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memestertrucks2025-03-15 03:07 pm
monstertruckers) wrote in memestertrucks2025-03-15 03:07 pm
Entry tags:
MARCH TDM
After tumbling through shadow you find yourself in a shrouded, ruined garage. It’s full of shattered windows and broken mechanical equipment, with all sorts of sharp edges to watch out for. Between that are strange symbols scrawled into the ground. Outside is cloudy weather and the beginnings of a storm flickering and rumbling.
Beyond the rundown garage is a rundown gas station surrounded by rolling, grassy hills. Close by is a Convoy of vehicles, either parked or driving up to station.
01: SUMMONING CIRCLE
This time the summoning circle and car garage is attached to retro diner, and an old wind turbine, barely still spinning and providing fading power. There’s also a broken radio playing a message about Nirvana and imploring people to head north. In fact, there’s a large amount of broken electric equipment in here and spitting sparks.
A fan circles overhead, stirring those sparks and creating a breeze. Trails of paper are attached to the fan, spinning lazily about. If Drifters choose, they can easily retrieve those paper talismans with little more than a slight static shock. While the paper is tattered and smeared with ink and blood, the following can be made out: “Broken in two […] Nothing to lose-“ “Moon mourns, call her down, ease her pain-“ “Need […] Better vessels from afar. Stronger souls-“ “Imbue with moon sigils, Give blessings of moon, share her pain. Put the ritual right.”
Hard to say what that all means, but it seems to have something to do with the summoning circle here. And there’s lingering power crackling through the building. The sort that makes the lights flash and flicker… And line up eerily with flashes of thunder on the horizon.
A fan circles overhead, stirring those sparks and creating a breeze. Trails of paper are attached to the fan, spinning lazily about. If Drifters choose, they can easily retrieve those paper talismans with little more than a slight static shock. While the paper is tattered and smeared with ink and blood, the following can be made out: “Broken in two […] Nothing to lose-“ “Moon mourns, call her down, ease her pain-“ “Need […] Better vessels from afar. Stronger souls-“ “Imbue with moon sigils, Give blessings of moon, share her pain. Put the ritual right.”
Hard to say what that all means, but it seems to have something to do with the summoning circle here. And there’s lingering power crackling through the building. The sort that makes the lights flash and flicker… And line up eerily with flashes of thunder on the horizon.
02: START UP
New arrivals will have a similar experience to before; a Convoy waiting outside for them, and a collection of vehicles, one of which feels like it belongs to them. The key to the vehicle may already be in the ignition, on the dashboard… It may have even been on their person, ever since they woke up in that garage. Either way, Drifters have the keys to the vehicle now.
…But there’s a few rough edges on these vehicles. Flat tires, cracked windows and mirrors, maybe some stuck doors and locks; all of them requires two pairs of hands and supplies. The garage can take care of the supplies… Now it’s just a matter of finding some extra hands.
…But there’s a few rough edges on these vehicles. Flat tires, cracked windows and mirrors, maybe some stuck doors and locks; all of them requires two pairs of hands and supplies. The garage can take care of the supplies… Now it’s just a matter of finding some extra hands.
03: STORM WARNING
There’s something odd in the sky; it shifts between a dark cloud, and a collection of birds. As the thing draws closer, it clearly becomes a mix of both. Car-sized, dark feathered birds and skeletal avians fly in a thundering flock, and turn the sky stormy in their wake. That alone is bad… But what’s worse is how the shiny chrome of the Convoy and vehicles draws the birds. As they dive towards the ground to snatch at the shiny metal, they pull the storm and bring a tornado with them. The Convoy does its best to anchor to the ground, but lighter vehicles and Drifters might not be so lucky.
The garage and diner takes it worst of all: the electric devices start spitting sparks and can even act as homing beacons for lightning strikes if a Drifter with electric abilities gets too close to them. Any remaining, intact windows shatter as the storm winds pick up, pelting Drifters with razor shards. And water starts pouring in, further shorting electric equipment and soaking anyone to the bone. There’s even a strange droning, siren like noise to warn about the storm and cut into one’s hearing. It’s difficult conditions for anyone caught up in the blow-out.
The garage and diner takes it worst of all: the electric devices start spitting sparks and can even act as homing beacons for lightning strikes if a Drifter with electric abilities gets too close to them. Any remaining, intact windows shatter as the storm winds pick up, pelting Drifters with razor shards. And water starts pouring in, further shorting electric equipment and soaking anyone to the bone. There’s even a strange droning, siren like noise to warn about the storm and cut into one’s hearing. It’s difficult conditions for anyone caught up in the blow-out.
04: WEATHERING
Once the main force of the storm hits, the following happens:
Diversion: Those with Fast cars can drive away from the station and divert the birds. They’ll want a second Drifter to come along; either to snipe at the pursuing birds, or keep eyes on the terrain! Eventually the birds will tire or get culled enough that the storm disperses.
Updraft: There is the risk of getting swept up in the tornado winds. Damage, injuries… And a particular quirk this storm has. Drifters who spend more than a minute in the storm winds will find that they begin to take on traits from the Harpy monster. These traits increase in potency if the Drifter experiences hunger or violence. As the weather clears and days become calmer, the traits fade.
Downburst: If Drifters get slammed into the ground by the storm, or the dark birds flying about. They may also find themselves drenched with rain. Any injury they take mends quickly, but is replaced with scales, as the Drifters begin to resemble a Naga monster. These changes grow worse if they tell lies, but disperse with the storm.
BIRDS: The birds themselves are vicious: those afflicted with Naga traits are seen as prey, while Harpies are seen as rivals. The birds are deadly, but also clumsy if forced to the ground. The screens on the Convoy recommend crippling the wings before finishing the bird off on the ground.
Diversion: Those with Fast cars can drive away from the station and divert the birds. They’ll want a second Drifter to come along; either to snipe at the pursuing birds, or keep eyes on the terrain! Eventually the birds will tire or get culled enough that the storm disperses.
Updraft: There is the risk of getting swept up in the tornado winds. Damage, injuries… And a particular quirk this storm has. Drifters who spend more than a minute in the storm winds will find that they begin to take on traits from the Harpy monster. These traits increase in potency if the Drifter experiences hunger or violence. As the weather clears and days become calmer, the traits fade.
Downburst: If Drifters get slammed into the ground by the storm, or the dark birds flying about. They may also find themselves drenched with rain. Any injury they take mends quickly, but is replaced with scales, as the Drifters begin to resemble a Naga monster. These changes grow worse if they tell lies, but disperse with the storm.
BIRDS: The birds themselves are vicious: those afflicted with Naga traits are seen as prey, while Harpies are seen as rivals. The birds are deadly, but also clumsy if forced to the ground. The screens on the Convoy recommend crippling the wings before finishing the bird off on the ground.
04: MONSTER SHIFT, NAGA
This month, Drifters will have access to the serpentine Naga. On top of all Naga species traits being available, the following occurs:
+Cold Blooded: the rain and storms can potentially make Naga slow and sluggish, or inclined to sleep or seek out other heat sources to gain energy; this includes basking in body heat from others!
+Water Divert: With their water shaping, Naga can divert falling rain and even ground saturation to make the area or other Drifters more dry. They can also concentrate water into different areas, and can also change water into mist or ice.
+Blue shift: the scales of Naga become more vibrantly blue, or a strange mottled combination of blue and stormy gray, the more intense the rains become. These scale colors can also reflect their moods.
+Extra arms that are painful and disorienting to grow, and can result in coordination issues.
+Scale Pains: Pain and discomfort when scales grow in, as well as fangs or talons!
+Water glide: during floods from the rains, Naga find they can easily traverse deep water as though they were simply walking (or slithering) across it.
+Thermal vision, making it easy to track others in the middle of storms. Vision may also become disorienting, and eyes become slitted.
+Cold Blooded: the rain and storms can potentially make Naga slow and sluggish, or inclined to sleep or seek out other heat sources to gain energy; this includes basking in body heat from others!
+Water Divert: With their water shaping, Naga can divert falling rain and even ground saturation to make the area or other Drifters more dry. They can also concentrate water into different areas, and can also change water into mist or ice.
+Blue shift: the scales of Naga become more vibrantly blue, or a strange mottled combination of blue and stormy gray, the more intense the rains become. These scale colors can also reflect their moods.
+Extra arms that are painful and disorienting to grow, and can result in coordination issues.
+Scale Pains: Pain and discomfort when scales grow in, as well as fangs or talons!
+Water glide: during floods from the rains, Naga find they can easily traverse deep water as though they were simply walking (or slithering) across it.
+Thermal vision, making it easy to track others in the middle of storms. Vision may also become disorienting, and eyes become slitted.
04: MONSTER SHIFT, HARPY
The storm will bring a second monster this month, in the form of Harpy. On top of all Harpy species traits being active, the following occurs:
+Storm Rider: high agility and capable of flying through the storm winds without hindrance. Even tornadoes can be mastered!
+Feather pains: itching, or full pain when growing feathers or wings. Talons may also be painful when growing from fingers or from feet.
+Wind Affinity: able to shape wind, including diverting the worst of the storm winds, or summon and focus wind into razors.
+Warbling Voice: words may waver and slip into something more songlike, or even a damaging sonic scream if emotions are heightened.
+Height Call: a need to get higher into the air, whether through perching on buildings or the convoy, or through flight. A sense of euphoria as they go higher.
+Nest Building: a compulsion to create a nest out of spare and soft objects, and feeling more safe inside that space.
+Heightened vision like a bird of prey, able to pick out details even at great distance. This may be disorienting at first, as vision becomes telescopic.
+Storm Rider: high agility and capable of flying through the storm winds without hindrance. Even tornadoes can be mastered!
+Feather pains: itching, or full pain when growing feathers or wings. Talons may also be painful when growing from fingers or from feet.
+Wind Affinity: able to shape wind, including diverting the worst of the storm winds, or summon and focus wind into razors.
+Warbling Voice: words may waver and slip into something more songlike, or even a damaging sonic scream if emotions are heightened.
+Height Call: a need to get higher into the air, whether through perching on buildings or the convoy, or through flight. A sense of euphoria as they go higher.
+Nest Building: a compulsion to create a nest out of spare and soft objects, and feeling more safe inside that space.
+Heightened vision like a bird of prey, able to pick out details even at great distance. This may be disorienting at first, as vision becomes telescopic.
05: RAIN, SHINE, OR SALVAGE
Upon culling enough birds, the storm disperses. The monster avians dissolve as they drop into streams of energy, feeding into Drifter Sigils and providing limited healing. And handful remain intact when they hit the ground and can be harvested for meat, feathers, and possibly even talons.
There is one extra problem, in the form of falling debris. After being pulled up into the sky, wreckage (and possibly stray Drifters) are going to drop back down. It’s advised to look out for falling objects and people. It might be possible to salvage something in the form of scrap metal for any vehicle repairs, but such a task requires two.
There is one extra problem, in the form of falling debris. After being pulled up into the sky, wreckage (and possibly stray Drifters) are going to drop back down. It’s advised to look out for falling objects and people. It might be possible to salvage something in the form of scrap metal for any vehicle repairs, but such a task requires two.
06: STORM SHOT
The storm can be dispersed in one of two ways. One is waiting the storm out. The second is a battered collection of machines melted into the roof of the garage and gas station. When touched they burn the hands of Drifters, but also fire a jolt of lightning into the storm. One shot lessens the effects of the storm, repeated shots completely disperses the weather.
In the aftermath of the storm, something different rains from the sky in the form of glowing, quicksilver feathers. These feathers can suppress one avian or serpentine trait for a month, and can also drain away any Naga or Harpy changes from the event completely.
Alternately, the feathers will allow Drifters to temporarily access flight for one day. Doing so completely robs the feather of its magic: only one effect can be chosen from a feather.
In the aftermath of the storm, something different rains from the sky in the form of glowing, quicksilver feathers. These feathers can suppress one avian or serpentine trait for a month, and can also drain away any Naga or Harpy changes from the event completely.
Alternately, the feathers will allow Drifters to temporarily access flight for one day. Doing so completely robs the feather of its magic: only one effect can be chosen from a feather.
MICRO ENCOUNTERS:
PLEASE NOTE! These are small bits of set dressing for players to include in threads if they wish, rather than full fledged prompts or events. You may handwave your exploration of these areas, or thread them out.
Windy Days: Preceding the storm are gales of strong winds, enough to stagger Drifters or send them staggering into other people or other vehicles.
Diner Is Served: While the retro diner attached to the garage has only limited food stores, curiously there is a respectable amount of cooking equipment that can be plundered. Portable stoves, pots and pans, spoons, and the like are all available for the taking.
Fading Storm: In the aftermath of the storm, the garage and diner look like they’re on their last legs, barely held up by their shelving. Anyone who wants to try salvaging had better move fast and carefully, before the entire thing comes crashing down.
no subject
An unpredictable SOLIDER is dangerous, even to him. And it means Zack has his full and undivided attention, however uncomfortable his wary regard might be to bear; he'd never had a normal gaze, the strange pupils saw to that, but there's no smirking arrogance, no return anger, nothing but measuring caution.]
.... If this is your tire, I can return it.
[He's missing something here and he knows it's not about a tire, but it could be a useful distraction. He's confident he'll win if it came to blows, but beating up Angeal's surrogate little brother was not an acceptable course of action. Anger is dangerous. He needed the predictability of a thinking person, not a reacting foe, and surprise and confusion could engage a mind over emotions.
A detached part of his mind notes Zack looks a bit older than he himself was. Stranger still.]
no subject
Fortunately, he doesn't even get that far, that bizarre response stopping him in his tracks. Literally, as he only gets a step forward before halting abruptly, shock and confusion starting to break into his reflexive outrage. Mostly the latter. ]
You - what?
[ It's starting to occur to Zack (maybe belatedly) that Something is Definitely Not Right Here. He has no problem looking Sephiroth in the eye, and he does, his own narrowing as he scrutinizes that seemingly lucid, apparently uncertain (well, as close as Sephiroth could come, anyway) stare. ]
That's it? After all this time, you're just gonna show back up like nothing's happened?
no subject
That scar is old, faded by years of healing. Zack looks older than he should, wearing a uniform no-one would dare try to simply plagiarize.]
How long do you believe it has been, and where do you think I've gone?
[The tire's still keeping his hands occupied, he's made no move to assume any form of defensive or offensive stance through very deliberate choice. It and his ongoing mask of nearly unshakable calm could be seen as sheer arrogance, dismissing Zack as any sort of threat he'd ever begin to need to defend himself against, but it's nothing more than a decision to try to keep things from escalating further.
The scar continues to nag at him. Zack's accusation isn't an assumption that he'd joined the deserters. Time materia had predictable results that weren't anything like this, even in extended use. ...Portal, maybe?]
no subject
[ That information still feels new, and a bitter note creeps into his reply as he finally drops his gaze. Sephiroth doesn't unnerve him (after all, what more can he do to him?). But the sanity in his eyes, that level, even calm - the familiarity of it - does. That wasn't there the last time he saw Sephiroth. No matter how much he searched. ]
It's been four years since you— [ He stops himself again, thinking better of it. If this is some kind of game, some kind of impossible trick, he doesn't know that he should just keep spouting off. ...And if it isn't—
He isn't going to be responsible for starting that all over again just because he couldn't shut up. ]
Since the last time I saw you. [ He tosses the wrench back onto the leaning, dented tool cart he picked it off of with a dull, metallic thunk. His shoulders slump, and the fight seems to leave him. ]
no subject
It seems we don't part on the best of terms. Portal is not time agnostic, even mastered, something else is at work here.
[Straight to the point. The tire is set aside, he's GOING to come back for it, and then another identical to it so he can get his truck properly running, but until then, he knows there's a certain ... social obligation.
To another SOLDIER, to the friend of a friend, did it matter which?]
... Disconnect the battery so you don't get shocked again.
[The repetition is a shade gentler as the wrench thuds back onto the cart, the moment of likely violence passing without bloodshed meaning he can finally turn his attention to other things. Like looking for something to repair frayed wires. He doesn't exactly relax even as Zack seems to resign himself to not fighting, but that's nothing new. Sephiroth and relaxing in strange environments don't really belong in the same sentence.]
no subject
[ Now not only is he looking at Sephiroth like he's grown a second head, but like the second head's started trying to convince him it was the real Sephiroth all along. ...Which, arguably, would still be less weird than the reality.
Zack only glances back at the broken down mechanical chocobo behind him, at Sephiroth's advice - which he would've appreciated, once, but now seems unable to accept without weighing it against... A lot. Whatever that dark cloud is, lingering behind his wary expression, it isn't fading away, even if his tone is - briefly - lighter, as he crosses his arms. ]
You really don't remember anything, huh? Otherwise, I guess you wouldn't be trying to help.
[ For a lot of reasons, but in the interest of still testing the waters, here, Zack settles on the simplest one. ]
I'm not with Shinra, anymore. Wouldn't they disapprove of you giving intel to an enemy?
no subject
You're wearing the uniform of a First. That comes with certain obligations, or as Angeal puts it, 'SOLDIER honor'. If you were an enemy you wouldn't still be wearing it; nor are you listed as one of the deserters.
[It's not past tense to him. It isn't years ago and old memory, it's a few days ago and the endless discussions that he couldn't escape from and never really tried to anyway. He still expects to be able to get his truck up and running, and return to his friends, his place in the world.]
.... But you should still be wearing purple, not black. You're not as young as your file's picture suggests you should be, and as far as I can recall this is the first time we have ever directly spoken.
[Of course he's had his hands on Zack's files, that's no surprise. Sephiroth's smile is a brief thing, a ghost of what might be an actual smile on other people, there and gone in a moment and easily imagined as never having been there at all. He spreads gloved hands a little, almost a helpless gesture. Almost.]
Based on your indignation and fury ... your age and rank, among other things, one of us doesn't belong in this time. If I had seen Portal active I'd know what to blame.
no subject
[ Surprisingly sullen, a little defensive. He didn't technically, but he figures that's how they'd frame it, if they even bothered to acknowledge his existence again. Which really doesn't seem likely, what with all the effort Shinra went to to stamp him out.
But he doesn't want to think on that too hard. Or any of this, really. The last time he saw Sephiroth, he wasn't just crazed, he was murderous, maybe even dead, too, at the end - and Zack is having a tough enough time reconciling that with a Sephiroth who... doesn't even know him.
Maybe they are both dead. That'd make more sense than time travel, anyway. ]
And I don't think anybody did this with a spell. This feels way, way bigger than that.
no subject
Then until orders are handed down otherwise, you aren't an enemy.
[It really is that simple as far as he's concerned. Whatever had provoked rage in Zack, that was a question that didn't need answers immediately. Angeal spoke highly of his student, and Sephiroth never knew him to be wrong in his judgement of others, so even with this strange set of circumstances he's willing to extend a lot of leniency.
Later will do.
He makes a low noise of agreement at the idea this is all bigger than merely Portal causing problems. There's too much here he doesn't recognize, makes and models of vehicles that never drove on the Planet 's streets. Designs that didn't look Shinra or Republic. The scent of fuels and oils he didn't know, and all of it less than pristine.]
Magic can operate on tremendous scales but that doesn't explain the vehicles. The radio mentioned a place called 'Nirvana' to the north.
no subject
[ He huffs out a breath that is not a laugh, but has a similar sound buried somewhere beneath it. ]
Especially since I haven't gotten a signal since I showed up.
[ So HQ proooobably isn't going to be making any requests any time soon.
Reluctant and still obviously wary, Zack only half-turns back to the chocobo, finding the edge of a panel and flipping it up, to try and find the right switch to flip or wire to disconnect from the battery. ]
Yeah, I heard that, too. I guess it's something. Y'know, a lead?
no subject
Unfortunately, without a radio tower to make use of, it's not likely that's going to change.
['Unfortunately'. He'd say the right things, do the right things, but go out of his way to reconnect to Shinra headquarters, when it's possible Zack actually is a wanted man?
Timelines aside, that's not something he wished to get involved in.
At least it can be assured if Sephiroth intended to attack or blow the place up he'd have acted by now, instead of carefully rolling his purloined tire to one side so he can keep an eye on it, and then begin looking for any kind of tools he might recognize. Which isn't many, he's not a mechanic. Especially not a mechanic for ... robot chocobos.]
A direction to head is better than none at all, and it seems that's where the rest are going. If nothing else it should lead to civilization.
[That it DOESN'T ... well, who could guess? They're not on the Planet anymore! When he stops again, it's deliberately just outside of reach- his own reach. He'd have to make more of an effort to get ahold of Zack, some nod perhaps to the man's tension. When he speaks again, his voice is low.]
Does Angeal know you've gone your separate ways?
[Somehow, somehow that's utterly neutral, but there's another question buried inside of it. Time gap or not, he'll have to do what he can for his friend, and if Angeal found out his star pupil's suddenly decided to go AWOL..
.. No. Did it matter, really? If there's time travel involved after all, it might be long settled.]
no subject
In this case, though, he's gonna let it slide with a quiet huff of breath and a shake of his head. Because this time, at least, his lack of interest in toeing the company line works in Zack's favor. He really doesn't want to fight him - especially not if he's... him, again. Really.
He manages to disconnect the battery, at least, and that intermittent sparking stops entirely, the frayed wires no longer shocking when he gives them a tentative tap. It's a momentary success that doesn't get celebrated, though, as Sephiroth's question takes the wind right out of his sails.
Pointedly, Zack doesn't look at him, shoulders slumping as he stares hard at the side of the chocobo, instead. ]
...Angeal's gone. He's been gone for - a while.
no subject
There is silence to Zack's response, for a time. His expression doesn't shift, his control's too good for that these days, the pause that lasts a handful of breaths easily missed when not watched before he reaches to set the electrical tape on the mechanical bird's saddle.]
I see.
[The steady unwavering calm doesn't break for the sudden turmoil of worry and fear such words conjure up. Genesis had only just gone missing, after all, and countless things could kill even a First if they weren't careful, weren't paying attention.
Their profession was one of violence. It's not surprising it might catch up one day. But gone.. 'Gone' didn't sound like vacation. It sounded terribly, achingly permanent, and he weighs for a long, long minute or two if he wants to ask. If he wants to know when, how one of the only friends he'd ever had just .. dies.]
The bare wires should be less dangerous if wrapped with this.
[He doesn't ask, on the surface doesn't seem to care any more than Zack might about some nameless trooper he'd only met across the barrel of a rifle pointed at him. The best way he knows to deal with things that shock him to the core is to ignore them until he has time and privacy to handle them on his own terms.]