Falcon and Wolf TV Dungeon HUB

[gorobo]

Scared of himself, of the monster others perceive him as, Wolf fled into the TV, hoping to find refuge in the digital space, only to find himself trapped in a nightmare...

 

Blinded by his own hate, his own insecurities, Falcon witnessed himself on the TV.
Driven by the fear of what it meant, he went inside to stop it, only to find himself trapped in a nightmare...

 

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Welcome to the TV Dungeon hub for Gorobo and Digigoro's TV Dungeons! Here, you can find all relevant information, as well as the toplevels for each 'checkpoint' of the plot. In case you are unable to tag for any reason at all, or threads go past the deadline, please indicate what your character(s) did in the summary check-in below!

SCHEDULE:

15/3/25: Signups open. 

 

21/3/25(Today!): Hub goes up. 

 

22/3/25: Toplevel of Gorobo and Digigoro's appearance on the Midnigh Channel. General catch-all for players to have their character react to the disappearances, and their appearances on the Midnight Channel, as well as to ICly create a team/plan/etc

 

29/3/25: Toplevels for the dungeons. Characters will discover one dungeon that, when entered, splits into two distinct dungeons. ICly, they will not know what path leads to who, but we will provide info OOCly for players to make a decision.

 

5/4/25: Toplevels for the confontation with the Shadows.

 

12/4/25: Resolution toplevels. Characters can speak to Gorobo or Digigoro after the fact, or with one another to discuss what happened.

DUNGEONS:

It appears as one dungeon. On the outside, it is a jungle-covered Tokyo. The main building is a laboratory, which has a staircase going up, and one going down. For Digigoro, take the stairs down. For Gorobo, take the stairs up.

Gorobo dungeon info
Digigoro dungeon info

ANY QUESTIONS?

Please feel more than free to ask them! I'll do my best to answer them.

Comments

navi skill !!

[counterfeitphantom]

Akane's fingers flew over the artificial keyboard, watching threw the red glassy panes of the jewel as she accesses the fight. "Support skills are only going to lock it down- try to aim whichever element its weak to it along with that? Just a hypothesis though and in a way you can save up on those attacks and subject damage. Just for efficiencies' sake."

"I am going to try poking in at its other strengths and weaknesses-! In the meantime here's a freebie! System overclock!" She pushes at the button as the jewel briefly and just above all the party members a halo-like ring of cracked code would manifest- suddenly scanning over them. Those in the party would notice just as soon as the walls manifest away, a brief flash of code would appear. Amping up their attack and agility for a while.

[System overclock is basically Matarukaja on steroids.]

2/2

[gorobo]

"... I hate to say it, but you're both right," he says, gritting his teeth. "I... wish I were human, sometimes. I wish they'd see me as a person, rather than a machine, but at the same time... that is what I am. A machine. A weapon. And there's no way around it; many people will never see me beyond that."

He balls his fists.

"I hate them for that. I hate humans, for doing what they did to me, and I wish they'd die out, sometimes. I hate that some of you-" he glances back at the group, his voice glitching a little, "-hacked me to undo the damage Shido's people did to me. I hate them for it. I can't forgive it at all. I hate that I'll never be safe from having my mind toyed with, that, if someone's good enough at it, they can just... make me do what they want. Make me into their personal plaything to toy with- and it scares the shit out of me."

His fists clench and unclench again, something that suspiciously sounds like a glitchy hiccup leaving his mouth. His eyes narrow.

"I can't remember the last time I wasn't scared, to some degree. And seeing people just be- happy, to have good worlds and friends to return to- it makes me want to- fuck. I don't know, it's unfair, and I'm jealous. What do I have to return to?"

"Maybe, If I were fully human, I wouldn't have to deal with this shit. Or if I fully were a machine, I wouldn't even care in the first place, but..." he trails off, and there's a distinct sound like a sigh. "The truth is that, no matter what, those sides of me are linked. I'm a machine, but I'm also just as capable of feeling as any human, and..." he glances at Phoenix. At Hiro. At Lyssi. "... isn't that enough to make me human?"

"But you're not," the robot points out.

"I'm not," Falcon agrees, "not physically. I never will be- and it's a lonely existence. People will continue to see me as a machine, and I- I'm afraid that means they'll never see me as a person, and that they'll never care about me. Not really. I fucking- I wish I could be the most important person in someone's life, but I'm just not. It hardly feels like I'm important at all outside of my capabilities as a weapon, sometimes, but... if they're to be believed," he glances behind himself once again, "I'm wrong, clearly. They love making my problems their business, which counts for... something, I guess."

"Sounds like someone else we know," the human sighs, "what would he think?"

"I don't know. Amamiya's an enigma- one that I'm- ugh, one that I miss," Falcon sounds like he has to force himself to say it, but his human Shadow grins in approval. "and I wish I could get to know him better, back home. Without any interference from that asshole, this time."

"And what if he rejects you for what you are?"

"... I don't know. I'd hate him for it. It'd just be one more confirmation of what I already know."

"But?"

"... But somehow, I don't think that'll be the case. I mean- it's Amamiya. He knows I'm his enemy, and yet he still reaches out to me."

There's a pause, before the robot speaks up again.

"Then? Which once of us are you?"

"Yeah, tell us!"

Falcon lets out another frustrated sound, crossing his arms.

"Both. You're... both me," he says, resolute. "Even if it's isolating, and lonely, and it scares the shit out of me to be what I am- you're both me. If I'm a machine with a human soul, then that's the truth."

"Well said."

The Shadows glow, dissolving into two balls of light, before they shoot forwards, merging with Falcon once again. It seems, though, that they leave behind some light residue, that quickly forms into a new ball of light, illuminating the entire room. Soon, a new Persona comes out, and to those who know, it may look familiar...

"I am Hereward," the Persona speaks, "be it human or machine, I shall fight along you, and we shall beat those who seek to subjugate us. I am thou, and thou art I."

"Hereward..." Falcon murmurs, and then, Hereward, too, disappears into Falcon.

For a moment, Falcon simply stands there, bathing in the new... power that's washed over him, eyes closed. Then, he turns back to the group-

-and promptly collapses with a low, robotic powering dowwwwwnnnn... his glowing eyes going out.

It looks scary, but closer inspection from Zenkechi or Lyssi may reveal that his battery simply has been depleted. He is, in robotic terms, exhausted.

[herewardbound]

Falcon turned around, eyes closed- and as soon as he began to falter, Phoenix moved. Falcon was heavy, but not so heavy that he couldn't support him on the way down, let him fall gently instead of simply collapsing.

He looked up to Ulysses and Zenkichi. "Just a dead battery, probably. Seen it a million times, the crash after an awakening is pretty bad. Let's get him out of here, and I can carry him home."

[aknightnotaprincess]

Knight hadn't seen Hereward before so she was impressed seeing the two shadows fuse into one stronger persona.

She was briefly concerned when Falcon collapsed but relaxed at Phoenix's explaination.

"Yeah we should get out of here."

She would help to carry, but she's not physically strong enough. At least they don't have to hurry out of here. Which would have been a serious problem without the Monabus.

akane here also playing wolf

[counterfeitphantom]

you can refer to the big man as wolf and the akechi as junior wolf :3 easier that way

also yeah we can just say haru helped out as well

[unit_8910_wolf]

Even if it's isolating, and lonely, and it scares the shit out of me to be what I am- you're both me. If I'm a machine with a human soul, then that's the truth.

In another universe perhaps, Zenkichi would have already assumed that answer. In a world where he awakened his persona through the right means and came to be known as a mentor for others nonetheless.
Here however, as he watched Falcon struggle and pull at the chains fate had subjected him with; the old man felt like he learnt something instead.

Human.

A man who couldn’t accomplish any of his promises, left to fend and pretend that his flesh had rotted underneath the metal; was coming to a horrible conclusion of his own.

His humanity was still sticking around like a sore thumb.

The two shadows fusing together was almost...too beautiful. Hopeful in a way- like rewriting the possibility of something that the Kirijo Group would deem unstable and dangerous.

He focuses on the matter at hand and the moment Falcon crumples, he instantly pockets his guns and makes his way over and just as said by Phoenix...he didn’t need to pull out Falcon’s port to check if his battery was low given everything else. "Right. I have medication for when my mind shuts down but for the earlier models a little bit of repairs and recharging should do him some good."

At Knight's words he placed one hand on Falcon's shoulder and helped Phoenix support his half sibling unit's body. "You sure you want to carry him all the way back? You got way more injured than me because of the limelight. Just cause I am an old man doesn't mean I am not part metal," he grins confidently this time- offering support.

Insisting so, he wrapped another arm around Falcon's waist. "Think of it as payback for our first meeting." Ah well if Phoenix brings it up again he's only going to scoff in annoyance.

The microbots were already working away at his injuries and thankfully through Crow's salvation from earlier, he didn't have any issues ignoring some of the pain.

[mirrorgirl]

A shame she didn’t manage to get up until after the all out attack. But it seems like that wasn’t an issue.
The battle is over, and Falcon got a new persona out of it!!

Hannei jogs over, wanting to make sure Falcon is okay too.

Well that was fun!

“So, mission success right?” Time to head out?

[fogboundcrow]

Damn it. Trumpeter doesn't resist or null fire, so he takes the full brunt of that heat.

Good thing he has an answer for that. "Black Frost!" With a simple shuffling of cards, the giggly, dark jester marches by his side, and Raven launches a Diamond Dust in retaliation.

[wipingallout]

With a blink, a faint shattering of glass, Hamuko swapped her Persona to make herself sturdier against those claws and that fire - she'd balance attacking and support from here.

"Messiah!" she called, pulling the trigger on her evoker and calling her Persona to cast an early Salvation, topping everyone off for the next volley.

[fogbornphantom]

"Perhaps we should accompany them," Crow says, and Hiro immediately perks up.

"Only if it's not too much trouble! I'm sure Falcon needs rest above all else..."

[lilcomputer]

Bug went between all of them and Falcon. Her arms were stretched out wide in protection. Despite how tired she looked, how the attacks had hit her and she looked bad herself, her voice was steady. "He doesn't wake up good. Let us handle it."

Maybe it was a little bit of selfishness for her to just want to be there when she could. Just her little family.

[rookandhound]

The first ice spell certainly drew its attention, the wolf opening its jaws to roar defiance, only to be struck a second time.

White-hot fury burned within its empty eyes, and the beast barreled once more towards Raven, who'd seemed for the moment to have earned its ire, swiping once- then twice- with flame-wreathed claws as it bore down on him.

[vampirethief]

Hmm ice didn't do much. Kaitou has a gut feeling that darkness might not be a good idea. So he decides to switch personas and try something else.

"Metatron!"

This time the persona sends out a Makougaon and much like Mother Harlot, Metatron also has Bless Amp, strengthening the attack as well.

Perhaps that might work better?

cw: slight self-harm imagery possibly?

[rookandhound]

The searing light, apparently, cut through the flame, a yelp of pain slipping free as the massive wolf was blasted back, panting for a moment.

"Goro! Goro, please, calm yourself- nobody here wishes you harm, we're all here to help you. You don't have to do this. You're better than this!"

And the beast- flinched.

There were echoes of voices, among the flames. A woman's, familiar enough to be marked as Wakaba Isshiki's, frantic, pleading-

You don't have to do this. You're better than this!

There was a keening sound, close to a whimper, and Rookmon approached, arms spread wide.

"I know... I know that you are frightened, my friend. I know- everything. Our hearts are entwined, irreversibly so, and I know- I know how much you try to hide that you are hurting! How much joy you feel, when Ken or Raven express fondness for you, and the sting of bitter guilt as you try to suppress it, as though it's something you don't deserve- this isn't what she would have wanted! It isn't what anyone would have wanted!"

It shook its head, starting to stand, growling, clawing, for a moment, at its own face.

"Please, Goro... there are so many people who care about you. Don't... don't push them away. Not just because you're frightened of being hurt again. You don't hate this place and its people nearly as much as you pretend. Is that... not the truth?"

The wolf stilled, its breath coming in deep, ragged gasps. Its limbs trembled with some hidden exertion, teeth bared and grit as though in tremendous pain... only for the beast to lunge, not at one of the party arrayed against it, but sideways, into the wall, its skull slamming into the hard stone. And again- once, twice, the wall, the floor, snarling in pain before rearing back and howling once more.

It leapt, upwards, towards the ceiling, a corona of flame gathering around each claw, rebounded off the ceiling...

And impacted the floor in an explosion.

In reality, while Wolf's Shadow resided in the deepest level of the dungeon, the room in which Goro Akechi had been housed had not, in point of fact, been on the lowest level. There had been another underneath- a space for the compound's myriad support structures. Its pipes for water, pumps to be used in case of flood, its backup generators, and the fuel being stored for such. A low-ceilinged sub-level intended to be used for the maintenance of the facility, and little else.

The floor of the containment cell buckled, and split, dropping the occupants into darkness, swiftly clouded by the dust of collapsing concrete and the steam of burst pipes.

It did not remain dark for long. Fuel barrels, ruptured by the impact, now burst into flame. In the distance overhead, some massive portion of the facility groaned and collapsed under the weight of weakening supports.

Shakily, now, glowing particles now drifting upwards from several places along its body that had sustained damage, the Wolf picked itself out of the rubble. It was clearly favoring one front leg, and moving more slowly, now- injured- but not yet finished.

[wicked_plan]

Shit. This isn't going well. Wild lets Rookmon speak, but the Wolf runs himself into the wall-

Oh this is bad.

"Black Frost!" he calls out, the darkest of the Jack Bros bursting forth with a giggling hee-ho. At Wild's command, it uses Diamond Dust, choking out the flames with icy pillars. He hopes that they'll also help to keep the facility stable for a little longer.

"We need to keep this place from going down!"

[vampirethief]

So light seems to be it's weakness. However the flames are still a huge problem and Wild is right in that they need to keep the place from collapsing completely, or they might all die from this. Especially Wolf.

"I'll focus on the wolf while you guys work on keeping the place intact."

Kaitou has Metatron send another Makougaon. He's gonna try to have it taken down as quickly as he can.

[fogboundcrow]

At the very least, Black Frost's fire immunity made him more resilient against the attacks. Still, this change in scenery is hardly a promising sign.

"Help them out, Black Frost!"

Best to stick to what works, so his own Black Frost joins in using his powerful ice magic to try and solidify the collapsing facility. Right now, it's their best bet.

[wipingallout]

The tumble had been intense, the drop terrifying - Hamuko considers it lucky she didn't land on her head or break a leg, even if slamming flat on her back did knock the wind out of her.

The others split between supporting the collapsing structure and weakening Wolf further, so Hamuko pulled her Evoker.

"Messiah!"

Recovering everyone's health with Salvation, she braced for what might come next.

"Wolf! Whatever came before - we're here to help you now!"

[rookandhound]

Kaitou's spell struck true, the force of it blasting the wolf off its feet and backwards, the roaring flames held back by the others' concerted efforts.

Rookmon, unfortunately, had not weathered the assault- but at least he was breathing. Alive, but unconscious.

Shakily, the beast righted itself, wheezing, fraying at the edges now- and it charged, momentum slowed by the limp it was now sporting, raising a claw-

And stopped.

Not quite all at once; each limb seemed to come to the same realization at different times, such that the end result was a badly-coordinated slide into stillness, as empty, flaming eyes took in the sight of the small, barely-moving body in front of them.

Like logs shifting on the fire, it sagged, and collapsed, throwing up embers that soon faded into nothing, taking with them the heart of the inferno. The lab was once more a place of ruin and decay, and there, on his knees amongst the ashes, for the first time in too, too long-

Goro Akechi wept.

"No. No, no, I'm sorry, please- help him, somebody-"

[wicked_plan]

That was it, then.

It's a sad sight, and Wild feels... bad. He just feels bad. The fight is over, thankfully, Wolf jr. finally having come to his senses.

It just sucks that it took this to get there.

He doesn't wait. The moment the boy starts sobbing, he steps forwards, calling forth-

"Maria."

-and letting the gentle energy of Holy Benevolence wash over them all, including Rookmon. It won't heal the wounds of those still standing, but for those who got taken out- including Rookmon, hopefully- it should restore them to full health.

Should being the key word here.

[vampirethief]

Kaitou also feels bad, especially since he had more or less had given the near-killing blow.

"Mar--"

But stops when he sees that Wild beat him to the punch. He takes out a Balm of Life, but doesn't use it just yet. Incase the Holy Benevolence doesn't work.

"I'm sorry."

[rookandhound]

Rookmon groaned, softly, as he came to- a noise swiftly strangled, because he'd been seized around the middle and dragged into a hug, Wolf hanging onto him as though for dear life.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"I know, Goro, truly I do, but I do rather need to breathe-"

He laughed- a short, surprised sound he hadn't expected- but loosened his grip. "I don't… I don't know why I even…"

"Because… you hate them." His Shadow had returned, and Wolf tensed- but the boy's expression was solemn and… sad. "Almost as much as you hate yourself. But… not nearly as much as you hate the idea of being without them. All this… because, deep down, you're still a scared little kid lost in the woods. No family. No friends, not really, because even if you'd trust them with your secrets, you'd never trust them to watch your back, and holding them at arm's length is less risky than just letting yourself admit that you care. And… you know, that I'm not lying."

Hesitantly, though it pained him- Wolf nodded. "I know. I am thee, and you are me, or… something."

"Or something," The Shadow smiled, as though enjoying a private joke… though it soon faded, the Shadow's expression turning hesitant and slightly fearful. "Don't… leave me here, okay? Not- not alone in the dark to die. Please."

It was as much a plea to Wolf as everyone else in the room.

[counterfeitphantom]

Akane watched. Gauged the full development of the fight- from its elevations to the need for debuffs to damage control. To pull Wolf out from the firey maws of its own destruction...once everything was set and done Akane fell back in her digital space, allowing her systems to freeze so that she didn't consume more power then needed.

No family. No friends. If she kept pushing her dad away is that how she would end up? Is that how they ended up- given that Zenkichi always had a pained expression on his face long before she was even aware that she was just a doll for the higher system.

A shaky breath left her lips, jitters in her body that her jewel lowered down to access the shadow.

Then she turned that body to Wolf.

"The shadow's...receded huh?" She couldn't help but comment out loud. "It's funny."

"I have been through dozens of these cognitive spaces and never seen something like this before."

i've rewritten this about five times and i'm still disgusted with it but fuck it posting anyway

[rookandhound]

He looked up at Akane- and there was guilt in his expression, as he glanced away, seemingly unable to meet her eyes.

"Can't imagine how. I- shouldn't have called you that. And... I won't- I won't leave you. I'm sorry."

His Shadow seemed slightly... mollified by this. He was fading, now, bending down to pick up... Wolf's phone, from where it had fallen- and offering it. "That's not everything. I think... the rules are different, for us. Because... we are. There's something missing, still, and it's important."

Wolf took it, confusion crossing his face- and as the Shadow vanished at last, it began to glow.

And then... quiet realization, as the glow faded, and he stared down at the device in his hand.

Something still missing. Some epiphany he hadn't made, yet... And a faint whisper, as the last echo of the Shadow went silent.

Something Mom said before she died. The last thing she said to you.

You remember... because I do.

That's a mood

[vampirethief]

It's good that it worked and Kaitou puts away the Balm of Life since it's not needed.

However, the glow on Wolf's phone has him curious. He walks closer, trying to get a peak. Did Wolf get some kind of app instead of a persona?

It doesn't look like the Meta-Nav though. He'd reconize that icon if it was.