monstertruckers: (Default)
monstertruckers ([personal profile] monstertruckers) wrote in [community profile] memestertrucks2025-05-15 04:31 pm
Entry tags:

MAY TDM




Things are a little stranger than usual at the gas station and garage. Namely that gravity just isn't working as it should. Objects float, pieces of the floor float... Even unlucky new arrivals can also find themselves floating! It's going to be a challenge to get around without any scrapes or scratches... Though at least there's what looks like a hospital nearby? Granted, it's an upside down hospital, but it's better than nothing.

















01: SUMMONING CIRCLE


Drifters come to with an odd floating sensation hooked into their stomachs, and instead of laying on the concrete find themselves drifting a foot or two above the floor. An unfortunate few may be stuck on the ceiling. Whether they crash down hard into the floor (and the various vials, daggers, and broken glass scattered about) or remain floating in the air is a coin toss.

Still, it might be best to lend a hand with pulling them back to the ground, and hoping gravity will work as normal in another breath or two.

Once they make their way out, they can see a gas station and garage located in the midst of strange, floating rocks… And an upside down hospital close by, for those who had a rougher landing.

02: START UP
New arrivals will have a similar experience to before; a Convoy waiting 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 the sort of thing that requires two pairs of hands and supplies. The garage can take care of the (sometimes floating) supplies… Now it’s just a matter of finding some extra hands.

And hopefully no one's vehicle has decided to float. But one can never be sure in a place like this.

03: HUSKS AND HAUNTS
The inverted hospital seems to have trouble deciding the exact formation of its hallways, whether the new arrivals should be walking on the ceiling, floors, or walls. But one thing that is certain: this place isn’t entirely deserted. Warnings of “Beware the Husks” have been spray painted on the walls. Metallic bodies line those same halls, some of them broken open. A wet trail leads from the broken Husks to the rafters… Where several odd monsters wait to drop down. Some look like they’ve merged with the hospital equipment, while others look like they’ve been cobbled together from different body parts. And all of them look ready to turn the newcomers into a corpse, or part of a specimen collection.

Strange, malformed chimeric creatures that are Unknown stalk the hallways. Unknowns come in three different colors, red aligned with fire, green with poison, and purple with lightning.

Adding to that are the various screens flickering on, and diagnose new arrivals as infected. The screens declare the infection seems to be contained, but requires further study… And if the monsters aren't enough to worry about, there’s also the restraint systems trying to activate and tie the new arrivals down.
04: TESTING (CW: Needles)
The deeper someone plunges into the hospital, the more the building reacts to them. More defenses are deployed, treating them as thieves or intruders. Traps and monsters alike wait for them, with syringes melded into the forms of attackers, or lining places where someone might step or reach for. The syringes make a quick bite on skin… But it’s only a few minutes later where the effects become clear. Something in those syringes is now in the blood and forcing monster transformations. There might be an antidote amongst the supplies… Or the newcomers might need to rely on each other, in order to stay anchored.

The needles can also force temporary Swarm traits, along with:
+Group Mind: compelled to link thoughts with other Drifters, to share emotions, memories, and achieve cohesion.
+An increasing reliance on telepathy/empathy/etc in place of speech.
+Increasing collectivist mindset. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few; this becomes more evident during high stress situations.
+Compelled to hunt and share their prey with others.
+Gravity Affinity: If possessing wings or the ability to wall climb, may freely hunt/traverse corrupted gravity areas.
05: LONG WAY DOWN
A portion of the gas station breaks away with groan and a rumble. And it is slowly pulled up and up, taking a portion of new comers with it! They (and anyone watching) will need to act fast, as gravity starts to go weird the further they rise. They’ll need to find a way back down, taking any supplies from the now-floating garage that they can grab.

What’s more, they are drifting closer to the broken moon, and that seems to be having a strange effect on those stranded on the new floating ruin. They may start to feel their control fray, and their forms shift, the higher they rise.

In terms of getting back down, there’s a handful of tow lines in the ruin that might work as ropes. There’s also a few pieces of rock that are floating up more slowly, and could work as stairs back down… Or there’s just jumping and falling fifty feet and hoping for the best.
06: PSYCHIC ECHOES
There's one last quirk to this area; a few scattered bits of odd plantlife, and the odd dead brain monster. While these things aren't a threat on their own (beyond being unnerving) they still pack a psychic punch; mainly in the form of temporary psychic abilities.

It's possible that after coming in contact with either plants or corpses, newcomers will find themselves gifted with either empathy (projecting or receiving emotions) telepathy, OR the ability to share their dreams with others, and having their dreams influenced by others in turn. This effect fades in just a day or so, but is still capable of causing mishaps.

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.

Broadcast: The garage contains a few burnt out monitors. But a handful of them are playing a message over and over again on loop, filled with static. It’s a recording of important looking people in lab coats advising people to remain indoors and avoiding all objects falling from the sky. Especially “moon shards.” They insist that they are working to contain and cure the infection, but the safest action is to remain inside.

Warped Air: As seen in Long Way Down, the air overhead has strange warped pockets in it. There seem to be slightly different shards hanging suspended in the air, looking more silvery than the surrounding rocks. Almost like it could have fallen from the broken moon overhead.

Medical supplies: Most of the medical supplies found in the hospital seem to consist of healing salves and potions, a handful of healing herbs, and a few antidotes for poison or sickness. As for reverting transformations… It’s advised that new comers be careful of taking any experimental medicine. It may revert a change. It may also leave them hallucinating nightmares and fears, and they’ll be wanting someone close by to help administer the drug.

NAVIGATION || RESERVES || APPLICATIONS













cantgetoverit: (pic#17835509)

[personal profile] cantgetoverit 2025-05-21 04:11 am (UTC)(link)
[As soon as they're both through the door, Maggie slams it shut, sliding the lock into place. Moments later there's the thumping of something on the other side, trying to get through, and she only turns her attention back towards SecUnit once she's satisfied whichever of the creatures pursuing them will be unsuccessful.

She lets out a slow breath as soon as her new companion confirms the room is clear, and she shakes her head at the question.]


No, no. I'm fine - What about you? You all right?
definitionofcrazy: (111)

[personal profile] definitionofcrazy 2025-05-21 04:25 am (UTC)(link)
"Celebrity, huh? Don't think he ever mentioned that part."

She says that in a tone that makes it clear she intends to ask him about it later, possibly in a taunting matter.

"But yeah, he's pretty cool people. I'm Faith."

She omits the last name. Nothing personal, she usually does.
propatriamori: (lost)

[personal profile] propatriamori 2025-05-21 10:37 am (UTC)(link)
Levi severely underestimates how badly Edward wants to be able to see again. If a hideous mutation is part of that, then that's just the price he pays.

"What happens if you stay in one place too long?" That is a concern, along with another, more immediate one. "How are you traveling?"

Because if he's going to be stuck here, Edward needs to figure that out.
propatriamori: (solemn)

I'm laughing, this is the first time anyone has brought up WWII to him

[personal profile] propatriamori 2025-05-21 10:42 am (UTC)(link)
[Edward appreciates that squeeze, and her affirmation that she won't take off and leave him. He reaches out with his other hand, feeling the air, trying to catch both her hands.]

[He has a feeling he's going to need it, and then yes, he absolutely does when she drops that second bit of information on him.
]

Twenty years?

[Oh god... Edward likes to think he's been coping pretty well today, with all the sudden changes and the new, frightening location, but this news crashes onto his shoulders like a lead shroud. Twenty years? After everything, humanity could only get along for twenty years before starting it all over again?]

[He doesn't realise it, but he starts sinking towards the ground.
]

So it was all for nothing. [He makes a bitter scoffing noise.] Everything we did, everyone who died... for nothing.
bufudine: (human life doesn't sell cheap :|)

Hospital

[personal profile] bufudine 2025-05-21 11:27 am (UTC)(link)
Serph could recognise the distinctive silhouette of Agni anywhere. But why is Heat here of all places? And... does Heat still want to kill him?

It's not important; he had told Heat they were comrades, and he meant it.

Serph doesn't call his name. Instead, Serph simply enters combat beside him as Varuna, unsheathing a blade to cut off the needle fused arm from a red Unknown grasping for Heat.
cantgetoverit: (pic#17835498)

Haha, I'm so sorry

[personal profile] cantgetoverit 2025-05-21 11:49 am (UTC)(link)
[She sees him reaching with his other hand and grabs onto that one too once they start to descend.]

Try to get your feet under you.

[Maggie is no stranger to fighting and she's certainly found herself in situations where it's felt futile, but she can try to reassure him otherwise.]

No, that's not true. It's never for nothing when you're fighting for something you believe in. If no one stands up against tyrants, then they win, and everyone else loses.
propatriamori: (doubting your intentions)

[personal profile] propatriamori 2025-05-21 12:03 pm (UTC)(link)
[Edward shuffles his feet in the air, and his eyebrows lift in surprise when one boot touches down. He lands softly, still holding both her hands.]

Ah... have you landed too?

[Unfortunately, her attempts at cheering him up don't go so well.]

Forgive me, my lady, but I stopped believing in the cause years ago.

[What had the cause even been? British superiority? Showing the continentals who was boss? Colonies? None of those things were worth the massacre Edward saw at the Somme.]
bufudine: (human life doesn't sell cheap :|)

Beware the husks

[personal profile] bufudine 2025-05-21 01:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Fortunately for Lucanis, there is someone out there who will help him against the monsters. Unfortunately for Lucanis, the help comes in the form of a demon who leaps in to cleave off on of the advancing monsters' needle embedded arm. In one smooth motion, the demon's other bifurcated arm splits apart to reveal another blade that cuts through one of the creature's legs.

Monsters fighting monsters.

But with the new, more immediate threat, the multi-limbed creatures turn their attention away from Lucanis, giving him breathing space.
brewedwithspite: spite, fighting (Action009)

[personal profile] brewedwithspite 2025-05-21 04:21 pm (UTC)(link)
There doesn't seem to be anything unfortunate about the situation. Help is help, and Lucanis is no stranger to the assistance of demonic entities. The one currently inhabiting his body continues to provide him with its aid, its wings carrying him gracefully across the gravity-defying battlefield, allowing him to take advantage of the creatures' attention being drawn by his new ally, the two of them making quick work of their threats.

"Mine." he growls, leaping into the air and landing on a larger creature's back, embedding his dagger in its neck. He kicks off of it, flipping directly into another monster, where his rapier is thrust deep into the center of the mangled limbs, then pushed into a wall before it is withdrawn and he can retreat.
wereperrito: (confused)

Start Up

[personal profile] wereperrito 2025-05-21 04:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Heat's outfit looks... familiar. Serph hasn't been wearing it for a while, his got ruined a long time ago, but he still remembers what it looked like.

He doesn't necessarily assume Heat is from the same world yet, but he does drift over to maybe help, at least. "What is wrong with the seat that was in it already?" he has to ask, confused at what exactly is going on here.

He looks like a normal human man... except he has six tails (five fluffy fox, one serpentine) and little blue-gray fox ears instead of human ears. Also, he is kind of small.
iron_stomach: (nom)

Re: Hospital

[personal profile] iron_stomach 2025-05-21 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Heat wants to kill these things, they keep disappearing every time he finally gets his teeth on them and it's infuriating.

It's so routine to have Varuna at his side that he automatically moves to make a space for the long cutting blades, not in a fashion that suggests he thinks he's being attacked by the way his attention remains mostly on the current fighting prey.

"It's about time you showed up." Though there's an obvious undercurrent of irritation to the growl, that's par the course isn't it? He's always annoyed about something. The nice part of two heads is one can be employed working on tearing a different limb off with his teeth while the other speaks, the lashing struggles of their current victim unpleasant but that's what made the meal after more savory. Varuna wasn't particularly chatty, so it might be rhetorical to even ask. "Where the hell have you been?
iron_stomach: (pic#17860756)

[personal profile] iron_stomach 2025-05-21 05:14 pm (UTC)(link)
There's some kind of little fox demon just standing around. This is odd only because people didn't just STAY transformed all the time, even Heat didn't. Usually it meant a fight, too, as effective as bearing guns or brandishing a knife.

This one doesn't look like he's planning on s fight, so why is he just hanging around in his other form?

"What do you mean 'whats wrong with it'?" Heat gives the offending black and red seat a boot, scowling. "Do I look like a Maribel to you?"

The red is very nearly the same color as his hair. It's very complimentary.
thelastb1: Roger holds up a futuristic handgun with a frustrated look (gun the third)

[personal profile] thelastb1 2025-05-21 05:40 pm (UTC)(link)
That Palpatine is trying to reason with Roger at all convinces the droid that he isn't going to try resolving the situation with lightning, at least for the moment, so his rifle lowers just slightly. Now he needs to either find a way to de-escelate without giving up the ruse, or in the best case scenario, to actually convince the Chancellor to let Roger arrest him. Unlikely, but he understands Hondo Ohnaka once managed to capture a Sith Lord, and Roger beat Hondo in a fight once, so maybe it's worth the risk.

With a bit more confidence than before, he responds, "I've been here longer. People know me. They'd trust me to have a good reason."

It's only after he says that that he thinks to throw in, "B-besides! For all you know, there's an entire Separatist garrison on this planet! Maybe everyone here is a loyal citizen of the Confederacy of Independent Systems."
phantomshow: (in a bar room brawl)

[personal profile] phantomshow 2025-05-21 05:50 pm (UTC)(link)
It’s not a surprise that Akechi wouldn’t mention being the Detective Prince of Tokyo, considering how much of it was fabrication and manipulation. Ren simply shrugs.

“He’s not the type to talk much about himself,” is the explanation he offers. Which is not untrue; Ren himself was able to learn some things about Akechi that the other teen hadn’t disclosed to anyone else before. Secret identity aside, there were plenty of reasons for him to keep quiet about his history and background.

“He’s a strong fighter, though, and very reliable. We worked together for a while, back home.” That’s vague enough to explain how he knows Akechi a bit more without giving too many details. Ren feels comfortable offering that much more, since Faith seems to know Akechi more than just in passing, if she’s describing him as cool people.

“You can just call me Ren,” he adds. No need to stick to Japanese social norms in a place like this, where they’re all basically on equal standing anyway.

“Did you get separated from a group in here?”
taediosum: (pic#17385372)

[personal profile] taediosum 2025-05-21 07:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Arcade huffs out a breath, more effort than sarcastic amusement - but there's maybe a hint of the latter in it, still. "No, I thought I'd try shaking its hand..."

It's a relief to drop the table, shoving it across unbroken floor easier than lifting and shuffling around. There's no clean break when it hits the door, though the creature makes a pained sound and the caught tentacle whips around dangerously as the doors close on it.

Arcade jumps back, surreptitiously checking his arms (well, the visibly human pair, at least) for any snags in his coat sleeves where it might've caught him. "Good enough. Let's get out of here."
thetatters: human!. (that I was on the brink)

hospital: the WRONG colors

[personal profile] thetatters 2025-05-21 07:53 pm (UTC)(link)
There is someone else in the hospital, creeping from room to room and trying to avoid notice. John looks entirely human, his only defining trait the sigil stamped across his face, centered over his left eye. And all the scars.

His clothes are threadbare, nondescript, scavenged from places like this one... except for the vivid yellow cloak and cowl which shades his face. It's not an outfit suited to stealth. Still, the moment Heat turns in his direction, he flinches back behind a corner and hopes to go ignored.
iron_stomach: (pic#17860753)

yellow is terrible switch to orange this instant

[personal profile] iron_stomach 2025-05-21 08:08 pm (UTC)(link)
How he can even see without any eyes is a very good question, but it seems like he can with ease, as soon as there's movement the demon swings right around to track it, and blindingly yellow is not a color that lends to hiding well.

Heat is aware that the goal had been to bring EVERY conquered Tribe with them, including the much-disliked Solids that fell in line, but it doesn't mean he likes them.

Any of them.

That the people of the Convoy simply AREN'T part of his Tribe or the other beaten, worthless ones, hasn't actually sunk in yet. Which obviously means John is among their number, scarred probably from the conflict between Tribes and still wearing Mick's yellow. "Hey, you." He points, not with a finger but the sharply hooked claws unsheathed between his fingers like far too long brass knuckles.

So much for being ignored. "You've got a lot of nerve wearing that bastard's colors still."
facethefacts: im worried the baby thinks people cant change (i used to be a piece of shit though)

[personal profile] facethefacts 2025-05-21 08:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"We can group hug about it later, if you're feeling deprived of physical contact," he jokes in reply, then after heaving the furniture against the door and just narrowly avoiding that lashing appendage, Deacon makes a show of dusting himself off.

"Whew!" he exclaims, smiling at his new companion. Introductions can come later... it isn't as if Deacon plans to give out his real name, anyway.

"Couldn't have said it better myself. Do you know the way?"
undyingcrow: (smug)

[personal profile] undyingcrow 2025-05-21 08:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"You know I'm never one to turn down a challenge..." Though, first, he really should finish his dream coffee. It'd be a shame to let it go to waste, given the meager supplies outside the dreamscape.

Once he finishes, he lets the cup rest, quiet for several moments. He should probably say something, to acknowledge Ren's... interesting perspective, if nothing else.

"...Lucky for you, you don't have much in the way of competition."

Ren can make what he will of that. Really, it's a test, to gauge his intentions.
thetatters: human!. (before the wave hits)

"the king in orange" doesn't have the same ring to it

[personal profile] thetatters 2025-05-21 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
John freezes.

Not because the monster speaks to him, and not even because the wicked claws come as much surprise. Instead: because Heat has just said aloud what he's been thinking to himself for months.

"I..." How does he know? Is this entity a mastermind of psychic manipulation? John stands up slowly, hands half-raised in a pathetic show of I'm unarmed, looking stricken with guilt. Despite the human form, his voice comes deep and distorted. "It's... not that simple!"
iron_stomach: (pic#17860752)

King of Orange is okay sounding, but that's Serph.

[personal profile] iron_stomach 2025-05-21 09:42 pm (UTC)(link)
The misshapen monstrosities all over this world had razor teeth and alarming claws, fewer could speak, fewer still were telepathic, able to pluck secrets from the mind freely!

Heat is not one of them. He doesn't have the psychic ability of a homing pigeon. He does however have almost godlike skill at leaping to conclusions.

And he doesn't believe that pathetic harmless look even a little bit. Too many sadsacks wound up being incredibly dangerous foes, and that didn't SOUND terribly harmless to him. And he fights better in melee, so the demon stalks closer, incapable of not having bared teeth. "It's always that simple. I bet you just don't want to."

Yellow. Of all the damn colors. He could tolerate the Wolves skulking about. Might even reluctantly give a pass to the occasional Maribel punk. But the Solids?
thetatters: human!. (I know my heart would break)

[personal profile] thetatters 2025-05-21 10:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Jesus, he really needs to get a gun. As though it would matter against something with such a tough-looking carapace. John settles for backing away, aware of the open corridor at his back and the gravity shift around the corner. Maybe if he can flee to a restroom...

But he's certainly not going to run now, not with this argument unfinished.

"He's not here!" He draws himself up, guilt beginning to make way for indignation. "I can wear whatever I like. It can be my color now."
iron_stomach: (pic#17860755)

[personal profile] iron_stomach 2025-05-21 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, he better not be." That's little more than a gutteral growl. Mick better not be here, they didn't rip him to pieces hoping to get a chance to do it again later. Heat still doesn't attack, this isn't about just killing some idiot Solid still wearing his dead Leader's colors, this is about the lack of proper gratitude to the Embryon for letting him come along to Nirvana.

Or wherever this was. Paradise should have more to eat.

As John retreats, Heat pursues step by annoyed step; the other guy hasn't changed yet so obviously wasn't feeling too pressured, maybe he really DID think he could take over what was left of his Tribe. Except rivals weren't allowed. Not in the Junkyard, and not in Paradise. "What, you're gonna declare you're planning on taking his place, then you're gonna run away? Come on, coward, let's see if you've got what it takes, I'll soak that shitty yellow cloak in your blood and stain it a real color to be proud of."
Edited 2025-05-21 22:31 (UTC)
phantomshow: (keep myself riding on this train)

[personal profile] phantomshow 2025-05-21 10:46 pm (UTC)(link)
That’s exactly why Ren phrased it as a challenge - that’s the best way to catch and keep Akechi’s interest. Ren knew what he was doing by playing up their rivalry.

“Even if I had a coliseum of competition, I’d still fight for you,” he says, still holding that grin. “And I definitely wouldn’t lose.”

Quietly, Ren slides off his chair, picks up his empty cup and saucer in one hand and Akechi’s in the other, and heads for the sink behind the bar. He turns to face Akechi and finishes walking the distance to the sink in reverse, and another strong pulse of loving warmth fills the room.

“See you soon.”

He hopes. He really hopes this hasn’t just been a product of his unconscious imagination.
coffinturk: (Vincent-stand-back)

Have some more red in your life. (Startup)

[personal profile] coffinturk 2025-05-21 11:18 pm (UTC)(link)
That... is a man who demands a certain color.

On one of his trips back, Heat will discover someone studying the progress of the vehicle reskin. Dressed- practically wrapped in- in a ground scraping red cloak with tattered hem- it almost seems like it's an affront to the effort that's been put in to destroying the vehicle's original color.

Vincent hasn't touched it, that would be rude. But as he hears someone approach, the gunman looks over his shoulder with a speculative look as if gauging whether the one approaching is the owner or some other curious bystander.

They are certainly a new face to him.

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