Introduction Log || It's Happening Again (Again!)

[eternitymods]

Who: All characters (New Arrivals, Previous Arrivals, and Native OCs) When: June 5th Where: The Dream Width (Airship), the Curti Center, and the Housing District What: It is happening again. 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 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. Cid gives a short and to the point 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 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. Cid also introduces the other ones: his assistant Jessie, a young woman fascinated by the new arrivals, 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. After Cid finishes (and Claire grumbles at her work never being done), 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 Cid mentioned in his 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. ] 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. 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

[sullenstallion]

That's right. I used to have...

[He's about to say 'I used to have legs,' but that's Dylas' lack of filter almost getting the better of him. He quickly changes his tune.]

...I used to be in a different world, uh. Not my home world. Yeah, I'm speaking generally. I don't know who, but there's always someone who knows more than they're letting on. You should take everything with a grain of salt. Or a bucket of it.

[He remembers he's saying all of this in front of a Moogle assigned to him, too. That's a little awkward, so he adds:]

The Moogles can be trusted, though. Salmog isn't great, but he's trustworthy.

[He hasn't said anything about, uh, what's in Dylas' freezer, after all.]

[shinra_dog]

Sometimes they have good ideas! Not always!

[He said it pointedly to Mogki. Don't go breaking shit.]

[He turned his attention back to Hope.] It's... complicated. There's no one here from my homeworld, no. [He thought back to his decision to leave that -- leave them -- behind. He remembered saying goodbye to Rufus.]

There's people I know from the last world I was on, though. That's sort of the same now. It... [He struggled with the wording, not wanting to come across as a dick.] It gets easier. You want people from home but then at the same time you don't, because you don't want them stuck too. But it gets easier.

So... I can't say I want them to come... But I hope you'll be okay anyway.

[aethereally]

You're absolutely right. Perhaps once I get a bit more settled, I'll give it a try. Firstly, though... I haven't even visited the house I'm supposed to be living in yet. I should probably get on that.

[He's a little afraid of doing it, actually. Going "home" makes this seem all a lot more permanent and real.]

[mythmaker]

Ah, would you maybe like a guide? I live in the same area, I'm sure, so it's no problem at all for me~.

[You can trust her.]

[aethereally]

[Salieri was quiet for a few moments, pouting and trying to sit still for his exam. He knows Snow is right, but he doesn't appreciate being talked to in such a way.]

...

No need to be rude about it. This is all a bit much.

[immortalmarshal]

Cor's solemn look is mixed with a little sympathy for a brief moment. He knows that it's one of the worst case scenarios for the entire royal line, losing the Crystal. And yet...

There's the undertone of a growl in Cor's voice. "Power, as far as we can tell. Either the Emperor wants to use the power himself, or he wants it as a power symbol of its claim in the entire world." He closes his eyes for a moment, and then opened them back up, continuing in a more confident tone. "There's still a very good chance of us getting it back, though, and we've already made much progress along those lines."

[immortalmarshal]

"Hmm...spoken like someone who's done this before."

No doubt or wariness in his tone of voice; instead, he's a little curious.

[immortalmarshal]

"...ah. That would do it." He can see the logic behind that; at least that much makes some sense. "Still...you seem happy to have him by your side."

[chefbayardee]

They have someone who gives us advice on Jobs, like the magic and stuff, but aside from that they leave us alone. [ So far. ]

Except for the time a creepy little girl showed up to four people, said some really weird stuff, and drew a picture of one of them dead, with a creepy lady standing over them. [ As he progresses through that sentence, Hunk gets more visually uncomfortable. ] I, uh... I wasn't really there though.

[ But then, a tiny smile. ] My buddy Shiro met her. He probably knows more about all that than I do.

[immortalmarshal]

Cor swears that he could hear Cid chuckling in amusing agreement, and it makes him grimace at the reminder of always being told to 'relax' and 'take a vacation' all those years. The only time he really went on 'vacation' was when he took on hunts that even the best Hunters had trouble with.

That, and he's just too damn lucky to let something like a mere cold keep him from fulfilling his duties.

Still, the veil of annoyance, doesn't last very long - no more than a minute or two - and he finds himself sighing in defeat. "...I suppose you're right, both of you." He then looks at Gladio again. "You still haven't explained how the hell did you get back here so soon, though."

[doodlebuginette]

That's a good way to look at it. [A pause, and then-] Maybe I can help the next time!

[Well that was a relief, wasn't it?]

At least it's something simple? Does he know how long that's going to take? [Hopefully it wouldn't take too long! And she's going a little wide-eyed at that suggestion.]

Maybe we should wait until Shiro's with us! [She didn't want to risk upsetting someone she'd never even met, after all.]

[doodlebuginette]

And... that was not something she'd even considered before. But now she was, and she sort of regretted it. And the idle notion of Chloe living in a house made of bees just made her chuckle. "Oh, you're right! Probably a good thing that they're just regular houses."

By this point they were marching right along on the way to the houses, and she paused to glance over at him at that introduction. "It's lovely to meet you, oh great Papyrus!" she told him. "My name is Marinette."

[doodlebuginette]

The wait was short, and soon enough Nanamo was back with a fresh mug of tea. Marinette smiled and accepted it happily. "Thank you!" she called out with a little more enthusiasm than might be necessary. And then she's lifting the mug to inhale deeply. "It's really kind of you. And it smells amazing." There was just something about the scent of freshly brewed tea that made her feel safe and warm. "It's nice to meet you too."

[doodlebuginette]

That smile was pretty infectious, and she found herself smiling as well. It was almost like being with Alya. Kind of. Not quite. "Oh, neat," she murmured, finding herself curious about where Frisk had come from. "That's a very old series. I can't even imagine." Mostly because technology seemed to change so quickly where she was from. "That doesn't sound like much fun... unless you're one of the ones that really enjoy it." Which it seemed like they weren't? "But how many remakes do they need?" That part seemed kind of silly to her.

[modelcivilian]

Yeah! Of course you can!

[Both of them together, helping people! Sounds like something they could definitely do.]

Not really. I'm not sure how she gets power - it might be solar so as long a weather permits. [He might ask Shiro about the specifics. But to her statement, he nodded.] Yeah, that's for the best.

[dreamsoftomorrow]

I...

[It's not that he doesn't think he'll be okay. And he gets wanting people here but not, not that he sort of gets what's going on. As best anyone can, anyway, but...]

You said you knew me before. You don't have to give me details or anything but what... did I tell you about my world? If I told you anyway before.

[Because it was hard to explain wanting people here, despite knowing it meant being stuck on a different world, if people didn't understand that back home, they were in crystal stasis. Staying home didn't necessarily mean being able to live.]

[dreamsoftomorrow]

[probably, but there's always college!]

I'm just... doing what I can, I guess. [Pause.] A friend gave me some advice once recently and it's helped me a lot.

"It's not a question of can or can't. There are some things in life you just do."

[nanaimo_bar]

"Likewise," said Nanamo with a wide smile. "How are you finding it here so far? Anyone you know here yet?"

[surrenderto]

You come from a world with magic then? How curious. I believe that even if we are capable of using magic in this world they must have safety measures in place. It would be a poor decision to give people power without having any contingency plans.

[surrenderto]

[ That he says "again" is interesting. She would pursue it but considering it's a first meeting she knows better. Though she makes a mental note of things to ask him again a later date. ]

That is correct. I will admit to being less than enthused. I have noticed that some others here seem completely fascinated with some of the features of the world. It is...quaint.

ikr?

[chosehope]

With that, she shook her head. "Oh no, that's not what I mean! I meant that you can wheel my own chair!" Then she gave a small pause. "Although, if you don't want to, that's okay too. I don't want to force you to do something!"

[chosehope]

Ahhh, I see!

[Hm...!] I know that I'll go to school! I'm afraid that I do like to learn a lot and maybe I could even take a job too! I never had one before so it might be fun!

[chosehope]

[For a moment, Nunnally didn't know what to say. It hurt her a lot knowing what was happening. Was she going to be blunt? She didn't want to but if it meant bringing them closer, she might have to.]

...Lelouch, it's okay. If you want to give me a hug, you can. The blood on your hands have been cleaned, you already suffered enough.

[chosehope]

[With that, Nunnally couldn't hep but smile a little. While she might have vague memories of her mother, it was a nice thought despite everything.]

I really hope so. I know a lot of people look up to her and I do wish to be the same. And I know that my mother would feel the same about you too!

[chosehope]

[In that moment, Nunnally halted. She should have known. If Euphie was here, Lelouch would too. Despite being somewhat prepared, that didn't stop her from lacking the words to speak.

As she opened her mouth, she simply stared at Suzaku wondering what to say]

I-Is he? He's happy here, right? [Because that's all that mattered to her]