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TDM 001
» arrival.
You were doing--something. Thinking something, walking somewhere, through something, when suddenly you find yourself somewhere else entirely. You've stepped through the Gateway: an empty doorframe in the middle of a large clearing, facing away from the large city known as the Capitol. When you first step out, you're alone. There's the distant sound of a soft tune on the air, like the world itself is humming pleasantly around you. The air smells sweet, pleasant and serene.
A glance around shows a soft, blue barrier surrounding the Gateway, approximately 10 meters away from the Gateway itself, and surrounding it in a wide circle. Attempting to escape from the barrier proves useless, and the moment you step even slightly away from the gateway, it grabs the attention of the Gateway's guardian:
It's difficult to make out her shape, at first. A wispy wind, a few branches swaying in the wind, the sound of breath in one's ear. She phases into existence against the wide of the Gateway, and immediately along with her presence comes a feeling of being safe. Maybe you're more suspicious of it. Maybe it feels comforting. It takes her several moments to fully form, keeping her distance but lips twisted up into a gentle smile.
"Welcome." Her voice is soft, more of a whisper against the wind than sound itself. "I apologize. I can. . I can feel that you do not belong here with us. You are from elsewhere, not quite the Between but not here either." Her head tips to the city, before she continues,
"Please, make yourself comfortable. I will see what we can do regarding your presence."
Her form falls apart, small little leaves gathering at the foot of the Gateway. The blue barrier opens with enough space for you to exit; there's nothing keeping you inside of it, and it will wait for you to exit before closing behind you.
The city's within close enough of a distance to walk to, and it seems to be bustling enough. . or, you could always explore the forest around it. The space between the Gateway and the City. Talk to those who have also walked out of the Gateway around the same time as you had.
» into the city.
The Capitol is bustling. Full of individuals of all shapes, sizes, and colors--beings with four legs, or six legs, or iridescent skin who pay no mind to the newcomers walking straight into their city. It's evident by looking to the buildings within the city that this whole place is new. The buildings show barely any signs of wear and tear, the streets are pristine. The structures are of all shapes and sizes; one may be walking down a block of street and pass by a large skyscraper, and directly next to it, pass by a circular building extremely low to the ground with doors there's absolutely no way someone over two feet tall and with more than twenty pounds of mass would be able to fit through. The signs around the city are in all kinds of languages; some matching those from Earth (English, Arabic, Latin), and several others incomprehensible.
There's some kind of market currently taking place: several stands with miscellaneous items ranging from magical to simple food items line the main street going through the center of the city. Items offered are free of charge; grabbing hold of an apple, or a charmed item will only earn smiles in response from those running the stalls. Stopping a local will get you answers of varying levels of helpfulness: a smile, clicks in a repetitive pattern that sound like it must mean something. The more humanoid members of the crowd may offer a few words, "Ah, you're new! Welcome! Thank you for joining us!" before continuing on their path.
» a particular case. (network)
Several hours after characters are left to wander around the city, they are tracked down by two young, near-identical ( although their appearance keeps shifting, like they can't settle on a hair color, a skin color, a height ) brothers who offer them a sympathetic smile and hold out a YDEX to them, explaining the functionality of it and how to turn on the language interpreter, access the (barebones, new) network they have begun setting up for them and others like them.
They explain how to choose a username, how to access the map functions, point them towards one of the newer apartment buildings on the edge of the Capitol with instructions on how to reach it, and let them know they'll inform the doorman of their situation and that they would be coming to stay in one of the new apartments. They leave with the promise of providing more answers soon, most likely through the network itself.
In the meantime. . it looks fairly empty, there's a few accounts listed as having access to it. Maybe see what's up with the rest of your new pals?
» dreams never hurt so much.
It's one week after the initial batch of arrivals that it happens: something else steps out of the Gateway, something warped. Myra will whisper soft into the ears of newcomers and settles alike: a be careful, she's hurting without offering anything else.
She wanders the city and the construction sites: a young preteen in a massive hoodie and boots, hood pulled down over her face. Get close enough, and you'll hear the sound of her teeth clicking together hard, grinding, before she tips her head back towards whoever gets close and--screeches. The sound is loud enough to hurt, digging painfully at eardrums until all sound around those nearby fades away to nothing, and the girl disappears. Characters will find themselves losing the ability to:
• hear
• speak
• decipher directions / extremely directionally challenged
While they may lose one or more sense, the girl is nowhere to be seen when they turn their attention back to her. Luckily, the effect wears off after an hour and those who were hit with it will regain their senses, as if it had never happened at all.
Trying to touch her proves to be futile, her body phasing through any attempt at physical contact. Trying to chase her down proves similarly pointless: she will walk around corners and disappear behind them, turn around and simply fade into nothing. Her appearances are random, appearing through the Capitol, inside houses, restaurants, only resorting to deafening those who she senses has intentions of moving towards her.
no subject
[ he really wants to think you're not boring and normal, aidan, but you're making it hard. ]
Or probably more like....I don't know, you're a secret serial killer. Like to peel off skin and wear it.
[ it was aslways the calm ones, wasn't it? ]
no subject
( he's not raising one again. damon already shook him around a bit. once is enough, thank you mister vampire. )
Can't lie about muscle mass.
no subject
[ not that he thinks that's it but it's true. have you seen some of the serial killers out there? bunch of scrawny runts. ]
Probably better that you're not that, you know. Might make being around you uncomfortable. And I'm actually not hating you right now.
no subject
( a moment's pause. quiet, before he continues with his question, )
What can you do? Are you fast? Strong?
no subject
[ in everything but emotional openness. being a vampire did not improve that at all but it did improve how well he can cover his lack of emotional availability. ]
It means I have to drink blood and I sleep in coffins and I turn into a bat. All the better to spy on people I wanna check in on.
[ would aidan believe that? time to find out. ]
no subject
( not exactly a threat because clearly he is not holding a knife even if he does technically have one stashed in the back of his shirt but. )
no subject
[ and that would not be a very good thing. he eyes the shirt and then aidan. ]
Do you want to stab me? I'd give you a head start if you wanna give it a try?
no subject
( maybe later. the fact damon doesn't seem worried about it at all is also a good sign he probably shouldn't try for it. )
You get stabbed often?
no subject
[ unless someone decided to hit him juuuust right. but considering he was still alive, no one had managed to do that yet. ]
I think it's a hobby for some people. [ like his brother. ] Stab Damon Salvatore and instantly enjoy an hour's stress relief. I'm very helpful to the world.
no subject
( he won't. that sounds like just asking for trouble. and he's all trouble'd out. )
More of a nuisance? I feel like healing up from constant stabbings'd be a pain.
no subject
[ might as well see what kind of strength he has in those noodle arms and see if this strange place is going to mess with his vampire abilities.
he hopes not. he'd really hate letting someone stab him and not have it deal. would be a bitch of a thing to explain after hyping up how great he is. ]
It's not in my top ten list of things to do and it does hurt. But I heal pretty quickly.
[ unless he got stabbed with something wooden. watch as he doesn't share that piece of information. ]
no subject
( so not only is damon stronger than the average person, he also heals real fast, can probably take a heavy beating, and could definitely kill aidan in a moment if he felt so inclined.
aidan wonders, briefly, if the whole stake a vamp thing is accurate. decides it's probably best not to test it. damon might have friends somewhere around here. )
That's handy. Do you bite people and leave them barely alive, then feed them your blood to turn 'em, too?
no subject
[ is that callous? too bad, it's true. ]
Turning them's a little more than just feeding them my blood, though, so don't go getting any ideas. I don't need any noodle armed baby vampires running around this place. I'm not a babysitter.
no subject
( a lie. well kind of. he's a little interested in the process, but not interested in turning. needing blood is a shit side-effect. )
And I wouldn't need a babysitter anyway.
no subject
[ but he's not planning on turning aidan so it's a moot point. ]
You wouldn't know what to do with what you were feeling and what you wanted. You'd probably end up eating half the people here because you had no control.
no subject
Just to fuck with you.
no subject
[ you weren't that special, aidan. ]
But unfortunately for you, I am not going to turn you to see if that's true or not. I don't need you following me around like a puppy because I sired you. You wouldn't be able to get enough of me.
no subject
( he could name a few who'd be down, but he has other things going on, thank you. )
I've already had enough of you, ( maybe? aidan's not quite sure where they're going, even, but he--stops in place, looks around the surrounding buildings. ) unless you were planning on going somewhere interesting.
no subject
I want to be a super powerful bloodsucker. And look at that, I already am.
[ he stops and pulls the door open to what looks like some kind of diner, going in first and using his foot to keep the door open for aidan. ]
Come on.
no subject
so he steps in through the door, clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. takes a look around the diner with notable interest. curiosity more than anything else. what does this new alien planet have to offer? )
You going to eat?
no subject
( he picks up two menus as he passes the front desk, not waiting to be seated. he moves in, finds a booth and drops down in it, one arm draped across the back.
he nods at at the spot across from him. )
Why, you wanna share with me?
no subject
( he hasn't seen anything to do with money here yet but if there is currency, aidan doesn't have anything. )
no subject
[ he puts a hand on his pocket, still feeling the wallet there. he doesn't know if his money's going to be good here so he's going to have to use something else. ]
I'll cover it. Next time, it's yours. Sit down, order.
no subject
( but fine. since they're going on a date, he may as well sit down, make himself comfortable. picks up a menu to start scanning it over. )
no subject
[ he's confident in that especially since he thinks aidan would find a way to be more expensive just to be a prick. ]
But I could afford it either way.
[ because he'd cheat. ]
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