spoofer: (Default)
Xistentia: Mod ([personal profile] spoofer) wrote in [community profile] xistentia2018-05-09 10:55 pm

EVENT: Kind Gestures and Dark Mirrors

Characters: Ensemble cast, any/all characters of Xistentia!
Summary: While F.A.T.E.S. encourages kind gestures to repair the city's shield, D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. sends their agent to sabotage everything with a virus. Infected characters turn into dark mirror versions of themselves, ready to burn the very bridges we were supposed to rebuild.
Date(s): 9 - 26 May. Check out THE MOD ANNOUNCEMENT for more information.
Warnings/Notes: Psychic influence, potential trauma, violence and upsetting themes. Please use subject header warnings appropriately!

KIND GESTURES & DARK MIRRORS EVENT
It's emotional warfare on a dimensional scale.
NOT SO/GRAND GESTURES

While the confessions might have helped some, hurt looks and uncomfortable silences abound across the city. The shield over the city has started to flicker and transmit odd, geometric shadows across the ground. One thing is clear: we have to fix this.

F.A.T.E.S. has a solution. On the morning of 9 May, F.A.T.E.S. will send a message to all residents through their daemons:

F.A.T.E.S. WARNING SYSTEM

Threat Assessment: Moderate
Phenomenon Type: Shield Fluctuations
Predicted Duration: 2 weeks to Critical Failure

The psychic bomb has crippled the defense system over Xistentia. As a result, the modified laws of physics that protect physical consent within the city limits are experiencing problems. Be aware that this means mild injury from physical assaults are now possible within the city.

To repair protective functions, residents are kindly requested to kiss and makeup. Just kissing would also be helpful. Friendly gestures varying from gifted coffee or morning salutations will also be extremely helpful contributions. Your cooperation is appreciated.

In other words, it's time to rebuild bridges. Residents are all encouraged to talk, to reach out to the people around them. Do something nice for a friend, or an acquaintance, or a stranger in need. Of course, if it feels a little forced— that should come as a surprise to no one. F.A.T.E.S. is but an awkward SUPERCOMPUTER, after all.
Good Samaritan: Help a little old lady across the street. Alternatively, given the consent defenses are dialed down, maybe you'll catch somebody about to be hit by a falling pot plant from a higher-floor window. Time to rescue!

Grand Romance: A single rose, a bouquet of flowers; their named tattooed over your heart, or a sword engraved with the insignias of one's ancestors; a boombox held outside the window or an acoustic guitar solo among the fireflies. If you love somebody, this is the time to let it out.

Family Dinner: Whether it's blood or a found family, this would be the time to reconcile over a spread. Or at least-- to try. Funnily enough, even conflict technically feeds energy into the city; a little bickering never killed anybody. But of course, if the argument kills the relationship... that's a turn for the worst, for the city as well as for you.

Apology Gifts: If you made a mess during the psychic bomb event, this would be the time to clean it up. Write a letter, send the text, or show up on the doorstep amid pouring rain.

Wildcard: Want to make a different gesture? Be F.A.T.E.S.' guest.
Enter the Villain

That doesn't really work for D.E.S.T.I.N.Y.


The enemy takes the opportunity to contact their agent Ignacio, giving him instructions to plug a data stick into the Chronological Cartographer in the Temple, in order to release a virus.

During the early hours of the morning on 9 May, Ignacio carries out his mission. The virus takes F.A.T.E.S. by surprise, crippling their internal defences and spreading quickly through their system. All computer systems managed by F.A.T.E.S. suffer disruption, including characters' daemons. All over the city, individuals experience change. The infected have turned into Mirror Versions of themselves. They remember everything about their lives, but their personalities and perspectives have changed. Instead of trying to rebuild, they want to tear down everything they once held dear.

DELETING THE VIRUS (May 26 +)

Over the course of the month, F.A.T.E.S. will be working desperately to clear the virus from their system and from every infected timeline. Daemons will continue to experience glitches, lag and crashes throughout the month.

Finally, by 26 May, F.A.T.E.S. manages to isolate the last pockets of the virus and stop it from replicating. From there, it's a simple matter to delete it from the rest of the system. Over the next few days, all afflicted individuals will return to normal.

Over the next few days, all afflicted individuals will return to normal - and then it's time to pick up the pieces.

Now feeling much more like themselves again, everyone who turned into a mirror will remember everything they did while infected. Now is the time for damage control - both for your personal lives, and for the city's defences. Xistentia is now more vulnerable than ever.

The deleting of the virus will mean a sudden and immediate change for some, and a slower, more gradual change for others. However, all characters will have returned entirely to normal by the end of the month.
ANYTHING ELSE

You can find more information on this event, as well as opportunities for plotting, in our Event Plotting Post!
magnetizing: (058. ❚)

[personal profile] magnetizing 2018-05-20 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
Right? ( It's off. It's completely off. Just his voice alone is a shade off some level of sleaze she doesn't like to think of. And then he calls her right?

She leans back, lifting a hand to push his sunglasses of his eyes. )


Right about what? What are you talking about?
varou: (020. ❚)

[personal profile] varou 2018-05-20 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)
( Seriously, Hunter's brain is short-circuiting at this point.

Rafa has always been a strong fighter, and he's fought for so long. But Rafa's also become weary with battle and conquering. He wanted an end to a war that was as peaceful as they could manage to help save as many lives as they could. And he had earned that through proper negotiation and alliances. And now, they only extend their empire through alliances. They haven't conquered anyone in a long time.

So all of this conflicts greatly with the man languishing before him on the throne.

Hunter follows, and if any thrall tries to move in his path he easily shoves them aside as if they don't exist at all.

He stands before Rafa, towering over him, and very purposely not sitting. )


We're going home to finish this discussion. In private. ( He glances around at all the thralls with disgust. Hunter's been through war, he's seen hell and more. He's not shy to the darkness of the world. But thralls have always left a bad taste in his mouth. It's worse now that he's facing so many made by Rafa's own hand. ) And you're not making another fucking thrall.


( He shakes his head as he looks back to Rafa. ) What would Shane say if he saw all of this?
shadowblends: (❧ copacetic)

[personal profile] shadowblends 2018-05-20 10:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[the longer he stares, the wider kurt's grin becomes, until his fangs are entirely bared, amused and prideful.]

That depends. What does a god have to offer me?
dothelokimotion: (What more is there to say?)

[personal profile] dothelokimotion 2018-05-20 11:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Loki's eyes narrow. ]

Gods do not offer gifts to mortals. No matter how special they might believe they are.
shadowblends: (❧ charming)

[personal profile] shadowblends 2018-05-21 07:34 am (UTC)(link)
Quite the point you make, fair prince. [his smile broadens a touch more, eyes glittering.

since he hasn't forgotten, loki.]
dothelokimotion: (Words are vibrations)

[personal profile] dothelokimotion 2018-05-21 08:47 am (UTC)(link)
[ His nose wrinkles at "fair prince". ]

A legitimate one. Unless you wish to contest it.
hasitsthorns: (ᴀɴᴅ ʙʟᴏᴄᴋ ᴍʏ ᴇᴀʀs)

[personal profile] hasitsthorns 2018-05-21 01:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[ She melts into the hug in a way she might not usually have. It's warm and friendly. It's not that Rose isn't usually these things but certainly not often so earnestly. She even lingers, hands still on his arms when he draws back and sincere smile on strong. ]

He what. Wow, that's something I'd love to see. Is he at least a good cook? [ Funny enough, she cooked dinner for Vanyel last night too. It's also something she almost never does, so. Her and Vex are - for once - in tune. ]

And if there's anything I can do to help, dude, just let me know.
hasitsthorns: ɴᴏ ғᴏᴏᴅ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴀᴛ (Tʜᴇ ʜᴀʀᴠᴇsᴛ ʟᴇғᴛ)

[personal profile] hasitsthorns 2018-05-21 01:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[ If only, if only. She gives a happy peep at that kiss to her nose, cheeks pink from both the compliment and his closeness. ]

I'm glad you think so, [ she says to that. ] I love you, you know.

[ Rose often lets her actions speak more for her than words in that regard. Still, she imagines it would be nicer to hear more than once in a blue moon for him. She wants to do everything better than before. ]
mordacita: (Default)

[personal profile] mordacita 2018-05-21 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)

[ Hunter is being terribly rough and ready with Rafa's new thralls. Rafa frowns at the way he shoves them, making them stumble and stand warily back. ]

You had better not scratch them, Hunter.

[ He says, irritated, and then looks up at Hunter. His eyes widen a little at those declarations. Hunter, so strong and authoritative, standing up to him, commanding him. Rafa's lips curl into a humourless smile. He's full of self-knowledge right now. He manages to hold his silence until that last question, when finally he laughs, and strides off behind the throne. ]

Shane? That miserable half-breed would do all in his power to coax me. How terrible he would find all this, how disappointed he would be. His whining has held me back for centuries. But worry not! His hold on me is gone. You, I still have hope for.

[ Hunter, his general, the best fighter in this world apart from Rafa himself. The great difference is, Rafa wants this one at his side, heading his army. Hunter remains useful to him. ]

You should know. The way you just spoke to me? Yesterday, it would have made me melt against you. But I think we stay.

[ Coming around the other side of the throne, he drapes back down into it. At his gesture, one of the thralls comes to kneel before him, and Rafa crosses his feet atop his back. ]

outshiny: (Default)

[personal profile] outshiny 2018-05-21 02:11 pm (UTC)(link)

[ He lets her take the glasses off, and in the same movement shifts up against her. His arms go around her, and his eyes search hers, insistent. ]

About everything. Lorna, I should have been there, I should've been with you. I should never have tried to stop you. I don't even know what I was thinking. All those months, pretending I was something I wasn't? I was such a god damned hypocrite, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but I see it now, babe, okay? I'm here.

[ He leans down, pushing his forehead against hers, and letting his lips curve into a wide, almost manic smile. ]

It's the only way, and I'm on board. We gotta kill 'em all.

outshiny: (Default)

[personal profile] outshiny 2018-05-21 02:13 pm (UTC)(link)

[ A vampire? Well, that explains things. Marcos laughs to himself, a reaction he certainly would not have had were he not affected by the virus. As it is, he turns around, curiously scanning the crowd. ]

I didn't attack you, I used my powers. I absorb sunlight, and release it whenever I want. Guess that's as bad for vampires as they say.

[ He's made his way back to where he was when he let off the flash. Now he looks around, searching the side streets for anyone who looks injured. He wants to see this for himself. ]

You want to tell me where you are? I can't see you, and I'm guessing you don't want me to use the light again.

varou: (010. ❚)

[personal profile] varou 2018-05-21 02:52 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm not going to hurt them. ( Hunter barely glanced at them, though. They made him feel sick to his stomach to look at. Even the one that happily climbed to his hands and knees for Rafa's use was hard to bear. He kept his eyes transfixed on Rafa instead. The thralls were no match for Hunter in any capacity, even if they tried to come at him. Hunter didn't need to exert force there.

Then again, watching Rafa for too long made Hunter even sicker.

Just the look of him was all wrong. There was no easy joy in Rafa's eyes, just cruel amusement as he took everything within his reach. This wasn't the man Hunter fell asleep curled against at night. Who brought him back from the brink of his own destruction with such a firm command and respect for those in his service. This creature before him just wanted to devour all. And the words he spoke...

He'd never been close to Shane, but he'd always envied the halfling. Shane was the best of any person he'd ever known, and Rafa had always known as much. Hunter spent centuries knowing he couldn't live up to the memory of that man, driven to depths of self-hatred he'd barely returned from over Rafa's love for that man. And yet here Rafa was, tearing down Shane as if were lower than the dirt beneath the thrall's hands.

This wasn't Rafa. Not in any shape. Hunter paced slightly as he watched Rafa. How did he fix this? He had to fix this.

He runs a hand through his hair. )


It's not a fucking question, Rafa. I'm taking you home. ( He glared at the thralls in an attempt to intimidate them, not that it would help. They obeyed every word that Rafa spoke, even if he said to slit their own throats.

Hunter moved towards the throne. )


Even if I have to fucking carry all the way there.
mordacita: (Default)

[personal profile] mordacita 2018-05-21 03:03 pm (UTC)(link)

[ Rafa watches with dispassion. There's something almost alien about it, watching these things take place, hearing these words, watching the distress of this person. He knows how much it would have affected him before. There's a part of him that's waiting for the tug on his heartstrings that would always have pulled him towards Hunter. Instead, he feels empty.

But Hunter is far from empty. Rafa can see emotion written all over his face; upset, pain, worry, frustration, all of it. More than anything else, the disgust he feels for the show of power he's witnessing – for the thralls, in particular. Rafa had only just told him not to hurt them, but that had been expediency. They were newly made, and he'd invested time and blood in them.

Still. Like all humans, they're disposable. There's certainly more where they came from, and now he thinks he'll test his lover's resolve. ]

I never have liked being carried. [ He says, conversationally, and lifts his finger. Three of the thralls come at once to place themselves between Hunter and Rafa. ]

Escort my husband out now. He wants to go home.

[ The thralls advance, while Rafa, interested, leans forward in his chair. A smile stretches across his face while he watches. Watching him kill them to get to Rafa might be entertaining. Rafa lives in hope. ]

magnetizing: (051. ❚)

[personal profile] magnetizing 2018-05-21 03:04 pm (UTC)(link)
( There's a brief moment, very brief, when Lorna feels his arms around her and she wants nothing more than to melt into those arms. It's been too long since she's had this feeling, and she wants to get lost in it.

Then Marcos says that last sentence and revulsion moves through Lorna like a wave. She immediately shoves him off her, staring at him in open disgust. )


What the fuck, Marcos? Is this some kind of sick joke? ( She stares open mouthed at him. )

Go the fuck home. Get out.
varou: (012. ❚)

[personal profile] varou 2018-05-21 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
( Yeah... he somewhat saw this coming. He's disappointed in Rafa, and it shows on his face as he just shakes his head at seeing Rafa throw bodies at him. He only expects it, because it's the last thing he'd expect Rafa to do. And apparently, today was opposite day for Rafa. He forgot to pass that message along. )

Rafa. ( Hunter shakes his head as he steps forward towards the three thralls. ) This is pretty pathetic. You know they're nothing against me. ( Of course, one grabs his arm and tries to pull him away. Easily, Hunter rips his arm out of the thrall's grip.

All three try to grab him and take him. Hunter stops walking and just sighs, standing still. An immovable force for the three humans. )


Call them off.
outshiny: (Default)

[personal profile] outshiny 2018-05-21 03:14 pm (UTC)(link)

[ Marcos steps back when she pushes him, but he doesn't leave. No, he'd already made the mistake of letting her walk away. He's never going to do that again. He's already firmly shaking his head. ]

No. No way, not again. Don't you see, Lorna? There is no home without you. There's no family, because you're my family. It was always supposed to be you and me and I should never have walked away from that. I should've been helping you blow that plane out of the sky. Hell, I should've burned a hole through his head before it got that far. I won't let you down again.

[ Another shake of his head, and now he walks towards her again. ]

What's wrong? Isn't this what you wanted?

mordacita: (Default)

[personal profile] mordacita 2018-05-21 03:21 pm (UTC)(link)

[ Rafa watches, his eyes dark. Unfortunately, the whole thing ends up a disappointment. Hunter is a statue that won't fight or be moved, and the thralls' attempts are nothing but ineffectual. Rafa sighs, and leans back in his chair. ]

You are no fun.

[ He says, and lifts his finger again. The thralls stop and draw back, each of them watching Hunter with wary uncertainty. Even now, their eyes keep flicking towards Rafa.

Rafa ignores them, and stands again. He shrugs off his jacket, a plush, burgundy number he'd picked up on the way here. Beneath it, his clothes are well-fitted and black. He steps away from the throne and towards his husband. ]

Well then, I shall do it myself. Take me, my love. If you can.

magnetizing: (052. ❚)

[personal profile] magnetizing 2018-05-21 03:26 pm (UTC)(link)
( Lorna takes another step back as he tries to approach him again. She needs the space, and she can't let him get into hers. She doesn't think right when they're close. And this really needs her full attention.

She shakes her head as he just... he spouts shit she's never heard him spout before. She recognizes that look now, that strange sort of smile she's only seen when he's drunk on power. Literally. When he exerts his powers in such a way that even she's terrified of what it does to him.

So how is like that now? Usually when he puts his hands down he evens back out again. He's more rational again. Instead of just... spouting shit at her. )


You didn't walk away, I did. I walked away because this isn't who you are.

God you don't. ( She curls her fingers in frustration. ) You don't even understand what I've been saying. You don't understand what I want at all.

If you think all I want is to kill all humans, you don't get my cause at all. And if you really think that's what I want, what are you doing here? It's not what you want. It's not who you are.
varou: (030. ❚)

[personal profile] varou 2018-05-21 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
( God his husband is fucking hot. If he wasn't so anxious and concerned about Rafa's mental well-being, he'd really be turned on right now.

Instead, he tilts his head to one side. Crack. Then the other. Crack. He pulls his arms, working himself loose in preparation for what Rafa throws next at him. )


Babe, I love you.

( He meets Rafa's eyes, something painful rolling through him. )

Don't do this. Please come home with me. I'm begging you.
mordacita: (i n n o c e n c e)

[personal profile] mordacita 2018-05-21 09:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Rafa's smile grows at the cracks. As he does, his fangs lengthen. Hunter speaks sweet words, words that should be the final tug on those heartstrings. Rafa pauses, his head tilted to one side. ]

I keep waiting.

[ He looks up at Hunter, eyes softening a little. ]

Expecting it to make a change, for it to matter, like it always does.

[ He shrugs, and his expression chills again. ]

It is just not there anymore. I am glad. It was weighing me down.

[ There's a brief movement. Then Rafa zips forward, running at top speed to crash into Hunter. He wastes no time, immediately going for the throat. ]
varou: (029. ❚)

[personal profile] varou 2018-05-21 10:08 pm (UTC)(link)
( No vampire from their world extends their teeth without intent. Especially Rafa. He knows nothing more is coming.

This isn't Rafa, he tries to tell himself. Something's replaced his husband. This isn't him.

Rafa zips and Hunter's fur tears through his clothes as he lunges to meet Rafa instead of trying to dodge out of the way. The wolf, large, black and shabby, slams into the vampire at a lower angle than the man would have. It's enough for Rafa to have missed the through at least, though the momentum is on Rafa's side with the early lead Rafa got.

Hunter sprawls back, padded feet sliding against the slick floor. The tile dents and tears where his nails pierce sharply through for purchase. The wolf rushes back at Rafa, attempting to slam low into his stomach. )
varou: (005. ❚)

text; daemon: marshmallowd - couple days into the event

[personal profile] varou 2018-05-21 10:10 pm (UTC)(link)
iggy? you around? you you?
sadico: (loom)

[personal profile] sadico 2018-05-21 10:16 pm (UTC)(link)
I am. How can I help you?
varou: (020. ❚)

[personal profile] varou 2018-05-21 10:18 pm (UTC)(link)
( that's a huge relief at least. )

it's rafa. i don't know if you've spoken to him recently but.... he's not rafa lately.

i need help with him.
( it's its own kind of shame to put the words out there. hunter hangs his head as he sends the message. )
sadico: (tossed)

[personal profile] sadico 2018-05-21 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
[ HE REGRETS EVERYTHING ]

Whenever you can.

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