Event Log: Bad End

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for the Bad End event
Where: All over the city!
When: August 23rd-September 5th
Warnings: Bad futures, awkward conversations, smashed mirrors

You wake up to find a mirror at your bedside - a pretty nice one, too, a silver hand mirror perfect for fixing your hair in. Only when you try to do that, it's not your gorgeous reflection that you see. It's something else - a terrible future, just about as bad as anything you could imagine for yourself.

Maybe you see your loved ones dead on the ground, and you know it's your fault. Maybe you see the goal you've been working so hard for pulled out of your reach forever. Maybe you see someone you've hurt in the past ruining your life. Maybe you see your hot girlfriend leaving you to shack up with your worst enemy. Whatever you see, it really sucks, and you know that it's possible. This future could happen if you make the wrong choices, give in to your worst impulses.

Break the mirror if you want, but you'll see the same vision in any reflective surface in the city. You can't break them all, but you can sure try. And what will you do when you see your best friend's vision - and it features you betraying them?

Seek reassurance, give reassurance, lash out, vow to yourself that you'll never let it turn out that way, sink into the depths of sorrow because you feel like the future you see is inevitable. Whatever you do, it won't take away those visions - not until the event is over.

► This log covers August 23rd-September 5th.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you can't handle the idea of your dark future, or maybe you just accidentally slip and fall on a mirror shard, let us know here.

Comments

lup | open

[restinglichface]

[Fuck. This. Place.

Lup is looking tense when she finally tears out of her apartment a day after the mirror appeared at her bedside. Her hair is messily falling out of it's long braid and leaving Taako's side stresses her out more than ever before, but she's just felt so trapped sitting inside. She needs to stretch her legs, to get rid of some of the energy building up inside of her before she just bursts.

Her worst future is, naturally, the actual future that she's been told awaits her. Disappearing completely from the world without a trace for over a decade, having all of her loved one's memories of her completely wiped. Whatever happened to her--even her own brother doesn't know, his memories of her having only just resurfaced--Lup's basically just a ghost. She's gone and forgotten, which means her reflection is just nonexistent.]

Hey! [she finally explodes, lashing out at the first person to pass by her who doesn't look her way. She needs to be seen.] I'm fucking here, asshole! Don't act like you can't see me!

[requiemshark]

[Given how crazy everyone's been acting lately, Ephemera expects to see ghosts in the glass of store windows, in the bathroom mirror - something. It's supposed to be hell everyone's seeing, so he steels himself to confront the past: CT dying alone in the desert, his squadmates falling to Freelancer bullets, the thing that happened and ripped human language away from the twins. All the shit that's come and gone and he's survived when everyone he cares for has died.

Except there's nothing. He doesn't find a mirror next to him when he wakes up, doesn't have to chase shadows out of the shop windows. The glass is just glass.

Weird.

He tenses when he passes Lup, but doesn't reach for his pistol.]

What the fuck.

[He's in armor and that lets him do a quick scan of her with his HUD: no obvious injuries.]

Are you high?

[restinglichface]

[Okay, so yelling at the obviously armored dude had not been one of Lup's proudest moment in Hadriel, but the paranoia of having been forgotten was suffocating, each reflection a reminder of her erasure back in her brother's timeline. She'd promised Taako she'd never leave his side again, that nothing could possibly get between the twins this time around, but could she really keep that promise if her memory was erased from this world too?

Lup hasn't actually seen Ephemera in all of his gear before, so at his response, her eyes narrow as she squares her shoulders, like she's going all into this completely unnecessary fight.] Not as high as you're going to be-- [Again, not her best, but cut the girl a break.

But before fire engulfs her hands, the recognition of his voice hits, Lup's glare turning to a wide-eyed look of surprise instead.] Wait, shit. Ephemera?

[requiemshark]

[And of course she doesn't recognize him, not with his voice distorted by the helmet and the rest of him covered in armor. Ephemera murmurs a curse under his breath and takes his helmet off, tucking it under his arm. It's too easy to forget that people don't do that here, walk around in full armor all the time.]

Yeah.

[And she was going to start a fight with a complete stranger in full armor.

Well, that's not good.]

The fuck is wrong with you?

[einselective]

[Look, the only reasonable thing anyone can do is try to not look at anything reflective and keep their head down, in Marian's opinion. Of course it's another parasite ploy. Of course it is. Has to be.

So her eyes dart only cautiously up from the street at Lup's yell, keeping her eyes well away from her own reflection in the nearby store window: a blackened, frozen over skeleton in a dark wasteland of broken buildings and fractured mountains, ice and snow.]

I can see you just fine. I didn't realize I was expected to exchange pleasantries with every random yahoo I ran into during one of the parasites' despicable emotional manipulations!

[restinglichface]

[If only she had that sense, to beat down her natural curiosity and just do whatever she could to keep from taking peeks at every reflective surface she comes across. But for Lup, who's just as inherently vain as her twin, it's such a natural thing to turn towards every mirror she passes by, every shop glass front just to catch sight of herself. But now she's just gone, disappeared completely, like a ghost. Like someone who never existed in the first place.

She huffs at being told off like that, even if that's precisely the validation that Lup had been after.] Yeah, well... [she grumbles something, under her breath that absolutely can't be heard. So maybe her outburst had been just slightly inappropriate.] Still kinda rude....

[einselective]

[While Marian herself has no problem at all doing her best to avoid her reflection, she hasn't quite got hold of the nagging urge to look at someone else's. But unfortunately she doesn't quite interpret it the same way, snorting and turning her eyes away before she catches sight of her own miserable fate.]

I certainly don't have any issues with derisive remarks towards someone who seems to have escaped the parasites' malicious intent this time around. Which one of them did you end up talking to, to get out of this one?

[armcollector]

[Magnus has taken an interesting approach to dealing with the horrors his reflection has to offer. His thought, and it's not the worst thought he's ever had, is that if the reflection doesn't recognize him, it won't be able to figure out who he is soon enough to start showing him all his friends being dead because he couldn't protect them or whatever bullshit the gods are using to mess with his head this time.

He's realized very quickly, as he peers into the reflective glass window of a building, that his reflection wastes no time trying to see through the various scarves, several sunglasses, and comical pile of hats he's covered himself with. He's covered head to toe in what he hopes will help him hide from the magic of the gods, but it just doesn't work like that, hon.

And that's when he realizes, distantly, that the familiar yelling he's hearing isn't coming from the reflection in front of him. He finally snaps out of his trance, recoiling away from the window, and turns to see... Lup? She seems very angry.]

Uh...

[His voice comes muffled, through all the scarves.]

Hey, okay, okay, I'm looking. What am I looking at exactly? Wait, I got it.

[He snaps, and it makes no sound at all because he's wearing gloves.]

You cut your hair.

[restinglichface]

[Even if Magnus is the only man she knows of his distinct size and stature, draped in all of the layers that he was, it's no surprise that even she doesn't recognize him at first. Lup's attention is so much more focused on having all eyes on her than paying attention to just who she was harassing out on the streets.

Before the recognition hits, the elf's irritation drops at the strange sight lumbering around in front of her. Like a walking, talking wardrobe magic'd into sentience. She opens her mouth as Magnus addresses her, like she's about to scream at him again, but she looks so utterly dumbfounded that her mouth just gapes uselessly for a few extra seconds before closing again.

Magnus rushing in saves the day again.

Muffled as his speech was, the connection hits and Lup immediately closes the distance between them, peering up through the various sunglasses on his face to catch sight of the man beneath the layers. At the mention of her hair, she idly reaches out to touch the braid swung over her shoulder.]

Oh, uh, no. Was kind of thinking of it, but I dunno, we'll see--Hey. [Her eyes narrow accusingly.] Most of those scarves look awfully familiar. Some of those hats too, buddy.

[armcollector]

Uhhh.

[Caught red-handed, he has to dig beneath all the hats to scratch at his head.]

Yyyyyeah, I might have. Dug some of these out of your room. I thought they were Taako's, honest.

[It wouldn't be the first time Magnus stole some of Taako's clothes, though last time was definitely just a bit he was doing for the Midsummer Solstice. This is less of a bit and more of a... well, no, I think this still qualifies as a bit, actually.]

[sciencelizard]

[She hates events like this. She hates imagining things that aren't there, she hates things appearing from her nightmares, because she lives them already when she sleeps. Seeing the Amalgamates that she left behind to rot going to dust from hunger and neglect, the Underground dusty, everyone she loves being taken from her. Isn't that just reality? Isn't that just her fate, no matter what?

She's not showing up in mirrors anymore, either. But she doesn't know how similar the two are yet. Regardless, she outright shrieks when Lup yells, instantly folding in on herself before she realizes who it is- not that it's going to make her more bold.]

I-- s-sorry, I, uh. I wasn't paying attention.

[A quick pause, while Alphys surveys who's actually talking to her, and what she looks like.]

Are you okay?

[restinglichface]

[It's the first time in a long time that Lup's exploded at someone and instantly regretted it, that rushing surge of anger dissolving into guilt without pause. Even snapping at Magnus hadn't left the woman feeling too bad. But she also knew that Magnus could shrug it off like nothing. Alphys though? She always looks like one small scare was going to knock her over for good.]

Sorry, sis. [And she is, her mouth tugging into a tired frown. It's been a day.] That was shitty of me. You alright?

[sciencelizard]

[Well, seeing as monsters' lives are incredibly dependent on their emotional state, you're not entirely wrong. Even though Alphys is, thankfully, a little tougher than one spike of fear is going to take down.]

I'm, uhm, I'm f-fine, just... you know. Tense, with everything.

[She remembers she met Lup not an incredible amount of time ago; she was new then. This might be her first encounter with this particular brand of God fuckery. Tranquility's illusion last month was ultimately harmless, despite the week and a half of lost time, and she'd go back there forever if it meant not dealing with ghosts of her loved ones that needed to be murdered, or evil doubles that caused her first death here.

She has an opportunity, she realizes. To speak from experience, bring some comfort, maybe just help someone who's gone of their way to help her before.]

I'm guessing, uh, the event hasn't been great f-for you...?

I'M HERE AT LAST GIRLFRIENDS TIME

[storyseeker]

[Elena's mostly out and about because staying inside and hiding from reflections feels like failure, and the walls of their apartment grow stifling over time, even if Nate's inside them to constantly reassure her that he's still breathing. She can't give in to whatever force is trying to trick them about the worst coming.

When she spots Lup up ahead, she's not glad to see the other woman lashing out, exactly, but it certainly does take her out of her head. Elena rushes forward, reaching out to touch Lup's shoulder and distract her from the likely-blameless person she's yelling at.]

Lup! Lup, we can see you, it's all right/

HOLD ME

[restinglichface]

[While the poor soul Lup's outburst had been directed at scurries away, the elf reacts with a start at Elena's hand falling onto her shoulder, jumping like she's been shocked. Her attention swivels down to the hand touching her, heavy and real on her shoulder, before lifting her gaze to meet the other woman's.]

Elena? You...[She exhales, relief blossoming across her expression at the sight of someone she knows standing there.] I didn't think anyone could see me.

[It never occurred to her that the rest of the city was just as busy as she was trying to hide from their reflections, their heads down, trying to keep from sneaking peeks at their own worst fears.]

HOLDS TENDERLY jesus christ self learn to type a period

[storyseeker]

I can see you just fine.

[Having first met Lup in a hot spring, Elena doesn't know how touchy the other woman might or might not be in general, but she keeps her hand on her shoulder. She has a feeling Lup will benefit from the contact.]

Glancing off to the side, she spots a non-smashed pane of glass in one of the shop fronts, and quickly looks away before Nate's body makes an appearance once again. Ah.]

Is that what you're seeing in reflections? That no one can see you?

Re: lup | open

[knifecollecting]

[Jo freezes when Lup yells at her, turning quickly to face the elf.]

I- Of course you're here?

[restinglichface]

[They'd only met the once, on the hectic day of Lup's arrival, so it takes the elf a moment to recognize just who the woman she's snapped at is.

Still, she huffs, feeling defensive, even if her worst fear has momentarily subsided.] Just...Just making sure. That's all.

[knifecollecting]

It's the mirror, isn't it? [They may not know each other well, but Jo figures she can at least ask that much.]

[scholiast]

(It's the first time the gods have ever messed with her. Lucretia's reflection in the innocuous looking little mirror left on her bedside table had startled her so badly she had dropped it on the ground and it had shattered into pieces at her feet. She'd cut herself fairly deep trying to get it all off the floor, and had to wrap her hand up in a piece of cloth for lack of bandages. It's why she'd ventured out at all, really: to see if she could find needle and thread, perhaps give herself some make-shift stitches.

If only she didn't have to see her future reflected in every building or store window along the way. Every time she raises her eyes she catches sight of herself in the glass: old, so much older, clutching a long, white staff. Her age hadn't bothered her: it's the distress in her eyes, coupled with the reflection of her worst future. Lucretia keeps her eyes trained on her feet, and then she very nearly walks into somebody, and Lup's voice is suddenly in her ears, making her head shoot up.)

Sorry– Lup? (Lucretia reaches out automatically to her, one hand on her arm. She sounds confused, tired. Why is she yelling? She gives Lup's arm a little shake.) Hey, I can see you. It's okay– you're okay.

[restinglichface]

Lu--[Lup recognizes the woman's voice before she actually focuses down at the figure standing in front of her. The soft pressure of Lucretia's hand on her arm drags Lup back to her senses, grounding her, her own hand automatically moving to the other woman's shoulder to steady herself.] Shit, I didn't even... I don't know how I didn't see it was you.

[She takes a second to reorient herself, purposely turning her back away from the nearest shop front, it's glass still intact, creating too big a reflective surface to reflect back their futures.] Okay, that one was definitely on me. I'll take the blame for that. My bad, man. [Her gaze drifts down just enough to catch Lucretia's wrapped hand.] Uh, are you starting a new trend or looking for our cleric? Cause both are terrible ideas.

[survivorsguilt]

[Ellie flinches, and then immediately bristles once she's collected herself. Her hand has landed reflexively on the knife in her pocket, and it takes some effort to pull away from it. She likes Lup, their cave adventure was fucking cool, but this is decidedly not.]

What the fuck!! You wanna run that bullshit by me one more time? I wasn't acting like anything!

[She's all spikes on the outside, but it isn't hard to see that it's because she's scared.]

[restinglichface]

[Lup does not want to be known as the crazy elf screaming at cave children, okay.

Still, she visibly reacts at the force of Ellie's snarl, brows flying up in surprise and the bubbling anger within her disintegrating in an instant. Not for the first time, Lup definitely sees a lot of herself in this kid. She'd always been the one protecting her brother, standing up to adults who picked on the young elves, all flame and snarls. It isn't hard to imagine that Ellie must have had a fairly shitty upbringing too.

Lup raises a hand in surrender, not intending to get into a fight with a five year old.] Chill, El. Last thing I want is Angel Knives coming for me. I didn't mean... I just-. Sorry, kid.

[evocation]

[For once in Kyna's life, she's walking with her head down, hands shoved deep into the pockets of her jacket. She's never realized how much glass is in a city until she started trying to avoid it, but she can't hole away in her apartment forever. It's because she's so determined not to catch her reflection in anything that she doesn't spot Lup, and Kyna flinches away from her, the shock plain on her face.]

What the fuck, Lup. You scared the shit out of me.

[restinglichface]

[Today is just not Lup's day. She's been lashing out at anyone who walks by since leaving her apartment. Maybe she should have just stayed in until this whole thing blew over.]

Shit, sorry. And for once, I really mean it. Def did not mean to throw that aggro on you, Kyna. [Lup has never exactly been the poster child for good apologies, but she really does mean it. Of all the people to snap at, she didn't mean to piss off or scare her friends.]