The Demon Plot: DEATH OF GRINDING MADNESS [July Player Event]

[pillz]

Who: Ensemble production, all individuals who opted in to the plot
When: July 9-21
Where: Two inhabited planets around the Ingress
What: The demon plot kicks off, in which malevolent shadow beings, copies of existing characters, begin to materialize and harass the PCs across the worlds. Plotting post is here, and a network post will go up within the next 2 days from several PCs advising on how to end the plot.
Warnings: Violence, psychological themes, possibly past trauma, etc.

Death of Grinding Madness
The Demon Plot
(mild spoilers for The Raven Cycle)

On July 9, a demon begins to make its way through the Ingress, summoned through by a shitty teenager.

July 9-12
Harrying

It's innocuous in the beginning. A movement in the corner of your eye, a shadow through a curtain-- merely a tree. But then the shadow figures begin to emerge into full being. Black-eyed wraiths that look like enemies, friends with whom you've had past conflict, or even you yourself. At first, it's merely harrying, minor harassment. Threatening gestures, broken gestures, jump scares.

Pursue them, and they disappear-- you might even catch a glimpse of how. They melt down into black slime, racing away across floors, through sewer grates, up walls, impossible to follow. By now, the worst of the climate freeze is over, but residual ice does pose a needles extra obstacle.

July 12-15
The Violence Escalates

In the days that follow, the situation only gets worse.

Sporadic harassment turns into outright attacks. The targeting is unmistakable. The shadow beings who can speak tell cruel tales of animosity, spite, even hatred. They are as deadly with their hands or strange powers as their doppelgangers are, and worse, they're functionally indestructible. Rip off one's head and it merely reforms out of sticky black ink. Limbs regenerate just as easily. The being might dispell for a few hours, but no doubt— it'll be back, if not to hurt you then someone you know.

The Savrii begin to notice. It's hard not to. While there is hardly an epidemic of panic, the disruptions are hard to miss-- broken windows, screams, random violence. Soon, the authorities begin to open safehouse facilities at which characters can seek shelter.

July 15-18
The Golem

On July 17, something horrific begins to happen— several shadow beings merge to form a massive golem in Kauto R1. It is a grotesque, horrifying spectacle, of limbs and eyes and pulsating flesh. It reaches almost sixty feet in height. Combined together, this shadow creature is considerably less intelligent than the individual beings were. However, it is also immensely strong and regenerates just like the smaller ones did.

Within the mall, hundreds of daytime shoppers are trapped within. Luckily, they have food and climate control. Perhaps you're one of them-- or perhaps you're trying to get in to provide medical care.

In the meantime, the attacks from the individual shadow beings don't stop. Despite the intelligence exhibited by some, all of them seem mindlessly bent on tormenting their targets until they are killed.

July 18-21
The Sacrifice

On the 9th day, a network post goes up (link pending, will be OOCly forward-dated to July 10th latest) revealing how to remove the invincibility of the attackers.

And by the 21st, the remaining beings utterly vanish without explanation— unless you happen to bear witness to the events that take place at St. Monmouth.

Comments

Shadow J | OTA (cw for self-harm in the second prompt)

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

[OOC: J's shadow is bit of a snowflake and she is not going to be violent towards anyone. She might even be few shades nicer than our regular J! However there's a chance for uncomfortable and triggery subjects to be brought up in threads with the shadow. You can find list on bottom of this post]

Looking for soul food and place to eat

[The creature looks like a real deal. She-- It moves around the city wearing a familiar looking pink dress. Her neck, ears and wrists are loaded with heavy looking jewelry that shine in the light as she strolls around the streets, hips swaying lightly with each of her step.]

♪♬I want to be loved by you.
Just you and nobody else but you.
Alone.♬♪

[The thing sings cheerfully as she visits J's usual places. The flashy nightclub, the pubs and bars, park and restaurant. All of them are either closed or empty with no soul to be seen around. It seems like the news about the unpleasant copies have driven everyone out of the streets into hiding. Oh dear, what is there for a poor girl to do? But none of the disappointments and the let downs can make her satisfied and upbeat smile waver, instead she looks like a smug cat and turns around from her last spot and continues her walk. Without feeling any exhaustion or fatigue, she keeps trotting around the regions as if there was red carpet underneath her stiletto heels and catwalk camera men all around her. The song continues:]

♪♬I couldn't aspire,
to anything higher then to fill a desire
to make you my own--♪♬ Oh!

[She catches her reflection on a window surface and starts giggling. How foolish of her indeed! She leans in closer to the window and digs out a lipstick from her purse, smearing the red make up on her lips while continuing to hum the rest of the song. After being done with it she gently rubs her lips together, parting them then with an audible pop. There much better. But as she's putting the lipstick back she notices someone on the other side of the street. What are they doing? Maybe hiding from someone they don't want to meet? Well, it's fine either way.]

It's sick, isn't it? [A bright voice calls out to the other side of the street. Then, slowly, she turns her head to look over her shoulder, black empty eyes staring right at the other person. The smile widens into a vulpine grin and she quickly approaches them, reaching her hand out without caring who the other person is] Won't you be a dear and give this poor freak a kiss?

Then I guess she had to crash | CW: Self-harm!

[The next few days that just fly past are filled with toxic. The paranoia about who to trust and fear of what will happen next had spread all over Thisavrou's residents, so it's no wonder people tried to avoid each other as much as possible to protect themselves. Lot of Shadow clones had turned violent and dangerous within a blink of an eye and blood had been shed and despite the helpful network post there didn't seem to be end to this nightmare.

However, curiously enough this one hadn't approached anyone in means of attack. Aside from being there to torment her own origin, naturally, all she had done was to watch and listen to others, follow the events that had taken place. It's really difficult to say what she thinks of the recent violence as she didn't seem to portray any approval nor judgement for any of it. But still, even without the aggression and hostility she did share the hate and anger just like any other shadow. Hate that was so hurtful and deep that couldn't be born from anything but the original one's self-loath. The shadow could understand it all so well and maybe that's why she had decided to pick up a knife.

She moves down to Kauto from Ingress Complex, finding a place somewhere in the normally busy streets and breathes in and out, barely being able to hold back a laughter. Oh, she wanted to laugh so badly at the idiocy behind the pretense and at everyone bought it.]

Mother. Father. Paul. Arther. Rita. The child. [She lists and after each name the knife lands on her. She first starts from her palm, sticking the knife deep into it and watching the skin break and black goo spread. She waits until the palm is healed and reformed before stabbing herself again, moving up from palm to her arm.] Danny, Sans, Mr. Miles, Aurelia, Tony, Shepard, Kavinsky, Rinzler. Peter. [The last one earns a much harder and deeper strike than other ones and she keeps the knife in the wound longer, twisting the blade a little before pulling it out. But despite of the gruesome display she doesn't appear to be in pain and instead of discomfort there's a rather curious look on her face, lips parted in wonder and pitch black eyes focused.

It's a list of all those who she knows J has hurt or been hurt by -- those who she loved and who had betrayed her. Everything that fuels the deep hate and bitter hurt, giving her strength. It's really all so funny and she's sure J could also understand it. No matter what or who she tries to destroy and hurt, it all returns back to normal. Even death doesn't want her and grave keeps spitting her back up.]

Mother. Father. [She starts the list over again.]

crash

[notglitching]

[He's been searching since morning. For the virus, the glitch, the thing that took his voice and face. That used them in a way Rinzler never was allowed to. His lights are dim, sound rattling harsh echoes through the street—but not quite loud enough to drown the voice that speaks his name.

Strange clothes. Black eyes. A knife, and Rinzler reaches silently to undock his own disk, even as the blade rises and falls again, digging into the user's flesh. That user never had been a combatant—but this isn't her, and he's not inclined to take chances. Still, it seems more glitched than anything. Rinzler stares for a long moment before angling his helmet a little to the side.

Purpose?]

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

Rinzler. Rin-zler. [She says the second time, name light and chiming in her mouth as it was part of a song. The blade falls down to her side, cutting through the pink fabric and sinking deep in the flesh like knife into a butter. And again, she let's it stay there for a moment appreciating the sight of dark and thick liquid.

She doesn't need to raise her gaze to notice Rinzler's presence. The sound alone is a give away. The grin grows out of excitement, corners of her lips almost touching her black eyes when she pulls the knife out spreading blackness around until it all disappears in the air. Her sound is healed again and dress repaired.]

And there you are, Rinzler! Right in time like always. Are you having fun? [The thing laughs and spins the knife in her hand with the blade pointed at his direction.] This sure brings back memories, don't you think?

[notglitching]

[Memories, yes. Fun, no. So, more or less standard to what he'd expect of her double. Rinzler eyes the vector of the blade with distaste before he lights his disk to a low hum.

Point that somewhere else, or he'll remove it.]

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

Hm? [Curiously she tilts her head to the side and then follows his gaze with her own black eyes down on the knife in her hand. Oh, oh. Of course he'd react badly to a weapon, how silly of her to forget about that. Isn't his classifying J as a threat what had started all of this?]

Oh, dearie me. Does this make you nervous? [She giggles and sways the knife in the air, throwing it lightly in her hand as she takes few steps closer to him.]

[notglitching]

[Nervous? No. Annoyed? That one. Rinzler's helmet doesn't move, but his eyes track the twitch of her hand, the line of the throw—and his wrist flicks out, joined disk singing out in a bright blur to hit J's knife at the top of its arc. A scatter of sparks, and her blade goes flying.

She can have fun with retrieval on her own. Once his disk returns to him, Rinzler turns, making to step away.]

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

Oh. [That's all she says when the blade is hit off from her hand. Her eyes follow as it flies somewhere to their side, metal flickering as the light hits it. Then she turns her head back to Rinzler, dark yet amused eyes locking on him. She's holding back another laughter when he turns to leave.

Oh, good old. Rinzler. Always in such hurry.

The thing moves as well, taking surprisingly fast and soundless steps as she reaches to grab him by his arm.]

Now, don't leave me just yet.

crash

[seeingscarlet]

[Wanda's on patrol since she seems to be one of the few strong enough to discourage the shadow beings. She can sort of sense them if she tries, though they feel wrong and aren't presences she wants to psychically probe more than she absolutely must.

But this one is...acting strangely, to say the least. What is she doing and why? The others have been violent, but she's never seen one deliberately try to hurt themselves like this.

The shadow doesn't get much farther down her list before scarlet surrounds her hand and knife, preventing either one from moving.]

Enough.

[Peter would want her to investigate, wouldn't he? At the very least, she needs to find out what's happened to J.]

Why are you doing this?

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

Arther. Ri-- [That's as far as she gets with the list until the red mist stops her hand, leaving the knife in the midair before it reaches the flesh. A genuine surprise lits the shadow's face before the lips tug upwards, cracking into a loud laughter.

Well, well. This sure isn't something she expected to find. A wave of guilt flavored self-loath washes through her. It's a warm and familiar feeling, just like their cold and distant relationship.

Oh, She wonder how much Wanda is suffering.]

And here comes the sister! [She calls between her laughs.] Didn't think to see you here, Wanda! It's been far too long.

[seeingscarlet]

[Something is really off about this particular shadow, but at this point it's hard to tell how dangerous she is. Wanda doesn't come closer, but she also doesn't release the scarlet. It's clear nothing good could come of that.

She hasn't received any sort of satisfactory answer, so she asks again:]

What are you doing?

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

Tsk, tsk. [She shakes her head and clicks her tongue in factitious scolding tone. That's a wrong question since she thinks it's rather obvious what she's doing here. But why? Now that's where the focus should be.

The mocking frown on her turns upside down, forming another vulpine grin as another burning and toxic flame of hate and misery sparks inside her. It's the hate and hurt that she inherit from her origin's endless guilt. How many lives she's ruined and messed up, how many people she has harmed and hurt so far? Mom, dad, Paul, Arther, Rita, the child, Sans, Miles... The list goes on and always ends up to the name that causes a mutual heartache with her like Wanda: Peter. What it is like to hurt someone, allow them to hurt you back, forgive and learn to love only to be hurt once again. The pain is just as crushing as she remembered it to be.

Really. It didn't matter what she did or didn't do, the cycle would continue and repeat itself and the hurt on both side would grow. It's the same with the knife in her hand. No matter how hard she stabs nothing will chance.]

I think. [She says slowly, tempting her.] You can find that out with those neat little powers of yours.

[seeingscarlet]

[Wanda's expression doesn't change. If the shadow is trying to get a rise out of her, it's not happening. Words can move her...but the shadow isn't anywhere near a soft spot yet.]

So you can...what? Not a good idea, I think.

[Why risk going into the shadow's head when it knows to expect her? She can do this all day, after all, and she's not letting the shadow go until she has an answer (and maybe the knife).]

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

[There is a slight tilt of head and carefully arced brow as the thing with J's face looks at Wanda, as if it's trying to read her. Then another smile cracks on her face and a new laughing fit washes through her.]

Oh, sweet Wanda. The beautiful sister. [Shadow shakes head and attempts to take step closer, regardless the scarlet around her hand.] What is it that you're afraid of? Do you think you'll find something unpleasant if you look inside?

crash

[arcreact]

[ J is unmistakable to him, even in a crowd. This is true of almost anyone who was on board the Moira, but J especially - even after several months. It's why he diverts his path and makes his way through the people coming and going, and only gets the sense that something is distinctly not right when he's almost directly behind her.

He watches the spectacle for only a moment or two before his hand shoots out and catches her by the wrist, halting her next stabbing attempt. ]

Yo. [ He catches sight of the inky blackness in her eyes and feels the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. ] Having fun?

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

[She's particularly singing through the list at this point. Knife raising and landing down on her flesh, breaking the tender skin and spilling out the blackness -- only to be repaired shortly after back into perfect condition. Oh dear, what an useless act.

However, her song is stopped along with the knife when a hand suddenly grabs her, preventing another cut to be born. There's no resistance or attempt to pull her hand free but she does spin around with a brief confusion visiting her face to see who it is and.]

My! [She whistles. It's Tony Stark. The man who's brilliantly been absent from J's life ever since their little camping trip back at the deserted planet. Now, who's fault that truly is-- well, let's say that's little more complicated matter.]

Look who we have here! Why, yes thank you. I'm having plenty of fun.

[arcreact]

Yeah, well, there's some fun you shouldn't have in public. Even if you're into that.

[ He tries to pry the knife out of her hand, not trusting her to keep it. For all he knows this is some new blight, some space madness that J's just happened to land herself in the middle of. That seems like the kind of thing that would happen with J.

Either way, he's not super keen on getting stabbed today, and less keen on watching her continue to stab herself. ]

Maybe take up spinning? Or yoga.

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

[Shadow continues to laugh, achieving more affectionate tone to it. A flash of usual green visits her black eyes for a bit. She doesn't try move or pull away from Tony but she brings her free hand to grab the knife out of his reach -- for now.]

Hah! You were always so funny. Always ready with words that don't make sense. [She shakes her head, going for mocking scold. Then, the idea hits her and her lips turn up into a more delighted smile. She turns to face him as much as she can with him holding her wrist and brings the knife back to close him, handle pointed out.]

And I'm sure you'll see the fun once you take part to it, dear. [She offers the knife to him.] After all, you've already done it.

[arcreact]

[ He takes the handle, since she's being so generous and offering it - surely she knows he'd never use it. Right?

Right now he can't really tell. The shift in tone almost makes this worse. ]

I'm not really a stab-and-slash kind of guy. You must know more about my sordid past than even I do.

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

But of course. [She doesn't let go off the handle even when he grabs it, her touch lingering around it for uncomfortably long before she pulls her fingers away.]

You're right about that, my apologies. What you do is much more subtle than that, isn't it? So clever. You say and do things but always with a distance so that in the end the responsibility couldn't be pinned on you. It's not your fault after all. [She clicks her tongue twice and nods her head understandingly as if to take his side.] After all it's like they say, right? People kill, not guns.

But! When you think about it. Isn't abandoning someone in favor of someone else same as stabbing them?

the first one

[lavelly]

[This is... different. Lavellan has encountered quite a few of these creatures by now, and they'd all been hostile. Aggressive. Violent.

He hasn't seen her in a while now, and something about her makes a lump of dread settle deep in his stomach. But he hadn't run away from the other shadows, either, and in this, at least, J is the same.

He keeps a healthy distance from her, just the same.]

I don't think so.

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

My, my. [Oh? No, no, no. Distance will not do. Whistling cheerfully the creature wearing J's face skips towards Lavellan closing the gap between them, movement fluid and fast. Her hands shoot out and grab to cling on his arm.]

Never seen you object to little kiss before, love. [The shadow chirps and stands on her tip-toes, looking for skin with her lips.]

Please, give some validation for this poor little body.

[lavelly]

[He jerks back before she can make contact, but he doesn't pull away from her entirely. Carefully, he puts a hand on her chest between them, keeping them separate.]

Not like this, J. You don't want it like this.

[But this isn't J, is it? But he doesn't know the nature of these creatures. Maybe helping them, not fighting them, is what they need.

He was able to reach Chara's, sort of. Maybe he can reach J's.]

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

No? [She laughs and the familiar green color flickers in her eyes for a beat. Disappointed by his avoidance the shadow keeps pushing closer, grabbing his hand to get more contact.]

What is wrong with this? [She gestures at herself with her free hand.] How is this any different from any other times?

[lavelly]

[He pulls his hand away.] Don't.

[Then he takes a moment to look her over, trying to sort out the thoughts in his head.]

You're looking for some kind of validation. You won't get it like this. You're just...

[Fuck.]

You're reducing yourself to something. [He's done similar before; he recognizes it when he sees it.]

cw: internalized transphobia?

[gentlemenpreferblondes]

[The shadow giggles. Oh dear, has he always been this slow or what? He definitely should have caught on that she will not take "no" as an answer. So despite his resistance, she keeps pushing herself on him, grabbing and clinging on him.

But what he says next makes her halt a bit, expression freezing still on her painted face. But the moment is short lived and the corners of her lips curl up again, forming a more impish grin. There's something very ominious about it.]

Hah! That is rich. Now tell me, dear. Just to what I'm reducing this body to? What is there left on the bottom for this unsightly mockery of a woman? [She speaks out each word with a simply delightful voice, cocking her head to the side.] A pimple that broke out on Mr. America's clean and perfect face. But you can help it. Put a some make up on it and pretend. Just like before, remember?