EVENT #13: ADVERSITY 8765546

[expiationmods]

EVENT #13: THE BEAST INSIDE US ALL

THE STORY SO FAR (click to expand)

-Over time, characters have discovered that the world of Expiation is actually a large, elaborate simulation run by an AI that seems to be intent on helping them atone for their crimes. This news is well-known by the Chosen, enough so that any new character who wishes to handwave this knowledge is able to do so.

-In September 2024, that AI needed to be reset as a consequence of some catastrophic systems failures. So far, there has been no downside to this reset–but the AI has also been strangely absent since then.

-Things have been quiet in Aldrip since September, aside from the routine arrival of new Chosen. The locals seem less than happy with the Chosen, though, as if they have already branded them all criminals. As if they no longer trust them…

EARLY MARCH / MARCH 11TH

Something doesn’t feel quite right, does it?

There’s a strange feeling in Aldrip, something tense and strained, as if something’s about to happen. The black lines outside of the Aldrip travel further into the city and begin to spread the miasma. The fields, crops and the portion of the forest continue to wither away as a result. The signs of catastrophe. The air is thick, as if it itself is waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Very abruptly, it does.

The earth quakes as something erupts from the ground: huge, snakelike heads, towering as tall as a two-story building. These heads seem to circle the city of Aldrip: a ring of threat, keeping everyone and everything within the city limits. These heads don’t change locations, and they only attack if someone gets too close. They seem almost like they’re waiting for something. At first, however, they’re invulnerable to damage. Those who get too close may be injured or even killed if they try…

TRANSFORMATION

As soon as Fauna hears the rumblings of the Beast, detects the presence of a monster, she's off without waiting for any information. Confronting monsters is what she does, after all. She transforms and attempts to destroy the Beast with her full might, but despite the fierce fight, she's unable to land any decisive hits. Eight heads are too much to fight alone, and as the fight drags on, she's cornered, and takes the Beast's attack head-on, canceling her transformation and sending her flying. But as she's blown away, from her pockets, seeds fall- A pair of seeds to grow trees from, or something greater. The seeds, divine items with no divinity to empower them, fall to the ground, and are absorbed into the Beast's black body...

What is it you wish for, deep down? What do you desire?

Those Chosen unlucky enough to be affected by wish seeds may find this wish consuming their thoughts and driving their actions. Slowly, surely, they find themselves…changing, turning into something that is not a human. These changes may be slow and painful, or they may be instantaneous. We encourage you to be creative in these changes, both physical and mental, but also to warn for potential body horror or any body part trauma that might need a content warning.

I wish… I wish…

Driven nearly to madness by their own desire, by whatever’s happening to them and whatever physical changes it brings, these Chosen may be dangerous, with uncontrollable urges or new powers they aren’t used to. Can their aggression be directed toward the coming fight? Time will tell.

SLAY THE BEAST

So much anger, hatred and pain, all rolled into a single calamitous entity, baring its fangs at the entire world. It's almost a little embarrassing for it to be out in the open like that, even if the other Chosen don't necessarily realize it's a part of him. It's not too long after the Black Beast's first appearance that Ragna makes his way to face it, though not before he makes sure everyone else has some information necessary to finish the job afterwards. But first, he would need to ensure they even stand a chance against the monster, and he came up with only one solution that could work ─ and that's to do so from within the Beast itself. And so, with a final sigh, muttering "What a pain in the ass," under his breath, Ragna approaches the giant creature unarmed. The nearest heads turn their attention to the man, immediately attacking and ripping him apart, devouring the remains.

Something has changed. Impervious until now, the Black Beast soon shows evidence of wear and tear: hits land, cuts remain, and its fighting becomes more vicious…but more desperate, too.

If the Chosen have any hopes for defeating this creature, now will be the time. Maybe if they hit it with everything they’ve got, they’ll be able to bring it down–one head at a time.

SAFE...TY?

In the past, there’s been protection. In the past, there’s been so-called “safe houses” that have been created by the environment for noncombatants or those who don’t wish to fight.

But no such thing appears.

Nothing will hold the monsters back, nothing will hold the effects of the Black Beast back as they rain destruction on the city. It seems as if the Chosen are on their own – for those who don’t wish to fight, or can’t fight, they must band together to find protection of their own. Characters who are able to fight may need to help protect these areas where those sorts of Chosen have decided to hunker down for safety. The locals have vanished completely, locked so tight into their own houses that Aldrip businesses come to a halt.

That is, unless Chosen work together to keep it going.

AFTERMATH

The Black Beast is finally put down after the hard and exhausting fighting. The black lines around the city fade away, and it seems the Chosen who have transformed… are unaffected. Those Chosen who find themselves confronting their “wish” will discover that they soon change back, shedding monstrous forms for their familiar forms. However, the Chosen who don’t confront their wishes will keep their monstrous forms, either fully or partially, for the indeterminate future. They might continue to struggle to keep their sense of self and fight against the monstrous urges. Maybe they continue to be more aggressive, have a hard time recognizing a friend from a foe and have a distorted view on what is their wish. Effects don’t wear off over time, this time. There’s no magical “reset” where they wake up one day and find themselves back to their normal selves.

No, either they confront their wishes, or they stay like this for… ? It’s up to the Chosen.

WILDCARD

Make your own fun! Just because it’s not in the prompts doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Have at it! Go crazy! Try not to break anything (too much)!

♡

Comments

[grappler]

[there's a moment where she looks at Scott, and then away. she looks at her own hands, thinking about it... thinking about what she wants to say.]

You don't have to always hurt the people who hurt you. Especially if it's someone you love.

[she's learned that from Jinx and Caitlyn. two people she knows she'll never raise an actual hand to again. whatever sister fights they get into (usually with one of them sitting on top of the other), doesn't count.]

Cry it out. Let yourself feel it. Punch something, or destroy something if you need to get anger out when you're able. If I got alcohol, I'll provide drinks.

[she cracks a bit of a smile at that one, trying to make what might be not an amazing joke.]

[laserguy]

[He feels like he cries all the time-- at least, more than most people around here. It felt embarrassing each time, but Scott can't deny that it's helped in the past. But... he's not sure if he can cry right now?? He doesn't even feel angry enough to punch something. He's upset and frustrated, yes, but it's in this weird space for him. He doesn't know. Feelings are so dumb!!]

I thought you weren't supposed to drink yourself into a stupor. [Scott decides to address that last suggestion, just because it's the easiest to poke at. At least he seems to consider Vi's words overall, hands idly picking at the bed sheets before he sighs.] I don't know. I don't feel like doing any of those things. Maybe I should put my energy into training and getting stronger.

[Then he'd be more prepared and stuff.]

[grappler]

[oh Scott... you haven't seen how much Vi's cried here.]

Ah, yeah. Trying not to, but sometimes it's the only thing I can do.

[at least she's self aware that she has a problem, especially after coming back. even if she's trying not to run straight towards a bottle every time she gets upset, it's... hard.

she shrugs.]

You can do that too, once you get better. But for now... rest. Learn from it, but don't beat yourself up too much. Trust me, it keeps you in one place more than it moves you forward.

[laserguy]

[...Maybe it helps just a tiny bit knowing that Vi is sort of a mess. Thanks big sis.

Scott doesn't directly acknowledge her advice, but despite the way he's curled his legs up to his knees and trying to be the picture of teen angst, he's still listening to her. She checked in on him and that's something he's been able to keep close to him. A small reminder of the people that care about him-- which he never doubted. But it's still big knowing they're here and they want to help.]

It just really sucks. [...] I think the worst part is knowing that she's going to feel really guilty about what happened.

[.....] You've had to deal with getting into big fights with the people you love, right?

[Scott's just going to assume that... seeing that Jinx is her sister.]

[grappler]

[she... Vi's not going to ask who, though. it's not really her business, and she's just going to let him tell her when he's ready.

she gets quiet at his question, and she looks at her hands.]

I wasn't lying when we were in that dream place that I tried to kill her. Or... I thought I wanted to.

[Jinx had said here that she knew she'd never actually wanted to, but still.]

[laserguy]

[Oh. Right. She told him about that-- it really just slipped his mind until now and it's not quite a bucket of cold water, but it helps Scott in some ways to snap out of his more morose attitude. Maybe not exactly what Vi's going for, since he's focusing on her again instead of himself, but it might all come around anyway and work out.]

And you weren't even controlled by anything. [Should he be mad at Vi? He's not feeling it, plus it's clear she's fully regretting what happened.]

...What drove you to do that?

[grappler]

[Vi hums for a moment, propping her leg up on the bed with her and draping her arm over it.]

She hurt a lot of people. Killed a few people, even. Killed Cait's mother in a bombing. I thought the sister I'd known seven years before that was gone, and in her place... a monster.

[her eyes sting a little bit, but she doesn't let herself get more emotional than that.]

I thought I was doing what was right, at the time. But even then, I couldn't do it.

[laserguy]

[...Jinx hurting someone-- killing them, even if it was accidental, isn't really surprising to him. It still sucks, because well, they've had a weird sort of friendship ever since they met and so it's never great hearing that she's responsible for terrible shit. Must be worse for Vi. He's not sure how he'd react if Alex hurt a bunch of people, it's just far too difficult to even imagine. He's always been a hero.

Scott swallows as he thinks about Alex again; he won't ever be here for him. Maybe he'd show up in this world, but he forces himself not to think about that for long. It might be nice, but he'd still be gone back home. Like Jinx, supposedly.

Can one really just 'live life to the fullest' with that?]

She's your sister. Even if she did all those things, it would be hard to just kill her. [Scott grimaces. He looks at Vi with a half-helpless expression, like he doesn't really know what to say.] It's not a thing anyone can just do.

[grappler]

[oh, Scott.

she notices that he looks kinda helpless about it, and she smiles a bit.]

You don't have to comfort me or anything. And I don't appreciate how it keeps coming back around to me when I'm trying to talk to you, kid.

[she would playfully nudge or smack him, but she's not sure how sore he really is. so she keeps her hands to herself, tilting her head.]

The point is, we still love each other. And we've moved past all that. It'll be fine, in the end.

[laserguy]

People talk to me about their problems a lot.

[Busted again, huh?

That helpless expression shifts into a small smile, the mutant looking back down on his lap with a somewhat lighter feeling in his chest. It probably won't last too long, but it's nice right now. Maybe it's all he can hope for right now, when things are so fucked up.]

...But I'm glad, Vi. For the both of you. [Sometimes he wants to bonk Jinx and tell her to don't take her sibling for granted. Especially one that cares about her so much. He was too late with Alex. Granted, Alex never tried to kill him, but yanno.]

And don't worry, I don't plan on letting this fester between me and the person who did this. It's not like she wanted this anyway.

[grappler]

Yeah, well. You need to take care of yourself, too.

[in any way possible. she knows what it's like to keep going regardless of being tired. that's how she ended up so damn burnt out and in those pitfighting arenas.

though she figures Scott wouldn't do anything so drastic here.]

Good. I'm sure you'll smooth everything over with her. This place does some wild shit, so we have to make sure it doesn't fuck up our bonds with other people.

[laserguy]

[He nods, Scott agreeing with far less hesitation about that. He will make sure that this doesn't fuck up his relationship with Kotone. Honestly, he can't even fathom it, them not being close or together in this world-- at least until one of them disappears. But until that happens, he always wants to be with her.

Taking codependency for $1000 Alex--]

We've been through a lot together. I don't plan on making this the thing that breaks us apart.

[Does this make it obvious about the person he's referring to? Maybe. Scott can't entirely help it and he probably wouldn't deny Vi's answer if she guessed.]

[grappler]

[she has absolutely no room to talk about codependency. she'd actually not even really consider that it's actually a thing in either of their cases.

she nods though, thinking she might know who he's talking about, but speculating that he doesn't want to say her name for a reason.]

That's good. When you have something special, you've really got to hold on tight to it, you know? Especially in a place like this.