The Crossing Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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thecrossinglogs2025-02-05 04:26 pm
thecrossingmods) wrote in thecrossinglogs2025-02-05 04:26 pm
Entry tags:
- !tdm,
- akatsuki no yona: soo won,
- attack on titan: frieda reiss,
- chronicles of osreth: thara celehar,
- danganronpa: makoto naegi,
- danganronpa: nagito komaeda,
- heralds of valdemar: need,
- mass effect: allynbee shepard,
- omori: sunny,
- overlord: arche,
- pathologic: daniil dankovsky,
- toilet bound hanako-kun: hanako,
- toilet bound hanako-kun: nene yashiro
TEST DRIVE #2
TDM #2
Welcome to The Desert, wayward souls.
It's good to see you again.
The TDM is game canon and will be active FEB—APR. For further details about the setting, please reference our current setting page. All the information there is fair game for this TDM.
It's good to see you again.
The TDM is game canon and will be active FEB—APR. For further details about the setting, please reference our current setting page. All the information there is fair game for this TDM.
arrival
— BENEATH THE RIVER ( NEW CHARACTERS ONLY )
CW: claustrophobia, being buried alive
If your journey is starting here, you begin as all others have, and all others will: in The River.
You awake in the dark and the damp, with pressure all around you. In this case, however, it isn't water that surrounds you— but earth. Specifically, it is mud made from the sand of the desert and the standing water of the sparkling white salt flat that The River has become, and it behaves like quicksand. It has you here, and it doesn't want to let go.
You aren't in any direct danger; you may or may not notice that you don't need to breathe down here (or at all). But that may be difficult to appreciate in the moment: immediately on waking, you are seized by what was perhaps your last memory— or, at least, the somatic feeling of it. Panic, terror, pain; or (depending on the circumstances) maybe peace, or relief. It is the moment of your death as told by your body's visceral, emotional response, and it won't stop until you pull yourself out of the mud.
You are close to the surface. Even a bit of lucky thrashing might be enough for you to break through the sludge, and crack the shell of salt above. But The River will not release you easily; it will continue to suck you back down until you are able to fully pry yourself free— or someone else is able to lend you a hand.
— BEYOND THE RIVER ( EXISTING CHARACTERS ONLY )
If you arrived here from the Cavern, you'll find that the cave you came from opens up onto a rocky cliff face, not unlike the one you may have found yourself settled in before The Crossing. From here you can see the sprawl of the Desert ahead of you: the Oasis tucked against the base of the cliffs, the endless dunes, and the wide, white expanse of The River — though it hardly looks like one now.
There is no city to be found among these cliffs, though. They are steep and rocky, with dry, loose sand making finding and keeping traction difficult. There is a narrow, winding path to the Oasis below, but it will take time to hike, and the sun is already hot and oppressive above you.
Theoretically, there's a more direct route... if you're feeling bold. The cliffs are covered in jutting striations (as if, say, carved by a massive river, or maybe a River) that make halfway decent handholds and footholds for anyone hoping to climb their way down instead.
Just don't change your mind too much. If you turn back, you may find that the path behind has become impassable or now leads somewhere else entirely. You don't ever see it happening, but it's almost as if the cliffs are rearranging themselves whenever your back is turned.
shelter from the storm
— THE OASIS
The Oasis, as well as the rest of the surrounding Desert, is bustling with life. (Or do plants and animals have a Journey they need to complete, too?) It's a green, if not lush, patch surrounding a small lake of fresh water, partially shielded by the arms of the cliffs from the winds blowing across the dunes.
There are creatures besides you making their homes here: from small, skittering mammals to circling scavengers. If you look closely, though, you'll find it's a bit of a mishmash, as if an ecosystem appeared rather than developed... and, depending on where you're from, some of it might even be recognizable to you.
Those of you that came from the Cavern might appreciate the return of natural light, though you might be disappointed to discover that day and night don't always arrive at the cadences you might expect them to... In fact, they don't seem to follow any recognizable or even trackable pattern at all. Some noon suns stretch on forever; some sunsets speed run straight into dry, cold night.
If that were all the unpredictability the Desert had to offer, it might be tolerable enough... but the weather proves to be just as erratic. One day is clear and bright, with wide-open skies; the next brings dust clouds and lightning storms rolling in from the dunes. (And when today might be half as long as yesterday, those swings add up.)
Luckily for all of you, there have evidently been others here before you, just like in the Cavern. There is a collection of shelters lining the Oasis, no more than huts designed to keep everyone within as cool as possible. There's less space than there was in the Subterranean City, but that means some things are easier to find... The huts are decorated just like the city was before it, as if in layers with the odd familiar trinket from your home stashed in a drawer or under a mattress.
shifting sands
— THE DUNES
The Ferryman is holding vigil at The River, as they always are. They have positioned themselves (and their Lantern) so that their Light casts over the Oasis— but that aura can only cast so far.
The Lantern's Light might not be quite so obvious here as it was down in the Cavern, drowned out as it is by the desert sun, but you can still feel when you approach the edge of its protection, the way the sense of comfort and safety wanes. Beyond it are the rolling dunes of the Desert, where wraiths gather in great numbers.
Those who have been paying close attention will recognize that these are not the same wraiths you encountered in the Cavern. Or, at least, none of the wraiths you encountered in the Cavern are represented here.
These wraiths are not the violent, wailing beasts encountered by some during The Crossing. They are just the same as the wraiths originally found in the Cavern: silent, insubstantial, and always watching. The ones who have found the Oasis prowl the edge of the boundary; the others wander the dunes as if lost. Or, perhaps, searching.
If you, yourself, wander the dunes, you'll find them at best difficult to navigate— or, at worst, impossible. You may be swallowed by a sand storm, or lose sight of your landmarks when descending into a valley between the dunes. You might find yourself somewhere you never expected to be... Or, you might just need to send a message out to the others for help finding your way home.
If your journey is starting here, you begin as all others have, and all others will: in The River.
You awake in the dark and the damp, with pressure all around you. In this case, however, it isn't water that surrounds you— but earth. Specifically, it is mud made from the sand of the desert and the standing water of the sparkling white salt flat that The River has become, and it behaves like quicksand. It has you here, and it doesn't want to let go.
You aren't in any direct danger; you may or may not notice that you don't need to breathe down here (or at all). But that may be difficult to appreciate in the moment: immediately on waking, you are seized by what was perhaps your last memory— or, at least, the somatic feeling of it. Panic, terror, pain; or (depending on the circumstances) maybe peace, or relief. It is the moment of your death as told by your body's visceral, emotional response, and it won't stop until you pull yourself out of the mud.
You are close to the surface. Even a bit of lucky thrashing might be enough for you to break through the sludge, and crack the shell of salt above. But The River will not release you easily; it will continue to suck you back down until you are able to fully pry yourself free— or someone else is able to lend you a hand.
— BEYOND THE RIVER ( EXISTING CHARACTERS ONLY )
If you arrived here from the Cavern, you'll find that the cave you came from opens up onto a rocky cliff face, not unlike the one you may have found yourself settled in before The Crossing. From here you can see the sprawl of the Desert ahead of you: the Oasis tucked against the base of the cliffs, the endless dunes, and the wide, white expanse of The River — though it hardly looks like one now.
There is no city to be found among these cliffs, though. They are steep and rocky, with dry, loose sand making finding and keeping traction difficult. There is a narrow, winding path to the Oasis below, but it will take time to hike, and the sun is already hot and oppressive above you.
Theoretically, there's a more direct route... if you're feeling bold. The cliffs are covered in jutting striations (as if, say, carved by a massive river, or maybe a River) that make halfway decent handholds and footholds for anyone hoping to climb their way down instead.
Just don't change your mind too much. If you turn back, you may find that the path behind has become impassable or now leads somewhere else entirely. You don't ever see it happening, but it's almost as if the cliffs are rearranging themselves whenever your back is turned.
shelter from the storm
The Oasis, as well as the rest of the surrounding Desert, is bustling with life. (Or do plants and animals have a Journey they need to complete, too?) It's a green, if not lush, patch surrounding a small lake of fresh water, partially shielded by the arms of the cliffs from the winds blowing across the dunes.
There are creatures besides you making their homes here: from small, skittering mammals to circling scavengers. If you look closely, though, you'll find it's a bit of a mishmash, as if an ecosystem appeared rather than developed... and, depending on where you're from, some of it might even be recognizable to you.
Those of you that came from the Cavern might appreciate the return of natural light, though you might be disappointed to discover that day and night don't always arrive at the cadences you might expect them to... In fact, they don't seem to follow any recognizable or even trackable pattern at all. Some noon suns stretch on forever; some sunsets speed run straight into dry, cold night.
If that were all the unpredictability the Desert had to offer, it might be tolerable enough... but the weather proves to be just as erratic. One day is clear and bright, with wide-open skies; the next brings dust clouds and lightning storms rolling in from the dunes. (And when today might be half as long as yesterday, those swings add up.)
Luckily for all of you, there have evidently been others here before you, just like in the Cavern. There is a collection of shelters lining the Oasis, no more than huts designed to keep everyone within as cool as possible. There's less space than there was in the Subterranean City, but that means some things are easier to find... The huts are decorated just like the city was before it, as if in layers with the odd familiar trinket from your home stashed in a drawer or under a mattress.
shifting sands
The Ferryman is holding vigil at The River, as they always are. They have positioned themselves (and their Lantern) so that their Light casts over the Oasis— but that aura can only cast so far.
The Lantern's Light might not be quite so obvious here as it was down in the Cavern, drowned out as it is by the desert sun, but you can still feel when you approach the edge of its protection, the way the sense of comfort and safety wanes. Beyond it are the rolling dunes of the Desert, where wraiths gather in great numbers.
Those who have been paying close attention will recognize that these are not the same wraiths you encountered in the Cavern. Or, at least, none of the wraiths you encountered in the Cavern are represented here.
These wraiths are not the violent, wailing beasts encountered by some during The Crossing. They are just the same as the wraiths originally found in the Cavern: silent, insubstantial, and always watching. The ones who have found the Oasis prowl the edge of the boundary; the others wander the dunes as if lost. Or, perhaps, searching.
If you, yourself, wander the dunes, you'll find them at best difficult to navigate— or, at worst, impossible. You may be swallowed by a sand storm, or lose sight of your landmarks when descending into a valley between the dunes. You might find yourself somewhere you never expected to be... Or, you might just need to send a message out to the others for help finding your way home.
Dunes
Dankovsky had entered and come back from the Dunes more times than Hanako could count. Was this the third today? How many more before the boy had set up his watch, sitting on the eaves of one of the makeshift huts to give himself a better vantage point?
Either way, it made him curious.
“Welcome back~! Find anything good out there?”
No matter the fact that Hanako hadn’t talked to this man before, he’s friendly as ever.
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Is it worth giving up on? Maybe. He likely will for the day, as exhausted as he is. But who knows what even constitutes as a day here. The sun rising and setting at random intervals is enough to make him feel depressed.
But the sun is setting right now, and it seems foolish to wander out intentionally in the dark, so he'll be staying put for now.
"... Have you been watching me?" He suddenly asks like he just realized this, looking up to Hanako's vantage point as he does.
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“Ah! Just a tad~” Better to not make the man have to crane his neck upwards like that! The boy pushed off from the roof, landing on the ground easily. “There isn’t much to amuse me around here!”
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The Bachelor is trying so hard to be enthusiastic for this child's sake... he is so tired.
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Searching the huts though. “I have~ Haven’t found anything of note yet.” Except maybe a few things to bug Yashiro about, but no cursed items, thankfully.
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"You haven't? Hm." He says this as if he's a bit perplexed, "Would you like to look together, then? I'm sure we can find a toy or two."
It's something to do, and he's more than happy to help out.
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This guy sure was gullible though… maybe Hanako had found his next form of entertainment?
Yashiro would be cross with him for sure.“Sure! Why not~? If you can help me find something entertaining… I’ll help you with your own problem.” That’s what the walking was for, right? Maybe they would both get something out of this.
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"Oh, don't worry about me, I'm perfectly fine," He lies, he's terrible at lying, "Where would you like to look first?"
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“How… about… there!” And points directly to the makeshift hut he had been sitting on. Is there someone inside? He didn’t know, but it was a pretty good vantage point! Plus… “It’s easy to keep track of what ones we look in then.” Starting with the one closest to the Dunes!
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"Very well! Shall we?" He gestures in an overly silly fashion to the door, motioning for Hanako to go first. He is trying WAY too hard right now.
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“Let’s~!” If the other wanted him to go first, Hanako didn’t seem bothered by it. The boy pushed open the door to the hut with all the confidence of someone crashing a party. “Pardon the intrusion!”
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He's thankful for that, at least.
Daniil stands behind Hanako, looking about. Looks like it hasn't been picked over too thoroughly yet.
"Looks like we're in luck."
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“Ah~! Looks like no one really has been in this one yet!” Lucky indeed! Sure, there were a few places where items had been disturbed, but whoever had been searching seemed to have either given up rather quickly or found what they were searching for.
As the door of the hut closed behind them, Hanako spun on his heels, arms clasped behind his back, giving Dankovsky a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Now, let’s start our wager, shall we?”
He would let the other choose where he wanted to search first - no sense in Hanako potentially choosing the best spot and winning too easily. This was supposed to be fun.
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He didn’t elaborate on what would happen if Dankovsky didn’t find something entertaining.
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Well, better now than never.
Dankovsky starts in the opposite corner of the room, looking for something that a child would like. It takes some time but he does eventually find a slide puzzle, the kind where you have to line up all of the pieces in the correct order. It's a suitable toy for a child, he thinks to himself.
"How about this?" He asks, turning around to present the toy he's found.
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When the Bachelor found something, presenting the toy, Hanako made his own show of considering the selection.
“Hmmm…” The child studied it, sliding one of the pieces back and forth, trying to make out what picture was imprinted without actually doing the puzzle. “Nope!”
The way he smiled, it was almost as if he was denying Dankovsky the prize on a game show! Sure, someone else Hanako had once know would have loved this sort of puzzle, at least for a while, but…
“It’s interesting, but not quite what I’m looking for! But good try!” He backed up a step, hands behind his back. “Would you like a hint~?”
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Dankovsky frowns a bit. Surely, this would have entertained a normal child. Perhaps this was a child more like himself as a kid, and he would rather have an intellectually stimulating book, or a more challenging puzzle...? Or perhaps he has some sort of special interest. A hint couldn't hurt.
"Sure. What sort of hint will you give me, then?" Dankovsky asks, playing along.
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Think sharper~
[Just two words, accompanied by that leering smile, before Hanako turns back to his own search.
Not that he’s taking that part seriously.]
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What did he mean by sharper?
Though he suppose he should be used to it. All of the children back in that wretched town wanted to trade in things that were sharp. It had become his main source of bullets within those two weeks and he wasn't afraid to admit it. He wasn't sure if it was safe for children to have that many bullets but it was likely safer for them to have a safety pin rather than a revolver round.
Speaking of which. A safety pin. Dankovsky grabs it eagerly, showing it to Hanako.
"How about this?" He asks eagerly, knowing that this would please those children from the Town-on-Gorkhon very much.
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(Also, maybe sadly for Dankovsky, Hanako has nothing of the sort to trade except his wit.)
As soon as the man grabs a safety pin and presents it like a rare artifact, rather eagerly, Hanako blinks. Then… he bursts out laughing, entirely amused.
“Ahaha, isn’t it a bit small? That wouldn’t do any real damage!”
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"What are you looking to do?" He asks. "If you're looking for a weapon, I'm afraid you're out of luck. There won't be any of those to be found. Trust me."
If he had found a knife he would have already armed himself personally. He abhorred the idea of violence but he wouldn't be caught without a way to defend himself.
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That last bit, maybe, pointed at Dankovsky specifically as the boy hopped back to the area he had been searching, a hand skimming the contents, almost disinterested.
“Such a shame though. No weapons? I was hoping having an adult search might have procured different results~”
Had Hanako secretly scoped out this specific hut beforehand, despite acting like the search had been random? Yep! “At least I learned something interesting!”
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"Knives are dangerous, you should leave it up to adults to do things like protect you... though I suppose it doesn't matter too much since none of us have the option regardless."
He misses having a pistol right now. It's a strange feeling. He remembers having to arm himself and hating it but enjoying the sense of safety. Of sneaking off to practice in his backyard as a child with his father's pistol. The conflict between wanting to feel protected and also not wanting to hurt others...
Congrats, I had to go add an icon for this face XD
Weird indeed.That statement simply made him laugh more.
“You’re really funny, you know~! I know my way around a knife, so you don’t have to worry!”
As if that was the problem here.
“It really is off putting, isn’t it? To be at the mercy of something else?”
huh, I never tagged this. Here ya go.
Woo! <3
sometimes things escape me you can always poke me too if i seemingly miss something lol
Lol, no worries! I’m the same way
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