Forced Confessions

[spoofer]

Characters: Ensemble cast, any/all characters of Xistentia!
Summary: At the end of a spring-time mingle party, D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. unleashes a psychic weapon that forces characters to confess their secrets to one another. Check out the mod announcement for more information.
Date(s): First 2 weeks of April 2018
Warnings/Notes: Psychic influence/coercion, potential trauma, etc. in confessions. Please use subject header warnings appropriately!

Forced Confessions Event

I admit I'm on the rebound And I don't care

Five-Day Party

It begins with a party, out in the woods of Xistentia, with drinks, food, and fairy lights. The glade is illuminated in a brilliant palette of jewel tones, the most intense where the dancefloor stretches out between glow-in-the-dark marked trees, punctuated by F.A.T.E.S.' ever jarring, mismatched combination of musical tunes. Not far from that, you have enclosures of soft bedding set aside in mood-lit shadows, and veiled by mosquito net, for those of us who prefer more privacy.

The deeper nightclub colors fade to a warm, lustrous gold where there are spaces to sit, socialize, and eat.
Dining options feature treats from across the multiverse, including spice candy that will make your tongue feel just the faintest touch of a sting, native meats prepared with sauces and salts, and a variety of fruit and vegetables, some of which have a bioluminescent glow. Some of the wines are strong enough to knock a werewolf's metabolism on its ass— and these are marked with an audio sign, repeating the same warning over and over.

Other liquid refreshments include a blood bar, courtesy of Rafaello d'Este's local business.

Psychic Bomb: The Confessions (April 5-14)

But on the fifth evening, D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. strikes. There's a warning— only 10 minutes in advance-- over the network, even while the vast majority of revelers are a little too busy to pay any attention to their daemons.

A black ball of some writhing, metallic substance abruptly comes tearing through the atmosphere, the size of your average adult human curled into fetal position. As it breaks through layers of gas, it adopts an orange glow for a brief instant. It's easily lost in the canopy, even for the most agile and practiced of Xistentia residents. It's impossible to tell what it is. A faint whine fills the air, and a moment later, the projectile detonates. The scent of tar fills the forest along with shouts of dismay. And too little too late, F.A.T.E.S. warning system begins to blare that a contaminant has entered the atmosphere.

However, apart from a few bruises, panic and partial deafness, nobody seems harmed at all. That is, until the compulsion sets in.

Your secrets, both large and small, suddenly become wrenching fodder for impulsive speech... or signing, texting, any multitude of communication methods wind up hijacked. The worst of it comes when you face someone you know and love. Sheer willpower might stave off the urge long enough for your character to get out of range for conversation, and it might be a good time to avoid company for awhile. It will come randomly, in spikes, for 2 weeks to follow.

Feel free to use the confessions thread here to start some textspam trouble!

Bomb Resolution (April 12+)

A week later, F.A.T.E.S. and both magic and science-minded researchers have analyzed the goop. The worst of the epidemic is localized around the party, though psychic ripples continue to be felt across Xistentia for a few days.

And now we need cleanup.

It's a motley group of unlikely volunteers. Some people are just lucky— they have no secrets they fear to share, or perhaps just no shame. Others are just good samaritans, willing to risk a terrifying level of honesty in the interest of preventing further damage to the relationships that make Xistentia run.

In any case, the group finds themselves armed with gloves, rubber suits, and floating glass containment orbs, manipulable with gestures, that can absorb the black ichor off the trees, earth, and furniture. This will be stored at the temple. And what we'll do with it—

Who knows. Or perhaps you and your compatriots have an idea for the substance permanent disposal to share.

Comments

[astralera]

[ This isn't a reaction Era had expected nor been prepared for, but she's nothing if not skilled at improvisation. She shifts so that she's kneeling atop the bench and not sitting on it, so she's more able to hold him close without the awkwardness of their heights; press him to her brest that she might stroke his hair and hum a soothing tune.

Era has no experience comforting the inconsolable, but she has witnessed countless mothers doing the same for their ill children and so can only assume (hope) it's a comfort. ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ It is mostly dry sobs that shake his frame. No tears seem to fall, but at the very least it seems to subside over time. He keeps his gaze low, as if he's too afraid to make eye contact. ]

when you notice a typo over a week later /screams

[astralera]

[ Era continues rubbing small circles against her friend's back that are hopefully soothing. This is not her forté but she's more than willing to put the effort in for him. ]

it happens

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki pulls away, rubbing his fingers over his palm, afraid to speak. ]

[astralera]

[ While normally Era would be content on waiting for Loki to speak, the current circumstances make her more willing to break the silence first. ]

Are you feeling any better?

[dothelokimotion]

No . . . not particularly.

[ But he's used to that. Feeling "better" is not a state of mind Loki is familiar with. ]

[astralera]

[ She lets out a small hum of acknowledgement. ]

Would you care to rest?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki shivers. He should go home . . . but to go back and look at Thor . . . to see the shame and horror. No. He can't go back. ]

Perhaps. In time.

[astralera]

[ Era doesn't know what Loki has on his mind, but she can relate to not particularly wanting to go home and rest. She still feels shame whenever she thinks of how she failed to save Eorzea yet again, D.E.S.T.I.N.Y or no. ]

Then I shall keep you company for a time, if you'll permit it.

[ She loves Aymeric so very much, but there are some things she's not ready to voice to him yet and she doesn't want to risk being forced to. ]

This place is a comfort to me in the times that home is not.

[dothelokimotion]

My real home is dark and cold. They left me to die there. I think — deep down, my father always regretted rescuing me.

[ Odin was trying to squeeze Loki's worth out from a rock. When there was nothing to be had, Odin discarded him. Loved him still, but discarded him all the same. ]

[astralera]

[ She shifts slightly, moving closer to her friend. There is no judgment nor pity on her face. ]

I do not have parents, nor the memory of having them. I have found a family for myself over the years, however, and it would be that much smaller if your father left you to that grim fate.

[ The thought of Loki being left alone in the cold and dark to die is a dagger to her heart. She leans some of her weight against him without thought, seeking reassurance that he's still hale and whole beside her. Era wishes she could take his suffering away and replace it with happiness. ]

I cannot say I can understand why he would regret saving you, but I am thankful that he did. I should like to meet this father of yours one day to tell him just that.

[dothelokimotion]

He's long passed.

[ And Loki hates the way Odin did so, leaving him with contradictory feelings. Leaving him with a strange sense of love and hatred Loki will never be able to reconcile. Deep down, he wants to go home. He wants to go back to Asgard, to the way things were, even if it was never kind to him. He wants Thor to reassure that nothing has changed.

But none of it would be true. And Loki is done with lies. ]

Even I shouldn't be here.

[astralera]

Nothing is impossible.

[ Estinien comes from a time over a year past. If that's possible so is the arrival of those now dead, and she holds onto the hope of seeing one particular person turn up on Xistentia's shores.

Era doesn't know what she would do if Haurchefant arrived. Perhaps hug him and sob, apologizing to him once she was certain it was truly him...

She lays her head against Loki's arm, closes her eyes and lets out a soft sigh. Right now is about the friend by her side, not herself or the friends she has lost.

Era wishes she knew how to ease Loki's pain, but it seems like the only thing she can offer is her company. ]

And yet you are here, Loki. And I am unspeakably happy for it.

[dothelokimotion]

Why?

[ The question comes to his lips immediately. ]

[astralera]

You are my friend.

[ To Era it really is that simple, but she knows Loki would have trouble believing that. ]

For all of our differences you still remind me of myself - the parts of me I've hidden away from watchful eyes. It was what drew me to seek out your company again after our first meeting.

I enjoy your company. Conversing with you is a pleasure, as is learning more about your world and the magic it holds.

[ She hesitates, then continues: ]

You have never known me as the Warrior of Light. You've no expectations of me for it. The same can be said of all others here save for Aymeric and Estinien, but you are the only one not of Earth. You've no expectations of me to be like the people from there. [ Aside from Thor but he doesn't count. ]

You have no expectations for me to live up to. In your company I can just be Era, whoever she may be.

[dothelokimotion]

[ And can't Loki relate to that? ]

I — am amenable to your company as well. As a . . . friend.

[astralera]

[ She lets out a content hum. ]

I'm glad.

[dothelokimotion]

[ He takes in a shuddering breath. ]

Thank you.

[astralera]

[ She stays as she is, leaning against his side, unsure of how to respond. Eventually she decides the best thing to do would be to do as she is normally does - take it all in stride, and not say too much. ]

You're welcome.