⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 2

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone, anywhere in Portland.
When: October 7st - 14th, 2017
Where: Portland area, in the new reality.
What: The week begins as the time of the Animal Fair finally arrives! Meanwhile, the truth of this reality starts to be revealed, and forces both human and celestial alike attempt to take advantage of a rare opportunity.
Warnings: Individually marked!

BY ANY OTHER NAME↴ Tensions thicken as various supernaturally forces react to the events of the previous week. Something critical is afoot, and it's only a matter of time before things start coming to a head. It's time to find out more about what's happened to this world, and what will happen in its future. ► A NIGHT AT THE FAIR: From the night of the 7th to the morning of the 8th, the Animal Fair is officially in town. There is a top level down below with more information, though you can also RP content from this elsewhere if you wish. The host, who is very likely something called a Wyld Fae (if you discovered that ICly), will be present, but they will only be appearing to you of their own accord and attempting to track them down by force will be ineffective. Just kick back and relax! Fairs are supposed to be fun. ► THORNS IN YOUR SIDE: Culminating in a full fledged attack against the Sanctuary, it would seem that The Rose Queen is declaring war on the changeling population of Portland. Though the vicious attack of thorns against the safe house was eventually stopped, it wasn't without damage, and the black roses that caused it are still popping up around the city and threatening the places where homeless and lost changelings would be likely to congregate. It's obvious now that this is a serious threat - will it ever stop without an intervention? ► HELL ON EARTH: As Anath's march draws near, the first waves of her demons will be entering the city. Primarily acting as scouts and foot soldiers, these demons will be attempting to secure loyalty from the local demon populace, as well as taking out any angels they can manage to catch. It's a level of aggressiveness against heaven's forces that hasn't been seen for years, and it's a foreboding hint of things to come. These demons can be NPCed by anyone, and will mostly be thugs or manipulators who don't know much about Anath's plans but do know that you need to join their side. They are also rowdier than most of the demons in Portland, and are a threat to the innocent mortal populace as well, if they decide to try to get their kicks here. ► THE WIZARD POLICE: The Enlightenment Council seems to have demanded control of the local Circle chapter, and now backup has arrived. These mages are being sent out into the city as if they are a police force, and will be attempting to demand control of various common supernatural areas, as well as questioning community members that they run into. Whatever is going on, it seems to have resulted in the Council instituting what is essentially martial law... of course, not everyone sees any need to heed their demands. If you are a demon, warlock, or other rogue element, expect to be harassed or even attacked by them. These character can be NPCed, and if you need additional information you can ask the mods.

Comments

Open to literally anyone Sora has CR with

[destiny_key]

More and more of those strange memories have been rushing into Sora's head over the past week, to the point that he was out of commission for nearly three days. By the time it was over, the memories almost seemed more real than his actual life, and they're blending together in a way that makes it seem like they're both real. It's getting hard to distinguish which ones belong to which life.

However, if one thing is clear, it's that they're connected somehow. The locations he's seen are varied and different, but it's the people that are the same. Joker was in his memories, as was Sean, and he even remembers Tamaki being there once. If they were there, who's to say other people from the city won't be?

So, the first weekend he's able, Sora sets out into the city by himself, with a list of people that he's put together from vague flashes of conversation and visions.

girl with red hair
girl with face tattoos, likes to sew
guy with red spikey hair, might be on fire (maybe called Lea?)
guy with silver hair, maybe knew when i was little?
very tall sparkly lady
guy with multicolored horns (name starts with a P i think)
muscly guy
guy who looks like a snake, punches good
dad-looking guy in a hawaiian shirt

He has no idea how good of an idea it is, or if it would even work in a city as big as Portland, but he wants to try. If it doesn't work, he can ask Joker later. For now, he'll try all the populated areas he can think of, and maybe some of the less populated ones too.

[kingsroads]

Strange is also out in the city, out and about, looking for people: though he's specifically trying to look for any angels and demons. He's got questions to ask about the Severing and anybody who was potentially around when it happened is his first choice. So he's also looking through populated areas, having cast a spell of revelation to pierce through the glamour any angels or demons might put up in the first place.

Needless to say, he's striking out pretty badly. Most notably, this is like the third time he's spotted Sora out of the corner of his eye in various populated areas that they've both been going to. It's getting a little bit ridiculous. He's got no idea why he's doing this (this isn't his problem!) but Strange finds himself walking up to Sora as he asks,

"Looking for something?"

[destiny_key]

Sora, who'd been studying his list for the umpteenth time, looks up and whirls around at the voice. The man looks vaguely familiar, but Sora's not sure from where. Was he from his memories too? Or had he just seen him around the city? He doesn't think this guy is an angel or anything...

"Um, yeah," Sora answers, grinning sweetly. "I'm looking for someone. A couple of someones, actually. Have you seen anyone who matches these?"

He shoves his list at the man. Honestly, he's well aware that the list is kind of vague, but it's all he's got.

[kingsroads]

Strange frowns as he looks over the list. Honestly, some of these could be anybody (muscly guy, might want to be a bit more specific there Sora), but a few of the names catch his eye. Tall, sparkly lady? Girl with face tattoos? Guy with horns? Why are those so familiar sounding?

"Does the guy with horns have horns like this?" And, in a moment of straight up forgetting his dignity, Strange holds his hands up to the side of his head, using his fingers to mimic the direction Psi's horns grow.

[destiny_key]

Sora's eyes light up, and he starts to get excited. Was he finally onto a lead?

"Yeah! And the horns are candy-corn colored? I think he might be a demon but I dunno," he babbles. "Do you know him?"

[kingsroads]

Now that's a question. Did he know him? Obviously he didn't, why would Strange willingly associate with demons? And yet...obviously he knew him enough that he knew how the horns went. He's trying to repress this memory nonsense, he doesn't need any more of this bullshit to throw him off!

"I don't know," he answers, with a frown. "I don't see why I would. It's probably just some anime character or something like that we're both thinking of."

In the tried and true tradition of uncool adults everywhere, Strange terribly mangles the pronunciation of 'anime.' But then he backtracks a little as he listens to Sora's babbling.

"Wait, a demon?"

[whattaprick]

There are actually a fair amount of muscly guys in Portland, as it turns out -- it is, after all, a city that actively encourages alternative transport -- but only one of them has his face scarred like Sora might recall from his dreams. Perhaps, surprisingly, he'll find said face a lot closer to him than he realizes: more specifically, it's in the university library.

Scowling at him from between the book stacks, as he blocks the exit from a particular set of shelves.

Lambert's patience never was the best even in easier times, and it's even shorter now. It's what keeps his tone clipped and short as he looks at the student lingering in his way, frowning. "Can I help you find something?"

[destiny_key]

Well, if he were expecting to find someone from his list today, the library wasn't really the place he was thinking of. Sora only came here to use the computers, since he doesn't have his own. Who knew that he'd get approached by the scarred, muscly man from his memory?

Too bad he doesn't look too happy to see him. Sora swallows and hopes this won't end with him getting punched.

"Um, well..." Sora pauses. How do you even explain this sort of thing? He's never been good at that.

"Um, you... wouldn't, uh, happen to know me, would you?"

[whattaprick]

That gets a slow, confused blink from the man, and a suspicious scowl.

"I've seen you around the library." Beat. "Did someone put you up to this?" A prank is, after all, the only reasonable explanation here. He's even checking behind Sora to see if there are any other snickering students around the bookshelves.

[destiny_key]

"N-no! It's just, I saw, you, and I wondered..."

How does one approach a guy and just say, hey I saw you in this weird memory-vision I had last week? He's gotten picked on in the past for this kind of thing, and he's not keen to repeat the experience. Suddenly, Sora feel very nervous, and wonders if this whole thing was a bad idea.

"Um, sorry, nevermind," Sora backpedals quickly, moving away. "It's nothing."

[whattaprick]

Lambert frowns at that, the dismissal only making him more curious, though it only makes his frown deepen, which probably isn't helping Sora's nerves at all. Of course he wants to understand what's going on.

"Hold on," he snaps, stepping forward. "What's this about? Wondered what?" Looming intimidatingly with book in hand, he's not exactly at his most approachable here.

heeeeeeey ten years late with starbucks

[pipers_son]

As Sora ventures through the city, Joker tries to keep track of him as often as he can, but that gets harder as the days go by. Demons are practically everywhere; it's a god damn horror show, literally. Yet he's only one guardian angel trying to clear a city, an act which is wearing him ragged. That, he thinks, must be why he's getting strange little- visions, daydreams, whatever. Who knows, maybe Sora's strange visions are somehow infectious. Joker just does his best to try and not think of them as he does his best to keep his charge safe.

Still.... How exhausted he is shows a little as he lands behind Sora while the boy is on his search, leaning over to look at his list. "How's it goin'?" he asks, trying to keep the lack of energy away from his voice if nothing else. "Find any of these mystery folks yet?"

you're telling me lmao

[destiny_key]

Sora turns around when Joker lands, but it's pretty obvious who it is behind him; he's known Joker his whole life, and he knows the sounds of wings by heart. He grins and holds up the list.

"Not yet. But I'm still just getting started."

He moves slightly closer to Joker, intending to hug him, but pulls away fairly quickly, frowning. Joker looks... pale. Paler than usual. Sora watches him for a moment, studying the angel.

"Hey, are... are you okay?"

[pipers_son]

Just getting started, huh? Well, he hopes they get somewhere soon. Still, he opens his arms for the hug he knows is coming, and is pretty off balance when it doesn't come. Blinking a couple of times, it takes him a second to realize what's wrong.

"Ha..." Sheepishly, he rubs the back of his head. "Do I look that bad?"

[destiny_key]

"You look like you're gonna keel over," Sora answers. He might sound lighthearted, but honestly Joker really does look ill. He frowns. "What've you been doing?"

In fact, Sora can't remember Joker ever looking so run-down, and it's a little frightening. He knows there's some funny stuff going on around town, but what, had the angel been trying to take care of it all by himself?

[pipers_son]

"Just... runnin' around, ya could say." He grimaces, because he knows it's not much of an explanation or an excuse. "There's way too much goin' on in this town, and that's sayin' somethin' considerin' how it usually is." A place regularly populated by angels, changelings, fae, all manner of undead, werecreatures.... It says something when things pick up even more.

"But s'fine, don't worry about it-" He tries to smile. "I've lived for ages, I'll be fine. Just gotta wait for it all ta be over."

throws this at you

[dorkypantsuit]

His horns aren't really multi-colored anymore, and they are covered with a glamour. If Sora can see through the disguise though he may find a certain demon passing him on the street looks strangely familiar.

[destiny_key]

Sora's not paying as much attention to his surroundings as he probably should, more focused on his list of people than he is the street. Maybe he's a little obsessive, but he wants to get to the bottom of all of this.

As such, he almost misses the guy with a glamour that passes by him. It's fuzzy, but Sora can see through it well enough, and he does a double take before turning back around. Those horns... couldn't be, could it?

"Excuse me!" Sora calls, chasing after the guy. "Um, excuse me, sorry to bother you, but, uh, you... Your name wouldn't happen to start with a 'P', would it?"

[dorkypantsuit]

Although at first he's slightly amused to see someone chasing after him, as Sora asks that about his name he looks totally thrown. Fact was, his name wasn't common knowledge, and the demon liked to keep it that way. So instead of answering right away he squints, looking Sora over suspiciously.

"...Why do you want to know?

[destiny_key]

"'Cause, um..."

Oh gosh, how does one even explain that you saw them in their fake memories? That would make him sound crazier than he already probably sounds.

"Well, there's a couple of people I'm looking for, and I think you might be one of them. You, you look kind of familiar, and I can see your horns, so..."

He trails off, and honestly if this guy really IS a demon, he hopes he hasn't signed his own death warrant for being cryptic and weird.

[dorkypantsuit]

He frowns, he doesn't like people looking for him. That usually means he's in trouble. The fact that Sora can see he's a demon isn't comforting either.

"Unless you know why you're looking for this person I look like, I don't think I can help you."

no cr but

[espigeon]

Messy brown hair, big blue eyes, psychic, over that way. Is this the one? Sora's guardian angel asked Iuliael to keep an eye on Sora, since Joker himself is having to chase demons around.

Iuliael, taking a reasonably normal human form just now, looks anxiously out of an alley as Sora goes by. He should introduce himself. What do you say? I'm the babysitting angel, I'm not as good at anything as your guardian but I want to help and be there just in case? What if he doesn't want to hear that? And this might be a different person entirely, too. Maybe if he just... watches...

[destiny_key]

Sora walks by the alley, unassuming and barely paying attention to the inhabitant watching him from it's depths. After all, it's not an unusual sight, and he has more important things to do anyway.

It's only upon passing completely that Sora stops, and looks behind him. There's something... odd, about that guy. He takes a few steps backward, until he's standing in front of the alley again.

"Um... Hi?"

I'm sorry this took so long, I started a new job and it ate me

[espigeon]

Oh. Caught! Iuliael is decidedly tempted to back up, himself. Is this the right person? That he noticed and stopped is probably a good sign... well, just one way to find out.

"Hi. Is your name Sora? I, uh, Joker wanted me to meet you," Iuliael says hesitantly. He always has to take a moment to recall the names angels choose. Back before the Severing, if he knew them it was by different names. But Joker doesn't like to go by Jaoel, so Iuliael always tries his best.

[destiny_key]

"Yeah, that's me," Sora answers cautiously. He relaxes slightly more on hearing his guardian angel's name. At least this wasn't just some random dude. "Joker did? What for?"