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

Entry tags:

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

MEMORY.

[ Perhaps you were on one of the many airships set to save the new "arrivals" that had found their way adrift in the endless sea of the Dream Width. Maybe you found yourself here through no fault of your own, eyes closing and opening to a distinct shift in what you know or remember. Regardless, as the world begins to shift before you, everything seems to quietly fall away, as a new existence slowly snaps into place.

It's raining, colors blurring together in a tapestry of muddy grays, as the sounds of cars and people quietly frame this damp and dreary night. Placed squarely in the middle of what appears to be a large park, a copse of trees blocking out what scant light the streetlights specking the city provide, the world moves as if it does not notice that someone else is here. Life moves on, unaware of the change.

But there's someone else here, the percussive, full-body sobs of someone nearby cutting through the noise. It's faint, but difficult to ignore, and crouched by a large tree, her back turned, is a small girl. Her black dress is covered in mud, and judging from the scrapes on her bare arms, it looks like she might have fallen from somewhere. ]

MOOGLES + CHECK-UP.

[ This is a lot to take in. The Dream Width. A new world. The fact that Noctis and her father are still very much alive. It's overwhelming to say the least, and while it's probably a good idea for her to stay grouped up with someone she knows, she doesn't really want to keep Noct tied up for however long it takes for her to get settled. Apparently there are things she has to do? They have an agenda now? That seems kinda weird for a group that's still new to this whole people-from-other-worlds thing, but Iris is willing to roll with the punches.

The deciding factor? Well... ]

All in due time, kupo. I assure you, miss, that you will be glad we came this way, kupo.

[ So moogles. She's familiar with them, but only that they were cute and very much not-real. So after the initial meeting (and quietly geeking out over) her own moogle, Iris set out her own toward a place that she was told was required viewing.

It must be good, right? Usually if there's a line, that means that people want to be here. Unfortunately, she's still too far back to realize that it is the hospital that she's been corralled toward. It just looks like a large building from here. She's not going to be too happy when she realizes what is going on.

And true to that, some time later... ]

Come now, it can't have been that bad, kupo.

[ Sitting on one of the hospital bed, a lollipop stick hanging out of her mouth as she holds a hand over the inside of her elbow, Iris doesn't look amused. She doesn't mind going in for a routine check-up, and if he had been honest about it, she wouldn't be so miffed.

Look, she's tough, but even the strongest fighters probably still hate needles. Ugh. ]

PRETTY SIGHTS.

[ As the day finally gives way to evening, Iris finds herself in the park, wandering around almost aimlessly as she slowly lets everything that has happened filter in. It's overwhelming, and for the most part she's done well to compartmentalize most everything. This world isn't her own, and so much about it is strange and new that it's difficult to be able to focus on one particular thing.

How did they get here? Was this just the natural progression of things, a result of the daemons taking hold of her own world? It feels strange and weirdly heavy in her chest. Things were peaceful, and there's something about that that makes her ache. With everything that's happened recently, none of this feels real. As if she were still trapped within a dream, and that, as soon as she fell asleep here, she would awaken back in a world plagued by perpetual night.

But for now...

Slowly, Iris stops, looking out toward the horizon, and the amber-colored sun slowly lowering. Her moogle hovers to her side, saying something that she doesn't quite hear ("Miss?"). Right now, it's as if she's a million miles away.

A sunset... ]

[ She had forgotten how beautiful they could be. ]

[ Continued from here ]

[ He could, but it's hard to say if she's ready for that yet. She's strong, but she can only take so much at a time. She has to pace herself, which is why she's almost glad he gives that news space to live and breathe. Time to ruminate and become more real. ]

My dad's... alive.

[ Her words come out slow and sluggishly. He's here, somewhere in this strange new world she's found herself in. It almost sounds too good to be true, and for a moment she wonders, pulling away finally as she takes a small step back. Gives herself a chance to really look at Noctis for the first time in a long time. An eternity, it feels like.

Looking up at him, the corners of her lips tug into a strained, thin smile. A smile that someone puts on when they're told to be strong, but they're just so tired. ]

This doesn't feel real. Are you sure I'm not dreaming? You're not a ghost, are you?

[ Even as she tries to joke, it feels almost hollow. She never got a chance to mourn him. Her father... or the man standing in front of her. ]

[That's why he holds his tongue for now. No doubt his own presence doesn't help as much, especially at the last question. Yet he let her go, knowing she likely needed her space now. Let it sink in that, yes, this is indeed happening.]

Yeah. Surprised me, too.

[It's an honest confession, though seeing the hole in his uniform... that got a lump in his throat at the time.

The difference is barely noticeable, but his hair is a little longer. What's easier to notice is the Ring on his right hand, and his eyes - they seem to have gained a steeled and resolved look in them that hadn't been there before. Yet it softened as he observes his childhood friend. Wishing there was an easier way to break all this news to her.

He's tired, too.]

Pretty sure if it were either, you'd have phased right through me.

[It's both a truth and a joke, as he bites down hard on his own emotions. After all, he had experience with both now.]

[ She should be teasing him right now. She should be giving him crap for picking on her, and they would all get a chuckle out of it and everything would go back to how it was before. A playful elbow jab and that would be the end of it.

But... she can't, and maybe it's because she's still disoriented. Maybe it's because nothing makes sense and hasn't made sense for what feels like an eternity that Iris can't just laugh it off. They've all been through Hell, but even then she can't begin to process what he must have gone through himself.

So instead, she looks up at him, the thinly veiled smile falling away. ]

Noct, what happened? You were gone so long that—

[ She stops herself short, drawing her lips together. No, she can't say that. That even she had begun to lose hope that he would come back, even if she had all but said it a moment before. She can't give that thought life.

Instead, she takes a breath, as it feels like the weight of the world begins to bleed from her shoulders. ]

I'm just... I'm glad you're okay.

[...]

I met with the Draconian. Was still in the middle of His Revelation when I woke up here.

[It isn't a complete lie, but it's not the entire truth, either. Yet he doesn't feel like talking about it. Yet when he tries to catch her gaze, he pushes all that aside for the sake of his younger friend.]

Iris... [Please, don't be upset for him. He's not dead ~~yet~~.] I will come back. But we need to figure out how to get home in the first place.

[At least he doesn't have to ask what the last thing she remembers is, not really, but he can't answer that last sentence. Because he isn't okay, not really. And he won't be for long when they find a way back home unless... No. He had faith in his friends. And even if they couldn't change it, he would face his calling without fear. Yet he would shield her from this. For now, at least. He didn't want to overload her.]

It's good to see you're in one piece.

[Because him? Worry about his friends? ...It's more common than you think.]

Edited 2018-06-11 04:47 (UTC)

[Noctis had been kind enough to inform Clarus that Iris was present, but hadn't provided him with her location, and of course they'd parted ways. And so the paladin had spent the last few hours searching high and low in the Curti Center. He'd looked in the park before, but they must have missed one another somewhere, and now he was doubling back to places he'd been where he thought she might visit.

And finally his diligence paid off. The graying man stopped several meters back to admire the sight that was his daughter enjoying the sunset. Likening her to her mother would just cheapen the moment. Iris was her own independent, beautiful young lady and Clarus could not be prouder of her.

Hopefully she hears her father, because his voice is quiet and somewhat choked up in his throat.]

Iris... princess... [His eyes might be a bit wet. He'd never thought he'd see his children again, and yet here was his youngest standing before him.]

[ It seems like Noctis had informed the both of them, but even the most advance warning wouldn't have prepared either of them for this. Lost in her own thoughts, she almost misses it, that hoarse and strained whisper that was almost too soft to be her father's voice. For a split second, Iris questions whether she might have heard anything at all.

But something tells her to turn, and she does quite quickly, stopping as her gaze falls upon something so heartrendingly familiar that it physically hurts. Her chest tightening at the sight, and before she has a chance to mentally react, her hands cover her mouth. She doesn't dare move, she doesn't dare even speak in that moment, for risk of letting this moment slip away. All she can do is take a deep breath, shoulders rising slowly with it.

She knew he was here, but nothing prepares someone for this—a moment so impossible that it makes it impossible to move, impossible to think, impossible to do anything else but feel. Her hands still clasped over her mouth, she feels her eyes begin to sting, and takes another breath to center herself. Don't let him see you cry, Iris. Not yet. ]

...You're really here. I can't believe it.

[ Show him how strong you've become. ]

[Oh yes, she was strong, and he was so proud. But as her father he'd be proud of her no matter what she did, no matter what happened. She was his daughter, his little angel, and he'd love her regardless of whether she stood strong or fell to the ground in a sobbing mess. He'd love her even if she hated him.]

I am. I'm right here.

[His arms wide, he approaches her slowly. He wants to just run to her, to pull her into his arms and tell her how much he loves her and how much he missed her, but he's hesitant for a reason yet unspoken, as if afraid of her reaction to his presence. Regardless of how she receives him, and regardless of how strong she is, he's crumbling. This was his baby girl whom he thought he'd never see again. He'd died without saying goodbye, despite knowing his fate was almost certain. He'd left her fate up to the skill of his best men, but still to chance. The guilt was masked, but still present on his expression which was otherwise nothing but reverent towards his daughter.]

[ For a moment, she wonders if maybe she's dreaming again. If somehow she's been pulled back into the deep expanse of the Dream Width; and that, if it could bring her father back to her like this, that it might be nice to let herself get lost in it completely.

But she wants this to be real. She wants her father here, to be warm and solid and there to hold her tight like he had when she was small. So when he slowly spreads his arms out wide, taking a step forward to close the excruciatingly large space between them, any want or need to be strong, to hold it all in crumbles away in an instant. She closes that space in a few surprisingly large steps, half-grasping for and half falling into him. Gripping him hard as she buries her head into his chest.

It all hits her like a wave then, and as she bites down on her bottom lip to keep it from trembling, to keep any kind of sound from coming out, she feels a kind of peaceful release then. Her face is hot, and she can feel the tears burning her eyes, but she doesn't care.

He even smells the same, the faint scent of his cologne on the same old coat she insisted on sleeping with when she was growing up, on those nights he didn't come home. It's too much... ]

I didn't think...

[ Swallowing down hard, she lets her words fall away. It doesn't matter. None of it matters. He's here, he's right here... ]

[Their bodies meet and his arms wrap around her, supporting his daughter against his body. The contact made him feel truly alive, his heart pounding against his ribs. She felt so light, the moment was so surreal, and he wondered if she's always been this small or if time hadn't been kind to her. No, she'd always been small. As he held her close his mind was swept back to the first time he'd held her, fresh to the world and wailing like a beast twenty times her size. Just when he'd thought he knew how to hold a child, what with Gladiolus and Prince Noctis, she came along and made him feel like a giant who might break this precious gift. Once again he felt she was a fragile gift that might blow away in the wind or shatter and reveal itself to be an illusion any moment.

But she wasn't, and Clarus couldn't help but hold her all that much tighter, cradling her close like it was their first meeting all over again.]

I'm sorry, Iris... I never wanted to leave you. There was no other way. I'm so sorry.

[As the words came forth, so too did the tears that had been building in his eyes. For his daughter and son to have a future, for anyone to have a future, Regis and Clarus and countless lives in Insomnia had become the calculated price. One they hadn't hesitated to pay.]

[Terra's run into some kids among the newcomers to Vaikuntha, but this girl looks even smaller...and sadder. He squats down on his heels in front of her, trying not to look too intimidating.]

It's okay, little lady. You're safe, I promise.

[ She sniffles a few times before looking up at Terra. It looks like she has been crying for some time now, her eyes red and face smudged. Blinking a few times, she looks back down again, her words coming out in quiet hiccups. ]

But—but I don't know... know how to—get back...

Back to where? Tell me about it, and we can figure it out, okay?

[He wants to give her a hug, but he doesn't want to scare her.]

[ Her crying hasn't quite calmed down, but he's at least getting her to focus. ]

I was looking for prince Noctis, but I couldn't find him. Then—then there was a cat, and I went out here and I fell and I don't know where I am.

[ Sorry, Terra, you're talking to a five year old. There isn't going to be a lot of details here (also cute animals are very important).

After a few quiet sobs, she lowers her hands away from her eyes. ]

You know how to get back there, right?

Um. [How do you explain to a five year old that you can't take her back to her home?] I can take you to some people who will take care of you. Is that okay? It sounds like you've had a busy day.

[Hope had his own shot, the bright band-aid standing out on his pale skin. He had swung his feet as he waited for the clear that he could go, Mogki laying on his head in boredom.

He also had a lollipop. He turned when he heard Iris talk around hers and he couldn't help but laugh a little.]

I'm sure they'll let you go soon.

[ Well, having some company makes this a little easier at least. Looking over at Hope, she pulls the lollipop out of her mouth, twirling the stick idly between her fingers. ]

I hope so. It feels like I've been here for forever.

[ Iris you've been here for like an hour, chill out.

Inclining her head toward him, she leans forward slightly. ]

So I take it you're new here too?

[Hope nodded, finally pulling his sweet treat out of the wrapper. Then, he handed it to Mogki who sat up with a happy sound, very much happy to take the lollipop.

Hope liked sweet things, but candy were a bit too sweet for him sometimes. Especially something he could tell was a citrus flavor.]

It does feel like forever. Things were... hectic, back home. And now, things are slow and I feel like I could explode from the anxiety.

[ When not desperately encouraging the more resistant arrivals to go into the clinic, Euphemia was happy to assist with the arrival process, even if she was mostly just handling whatever additional errands were needed. The grunt work was left to the doctors, of course. Her part was to only assist where need be. That, of course, meant being a reassuring voice for some, handling menial tasks, or just being present.

In Iris case, a presence was all that was necessary. As a stand-in nurse, it made it easier to smile at her commentary. ]

Wherever you plan to go to next, I'm sure it will be wonderful. It's the house you were assigned, correct?

[ A cheerful smile definitely makes this process a lot easier, and far be it from her to ignore pleasant conversation. It'll probably make waiting in line go much faster. Iris hums gently, her hands clasping loosely behind her. ]

I mean, eventually yeah. But there's a lot more of this place I want to see first. I'm sure my future roommates won't mind if I'm a little late.

[ Assuming whatever this is won't take too long. She pauses before offering Euphemia a bright smile. ]

Do you have any suggestions on where to go after this?

[ It was nice to see a few with a positive outlook about this. Something she didn't quite have on her arrival day. Of course, everything was usually appearances for appearance sake. ]

First, I would suggest finding anyone you might know. [ Because she unexpectedly did. ] Then, I would suggest touring the area just a little so you can get familiar with the center!

Oh, and of course, deciding a guild to join for your job. It's in the pamphlet ah... somewhere.

[That's an unusual statement to overhear. While Iris is enjoying her time in the park, a nearby bench is home to one very tired naga. It's getting later, so the warmth he's been basking in is starting to fade into a tiring cold; he doesn't particularly feel like moving. That's why he's in his current predicament of overhearing someone gushing about the sun. The back of the park bench blocks most of his body and face from view until he lifts, resting his arms and head so he can look in Iris' direction.]

...Do you always talk to yourself like that?

[Even from where he's ~~sitting~~ coiled up, he can tell that the poor Moogle is an afterthought.]

Cor finally, reluctantly caved to Tommy's requests and let someone look him over. He's in the middle of being led over to a nearby hospital bed when a familiar face catches his eye.

A very familiar face.

"...I was starting to wonder if the whole Amicitia clan is here," he muses half-jokingly.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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

Iris Amicitia | Final Fantasy XV | OTA.

CONTINUING FROM THE TDM.

FOR NOCT.

gdi ninja friends stop cutting ONIONS.....

SERIOUSLY. STOP.

I THINK THEY JUST OPENED A NEW BAG

Pretty Sights

rolls up to the club with a box of kleenex

no subject

no subject

no subject

Memory

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Check Up

no subject

no subject

Check-up.

no subject

no subject

Pretty Sights

Check-Up