here. ]
We were like brothers, but as far as I have ever known, siblings do not do that. How funny, that he plays this persona with the lot of you. He has always had a difficult time accepting the truth.
[ Pot, kettle, etc. ]