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

Frisk (Inverted Fate) | OTA

[sassafrisk]

A: Memory
When the mists give way to this new memory, they reveal a sterile hospital waiting room, filled with soft murmurs, the odor of disinfectant, and a general aura of despair. The doors to the patient wing constantly open and close, but nobody enters or exits, and every person in this twisted dream is faceless save for a massive, grotesque eye... well, perhaps not every person.

The gazes of all the nightmares are focused, unmoving, unblinking, on one child hidden in the corner of the room. No more than twelve years old, their head is hung, shaggy mop of brown hair obscuring their eyes, and their skin is an unnatural shade of bright yellow. Fists clenched, tears roll down Frisk's eyes, dampening their purple and blue striped shirt.

Faint snatches of conversation can be picked out from the general susurrus...

"...what a horrible child..."

"...do such a thing?"

"...will she be able to..."

"...a few months at best..."

"...they deserve to be punished..."

B: Arrival
Frisk groans, their eyes fluttering open as the low murmur of conversation reaches their ears. Must've been one wild trial. Is this what being hungover felt like? More importantly, why did they feel hungover? "Ugh, Papyrus, who are you-" Their eyes widen--not that it helps much--and they take in their new surroundings. "Papyrus!"

Getting to their feet and stumbling through the crowd, wearing a pink shirt proudly declaring "COOL DUDE!" they stumble through the crowd, muttering, "Sorry, excuse me, coming through, looking for a skeleton, has anybody seen a skeleton? Where am I anyways? Who are all you- Woah!" Frisk comes to the window and gawks out at space. It was at times like this that they wished that they hadn't been so stubborn about getting glasses. But still... where was Papyrus?

C: Curti Center
A soft "woah" escapes Frisk's mouth as they disembark the airship, drinking in the sights and sounds of the Curti Center. Now this was cool. Both literally and metaphorically. They'd had enough of being boiled alive in their own sweat in Hotland, thankyouverymuch. Frisk moves with the crowd, a bit distracted as they head to Cid's speech, but standing in rapt attention as the director lets loose with an obligatory exposition dump. Normally, they'd be a lot more hype about getting dropped into a place as awesome as Vaikuntha, but... they purse their lips. Frisk had people to save, and on top of that, they didn't even have their save file anymore. That was gonna be a huge problem. They had to get back, before another human fell and ended up with their SOUL harvested. For the sake of everyone.

Despite all of these things and their memory weighing on their mind, Frisk melds into the crush of people easily, mostly content to gawk at things, annoy tour guides, and look for Papyrus in the chaos, but they may occasionally crash--quite literally--into people, and are more than willing to make casual conversation as the tour continues.

D: A Ball of Fluff Named Moogle
It was supposed to be an easy job. Get into the cafeteria, grab some food, crack a few jokes, then leave. It was supposed to be an easy job. But then again, life always seemed to bend over backwards to make itself difficult for Frisk, so why would that change now? As Frisk saunters into the cafeteria, the hairs on the back of their neck stand up. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

And, before they can so much as process the dawning horror of a one-eyed blue moogle charging at them screaming "NGAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" at the top of her lungs, Mogdyne is upon them. Limbs locked in sheer, raw terror and a hefty dose of repressed rage, Frisk glares up at the odd moogle that lands on their head, the force almost driving them to their knees. "Hello, punk!" she roars in Frisk's ear. Rather than flinching, they just glare harder.

"So you're the puny wimp that they assigned me to babysit, huh?" Mogdyne sneers, showing off a maw full of filed teeth. "If you're expecting me to hold your hand and tell you that everything is just gonna be just fine, well, have I got news for you!"

Frisk opens their mouth to fire back, before before they can do so, Mogdyne continues. "I'm Mogdyne, and there's NO WAY I'm gonna let you stay such a lame, weak noodle as long as I'm with you! Either you moogle up or you break! Now, go eat some meat, punk!"

Looking down at the floor, Frisk mumbles, "This is hell. I died for real and I'm in hell now. I'm in hell."

E: Housing (Closed to B-11)
For a few moments, all is silent in the disaster house. Then, that golden calm is completely shattered when a small, sassy child throws open the door, grinning wildly. "Honey, I'm HOME!" they yell. This is surely an omen of annoying, wacky, flirty antics.

A

[einspine]

This is... strange. So very strange. A hospital? And those creepy eyes. Not like any monster he's personally had the pleasure (or displeasure) of meeting. Even Looxes were less unsettling despite their eyes being so prominent. Still, Papyrus powers through, wandering and searching. If this is anything like the other memories he's experienced, then surely-

Wait.

His eye sockets widen. A gasp escapes him. That shaggy mop of hair- he'd recognize it anywhere, and so he runs. He charges toward them.

"FRIIIIIISK!"

Re: A

[sassafrisk]

...what. Who... no, they had to be hearing things. Nobody cared enough about them to call their name like that. It was just wishful thinking. That's all. Still, though... They glance up at Papyrus, then sigh, looking back down at their lap. Great. Just fantastic. Now they knew they were going completely insane.

[einspine]

And Papyrus just opts to come closer. He crouches beside them. Hesitates a moment but sets a hand on their shoulder.

"FRISK, WHAT'S WRONG? DID... DID SOMETHING HAPPEN HERE?"

This is. Unsettling. Uncomfortable. But there must be a reason for it!

[sassafrisk]

Something about his voice seemed... familiar. Was it- no. Too high and deep at the same time. And anyways, she'd never want to even get within five feet of Frisk after what happened. So it was probably another concerned do-gooder that Frisk could really do without right now, so they just mumble, "Leave me alone," and turn away.

[einspine]

Dang it. This is too familiar. He remembers the way they pushed him back in Waterfall. So, rather than retreat, he remains firmly in place. He grips their shoulder and tries looking them in the eye.

"NO, FRISK. I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE. GIVEN YOUR CURRENT MOOD, THE LAST THING YOU NEED IS TO BE ALONE RIGHT NOW."

[sassafrisk]

Great. Just fantastic. Who did this person think they were anyways? Sighing, Frisk looks up, shaking their head. "Look, I don't know who you are, but I'm really- GAH!" Frisk scrambles back in their seat, eyes wide open for once. "Y-y-y-yup. Definitely absolutely certifiably crazy now."

[einspine]

"IT'S ME, PAPYRUS! YOUR FRIEND AND PARTNER." Not that he expects them to remember. These memory situations are often odd and muddling. He knows it'll take time. "AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOU AREN'T CRAZY."

[sassafrisk]

Frisk gives Papyrus a dry look. At least they had to give their subconscious credit for being original. Mustering their energy, they snark, "Riiiiight. The talking skeleton with unnecessary goggles is totally is a position to reassure me of my sanity."

[einspine]

...Hoo boy. This is getting a bit frustrating. True, it could be a different Frisk, he supposes. Time and space can be fickle things. On the other hand, he's seen enough weird memory antics that he frankly doesn't want to assume the worst either. So he takes a deep breath. Shuts his eyes for a minute and tries to formulate a plan.

Hrm.

"YOU ONCE TOLD ME THAT YOU AREN'T A GOOD PERSON. THAT YOU JUST ACT LIKE IT. YOU... TOLD ME THAT AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER, YOU WERE ON THE STREETS. IT SEEMED LIKE YOU WERE WAITING FOR SOMEONE, BUT... NOBODY CAME."

[sassafrisk]

Frisk snorts. If this was their subconscious, at least it was pretty self-aware. More than they could say for themself, at any rate. Clapping their hands sarcastically, they say, "Congratulations, you get the psychoanalyst of the year award. Spot on. Bravo. You're right, nobody likes a-" They squint, wrinkling their brow. Wait. Why did all of this sound so... familiar?

[einspine]

Papyrus shakes his head. "THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE WRONG, FRISK. YOU AREN'T A DOWNER. YOU'RE MY FRIEND, NO MATTER WHAT LIFE YOU LED BEFORE."

Sure, these surroundings paint a dismal image, but it doesn't matter! Friends are supposed to support each other. He can't just turn a blind eye.

I'm sorry

[sassafrisk]

"What... how did you I was going to..." If Frisk was feeling just a bit more energetic, they'd probably add a "Nani?!" for extra effect. But they were getting a pretty big headache, and all of this pointed to them being crazy, and-

Everybody in this room was a monster holy crap holy crap holy crap what

Frisk, finally realizing the distortions of their dream, gives and undignified yelp and scrambles further backwards in their chair, eyes darting all around the room. "What... are... those... things?" they ask, teeth chattering as the whispers grow cacophonous.

D

[nanaimo_bar]

"Not quite," said Nanamo from behind Frisk. "Perhaps with a quirky moogle."

"Your Grace, I have..." Papashan stopped for a moment and sighed. "Oh it's your Mogdyne. Tarry not today your Grace, we are best by a ruffian of a moogle."

Re: D

[sassafrisk]

Frisk's eyes snap wide open. Wait, somebody knew this... this badly transcribed photocopy of their archnemesis? There had to be some solution to this. "Wait! Please!" they beg, reaching for Nanamo and Papshan. "How do I get rid of her?"

"What are you trying to pull here, punk?" Mogdyne growls, pulling Frisk back by their ear.

"I'm sorry if I don't want to spend the rest of my days here with Undyne's mini-me! I had enough of her yesterday, thankyouverymuch!" Frisk snaps back. Sadly, even with all the might of a Freelancer, Mogdyne manages to hold them back while wearing her stupid, smug, sharky grin.

Re: D

[nanaimo_bar]

"I'm afraid she is assigned to you, as your moogle partner," said Papashan, stroking his whiskers in thought. "For all I've known her, she is insufferably macho."

Nanamo sighed a little. "You should try to get along with your moogle, otherwise it will make things more difficult in the long run. Mogdyne is it? Perhaps a levity of sorts would be preferable than enforcing your will upon the young one?"

Sorry for backtag

[sassafrisk]

"Oh, c'mon 'Shan! Cut me some slack!" Mogdyne wheedles, forcibly lifting up Frisk's arm. "Just look at this kid! They're practically a living noodle! They'll get eaten alive out there if I don't whip 'em into shape."

"...sure, let's just ignore Fort Aquarius and Sans and all of freaking Hotland," Frisk mumbles under their breath, doing their best to cross their arms sullenly with only one of their appendages available. Noodle they may be, but they had their fair share of brushes with death that they had come out on top of, thankyouverymuch.

Re: Sorry for backtag

[nanaimo_bar]

"I am certain they will do fine." said Papashan with a shake of his fuzzy head. "Perhaps your partner can prove themselves later?"

"A hunt off the board would be interesting and preferable." said Nanamo. "Or perhaps a mild test?"

[sassafrisk]

Oh no. No fighting for Frisk, thank you very much. Chuckling nervously, they wave their hands in a vague gesture of polite denial. "Sorry, but I'm not exactly the fight-y type. More of the... talk-y type. And run-y type, if being a talk-y type doesn't really work out."

Mogdyne rolls her eyes. "See what I mean, 'Shan! This punk obviously needs some toughening up!"

[nanaimo_bar]

"That's fine, there's plenty to do without having to rely on fighting," said Nanamo with a nod.

Papashan sighed. "I don't think that's the problem here."

[sassafrisk]

"Exactly!" Mogdyne says, gesturing wildly. "I need to un-wimp this wimp so-"

This was the perfect opportunity. With Mogdyne distracted, Frisk could escape, and seeing as it was about as effective reasoning with her fish counterpart as it was with the moogle, that was probably her best option. Gesturing for the other two to keep her talking, Frisk starts creeping away.

[nanaimo_bar]

"You should probably find an activity that doesn't involve too much, er, fighting," said Papashan with a shake of his furry head.

"Perhaps a workout regimen to keep fit, but no actual combat." added Nanamo, noting Frisk's gesture to keep talking.

[sassafrisk]

Now was the time to strike. Or rather, now was the time to run like hell. Giving the other two a thumbs up and mouthing a "thank you," Frisk dashes off into the crowd, gesturing at the sign pointing towards the research center for a potential future meetup before vanishing.

[nanaimo_bar]

"Well, we should not tarry. Come your Grace," said Papashan, hastily excusing themselves from Mogdyne.

Taking off, the pair aimed to lose Mogdyne in the crowd as Nanamo asked, "Is Mogdyne that strange?"

"She is... odd," said Papashan. "Come, we should not let the young master wait."

[sassafrisk]

When the two finally catch up with Frisk, they're nose-deep in a clearly very uninteresting technical manual, doing their best to remain inconspicuous. However, Frisk brightens as soon as they see Nanamo and Papashan, cheerily waving them over. "Heh, sorry about that," they say, rubbing the back of their neck. "Today's already been... a lot, and I'm just a bit too done with everything to deal with a bad expy of my archnemesis as my supposed guide."