Introduction Log || The Night of the Thirteen Moogles

[eternitymods]

Who: All characters (New Arrivals, Previous Arrivals, and Native OCs) When: October 5th Where: The Dream Width (Airship), the Curti Center, and the Housing District What: It is happening for the fourth time now. More outworlders have arrived in the Dream Width and must be rescued and brought back to their new homes on Vaikuntha Warnings/Notes: Only new players can put up a toplevel. Previous arrivals and established native characters can respond to new characters' toplevel posts. MEMORY [ You've been here before...? No, wait, why would you think that? You're here in the moment, everything is as it should be...(?) The memory you are trapped in has completely enthralled you. You stop questioning and accept, you relive and repeat. Luckily, you are not alone. Others have arrived to help you. The travelers in the airships will enter the nebula formed by your memories and attempt to wake you up and bring you back to the present. The dreamer's mind will shape how these newcomers are perceived and how the NPCs in the memory respond to them. For more details on the mechanics, please refer to this post] ARRIVAL [ You wake from your dreams, from your memories, on a narrow cot. There are fleeting impressions- recycled air, humming machinery, movement, strangers waking around you. The room you wake in is lined with cots, with barely enough space between them to walk to the door, though not all of them show signs of having been occupied. The makeshift infirmary seems like it was prepared to hold many more than are here. Stepping out, there is a lobby space that bears the signs of having once held some furniture, now cleared away to make space. Your footsteps echo in the emptiness. As the automatic door slides shut on the infirmary, a light flashes on the far side of the room. A flickering holographic projection of a man’s face and gloved hand appears projected in the space above the arrivals’ heads. He backs up so his upper body is in frame for the recording. An arm, covered in the same orange flightsuit sleeve, hands him a tablet. The man begins to read. A written version of the message scrolls along the bottom of the projection as he speaks. ] ’Welcome travelers’… That’s way too formal. Hey everyone. Hi! [ The second man leans into the frame to add his greeting. ] Don’t panic. You were floating out there, but we pulled you in and rescued you. Yeah, we’re heroic AND handsome. And also the only ones crazy enough to come out here to get you. [ A woman’s voice calls from out of frame. ] Can you two be serious for ONE moment and stick to your scripts? [ The two men give each other a conspiratorial eyeroll. This does not appear to be their first take. ] Anyways, no need to panic. Seriously, don’t do anything reckless. We got our fill of that with Skywalker. [A huff is heard offscreen, and the men finally spare the tablet another glance.] ‘Your pilots will be navigating treacherous environs as this message plays…’ Claire, seriously? Nobody talks like this! [ The tablet is tossed to the side and lands with a thunk offscreen. ] We’re gonna wing it. Look, everyone, we’re workin’ hard to get you planetside safely, and it’s gonna take some tricky flying to do it. So the door to the cockpit is locked so we can focus on not getting us all killed. Don’t try to open it, unless you want to be stardust. We promise you’ll get answers about what’s going on once we land. But for now, please trust us. Right now, we’re your only hope. [ The second man leans forward, close to the recording device, and presses a button. The projection freezes for a moment, and then the message starts on the next recorded message. ] CURTI CENTER [ Finally after hours of flight, you arrive at the Curti Center. The other NPCs await you having been notified of your retrieval in the Dream Width. Jessie gives a long and somewhat awkward welcome speech, explaining what the situation is: you were lost in a space called the Dream Width. You are now on a planet called Vaikuntha: for ages, the people of this world have used Airships to rescue people lost in the Dream Width, with one person being found roughly every ten years. No one knows why this happens, but this has been a mutually beneficial exchange, with the people from Vaikutha rescuing people lost in the Dream Width and the rescued ones sharing their wisdom with the people of Vaikuntha. Ten years ago, something unusual happened: two people were found at once, Biggs and Wedge. But that was nothing compared to what happened four months ago... And two months ago. And now, here you are. No one knows why such a large number of people has arriving lately, but the Curti Center is a place dedicated to piercing the Dream Width's secrets. Jessie also introduces the other ones: Claire, the woman sighing and writing in her schedule book upon being pointed out as the bookkeeper, Kupoto and Mogaruru, their Mognet representatives and finally the Native OCs: those brave and kind souls who have accepted to help you all on a daily basis. She also mentions Cid, the director who is busy preparing for certain dealings later this month. After Jessie finishes , the employees, including the Native OCs, provide a tour of the facility and help the newcomers navigate their future lives. Now is the time to ask questions and look over pamphlets regarding locations, Jobs, life in Vaikuntha... ] [ If you want to contact an NPC, you can do so on the NPC Contact Page. ] A BALL OF FLUFF NAMED MOOGLE [ It has been a long day, perhaps now you would like to find your way to a place to sleep? Or perhaps you'd like to get some answers, but you can't be bothered to go seek people out? And lo, just as despair begins settles in, a Moogle slams into you! Or stops by your side if their aim is decent... It's the Moogle Jessie mentioned in her speech earlier! And they'll be informing you that now, they will stick to you like your shadow and help you in anyway they can! They're also giving you your iMog Slate- Now you can get onto Mognet! Isn't it great? ] A QUICK CHECK-UP [ Whether it's your Moogle, Native OCs or NPCs, all will urge you to stop by the hospital wing for a basic check-up. You may disagree, but listen. You've just been thrown into a space between worlds, rescued, and brought to another world. For your own sake, that's a good idea. Should you give in and go (or should you be dragged by your Moogle or a Native OC), you will find yourself in the cold and white space very reminiscent of an hospital. For characters with specific medical conditions necessitating help, this is where they will receive it if asked. The doctors and nurses are all White Mages or Chemists, with various levels into their Job as well as medical knowledge. Don't mind the confused looks if you look like nothing they've ever seen before... It's hard for a doctor to be unable to give a proper diagnosis to a patient! For everyone else though, they'll be let go with smiles and be given a candy as they leave. No one likes medical check-ups, but it's a very quick and basic one: testing reflexes, taking your temperature and the likes. On the bright side, while you're grumpily sitting on a bed with a thermometer on your forehead or in your mouth, it might be a good time to socialize with your fellow new arrival who's having lights flashed into their eyes by a doctor. Misery loves company, after all. ] SCARY PRETTY SIGHTS [ There's plenty of rooms to wander about in, with several points of interest apart from the offices. The Airship Hangar is where the airships are kept and the first room you entered. Workers keep guard to prevent the outworlders from getting too close to the vehicles. Airships are expensive and they don't want you messing with them, after all. Venturing into the Research Section, you can walk through public exhibitions on astronomy, airship design, and asterisk studies. A good place to get used to the basic science of this world. The laboratories lie behind a thick locked door with a sign reading "EMPLOYEES ONLY". No going there, for now anyway. Not too far from there are the Employee Quarters - work stations, apartments, and lounge areas. The latter are available to the public, whereas the rest is locked to Native OCs. But if you get them to be friends with you, perhaps they'll let you visit? Also open to all is a Cafeteria - a standard food court with stalls serving all types of Vaikunthan cuisine. The Chef is a very jovial and absent-minded Hypello. Beware of long lines and crowded tables. This month however, there is an overwhelming scent of spice and pumpkins in the air. Pumpkin soups, pasta dishes, bread, pies, lattes.... There are even some carved pumpkins with moogle faces of different styles floating in the air just above the tables, candles flickering from within. Should you prefer open spaces, then the gardens are for you! There are different sections in the gardens around the center. One boasts a wide array of blooming flowers, another more practical with herbs commonly used in Vaikunthan cooking. One had been cultivated for butterflies and hummingbirds to visit. Paths have been laid through so that visitors can safely navigate, and moogles will swoop down and shout at anyone who strays into the flower beds. Or perhaps, you want to wait till the sunset. Dusk on a new world, but a beginning of a new life... The sea shines bright in the orange light. A good moment for quiet contemplation. ] HOUSING [The housing accommodations are the best the Curti staff could provide, given that they are still also sheltering most of the previous arrivals from the Dream Width. The keys have been entrusted to the moogles who will be guiding the new arrivals. The new arrivals can stop by the Curti Center storage room to collect some essential supplies that have been donated by charity organizations from around the world (there are boxes of toothbrushes and whitening toothpaste sent from the Zora, hair brushes from the Elezen, quick-drying towels from the Hypello, among the various donations of clothes, toiletries, and blankets), before heading to their temporary homes. The people of Vaikuntha have done their best to provide for their new neighbors and help them get on their feet. Still, things will be a little cramped until the off-worlders can find employment and move into better housing. The staff hopes they can get along with one another until alternate arrangements can be made. You can survive living with roommates for a few months, right?] THE JOB FOR YOU [An important part of life on Vaikuntha is the Job (or Jobs) you choose to take. No, not the way you earn your living. Your Job Class. Most Natives only choose one or two, but you'll have an opportunity to take on more Job Asterisks after you master your first Jobs. The Curti Center's resident Job Master, Ganeshan, is more than happy to arrange transportation to the various Guilds so that you can claim your first Asterisks. ]

Comments

ann takamaki | persona 5 | ota

[ladytakamaki]

MEMORY.

[ ann has been here before. she's lived through this once and replayed it in her head numerous times. after all, how can she forget something as life-changing and surreal as her awakening her persona?

she knows how this all goes down. and yet, she's still terrified as she's shackled yet again. trapped inside of an eerie castle of some sorts with strange-looking knights aiming their weapons right at her. there's also a man with a crown on his head and a cape over his body. that...and he's literally wearing nothing but underwear. it's a strange sight to see...but ann's struggling to get out. the man is taunting her, and he tells the knights to get rid of her.

they're getting ready to dive in for the kill. ]

CHECK-UP.

[ ann was pretty resistant to go in for the check-up. it's not as though she threw a fit over it or anything; rather, she kept insisting that she was fine. shiho, her moogle, dragged her for a little while towards the hospital before ann finally gave in and walked the rest of the way there. her check-up goes smoothly, and there aren't any issues.

but she'd rather be out and about, exploring. getting to know the place. talking to her friends from home. and this is taking longer than she'd like.

she turns to whoever's on the bed next to her, thermometer in her mouth. ]

Did you just get here, too?

PRETTY SIGHTS.

Is anyone sitting here?

[ were you hoping to sit alone at the cafeteria? because sorry, ann's got a plate fulllll of desserts, and she's gotta find a place to eat her food. the other tables appear to be full, and yours just happens to be one with the most room. she's already setting her plate on the table, as if to claim her spot with or without your approval.

you might even catch her watching the sunset... but there's a small frown on her face. it's not one of sadness or anger; it seems more pensive than anything.

approach, and she'll turn to greet you with a small smile. ]

It's pretty, right? Feels like I haven't really had time to watch a sunset like this in a while. It's nice.

WILDCARD.

[ hit me up with anything! ]

Memories

[timecrash]

Serge was prepared to see some unpleasant things. After all, he'd been briefed on the process of entering the cloud, told what he could and could not do.

Serge wasn't... quite prepared for this. Something about this situation just makes his skin crawl. When he sees a grown man in his underwear and a girl his age chained up with a bunch of goons advancing... Memory or no, he isn't about to just let someone go through whatever comes next. He probably emerges from seemingly nowhere, moving to stand between her and them.

"Hey. Need help?"

Memories

[desertbloomed]

[ Seemingly out of nowhere, Ashelia jumps in front of Ann, her shield in front of her and sword at the ready. She doesn't know precisely what's going on, but judging by that man's garb, she has a bit of an idea... ]

Stay back! [ A crackle of electricity sparks between Ashelia and the knights as she leans into their potential strike with her shield arm. ]

Are you all right? Speak up!

Wildcard aka tdm continues

[spaceforged]

[ooc: from here.]

[He smiles wryly.] Yes, it is. [He agrees and glances down at his arm. It isn't Galra made but seeing the blade on it had...opened up memories.]

Take all the time you need to deal with it. I can answer any other questions you have while you process those facts.

memory (sorry to overload the prompt, it just seemed the most appropriate!!)

[masqueraid]

Nngh—!

( the guards thrust the darkened figure forward.
he'd been caught, this time. careless, morgana might chastise him. but as his face pressed into the cold, hard ground, ren— no, joker— forced his head up against the force holding him down into order to see ann shackled there, laid out in front of the soldiers for them to strike... )

Takamaki! ( he calls. can she hear him? see him? he'd been through a few of these memories within the dream width now, each time a beast of it's own... )

You'll just give in? Without paying him back? For you— or Suzui-san? ( maybe it was something like he had said before, at that time. but... he'd say it as many times as he needed to, in order for her to fight back! )

She's your friend, right?! ( at one time, you'd said she was your only friend... )

check-up!

[thegoofball]

[More like a check OUT, am I right? Nyehehehe.

No, there's none of that happening. Lance is here to help the new arrivals anyways he can, which means being as professional as possible.]

Who, me?

[He shakes his head, letting out a soft laugh.]

Nah, I've been here for a while. It feels like decaphoebes already.

Pretty Sights

[4got10]

[In all honesty, the child had been hoping to get some time alone after the toil of all this. Having only been here for two months, this was the first time Chara had ended up being on the helping end of pulling people from their memories. They had hoped that, maybe, even among the throng of people, they might find a place to be left alone, especially from humans.

But they can't help it. After so many years in the Underground, even if the Underground was one of the few, if not the first, places to bring them true happiness, seeing the sunset so much again was a wonder. They aren't sure why they so pensively end up coming near by the older teen girl. They try and act like they intended to just pass by, that they have no intention of stopping to talk if the teenager says anything.

Yet they do. KNow that, at some point, they'll have to get over all the misgivings they have about other human beings. They stop at Ann's statement, looking out at the sunset.]

...It's really beautiful, huh? You never really think about appreciating them when you get to see them all the time. But when you actually do, it's really nice.

Memories

[kuposcreed]

[They're getting ready to dive in, but fortunately help is arriving just in the nick of time!]

Kupoooo~

[A few seconds earlier there was movement from one of the chandeliers that might well have been written off as a trick of the light, shadows reflecting off of the general overly opulent shine of this palace. But indeed it was being used for cover as a moogle wearing a white hood leaps down from above, spear in hand.

She's not very powerful, but gravity does a bit to help as she slams into one of the knights, knocking him to the ground and generally causing a loud ruckus as she pulls her spear (with some effort) from the armor.]

Sorry I'm late, are you alright, kupo?

Serge || Chrono Cross || Native OC

[timecrash]

CURTI CENTER
Serge is Excited. His first day on the job, and he's already volunteered for many of the more difficult- possibly dangerous- tasks. By rights he should be wearing down at some point, but he's still practically bouncing off the walls. There's still so much to do, so much that needs help-

Mochi gives him a prod. "Hey, buddy. You know you were supposed to take a break an hour ago, kupo."

"Pfff, nah. Stuff to do now, plenty of time to slack off later."

"Dude, you gotta lay off a little. There'll still be stuff to do in half an hour, just give it a res-"

"-Sorry can't talk someone's here-" Serge turns to look at the newcomer, grinning widely as the moogle behind him shakes his head. "Hi! Do you need help?"


GUILDS
Sen Riqueax, it turns out, is amazing. There's so much to see! And the Time Mage Asterisk has been so cool. He's been spending most of the day getting Mochi to throw things at him, just so that he can get used to this... incredibly strange sense of precognition. It's taking some getting used to, but he's adjusting quickly, and in a weird way it makes... sense.

Weirdly, a second before the individual comes into view, he's turning around to meet them, opening his mouth to say something- before stopping, confused. "Er. Wow, that's disorienting. Sorry, I just I saw you at the Curti Center and when I saw you- I mean I didn't see you, only I sort of did- uh."

It takes him a moment to process this, and somewhat sheepishly, he grimaces, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've just been to the Time Mages, sorry. This is really weird."


WILD CARD
Want to continue something from the Test Drive? Meet Serge on the beach while he's fishing? Surprise me!

Curti Center

[princeandscholar]

The newcomer in question gives a soft laugh at the conversation. A long coat marks him as a magic user while the golden pocket watch at his side might suggest Time Mage, and there’s a bundle of papers in his arms. (If Serge has looked over the Dream Width records or member list on the Linkshell, it’s apparent this Orcelito Noctircus, a boy picked up during the previous cycle. Though, he’s usually listed as a Tactician.)

“I hope it’s not a bother.” He has a bright smile in the wake of the laugh. Orcelito understands the peculiar exhilaration of overworking all too well. “If you’re free, could you direct me to the office that handles our mission reports? I have these to deliver.” He holds up the stapled papers he’s carrying – a report of observations from the recent foray into the mines.

curti center

[einspine]

Papyrus can't help but overhear the conversation. It brings a great big grin to his face. Ah, he's had discussions like this with his brother before. It's almost nostalgic! Almost...

Well. For a moment he frowns. It has been a long time since he got to scold his brother about his laziness, but. But! This isn't the time to get caught up in such things.

Instead, he moseys up to the stranger with a spring in his step.

"I ADMIRE YOUR WORK ETHIC!!! BREAKS OFTEN LEAD TO COMPLACENCY. SO GO FORTH! WORK YOUR HEART OUT, MY FRIEND!!!"

Curti Center

[strawberryredgrave]

Gotta admit: the new guy's enthusiasm is pretty cute. Dante knows this line of work may not be the most interesting and hey, his own investment is mildly personal, so seeing Serge like this is kind of refreshing. At the same time....

He gives a laugh. "Relax, kiddo; there's no fire here. Boss asked me to check if you've gone on break yet, though."

Tressa Colzione | Octopath Traveler | Cee-Chan

[colzionetradingco]

Memory

[The night was cold, with raining hailing down from the skies as thunder roared in the distance. Tressa shivered, though it was unsure if it was the thunder or the bitter cold that caused this. It was incredibly dark, and Tressa could barely see her own hand in front of her face, so it's not like she could see her map. And to top it all off? She was totally lost! Absolutely fantastic.

The young merchant had perched under a tree, which mostly protected her from the rain, though she hadn't packed any camping supplies. She saved the room for other various items she intended on selling. There was little need to make camp most of the time, as the various towns and cities weren't that far away from each other, but she hadn't had the opportunity to stay at the Inn back in Stonegard, as all the rooms had been occupied.

She wanted to rest, but the conditions kept her wide awake, feeling miserable. She whimpered, poking at the ground with a stray branch.]

"When will this terrible night finally be over...?"

[righthandstand]

Okuyasu had no clue why he volunteered to help out with the new arrivals this month. Alright, maybe it was so he could say hi to Jessie since she was so kind as to look after Stray Cat the first time he went out in space and because they had snacks, but he supposed he can try to snap others out of their memories.

A teenager wearing a modified student's uniform walks along the path, grumbling about the lack of umbrella or a Stand to shield him from the rain. Thankfully, there's a girl not too far down, but did she have to pick someplace so far away from shelter?

"Hey, you're lost, right?" In her memory, in space, in the wilderness.

Munehisa Iwai | Persona 5 | OTA

[geckoman]

A Ball of Fluff

[So he did listen to the whole announcement thing but that doesn't mean he's prepared for this...thing. Iwai frowns at it as he tries to figure out what the hell it even is. A Moogle doesn't tell him much.

And when he's not frowning at the Moogle? He's frowning at the iMog Slate. Because there's no way this could be secure in the slightest. He doesn't trust it for even a second. Which probably means people are in for the almost comical sight of a middle aged man just in a stand off with a Moogle and the Slate he's been handed.

Look. He might have some trust issues, okay?]

Pretty Sights

[Well since he's stuck here he might as well eat. Which means that he's definitely gone to the cafeteria. Because until he can get some food purchased for himself and a better place to live he has to figure things out. And he can't do that on an empty stomach.

Least there's some sweet foods around here. Iwai will give them that. So he's got a nice latte to go with his pasta that he's eating while he's trying to steadfastly ignore the Moogle that's apparently his now.

Should anyone come to his table, he'll nod to let them know they can sit there. It's free space. He's fine with that.]

The Job For You

[Well, might as well figure out this job thing. So he was currently waiting for his transportation to arrive, just leaning against a wall and messing around with the stick in his mouth. One couldn't see it but it was actually a lollipop. Despite that tough guy image it definitely was candy instead of a cigarette.

A glance over and he'd lift his brow.]

Need something?

[It sounds rough but he's not trying to be intimidating. It's just sort of his nature.]

Wildcard

[Got something else you wanna do? Go for it! I'm all for it!]

Re: The Job For You

[defenestraighttomyheart]

"Yeah. A set of Bullfrog hypertrousers, a Crosslink app for whatever this slate thing is, and the name of a good dry cleaner. I keep on going like this, I'm going to end up looking like Columbo in that one episode where he ends up at a soup kitchen and the nuns there keep confusing him for a homeless guy."

Richard Conway has been leaning up against the wall of the same building, crooking an eyebrow at the shady looking gentleman in the coat. Then again, that same description could be the same for himself. He's used to gruff tones and witty comebacks. He comes from East Point, for goodness' sake. You can't go for a walk down the street without someone having a snide shot at your hat.

(always doing) jobs for you

[masqueraid]

( ren came to a stop, one hand was resting in his pockets, but the other went up to the side of his head. with his neck on a slight incline, he taps at his one ear, as though he was trying to clear it from something. )

For a second there, it almost felt as though I was back in Shibuya...

( so he'll just pat at his head once or twice more to make sure.
but after that, he just... smiles. )

It's good to see you, Iwai-san.

lunafreya nox flueret | final fantasy xv | ota

[coincollection]

memory;

There's an an altar in the middle of the sea, ancient and separate from everything around it, but the most impressive thing isn’t the crumbling stones, but the serpentine goddess looming in front of it. The goddess does not speak the way a mortal speaks, but her words still hit to the core of you.

What does a lowly, ephemeral speck know of All Creation? the goddess demands as she swipes at the altar. Parts of it crumble, away into the see, but the blonde woman holding a trident tight in her hands does not falter. She cannot. This is too important and Noctis has come too far for Leviathan to deny him. Them.

She stands tall, and keeps her voice firm and steady. She is not afraid - not of the Six, nor of her duty.]

I know what you must know- [The memory flickers, for just a moment, to a different place, a different time, a young, dark-haired boy and a young, blonde girl in a brightly lit room.] -that the King of Kings is to drive the darkness from our star.

The goddess snarls, lashing out once more, and Lunafreya falls. She breathes, heavily, and everything flickers again. A man, grim, with a magitek arm surrounded by soldiers. Lunafreya stands up from her chair, just as she stands up now, bracing herself with the Trident of the Oracle as the goddess rants.

Blasphemous ingrates, all men, quick to forget the ages their goddess stood watch!]

pretty sights;

[It’s the gardens that Lunafreya is most drawn to, initially. They’re beautiful and she welcomes the relaxing atmosphere. It’s...been a while since she’s had the freedom to simply enjoy something, even though she knows there’s not much time that will be afforded to them. Such is the life of a world on the brink of chaos.

But, for now, she can enjoy it. She can relax, for just a moment, and enjoy the new flora around her.

She can’t fuel herself on flowers alone, though, so she can also readily be found in the cafeteria, enjoying the foreign foods. If she sees anyone looking lost, she’ll call out to them with a gentle smile.]

You’re welcome to sit here, if you want.

wildcard;]

[Want anything else? Anywhere else? Feel free to go buckwild, or hit me up at daintily.]

CARRYING ON FROM TDM!!!!

[littlemhigan]

[Castor has to make an effort not to choke on her mouthful of latte]

Aye....aye I'm she. I'm no stranger te gossip about meself but I do hope all he said were good things. I guess ye know him then?

Richard Conway | Gunpoint | NomenNescio

[defenestraighttomyheart]

Memory.

[It's raining. Richard is bleeding. His face is cut and swollen from the beating he took. His ribs are cracked from the fall. His knuckles are wrapped around the handle of the Resolver, turned white as if his bones have decided to impose themselves against his skin.

Thunder roars. The door opens as the electric engine flings the hinges loose entirely too quickly. Fritz is sitting there, holding his gun to the door. A sneer rolls around his face. Richard sees his bluff. The laser dot from his revolver makes no lie of where it's aiming, right in the heart. His face was obscured against a heavy shadow, giving Richard a dualistic look. The contrast of light and shadow played off each other to frame the scene.

They were backed by the choir invisible, who's silent tones electrified the spine, along with the rumbling, roaring percussion of thunder. For one tense moment, as they both realized the situation they were both in, they wordlessly hold each other at gunpoint.

“Well, if it isn't shit-hat Conway.” Fritz opened up swinging on the banter. Richard's stony expression didn't lose intensity. He'd long ago lost patience with the man. The last e-mail he found just cinched it.

“Fritz, for your own safety, do not insult the hat.”]


A Quick Check-Up.


[Richard never really had a soft spot for doctors. Typically, he saw them as a sign of failure. If he had to go see one after one of his jobs, it means that he had failed, and that a huge chunk of the pay would go into paying the medical bills.

It could explain why he was on edge as he waited for his nurse to come back. She had told him that she needed to take his temperature. He told her that she wasn't shoving anything into his mouth. She nodded and said that there was another orifice they could use.

So Richard sits on his little cot, really, really hoping that this was an oral thermometer in his mouth, and desperate holding out for any distraction.]


Housing.

["So, wait." Richard said out loud, Mogcho at his side. "I'm in here with two other people. Some chump named 'Red', and some gal named 'Marinette'."

"Looks to be the case, boss." Mogcho growled aloud, somehow sounding pleasant even through his gravelly tones. Richard quietly noted why his moogle came up to his chest and looks like he had just won a bodybuilding slash Greco-Roman wrestling competition against an actual dinosaur.

"Only," Richard began. "Red has been out of here for two months, and Marinette has been out of here even longer. And their names are still in the books."

"Right on the money, boss."

"So we're alone in this nice, big, public housing." Richard concluded aloud. He smiled, then pointed at Mogcho. "Don't. Tell. Anyone."]

Home is where you hang your hat

[timecrash]

Richard, perhaps, doesn't have long to enjoy his newfound solitude. There's a knock on the door, and should the man open it, behind it is a familiar face, as well as a moogle, each holding a cardboard box overflowing with various items.

"Hey. Richard, right? I saw you hadn't got your patented Curti Center box o' stuff yet, so I volunteered to deliver it! Y'know, check on you, make sure you're okay. You seemed pretty shaken up by the whole thing, so y'know, thought you could use a friend! Mind if I come in to put these down?"

Sephiroth | Final Fantasy VII | OTA Throughout

[neverbeamemory]

MEMORY

[No.

He'd done it. He'd won.

It seemed not a moment before that his enemy had been smashed bloodily into the concrete that had once been part of an interior floor within the ShinRa HQ in Midgar. Blood ran like small rivers from Cloud as he forced himself yet again to his feet, released from the fatal lacerations Sephiroth had expertly -monstrously- carved out of the form of his enemy. Like luminous red in the gloomy grey atmosphere that Sephiroth himself had created. The sky behind swirled ominously, Sephiroth's large black wing idly beating to his right side as he remained afloat, the tainted souls at his command now simply waiting for that inevitable fall-

Except he's stuck now in the epicenter of a perimeter of gleaming blue blades as his enemy dashes from one to the other, each relay rushing in at him and delivering one strike after another. Shaking his existence to the core, flipping him about yet at the same time the limit break keeps him paralyzed dead-center. Unable to counter, unable to dodge.

Inky, smoke-like feathers of his essence are left dropping away into nothingness as he remains suspended in mid-air. There is a distinct feeling, throughout the fabric of this scene, of something heavier than just Sephiroth's physical being that seems to be smoldering away.]

I will...never be a memory.

[Except that's exactly what this is, over and over again.

Sephiroth's over-sized black wing curls around him completely, and in a flurry of smoking feathers he leaves this plane of existence once more, as the clouds begin to part.]

ARRIVAL

[Well this is unusual -but more importantly- this isn't supposed to be what happens next. Sephiroth's retreat back into the Lifestream has grown into the acute sensation of an eternal drop, a sharp shudder wracking his form as it collides with a floor that's really just the material of the cot he wakes in. A heavy, startled breath taken in a second before eyes shot open and urgently sought to look around before they'd even had a chance to focus in the lighting condition.

He coughed out that first breath he hadn't even thought to hold; quickly remembering how to breathe and taking care not to think to much about it, indeed, his body just knew how to do that without any conscious thought. One sure sign that he was alive, once again.

The next few moments were spent slowly stretching, testing reach and adjusting to those limited five senses that living beings have. It felt odd, and all so much heavier than he remembered - what limited memory he had of being in possession of a physical form. With great caution Sephiroth first put weight onto leather-wrapped legs, easing his tall, strong frame back to it's fullest height. Learning again what it was to wear armor at his shoulders, the exact weight and pull of his long silver hair as it moved while he walked. Yet at the same time he fortified himself mentally against the weakness he had, that he felt in every small movement. His balance, his strength, his clouded thoughts. It was so obvious that it might as well have been a bad smell.]

Hmph-

[He'd wondered out into the lobby area, for that?

Though immediately curious as to the exact nature of this circumstance he'd apparently woken up into, Sephiroth turned promptly back towards the infirmary door in a swish of silver hair and black leather no later than the second set of recorded messages had started to play. After all, there was little to do than sit it out, whether they lived or died didn't much matter anything to him. Perhaps his luck might even be better, the next time around; perhaps he might even be able to wrench back some control back.

Eventually sitting back on the edge of the cot he'd woken from, as if trying to decipher some unintelligible sign that his body might just need a little more sleep to fully be rid of the haziness. Maybe it's just the air in here, or that background hum that's just about loud enough not to be ignored out of hand.]

AFTER -THAT- CHECK-UP / HOUSING [B-03]

#1
[Though disgusted to the very root of his core during the various -though standard, he was assured- procedures gone through and documented at the medical check-up offered to all new arrivals, once committed to attending it, Sephiroth's silent resolve didn't quaver once. His expression firmly kept at a cool-neutral, observing both everything and nothing, while inside his outrage at this whole impossible situation kept bubbling away. Patience was the required outlook needed while he drank in as much as he possibly could about the place he'd somehow manifested into.

It had made sense, after all; in fact it was the smartest thing his assigned moogle had suggested so far. Jennifer was much too enthusiastic to finally be assigned to one of the new arrivals that information had spewed out almost uncontrollably - details of which Sephiroth had apparently paid little mind to. After all, he had the iMog tablet now - he'd find out on his own. Still; it's a new physical form to him, in fact it seemed quite necessary when he'd put his mind finally to it, for Sephiroth to know that everything was working as it should be. Should be being a far cry from what it was, though, as it turned out. Hardly the celestial being he had every right to be.]

#2
[With bare essentials obtained from the Curti center storage room, as well as a bag to carry them in, it's getting towards dusk before Jennifer -who seems to be finally getting tired of being so excitable as she was before- leads Sephiroth out into the residential area, headed for the 'B-type' house that he's been temporarily assigned as accommodation.

Of course, it's fairly obvious from the moment he turns the key in the door and enters, that he wasn't assigned somewhere to be as he preferred; on his own. Even if there were no one home, signs of life in such a residence are obvious. Making a small sigh-hush of a noise towards his moogle, Sephiroth proceeds from the doorway towards the first room he comes across. Hyper-vigilance incarnate as he listens intently for if anyone might be home.]

THE JOB FOR YOU

Nakagawa: Swordmaster Guild
[It's within the very next day that Sephiroth makes the airship trip to Nakagawa in pursuit of this first -and entirely crucial, as far as he's concerned- job asterisk. It's imperative that he get to grips with the mechanics of Vaikuntha, as soon as possible, and getting back to a comfortable level of skill with a blade quickly became high on Sephiroth's priorities as soon as it was explained that he had nothing -that's right nothing- to show for all of the ability he'd had before. Unacceptable, for a start, but would become a festering slight on his patience if it wasn't corrected soon.

Where most might be enraptured by the idyllic sanctuary-like setting of Nakagawa, and the garden in which the Swordmaster guild is located, Sephiroth is entirely business-like in his whole demeanor. Not to be impressed by landscaping; he knows well how easily anything that can be built can be destroyed. When it came to watching the other swordsman practice however, the silver haired man observes as if he were pulling the movements apart in his mind; slowing them down, building them back up to how he might have executed them better. Sure, he might not have that level of skill, but some knowledge remains second-nature even when all else is forfeit.]

After check-up

[angealwings]

You seem in a fine mood.

[ Yes, Angeal was more than fully aware that no, Sephiroth really was not. Thoguh, considering where he was coming back from, Angeal could figure out why, and... well.

He shouldn't be surprised, should he.

(He'd been on another craft for the pick up of new people, so now he was checking on new arrivals and... here he was. Leaning against the wall, arms crossed, keeping an eye on people. And though his heart actually leaped up to see the friend of so many years, he knew that Sephiroth's rage right now was not going to make anything easy, even if he kept his apparent calm, and Sephiroth was likely to do.) ]

kid | chrono cross ( ota )

[kissthemoons]

MEMORY.

( more than a memory, this was something kid would never be able to forget. the way the flames roared around her, the choking heat, the heavy black smoke in the air— the ashtear household was once again engulfed in flames. the drawings that she and the other kids had worked on so meticulously... turning to ash, being swept away with what had been bright sunny days, filled with laughter.

in one of the back rooms, she was huddled into herself, feeling every bit a child again as the boards cracked and crumbled in the all-consuming flames. when she looked up, she knew what she'd find, knew she'd see the demi-human lynx and his clown-faced partner standing there smugly, smiling even!— as the smell of her charred life filled her nostrils. But Kid couldn't help herself, she couldn't just lay there helplessly doing nothing. sis, she had to avenge sis! with one last push, she willed herself back up to her feet again, a guttural, feral— ) Uwah—!

( that sounded from her throat as she moved to spring forward... caught by a sudden pull at her wrist.
she didn't even turn your way though, as she twists and tugs, trying to break free from the sudden grasp. )

Lemme go! ( she spat— ) Let me go!

( and overhead, the roof supports began to crumble... )

CUTRI CENTRE.

( when it comes time for the tour, kid is barely half-listening to whatever the guide has to say. she has a pamphlet in her hands and turns it over, backwards, then upside down trying to make heads or tails of it ) Hey, psst— ( she's leaning in near you, trying to do this inconspicuously so as not to draw too much attention. )

Any of this makin' any sense to you, mate?

( she motions with the upside down pamphlet, cocking an eyebrow upwards and shaking her head. )

THE JOB FOR YOU.

( it was at the sub guild in cloud city where kid got her first look at the sky pirates-in-training. as she stood there watching, there was an intense look about her as one of the fledglings doused one of the training dummies in what smelled like a mighty stiff drink, then proceeded to light it on fire.

kid's blue eyes narrowed mischievously with a sinister sounding— ) Heh, heh... ( as the imagined lynx on the receiving end of an attack like that, and how satisfying it would feel... )

So when do we get to learn that one, eh?

WILDCARD.

( anywhere else for anything else that either of us can possible think of! go wild(card)! )

[Curti Center]

[bladeofconquest]

"Not even a little." Corrin replies out of the corner of her mouth. She likewise has a pamphlet in her hand. Then she glances at Kid out of the corner of her eye, and grins at her. "Glad to know I'm not the only one who's completely lost, though."

Nozomi Yumehara | Yes! Pretty Cure 5 (Mayfield and My Little Jamjar CRAU)

[cureofmanyworlds]

1) Arrival

Nozomi started to come to, shaking the cobwebs out of her head. Things still were in a haze, but she now had an understanding of where she was - obvious not in Kansas. Or Japan. Or Mayfield or Equestria or any of that. Of course, before she can ask what's going on, she spots the holographic recording and... decides to just sit there and watch it. After being through numerous worlds, she has a feeling she should just sit down, shut up and find out what's going on for now.

2) Curti Center

"I don't know why you didn't come with your glasses, Ms. Yumehara, but here's a fresh pair."

Once Nozomi had arrived in the Curti Center, the first thing she needed was glasses - she always wondered if she was a 100% copy of the real Nozomi, but it was obvious now she wasn't, especially since she wasn't jacked up on unicorn or Pretty Cure magic. Her old CureMo device was useless and she was missing her Pokeballs (Mako was going to kill her if she found out she lost her Pokemon). In their place...

"Now that you're all set and looked over, here have these!"

Pamphlets. Nothing but pamphlets of the various jobs in this new land.

"Ahhh... w-wait, what am I supposed to do with these? Am I supposed to use them?" Nozomi said, looking over the various ones. "Th-these aren't jobs, they're super powers!"

There was a feeling of dread coming over her. This felt wrong.

3)Scary Pretty Sights

If one was to look for Nozomi, you'd probably find her wandering across the entire Curti Center absently with an armful of pumpkin and spice-based food. Do you find her in the Airship hangar, watching them work on the various ships? Perhaps you'll find her in the Research Center, examining the various pieces of work there. Or maybe you'll find her outside, enjoying the sunset, contemplating everything that's happened.

Either way, she'll be more than happy to have any sort of company.

4)Wildcard

[Got any other ideas? Hit me up, please!]

[Pretty Sights]

[bladeofconquest]

[Corrin's been kind of wandering aimlessly around the Curti Center since the orientation lecture ended, trying to get her bearings. She's been to other Deeprealms before, but none of them were anything like this. And this sounds more and more like it's going to be a much more permanent stay than any of the other Deeprealms she's been in. She finds herself back in the Airship hangar, where magnificent machines like the one that brought her here are being worked on. She walks up next to Nozomi.]

"I still can't believe things like this exist. There's nothing like them back home."

[bladeofconquest]

MEMORY

[Corrin has been here before, fighting this battle. She stands before the Hoshidan Throne of Truth, once sat by her departed mother. It's the last day of the war; Sakura has already been captured, Hinoka gone into hiding, Ryoma...Ryoma's already gone, and the creature masquerading as her father, the one responsible for all this pain and suffering is dead. But the fight continues, because standing at the far end of the hall from her is Takumi, her brother...or at least what's left of him, his body burning with purple flames.

With a roar of hatred, he looses an arrow of dark energy from his jagged yumi at her, and Corrin only barely manages to deflect it with the Shadow Yato in time. She has to reach him, to put an end to this; it's the promise she made to Takumi, the real Takumi, to lay his soul to rest by killing the entity that has defiled his body and distorted it with its rage and hatred. But he's not alone; between her and him are the strange spectral invaders, only half-visible to the naked eye, and scores of Faceless, all ready to stop her from reaching Takumi and fulfilling her promise. He's already preparing to shoot another arrow. She can't do this.

Not alone...]

A Ball of Fluff

[Corrin stares at her new Moogle...friend? Companion? Pet? and then back down at the iMog slate in her hand. Ever since waking up on that airship(?!), none of this has made any sense to her, but now she has this Moogle, who is cute (which is definitely helping), and the iMog, but none of this is still making any sense to her. She has decided that the Moogle's name is Anya, though. She had a book once as a child who's heroine was named Anya, and Corrin has always thought it was a pretty name. But this iMog device makes no sense to her. She looks up at someone standing nearby.]

"Sorry, but I'm still having trouble understanding. This...Eye-Mog is a communication device? How is that possible?"

Pretty Sights

[Corrin has been to the mess hall and had something to eat, and she knows where her room is. She'll be going there shortly, but first, the sun is setting, and she's decided to watch. Corrin has always liked the dark; there's always been something calming to her about how quiet and still the world becomes when the sun sets, and she's always enjoyed stargazing.

There's also something she needs to get out of her system. It's been building ever since she woke up on the airship and began to get a sense of just how far from home she truly is. She'll allow herself this, and then she'll carry on. She's read the pamphlets and she has a good idea of what she can do to help out, but first thing's first.

You might come across Corrin watching the sunset, head in one hand, sobbing softly to herself. She won't notice you at first.]

WILD CARD

[Hit me with your best shot.]

Sunset

[timecrash]

He can't help it, really. He's never been really the sort of person who can just... quietly ignore other peoples' pain. So many people with so much apathy towards the suffering of those around them...

So, when Serge hears somebody sobbing out in the courtyard, it's almost a compulsion. He turns, quietly asks Mochi to carry the papers he'd been running to the housing registry, and steps outside.

Corrin finds herself being joined by a young man with blue hair, dressed in the Curti Center uniform. He doesn't know quite what to say, so he goes with:
"I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Frisk | Undertale

[waningsigns]

Memory
[Sunlight filters down from a hole far, far above, shining like a spotlight on the golden patch of flowers growing in the center of this cave. It's tiny, just a rough-hewn room barely twenty feet across and a thin passage leading away into the dark. Nowhere to hide, especially not with the sun reflecting off the flowers the way it is.]

[That doesn't stop Frisk from trying. They're curled up in the very back with their back against the wall and their face crammed against their knees, trying to make themself as small as they can. Their shoulders shake with muffled sobs, and they can't help the occasional keening whimper that escapes their throat. They want nothing more than to be alone right now, but that might not be what they need.]

Arrival
[Frisk still feels like they're walking through a dream as they wander past the recording— the recording of humans, talking about some stuff that flows right past their ears as they stare wide-eyed at everything around them. They don't know this place. It's probably nowhere underground. They might be in space, and isn't that a thought.]

[They're still very out of it, they realize, and decide that sitting down against this wall is a good idea. Probably no one is going to trip over them here, as long as they don't stick their legs out or anything. They're very small and need to process all of this without being at risk of falling over.]

A Ball Of Fluff Named Moogle
[The moment Frisk's Moogle whizzes into the air in front of them, they know this place is perfect. They don't even give the critter time to introduce herself before they started patting that delightfully soft fur like it's the end of the world. They're spamming the Pet button like a speedrunner trying to make the world record. The friction created by their fingers scratching behind her ears is on track to heat the weather back up to summer temperatures.]

[For her part, Izwin doesn't seem to mind, but it does make it a little difficult to actually tell them why she's here.]

Pretty Sights
[Frisk had wandered into the gardens looking for a quiet place where they wouldn't have to talk to anyone. They did find that, but they also found something even better: a tree. By itself, the tree isn't that special. It's just a regular old tree, sitting in the middle of a garden, encircled by paths to walk around. They've seen trees before. What catches their attention about this one is the leaves, which are a dark green on one side but turning to mottled yellow on the other.]

[Of all things, this shouldn't be the one to make the reality of their situation sink in— they've been looking at the sky this whole time, surely that's what would convince them they're not in the underground. They saw the pumpkins decorating every level surface in the cafeteria. But no, it's a tree halfway through changing color, living proof that they're out of the endless loop they put themself through.]

[They've been staring at the tree for the last ten minutes. They might be tearing up a little.]

Fallen Down

[timecrash]

It's... disorienting, Serge is quickly finding out, stepping into a memory. He doesn't know quite where he is, only that it's very dark, and there's a pervasive chill and damp... some kind of cave?

What he does know, is that he can hear a child crying. The offworlder's a kid. That's... that's so sad. He rounds a corner, finds the shaft of light gently illuminating a bed of flowers... He'd find such a tranquil scene beautiful if it weren't for the huddled shape of the kid.

It might come as a shock to Frisk, when what interrupts their solitude is not a high-pitched, almost-mocking voice, but a much gentler one, and a hand on the shoulder. "Hey, it's okay."

Asriel Dreemurr | Undertale Growth Spurt AU | Rosque

[bleating_heart]

Memory
Asriel munches on the last piece of his slice of snail pie, chewing thoughtfully as he sits next to the flowers in the garden. He smiles up at Dad, holding his arms up after a moment. Obligingly, he is lifted up like a paperweight, smiling out as he's set on his shoulder, holding onto a horn for stability. "You know, someday you're going to be too big for this! If you get bigger than I am, can I sit on your shoulder?" Dad says, and Asriel responds with an extended tongue. Such a gesture prompts an infectious laugh, and pretty soon the both of them are giggling, whereupon Mom shows up with Chara, and seconds. He's full, but he eats it anyway. As the evening drags on, it starts to get late, and a yawn, proving similarly infectious, prompts mention of bed time. Teeth are brushed. Pajamas are exchanged. Toys are put away, and there he is, being tucked in bed, kissed good night by mom, and by dad. He closes his eyes, and pulls his pillow in close.

He's got a really great life.


Housing - single-thread if you prefer
Asriel slowly walks up the path, carrying the clothes on his back, a small bag, and a slip of paper with a number on it. They said that they tried to match people from the same world together, right? So that means...

He turns, looking up at the house number plate before glancing back down at the paper. B-11, B-11.

He takes a deep breath. It's time to face what he's going to be dealing with, living here in this bizarre world.

He knocks loudly on the door.


Getting A Job
"I know I can't be picky. I mean, it's not like I've got a lot of marketable skills."

Asriel is seated on a picnic table in the park, combing through leaflets of information. There is a black-pommed moogle in black sunglasses and a black leather jacket beside him, sipping a mug of something.

"What do you have, then?"

"Uhh, not much?? I mean, I was a flower for a pretty long time, it's not exactly something that's easy to put on a resume."

"Beggers can't be choosers... kupo."

"Yeah I guess, but I've seen what this kind of job does to people." He says, waving a pamphlet. "Working in fast food is the quickest way to want to end it all. Hell, I usually just left that burger pants guy alone. Not like I could do anything to him that would make him suffer more."

"You certainly can complain... kupo. Maybe a job that would fit that talent."

"Oh, haha, very funny. Are there even movies or videogames in this world? Being a critic doesn't seem like something that's very needed around here."

"Why make such a fuss? You know the big Curti Cats in charge changed it so you never have to move out. You could spend all day inside and never have to leave if you wanted. ...Kupo."

"Beca--wait, really? Well that's not the point! I need.. something to do. I'm already going stir crazy. I don't want to be alone with my thoughts, alright?"

"Then I suppose you had best get to frying chocobo thighs... kupo."

Asriel groans, and puts his head down on the table, knocking over classifieds and application papers.


Getting A Job - The Other Kind
Late to the party as usual, Asriel opens the door to the university that he's been having trouble pronouncing for, like, the last hour. Aaaangh? Ungh? Aaauung? Ahnguh?

He nearly bumps into the wall with his thoughts on how the heck you're supposed to pronounce that before he blinks, and looks around. "Uhh.. hey, is this the.. time mage guild?" He asks, not even entirely sure he's in the right place. He definitely looks a bit out of place, being tall, gangly, big horns... and for that matter, what he thinks of as "the front desk" would actually wind up being... just a table. In his defense, the layout of the "time mage" guild has to be awful complicated and headache-inducing.

Wild Card

Continuing From TDM

[waningsigns]

(context)

[Oh, yep, there's the waterworks. Curse you, Asriel, and curse you Frisk for having so much empathy. They set their drink down and lean over to give an awkward half-hug— refusing to get out of their chair, no matter how sappy they may be— and bury their face in his arm.]

"Yeah. Missed you, you smelly, cheesy fluffball."