☆RESCUER TEST DRIVE: DIGITAL LOVE

[interdimanagers]

☆WELCOME RESCUERS

"" (Watch on YouTube)

Welcome to Interstellar's first ever RESCUER TDM! A part of the Interstellar plot that has just opened up, this covers the entrance of those recruited by the lone space pilot Shep to join him on a mission to the planet Terra to rescue those held captive by Pride Records and Virgo Entertainment. Rescuers will not suffer any memory loss and will enter the game as they are, in contrast to the memory loss/force humanization of the musician half. Powers will be nerfed to a certain degree upon entering the game fully, but during recruitment they will remain at full power.

☆A DREAM ABOUT YOU

These prompts are designed to be game canon, for both rescuers and musicians both new and already in game. For those in game, they will start occurring around New Years in the form of dreams. The dreams will be very clear while happening, but after waking, they will swiftly fade away into something barely remembered. For rescuers, these dreams will occur very shortly before they are approached by Shep or other already recruited rebels to join the rescue squad and go save the people being held captive in Vista City. Rescuers will remember these dreams as clearly as something that actually happened in real life.

Both of these prompts take place in the dreamscape, ostensibly, and the surrounding will appear as whatever fits those taking part in a scene. It can shift and change as a thread goes along, as well, and may resemble things from a captive's home, the game setting, or anything else appropriate.



►A1) FOR THE CAPTURED: The kidnapped musicians of Vista City will dream of being themselves - in a way more true than they have been for months now. They'll dream of themselves as they're meant to be, in physical form and manner of dress, and their personality will align more easily with their true nature, even as the confusing influences of their programming nag at their mind. It could alarm them, or it could feel somehow natural. Either way, their memories will still be gone, except for what they've recovered - but they feel somehow much closer to reach, like they may break through if only given the chance to dig just about deeper. They may dream of home, they may dream of Vista, but either way...when the morning comes, their memories of this experience will be all but wiped away. Including the memories of the strangers that promised that they would find them and take them home.

►A2) FOR THE RESCUERS: The dream is the first sign of something being wrong. You'll find yourself somewhere else - either a scene from your home, or someone else's, or an alien world you've never seen. In this dream, you'll find a person. Perhaps it's someone you recognize, someone you love dearly, but that doesn't remember you. Maybe it's a stranger, lost, confused, and desperate for help. Either way, you find yourself reaching out to them - but outside of this dream, you are helpless to save them. The dream will fade but stay with you in your memory, and may be a key component in you choosing to believe and join the other rescuers when they come to your door. Something has been taken, and you will take it back.

☆MAKE THESE DREAMS COME TRUE

These prompts are design to be kept as game canon after acceptance, and can be used as the official story of how your character entered the game. Importantly, the technology used to enter your timeline causes massive time distortions, which means that the outcome of this scenario will stagger and replay itself multiple times before settling on an outcome. This means that after the fact, you character may remember being encountered multiple ways, or going in more than one direction, before the timeline settled on a final path.




►B1) JUST SAY YES: Soon after these dreams, rescuers will find themselves in a strange situation. Time will abruptly stop for every part of the world except for them, and fade into a ghostly vision of its former self - just in time for them to be approached by some mysterious strangers. Whether your rescuer chooses to run, fight, or talk, eventually they'll be told the truth - people of the multiverse have been captured and taken to a universe far away to be harvested for their souls...in the form of forcing them to becoming rock stars. You heard it here first, folks.

The people recruiting you will mostly be other player rescuers that have already been recruited (regardless of whether or not that's been threaded out - you can assume your guy got recruited by someone if you want to recruit OTHER people.) The pilot and owner of the space ship doing this appears to be a blue man named Shep. He's the guy that's apparently in charge of this whole thing, but he's so busy with the dimension hopping that he's kind of hard to find and talk to. He presumably recruited some of the first members personally, but things have been sort of getting more complicated since then.

►B2) INTERSTELLAR DISCO: After you've agreed to come for whatever reason - to save you lover, friend, some guy, whatever - you're be taken upon the guitar shaped spaceship to wait out the tide of the temporal distortions picking you up has caused. It's a long journey back to Vista City, and you've got plenty of new comrades to get to know. This mission could take a while, so you better get comfy. You're in for the long haul now.

NOTE: If you want to see the interior of the spaceship (or if you want to see Shep dance) watch the music video posted up top. It's going to be a fair bit bigger in Interstellar to accommodate the big crew, but the essence is there.

☆HELPFUL INFO

► Follow the mod plurk for updates: interstellar5555
► Check out the game NAVIGATION
► Check out the MUSICIAN TDM
► Reserves open on January 2nd at 12:01AM EDT
► Applications open on January 11th at 12:01AM EDT

Comments

Lapis Lazuli | Steven Universe | B1 and B2

[oceantier]

B1

A gasp of breath like a drowning woman, and the world comes back into focus. The world, such as it is -- green-black sky stretching out to infinity, her feet poised on the surface of fathomless water streaked with brilliant shades of jade. The effect is much like oil twisting in the sunlight.

She only has a moment to absorb it before the weight nearly wrests her arms from their sockets.

She yelps. Braces. Wrenches against the weight with all her strength. The water chains twine around her wrists, over her hands, two breaths away from snapping.

They can't snap. She knows what lies beneath.

This is where anyone seeking to recruit will find her. The green-swirled water will hold them as well . . . but only barely.

B2

Space is nothing new to her. Not even the shape of the ship, seeming no stranger than what her own people would choose. After a ship with the shape and dexterity of a hand, a guitar seems only one step further. Away from the windows, away from the darting starfields that comprise the scenery, Lapis pulls her limbs close, buries her face, and lets herself give into despair.

Why is she doing this? How can she do this? She's hurling forward through space into the unknown, toward a boy who doesn't even remember her, towards others who will not welcome her. She's not strong. She has no gifts in this realm. She's no good with people, nor a brilliant tactician. She's just Lapis, barely living day to day, moment to moment on a heart that falters just as quickly as it makes up its mind. What use is that to anyone at all?

She remains as small as she can, pressed into the corner seat she's claimed, burrowed inward. Now and again her shoulders tremble, then go quiet.

B2

[riveres]

He's not entirely sure why he agreed to come himself. He doesn't know anyone here on this ship or in the city they are headed to. But he knows Earth has nothing for him, nothing but pain and a life constantly on the run. And yet he's headed towards a place he barely knows, just out of a desire to not see people suffer the way he has. No one needs to have their head tampered with. No one deserves it.

But how does one help when it's difficult to communicate with people on a personal level? They could just talk about the mission at hand, but that runs out.

Still the people here are... fascinating to look at. His eyes remain trained on the blue girl in a familiar position to himself. It's sort of painful to look at because it reminds Oscar of himself.

But he doesn't know how to gain her attention or even approach her. He knows staring is rude, but for now that's all he can do.

[oceantier]

Easily could she have maintained position. Easily stayed where and how she was for the trip in its entirety. The dark of her folded arms is quiet, safe, a barrier that allows the rush of her thoughts to slow.

But awareness seeps in -- that strange, tingling sense of being observed. Her shoulders tighten, resisting. She doesn't want to be seen.

But anxiety wins out.

Her eyes flicker over Oscar's, wide and dark, seeking out the source.

[riveres]

And he's been noticed. He immediately takes his eyes away, but he figures it's too late.

"I'm sorry for staring, but..." The words evaporate as soon as he thinks them he has no right to ask how he is, he knows he doesn't like be bothered himself.

He finds the words again. "You look bothered."

[oceantier]

For long moments she can only stare back at him, caught by the question-within-a-statement and the fact that he's posed it. It hangs in the air between them up until the instant before it seems certain that she isn't going to respond.

Then, quietly, "I had to come. But I shouldn't be here."

B1

[heypal]

Gumshoe is immensely confused, which is why his first response to landing on the watery surface is falling on his face. Great. His coat's all wet now.

[oceantier]

The suddenness of the sound nearly breaks her conversation entirely. Five links of chain yank her forward, vanish beneath the surface . . . and only supreme effort brings them forth again.

"Who's there?" She twists her neck to see; the angle makes it almost impossible.

No one should be in this place.

No one should be able to be in this place.

[heypal]

"Oh, uh, sorry! Ground's a little slippery is all."

He lifts himself off the ground, trying to get a better handle on his surroundings. This looks ominous.

"You alright over there? You kind of look... not alright. Did you fall too? I can help you up, if you need it."

That's a police officer's job after all.

[oceantier]

"You need to go."

There's a degree of panic in her voice, nearly cutting through his words before he finishes. Her arms strain at their chains, the links absolutely taut. "However you came here, you need to go. Now."

B1

[linkthismemory]

The world seems to tick slower as Namine approaches, ripples drifting out from where she steps. She seems to step right out of the dark, her sandals in her hand, and her eyes calm.

When she sees Lapis she watches her for a moment, head tilted and hands behind her back, before she finally speaks.

"Hello." She says, and she smiles, though it seems sad. "Don't worry. You can relax, for a moment. Nothing will happen if you do. I promise."

[oceantier]

The eyes that meet the girl are scattered, wild, an instant from loss of sanity.

Eyes that expect someone else and don't find that person there.

Lapis gasps again, heaves air into her body. The chains remain taut. What else could she do? She's been holding them for so long . . . to release is an impossibility. She can feel the weight; that is more real to her than a stranger's assurance.

"What . . ." She grapples for another breath, for enough focus and words to respond. "Who . . . are you? You shouldn't be here. This place-- . . ."

But she doesn't finish the thought, cutting herself into silence.

"However you came here, you have to go."

[linkthismemory]

"Nothing will happen while I'm here."

Namine is at least mostly sure of that. She's been told that they're safe when she visits like this. She very much hopes they were right. She can tell when someone is struggling. She doesn't know what Lapis is fighting against really, but she knows that it wont be good if she loses. She hopes that her her arrival doesn't cause more harm than good.

"My name is Namine, and I need to speak to you. We need your help."

[oceantier]

Nothing will happen.

Lapis wishes she could believe that. She wants to believe that. But considering where they are, considering what lies on the other end of her chains . . . it seems like an impossibility. If she even takes the chance . . .

Her shoulders tighten.

"Help . . . you." Her voice cracks with the sheer improbability of it; her eyes have not completely lost their wild light as the weight reverberates through muscle and bone. "I can't . . . help anyone. Not even me."

B2

[eba02]

J has found the mess; even better, he's found it's capable of hot chocolate; best, it's the good stuff with tiny marshmallows and everything. He grabs two mugs and heads into the ship, looking for someone who could use a little bit of reassurance. It doesn't take him long to pick up a tune in need of help - it's not stumbling and fractured like the tunes of the people he'd met in his dreams, but it's one cry for help away from a mission, and he can't leave it alone.

He finds the person matching the tune in one of the interior rooms, curled up in a chair. He enters quietly and takes a seat, leaving an empty one between them - don't want to crowd her, after all. He reaches across the empty seat and offers her a mug. "Here. This'll help." It ain't much, but it's a start.

[oceantier]

Wide eyes dart up at the voice. They scatter briefly in a momentary panic, as though she is trying to take in all of it at once -- his face, his position, his proximity, the cup that he holds in the space in between them.

For long moments she doesn't respond. The cup steams quietly, the vapor curling into the air.

Then: "Thank you . . ." Her hands reach out to accept the cup. She doesn't drink from it, but the warmth of it is more than welcome, and her fingers twine around the outside as she pulls it closer to herself.

Should she be embarrassed? Concerned? She waits for his next move to declare his motive.

[eba02]

He hears that spike of panic in her tune and tries not to wince. Nothing like the immediate feedback of making things worse when you're trying to make them better.

Then the panic subsides, and she takes the mug. "No problem." On the one hand, she isn't drinking it; on the other hand, he's a complete stranger approaching an upset woman from another dimension on a spaceship. The fact that she accepted the mug at all is probably some sort of victory, and he's going to treat it as such.

"Kinda crazy, huh," he starts after a few more long moments of silence, shifting to face forward and rest his elbows on his knees. "I mean, we're on an interdimensional rescue mission to help people who've been kidnapped an' turned into rock stars against their will so someone else can get power for it. And we're in space. It's like galactic mad libs, 'cept we're livin' it."

[oceantier]

Admittedly, she's not sure what mad libs are. But his voice is quiet, kind, and the mug that he's given her is warm between her fingers. His posture, too, is anything but threatening.

All of it merits a lowering of anxiety towards his presence, and the muscles of her chest ease slowly, moderately.

Though she still isn't sure why he's there, breaking into her silence and offering her a steaming mug. She watches the profile of his face.

"Is there someone you're going for?" she asks at last.

b2

[wouldliketovoteplease]

[Temeraire is very large and spends most of his time stumbling about the ship more than walking.

He hadn't needed much convincing to come along. It was not right of anybody to go about kidnapping people, taking away their memories, and forcing them to perform only so you could go about gaining power, and so right away he'd agreed to sign up.

It is precisely this attitude that keeps him curious and interested in the rest of the ship's crew. They are, after all, engaging in a largely good undertaking, and he sees no reason not to be curious about the others chosen for a task so important it requires a ship that flies through (of all things) space. And if some of them seem upset, well...

He snakes his head vaguely in the direction of Lapis Lazuli.] Er, hello there. Are you quite alright? Only you seem quite distressed, and I know that travel by ship can often make people sick.

[oceantier]

[The sight of him drives all thoughts from her mind.]

[The people of her own world are varied, diverse. Fusions, when they occur, bring traits even stranger to the eyes. Multiple hands. Ears. Eyes. Feet. Size inconceivable to normal circumstances.]

[Dragons, however, defy all expectations. For a moment she can only take him in, her eyes trailing down the length, over the breadth, then back to his face, startled.]

[She does not, however, question that he can speak -- that he is speaking. To her. Even if it takes her time to form the words.]

It's not . . . I'm not sick.

[Scattered:] Thank you.

[wouldliketovoteplease]

[Alleviating depressive thoughts by sheer shock factor, that's Temeraire.]

Ah! That is good, then. We could hardly go about a rescue if we ourselves were not in better condition than our rescuees.

Oh, forgive my manners; I am Temeraire, and it is nice to meet you.

[oceantier]

[Her own mind is still spinning a little; going from despair to semi-worried awe is a quick turnaround. She manages a small, distracted nod.]

[The size and shape of him has made her tense a bit; she's a little too rigid on the seat edge, as though she might take off at any moment. But . . . it doesn't seem to be the right course of action, either; he's being kind. She eases just a little.]

I'm . . . Lapis. Lapis Lazuli.

[It seems difficult, even embarrassing, to explain why her position was what it was. What should she do?]

You're . . . one of the rescuers?

B1

[fromearth]

...Oh boy he did not plan on this.

For what it's worth, Sparks keeps his expression even, but for his eyebrows going waaaaay up. Whatever she's got going on here looks to be a whole extra thing, and he can't even tell if all this water is going to ruin his boots or not.

When in doubt, start with the standard.

"Uh. Ma'am. Pardon."

[oceantier]

Her head snaps upward at his voice, eyes wild, the fear rolling off of her nearly tangible. This place . . . no one should be entering this place. It's an impossibility to everything she can fathom.

"Get back!"

Seemingly she only has time for this short, punctuated shout before the chains yank her forward, almost plunge her into the depths of the water. She holds on only by effort of will, gasping as the effort slams her to her knees.

[fromearth]

The most he takes her warning is about a half step back, hand on his lasso. He's pretty sure he can take whatever's bucking down there, if only he could see it proper, but...

He clears his throat. "Iiiii can see you're a bit roped up here, but, uh, I'm sorta s'posed to..." Man, no, this is too painful to watch. "Do you want me to step in on this? Because I can."

[oceantier]

"No!" The word is punctuated with panic, as though she expected him to grab hold and try. "This isn't . . . for you."

The pause between the words is another gasp as she leverages back to her feet, one foot after the other.

"It's not . . . something you can hold."

A shudder quivers through her shoulders. "I can do this. I can. But you . . . I have to concentrate. You shouldn't be here . . . Why are you here??"

She wrests against another surge of power from below, yanking upward with all her might.