idolpro | Nemesis and Hurricane's Ideal World: Session 3

Nemesis and Hurricane's Ideal World: Session 3

[The sky above is a deep, unnatural crimson, filled with roiling clouds and creatures that are a sickly oil-slick black. They writhe and wriggle like something out of a Lovecraftian nightmare; they have entirely too many eyes, and entirely too many wings, and when they open their mouths, they have entirely too many teeth]

[Below them, the city of Tokyo is half-shattered; above the rooftops, mechanized suits the size of people hover in the air, darting in out of the chaos, laser blasts and explosions and wickedly sharp blades fighting tirelessly against the endless onslaught]

[Until finally, the last creature falls]

[All at once, civilians flood the streets of the city; the lights come on in all the buildings, which somehow have become whole again, safe and unharmed. A cheer goes up from the crowd. Overhead, a stunning fireworks display paints the night with light and color]

[And they all lived happily ever after]

[The end]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Double doors open to a long hall filled with treasures–official-looking awards and gleaming medals commemorating valor in battle, or distinguished service on the field, or commitment to the safety of one’s squad. Prominent places on the walls are given to shadowboxes of the keys to the cities of Tokyo, and Mito, and San Francisco, way out overseas.

The far wall has larger trophies–the taxidermied heads of imps, and massive maws with too many teeth and too many eyes that look to be formed of snarls of hardened tar, and a ⅛-scale model of a bulky red power suit cutting down a mountain of dark tentacled monsters. A button on the jet pack makes the eyes and massive axe glow a bright green. It’s pretty rad, and surely you are duly impressed.]

[Looking upon them, it is difficult not to feel a hesitant flutter of accomplishment, especially with this physical proof of what all you’ve achieved.]

[There are plenty more trophies in the room, surely as impressive as this, or you can RETURN TO THE GENKAN.]

Edited 2022-01-01 22:25 (UTC)

[I know none of these places so cannot appreciate Distance.]

[The model is pretty cool. The taxidermied heads are also Tuesday.]

[...that is a feeling. A feeling he knows, but knows he should not be feeling. These aren't his accomplishments and while some things are Familiar Enough, plenty isn't in the least.]

[Hmm.]

[He will look through the trophies. See if he can find....counterproof? Something wrong?]

[There is nothing wrong with succeeding sometimes--at least, that's what you've heard.]

[Further into the room are items without labels, but seemingly maintained with the same amount of regard – shelves of what look to be fanbooks, and boxes of letters, the signed invitation to the grand opening of something called 'Gold's Place' laid on top.]

[An arm made of cardboard and another made of Legos are displayed next to actual prosthetics of varying levels of technology. Beside that sits a large, half-built cruiser motorcycle. Past that are chocolates and skates and medals for track and field and another key, golden and delicately filigreed with a feathered design.]

[There is more in the room, but you probably don't need to keep looking around. Best to RETURN TO THE GENKAN.]

[Of course there's nothing wrong. Feeling things he didn't accomplish is The Concern.]

[Also wow these feelings.]

[Ooooh, bike thing looks cool.]

[He's gonna take a look at this fancy feathered key and look around more if there is a Feeling he probably don't need to keep looking versus that being flavor text.]

[What is 'flavor text'? Everything here is real and true and valid, stop being so rude, shoe-boy]

[The key is shimmering and beautiful and--if he looks with his hands rather than his eyes--warm to the touch. Concentrating on it, it feels slightly hopeful, but beneath that, bittersweet]

[The room becomes darker and more cramped as you continue on, the exhibits shifting as well. Metal wreckage scorched and splattered with dark ichor. A kitchen sink, half the bloodied water spilt over the floor. The twisted carcass of a bicycle, its speed lines ripped and paint flaking.]

[Beyond all this, placidly ripping up letters and tossing them into a fireplace, is a trim girl with dark skin and darker hair. So far she ignores you, because of course she does]

[Awww, the bike is wreck. A shame.]

[Though this is certainly telling him about what is going on. So its a fantasy.]

[Like a Puppeteer Demon. Greeeeeat.]

[Well, there's a girl, let's go talk to her.] Bad letters?

[There's a heavy pause where you aren't certain if she's even going to acknowledge your presence. She cocks her head to look at you, and she looks--almost familiar, perhaps, like an actually attractive version of someone on Avante (or the winners' montage from the war scene earlier).]

Everything here is worthless trash.

[She tosses something that looks like folded cloth into the fire]

Speaking of... Are you lost? The "party" certainly won't be back here.

Is it? So why was it award minutes ago?

[He shrugs.] I'm looking for something.

[A gentle exhalation--the word 'snort' is far too uncouth for such a graceful figure. She doesn't miss a beat, throwing more cloth, this time in red and purple]

You must be mistaken. There's never been anything here worth rewarding.

What are you looking for? Surely not this junk.

Then what was all this stuff?

[Again, rude boy who doesn't answer.]

Nothing.

[She's right. Why had anyone hung onto all this anyway? Why did you waste your time looking at it? It's not as though anyone cares about it.]

Now. I'm sort of in the middle of something... Did you actually need something?

You know, you go 'nothing' when there's a room full of stuff, that just makes it seem important and like you're a terrible liar.

[He's also Petty.]

Even a room of unimportant stuff still has a label. A room could be full of receipts that are no longer relevant because it was last years audit, but it's still 'a room of receipts.' Not 'nothing.' Easier to just same the former then the latter when people ask, because when you hide information, you give it importance.

[The girl has long turned back to dumping stuff into the fireplace, fully uninterested]

Edited 2022-01-01 23:32 (UTC)

Re: THE TROPHY ROOM

thisismagrave - 2022-01-01 23:35 (UTC) - Expand

Re: THE TROPHY ROOM

lefthandedcomplimentarian - 2022-01-01 23:39 (UTC) - Expand

Re: THE TROPHY ROOM

thisismagrave - 2022-01-01 23:41 (UTC) - Expand

Re: THE TROPHY ROOM

lefthandedcomplimentarian - 2022-01-01 23:52 (UTC) - Expand

Re: THE TROPHY ROOM

thisismagrave - 2022-01-01 23:58 (UTC) - Expand

Re: THE TROPHY ROOM

lefthandedcomplimentarian - 2022-01-02 00:06 (UTC) - Expand

Re: THE TROPHY ROOM

thisismagrave - 2022-01-02 00:10 (UTC) - Expand

[Looking over that key]

This it?

Edited 2022-01-02 04:10 (UTC)

Yeah, this is the key. Amaranth wanted you guys to see it.

I mean... looks pretty fancy.

Real shiny, too. Almost seems like it's glowing...

Amaranth said it should be a reminder of something important?

You think?

I mean, I guess it could be, like...

[Glances at Nem,]

I mean. Maybe...?

[Does not attempt to touch it,]

--Either way, not sure why this's worth leaving the party for. Like--I know you're a self-professed nerd, but this's a little much.

[He's gonna pick it up.]

Well, you just keep it. Maybe it'll come to you.

[And if Nothing Happens, he will try to hand it To Her.]

We were supposed to find my ma next, right?

Edited 2022-01-02 05:20 (UTC)

Like I said, we could just go back to the party--ow!

[The golden key sizzles as it touches her hand, and she drops it to the ground, automatic]

....

Um.

That isn't normal? [He bends down to pick it up???]

[....pokes Nemesis with it.]

[Trying to intercept, this time]

[Notably, he does not react to the touch]

Dude, what's wrong with you? It hurt her.