TEST DRIVE ∞ May 2025

[thediadem]

Test Drive ∞ May 2025

The First Collision

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Jump ⇅ :: Arrival — Panorama — Fringes — Invite Request

The Diadem is an invite-only panfandom game set in a retro-futuristic world where uprooted souls find themselves deep within an eerie wasteland of roads and highways frequently assailed by cosmic storms. Three united strongholds keep the population. Its capital is Panorama, a large metropolis at the planet's center.

Soon, you realize you aren't alone. Calling themselves fluxdrifts, the "locals" have similar stories to you, either for themselves or their ancestry. You speak to an old woman who claims she hailed from another star. You meet a young man who says his great-great-grandfather knew a strange language everybody spoke "back home." As you explore, you stumble across a coin you recognize or your sister's locket. How did it get here? What does this mean? That's for you to discover.

But first, you need to find a ride.

No invites needed to play on the TDM. Everyone's welcome! Use the Invite Request thread below to request an invite from another player.

∞ Summary ∞

IC-wise, arrivals are scattered throughout the month. Events described on the TDM are also ongoing throughout the month. If you'd rather jump right into the action, you're free to begin in media res with your character having already been on the planet for several days.

Post-impact, characters will wake up in a med tent by the Scrapyard. From there, they must accept a vehicle on loan and make the 2-hour drive to the nearest city, Panorama. If they refuse the car because they don't want the loan, they'll be in debt for medical bills instead...so just take the car. It'll come in handy.

Some things to keep in mind when bringing in your character:

• Pick an injury. At minimum, they got knocked out; at most, whatever they can recover from. Medicine is decently advanced so they'll heal faster if not painlessly.
• Decide items kept. Reasonable items on their person only: photos, keys, clothes, costumes. No pets or animal companions. Wildly out-of-place tech and personal cell phones will be damaged beyond repair.
• Select a weapon. Do this only if eligible. Guidelines about weapons and powers are on the FAQ.
• Choose a vehicle. Decide whether your character gets 2-3 options or if they're stuck with something they hate. Players can pick directly from our collection or source their own images. Anything under a similar aesthetic will work. If your character needs accommodations for driving, they can have them. Ask us for details.
• Get a phone. Characters have to obtain a phone (and a SIM card) themselves. If they've got one from home, it's damaged beyond repair. Phones are cheap. It'll only take a couple of weeks to afford one. You need to know the number before you text or call anyone. Read about phones and the Forum before you hop on it.

TDM threads can be canon if characters are accepted. Top-levels made to the TDM should be open to all.

TDM Questions? Here — Game Questions? FAQ

Setting — Taken — Reserves — Applications ::: ⇅ Top

Fluxdrift

Arrival & Introduction

Date: Throughout May

You've tumbled over a cliff. You were fighting for your life. You're on the cusp of death. You slipped in the shower. Whatever the catalyst, you struggle to cling to consciousness. As darkness overtakes you, a swirling vortex warps light and shadow in a way that defies all physics. A dark wail etches into your very bones. You couldn't describe it if you tried. You can barely comprehend what it is.

Then you open your eyes.

Through the figure's mask ©, you swear the face is grinning down at you. The tent you're in smells of antiseptic, and scratchy blankets line your cot. Injuries you've sustained have been bandaged. In the corner, you spot a MedBot that's fixed you up. Depending on the extent of your injuries, the doctor on duty might give you some painkillers before you go. Thankfully, your belongings are by the exit. Sorry if anything's damaged. Your landing was pretty rough.

You follow the figure outside. They are Yom Crook, here to lend a hand to fellow fluxdrifts like yourself. Their car's parked beside them. Actually, there are lots of cars around, but Yom Crook's stands out with its painted shark mouth. They explain they found you, unconscious, in a diffusion zone and brought you here. The nearest city is a 2-hour drive northeast. Forget about walking. You'll never make it. Also, you owe the doctor a lot of money for patching you up. But you're in luck: they've got some wheels for you and if you accept the vehicle on loan, Yom Crook will cover your medical bills. That's a good deal, right? It's not the shiniest car or motorcycle, but it'll do. If fortune favors, you'll get to choose between two or three options. Plus, if you need accommodations to drive—like adjustments to your seat height or modified controls—you'll receive all that for free.

Take the vehicle. (And the loan.) Yom Crook assures you that you'll have six months before collectors come around. Any time you're ready to pay a part of it down, return here to the Scrapyard. You'll get a receipt and everything. Paying off the loan in six months isn't impossible, but it will take a lot of work. Just don't get too lax. There's a good chance you'll be juggling multiple loans as you try to get by.

You either know how to drive, or you'll have a bare-bones manual to get you started. Road rules are more a suggestion than enforced, so just hit the pedal and go. The car has some basic features. The built-in compass will help you navigate.

OPTIONAL PROMPTS: a flat tire; a body on the road (is it a trap?); a fender bender

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Panorama

Explore & Settle In

Conditions: Warm spring temperatures, light showers

After 2 hours on the road, you find civilization. The largest of the strongholds, Panorama is where the economy thrives. Massive power plants glowing red make it visible from a distance. The city is divided into three districts. For now, you can access the Pavilion and the Blocks. Don't worry about the Sanctum; they're not letting you in.

You only need to know two things about Panorama: 1) it's big, the size of a modern metropolis, and you'll need your car to get around; 2) anything goes as long as you don't pick a fight with the wrong person. Street smarts will get you far. Despite its geographical size, the population isn't huge. With roughly a million people in a city designed for over twice that number, Panorama is far from deserted, but nor is it overcrowded. It's a good thing. Resources are limited as it is.

The Pavilion: Free Samples

©

Like any large city, Panorama features a couple of supermarkets. The stock's not as consistent as a proper supermarket. On occasion, shelves can remain cleaned out for a week or two. Regardless, the long tradition of free samples remains. If you're not already shopping, you'll notice the crowded parking lot and clusters of lines inside.

Try samples, push through the crowds as you shop, or give yourself a five-finger discount. If you're cautious, you can pocket a few small items without consequences. The Pavillion doesn't have the infrastructure for surveillance; unless someone sees you, you won't be caught. Steal from the store or pilfer someone's wallet. Maybe you even make a new friend if you bump into another fluxdrift. Or, start a fight with somebody who cut you off in the cheese line. Don't make too much of a ruckus, or you'll be thrown out.

As you look around, you'll see posters advertising temporary positions for the cash register or graveyard shifts in the warehouse. Seems they might've lost several employees recently (how'd that happen?), which is good for you! It's just a 6-week position, but it'll get you on your feet. The city has temporary positions like this all over. Permanent ones are harder to come by when you're new.

Samples include: steamed cabbage dumplings, synthetic cherry juice, cheddar cheese, and chocolate-covered alien eggs (it's crunchy and weirdly tasty). They're served in the usual throwaway paper cups with little toothpicks.

The Blocks: Power Outage

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Power's finicky in Panorama, especially in the Blocks. Saint Margery's Hospital, located in the same area, has priority for power so the first to go are the motels. Maybe you've been in your room for a couple of weeks, maybe you just got here—and by the way, every motel desk is happy to put the fee on your tab if you don't have the money upfront—but all the motels on the east side are in a blackout, leaving only the west side motels up and running.

What do you do? You have three choices:

• Risk leaving your room and head to the other side where there's power. Knock on some doors and negotiate with another to share the room. They might shut the door in your face, ask for a favor in return, or be nice enough to help you with no strings attached. There's no guarantee your unattended room will be untouched, though, and you'll be on the hook for any damages an intruder causes.
• Sit in the dark and deal. It's not the worst idea, but the TV's down, the vending machines are powered down, and with the entire place plunged into darkness, you risk getting robbed. If you struggle with defending yourself, you might want to find some trustworthy company. You can also sneak out of there and let them take your leftover pizza. It's not like you've got a ton of valuables, right? Plus, clobbering someone in the face with a frying pan sounds great until you realize you've gotta do something with the body. And what if this person's got a friend waiting?
• Get in your car and drive (or grab a friend for a road trip). If you scroll the Forum, you might notice reports on diffusion zones southward. Besides, these motels are hardly your forever home. The city can only provide so much. Why not go for a ride and see what you can find out there?

OPTIONAL PROMPTS: clean up on aisle 3 (what is that goo?); a knock at your door but no one's there; you hear screaming or a commotion down the hall

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©

The Fringes

Quad 3: Lockdown

Conditions: Stormy, with flooding roads

Felix Bjurstrom
> Date: 125-05-17
> Time: 02:15:57

> Emergency road lights have been reported in Quadrant 3! Please, can someone go see what's there? When last we chasers investigated emergency lights, a whole truck filled with sour candy had tipped over. Our stores were stocked for weeks! Oh, be careful - reception looks bad in that zone.

Whether you end up here on your own or you were following a tip on the Forum, the outcome is the same: you come to a stop in front of a 2-story office building that's flooded several inches deep. Emergency lights from a roadblock flicker through the stormy night. Stepping out of your car, you're soaked within seconds. When you check your phone, you don't have any bars. No calls in or out.

Through the open windows, a computer awakens and displays a cheerful smile. The lights inside switch on.

Pick your scenario role below. Your thread partner doesn't need to take the opposite role! They can join you in the same scenario (i.e. trapped together). Players are also free to create a generic NPC for the other side to facilitate the thread.

After characters escape, they'll find one bottle of antibiotics in their pocket or car, whether they remember taking it or not.

A: Sealed In
As you peer through the windows, you see crates of medicine floating around. Antibiotics in the diadem are valuable. Hospitals and doctors are always buying. You can keep it for yourself or make a quick buck. Or maybe you're compelled to help somebody back in the city who's in need. Whatever the reason, you decide to take the risk and step inside.

Water splashes around your ankles. The lock buzzes behind you. If you try to break the windows, you discover they're unnaturally resistant to shattering. With the whole place locked tight, the water begins to churn. Then the computer lights up again.

Warning, it flashes in large, bold text. Quarantine in progress. Release code required for exit.

• To find the code, you'll have to search. Duck under the water, go through sopping envelopes and sticky notes or pick the locks on the filing cabinets and desk drawers. You can also try hacking the computers. Use your computer knowledge or fall back on the age-old trick of seeing who wrote down their password.
• The files, notepads, and emails start innocuous, but as you look through them, disturbing phrases jump out at you—a dark thought you've had or a cruel taunt from someone in your past. The longer you're fixed on the terrible words, the higher the water begins to rise. Only another can break you out of your trance.
• With the rising water comes fear. And the more you're afraid, the more the water also rises. You begin to see faces in the water, bobbing like balloon heads. Do you recognize them? If you move to take a closer look, they will sink back beneath the surface as if never there.
• If you manage to swallow your panic, you can eventually find a triple-laminated binder with the release code and instructions. Bad news: you need someone on the outside to punch in the 6 strange symbols in order. The instructions explain that the code panel is located at the back of the building.

Let's hope a friendly face comes along.

B: Set Free
As you peer through the windows, you see not just the crates of medicine but someone trapped inside. They look like they might be in trouble, and from your vantage point, you notice that the water is bubbling strangely. It's definitely not normal rainwater. As you watch, the water rises unnaturally, stopping and starting. It's as if the water level is responding to an external stimulus.

• The glass is soundproof. You can't hear what the person inside is saying, so you'll have to communicate with each other another way. Try charades, typing on your phone, or whatever you think of. Eventually, you determine that they're stuck and that you need to enter some sort of code onto a pad located—according to your trapped partner—at the back of the building.
• Around the back, shadows swallow your surroundings. The panel must be pried open, but a slippery substance makes it hard to get a good grip. Each time the substance touches you, you grow uneasy. You swear you see eyes watching you, though when you turn around, nothing's there.
• You can't seem to keep the instructions in your mind. And those symbols...they burn into your retinas. Through them, you glimpse an incomprehensibly massive figure unfurling in the darkness, pulsing as if in a deep sleep. When you snap back to reality, you realize you've injured yourself, slicing your hand on a sharp edge or a bruise you can't remember getting.
• Once you manage to release the doors, the water inside the office drains upward into the sky as though sucked out by a giant hose. The darkness spreads. Get out of there fast before the shadows drag you or your partner into the void.

Of course, you don't have to help anyone. You can leave the individual there, make a deal, or outright extort them. But remember, you're not the only person on these roads. You might want to play your cards carefully, even if altruism isn't your first instinct.

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Comments

crawls back here after an insane week at work

[longtooth]

[ It's true. Most of the time Fern chooses honesty over any other option. An odd choice for a rogue, perhaps, but she tends to rely on never being seen in the first place, which eliminates the need for disguises or fronts.

No, a certain other member of her current traveling group is the clearer option for that.

(Or... not so current. Adrian may be here, but none of the others have turned up as of yet. A thought that's been weighing on her.) ]

You may be right, though surely any other would-be thieves will think twice before trying your door after that.

[ She shoots a glance up and down the corridor. ]

It doesn't seem like the lights will be returning any time soon. [ Her own golden eyes flick back to him. ] What do you intend to do?

[longtooth]

[ Hearing Adrian call her that, it seems impossible to imagine that he's anything else but the real thing. All the same, Fern knows that she shouldn't assume that too immediately — that she shouldn't let the hope of finding a familiar face here take hold. It could just as easily be a wolf in sheep's clothing, a well-made illusion meant to draw her in.

Then again, Adrian is taking none of the same precautions. He even reaches for her before thinking better of it, and that utter recklessness is yet another hint that this is in fact the man he seems to be.

Before Fern can formulate any sort of response to his barrage of questions, however, Adrian turns to the stranger it seems he's already befriended and started to travel with. (Is there a small hint of betrayal, seeing that? No, that much she knows to be unreasonable, so she shoves it down.)

She stares at the man, almost without blinking, and looks him over. His golden eyes and those wings make it seem all too possible that he is another assimar, or perhaps even a celestial. Given how their last encounter with a celestial went, she can't help but be suspicious. Especially with how he's latched onto Adrian of all people. ]

Just Fern is fine. [ She lifts a leg up and pivots to dismount her motorcycle, then walks it over to the side of the road so she doesn't risk being hit by someone driving far too fast. She comes up at Adrian's side, but also keeps a safe distance from him — both out of habit, and necessity. ] I haven't seen any of the others, no. [ Here, she sends Sunday a glare, as if daring him to listen in as she pitches her voice low to address Adrian and Adrian alone. ] What do you make of this place? Don't you think he might be behind it? We should take care with who we befriend.

[longtooth]

[ There's something cheeky about how he's counting off the ways in which he's supposedly so different from any other vampire Fern's encountered, and that ego in and of itself makes her suspect that he is in fact just more of the same.

She realizes that she is sensitive to this after well over a month of dealing with such nonsense, but there's little reason for her to give him the benefit of the doubt.

She continues to stare him down, almost statuesque in how she remains poised to attack if he says just one wrong thing. ]

You don't have a need to drink blood, but you do still feel the temptation, do you not? The hunger?

[ From what she understands, dhampirs can resist such urges. Some even become monster hunters themselves. But she feels a need to test him before assuming he is one of those, the rare few who find a way to hold back on the hunger and the urges that come with it. ]

[godjr]

[ Jack is genuinely excited. He's smiling ear-to-ear. He's had meals with his family and the hunters before, but never with a brand new person, not like this. It feels so normal and thrilling. It does occur to him that he isn't well-versed in small talk, but luckily he's said enough about himself that Bob might have questions about hunters, like he does, instead of talking about the weather. ]

It's inherited. Dean and Sam, two of my fathers, their mother was one before them, and her father before. I don't know how far it went back, but I think a few generations. They took me in and raised me after my mother died at my birth.

[ There was never any paperwork because his father was evil, his mother was dead, and he wasn't a real person in a specific citizen sense. So Jack was just taken in and while Dean was very against him in the start, eventually he warmed up and he was accepted into the Winchester fold. Jack's very proud of that and of earning his place with them, after some serious ups and downs on the road to get there.

They didn't have much of a choice, it was kill him or raise him, but Jack is still grateful for it. ]

What about you? What do you do in your world?

[foretells]

That doesn't mean it's common for people to stay.

[ That's the part that settles uncomfortably in her stomach. On one hand, it could mean they've wandered back home, no harm and no foul. Sciel doesn't hold to that, though, even if her easy smile is meant to assuage any concern. People who disappear are likely not in good shape, and she doesn't like to pretend otherwise.

But for others, she can keep a hopeful face. ]

And if they're used to people showing up, it means it shouldn't be strange for us to be looking for jobs or wanting to help out. It skips the whole awkward bit where we try to tell people we blew in from a different world and everything's a bit odd.

[motiontocompel]

It's really him.

Foggy grabs onto Matt and pulls him into a tight hug, holding on as if for dear life. His grip is strong, but only because the efforts of the medical team when he arrived. His lack of medical debt is practically a miracle in of itself, even if he was forced to take a car as an alternate form of debt.

He wonders if Matt's simply got incredible timing, or if he's been out here aware of Foggy's presence but hiding his own. It wouldn't be the first time, would it? But he forces himself to set aside the thought and simply squeezes his best friend a second time before pulling back to get a good look.

"Good thing you came along," he notes, letting go to dip down and grab his joolies and watch. He checks the dial, glad to see the crystal isn't broken, and slips the watch onto his wrist. "But I can't say I'm glad we're both here." Panorama itself is a bit more like home than the outskirts where Foggy had started his journey, but he still doesn't feel particularly comfortable here. And is it any wonder why? He's already had his wallet stolen and now he's nearly been mugged.

He glances the direction the thugs went and then taps Matt's elbow, gesturing to show he's intending to go the other way.

"Did they give you a car, too?" He can't imagine Matt driving, but then again, it's not like he couldn't; in the outskirts he would have gone miles without coming to another car. "And a buttload of debt?"

[yeahmagnets]

[ Jesse's still adjusting to the weight of everything (that ditch, that glow-eyed kid lifting his van like it’s made of cardboard), but somehow, it’s not the strength that sticks with him. It’s what Jack said when they shook hands. I really like your tattoo. Like it actually meant something. He flexes his fingers on the wheel, glancing down at the abstract, tribal-style scorpion crawling up the back of his wrist. ] It's a Borneo scorpion. A symbol of protection, they said. [ He explains, not that it ever kept much danger off his back. But it meant something when he got it. Still does, even if it’s faded around the edges now. ]

Sucks you can’t keep one. But maybe we could, I dunno, draw one on? Marker or pen, or something. Not permanent, obviously, but it could still look badass.

[ His tone is easy, casual, but there's a thread of sincerity underneath it. The kind that slips out when he’s not thinking too hard. When someone surprises him by giving a damn. Jack talks about scaring people, about how even his family sometimes flinches. Jesse doesn’t push. He just nods a little, quiet for a beat. ]

Yeah. I get that. Some people go off, like, bad first impressions instead of stickin' around to find out more. But what I came to find is those just aren't your people, man.

[ He doesn’t elaborate. Some truths don’t need all the details spelled out. Jack starts fiddling with the radio, and Jesse half-expects something weird or churchy to come through the speakers. But what comes on instead is low, raw, and guitar-heavy. It's something with grit in the vocals and just enough soul to hit his chest. Jack lights up beside him, and Jesse follows suit, a little rough around the edges, a little used to putting up a front. He's always chastised for not taking things seriously enough, so being able to let loose a little bit is nice. ]

Your family’s got good taste. [ Jesse looks over at Jack briefly before looking back towards the road. ] So you got siblings? Or is it, uh, cousins and stuff?

[ It’s a simple question, but there’s something tentative behind it, like Jesse’s not just making conversation, but actually giving a shit. There's also the sensitive topic of his own family. The parents he doesn't get along with, the younger brother they accuse him of corrupting. He wants to understand this kid, though, who offered help without asking for a damn thing back. So, asking questions is a risk worth taking. The van rolls forward, tires humming steadily against the road, and for the first time in a while, Jesse doesn’t feel like the world’s trying to spit him out. ]

[longtooth]

[ It's not as if Fern didn't consider simply making the trip on foot, but given that she doesn't even know the means by how she came here (or whether Strahd's behind it), she had realized it was too great of a risk.

Especially when on her own like this. If the others were here, it might have been different.

While she isn't sure why this woman is taking the time to help her, she also knows that she needs to sort this out before she can do much of anything. So with a nod, she puts the key back in the ignition and turns it.

And the engine does sound like it's truly straining to fully start. It revs a few times before seeming to get over some sort of hump, at which point it hums into something a bit smoother. Fern feels the vehicle vibrate beneath her and shoots the stranger another glance. ]

Is that... right? Is it supposed to do this?

[ She really has no reference point. ]

[godjr]

A pilot! You can fly a plane, that's so cool.

[ Driving a car is cool to Jack, and a motorcycle like he has, but a plane is something he's never been on. He doesn't need to go on them since he can fly and teleport anywhere he wants to go, but that's not the point. A plane is large and scary and impressive, and this duck-man is a brave pilot who survives falling down mountains.

His eyes widen as Launchpad mentions a real superhero and he shakes his head, he's never heard of him before. It is funny that a half-angel would be so enraptured by the idea of a superhero, but Jack's enthusiasm is genuine. ]

Chasing the bad guys down a mountain? Does he have a costume? A secret identity? What are his powers?

[ Launchpad's excitement is lighting him up too! ]

[littlemushroom]

[[That doesn't mean it's common for people to stay.

It was a very hopeful sentiment. An Zhe wasn't sure if he were allowed to partake in that bit of hope, regardless of how true or not it could be. Knowing his presence had always meant to be temporary, it felt out of place to hope this one might be too so that he could return to those he left behind.

He fiddled with his cup.]]

That's true.

... I think chocolate covered eggs still count as a sign that it's all a bit odd though.

so sorry for the delay!

[longtooth]

[ It's true that if Fern felt that this stranger was some sort of danger, she might not have waited to draw her blade. As it stands, his appearance is odd, but he doesn't seem to mean any sort of ill will.

Still, she notes the eyepatch along with the strange, swirling patch on his chest that looks a bit like the night sky. Is that... some sort of magical object? Is it a part of him? She's seen stranger, to be sure, but she's still curious.

Except then he comes out with an explanation, and while it might have bored anyone else, it's a boon for someone like Fern who doesn't have any prior experience with electricity. His explanation is simple but informative, and she gives a nod of confirmation. ]

It seems that most here are living below their means. This would present a tempting opportunity...

[ Except if all of them are in the same boat, there wouldn't be much to loot, would there? ]

Do you think you could locate this [ what did he call it ] distribution mechanism?

[carcajous]

[ Logan follows her gaze to the skyline. The power plants loom through the darkness. He's got Charles in a room with him. The others nearby. It's not bad, exactly, to have them around him. Guess that makes him luckier than most. With Charles, he knows that if any more of his people show up, the Professor will find them. For somebody like Karen—this place is big. Could be weeks, months. Hell, she might not even know they were here at all 'til it's too late.

She isn't just alone. She looks lonely. That's what he's thinking when he watches her. Might be he's projecting or whatever, but...

Maybe there's something to it, too.

He shifts his weight. The engine putters beneath him. ] There's a room three doors down from mine. Emptied out yesterday. They'll let you put a couple nights on a tab.

[ Temporary if she wants, in other words. She doesn't have to stay there for longer than it takes for her to figure out where she wants to be. But he won't complain if she decides to stick around. ]

[godjr]

Thanks! I'm Jack!

[ Jack is pleased that the use of his light doesn't scare Eddie and seems to be taken pretty easily. 90% of the time in his experience people panic or don't react positively to unexpected supernatural things, so it's comforting. The last thing he likes to do is upset people. It seems like this man might have come from a universe with supernatural creatures too so it isn't a surprise to him, that's what makes the difference.]

Apparently losing power is not uncommon here. It could be worse though, it's not bad weather.

[ Rain anyone can handle. They're not freezing or sweltering. Although he might want to be careful not to jinx them otherwise the weather might listen and decide to change that. Jack doesn't need power so it doesn't bother him, he can make his own lights and he's been practicing with temperature control to make his drinks cold all on his own. ]

I've been here a few days. I've never been in a city before, it's pretty exciting, even though I should be home saving the world.

[fuckinabucket]

[ She starts to notice the other unique details of him as the moments pass naturally and comfortably; the vibrant shade of his hair and the tattoo on his neck are especially interesting. He seems reasonably intelligible at first glance too, at least enough so to understand the stakes of her statement, the general brand of fallout to which she is referring. ]

Can't imagine it was by choice on our part, but I honestly couldn't tell you the truth. Who knows when it comes to the fucked up whims of elected officials. All I know is we lost the war, and the trade dried up. Bridges shut down and suspiciously heavily patrolled.

[ Welcome the expertise of others, does he? The odd foxy (?) fellow is shaping up to be quite the reasonable sort. Reasonable... Sally likes that. She can work with reasonable. ]

G'raha Tia? Do correct me if I butcher the accent. The Brits have such a boring linguistic pallet.

[ She shakes his hand, mirroring his friendly etiquette. ]

An absolute pleasure. Well, except the whole... Lord of The Flies on Wheels bit

and then I took over the scene, flipped a few coins, and made some bs up the end

[brandingproblem]

Clint has two arms, therefore he is most definitely armed. But Slugger here doesn't need to know that just yet. Maybe when the lights properly come back, they can better figure each other out and who the potential adversaries are, but as it stands?

"If I send him your way, you be ready to take a swing." Where isn't much of a concern. Head, shoulders, knees, and toes are susceptible to getting smashed with a bat.

They are at the disadvantage of being a beacon of [checks notes] an early-2000's era cellphone backlight, but that's more light than most other people got going on in this hallways. Note to self, yeah, flashlight's a good investment, and the right batteries to power it.

So Clint will be the bait and the Face Of Reason here. Is this a good idea? Maybe not, but he thinks it's a better idea than a guy that looks like he got shoved into lockers well into high school with a baseball bat at the ready being the first one of them the guy talks to. He takes his minuscule light and takes steps towards the heavy steps. He's got a convivial smile on his face. This might go wrong, and he maybe should've sent the talker to do the talking while he had the bat at the ready, but now he's committed.

Big guy is big. Like big big, the kind that wants to look like tough shit in boots with the thickest soles and steeliest toes, a leather jacket that's seen better days, broad, muscles, square jaw, the works. Real tough shit biker kind of guy stomping around. Clint remains convivial. "Hey friend. You doing okay with the lights out?"

There's a creak that could be the floors or it could be the leather or it could be knuckles popping, hard to say really. "I look like a friend to you?"

Clint shrugs. "You're here, means you look like a neighbor. Close enough for me. You need a light so you can watch your step?"

"Know where I'm going, pipsqueak."

"Heeey, okay, alright, man, I'm just asking." And the big guy tries to say well DON'T, about asking, but Clint plows right on through. "Just trying to make sure my neighbors are taken care of. Shit happens here. You got anyone that needs checked in on?"

There's a weighty pause. "I got somewhere to be, and you're in my way. Move, or I move you."

"No need to get angry, friend."

"You call me that again--"

"I'm out of your way, I'm getting out of your way, man, don't get so--"

"What, huh, what am I getting so, what, you wanna follow me and get the jump on me like you can pull a fast one?" The argument layers on top of each other, and the guy reaches for Clint's shirt. "Now get that light outta my face, numbnuts."

And maybe the guy isn't necessarily a ne'er-do-well like Foggy's out to beat. But Clint is in no way going to just let someone with a violent hair trigger just hit him for free for the sake of some neighborly charade. The phone light goes out, there is the sound of a scuffle, hard to tell in the dark-then-sort-of-light-now-plunged-back-into-dark-again what specifically goes on, except the big guy grunts in a wheezing pain kind of way.

And then Clint calls out, "Batter up!"

[argumentiste]

It certainly took some adjusting. [ It still is to be honest. ] I'm used to far more structure.

[ And even then 'structure' is perhaps putting it lightly. Sharlayan society certainly has their quirks about them which is why she can say with certainty that had anyone else they knew from their star had arrived here, they might not have fared as well. ]

No. I was lucky enough to arrive with my brother and another [ What is she supposed to call the Exarch? A friend? A temporary caretaker who had given them shelter upon their arrival in the first? A colleague? She settles on the first label that had come to mind. There's a fondness as she recounts all of this. ] friend. I'm certain I could have found my own footing, but having others who are familiar certainly helps when you're face with the unfamiliar.

Did you arrive alone?

[messenger]

[ in his head, he offers another apology. jack may think that's true, but he's no better than them. there must be a reason why he choose to ally with him. why else would he have decided to protect a nephilim who he has no personal involvement in the creation of? unless jack is lying about his lineage, but why would he? this only causes more problems.

castiel's nose and brow crease in thought, a frown making its way across his face as gravel crunches under his feet. ]

Are you Gabriel's?

[ every since he met metatron's version, he's been wondering if, perhaps... and let's be honest, there's no better candidate for fathering a nephilim. he's shocked it hasn't happened sooner. ]

[foretells]

Let's head up that way, then.

[ Better than trying her luck on the fire escape and suddenly finding out the upper floors are not in great shape. Or that it's not advisable to head that way. He can take the lead, she thinks, but she's right at his heels. There's a polite bit of distance between them, to be sure, though Sciel's only barely adhering to it. It's not her style, and in a new place like this? One can never be too careful.

There's a faint smile that plays on her lips as they walk together. ]

Stars have a way of doing that. Bringing people together, no matter how far apart they are. The sky you look up to in one place isn't so different in another.

[ Granted, she's only ever lived in Lumiere and has then gone to the continent. The space is vast but not so vast as, say, an entire star system. In her limited conjecture, it's all she knows. ]

They've been a comfort to me for much of my life. If you can speak to no one else, you can always speak into the sky and let them know your secrets.

[ Doubts, fears, and insecurities...and the little scraps of happiness you manage to drag away just for you. ]

dr. stephen strange (supreme) | mcu – what if...?

[elriche]

1. fluxdrift - arrival

a.

[ Stephen's been awake so long he's forgotten what it's like to sleep.

The jolt of consciousness hits him like a punch to the gut – or whatever he has in place of a gut these days. His eyes snap open to see finger-sized tentacles wrapped around a neck above him, to a masked man choking on half-syllables. Stephen hisses, rises, raises his other hand, nails black and curved into talons. From his forehead, his third eye opens, then his fourth, his fifth. They dart in all directions as his bull nose flares and takes it in – even after centuries, he'd never mistake the the familiar sting of alcohol and iodine.

A chorus of growls rumbles from his throat. ] Where–

[ A pain shoots through his temple. Something convulses through him. His eyes shut, reduce down to two. His hands shrink, become pale and bony. Someone shouts as a needle plunges into his neck. Behind the animal instinct, a more cogent panic sets in as consciousness ebbs in and out – he's not alone. His vigil is broken.

They have the Stones. Even in this, he has failed her.

His eyes flutter, unaware of any other newcomers who may have passed by the room on their way out from their own beds – doesn't realize how the commotion may have drawn their curiosity or alarm, or how much they may have seen of his grotesque transformations. All he knows, as he drifts in and out of consciousness, is that for the first time in forever, he isn't alone. ]

b.

[ The man who stands outside the outpost is a far cry from the shifting horror on the operating table – at least from afar. Gaunt-faced and dark-eyed with a bat-shaped collar that beggars belief, the man stands a few meters from an old Corolla as his hand circles a wide arc through the air. Orange sparks fly, create a circle, but as soon as an image seems to form in the center, it wavers and disappears.

He curses under his breath, with something sharper than mundane frustration. You might approach him out of morbid curiosity or a genuine desire to assist him – guy's dressed like an evil royal vizier, maybe he doesn't know how to drive? Except then he pulls out his provided phone and flips through it with practiced ease.

As you apporach, something prickles down your neck. Maybe his movement feels... off, as he turns to appraise you. Maybe his shadow stretches too far across the hood of the car, in silhouettes you can't seem to place. Or maybe it's just your rattled nerves, a trick of the light in this weird new world. That's probably it. ]

Hey, [ he says, almost sheepishly, with modern American cadence. ] Guess you're in the same boat. Or — car.

2. panorama - the pavilion

[ There are other things he's forgotten.

The press of crowds in his space, layers of conversations, the scent of food in the air. He wonders if at some point he'd also forgotten how to eat but then a thousand stomachs growl deep within him and he remembers – no, it's the hunger he's used to.

He stops in front of a food stall and squints at the samples arranged in neat little piles in front of him. He's at least learned one thing so far, after odd looks at rest stops – it's better to blend in for now. He's dropped the cape-and-robes for a more modern fit – synthetic fabric and zippers that feel odd upon a body used to a single garment worn for hundreds of years. Thousands? In solitude, time becomes irrelevant.

His eyes refocus on the samples. Dumplings, juice. His gaze strays lower, to the cold counter, to slices of meat. Saliva pools in his hundred mouths. He feels his arm judder, his teeth lengthen, shuts his eyes and breathes. This universe may have its charms, but it's a jail nonetheless, and has robbed him not only of his exits but also his control.

He might lean forward and grip the edge of the food stand. The owner might ask the ailing man if he's okay, unless you see him first and approach out of concern, ask him if he needs help. With eyes shut, he might grate out, ] Yeah, doing great, [ and then double over again as an animal noise escapes his throat. ]

3. the fringes – sealed in

[ Several days in, and he still hates getting behind the wheel, but he hates doing nothing even more.

There's got to be a trick to it, he thinks, as he stares down the road in front of him and in no way looks toward the passenger seat beside him. An unstable universe that pulls multiversal entities into its orbit must also go the other direction. Its anomalies must have a pattern; within its danger must lie its exits.

There has to be a way to retrieve the full extent of his powers. And if not, then maybe... he needs new ones.

When he reaches the building, a flick of his hand cracks the barricade in front of him and he floats downward through the entrance and into the pooling water. He angles his palm upward to cradle a glowing light in the darkness and narrows his eyes at his surroundings. The cryptic notes on forum posts had led him to believe he might find something of interest, but instead of supplies, it's information he's after. He opens a file cabinet, pages through binders. Waterlogged or mundane memos, useless. Useless–

A splash comes from down the hall – is it you? Or are you the figure in the entrance, newly arrived? Either way, the man in a high collar and cape turns toward you, a frown across his face. ]

If you let me read these, you can have the supplies.

[longtooth]

[ That facetious tone isn't unknown to her. No, the nobles in her traveling party will often resort to such attempts at humor as well. Fern's expression twitches, but it isn't exactly with amusement.

Even if he doesn't say as much, she can assume that he's as new at operating one of these vehicles as she. Speaking of which, she shoots a glance back up the ditch to where her own motorcycle waits. She doesn't want someone to snatch it when she's not looking, so they'll need to make this quick.

He doesn't ask for help, so she watches him push to his feet. It's not done without effort, but he seems able to stand on his own. That's something. ]

I'm fine. [ She looks him up and down. He's standing, yes, but he definitely looks like he's seen better days. ] You might want to return to the medical tent once we get your motorcycle out of here. [ She eyes the motorcycle like it's a downed beast, wondering if the two of them will have the means to push it out. Not that there's any other option, so without further ado, she circles around to the back end of it. ] I push, you pull?

[primepool]

[Wade stops his fumbling in the bag and lifts his head, staring at Jesse's face for a moment. Maybe longer than a moment, to a point where it feels increasingly awkward that he's just staring and not speaking, until he says with a little bow of his head and a softness to the brows of his mask, tone soft:] Thank you. That is honestly the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.

[That was sincere.] I'm putting that on my tombstone.

[Not that he'll die anytime soon, but hey, a guy can dream. Or maybe he'll throw that to Peter for his next birthday cake. Gonna have to be a Costco size to fit all that on there.

Fantasizing about Costco cake is exactly why Wade doesn't hear the part about rifling through people's shit, because honestly pointing it out wasn't gonna stop him, anyway. There's nothing good in the damn thing unless he's into old socks and what could be an internal characterization of himself that is way too intensely on the nose for him, goddamn, keep that shit to yourself. Not that he can hear it. That's the beauty of the medium.

Wade perks up, rezipping the bag back up. He takes a seat on the bed right next to Jesse like he has been here all day, shaking out the pack. Oh, yeah, he recognizes the brand. What, you think Hugh's the only Australian actor he's into? His laugh to himself is a chortle.] Proof of Life. Classic. [He was a big fan of 2000's-era Meg Ryan, if you gotta know.

Honestly, he's satisfied with that. He's not a petty robber, thanks; he's just a guy in a new multiversal shenanigan who needs a smoke. He lights up with a little Deadpool-logo-emblazoned lighter from a pouch and lifts his mask just above his mouth to take that first big draw, which is enough to show his skin is definitely Fucked Up but he's been living in this body long enough he doesn't give a shit. Oh. Fuck yeah, that's pretty good.] C'mon, I'm no amateur. [Okay, he does usually leave corpses where he makes them, that's not... that's not an incorrect assumption.

Wade releases a puff of smoke and turns to look at him.] Are you even loaded? I don't work for free! It would ruin my mercenary reputation, which is unblemished and completely credible.

[Okay, he is bumming smokes off of him. Fuck. Jesse looks like he'd be easy to throw across a football field even soaking wet, let alone a window, so the threat of violence isn't off the table, but it's also like -- god, it'd be like shaking down Dopinder, come on, look at him. It's like a shaking kitten in the rain. Wade's not that kind of anti-hero.] Honestly, when I think about it, I'm only really good at murder. [It's one of those kind of cosmic, deep thoughts you have after breaking into someone's room and inhaling the smoke of a stolen cancer stick.] And I can make a mean croffle. You ever had a croffle? Peanut butter and bananas, I'm telling you. You'll be tasting the sun. In a metaphorically culinarily way. [This planet's gotta have croffles somewhere, right? Anyway,] Look, for these two I'll give you a free light maiming. I'm talking small limb removal limited to fingers and toes, maybe a hand, tops. Or minor disfigurement from the waist up.

[See, no one can say Wade doesn't appreciate charity.]

[godjr]

Jack agrees that it should be, but he knows that a lot of shoulds don't end up happening in reality. He doesn't understand humanity well, he's still too young, but he knows that people tend to make things harder for themselves. Ideals can only go so far. And as a very flawed creature himself, he can't blame them for that. Angels are just as bad as humans from his experience. If he knew how to fix it, he would try, but he'd probably get that wrong too.

Usually the ability to alter a world to that extent is reserved only for God himself and archangels, Jack being the latter. So to hear that his new friend has something like that from his own world is fascinating. It's a relief that Sunday doesn't go right to the worst and react in horror to him admitting that much. Jack doesn't talk about his power to impress anyone, most of the time it's a serious curse for him. He wonders if the same was said for Sunday.

"It scares people. It always has, for me. Including my family." After a beat, a sigh. "Maybe especially them." Jack's never doubted that they love him deeply and truly, as he does them, but they also do know what he's capable of. They know what he is and what he's done. They also know that his actions have often been unintentional and that makes him all the more dangerous.

"It's not out of my reach. I could probably do it here too. I don't know, I'm obviously not going to try." Jack at the time thought it made so much sense, that he was helping. He was coming out of an upset and angry mindset. And then it only tore the world apart. "It hurt people, apparently some lying is good for humanity, they didn't do well without it." There were riots. Jack looked at all of that with horror.

"I don't think we should be able to do it, but we were born that way, or at least I was. So there's no real way to stop it. You just have to live with it."

[messenger]

My vessel's. His name was Jimmy Novak.

[ castiel watches connor sit on curtis' lap like it's just another day in panorama. he opens his mouth to ask what he's doing...

... and then thinks better of it. connor is an android. clearly he's following some protocol or other. castiel's gaze bounces back to connor's face. ]

Do your eyes shoot laser beams?

[messenger]

Technically speaking, slugs are hermaphroditic, but thankfully "he" doesn't care much.

[ does he? no, he doesn't. slugs just don't concern themselves with these things the way that humans do. castiel supposes that makes them much like angels, in a way.

but that aside, castiel tips his head in acknowledgement as he stands. ]

Ideally, somewhere far from this parking lot. Have you noticed any parks?

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard's own positioning has remained rock steady since this began, save the counting. He is confident in his own skin, yes, but more than that he knows that staying still means de-escalating situations such as these.]

I've never had the desire for blood. When I was young, my nutritional needs were a mystery and so I learned to cook with animal blood, but that is normal enough for humans in my part of the world as well.

[Someone has had a bad time with the undead. He knows this.]

Ask whatever you need of me.