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

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

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. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That is a voice he had not expected to hear here. In fact, it belongs to the last (living) person he expected to find here of all places. Cor immediately whirls around to find that shockingly familiar, raven-haired man slowly working his way towards him.

"...Noctis?"

But Cor's only shocked for a moment, before he immediately starts shoving his way closer to the younger man. As soon as he got close enough, he let fly the first questions on his tongue: "Why are you here, Majesty? Where are the others?" Because it's so very unusual to see him without at least one of his retinue nearby these days.

He finally breaks through the crowd to be in a decent speaking distance. Thank the stars, another from home. Though he finds it disconcerting, considering... No. Not going down that rabbit hole again. Not right now. But, welcome to the club of 'should probably have expected the unexpected'. It's a rather large one right now.

"Same reason as you, I guess." He rubs the back of his neck, realizing it isn't much of an answer, and yet, "No one knows; just woke up in space a couple months ahead of you." Yes. Months. Time is a touchy subject around here, it seems.

"Should be somewhere in the crowd. Got split up into different search teams," he explains, realizing he should probably say who exactly he means by that. "Ignis and Prompto arrived the same time I did. So did Clarus, Cindy, and Nyx Ulric. Haven't seen the last two in weeks."

Cor looks a little surprised and concern at the first part. "Months? But how is that even..." Any further questions, however, are immediately swept aside as soon as he hears who the 'others' are here on this...planet? Star? Prompto and Ignis doesn't surprise him one bit, and it's only a little more surprising to hear Cindy's name.

However...the last two names makes him feel like the world's skid to a stop for just a few seconds.

"...Clarus? And Nyx Ulric? Impossible...they're dead."

"Wish I knew. Been trying to wrap my mind around that for a while, now." It's easier to answer the unfinished question, and yet somehow, it answers both. Though he doesn't stop there, pulling out his iMog slate and goes through something. Hearing is one thing. Seeing, however...

"I thought the same thing, until my first day here. Walked into the kitchen we were assigned to, and who do I see rummaging through the cabinets but the old bear himself." Ah, there it is. He flips the device over in his hands so Cor can see it: a shot he got from Prompto of Ignis and Clarus sparring in what appears to be a residential area at dawn. "Never saw Ulric myself, but I doubt they'd lie about something like this."

Though there's something else that's likely sticking out to Cor, and that's one very distinctive black band on his right hand.

Cor stares at the picture for several moments, his face showing a rare mixture of emotions. It's a sight he's rarely seen, even back home, since Clarus had always been busy with his other duties. But to see him alive and well enough to train, after all that has happened...

He takes a deep breath, though, and the usual stoic mask settles back onto his face. "We need to talk. Elsewhere." Best not give the wrong first impression to a bunch of strangers.

He knows what those emotions are like. He quietly has them every time he sees Clarus in action again, relearning familiar-yet-not skills alongside the rest of them. He nods rather stoically for himself, withdrawing the slate and opening the messaging app. Letting Ignis and Prompto know where he'll be.

"There's a cafeteria nearby, and I know a few quiet corners there." Of course the nap-loving royal would. It's him.

Cor nods a little at those options. "Let's go for a quiet spot...I'd rather not fight any lunch crowds right now." Not to mention, info's a little more important at this point; he could always get food later.

"Right," he says with a nod, taking the lead once he pockets the device. Besides, he feels like he could go for something stronger than what the cafeteria has to offer at this point. Too many memory dives in a row for his liking.

It won't take long to reach the library once they make it through the bulk of the crowd, but they do indeed pass the cafeteria on the way there. Yet there are far more private study rooms in the library than what few secluded booths there are in the latter. So he opens the door to the library for them both, before leading his elder to the second to last private study room.

Cor briefly picks up on the various smells coming out of the cafeteria. Much of it's even familiar; a comforting thing to file away for later. He mentally takes in the size of the library, even as he follows Noctis towards that private study room.

Of course, he's also noticed one other thing on his royal companion, and it results in the first question to fly out of his mouth as soon as the door's closed behind them: "When did you get the Ring back?"

It's a decent-sized library, though far smaller than what he's used to back home. A brief remembrance of how he and Ignis would get lost in the bookshelves as kids causes his eyes to brighten if only for a moment before they harden again at the question as the door closes behind them. He lowers his head, if only slightly, before forcing himself to keep looking forward. It never gets any easier to talk about, he's come to find. Even if he's only had to explain it twice before. Still, the question is telling.

"Few days after we arrived in Altissia," he starts, gesturing to the seats before taking a few steps closer to the one furthest from the door. An old habit, yet he doesn't remove the pack from his back just yet, remembering that Cor doesn't have a weapon here. He does. Even though he doubts trouble will come through the door, his nerves are still on edge after delving into all those memories.

Resting a hand on the back of the seat, he continues: "Luna- she returned it to me, after I received the Hydraen's blessing." Yet the way he says her name likely speaks more than his words.

"Days?" Cor doesn't remember that much time passing since they left. He's got a slowly sinking feeling as he settles himself, noting that Noctis does not take off his pack. How he hates feeling bare without his blade by his side...

And then he had that same feeling sink faster upon hearing the news. The way he talks about her...he recognizes that particular tone. Hell, he used it himself, during those dark days immediately after the passing of Noct's mother. Hence, the mix of sympathy and concern on Cor's face. "...she didn't survive the Hydraen's wrath?"

"Days," Noctis confirms. "The Dream Width apparently doesn't like sticking to the same time we do. It's been a couple months since we left Caem for me."

He finally sits down, the pack on his back slowly sliding from one shoulder and into his lap. A little stuffed knife pokes out from the top, but he doesn't even make a note of it. Instead, he focuses on the grain of the wooden tabletop as he answers the question.

"Ardyn made sure she didn't." There. There's the anger and pain, but unlike in the tomb, it's held back. He knows no one deserves it other than Ardyn (and his own weakness). "What's the last thing you remember?"

"So there might be time magic involved..." Especially if Noctis' claim is true - which Cor has little reason to doubt him for it. This is far too serious for either of them to be anything but honest to each other about.

He glances at the little stuffed knife, but doesn't make any comments about it. Yet. Instead, his face hardens upon hearing that answer. "The Chancellor can't hide from us forever, Majesty. As son as we can get back, I'll user what resources are available to help find him." There's that subtle, angry undertone in his voice; he may not have personally known Lunafreya, but he understands how very important she's always been to the younger man.

"As for what I remember...you four had just left for Altissia the other day. I was talking to Cid in the kitchen... And then the next thing I knew, I found myself on a strange airship."

Noctis nods solemnly. Time magic, temporal rifts. It doesn't help that there's an entire guild based on time and illusory magic on this world they've found themselves in.

"He won't hide." He knows this for a fact: that bastard won't ever let him or those closest to him have peace until they're both dead, and even then... Noctis looks up, a fire in his eyes. "And I won't, either, but that is something to focus on later."

They have to focus on this place first, and what they know here. "That's the same for most of those I spoke to the last couple months. All but one remember doing something back home, and suddenly waking up on one of the airships." Even himself, but- "You got lucky. When the bulk of us got here, there was only one pair of volunteers. Everyone was packed in that ship like a can of sardines." He's still surprised they didn't have any landing troubles. No doubt they overtaxed the weight limit like whoa.

Cor nods in deference to his king's decision regarding that somber topic. That would have to wait until they can find a way to get back to Eos, somehow. So he put his anger on Noct's behalf to one side, and focused on the situation on hand.

Which, it seems, is comparing notes on their arrival. "Just one ship? Were they not used to having to rescue so many people?" The one he had ended up on hadn't been so cramp. There was even a certain familiar blonde there to keep him grounded until...well, they were on the ground.

Until Cor asked another question, yes. Yes, it is. "Apparently before my group arrived, it was more like two or three people every few years max. The last two were Biggs and Wedge, the ones who left the initial 'welcome' holographic message, ten years ago."

Which really made him wonder. Just how popular were those two names and Cid's out there? Because that's the second time he's heard of people with them. They couldn't be any more different than the two engineers he met under Aranea's leadership. "There were around eighty of us."

There's a small flicker of surprise in Cor's eyes at the sheer number of people being quoted. "...80 after so few being picked up ten years prior...and then I showed up with several others..."

He leans back, mulling over this information. "And the folks in charge here don't know how or why this is happening all of a sudden?" Because he sure as hell didn't hear it in any of their welcoming speeches.

Noctis nods. He had the same thought process as well when he heard that bit of news, himself.

"Yeah. The staff were overwhelmed for a while after that." For obvious reasons. "Much of the Dream Width and how it works they still don't understand. Couple of us have been working on piloting licenses so we can explore it and this world in our spare time." The answers have to be out there somewhere. Plus, it'll help with the bills. His royal blood doesn't make him exempt from paying rent. "So, no. They don't. How much you can trust them about it is up to you, though."

"Good," he states in satisfaction as soon as Noctis mentions getting a pilot's license. "If anything, it'll give us some idea as to what's really going on in this new...world."

There's a brief pause. "Can they be trusted? I don't doubt their intentions to make sure that we're alive and in one piece, but...you seem to have your doubts."

"Right." Noctis seems a little relieved at the approval, because, uh. Guess who's one of those who decided to study for one? If he guesses his young king, then ta da~ Cor wins.

At the question though, he frowns. "Biggs and Wedge, yeah. The natives who work here? I'm not sure." But then, he has a history with those who help for seemingly no reward other than a pat on the back. The staff's exhaustion when they arrived also made it hard to read. "Haven't spoken to most of them. Figured the others were peppering them with enough of the same question over and over. Ganeshan at least freely gave information on what he knows: the asterisks and guilds found around the world. The others, I'm not sure whether or not they're as forthcoming." Because, again, he hasn't spoken with them.

"The men from that first recorded message? I'll keep that in mind." At least they might have some potential allies, if not contacts, among the Airship Pilots...group? That way. Cor also remembers Ganeshan being introduced among the head people here - he will most certainly want to talk to him regarding weapons and so forth.

The older man leans back in his chair as he mulls over everything he's learned so far. "...you said that you've been here for a couple of months. What exactly is the state of this star; do you know?"

Another nod. "Yeah. Helps that they're the only two that arrived before my group that even seem interested in lending a hand." Which worries him. Why would the others choose not to? What did they find that keeps them from saying anything?

"Aside from a mysterious Empire to the West that none of us have so much as glimpsed and the murders around the lake on the continent north of here? It's been rather peaceful." Alarmingly so, in fact. He doesn't trust it. "The police in Tark Varentain were still on high alert, last I visited the Ninja guild. Whoever the culprit is, they haven't caught them.

"There's also the fact that some of us have started to disappeared without a trace." If it wasn't obvious Noctis is worried? It probably should be, now.

"...so, no war..." Cor gazes off into the distance at the very concept of that. He's been trained to fight all this time, but to have real peace, instead of the artificial one created by the Wall... It almost sounds too good to be true to Cor, too.

Almost.

"...that murderer won't go uncaptured forever, especially if one of the others try and help them. But these disappearances are just as concerning. Any notable people that have up and vanished since your arrival?"

"None, but apparently a more monsters than before, according to our moogle fr-" he starts, before there's a knock on the door. Speak of the devil, and they usually appear. Though, this one isn't so much devil as she is very savvy on when she's needed.

A young moogle adorned with a cream-colored and swirling caramel-toned scarf opens the door, poking her head in. "Um, I hope I'm not interrupting, kupo?"

Noctis sighs, sitting back in his seat. "What is it?"

"You asked me to keep an eye on the search parties, kupo." The young moogle states her business, noting the newcomer. "Ah- Forgive my rudeness! I'm Ivory, kupo. His Majesty's companion moogle." She bows politely, before fluttering over to Noctis' side and handing him a note. Despite her polite demeanor, her voice turns grave. "Like the other four who disappeared, they've found no traces of Miss Aurum or Mister Ulric while you all were gone searching in the skies..."

Shit. He'd hoped they'd at least leave a sign. "Thank you, Ivory."

Cor's already sitting up straight at the mention of 'more monsters than before'. That sounds awfully like the few months leading up to the treaty, what with the increase in daemon sightings and resulting night hunts...

Upon hearing that knock, he instinctively reaches for his weapon, only pausing when he remembers that he doesn't have one on him at the moment. He will have to see if he can at least get a replacement katana very soon. But he does relax as soon as the female moogle introduces herself. "Cor Leonis; pleasure to meet you."

Still, hearing those all-too-familiar names being connected to missing people... "...let's hope we can find them soon. I'm not as worried about Ulric, but Cindy...even if she could take care of herself, I'd rather not tell her grandfather that we lost her, if possible."

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

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