World Jump #2: Struxta

[acatamods]

I ▫ main IV ▫ premise       XI ▫ applications XIV ▫ activity II ▫ logs V ▫ rules VII ▫ bestiary   IX ▫ canon updates XII ▫ taken XV ▫ drop/hiatus III ▫ ooc VI ▫ faq VIII ▫ setting   X ▫ mods XIII ▫ reserves XVI ▫ players welcome to the collected nations of struxta. It will happen at random- you could be asleep, or wandering the Temple, or a variety of other options. It will feel a little strange, like a sudden warmth spreading across your skin, and then your bracelet will light up. When you blink again, everything has shifted - changed, developed, like in that blink of an eye you have advanced thousands of years into the future. Around you is a city, a technological marvel. Buildings rise up from the dirt and through the clouds, figures of all shapes and sizes buzz around you. They seem to pay you little mind - a quick glance, maybe a pause, and then they will continue on their away. Ahead, there is a low rumble of thunder, a dim flash of light. It doesn't seem to be raining, but there is an electric hum in the air. A NOTE FROM YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD WITCH But before anything too weird can happen . . . your watch flashes again, beeps once, and on it has a new message, a hologram-sparkly image with a young woman who (to some individuals!) looks a fair bit brighter than she did a few weeks ago. To those who are new, you will recognize the voice -- Astoria, the guardian of the Temple (or, if you're a bit more pessimistic, your effervescent kidnapper). "Hello, my beloved travelers ♥ and new ones, too! My name is Lady Astoria the Witchess-san." The way she says it, though, it is very clearly something of a joke. "I'm so glad you are settling in, adjusting to your new powers . . . I apologize for not coming forward and greeting you all like last time. But I am feeling much more like myself, and ready to send you to a new world ♥ This one is named Struxta . . . Struxa? No, I think it's Struxta. It's very metal. I'm not sure what's wrong in this world . . . but I can feel something building. Pulsing, it's very chaotic. I'm afraid I can't be more detailed than that, I did have a headache earlier . . . Akira told me I was fine ♥" And, again, you can likely guess that Akira definitely did no such thing. Astoria clasps her hands, her bright blue eyes shining, with a bright smile. "Now! Please be safe, and please mind your manners, and tell me all about it when you return! I'll see you soon. ♥" And, just like that? The humming in the air grows louder, you feel an odd tug in your stomach, and before you can properly adjust yourself to the sensation of being cast across the universe . . . you find yourself in Struxta. (Astoria, it seems, did have it right the first time.) THE HOSTEL Just as it was in El Minha, it appears that upon arrival, each character is outfitted with a room at one of the largest, arguably most impressive skyscrapers in the city. Nearly two hundred stories tall, and with each floor containing nearly sixty rooms. Every floor, every room, every door is of the highest tech and the more advanced security. The watches that Astoria has given each of the Circle Members act, in many ways, like a key, a credit card, an ID, and any other form of identification the players will need during their stay. The rooms themselves are simple - one bed, roughly full sized, with a light, a desk, a chair, and a variety of plugs and buttons. Characters are welcome, if they are able to find the appropriate plug, to charge any and all devices they may have. There is a TV of sorts in the room as well, with access to all manner of shows and news stations. The bottom floor of the building is almost as large as a city block. It is open, sleek, and clean-cut. A kind of open meeting room, which has - upon inspection - been modified to include what appears to be a restaurant. Which, given the fact the group of Circle members who have arrived in the city are the only natural bodies around? Includes the fact you are the only members of the city who have to consume food and nutrients. Upon even closer inspection, the technology used to make the food seems a few decades behind that of the rest of the city, but it still works, and the food can still be produced. It might taste a little weird and turn out to be some sort of glorified goop, but it has some nutritional value. The rest of the floor has a variety of seating arrangements and places to sit and chat with your other Circle members, but beyond the Welcome Committee, who is set up on the far northern corner, there doesn't seem to be many of the natives walking through. THE SUPER CENTER Have you ever wanted to go shopping in the most technologically advanced superstore possible? Here is your chance! It appears that if you use your watch, you have been given a moderate amount of credit to buy clothing, toys, electronics, items, and anything else that might suit your fancy. You will not have enough to buy anything significant, such as limbs, organs, advanced computer technology, etc. But you are more than welcome to find a job to help collected more credits! Many of the stores within the Supercenter are hiring - greeters, cashiers, manual labor, errand runners, and everything in between! The Supercenter is attached, as most of the buildings seem to be in this city, by a roadway of interlocking bridges and stairways- to a point that you could, if you wanted to, move about the entire city without stepping foot outside. There are bridges on every level of the Supercenter, as well as a network of pathways and semi-roadways within the center itself. There are no restaurants or bars, but there are plenty of areas to relax and people robot watch if you so desire. Otherwise, shop, explore, find weird mechanical devices of the likes you could never imagine back home. There are all manner of stores, some art galleries, music centers, arcades, and more here. There is no limit to what you can find and what you can experience. Everything is automated, but there are still helpful employees of various appearances at each of the stories to help you decide and browse- small, flying blocks that speak in primarily beeping noises that (thanks to Astoria's wonderful watches) you can somehow understand, completely human-appearing androids of the utmost style and elegance, and everything in between. Take your time, do a little shopping or go to work, and enjoy the pique of futuristic capitalism. THE RACES In the south-eastern district of the city, a large section of the city has been modified into a multi-level, vast, complicated race track of sorts. Think Tron, meets Speed Racer, meets a type of racing that is something all their own. It's fun as hell, fast as hell, and dangerous as hell. Sounds great, right? What is simply known as ‘Racing’ here in Struxta is complicated, but at its heart is exactly what it says: it is a race. A race of cars, bikes, and everything in between through an obstacle course of everything you can imagine. It seems to all be linked, electronically, to a motherboard that decides - each race - what the drivers will find. Each race was drastically different, with dangers galore. One day you might find that the road is full of spikes, the next it might be slick as oil, there could be loops that defy gravity and breaks in the road that seem to be impossible to cross, but that's what the modifications and specialists in the garages are for, right? The rules are simple: if you have a vehicle, and you have a driver, you are allowed to race. First one to complete the track, wins. Surrounding the main track is an entire industry of shops, stores, garages, meeting places, lounge areas, and viewing rooms. There are robots who make entire livings on the industry surrounding the Races, without ever having to step food onto the course. Some of the areas will be cleaner, like the rest of the city, while others may air on the side of back-house garages. While there won't be any dirt or natural life forms, for the first time you might catch sight of rusted metal, oil slicks, broken down previous versions of what's out on the road. There are some practice tracks, some experimental safety sections to test out new additions, etc. The one thing that holds everyone together, here, is the excitement around watching. The excitement around the competition. There are Races every five days, so that gives you just enough to get settled. And maybe find a car. THE LIBRARY As many have already come to hear, there are plenty of libraries and museums all across Struxta. However, there is one that is known as The Library, which archives anything and everything in the history of all of Struxta, spanning back its entire history, over thousands and thousands of years. The building itself is as large and impressive as The Hostel, nearly two hundred stories tall, possibly more, and as wide and long as a city block. But where in the Hostel each floor had been made up of rooms, each of these floors are large, open areas, with dark, imposing servers held behind tight, clean cabinets. No one else seems to be here, which gives the impression that The Library is not open to just any native of Struxta, and that in fact - as members of the Circle you are being given special access to what would normally be off-limits. In the middle of each floor, there is a small collection of tables, with large screens. These touch-screens will be your access into the Library archives. And that is the thing - you will have access to everything, but as it turns out, everything really means everything, and with backups spanning the course of thousands of years in the past, it will take a lot of time and a lot of energy and a lot of research determination to find anything of use. Not because it is difficult, just because it is so massive and so overwhelming. The only natives you will find will be on the first floor, as a kind of secretarial position for the building. They are more than happy to try and help guide you through the search process, but they will not follow you up to any of the other floors, and there is a distinct feeling of being entirely alone when you do go up to begin your search. Alone, but watched, somehow. Remember- if there is something that you wish to look up specifically, please ask over on the world interactions post so we can be sure that the correct information is shared! The best way to go about finding something in the Library will be going at search terms in teams, as there is so much information there is no way one person will be able to wade through it all. Additionally, please feel free to write up and work with your own prompts! These are presented as jumping off points for your characters, not limitations. The idea of this world- as with all the others- is to explore. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask them back on the mod questions thread back in the OOC post from before! And if you have any ideas regarding how your character will interact with the world, also feel free to check back into the world interactions comment from the OOC post from before, as well! From this point forward, the Circle has become involved with the Collected Nations of Struxta. What your character finds out, decides, and does from here on out will affect the future of this city- one way or another! But what you do is completely up to you. What you discover, explore, and uncover will be yours to discover, explore, and uncover. Who knows what you might find? :)

Comments

[complementing]

I; CHECKING IN
Hostel; Remembering the Past

[So! First world jump. As far as bizarre situations go, this isn't her first, but somehow it's so much more difficult to wrap her mind around than anything else she's seen before. Instinct tells her to go exploring, but practicality insists on saying hello to the welcoming committee first. And so she and her shiba inu head over to chat, bright-eyed interest mirrored in their red eyes.

As for the conversation, well. She's talking at them more than she's talking with them, but at least they look interested? She's gotten so into it that she's made a drawing with a little holographic screen drawing pad one of them gave her. The artwork is a rather cutesy doodle of a blonde android.]

She technically had a soul from the time she was created. It was called a Papilion Heart, and she stored it right here, under her ribbon. [Minako pats her collarbone.] But she didn't really understand what it meant to have a soul until much, much later.

[She looks like she's about to launch into a big explanation, so now might be a good time to cut in.

When night falls, Minako won't be in her room. Instead, upon discovering that Astoria's watch allows her roof access, she'll be there instead, sitting on the ledge with her feet dangling hundreds of feet in the air, leaning back to gaze up at the thundering skies. Koromaru is on his hind legs, front paws on the ledge so he can look up with her.]

Do you think Astoria would even answer me if I asked? I can't stand not knowing. [Koromaru whines softly. Minako gives him a rueful smile, ruffling over his ears.] She seems nice enough. We can ask some of the others what they think. For now...let's take it one step at a time. Just like we did before.

II; LIVING IN A MATERIAL WORLD (AND I AM A MATERIAL GIRL ♪)
Supercenter; Sightseeing the Present

[A Minako out and about exploring is a much more energetic Minako! Despite her new apparent duty to 'save this world', she figures that it's better to follow the others' lead for now on how to make that happen until she's learned the ropes. Insomuch as anyone can learn the ropes for saving multiple worlds across however many universes may exist.

It's kind of a relief to not be the leader for once, really.

So for now, she and Koromaru are off to be tourists and have fun! After a not very satisfying goop meal at the hostel, the two of them wander into the Supercenter, where Minako's first priority is finding a music store. Do androids listen to music? Do androids enjoy listening to music enough to dedicate entire storefronts to selling the downloads? She's going to find out!

But then she passes by the arcade, and it's so shiny and exciting looking that she can't help but be tempted away from her quest. Since it's too loud for Koromaru, she leaves him to people/android watch outside, while she goes in to try out video games from the future.]

Oh, no way, they have DDR here?! I wonder if they have some of the classic songs...

[Minako is going to crush any and all competition that may step up to challenge her.

Later, she'll actually make it to a proper electronics store in her hunt for Struxta music, but upon entering, she pauses and pulls out her Astoria Watch. A general text goes out to all the members of the Circle.]

hi it's Minako! (๑ゝ◡◕๑)
so just to double check
we're allowed to take the things we buy in other worlds back to the temple, right?
I know Akira brought back a gecko from El Minha
but if I was looking to take back a new music player, or maybe a charger for the mp3 player I already have
it wouldn't upset some sort of universe hopping, time-space continuum, would it? (๑꒪▿꒪)*

if we can take stuff back
does anyone want to throw credits together into a fund to buy some things for communal use at the temple?
cameras, speakers, portable game consoles, this world's version of a Kindle
or anything else that people might need, really, whether it's now or later
aside from a charger and a new outfit, I don't have anything else I'd want to spend credits on
so I'm willing to share mine!! (✩´꒳`✩)

III; ON YOUR MARKS
Race Track; Taking Risks for the Future

[Of course, despite her text, she knows it's good to save up in case she has a sudden desire to splurge. Or if there happens to be a very dire emergency. So she's off to take on a ton of part time jobs! Minako has a great customer service smile that never seems to tire of being stuck in that position for hours on end, so any transactions with her are sure to be pleasant.

One part time job, though, is decidedly much more dangerous than the usual door greeter or delivery girl gig. For those who stop by the race track, it'll be hard not to notice her with her bright red hair, manifesting red and gold barriers that shimmer like sunlight on the sea...in the middle of the track. While the races are still happening. Her barriers are translucent, too, so she is absolutely watching the cars come bearing down on her at top speed while using her still new and admittedly shaky powers to protect the androids. She's too stubborn and protective to be anything but 100% successful, but it's clear she's bracing herself every time the cars clip her barriers.

Hey, someone has to protect the mechanic androids while they're cleaning up wreckage! And Minako is that someone.]

IV; WILDCARD

[Send me a new prompt or message me at raynestorm to work something out!]

II

[unrecovered]

[...honestly, that's a brilliant idea.]

idk about taking stuff back
someone whos been here longer might know
but if we can we should find something that converts solar energy into power

[complementing]

hmm
I wonder if the androids will have anything like that
since there doesn't seem to be any sun in this world?? (´◕ ︵ ◕｀)
but I'll keep a look out!

maybe I can look for a generator instead
or something similar

[unrecovered]

if that doesnt work maybe something wind powered
or parts we can build into something like that

make sure the generator is manual or runs on something we have back at the temple
otherwise we get one charge and then its useless

[complementing]

that's a good idea!

the problem is that Struxta has so many parts of everything, and I'm pretty sure the Temple has nothing

if we had a tech savvy person give us a list or some pictures of everything we need to build the necessities, that would help a lot

II

[tranquilforest]

I can only speak from recent experience, but there hasn't been an issue with bringing things back from the worlds we visit before.

[And also she has. A very useful workaround for that.]

I don't know what all the things you mentioned are, [and they seem to focus mainly on entertainment options...] but people have mentioned that the supplies at the temple are lacking, so finding things here and bringing them back is a wonderful idea.

It won't work on anything too big, but I can help with transporting things back. [If they all get overexcited. Which kind of seems likely.]

[complementing]

[Minako needs all these entertainment options...otherwise she's liable to get very bored very quickly.]

that's great!
I bet that most of it will be on the smaller side, that seems like how all the tech is in this world
what's your power that'll let you move things back?

oh, and is there a list of things we need?
or do you know some things off the top of your head?
I can start hunting for them asap!

[tranquilforest]

I'm not sure of the exact wording for it, but someone described it to me as a pocket dimension? I can store things invisibly in another space, and access them anywhere when I need them, even across worlds.

Most of the things I'm thinking of are relatively mundane [Boring things, like extra clothes, linens, general supplies for daily use...] so I'm not sure how many of them would occur to the natives here. But I can send you a list, or accompany you when you do go shopping, if you'd like.

wildcardish ii

[theseuschip]

[ Of all the things Simon has come across outside of buildings here, Unaccompanied Cute Dog is probably the least expected, but also the best. ]

Hey, buddy. [ he crouches down in front of it, carefully; he’s weird enough to look at, but to a dog he’s probably also a weird and deeply confusing mishmash of human and robot smells. Dog seems pretty chill about being out here, though. ] Are you a robot?

[ Theres no reason they couldn’t make a dog as fleshy-looking as they make androids, but Simon hasn’t seen any. ]

[complementing]

[Koromaru is used to human and robot smells, but a combination of the two is special. He's smelled it before, actually, but it's still new and unique enough to catch his attention, sitting up and suddenly looking all alert.

Alas Simon is not the person the puppy was expecting to see, but sensing that he's friendly, Koromaru thumps his tail against the ground in happy greeting before he lets out a little sound in answer. It starts high and finishes low, a perfectly normal dog noise-- but the expressiveness in his face makes it seem like he's saying the equivalent of an "uh-uh" of disagreement.]

[theseuschip]

[ omg

Well, it’s a friendly dog, so it gets head rubs. ]

No? [ he supplies, voice amused; it almost seems like that was an answer to his question. Which it wasn’t, of course. Just a friendly and strangely expressive dog being a dog... that is wearing clothes... ] You don’t look like a regular dog, either.

[ Kind of an understatement. A flesh-and-bone dog, so it’s 99% of the way there, but what’s with that everything else.... Simon tilts his head toward the arcade behind this good good boy. ] Are you waiting for somebody in there?

[ It’s not that he’s entirely convinced that this Expressive Dog understands him, but on the other hand, he can’t deny he doesn’t usually feel inclined to say this many coherent sentences to dogs. ]

1. The Roof

[smallprince]

[As usual Tyrion had a hard time finding some sleep. He strolled through the hostel. Even through it was already late he could spot some of the staff here and there. Don't they need sleep too? It was a strange world where they had landed, that was for sure. The day had been a bit too bright for his taste and therefore he wanted to check out how this world looks at night. While he made his way to the roof he wondered if there would be a moon and stars in the sky.

He wasn't fond of high places, especially since his stay in the Sky Cells. Still the need for some fresh air and the urge to satisfy his curiosity. When he opens the door that leads to the roof he hears the voice of a young woman who is talking to someone. Hesitatingly Tyrion looks around, the last thing he wanted to do was interrupting two people talking. Then he sees that the woman is talking to a dog. He'd never seen this dog breed before but he knows a dog when he sees one.

He cleaned his throat, after she had finished her question, to make sure she knows that someone is there. To surprise someone with a sudden answer isn't something you do when being in such a heights.]

Excuse me, Mylady. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I just came here because I wanted to see this place at night. Astoria will listen to you, she might not give you the answer you want to hear but her answer will be of value for you.

[Tyrion thought back to his own conversation with Astoria. Her answer had made him think. In the end he had come to the conclusion that it had been the best this way instead of giving him an answer he would have wanted to hear.]

[complementing]

[She glances over her shoulder and blinks at him, mildly surprised that someone else is on the roof-- as well as surprised in general by his appearance. But it's only for a moment, and then she offers him a friendly smile. Koromaru watches the newcomer just as curiously as she starts to speak.]

I'm pretty much bracing for a worse case scenario as it is...but as long as she tells the truth, I'll take it.

[Of course, there's no way to tell if Astoria is telling the truth. But right now, for her, it's better to hear something about the fate of her world than to wonder herself. Her imagination is liable to spiral out of control, and she's already driving herself crazy with the longing to return...better to nip it in the bud.]

[smallprince]

[Being greeted with a friendly smile was something that had happened seldom in his world. It had happened a few times already while being a part of the Circle but each time was special to Tyrion. He was aware that this was pretty normal for most people but then he had never been like most people and therefore he had the right to treasure each friendly smile.

He overlooked her surprise about his appearance, because that was something he could understand. For an odd reason it didn't matter within the Circle, at least until now.]

Why so pessimistic? But then, it is good to expect the worse because the surprise is even bigger, when everything turns out well.

ii

[unmotivated]

[ Fushimi so does not want to talk to anybody, but upon reading the message, he can't help but think that it's a good idea. ]

Would those work if brought back?

[complementing]

as long as they don't need wifi to be used I don't see why not
I don't think the Temple runs on any kind of electricity, though
so if we want to bring them back we need to find a way to charge them after the batteries are dead

[unmotivated]

This is a big place. Maybe there's something.

[ He's actually cooperative because he loves his tech... he wants to be able to use things that aren't from 100 BC or whatever. ]

Can anybody generate electricity?

ii

[bowtiedbones]

[Her answer comes immediately, woah heck yes let's bring some modern goods back to Ye Olde Temple]

can we buy a microwave
let's buy a microwave!!!!

[complementing]

we should absolutely buy a microwave!

we just also have to buy or find all the stuff that powers a microwave too hehe

ii.

[punshots]

[ It's kinda funny. Arcades were one of the places Prompto used to frequent the most (usual with a royal prince in tow, or vice versa), but he honestly can't remember the last time he stepped inside of one. It's been ages, but after being without a functional phone to even play King's Knight for well over two months now, he's sort of starved to get his hands on a game.

On his way in, of course, he stops to greet the dog outside, because duh. After stooping to say hello and scratch him behind the ears, however, he's heading in, the bright, familiar energy of the arcade too intoxicating for him to resist for long. A few of the games are familiar to him, but there are plenty still that are not, and many more that look beyond anything that even the best Lucian tech could have produced.

And he's gonna play all of it.

Bouncing on his heels, he stops at the side of the unfamiliar girl deliberating her choices — she's got a watch, so she's one of Astoria's, too — and while he doesn't want to step on her toes and interrupt her plans, his excitement gets the better of him. ]

Hey, you wanna go toe-to-toe on DDR? Gotta warn you, though, I had the high-score back home!

[ You know, on, like, the one machine at the one arcade he went to. But details! ]

[complementing]

[Minako turns and grins wide at the new challenger. She doesn't know who he is, but she likes him already. She would've appreciated anyone willing to play with her, given that DDR is more fun for her that way, but someone who actually enjoys it, who is actually good at it?

That makes it so much better. That makes it so much more interesting.]

Oh, a DDR master, huh? If you're that good, do you wanna bet on who'll be the winner?

[punshots]

[ A bet, huh? He's a sucker for a little competition, even if he might be inclined to pull his punches, so to speak, because she's a stranger, and also a cute girl. For all he knows, however, she's gonna kick his butt, so he'll play his strategy by ear.

...Yeah, she's probably gonna kick his butt.

Chuckling, he crosses her arms and slants a grin at her. ]

Heh, why not! Let's do it. Wanna say...fifteen credits to the winner?

I.

[abandonware]

[A2 has also found that roof access was allowed. Once this was discovered, she'd snuck past the scattered clusters of Circle members and the too-friendly androids to make her way up.

She'd been a ghost on Earth, and similarly she was a ghost here, rarely speaking to anyone unless forced to, avoiding contact at all costs. She's convinced herself it's easier to be this way. Better that than the alternative, of starting some sort of fight, which she's sure is on the brink of breaking out at any time.

Nowhere was this peaceful. (Paranoia was a hell of a drug.)

She's expecting to be alone when she makes it up here, and had almost begun to look forward to this, when she notices the human, talking to what seems to be some kind of animal. She's never seen a human before...here, and she's never seen whatever that thing is, either, so she deals with it by just...staring, somewhere between fascinated and menacingly, and not saying anything. What a weirdo.]

[complementing]

[Minako doesn't sense her, still chatting to her puppy and looking out over the city landscape. But Koromaru does. His ears prick up, turning his head to stare with his deep red eyes at the newcomer. He doesn't sense outright hostility from her yet, which is one reason he isn't raising his hackles...the other being that he can smell that she's not quite human.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. Koromaru is very used to androids! He lived with one for many months, and that was perfectly fine and wonderful-- but then he came to this world with Leader. Now there's many android smells everywhere he goes, and while it's very confusing to him, it's something he's taking in stride because the android he knew before was his friend. Which of course it means any other android can be a friend. Including the one in front of him!

It's a sentiment he's sure Leader would share. So the puppy turns and nudges Minako's hand with his nose, making a little huffing sound.]

And I just wish I could-- hmm? What is it, Korochan?

[She glances down, and in doing so sees A2 in her peripheral vision. Minako shoots her a bright smile.]

Oh! Good evening. I'm not in your space, am I?

[abandonware]

[It's still odd to be addressed directly, without the impending threat of violence, and by a human, no less. A2's response, as a result, is somewhat delayed — a side effect of spending so much time inside her own head.

She doesn't return the smile.]

No.

[It wasn't really her space, after all.]

Why aren't you with the others?