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

©

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.

Main Navigation ::: ⇅ Top

Comments

[heavymetals]

((ooc: not a problem!! we can wrap it up here and maybe have them meet again at the mingle? ♥))

[ He doesn't really know how big Panorama is, and from afar his powers can't tell him much. Whether or not it will be easy to keep track of others who have arrived here the same way he has remains yet to be seen, but it's not impossible that they should run into each other again, provided they're both kept in this place for long enough.

So he nods at that, more inclined to believe they will meet than he is to be skeptical about it. ]

I'll be holding you to it.

[ Just to know that she's settled somewhere and hasn't run into bigger troubles than this. ]

We can settle it with a coffee sometime. [ Provided there is coffee here, who even knows. ]

[valle]

( His response, believe it or not, is actually the most reassuring possibility of anything he could've said. The sharpness of it, the reprimand thinly veiling something better underneath... it reminds her of someone. It takes concentrated effort not to smile, but she manages — her mouth stays straight, but the amusement finds its way to her eyes anyway.

The best men, she's learned, are the ones that want everyone around them to believe they're an asshole, and yet can't seem to keep themselves from begrudgingly helping. Like someone's twisting their arm about it, except there's nobody actually twisting.

She develops a few theories about this man named Joel over the course of this explanation, and she's pretty confident she's right about at least a few of them. )

Okay. ( She says simply, maybe a suspiciously easy agreement considering her wariness from a second ago. ) I'll follow you.

[yeahmagnets]

[ The van rolls steadily beneath them, tires humming across sun-cracked asphalt that stretches out like a thread pulling them toward a destination they know nothing about aside from a name: Panorama. There’s a rhythm to the ride: engine noise, weird jazz fusion, breath synced up in quiet solidarity, and for a second, Jesse almost forgets they're strangers. Almost forgets this is a borrowed van in a borrowed world, and not just some lazy road trip with a friend. He hears Wanda's voice again: Maybe we can start a band of our own.

It lands light, like a breeze through an open window you didn't realize you needed. He turns his head just enough to catch the edge of her profile in the waning light bleeding through the windshield. Like he's trying to read her to see if she was serious or joking, not wanting to get his hopes up. ]

You saying that 'cause you liked my drumming resume, or 'cause you wanna hear me butcher vocals too?

[ He smiles sideways at her, teasing, something loose and honest shining through, like a boy pulling himself out of the wreckage for one bright second. The name Wanda hums in his chest now, attached to something good. ]

We'll need a name, y'know. Can't start a band without a name. Gotta think of a good one.

[ He drums his fingers on the wheel again, just to keep the rhythm going. Then, quieter, just to make sure, with all the insecurity of someone whose been let down enough times to carry suspicion everywhere in his pocket: ]

You're, uh, you're serious, right? 'Cause I'm in if you are...

[carcajous]

[ Well, he's heard worse odds.

Logan's eyes go between the man, the Jeep, and his own bike. He's not doing this for free. But that car's got a full tank of gas and he's running low.

Might as well save himself some cash. ]

I'll drive. Wait there.

[ He's not asking permission. In fact, he's already left. One minute passes, two. By the fifth, he's returned with his motorcycle, scuffed, a little rusty, but functioning. He gestures for the new guy to pop open the back. A few flipped seats later, he's loaded the Harley into the back, lifting it with only a grunt.

Don't worry about it.

Okay, keys. Logan holds out his hand. C'mon, let's go. ]

[pagings]

[ to his credit, karen doesn't really give him much time to process. she's quick to realize how awkward it might be that she's just thrown his arms around this man's shoulders, but at the same time, the relief makes it worth it. karen understands that she is the sort to jump to that kind of physical contact, and that is not always something others respond to in kind. and more often than not she's okay with that - as long as there isn't a recoil, as long as she hasn't crossed some terrible boundary without knowing it, she'll be okay. they'll be okay. it's also part of the reason she draws back as quickly as she does - it's obvious he isn't the sort to hug, obvious that he's not really sure what to do with the fact she's just gone and hugged him, so she pulls back away. is more than happy to move on. she feels... giddy, almost, with the next piece of the puzzle. with another step towards survival, away from the crushing dread that she's been trying to swallow back. she's been trying to find this very thing since those windows closed and the water started rising, and now...

it's only one step, they're not out of the woods yet, but it's better than standing still.

but just as quickly as the relief and hope comes, the next hurdle makes itself clear. a hurdle that is officially, almost entirely, out of their control. maybe that's why the drop is so quick to come to her, a heaviness that she is usually much better about keeping out of her voice. after all this searching, after all of this work, all this luck, now... they have to wait.

the message got posted around he says, and Karen looks over to him. while he may not sound all that experienced in words of comfort, there is somehow something inherently calming about it. because he is right- the message did get posted around. and if he didn't actually believe they had a chance for someone to show up, she has a gut feeling he wouldn't have said anything at all. so that leaves them here, standing next to these windows, hoping to see movement, hoping to see someone else. were they back in new york, were she home, she wouldn't be worried - people are around every corner, down every hall, for better or for worse. here? here karen quite escape this feeling of emptiness, like they could be stuck here, in this room, and no one will know, or come for them.

it does not escape her that the only reason she doesn't spiral down into those thoughts is because he's here with her. that, at the very least, she's not alone as the water starts to rise, as she closes her eyes because there is that feeling again, of something watching. of something in the water, watching them just out of reach. the sound of the keys rattling catches her attention again, and when she looks, she notices him dangling the metal near the window, trying to catch light. smart. really smart. she exhales, not having realized she'd been holding her breath. ]

Hmm? Oh. [ he was asking her a question, and her eyes open a little further - her car. he's asking about her car. she points off a bit to the left, though because of the lighting and the rain, the most they can make out is a silhouette, about 70 years away. ] It's an old pickup with a truck cap, but I didn't recognize the make or model, but it looks like a F-250, older. Maybe '80s? [ it has been....some time since she's really thought about cars, but the knowledge comes back to her, unbidden. she never really considered herself a car person, either, but these kinds of things were important back in vermot, when your car (or, really, your mom or dad's car that you either got to use or 'borrowed') was your only means of transportation.

she takes a breath in, and then one out, steadying herself. realizing, in some distant part of her, that this is all they can really do right now. ] Yours?

[opticular]

[ Finishing a sip from his glass, Scott gives the other man a small smile. He's probably a living testament to how life changes people. Who would've thought that the bratty orphan who distrusts people would one day grow up to become a leader, a teacher even. Life has definitely brought him to places he didn't know is possible.

As he sets down his drink, Scott watches Henryk look for extra blankets and a pillow. He has nothing but immense gratitude for the man, especially if he allows him to stay for the duration of the blackout.

That is, if he doesn't find out his real identity first. ]

[opticular]

[ To Scott's credit, he listened through everything Charles just said even when it's palpable on his face that shock is starting to leak out of him. Once the Professor drops the word Mystique, Scott's brain almost shortcircuits and couldn't focus on anything else after. Because the sound of alarm bells begin to ring in his head and it's all he can hear right now. ]

Wait did you just tell me your sister is Mystique, of all people?

[ His tone suggests that he can't mask his shock anymore, one hand lifting to pinch the bridge of his nose. ] She's a dangerous, manipulative mutant, almost as dangerous as Magneto. She attacked us, intent in disposing all of us, and she likes to interfere with the Institute's good work.

[ Scott stands up, exasperation beginning to leak from his tone. ] How can you - How is this - [ He sighs, the beginnings of a migraine starting to let itself known. ] This is news to me, Professor, and it's not a good one.

[opticular]

[ ooc: no worries! and yeah, we can wrap this up, shelf this for a bit, and start something new in the mingle! but i'm interested in them actually going bowling together in the future lol ]

[ Scott doesn't see a problem with sharing his number. After all, he did tell her he'd like some community around here, some point people he can go to and she can go to, as well. This is a good start, he thinks.

Receiving her phone with a nod, Scott begins to save his own digits. When he's finished, he returns it to her with a friendly smile. ]

Sure, your call. Just let me know when you wanna go.

[ In the end, he's not going to push her if she ultimately doesn't want it. It's just an offer for something other than stacking shelves and getting by. He might be opposed to having fun in the Institute, but when one's trapped in a realm that screams post-apocalyptic, he thinks they deserve a break from time to time, too. ]

sorry this is so late!! no worries about tagging back if it's been too long or we can start to wrap!

[catharses]

[ That confirmation from the other man that they are just Here To Help has Sunday sweeping a graceful gesture of one hand towards him as if to say, you see? Never mind that this suggestion comes seconds after an introduction; this is clearly the better solution. On the face of the man who's closest to him is the expression of someone thinking deeply. A quick glance at the other two men confirms they're waiting for the decision of who must be the leader relative to this situation. Sunday turns his attention back just in time for the man to mutter that it's supposed to be a secret, and there's only the barest flutter of wings in response betraying feeling something else than his patiently composed expression. ]

That would put us at an unfortunate impasse which we would rather avoid, and--

[ Sunday's unprepared for the interruption which follows: the other two men are dismissed to search the other end of the hallway before guy number one comes closer to hastily introduce himself as Cyrus. Immediately following is explaining he couldn't say what it's missing in front of the others since - if they can keep a secret, which they'd better - it's things he bought for them. ]

I... see. [ Said with a brief sideways glance to his own companion, also in recognition he doesn't know this man's name what with Things Happening before any introduction, but from what Sunday can tell? That's the actual truth coming from Cyrus. ] I take it you've told them to look for something else entirely?

[ That has Cyrus rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish nod with the admission he'd told his friends to look for a wallet. But it's actually a couple of watches missing and are described in great detail as requested: nothing fancy except for the glow in the dark details on the watch faces, to which he nods when Cyrus also mentions he's not sure if he dropped them. ]

Then let's start there since with the power out they'll surely stand out if we check the hallways. Between three of us looking it should be no time at all.

i'll be bringing her in next round if you want to keep this canon, otherwise feel free to drop it!

[valle]

( She understands the desire not to dwell on the whole multiple worlds thing. It's something she's long since become accustomed to, but it must be jarring to people who haven't had a similar brand of chaos in their history as her. )

I was originally, yeah. ( She says it a little apologetically — sorry to encourage those rabbit holes, but the multiverse is a weird place. ) I was.... somewhere else just before I wound up here, but I was born in Mexico.

( Which might be hard to tell these days, given her complexion and the way she's largely schooled her accent away after years of being surrounded by English-speaking Americans. And Gambit, but he doesn't count. )

[thetruefocus]

"I've taught people who feared what they were capable of, but in a way, being afraid of hurting others just goes to prove a person's innate character."

Because bad people wouldn't care about that, they would only cling to the power that it gave them. It's the ones who think twice and are responsible about it that can be trusted with a power so great. In Charles's estimation, of course. He is always very aware of the dangers of his own gift. They've brought him here to this moment, with this man.

"Impressive. I do so love technology, although I'll admit what we've seen so far here, it is outside of my range."

Charles may be the peak of technology along with Hank in his time, but it is still 1973. They wouldn't come out with even mobile devices for another decade, let alone ones that work as well a few decades later. He does find it very interesting, but perhaps larger than his understanding. He'll try to learn regardless. It is too compelling.

"And you were not?"

[thetruefocus]

[ There is a part of Charles that wants to disagree firmly with him, but he knows he cannot do that. What Scott's experienced is valid and it is true, he has every right to feel that way about Raven. It is simply difficult for Charles given she is the person he loves more than anyone in the world, and while they have been separated for ten years, that love hasn't faded in the least. It only has become one made of pain and loss. They reconnected recently but she still chose not to stay with him. She keeps walking away from him. ]

I understand that, Scott. But you must also understand that is decades in the future for me, my Raven has not become that person yet. She has never killed before, she is not lost. She is still in her stumbling phase.

[ Which means by Charles's own words, she can still be reached. The stumbling and lost phrase doesn't only apply to the people they know. The struggle is just as valid in the people who have lost their way. ]

I am not trying to invalidate your experience, I believe you. It is likely why I never spoke of her.

[ Like he said, it would be far too painful. It is already difficult to accept that Erik becomes such a monster, although with him, he can see it. His friend is many things and one of them includes monstrous fury and violence. So he isn't surprised to hear that about Erik, only weary and sad about it. But Raven is a different story. He only recently saw that her heart is still compassionate, that she is not gone from him forever. He can imagine his future self is in active agony over their broken bond. ]

The people she loved were murdered or experimented on by humans, it led her to be consumed by grief and rage. I was able to reach her, for now, but ... I am not surprised eventually that hate destroyed what was left of the girl I raised.

[ He didn't succeed with every one of his students. He failed with the two people who it no doubt would have been the most important for, and he carries that. ]

FORGIVE MY DELAY i had. so much personal stuff happen + I failed as an rper but cries. MARC. ;-;

[pagings]

[ ooc also i know that the mingle's just gone up so if we would prefer to nix this and just do something there, I'm all for it. just lmk! ]


[ it's a good thing that karen's hand is already on her gun, or else the slow movement of the door to the back kitchen opening would have been enough to genuinely freak her out. as it stands, she's simply on edge - ducking down so her back is against the bar, having only seen the movement out of the corner of her eye before she dropped. that does mean she doesn't see any of the stark white of his boot, or suit, or really anything else - all she hears is the accent, the stress around impolite. ]

I wasn't trying to sneak.

[ she says from the other side of the bar as she considers her choices, whether she wants to just try and take her chances with whoever it is that was (also) sneaking in the back room, or if this she needs to be more careful about all this. she closes her eyes and breathes for a second, and then another, before she opens them again.

she does not take her gun off safety. yet. though she can already hear the echo of a voice telling her that's a stupid move. she won't have the time to think if this goes south, let alone... whatever. she doesn't do it. yet. but she does look around for the exits, how close (or far) they might be from where she's situated. ]

I'm just looking for food. [ her voice is placating, if only a bit scared of what might happen. ] I promise.

we can keep rolling <3 we'll hash out details later?

[heavymetals]

[ No, he really doesn't know how amusing that must be to her; even having met Logan, he's not really aware of how old the man is, or how long he could live. Could have lived, if not for the very metal that poisoned him.

He lets out a breath at that, almost a bitter chuckle that Erik does his best to smother. It's funny, hearing that. Hope. Erik was never the one that leaned on hope. He has precious little of it now. ]

Maybe that will outlive me, then.

[ Hope, a cause, a reason to keep going. Giving up just shouldn't be an option.

He shakes his head when she mentions owing him, and smiles. She doesn't have to worry about paying him back, and he won't come collecting. ]

I'd like to exchange numbers, yes. Maybe you can let me know how you're doing once you settle in.

[ Not only is she a mutant, but there's at least a connection here, even if Erik hasn't met her yet. It's enough for Erik to want to give her an opportunity— and to try to follow Charles's advice that he should find more people to grow to trust. ]

sorry for the delay!! no worries about tagging if it's been too long or we can start to wrap too!

[catharses]

That discomfort isn't easily missed and if it wasn't for the other man continuing on, Sunday might've interjected with a genuine (and rare) apology for it. 'Not supposed to' seems like it might've been instructions from someone else once from what's already been described though regardless, the trepidation is understandable. "You don't have to decide now or even any time in the near future since it's something worth taking the time to consider. And should you still decide to decline, you needn't worry about that being a negative thing."

Wanting to help may forever be his first instinct when it comes to a situation either with someone struggling with something or one that Sunday reads as such, but pushing someone to the point of discomfort? That's something his past self - or what he wants to believe is in the past - would have done without question. The last few weeks have certainly been full of self-reflection upon the steps that led him to where the Path of Order had taken him and to where he does not want to return.

"No, but I had to learn on my own thanks to my particular powers being stronger than most." And with a fleeting grimace, Sunday continues, "I can't say that I always used them for what others would consider good even if I believed I was doing the right thing then. Perhaps I can't even say as much since then, either, though that likely isn't my decision to make but that of others who aren't here." Unless he hasn't found them yet; though they might not welcome the sight of him, a familiar face wouldn't be unwelcome to Sunday.

A thought for later as he shakes his head, his earrings chiming quietly with the motion. "More importantly, should you wish you find me later I can offer you my phone number or you can find me here at this motel as my room is on the second floor not far from the staircase."

[pagings]

[ he doesn't need to smile - she can sense the amusement, and it's enough to break...some amount of tension in the room. she smiles, a bit more easily, and nods as she pockets it. ]

Good point. [ a beat, and then she exhales. ] Guessing there isn't a Starbucks around every corner out here? [ she doesn't meant to sound disappointed, she doesn't even like starbucks all that much, but it's the implication that leaves. the fact she just ran into someone willing to pocket insta-coffee pockets like they're worth something.

it's not a huge reality check, necessarily, but it's not nothing, either.

the tone he has around the word debt has her pausing, though, her brow furrowing a little. ] Do you not have one? [ did she fuck up? ]

[pagings]

[ ooc omg you are so fine. maybe we can see what the mingle holds and if we jive with that we can wrap this up and do one there? or we can keep this going. I'm happy either way. c: ]


[ not new york. that doesn't surprise her, given the accent. but karen's also just about average where geography is concerned, a product of failing American school systems and new york isolationism.

working in journalism helped, opened her eyes to the larger world in a way she hadn't really had before, but she's no expert. novi grad. no, she doesn't know of it, so all wanda will get is a kind of sheepish, apologetic smile as Karen reaches to the back of one of the shelves to righten something that's been knocked over by her shelving attempts. ]

No- sorry. That's in Europe though, right?

[ god, she sounds stupid. way to be that American stereotype, Karen. she winces a little at her own question. ]

so sorry for the delay!!

[catharses]

[ 'During the expedition' sparks some curiosity since it sounds more formal than a trip. Not even Penacony's guests from distant star systems referred to their journey there as such; it brings to mind the path of the Trailblaze and what the Nameless set out to do and what he'd meant to go along with as a guest before he'd arrived here.

It's easier then to focus on something of the past, and Sunday nods in response to her question. One he's answered many times over though this time he seeks to keep from slipping into the act of a Family administrator when it's no longer his position. How successful he'll be remains to be seen. ]

My home star system, Asdana, has high levels of memoria which were used to shape the Dreamscape into being. Its name is apt as it's meant to be a dream for visitors to experience outside of the world we know as reality, though not entirely separate as one could bring items back and forth between either realm as they interacted. It contained twelve dream worlds and contained grand shopping districts, theaters, even a university... the possibilities truly were limited only by what one of the Dreamweavers could turn from an idea into existence.

[ The sort of thing which should have been a paradise and certainly presented itself as one, though Sunday can't help a small sigh. ]

It was meant to be an ideal, and yet corruption found its way in nonetheless from the very time it was founded. Unfortunately I cannot say I was not also responsible for a variety of it when I was hoping for the opposite, though perhaps it will be better off now.

[kidproof]

Alright.

[ The atta girl is in the way that he gets off his haunches and pivots back to the truck without so much as a grunt. The only sign he's ready to pull out is the engine roaring to life and his elbow being pushed out the window.

Joel takes a glance back at the mirror to make sure she's following and heads back in the direction of the old parking lot he remembered from before. Less store lot and more bumper-to-bumper abandonment. He pulls off to the shoulder and cuts the engine and when he steps out onto the skirt the gravel crunches under his boots. He eyes the cars, moving from one to check the baldness of them, to the next. Eventually, he settles on an old Bronco. ]

You have enough gas?

[frostfist]

[ Imagine being so dedicated to color coordination. Actually I can't even joke about that because when your color scheme is monochrome shot through with red, it's easy to accessorize. Case in point: the ugly little nokia he pulls out of his own pocket, barely able to do much more than call, text, and play a few rounds of Snake. ]

Only if you're willing. But as much as I enjoy a good tea party, this is quite a bit faster in case of an emergency.

[ And he's not naive enough to assume that things will be only smooth sailing for them here. ]

If you're concerned about your privacy, I'm happy to limit communication only to what's strictly necessary.

[ IE. business. ]

[tricorn]

[ A soft look passes over his face at the smile on hers. For a moment he doesn't say anything at all, but then he inhales, clears his throat, and nods. ]

I think so. I don't like being behind the curve. Seems an awful lot to catch up on. But if there's one thing worse than not having all the facts, it's other people knowing that we don't have them.

[opticular]

[ For a few moments, Scott is silent, hands on his hips, his back turned against Charles. In his silence, one would be able to hear him taking breaths and heaving them out in sighs. It's one thing to learn Erik also has some history with Charles, not that it's completely surprising given their back and forth, but for him to learn Mystique also has close ties - a sister no less - with Charles is another matter entirely. Are they all just related in the past? Is this the conclusion to all this?

He really feels like he'd need an ibuprofen at one point during this conversation. ]

Guess I don't have the right to judge since I don't know her very well.

[ Just one side to a person who's apparently not Like That before. When he speaks, though, he sounds a bit tired. Learning Logan's the only mutant present here aside from Charles, knowing the future doesn't sound so promising, plus all these things with Magneto and Mystique. Scott feels like his apartment not having electricity is the least of his concerns now. Looking back at Charles, he still tries for a small smile, though. ]

I'll just have to trust your word for it. [ He trusted Charles' word about Logan, but that's mostly because they don't have history with Logan yet. Mystique, nor Magneto for that matter, will be another matter. He'd only listen if Charles tells him to. ]

[churnback]

[ Amos almost misses the spectacle of whatever the hell is happening with that water, as he comes back around to check on the kid. There's an urgency in his steps, more concern than he's felt about much of anything since he's arrived here. He doesn't even know the kid's name, but he feels somehow responsible for him, at least through this situation. He's being counted on, and he takes that seriously. So he's not exactly looking forward to coming back only to find him already dead and gone.

— which seems nearly like a sure thing when all that water shoots up to the sky like it's just drinking up everything it dumped out tonight with the storm, and all Amos can do is try to steer clear of it before it sucks him up, too. He's never seen anything like it, and he's half sure if the kid hadn't drowned before, he's gone now, and he's not gonna be real happy about that. But by the time it dissipates and Amos comes closer, all he can think is they need to get as far away from this building as they can. Outwardly, other than his bleeding hands, he's relatively calm, but decisive as he leans in, attempting to hook a hand under the kid's elbow, to keep him steady as he gets to his feet. ]

Cut it close. Not a good idea to stick around here, come on.

[ The fact that he's alive, breathing, and awake, is really...something. He wasn't counting on it at all, and he's not too keen on taking chances lingering here. ]

You okay?

[magike]

( rowena gives him a look as if to say don't be an idiot even though she knows that he knows very little about the supernatural )

It's a spirit.

( emphasis on the word. but she does at least give him some more context )

A caoineag, our banshee, is told in lore as foretelling death. Most legends say they are disembodied souls, so cutting off her head wouldn't be an option. The deaths she's foretelling are ours -- if you can hear her scream it is your death that comes. My spell is preventing her scream from affecting us, even if we can still hear it.

( a brief pause as she looks at him to see if he's following so far )

There are spells that will weaken and banish her but I don't have the ingredients to cast it. A blade of gold would kill it if you could get close enough.

( and rowena could trap it to make that easier )

[frostfist]

[ He's right there with her, watching with furrowed brows as she selects her cup and inspects the oblong shape inside. Enlightenment is not within reach for either of them, even after Fern takes a bite. If only they had Easter in the Genshin universe. Alas! ]

Chocolate...?

[ Yes, he knows what chocolate is, occasionally partakes of it himself, but it seems so odd to make it into the shape of an egg and then call it alien. ]

I'm not sure anything about chocolate should be alien.....

[ Who is naming these products? He watches Fern carefully. ]

Is it good at least?