melodiesofeternity | FABULA NOVA CRYSTALLIS || INTRODUCTION LOG

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FABULA NOVA CRYSTALLIS || INTRODUCTION LOG

Who: All characters (New Arrivals and Native OCs)
When: April 11th
Where: The Dream Width (Airship), the Curti Center, and the Housing District
What: For the first time in 10 years, outworlders have been found the Dream Width. This unprecedented number of new arrivals are rescued and brought to Vaikuntha, and must now try to start adjusting to their new home.
Warnings/Notes: All players can put up a toplevel. Please post to the NPC toplevel if you have an IC question for them.

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. The makeshift infirmary is becoming uncomfortably warm, packed to its capacity with people.

Stepping out, there is a lobby space that bears the signs of having once held some furniture, now cleared away to make space. Even with the sparse accommodations, the space quickly fills to standing-room only.

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 to play again. ]

’Welcome travelers’…

CURTI CENTER

[ Finally after hours of flight, you arrive at the Curti Center. The other NPCs await you along with the Native OCs. 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 today. Indeed, here you are. No one knows why such a large number of people has been found at once, but the Curti Center is a place dedicated to piercing the Dream Width's secrets.

Cid also introduces the other ones: his assistant Jessie, Claire, the woman looking at the group in horror upon being pointe 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 despairs at the pile of paperwork she must complete by the end of the week), 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 specifically during this introduction, please respond to the toplevel with the name of the NPC in the subject header. The mods will try to reply at least once a day for each NPC. ]

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. ]

A BAD OMEN

[ Wandering around, you may stumble upon an old and tired-looking moogle wearing what can only be described as a decrepit fortune-teller attire. Upon seeing you, or any of the new arrivals for that matter, he will slowly approach and tell you all the exact same speech. ]

If you stay here, you're doomed. She will find you and make you suffer hell. [At which point his eyes will grow exorbitant.] This world is cursed. You will die and never be free. [And finally he'll fly right into your face.] Never!

[ Then he will leave and go say his speech to someone else, without doing anything but repeating different variations of his warning if asked for details. Should you ask your assigned Moogle, Biggs or Wedge, they will mention this crazy moogle can't be reasoned with and sometimes stick around the center, even though he's always chased away. He never says anything besides doomsday predictions. For unknown reasons, he's always been particularly nasty with Biggs and Wedge... And with you as well now, it seems. ]

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 the sudden and unexpected number of 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?]

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Hunk finds himself staring blankly at the hologram as he starts to walk a little closer to the screen. It's decidedly the opposite of helpful, but he expects his knowledge-bearers to have ridiculous mustaches at this point.

It doesn't help that he can't quite hear it. Maybe it's a side-effect of oxygen deprivation? He has no idea. So he takes another step forward, and accidentally bumps right into this girl and her weird bow.

"Oh, s-sorry!" He takes a step back, and his hands go right to his face as his fingers start to drag down his cheeks. "I wasn't looking where I was going, and..."

When he bumped into her, Monika had been completely lost in her thoughts and nearly fell over. Stabilizing herself, she stared at the boy.

On the one hand, she could understand how confused he felt, accidentally bumping into people when under such a shock. On the other hand, bumping into people in such a clumsy manner was typical behavior of certain characters in video games inspired by anime. Regardless, it was still too early for her to remember putting her facade on. All of this, she didn't know whether it was a dream of a nightmare.

"It is quite alright." She paused, looking at the holographic projection before looking back at him. "... Who are you?"

Hunk saw the woman wobble, nearly fall down, and let out a shrill little meep of embarrassment. But luckily for both of them, she didn't fall. Then he'd feel really bad!

"I, uh... I'm Hunk!" The uncertainty fades for a moment as he introduces himself, reaching a hand out for a handshake. Hopefully she knew what that was!

"I'm sorry, I'm still a little... groggy." Not wrong at all, especially given the number the Dream Width did on his consciousness. He didn't want to say he was looking for the most secure places to hide in case of an attack, though. That'd be a poor first impression.

Under normal circumstances, Monika would have known how to handle the clumsy behavior of his. Why, she would even have found it funny. But right now?

"... Nice meeting you."

There was no emotion in her voice, no hint of joy or sadness. She did reach out and shake his hand, formally bit no more. Normally, now was the point where she'd smile sweetly and introduce herself to him. But no such thing occurred. She was quick to withdraw her hand.

"You're one who was rescued as well, I assume?"

"Yeah..." He trails off, the upbeat facade breaking for a quick second as the discomfort and fear set in. It lingered long enough for his eyes to betray that he barely knew what was going on, and then- Hunk snaps back to reality, and so the smile returns.

"I've been 'rescued' from crazier things, but I didn't really need to be rescued from anything. I was fine." If he counts almost dying of oxygen deprivation fine, that is. But it all worked out. He lived. They all did!

"I don't know why we're here, or how far from home we are." He sighs, looking down at the ground for a second, before he locks eyes with her. "Any ideas, miss...?" And he leaves the floor open as he realizes he never actually got her name.

How far from home... Ahaha... She was probably further away from "home" than she had ever been before. Though whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, she couldn't say just yet. She let him ramble on- Why did he ask her those things? Did she look like she had any answers as to what had happened? Another time, she would have been happy to try and help him, even if she had no answers. But right now, she was the one who needed answers.

Right, her name.

"... Monika. Just Monika."

She blinked, ignoring his questions and complaints before following up--

"Where do you come from?"

He makes a note in his head: Only Monika. And as far as she knows, he's only Hunk. A first name basis makes sense, it's less to remember!

"I'm from Earth, Monika." He smiles expecting the answer to sound mundane, waiting for a chance to spring the whole "space" thing on her. She looks like a human from Earth, but if she isn't, well... he'll be pretty confused. But as he processes her words and forms his own, he realizes that she's very... to the point.

"Are you okay?" Maybe she's just out of it. He wouldn't blame her.

"Earth..."

That was where she was from too. Or at least, that's what she assumed. Her "world" in the game wasn't set anywhere in particular. All she really knew about earth were academic facts. Perhaps he came from the same earth than her creator and the player... Or perhaps he was just from another game. Especially if he were to mention space.

"Huh?" She looked up at him and blinked. "Ah yes, I..." No, she wasn't okay at all. But it was a good thing he had called her out. She was being too careless. Who knew how long she would have to stick with him and those people. Minutes? Weeks? Years? She should at least try to give a semblance of a smile.

"It's all... Very strange, isn't it? I didn't expect to be..." She paused, not concluding with still alive. "... To be in such a place."

"You're not alone there, Monika." Hunk says, almost at a deadpan. Everyone he's seen seems unhappy to be here, caught completely off-guard. Himself included, of course!

"We don't know how or why we ended up here. On this ship. In the middle of space." He rolls his eyes, half shrugging and half throwing his hands into the air. But he's been keeping an eye on her and her reactions, and he's come to one important conclusion, one that makes him stare at her expectantly.

"All of this is way out of your comfort zone, isn't it?"

Whether she was unhappy or not would be difficult to say. Confused and lost, without the shadow of a doubt.

"That is correct. I am afraid this is my first time in..." The real world? Was it even what this was? It looked like no real world she had expected to find on the other side. "Space..." With that said, she tried to force a smile to come through.

"You seem to be taking this better than I am."

"Yeah, I've spent a lot of time in space lately." Hunk smiles at the girl, less to brag and more out of sincerity, as if to confirm that he's saying what he's saying. "But before that, I was a student at the Galaxy Garrison's training academy, which is a school for space-faring soldiers."

And then he looks sheepish, and finds himself unable to make eye contact with her. "The first time I went into space, like really went, we ended up on the other side of the universe."

Galaxy Garrison's training academy.... A school for space-faring soldiers... How amazingly unreal and video gamey. And his continuation of the story sounded worse and worse. But she shouldn't draw hasty conclusions just yet.

"But you survived and returned, right?" Seeing how down he looked, time for a motivational speech. "I wouldn't expect someone to write a best-seller on their first try writing a story. What matters is that you tried, did your best and learned from your experience."

"Well..." He tries to process the encouragement from Monika. It sounded almost like something went wrong, but he wasn't sure how to say they were crammed into a giant robot space lion that flew with a mind of its own through a wormhole. He could say that, but...

"We haven't actually gotten back to Earth." Hunk looks to the ground and sighs, before casting a depressed look towards Monika. "We got wrapped up in rebellions. Battles. A war. We help people, but I haven't been home in a long time." He tries not to think about it, he really does, but...

"Ah-- I'm sorry, I had no idea."

That was why she should have waited before her motivational speech. Clearly she wasn't at her best right now.

"Perhaps this may be an opportunity for you then..." She marked a pause. "I... Have no idea where we we are. But a lot of these people do look and sound human. Surely there are more who know from Earth."

Edited 2018-04-16 18:24 (UTC)

"Yeah, I'm starting to get that impression myself." The downcast demeanor deteriorates, and he slips into a sunnier smile. "They might not be from my Earth, but they're still humans." But then he cocks an eyebrow at the realization that he has an unanswered question.

"Are you from Earth? Or are from some place that just happens to have humans?" Because he's heard enough about a few of those that he doesn't know what to expect anymore.

"Indeed..."

That was strange, thinking about it. Even if they came from different realities... Why were there so many humans? Surely life couldn't have developed so universal into an unique species sharing a nigh identical phenotype across so many realities. The logical explanation would be that it was no coincidence, and this was all a game orchestrated by someone. But she was snapped out of her thought process when he asked for her home.

"Ah, yes, I am." Or at least, probably "Ahaha. It might take some time getting used to have to say what world I'm from. It's not really something I had to do back home."

"Yeah, me neither!" Even though Hunk went and spent most of his time in space, he didn't really talk about Earth to most people. Now, talking about Voltron, that was a constant.

"I think we just need giant nametags. Hello, I'm from Earth!" Hunk is clearly, clearly joking, and he even starts laughing immediately to show it. Laughter might help them both right now.

"So what's your Earth like, Monika?"

"Ahaha, that would be a funny sight."

She laughed as well, genuinely so it seemed, even if the laughter was entirely fake. Not such a hard thing for her to do after having faked her emotions for so long.

"My Earth?" She was taken aback by the question. Her earth... Aka, a classroom in a video game. Pretty much the only environment she knew, asides from memories programmed into her. "I can't imagine it being much more interesting than yours." She paused. "It's a dreadfully boring place... Well, where I live anyway. I haven't gone out much, so maybe there are places more interesting than where I was."

"Aw, it doesn't have to be interesting!" Hunk groans, but it's close enough to laugh that he's clearly not upset. "Boring can be nice, especially when you don't get a break. Like me."

He shifts back and forth a bit, just a little uncomfortable at his lack of a vacation. Defending the universe is tiring work, and apparently it's never just saved. "So you just stayed at home all the time? Doesn't sound that boring to me, if you had something fun to do."

"Home and school, mostly." She paused. "I was president of a Literature Club, so I spent extra hours there."

Why did it always go back to her mentioning the Literature Club... Perhaps she wasn't that different from the others. Just a character programmed to preside over that club and mention is whenever possible to draw the player character into it. Ah... The discussion had nearly made her forget about the predicament they found themselves in, and the mere mention of that thing had managed to remind her of it all.

"Still... I wish I'd have had a more exciting life, I guess."

Hunk's eyes lit up at the mention of a Literature Club, and he couldn't contain his excitement as she tried to downplay how her life wasn't exciting.

"Oh, come on, Monika! You've read so many books from Earth that you're probably more prepared to be here than I am!" He starts laughing, while shooting her a playfully judgmental look. "You have to have read enough fantasy books to know about, like... magic and... I dunno, swords?"

Hunk realizes he hasn't read as many fantasy books as he maybe should've, and just laughs sheepishly.

"Ahaha. I guess I read a lot..."

She tried to sound as enthusiast and cheerful as Hunk was, but...

"But... I don't think it really counts as practical experience." She marked a pause. "You could read your entire life about cycling, but once you get a bicycle? Everything you've read won't amount to much, you'll fall like everyone else on their first try. That kind of theoretical knowledge is all I have really."

Hence why she was so confused right now... If that was even real, anyway.

"So this is when you fall off the bike, then!" He says it with a smile and a nod, as if it's perfectly obvious.

"Knowing things from books gives you a head-start on people who, y'know, don't know stuff! So worry about what you do know, and not what you don't." Hunk sighs, shaking his head.

"If I could make do on the other side of the universe as a student, I think you'll do just fine here!" And now he's smiling, mentally prepping to tell stories if she asks. Story time is always fun.

"You're very positive, aren't you?"

He reminded her of Sayori in a way. Was he hiding a depression and insecurities beneath that cheerful facade, she wondered? Quite possibly so, if he abided by similar tropes and stereotypes. Though, if this was all real... Perhaps there was more to him. All these questions and doubts killed her on the inside.

"I'm sorry..." She tilted her head down and brought a hand to her chest. Manipulative and secretive as she could sometimes be... Now wasn't one of those times. If it continued that way, Hunk would be the one to get answers out of her, answers she didn't want to give to anyone till she knew more. "I-I think I need some time alone."

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FABULA NOVA CRYSTALLIS || INTRODUCTION LOG

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