buttrinthum | TDM #10 OVERFLOW

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TDM #10 OVERFLOW

Arrival / Enchanted Garden

Whether it be sleep or death, you feel your eyes close, and as your body begins to let go, you see a barn owl that is flying through the darkness, soon sweeping you across the clouded sky. You feel yourself mouth the words, “I wish, I wish..” and utter your deepest and darkest desire.

When you regain consciousness, you’ll find you are in an unfamiliar place with no recognition of how you arrived here. You have the clothes on your back, but nothing else. No weapons and if you had a particular superpower, you’ll notice it is missing. All you have is a satchel with a piece of bread, a vial of water, and a potion. The potion could be red, blue or golden. There are no instructions about these potions other than two words: Drink Me.

Will you drink it or not?

There is a parchment, handwritten in scrawling, jagged lettering that seems a bit... ominous:

“Welcome to my Labyrinth. Your CONTRACT is SEALED.”

You’re in a garden, surrounded by flowers and plants– most of which you cannot identify. However, there are a few that you can make out: Sunflowers and Hibiscus. You’ll soon find out that being around the Sunflower makes it difficult to pass through the already disorienting garden, even with the light guiding you. Where patches of them grow, even if only waist-high, you cannot pass through them, over them, or even destroy them to get them out of your way. In each grouping that blocks your path, there is one that has a key-shaped opening in the middle of the flower. Maybe the key is nearby? (Spoiler: it's probably under a rock nearby that you forgot to check!) The hibiscus offers an entirely different effect - inhaling the pollen grants you the temporary ability to shoot fireballs out of your hands. But be careful, those fireballs are difficult to control and seem to bounce in random directions no matter how hard you try to aim (cannot be used to destroy the sunflowers). The effect ends once you step out of the garden.

It's Dangerous to go Alone! Take This.

Somnius is once again recovering from a devastating blow. Buildings need to be restored to their former glory and the emotional turmoil of the previous weeks surely needs to be alleviated. What better way to lighten the mood than a little fun for the whole family? A new arcade has appeared in town, beckoning residents with its stone doors set wide open.

With multiple levels, a variety of games and even a snackbar, Appl3 Pi Arcade is sure to be a hit!

Of course, as with everything that ever happens in Somnius, the arcades appearance is not without some complications. For one, playing the games inside might see characters teleported into the machine itself, perfectly pixelated to fit the game they're in. Hope you weren't about to fight the final boss, because now you might be fighting for your life! The good news is, if you die in the game... you don't die in real life and are just popped back out into the arcade again.

Strange things happen outside the arcade too. Walking down the road you might suddenly see a healthbar pop up above someone's head. Are you supposed to fight them? Are they going to fight you? Best to be cautious and reach for any trusty weapons you have just in case. Weapons that have become pixelated and can be pulled seemingly out of nowhere like some kind of hammerspace. They are also prone to breaking and shattering into glimmering pixel pieces (your normal weapons are still intact, don't worry).

Boxes and pots around Somnius are somehow more breakable than usual, smashed open with a single swing of those pixel weapons and producing gold coins! What a shame gold coins aren't the currency here. But if you don't want to destroy more things around Somnius, why not try fishing instead? That seems safe - if not suddenly more difficult with the fishing minigame that popped up in front of you. Quick! Keep the fish icon in the green bar or you'll lose it!

All things considered? It's all relatively harmless fun up until-

But Enough Talk, Have At You!

Vaeros wakes up. For those new to town, this means nothing. For those that were here for the castle raid? They can rest assured that they're in for a surprise. The Overlord of Visium has finally awoken from his Hyalily induced coma and he is furious. A shout echoes from the castle:

"Did you think you had won, dear Dreamers? Did you think you had bested me? Go, play your games, but know that there is only one winner here, and it is me."

A wave of magical energy sweeps through the town, shaking it to the very core. Miraculously, the destroyed buildings and any remnants of the forest onslaught are gone and returned to their usual state. Perhaps Vaeros shouting was just another tantrum, an empty threat?

Not quite.

The town has been restored, but the locals? They are nowhere to be seen - cowering in their homes and fleeing to the sanctity of the Church of the Moon in hopes of staying out of sight of Vaeros and Dreamers both. The once tame video game effects are now far more intense - monsters from within those games are now rampaging through the town. They seem to shift through buildings, but if they run face first into a Dreamer, they will find them very corporeal and very deadly.

Not only that, but the lines are starting to blur between reality and fiction again, the healthbar above your head flickering in and out, the monsters turning from pixel beasts to real, live animals that roam Somnius - both feral and not. One second you are walking through town, and the next you are stepping onto a platform that starts to break under your weight, demanding you jump to the next platform before you plummet into an odd, multicolored abyss.

And strangest of all is that music coming from the labyrinth, growing louder when you approach and fading out when you move away.

OOC

Welcome to the labyrinthum TDM! Characters will arrive depowered and with only their clothing, and will be given a satchel with a crystal pendant, a communication device, some water and bread and a magic potion. If they drink the potion, they will manifest an elemental, healing or animal transformation ability.

With the exception of Castle Vaeros, characters are free to go as they please, so feel free to place them in any of the locations available on the map. Yes, this includes the Labyrinth - though characters will not be able to clear the maze.

You can find more information about the game here. Any questions regarding the TDM can go under the comment below.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Fantastic. Excellent. Follow him into the cafe, little duckling.

Maruki visits this cafe every afternoon, five days a week, and usually at least once on weekends with Akechi. They know him. The gelfling at the counter doesn't hesitate to get started on an iced coffee, and he gestures to Kazuya and holds up two fingers with a much warmer, more genuine smile. ]

You're making money right now, actually.

[ It only takes a few seconds for her to have the drinks ready, simple as they are. If Kazuya isn't a black iced coffee guy, too bad. He's welcome to dress it up with cream and sugar if he'd like.

There's a small pendant pinned near the collar of Maruki's shirt with a pure golden crystal. He removes it briefly, touches it to a crystal the gelfling at the till holds, then pins it back on.

Coffees in hand, he steers Kazuya toward a nearby table. He can spare a little more time to explain Somnius to a newbie before he heads back to work. ]

You should have received a similar crystal when you awoke in the garden. Consider that your wallet, so to speak. The currency here is referred to as shards, and they generate from...

[ He waves a vague hand through the air as he sips his coffee. ]

Any interaction that you have, really. The emotional energies between people, if you'd like to get more philosophical. Simply by talking to someone, you'll begin to accrue shards.

[ And then a smile that comes easier, more casually than any has so far. ]

I'm a counselor, so I spend all day, every day talking to people. You absolutely won't be paying me back. Trust me, I'm happy to do this.

Edited (WORDS I'M SO TIRED) 2024-07-25 07:17 (UTC)

[Unfortunately, he's a sweet iced coffee guy. Double unfortunately, there's the need to be polite and drink iced black coffee, which means this is already not too appealing of a situation. But it is free, and he is learning, so there's that. The crystal in that bag is his wallet, and it absorbs emotional energy. Crazy, not not too crazy when demons feed on magnetite, which is just the accumulation of emotional energy, life force, and will power of a person.

Obviously the rock harnesses this, and it's used as a current here.

Neat. Seems way better than forcefully ganking it from someone, if he's completely honest.

Kazuya swirls his drink a little before taking a sip. To his credit, he doesn't grimace.]

You must be making bank.

[How many people here need counselling? Must be a lot. This guy seems pretty well put together.]

I still intend to pay you back regardless of whether or not you're well off. It's the right thing to do.

[Not that he's a demon anymore, but who knows how long that'll last? Hopefully for awhile, honestly.

That, and he was incredibly nice for not absolutely kicking his ass for bonking him on the head.]

[ Maruki shrugs. He does make shards hand over fist, but he isn't in the habit of bragging about anything, especially not that. ]

As you can imagine, my profession was severely underpaid back in Tokyo. I'm enjoying the change of pace here while I can.

[ He and Akechi will return to their true reality at all costs, but god, it's a bitter pill to swallow knowing he'll be broke again soon. ]

But no, Kazuya, I won't accept repayment and that's that. I like being able to help people when they first arrive. If you have any questions about life here, or about–

[ Another glance over his head. The level indicator and health meter are still there. Maruki rolls his eyes slightly, reaches up to try to swipe at it, but his hand passes right through. ]

More esoteric things like this nonsense, I'm happy to explain what I can.

I thought doctors made a lot of money?

[What does he mean he was severely underpaid? Has he been lied to his whole life? What was the point of going to school, then?

(To hang out with his friends, duh.)]

Don't worry. You don't have to accept repayment, but you're getting it whether you want it or not.

[Just so they're clear.]

I guess my biggest question is gonna be where am I supposed to stay here? They've gotta have something set up if people getting kidnapped to alternate universes is so common, right?

[ Ah, the benevolence-by-force of so many in Somnius. Maruki just shrugs it off – it isn't worth arguing about. ]

Please allow me to make an important clarification. I'm a counselor, not a real doctor. It's not a profession that pays well, especially when your work happens to be at a high school.

[ Lil sippy sip. ]

To that same point, though... This shocked me when I first arrived, but housing here is actually free. So not only do you not have to work for money, but you don't have to pay to live anywhere. Isn't that something?

[ It's about as different from Tokyo in every way! ]

You can choose between mushroom houses, tree houses or hill homes if you prefer something more rustic, or cottages which are slightly closer to what you or I might see in a rural town back home. Although you won't have electricity or running water until you pay for it...

[ This medieval shithole. ]

Do you want my advice?

[No electricity.... No running water.... There's a lot he could say, to everything else that Maruki has said, but honestly?]

I can't believe it's been two months since I've had electricity and running water.

[PLEASE.... He wants a shower soooooooooo bad. At least the stink of August Heat + Inability to shower properly for a week + being covered in demon viscera + the no time to shower while fighting a war against angels + there not being any running in the outerrealms ANYWAY for a shower didn't seem to follow him here...]

[He stops hanging his head so dramatically like a kicked puppy the moment he offers advice, seemingly perking up like nothing happened.]

Ah, sure. Lets hear it.

[ Maruki's stunlocked by his own confusion for a moment before he recalls– ]

Ah... Because of the lockdowns, huh? That must be rough, I'm sorry...

[ Yuck! Stinky boy!! Find a shower!!!

Which brings him to his advice: ]

If you can stand to live with other people, I would recommend making connections with people who already have fully functional homes established and moving in with them. You may even make great friends that way! If all else fails, just ingratiate yourself.

[ Shrug. Worked for him. ]

[Living with other people doesn't sound so bad. He's lived with Naoya for most of his life, even if Naoya has recently moved out. And he's stayed the night several times at Atsuro's house, and had no problems letting Yuzu sleep over at his either.

No. Sharing space isn't really an issue.

But... Ingratiate himself, huh?]

[The black iced coffee (yuck) gets put down nearby for the moment, and Kazuya quickly kneels on the floor, bowing his head low.]

Please take care of me, Maruki-senpai.

[ ................ !??!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!??! ]

Please get off the floor. That's not necessary. What are you doing...?

Ingratiating myself. Is it working?

I meant ingratiate yourself to someone else, not me! I can't take you in!

[ This presumptuous little punk! ]

Get off the floor, you're embarrassing yourself...

Oh.

[If he can't take him in, does that mean...?]

Are you leeching off of someone else despite your wealth?

[He's still on the floor. Maruki could kick him while he's down here, if he wasn't a coward.]

[ He is NOT going to kick, but he is going to very gently nudge Kazuya with one of his shoes. Like when you're trying to move a cat without waking it. Get up... ]

No! A very generous man offered up his home when I first arrived, and we've become good friends since. I also do nearly all of the cooking and cleaning, so I would say that I'm the opposite of a leech.

[ Akechi? Leech. Contributes absolutely nothing to Castle de Vash. Only causes problems. But that's neither here nor there. ]

You don't know the last time that floor was cleaned, Kazuya. Up. Now. Please.

Whatever is on the floor, it's probably not the worst I've been on.

[The lockdown was... so much.

But he will get up, and dust his pants off.]

I can cook and clean too, if that helps. Who's your friend?

[:3???]

No one you know.

[ Sorry, kid. It's not his castle to give away rooms in, and the last thing Vash needs right now is anyone else potentially making his life hell. They have a very, very delicate ecosystem going for their favorite little depressed plant-void-alien. ]

That said, the people here are incredibly friendly. You'll connect to others in no time. I wouldn't recommend trying to fight them right off the bat though... You might even find someone with as high of a level as me!

[ Ha ha! Jokes. If he could break that goddamn level bar in half he would. Embarrassing. ]

That's not a name.

[And also a little rude. Let him leech? Obviously it's working well for Maruki, and he can also cook and clean!]

And don't worry. I wasn't actually going to fight anyone. People back home would be upset at me if I did.

[Even without his powers, surely. But still, he gestures to his own little HP and level bar. Certainly pathetic in comparison.]

[ Deftly ignored! Vash's name will never be spoken if he can help it. His martyrdom doesn't need more outlets.

Instead, Maruki only raises his eyebrows in mild, amused surprise. ]

You weren't actually going to fight me? You seemed pretty gung-ho about it...

[Wow! Kazuya will remember that..]

Not seriously. Even if I was at my full power, like I said, people would be upset.

[Well. Some people would be upset. Other people would tell him to kick this guys ass, and that just isn't fair, he thinks.]

Besides, you'd definitely win right now, I'm pretty sure.

[Which is to say... He doesn't believe for a moment that this guy would win if he was at full strength. Cocky little bastard, isn't he?]

[ Any consideration of who might win or lose is also dutifully ignored. Maruki would prefer to keep his own abilities secret for as long as possible, despite Somnius' mechanics being hellbent on ruining that for him. ]

Why would they be upset?

Wouldn't you be upset if your friend started hurting people?

[There's more to it than that, obviously. Such as them not wanting him to be an evil demon overlord despite his lack of humanity. And honestly? He's doing his best out here.]

Or maybe your friends wouldn't care. I don't know them. But mine would. [Pause.] Most of mine would. [Another pause...] ... 75% of mine would.

[ Maruki considers his friends: Serial Killer, Child Soldier Genocide Doer, Literal Goddess Genocide Doer, League of Villains Member, Killed Her Whole Family, and... Adam Stanheight.

He supposes he'd be upset if Adam started hurting people, but more so because it would mean he was likely to get hurt himself.

It's likely he and Kazuya are coming at this from two different places, though. ]

Please don't take this the wrong way, because I'm really not trying to encourage you to fight anyone, but... Are your friends here? In this reality, I mean.

[That sounds like he's trying to encourage him to fight someone? Himself, perhaps???]

I don't know. I haven't seen them yet, if they are here. They'd probably be the same level as me, if they were. Or, no. Atsuro might be stronger? [For a shut-in nerd, he's got a mean right hook for some reason???] Kaido definitely would be stronger, since he's the leader of a gang.

[He's mostly talking to himself. How do you correlate your friends power levels? What about Naoya? He's just a lanky albino, but he's Full Of Knowledge, and fast as hell besides.]

Ah... Those names aren't familiar to me, I'm sorry...

[ Which may not sound like it means much, but if someone isn't on Maruki's radar, they don't exist. That's simply the way of things in Somnius. ]

But I suppose what I'm saying is that– well, if they're not here, will you still act with their opinions of you in mind?

[ Because if so, that's... new. ]

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