Magisteria Event 001: Training in High Rise Village, Part I

[magisteriamods]

Magisteria Event 001: Training in High Rise Village, Part I

Welcome to Event #001! First of all, I want to say, I'm very sorry for the delay. This event ended up being quite a bit more thicc than I had originally planned, and even having given myself the extra time, it ended up taking longer to write and code and piece everything together than I expected. Turns out, writing all this by yourself takes a hot minute! I hope you guys enjoy. I will admit, there are two areas where I abbreviated for the time being: first, the Central Library does not appear here, but will instead get its own special player plot log post on the comm this month. Kind of a mini-event if you will.

Secondly, I intended to have the fire spirits monologue a bit more at the end... but again, time/length. So if PCs want to dig into their backgrounds or history, by all means, go ahead. I mentioned that we would be getting into what the ancient hero was renowned for. This can absolutely still be addressed.

Please note: There will be no TDM this month. This event can function as a TDM for prospective applicants. Just tag yourself as new character and/or new player if you're not in the game, and please be sure to familiarize yourself with the basic arrival and game details! This event is OTA and doubling as a TDM, but I do not guarantee that all events will be.

---

I. Meet the Tech NPCs

What's up, everyone? I'm Malik Patel, the concierge of Evergreen Terrace. Heard Atlas mentioned me. As you can probably guess, Magisteria has the best PTO packages in the multiverse, so yeah, I take advantage sometimes.

Hope you guys have been enjoying the city so far. Sorry that a lot is still closed, but like Minister Brennam told you, we're working on it.

So. Weapons and powers, huh? What's with you guys and coming into a new world seeking guns from the start? Even in Magisteria, there are people that guns could still trouble. We protect our citizens. There are also plenty of people your world's weapons wouldn't pose a problem for... and brother, let's just say you don't want to attract their attention.

Some policies and restrictions are put in place for your own protection, too. Of course, I know some of you are even more excited, hearing something like that.

You could say it's all about integrating our world's powers and your own... for the greater good. Even if you guys don't trust any of us on any personal level -- and we know we can't really ask that -- surely you can see our dedication to the city's well-being. That is the Greater Good, because the well-being of our city is the well-being of the whole multiverse.

Well... don't take it from me, though. Go find those answers yourselves today.

---

Sup nerds. You know the drill by now, I’m sure. I’m Ava Nguyen, head of the maintenance department at Evergreen Terrace. A little about me: I grew up in the provinces, but came to Magisteria to prove myself. I knew from a young age that my future was in engineering, and now I'm doing the proving. The suit and wings are my creations. I work throughout the district, but the proprietor of this complex pays the best.

Malik and I have a special project related to this city's tech, and it involves... butterflies. Cybernetic butterflies. Bursterflies. Why does such fauna exist? A good working theory is the Infinity Corridors have thrown our world's evolution a bit off-whack, but another theory is that some are the products of experimentation in this world's race to develop technology. Maybe both/and. Technology and scientific inquiry go hand in hand, though, and these Bursterflies do provide some learning opportunities, for both you and for us. So let's head to the lab, shall we?

II. Basic Tech Challenges

All those who are participating in the tech challenges are escorted to Ava’s workshop, a domed building on the grounds of the apartment complex. Looking around, you see the gilded pupa of the tech fauna, as well as a table covered with an array of devices designed to interact with them. The devices are metallic and generally resemble joysticks, scanners, or medical instruments – something like that, and it’s these that Otherworlders are to use to coax out the tech insects.

When activating the device and coaxing the pupa out, there may be some feelings of vibration with the movements. The device and Bursterfly alike generate energy in, presumably, some kind of feedback loop.

A) Bursting Brilliance: Navigation Challenge

Once the metallic insects are airborne, other tech within the compound activates: crystalline structures appear on the ceiling, as if growing there. Vents open on the walls, revealing a wind tunnel which blows bursts of air into the room. Otherworlders are expected to hone their eye/hand coordination as they use the handheld tech devices to guide the Bursterflies in their navigation.

In the next room, the air crackles with electrostatic energy, as well as luminous bursts of light that dim into impenetrable shadows. Should the Bursterflies flutter into any of these obstacles, including the light or shadow, Otherworlders will lose points for the activity. If the Bursterflies encounter enough adversity to be damaged or fall from the air entirely and strike the ground (i.e. from the wind tunnel or the electrostatic field), they may need to be restarted via means of the tech device.

[Parameters: Each PC gets their own Bursterfly! However, for the event, feel free to control various ones or help others with theirs. Feel free to create details for the points or add other obstacles, whatever you like! ]

A) Bursting Brilliance: Energy Harvesting Challenge

Second, more long-term focused challenge: create a device which will harvest the energy of the Bursterflies. Learning that level of technology will no doubt open doors.

Initial Objectives: Record findings about Bursterfly energy levels on aXess Link devices/share findings about fauna/energy thereof, experiment w/piezoelectric materials and basic materials in the workshop, and build a basic circuit which can activate stronger energy levels from the tech fauna.

Result: Bursterflies level up and flicker with bright Bios.

---

Now that you have been introduced to the basics of the tech fauna, it’s time to go one step further. Ava and Malik inform the gathered Otherworlders that there’s a special errand awaiting them, one related to the Bursterflies.

In High Rise Village, Magisteria’s Business District, there lives an android named Rosalind Vireo, the proprietor of various floral stalls and displays throughout the city, including her main stall, Floral Convergence. She recently made a report to the authorities because she thinks someone(s) has been tampering with some of her flora and the associated tech fauna she oversees. Fortunately, this task integrates perfectly with learning about tech fauna!

As soon as all the techie Otherworlders are ready, it’s time to depart for the Digital Flora Dome and the Neon Nest.

III. Tier II Tech Challenges -- Electric Boogaloo

At the entrance to the Digital Flora Dome, your group encounters its mistress.

Otherworlders, Otherworlders…

Hehehe! We meet at last! Welcome, welcome! Gaze upon me freely, if you will! Rosalind, Rosalind, that’s me.

Are you all truly ready for the challenges that lie ahead? I just don't mean today, of course! I mean The challenges!

What are humans, really? Flesh and blood and bone. Able to be chopped apart with a firm blade. Able to be dissolved by acid, burnt into ash. Do you fear pain, Otherworlders? Limb loss, bleeding out? Perhaps not! Some of you are great heroes, after all!

But, you see, I needn’t ever suffer pain or degradation of the flesh. I needn’t even suffer the risk of those things.

Strength is beauty. Beauty is strength. And this body? It is one of absolute durability! Absolute resilience!

What is life? Where does it begin and end? Without the fear of pain, with limbs that last endless years, how would humans be different creatures? Would the “human condition” still be such? O, such questions! Do androids dream of electric sheep? Now that is something you may ask me!

In our city, the masters of technology belong to The Council for Technological Advancement. I, Rosalind, am a member of this body. Our leader is The Administrator. Perhaps in your world, you already know technology. Perhaps some o’ you even have implants of your own. But the leader of our organization is a being whose grasp of technology is absolutely transcendent. All of the Aetherium District, all wires, all circuits, all lines of code, hundreds of programming languages, millennia of development and projects, all belong to the mind of The Administrator, accessible within milliseconds.

Can any and all of you live up to that? We shall see.

Otherworlders who enter the Digital Flora Dome may feel as though they have entered an alternate universe where the lines of nature and technology blur at the edges. Throughout the dome’s interior, cybernetic flowers “bloom” in a manner quite reminiscent of “real” flowers, even down to the feeling that the air is being affected.

There’s a low rustling sound, as of leaves brushing against one another as a breeze blows through a forest, as well as a metallic hum. Some of the petals, luminous with the glow of industrial Bios, even drip with what appears to be droplets of dew. This digital greenhouse pulses with a feeling of energy – Bios, as if the life of real flowers and the life of their virtual counterparts have a sort of resonance, despite the one being synthetic.



A) Light Pattern Challenge

The neon glow of the flowers is gentle, pulsating. One by one, the blooms emit Bios-infused colors, each of such hue and brilliance that the radiance reflects off the other, currently more dormant flowers each time one brightens.

Otherworlders are informed that they must guide the Bursterflies through the pattern sequence: the cybernetic flowers, having been tampered with, have become eccentric and finicky about their pollination cycle. Each time a light flashes, it indicates which bloom must be pollinated by the Bursterflies. However, the pattern is erratic: one color may flash, indicating pollination. Then, that same color flashes, followed by the same, or another color, building a sequence of colors. Otherworlders will find that, should they pollinate the blooms out of order, the sequence restarts, with either a new color, or the original color.

[Note: Players are free to make up whatever patterns they like to complete this challenge, so long as the sequence is one they would consider to be reasonably complex.]

B) Vitalis Bloom

Once the sequence has been completed, an especially large cybernetic flower appears within the center of the dome. Rosalind informs Otherworlders of the unique properties of the Vitalis Bloom: when it blooms, Cyberseeds will implant within the Otherworlders. Does that sound weird or uncomfortable? Well, not to worry, she insists: you want your powers back, don’t you? These Cyberseeds will interface with characters’ circuits or tech adaptations, turning them back online with Magisteria’s own unique technology.

It might be a bit more startling for characters without augmentations or enhancements, as they will have bodily sensations that might be described as ethereal circuitry. Neonatal, unformed circuits: a sensation of the human(oid) body mingling with technology on some deep level, not actual cybernetic enhancements.

To make the flower bloom, Otherworlders must Synthesize the pollination, directing a tandem pollination by Bursterflies. This can be done through whatever mental/physical arrangement, so long as the two characters are in alignment. Synthesis is, after all, quintessentially cooperation embodied and represents perfect cooperation – something that, Rosalind and the others hint, is a big part of the Ideal in Magisteria, in both of the Institutions, including the CTA, of which she is so proudly a member.

Once the Vitalis Bloom activates its bloom sequence, Otherworlders will feel the Cyberseeds implant, accompanied by the burst of bright Bios. The energy manifests outwardly as light, hinting at their newfound connection with the new world that their bodies and energy are becoming a part of. The feelings occasioned at such a moment are not painful, but rather exhilarating and electric, and Otherworlders will feel their tech affinity awaken. In this state, they can proceed to the final challenge: the Neon Nest.

C) The Neon Nest



Although the Neon Nest comprises the final challenge for the techies and their Bursterfly companions, most may actually find it simpler than the preceding challenges, for Otherworlders who have activated the Vitalis Bloom will find that the activated Cyberseeds place them into a state of Synthaura, or temporary, heightened tech affinity.

This “enhanced state” could be described thusly: each Otherworlder will have an awakened sense of the technology within the room, such as the frequencies of the cybernetic birds. They will be able to distinguish among and pick out highly specific audio/video patterns – and, indeed, they will see/hear snippets of audio/video all throughout the room, as if these are being broadcast from the ether. It’s like one has tapped into some whole other virtual level of existence within/among the city.

Among the audio and video are illuminations, projection-like, of a shadowy figure with a skull-like face -- perhaps an android or AI figure such as Rosalind, but no, this is definitely someone else. The intruder? And among the audio, Otherworlders will be able to detect fragments, but the most significant is one phrase, a hissing, hushed whisper:

"Symphony of Disruption..."

And that, as well, is exactly what the birds are commencing with: a disrupted symphony, a cacophony which Otherworlders must use their affinity and technology to resolve.

IV. MEET THE MAGIC NPCS

Lila: Oh, it’s you all! Otherworlders! Hello! You’ll have to excuse my sister and I if we’re not as good at cool speeches like Malik and Ava. We fair folk prefer to speak in poetry or riddles. But we faeries are a part of life here in Magisteria. Our people’s ancient wisdom is just as much of a contribution to this city as its constant pursuit of advanced technology.

I’m Lila, and this is my sister, Lyra. Our own elements are water and air, but we’ll be guiding everyone through the four elements.

Lyra: Oh… those butterflies. They’re so… [ She scrunches her nose, but before she can continue… ]

Lila: Hush, Lyra. Stop being a stereotype. I’m sorry… you see, to us, the use of industrial Bios and the … activities which have led to the existence of some of these tech fauna… well, our people don’t really condone them. To a lot of the races more associated with magic, you could say we have our own idea of environmentalism and how to treat the planet. What the CTA does, and what this city does with technology, sometimes goes against our ideals.

That’s why it’s not as simple as saying magic users and techwrights should just see eye to eye. Malik and Ava are our friends, of course, and we’ll work alongside them if someone threatens this complex or our city, but there really are ideological differences.

Anyway, we hope to be good mentors for you all. We heard some of you already had magic, so some of what we’re doing today might be easy for those people. We’re starting at a level assuming no prior knowledge, to be fair to everyone. But don’t get too sure of yourself… even if, in your world, you’re a powerful magic user, or even something like a deity… well, let’s just say there are magical bloodlines that can be traced back for millennia within The Order of Mysterium. What we’re starting with here are just the very basics, but don’t underestimate the members of our Institution.

Fae Twins Misc

Lyra: The lotuses... they belonged to that woman... [She just trails off, and they both look wistful.]

V. Basic Magic Challenges

A) Elemental Rune Challenge

First and most straightforward of the magic challenges: Otherworlders with any magic background, let alone one with any or all four of the elements, may find it exceedingly simple, but remember: the point of this is to initiate everyone, including totally ordinary normies, into the ability to use magic.

Each Otherworlder is given a rune corresponding to each of the four elements. Since today’s challenges are oriented around fire and water, each Otherworlder will need to seek out objects or items in/around the apartment complex or in the broader district which can correspond to these elements. People with canonical magical abilities who find the challenges easy may wish to seek more unique or unorthodox items/objects to correspond to the elements, so as to make the challenge more of an adventure. Even if the magic is easy, hey, you can at least enjoy the scavenger hunt aspect!

Once you have matched the rune and its corresponding version in the real world (whatever that may be; again, feel free to be creative!), an incantation will come unbidden to your mind, should you focus intently and should the match be successful. Reciting the incantation will awaken Magisterian magic within the Otherworlder, and each Otherworlder will feel a connection between their magical abilities and Bios, tethering them to Magisteria’s magic, a sort of oneness.

The magical output for this challenge will be small, though people with canonical magical abilities for the elements are free to play it as relatively larger than what those who are entirely new to magic are capable of outputting.

[ Just remember: in Magisteria, even normies have the capacity to achieve god tier powers eventually, so don’t get too cocky, y’all, nor should normies be in any way discouraged by any skills gaps. ]

B) The Sanctum

Once each Otherworlder has activated their elemental rune and awakened their spellcrafting abilities, they will have the opportunity to proceed to a place known as The Sanctum. It’s a chamber on the property of Evergreen Terrace, an area specifically for magic users to congregate and practice together, sort of a training ground.

The Sanctum constitutes a controlled environment for magic. Here, Otherworlders can interact with higher levels of magic, even if their output outside of this area is still smaller: they can interface with elemental magic within the chamber to engage in flashier, higher level magic for the elements.

[ For this challenge, players are free to create whatever “training ground” trappings they wish, so long as it reasonably fits the setting. They can train with other PCs or NPCs, participate on challenge/obstacle courses, and generally explore and have fun with the elements. ]

VI. Tier II Magic Challenges

After Otherworlders have completed the initial training challenges, the fae twins guide you all through the streets of High Rise Village, to a unique specialty aquarium known as the Azure Vault. This aquarium, you are informed, is not the only one within Magisteria, nor does it encompass all its marine life – which, of course, the fae twins tell you is just as expansive as that of Earth, along with a bunch of creatures which definitely don’t exist on that planet, creatures which you all may find somewhat… unusual.

The Azure Vault is not the only aquarium in the city, no, but what makes it a specialty aquarium is its connection to the Greater Rune, also known as the Heart of Water. The goal here is for Otherworlders to navigate the aquarium and recover the Greater Rune.

A) In the Realm of the Majestic Wildlife



Before you enter the Azure Vault, Lila spends a great deal of time emphasizing how lovely and majestic the location is. Indeed, Otherworlders who enter will find themselves within a realm where the land and sea seem to blur into unfathomable oneness. At first, the experience is reminiscent of that of a normal aquarium in the city: Otherworlders walk in darkness through faintly illuminated pathways as, beyond glass exteriors, schools of fish, manta rays, and larger aquatic animals, up to and including whales, swim by.

Lila says she is going to perform the ”blessing of Thetis.” She raises her hand to her mouth and blows, exactly as one would blow a kiss. Bright Bios unfurls and sparkles – literal faerie magic – and before Otherworlders know it, the pathways they’ve been walking have blended into the aquarium itself, and they’re no longer standing on carpeted floors, but rather they’re all within the aquarium, amid the wildlife.

Yet there are no soggy clothes, no blurry vision, and each person can breathe just fine. Everyone is within the water, yet there’s no actual wetness. Congratulations: you’re practically a merperson, but without a tail.

This special enchantment, called by its faerie “blessing” name, allows Otherworlders to partake in the full glory of the Azure Vault. Within, the aquarium feels far deeper and more expansive. The glow of bioluminescent patterns wind like ribbons through the currents, and Otherworlders will feel a deep sense of connectedness to the life of the aquarium, even hearing the deep, rhythmic, powerful thudding of the whales’ hearts and feeling the pulse of primeval aquatic magic and the heavy presence of the ancient aquatic life within. Above, the ceiling shifts to a curved display that projects the ocean's surface, complete with shifting light patterns that mimic the sun and moon's passage.

In the moment, Otherworlders will feel a deep connection to the life of the ocean, and a deep and intense urging to respect the planet. Though you may not see them, you may feel certain that water spirits are somewhere within, watching, listening …

B) In the Realm of the Not-So Majestic(?) Wildlife



Unfortunately, this being Magisteria, the grandeur of the planet and its spectacular biospheres also naturally co-exist alongside a bunch of shit that is less mesmerizing and more just weird. As Otherworlders navigate through the undersea caverns in search of the Greater Rune, they will find that while most creatures give them a respectful amount of space, their presence really seems attractive to other animals.

Sea Bears aren’t so much “sleek and majestic” as chonky mofos; most manifest as bear/fish hybrids, but there are some especially chonky wave bears roiling with the waters. They emit low rumbling sounds as they swim towards Otherworlders, apparently finding you all highly friend-shaped.

The main obstacle Sea Bears present is that, because of their excitability, they congregate around Otherworlders, sometimes clogging the entrances through the cavernous tunnels and pathways amid the corals. Just a bunch of bear/fish chonks pressing against/down on all these Otherworlders trying to learn to be badass mages.

Fortunately, Otherworlders have been equipped with magical baubles which emit light and sound to distract the Sea Bears.

Another obstacle are the janky jellies, or jellyfish which can change color in reaction to the emotions of others. Their help is needed to access some areas, but should Otherworlders play the light pattern game with them, as the tech PCs played it with the digital flora, they will find the jellies will be quite accommodating as far as helping them through undeseas cavern "doors" that slide away as one traverses the aquarium.

C) Enter the Ember Hearth



Within the magic quarter of High Rise Village, there awaits another specialty location. Tall black gates open into a labyrinthine maze. Though the maze is brilliant with all the colors and hues and shades of flame, Otherworlders will not find the heat overpowering. This is because your fae mentor has provided a blessing/enchantment, so the weather within the Ember Hearth feels as mild as a summer day, with occasional hot gusts of air that sometimes slap the face, and even that is a pleasant sort of warmth.

The Ember Hearth is barren for long stretches, its walls ablaze with the soft gold of swords newly forged or the deep reds of wildfire or the shadow-streaked fire of the volcano, but the maze is experienced as invigorating, as if the Bios of the fire is energy itself and Otherworlders are absorbing it as they make their way through.

D) In the Garden of the Fire Flowers



As Otherworlders progress through the maze, the barren ground will give way to fiery flowers blooming amid the lava flows. The flowers range in colors and intensity, from autumnal hues to streaks of purple amid the curling petals. Amid the flowers, embers and ashes drift along the air. The enchantment is thick and even those new to magic will perceive it.

Otherworlders must guide the runes to brighten or dim the flowers, harmonizing their magic along the way. When a flower blazes or darkens, Otherworlders will feel increased connection to Bios and their cognizance of the maze will strengthen, helping them navigate to the final flower at the base of a miniature volcano.

Sealed by magic, the volcano is no larger than a tall tree. Its lava flows open like that of a hearth, earning it its name. Even this close, the heat does not intensify, and rather, there’s a poignant sense of resonance, as if the strength of the body and the strength of the fire are attaining oneness.

E) The Final Fire Flower… Brace Yourselves, Guys…



This final fire flower may not have a name, unlike its tech counterpart, but its revelation packs no less heat, so to speak.

At the base of the volcano, there’s a dormant flower. As with the tech challenge, Otherworlders must perform something which can constitute Synthesis to awaken this flower. You know the drill: there's a bright Bios burst and the flower blossoms to life/flame.

Congratulations! You made it! Now, Otherworlders get the fun of entering a sort of alternate realm at the base of the Ember Hearth.

This state is Ignus Conflux, resonance with fire magic. The Hearth trembles, and Otherworlders will feel a surge of connection with fire magic, as well as possibly canon powers for those who have them.

PVP bonus: Proportionate [for each PC] amounts of canon power will be returned, so people who want a bit of sport may have it here, as this sequence is a bit outside of time, like a dream state. Un-powered PCs can tap into the fire magic via Bios. It’s like a simulation, but with magic.

F. Ignus Conflux: Magisterian Fire Magic Reveals

The successful completion of challenges and activities will also awaken two other beings. The first is none other than the spirit of the Ember Hearth itself. It appears as a volcanic figure.

The second, you learn, is an ancient hero, and this manifestation constitutes an apparition... sort of like a recording one has stumbled onto, a trace of ancient magic within this charmed location. It's as though Otherworlders were supposed to encounter these beings all along -- and maybe you were.

"We were there during the first war..."

The voice is that of the Ember Hearth, though it is difficult to say whether it is addressing the Otherworlders in particular.

"When they came from beyond the stars. And the second war ... █ █ █ █ █

... even I, with the Authorities of a minor God -- even I cannot say that name. It still must not be spoken in Magisteria...

... when the stars trembled and began to wink out of existence, when the End approached and all felt the fear...

I was there... we were there. I, the spirit of the Ember Hearth, and Caelum Ignis, hero of the Age of Embers.

What do you ask of us?"

Comments

General Questions

[magisteriamods]

Any questions re: the event.

[emet_sulk]

Just to double-check, characters going the magic route will unlock basic abilities for all four standard elements, but seeking the Greater Runes for water/fire will boost those two specifically?

Questions for the NPCs!

[magisteriamods]

Those go here!

[emet_sulk]

Reposting my questions in the appropriate spot now :U

Emet-Selch would try to ask the spirits how this world treats spiritual matters. He has Soulsight so he can see all the Bios around already but he doesn't know if there's an Underworld/afterlife type thing going on or not.

And for the hero... Emet-Selch sure feels like this is familiar!!! He's going to carefully ask what happened.

[nohuggingclause]

For Rosalind: "Will the Cyberseed implantation allow the CTA/the Administrator access to our implants?" (yes it will say "implants" cause it is totally a human that just has implants don't ask any other questions thanks)

[lightduties]

Rhea'li is interested in what Malik Patel had mentioned about the well-being of the city being the well-being of the whole multiverse. Although Malik had said to find the answers, would he elaborate further if asked for further details about that? It sounds to him that this particular world influences others?

Also, Ava had mentioned the Infinity Corridors, so he'd ask what those are!

Additionally, this is more generally directed towards locals but what's the general vibe of the troubles/grumbles they have? Are they relatively content or are they willing to express dissatisfaction with the people in charge? Just the sorts of stuff that he'd be able to get the gist of, talking to people and helping them out, etc.

lucy kushinada | cyberpunk: edgerunners

[lunardreaming]

2b. harvesting challenge

Lucy had aced the navigation challenge. She would have done even better if she'd been able to control the Bursterfly with a neuro-implant, but the joystick had done an okay job. A couple of close scrapes here and there, but nothing she couldn't handle.

When asked to pick a path between magic and technology, Lucy's answer had been almost immediate. There'd been a second, a split second where she'd had a childish notion of magic and how cool it seemed, before she'd ruthlessly quashed that and picked the technology track. Honestly, she would prefer to do neither and simply stay a wallflower to observe, but it seems the otherworlders have no real choice. Lucy just had to hope that doing this would give her some kind of advantage -- access to tech, maybe, or access to places she couldn't get into otherwise.

With the navigation challenge done, they're guided to tables in the workshop, given an array of materials, and told to create a device that will harvest the energy of the creatures. The Bursterfly that Lucy was given is resting on the table next to her, its dark and copper metal shifting in the light as its wings gently fan open and closed.

First, she wants to build a device to measure the energy within, so she starts to work, wiring draped over her wrist, eyes narrowed in concentration.

Lucy can't help but glance across the table, curious about what the person opposite her is working on. "Got a Bios sensor in your pile of parts? Or do you think we have to build them from scratch?"

3b. vitalis bloom

The light pattern challenge had been a little harder, but... mostly because Lucy had just been wildly distracted by everything around them. She's from a city where tech is everything, but she's never seen anything like the Digital Flora Dome. Cybernetic flowers of all shapes and colors line the floor and walls, and when Lucy had reached out to touch some, they had felt soft and as hard as metal all at the same time, delicate and beautiful.

Though she's not thrilled about the idea of being implanted with Cyberseeds, Lucy does want her cyberware back online, so she reluctantly continues with the challenges. The Vitalis Bloom in the center of the dome is gorgeous, but... apparantly she needs with synch with someone.

Rosalind had emphasized cooperation. So, fine. She'll cooperate.

"Hey." She grabs the attention of a suitable looking candidate nearby. Despite the notion of cooperation, Lucy's looking (and feeling) pretty closed off, gaze shuttered, a tension at the corner of her mouth. But she wants what's at the end of the road here. "Want to work together? I've got no idea how this Syntheizing works, but between us, I bet we can figure it out."

3c. the neon nest

Lucy's still riding the high of burst of Bios and having her cyberware back online. She can see the Bios in herself, shining bright white-purple in her eyes and the EMP Threading at the joints of her shoulders and down her torso. She'd connected her neural cyberware to the net through the aXess Link, and information had immediately overflowed, the joyous sympony of chat pings and ads.

In the Neon Nest, she sifts through a plethora of channels, flicking from one broadcast to the next. The skull-faced entity captures her attention for a moment, but she doesn't think to assign any special meaning to the words -- rebels and hackers had been common in her world, and it hadn't been unusual for broadcasts to get interupted with masked people mumbling threats.

Symphony of Disruption. Back when she'd arrived, hadn't she overheard a conversation about a woman who could disrupt the city?

It's a thought worth noting down, at least.

But as soon as the audio stops, the cybernetic birds seem to fly into a panic, and Lucy has to duck as one comes barreling toward her, sharp feathers rustling her hair. She puts herself flat against the wall, and watches the birds, aware that her neuro-gear can sense them, now. That's new.

Just as a bird nearly collides with someone else, Lucy reaches out and grabs their shoulder and tugs them backward. "Can you feel them, too?" she asks, hurried. "The birds?"

3b. vitalis bloom

[lightduties]

The person Lucy's approached is a short man with feline-like ears and tail. Rhea'li had trouble with the previous challenges, struggling with what was considered to be basic tasks. His experience with technology has been rather... eclectic, magic being more his wheelhouse. But with determination (albeit erratic focus) and help from others, he at least made it to this set of challenges.

Upon Lucy's approach, a small smile curls at the corner of his mouth, the tip of his tail twitching. "Of course. The clue for Synthesis is cooperation, aye?" His bursterfly hovers by his shoulder. "Did you have any difficulty with the pollination patterns?"

THE TIME COMETH

[gilgamess]

It's not often that Gilgamesh could be said to be outside of his element, given how adaptable his sort are, and how he in particular really has been known to have a few ... incarnations.

Look, his summonings have had some variety. Gilgamesh was even made aware that, in one summoning, he did in fact enter the future and a digital world. But not this summoning -- and even if it were, he somehow gets the sense that this world is really nothing like any of the possibilities, even of his other summonings/incarnations.

Nothing makes one more acutely aware of being in a whole new world than these cybernetic flora/fauna.

"It would be rather strange if I did not, wouldn't it?"

Lucy's Bios is white-purple: Gilgamesh's is a pale signature of gold. Fitting... there were those, including himself, who said his own soul was golden. But some of those other hues were rather nice, too. He wonders if the magic or the technology (though what this world called technology certainly felt magical in its own way) of this world has the ability to change the hue depending on context. Would the colors shift with other implementations or abilities?

As for Gilgamesh... he had very nearly considered the magic path. Sure, mages were mangy. Wizards... one need only think of Merlin. Sorcerers? That Other Mongrel, the King of Mages or whatever. Just an insufferable bunch. Really, even this Caster identity of his was somewhat built around the trollish potential thereof. But even with all that, and his attitude on the mage society(ies) of latter centuries, magic was still the more familiar of the two options presented here. Technology of the sort presented here was seemingly rather alien to anything Gilgamesh had encountered. But if he had to make a choice, well, leave it to the King of Heroes to be something of a contrarion. Some of Gilgamesh's reasoning was admittedly that if his magecraft were to return organically, this path might be better for the bling aspect.

But, also... in his own way, he's open-minded. If there are treasures or adventures, then something can be worth pursuing.

"We should probably work towards getting them settled. Quite obnoxious -- "

Well, he waves his hand -- he outfitted the circuit to his gauntlet, and, tethering the Bios from his body to the Bursterfly, as well as with the tech affinity, he can now control its movements with a thought. The Bursterfly emits a soft hum. The goal, of course, is to help modulate the birds' song.

"Using a metal bug to placate a metal bird? Utter nonsense! I suppose I must approve of the absurdity in some respect, yet how is it that this is a training activity? Ahaha..."

Rhea'li Akhbala | Final Fantasy XIV

[lightduties]

2A: Basic Tech Challenge: Navigation
Although coaxing the unusual vilekin out from the pupa hadn't been too difficult, Rhea'li's struggles begin with the very first challenge. While he's long adapted to the loss of sight in his left eye in his day to day life, the hand-eye coordination needed to direct his bursterfly is proving to be a task more difficult than he anticipated. It is so easy to overshoot the distance he intends as he attempts to direct his bursterfly to evade the bursts of light and shadow, and his ability to gauge where the crystalline structures are in relation to each other is rather lacking.

He doesn't show frustration when he has to restart his bursterfly again and again (and again), but he does take a moment of observe others as he does so. If you've the inclination to give advice, he's all ears.

And if you're someone who's breezing through the challenge, he'll approach with his restarted bursterfly and joystick when you're taking a break from navigating your bursterfly. "This seems a rather simple task for you." A wry smile. "Do you have any advice? I'm having quite some difficulty..."

2B: Basic Tech Challenge: Harvesting
Circuit building is not something Rhea'li has any experience in, but he does have some experience with noting observations and adjusting patterns to influence outcomes. His table in the workshop has his spellbook at a safe distance from his materials, the sight of the familiar mathmatical arrays and arcane geometries helping him to draw inspiration and understanding of these circuits and how they affect the bursterfly energy levels.

He may have also stuck one of his bursterfly's wings into his mouth and bitten (lightly) on it at some point.

However, he's also the sort who struggles to sit still for long periods of time and studying has never been his strong point, even if his notes -- written in a battered journal -- are fairly detailed. So when he loses focus, he'll wander over to other Otherworlders and observe them building their circuits. If your attention is distracted from your work by his quiet arrival, he'll ask, "Everything alright? Would you like assistance?"

Other
If you happen to wandering near one of the rivers cutting through Magisteria, you may spot Rhea'li at the banks with a fishing rod made of a material and design he's unfamiliar with. There's fish in the river and he's determined to catch them.

Join him?

[ooc: Want to interact with Rhea'li but nothing here's grabbing you? Reach me at jesii or journal DM and we can work out something :) ]

hella tryin' to not 4th wall this but gil and rhea'li stare into the void a bit at this moment

[gilgamess]

Well, Rhea'li, you know the old saying: practice makes perfect. From observing Rhea'li's difficulties, Gilgamesh had begun to suspect the man had -- maybe? Something going on with his vision? It would explain a lot of what he was observing.

"Perhaps the point of this challenge is to identify your blind spots, that you may address them," Gilgamesh observes. Yanno. Sagely wisdom and all. "Could it be you need treatment for your eyesight? And, barring that, practice -- and, perhaps, what is it that those later generations do, hmm?"

He has to think about it. Gilgamesh is sure he remembers something about this even from Chaldea -- oh, yes. His other summoning, another Arturia, and even Ozymandias understood:

"I would also recommend playing video games. Excellent practice for controlling such an object."

Here fishy fishy :U

[emet_sulk]

Emet-Selch doesn't really set out with any particular purpose in mind, but how can he not wander by when he spots that familiar, washed-out hue? It's still strange to him that the shard and its original should somehow be in the same place but it's easier not to question it.

It looks like Rhea'li is fishing. A surprisingly tame past-time.

"Is the fish here even edible?" he asks. Not even a greeting. Wow.

/arrives hella late

[wasteland_101]

Angel looked up from her bursterfly and smiled at Rhea'li as he approached. She was having an easier time with the thing, but she came from a world with tech. Granted it wasn't as advanced as what was here, but still advanced.

"It takes some getting used to. We've got nothing like this back home, but I do pick up on tech pretty quickly," She said.

"Let's start slow. Just getting it up in the air and moving around a bit."

Emet-Selch | Final Fantasy XIV | open (will match format)

[emet_sulk]

1. Magic Challenge Tier 1

Activating the connection to Bios for him is, of course, ridiculously simple. Emet-Selch quickly moves on to the training room to accustom himself to this new type of magic and discern whether it will affect his usual spellcasting.

He has some simple targets set up a distance from him and practises firing off elemental bolts. Simple shots at first, then manipulated in increasingly complex ways. A few miss their targets but eventually he seems to get the hang of it and looks immensely satisfied. Those watching will notice he can already use all four elements equally rather than just the two that their guides will be focusing on.

Emet-Selch's fingers trace patterns in the air. Although it adds nothing, he continues it out of habit and guides a ball of ice as it zips back and forth through the space then slams into the target's bullseye.

2. Magic Challenge Tier 2 (Synthesis)

While Emet-Selch has had no trouble engaging with the tasks up until now, Synthesis...is more difficult.

He is already aware that it will require cooperation but he is not terribly good at making friends. He hangs back awkwardly from the rest of the group, almost like a schoolboy on a class trip, watching as everyone else pairs up.

This is ridiculous, he tells himself. It's not as though they have to do anything arduous or intimate. And yet he still hangs back, wracking his brain for something he can do with a partner that will satisfy the conditions for opening the flower.

3. Jelly-fishing

Later, he returns to the aquarium to spend some time with the native wildlife. There's something comforting about it. Perhaps it reminds him a little of Etheirys, before the Sundering.

The jellyfish caught his eye when they first arrived. He approaches one now, trying to catch it in a pocket of water to show Azem later. The creature glows a generic clear hue at first but steadily turns a more irate hue as Emet-Selch's capture attempts are frustrated.

"This would be a lot easier if I had my full magicks back," he grumbles as he stomps after the errant thing. An amusing image considering they're underwater.

4. Bear with me (thanks for the idea getting_better)

To make his fishing attempts harder, there's a bear which has taken a liking to Emet-Selch. It keeps taking the light orb he tosses to distract it and brings it back like a puppy playing fetch. While Emet-Selch isn't one for violence against mindless creatures, this particular one is testing his patience.

"Please leave me alone!" he says in exasperation, pushing at its face when it tries to rest its head on his own.

5. Wildcard

Need help with the magic trials? Emet-Selch can potentially be convinced to assist. Feel free to DM me or on his plotting comment if you have ideas for other scenarios as well.

4 - Bear with Emet-Selch (Glad to be of service)

[getting_better]

"Looks like he likes you, pal."

Now, here's a sight for him. A dark haired young man in an equally dark military-esque outfit, riding on the back of one of the bears, holding a sheathed katana like a fishing rod, and tied at the end and dangling infront of the bear like bait is a pouch of what looks to be biscuits. Explination might be needed, but perhaps Emet-Selch is smart enough to figure out what's happening here.

[nightmare_fuel]

Oh, was he -- throwing the bauble? Sakura had been under the impression that they were supposed to wave the bauble around and project the light onto surfaces to make the bears chase the light... in the other direction.

Though maybe the instructions could have been clearer for this particular activity, and even Sakura's own approximation is something of a guess, though it has worked well enough for her so far. But with throwing the bauble, this man seems to be essentially conditioning the Sea Bear, Pavlovian style. Though he also seems not to have noticed he has done/is doing this.

She definitely has to debate how best to get involved in something like this.

"Here, let me see if I can help."

She raises her own bauble, shaking it so the light moves, in an effort to get the Sea Bear's attention.

Honestly... she almost feels a little guilty, trying to separate them. Look how attached this animal is! And it is cute, after all!

Libra | Fire Emblem: Awakening

[monklookslikealady]

Meet the Magic NPCs

[Libra stands hear Lila and Lyra, listening to their short talk, much shorter than the Tech 'teachers'. He's interested by the butterflies that Lyra mentions, but he knows that doing things with magic was probably a better decision... as he already had background in some magic from Ylisse. But, as they said, this was a new place, and new magic, so who knows what he would be able to do here.

As he got up to walk towards the challenges, he hears one of them speaking about the lotuses, and pauses to look back.

I wonder who 'that woman' is...

Basic Magic Challenges: Runes

[Libra can be found wandering around the apartment complex looking for different things to correspond to the different runes presented to him for training. At the end, he's easily found near one of the water pools, practicing some of the basics with the water element.

Although he's easily distracted, and if your character gets splashed when coming by, he'll stop and look at them embarrassed.]

I apologize. As with many, this is new to me.

Bears, oh My

[Following the twins, Libra stood outside the aquarium for a while, just staring, as this was a concept he hadn't seen before. (Ylisse didn't have a thing for keeping marine animals as pets...yet.) After being sent in, he heads a direction to explore, dealing with the weird feeling of being fully under water, but not wet at all. And, well, breathing.

At a certain point, he ends up swimming into the sea bear territory, having one of them come over and bump directly to him.]

Hey there... Can I get some space?

[ooc: or hit me up for a wildcard~ I'm open to anything~]

Basic Magic

[emet_sulk]

[ He heaves an irritable sigh as he wipes away his damp face and shakes the water from his hand. ]

Not a magic user, I take it?

Navia | Genshin Impact | New Character

[roseradieuse]

Meet the Tech NPCs

[Navia had arrived in the city just a little while ago, going through the introductions and finding her apartment, before heading towards the training area. She definitely sticks out in her current outfit, but also doesn't seem all that bothered by that fact.

She listens to the introductions then gets up, looking to someone nearby.

Come on! Let's go!

Challenges

[Navia may come from a world that's more 'steampunk' than 'cybertech', but she takes to the game-like controls like a champ. People can see her giggling as she guides the bursterfly around, sometimes successful and sometimes failing to avoid the obstacles in the way.

But you know, you can tell that she's having a lot of fun with this.

She's very easy to approach, so if anyone wants a partner for the Energy Challenge, she's all for working with people to achieve the goal.]

Light Pattern Challenge

[Entering the flora dome, Navia stops in front of some of the flowers that are giving off the different colors, her bursterfly sitting on her shoulder as if waiting command. She watches for a moment, using her finger to point out the pattern as it repeats, before activating the bursterfly and getting to work.]

This feels like an advanced memory game...

Neon Nest

[She stands in the Neon Nest, taking in all the audio and video patterns and attempting to sort them out in her brain as well as she could... Which... wasn't her forte, but she was definitely giving it a try.]

If they're trying to imitate an orchestra, they're not going it very well... [Said before she stomps a foot and points at one of the shadowy projections. You! How dare you come in and mess with something so wonderful!

[She was determined to figure out how to fix this now. She'd like to come back when it was fixed to see it when it was running correctly.]

Extra: Network

Hello everyone!

My name is Navia, and I've recently arrived here. Yes, I went through all the introductory things, and this contraption is interesting, we don't have them back at home.

So, you who've been here longer, tell me, what advice would you give someone like me who's brand new?

[ooc: Shannon here, TDMing this lass! Hit me up on plurk or discord if you want to plot a wildcard or something!]

Un; owl

[getting_better]

Hello, Navia. Stay away from the pond, more importantly, the fishes inside. Though those scaky bastards might not give you a choice if you already ignore the first bit.

Soundwave | Transformers IDW

[peacewithouttyranny]

1 - tier I magic challenge

[Being that Soundwave has zero experience in magic whatsoever, it's probably no surprise that he struggles on the very first challenge. He's out of his elements here, but, sooner or later, he'll get the gist of it. Right now, he's practicing the basic water element near a water fountain. Focusing should be easy, but being that he's in a public space... well, the noises distract him enough that the water ball he's forming explodes, splashing him and anyone else unfortunate enough to be close by.

If anyone happens to be close enough to get splashed, they'll get a glance from Soundwave and a quick apology.]

My apologies.

[And that's all, before he stares back down at the water pool, irritated behind the mask. Maybe he should find a.... less crowded place.]

2 - tier II magic challenge (flower synthesis)

[It took a while, but he eventually gets the basics down. But here comes the hardest task of all; Synthesis.

It wouldn't be difficult if he had his friends with him, but none of them are here. Not only does that face hurt him a little inside, he now has to find someone to cooperate with. Problem is that he doesn't know how to approach people.

So, while watching other people pairing up, Soundwave just hangs back awkwardly.]

3 - tier II magic challenge (sea bears)

[Floating and swimming in the seas, there's something comforting about it. When has being underwater ever been this comforting to him? He couldn't remember a time like it, but he'll take the opportunity to just relax for a bit.

Less comforting, however, are the Sea Bears. It isn't just one, but two Sea Bears have taken an interest in Soundwave, circling around him and bopping him at all sides.]

Stop it.

Wildcard

[Feel free to hit me up with anything, i'll roll with it. just as a note that Soundwave will be in his holoavatar for all the prompts.]

tier 1 magic

[nightmare_fuel]

[ what would be the etiquette in a situation such as this? Sakura finds herself wondering whether it might be seen as rude to volunteer assistance. also, would she be interrupting in the first place? but hmm. ]

It looks like you're making progress, at least.

[ best to approach on a positive note, perhaps? Sakura suspected this other person had little or maybe even no experience with magic, but that was fine: her own background, as a mage of the Tohsaka/Matou clans, was rather unorthodox unto itself. ]

Gilgamesh prompts

[gilgamess]

[ ooc: i'm splitting the prompts because i'm self-conscious about my teal deer and feel this is easier on the attention span. i'll let u know when done. ]

1/? Basic tech challenges!

[gilgamess]

[ whether to learn magic or advanced technology: initially, it was a rather difficult choice. in this summoning, Gilgamesh was a mage, so perhaps magic did seem the most natural of the two. however, Gilgamesh in this iteration was also a master who had commanded magical beings, Servants, of which he had two versions of his own.

Magisteria being a city-state of the distant future, and technology being associated with the path of the future, he would pursue this road, even if he was an entity from the ancient past. look, being an iconoclast was kind of literally his thing, ok, mongrels?

when push came to shove, the King of Heroes had no objection to innovation. innovation was what he admired in humanity, after all: humans were not stagnant, not like the gods, themselves tethered to pre-history. rather, humans were innovators, beings who took from him the reins and paved the way to the stars. even he -- well, maybe especially he -- could appreciate the audacity.

technology seemed a bit more of an audacious choice in this case. for him, that was likely sufficient reason. ]

One wonders at the purpose of such an activity...

[ well, that is just him musing aloud for this first Bursterfly obstacle course... scenario.

these basic technology challenges were, indeed, rather basic. maybe it's just that Gilgamesh has excellent eye/hand coordination skills already (but then, of course he would), but this whole remote controlling cyber-butterflies was kind of not his royal speed. a little too Disney princess, this aesthetic. ]

Perhaps it would be worth exploring what might be achieved if we equipped these creatures with weapons.

[ now that was more like it. good old-fashioned espionage, or maybe infiltration. spamming mass attacks -- now that was more like it. this was Gilgamesh's wheelhouse. and he's already thinking how to re-assemble those powers -- though, thus far at least, this does seem like the silliest possible iteration, even so.

some Servant powers have also begun returning, but he's still weaker than before, and this version of himself was already a little weaker in the first place. oh, well. time to be a hero of ingenuity and cleverness and innovation, right? if that's what Magisteria was all about, then of course Gilgamesh could easily re-invent himself! he's Gilgamesh, mongrels! so whatever!

feel free to come help him with the basic challenges. or be helped? or maybe just come praise him and hear him talk about his legend or whatever? as one does... ]

Azem | Final Fantasy XIV

[starshepard]

☉ SEA BEARS

[ Sure there's a task at hand, but the sea bears are so dang cute that Azem can't help but be distracted by them. Rather than try to get rid of them, Azem is playing with them. When they throw the orb they don't bother to move very far from their previous position and wait for one of the bears to return with the orb. It's become a fun game of catch for them and they might be here for a little while if someone doesn't prod them to get moving.

Or maybe they're blocking your path while playing with the sea bears. Either way, they should probably get a move on it but they're having fun. ]

☉ FRIENDLY PVP

[ With the return of some abilities Azem is excited to test their current limits. Anyone who looks like they might be a good challenge will be approached by Azem who is grinning broadly. ]

What say you to a friendly bout of sparring?

☉ WILDCARD

[ I'm down for whatever. Azem is the friendly sort that can be found just about anywhere. Trying new foods, shopping for (hideously colorful and patterned clothing), or just poking around and getting lost in the city. ]

wildcard

[emet_sulk]

[ Hades finds Azem playing with the sea bears later, after having gone through the trial ahead of them (naturally an easy pass for one such as him). Between his hands he has a large orb of water within which a jellyfish floats, gleaming a gentle, translucent white. ]

Azem, look what I found. This creature changes colour depending on the nearest person's mood.

Sakura prompts |🎀|🌸

[nightmare_fuel]

[ ooc: so as i said above wrt to Gilgamesh, i am going to do multiple tls just because it eases the pressure on me a little to write each prompt as a single comment! <3 ]

meet the magic npcs

[nightmare_fuel]

[ during the orientation for the magic training, Sakura listens carefully. idly, she finds herself wondering how old the twin fae girls are. their appearances suggest girls similar in age to herself, yet if they are truly faeries, magical beings, could it be that they are actually far older? Sakura Matou is still not quite certain what to make of everything. a new world, technology far beyond anything she has known in her world, and magic as an open part of life and society. the magic/tech division in Magisteria is not exactly foreign to her, given that there was a division in her own world, too, although not one so obviously... factional, as it were. mages in her world were an underground society, and technology was a part of life. here, they are both overwhelmingly dominant elements of society around which all else seems to be structured.

there's a lot to that, and she listens carefully as the fae girls describe the ideological differences which characterize their Institution. ]

Concern for the environment and industrial Bios...

[ she speaks the words softly, beneath her breath. once the orientation has concluded, Sakura can be found walking about the apartment complex grounds and looking highly contemplative as she ruminates upon all that she is hearing.

if only her senpai were here, or her sister -- they would be brilliant and heroic, but instead, fate or fortune or the universe has chosen to transplant Sakura here, in this world where it seems something will be expected of her. how strange, how ironic. born a mage into a family of mages, and yet she was never formally taught, was she? there's a dark bitterness in the pit of her stomach which she suppresses as she thinks of herself being taught magic formally, albeit magic of such a different variety than that which she has known all her life. (but has she truly known it? did her impossibly talented sister not criticize her for not even recognizing the legacy of the great Zelretch? Rin would not struggle with these magical challenges, no...)

for her mentors to be girls who appear no older than herself, no pain nor suffering nor creatures penetrating into her body: and yet, perhaps she is starting over, a new beginning. perhaps she must necessarily see it this way, and accept as such. she must live up to the standards of her sister and her senpai. she must. ]

Ah -- but what about the technology is hurting the planet? This world seems full of beauty, energy, life...

[ she needs to grasp the situation, gain an understanding of it. that's what her sister would do, were she here. Sakura doesn't think of it as her strong point, but anyone who encounters her will find her willing to talk about all that's on her mind since the orientation as she readies herself to begin the rune challenges -- a mage reborn. ]

Miyamoto Musashi (Berserker) | Fate/Samurai Remnant

[floweroftheapex]

Enter the Ember Hearth

Musashi stands in front of the entrance to the firey labryinth, grinning in anticipation. The bit of peace and quiet after arrival was fine, but she was starting to get itchy for something really good to sink her teeth into. And despite the fae blessing turning the heat into a pleasant summer day, it's still enough to get her blood pumping hot. She draws her swords in anticipation.

"Now this is more like it! Come on, let's see what's in there!" And heedless of you or any potential danger, she charges in ahead.

Fire Flowers

Despite her initial excitement, once she reaches the fire flowers, Musashi hits a bit of a wall; trying to guide the runes using her magic is proving more problematic than she'd thought it would be, mostly because it's tedious, delicate work, of a kind she finds difficult to keep her patience for. One of the few disadvantages of being a Berserker. Despite her efforts, her concentration begins to wane, and her magic quickly fizzles out, failing to harmonize. She pouts in annoyance.

"Ahhhhhh, I'm sorry! I'm trying, but I can't concentrate on something like this. Are we sure there's not another path forward?"

The Final Flower

Fortunately, and with some help, Musashi is able to persevere and make it to the end of the Hearth. As she approaches the final flower and the base of the volcano, Musashi begins to feel a familiar surge of power growing within her.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starting to feel my mojo coming back." She turns to her partner, hands falling to the swords at her hips. "They said we need to do something really spectacular to get this to work, so...know what I'm thinking?" To emphasize this, she draws her katanas. "Come on, you don't really wanna miss the opportunity to fight in a place like this, do ya?"

and a tag for moosashi

[casull]

Alucard draws his twin pistols in a parallel with Musashi's swords. This certainly had the potential of becoming entertaining. He, too, is feeling the return of some powers. It may be that they manifest differently within this world, but either way, he's eager to test it out.

"If fighting is all we need to do to accomplish 'Synthesis,' then I won't have a very hard time of it."

Generally, he was one to await the orders of his Master, Integra, but in this new world, the general sense of agreement between them was to do what each saw best and to continue to attain information on the world itself, and it would seem this path at least led down a road through flame and battle, which was perfectly fine by him. One might even say it was nostalgic -- and he had faced far more dire flames than these; more like, a city, ablaze.

"Well, shall we do something really spectacular?" Her words, after all. But that has a nice ring to it. "I want to see just what powers this 'Greater Rune' supposedly has."

They had even called it a heart, which rather excited him. A heart, eh? Then naturally, Alucard should be the one to take it.

Murderbot | The Murderbot Diaries

[nohuggingclause]

[Tech Challenge 1]

When SecUnit sees the Bursterfly cocoons, it thinks, Well, fuck. Things it's good at: tech. Things it's not good at: fauna (unless it's killing the fauna to protect its clients, maybe). It was kind of hoping for less insects when they'd been invited up to the Terrace.

At least the controllers prove fairly easy to work with, even if it feels kind of archaic to SecUnit to be controlling a little flying thing with its hands. Speaking of which, it's surreptitiously allowed a drone to fly out from its pockets, so if you see a tiny cube with a camera lens in it following your Bursterfly around, no you didn't. With all the other flying things in the room, SecUnit is hoping no one will notice what it's doing, or at least not worry about it.

Other things that feel archaic: having to type out its observations on its aXess Link device. Over the past week or so, it's practiced enough with it to be extremely fast – but it makes sure not to be too fast, not faster than a human might be able to type. Because until it figures out what the hell is going on in this city, it's going to pretend to be (an augmented) human.

Anyway, those who are working with SecUnit will find a comprehensive and accurate list of notes on the Bursterflies appear very quickly on their devices. One of it's functions is analyzing data, so you're welcome, everyone.

[Tech Challenge 2]

Threat assessment ratchets up when they step into the dome. (It was already ratcheting up when Rosalind started talking about flesh and bone and chopping up and burning humans and shit, so it's now at a comfortable “everything sucks” level.) It's all the flora, so much that it feels like the air itself is different, SecUnit realizes. It reminds it too much of dangerous contracts it's been on. Dense flora means less visibility, more things for stupid human clients to want to stop and look at, and higher concentrations of client-eating fauna. It glances around at their small group, and tries to remind itself that none of them are its clients, and therefore it really shouldn't care about their well-being.

The first blooms are...annoying, but doable, once it analyzes the tells and potential sequences of pollination that's required.

Then it has to stop and interrogate Rosalind about the 'Cyberseeds'. There's no way it's risking putting some strange code-magic-plant-thing into its systems...right? That would be incredibly stupid, right? Even when she confirms that the government totally won't be monitoring them? (It trusts any government a lot less far than it can throw them, that's for sure.)

But what other choice does it have? The lack of direct access to the network here makes it feel more alone than it's ever been, in a horrible way, like it's blind and deaf in a hostile location. The inert status of its inbuilt energy weapons manifests as some sort of awful mental itch, accompanied by a repeated warning from its diagnostics that it can temporarily mute but that always comes back. It has to take this risk, even though it is incredibly stupid.

At least she gives it time to examine the code before applying it. It finds a spot to sit and combs through it, then starts at the top and combs through it again. And again. And again.

SecUnit still has some trouble controlling it's facial muscles, so although it doesn't mean to, it's looking intensely uncomfortable, huddled in a chair off to the side.

[gilgamess]

Gilgamesh was not a mind reader (though he was, at least in his world, a clairvoyant... sometimes...), but he could tell by the expression on this individual's face that it* was struggling with the environment.

He did notice this person before. It was intensely involved in the technology challenges, including that more long term focused one. A very diligent and meticulous worker, though perhaps someone should have pointed out to it that the device accepted telepathic communication. Although perhaps it preferred to type?

"I never knew a flower seller could have such a mercenary attitude."

Were we at all certain these people were actually the good guys? She did not exactly have a demeanor which put one at ease. And this was not exactly some little floral shop, but rather a digital hot bed of bizarre technology alongside/comprised of flora. The seams of the biological and the technological blurred at the edges.

___
(*Gil would probably perceive it as a human dude, but narrative uses its pronouns)