Event || Worldwide Tourists

[eternitymods]

Who: All New Arrivals and Curti Center Staff
When: April 15th-30th
Where: All over Vaikuntha, starting outside of the airship hanger
What: Ganeshan, the resident Job Expert, will be taking the new arrivals around the the various Guilds so they can collect their chosen Job Asterisks as noted in their applications.
Warnings/Notes: Guild prompts can be found here

Enter the Master

[Each new arrival's iMog buzzes with a message instructing them to gather for a worldwide adventure to obtain the power of Vaikuntha. If they follow the invitation's instructions, they will arrive at outside of the airship hanger on the morning of the 15th, with their meager belongings packed.

An Enterprise-Class airship, the Ragnarok, hovers outside of the Curti Center. There is a flash of light on the top of the ship.]

"WELCOME!"

[A figure, minuscule at this distance, launches itself off of the ship and hurtles toward the ground. As he draws closer to the ground, he starts to flip, landing with a flourish. An armored figure, sans helm, turns his toothy Zora grin to the crowd. With a shimmer, his armor transforms into a white mage's robe, and he sends a rush of wind through the crowd for dramatic effect.]

"I AM GANESHAN, THE JOB MASTER! GYA HA HA HA! TODAY, YOUR LIVES WILL CHANGE FOREVER."

[Ganeshan shimmers again, ruthlessly abusing the Chemist's Modifier skill to once again shift Job Classes so he can lower the airship's loading dock with a wave of his hand.]

"I BELIEVE THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAS THE ABILITY TO MASTER THE JOB CLASSES. SOME OF YOU MAY MASTER MANY, OTHERS WILL PURSUE THE PERFECT MASTERY OF JUST ONE. BUT EITHER WAY, YOU'LL BE INCREDIBLE!"

[Ganeshan gives everyone a big thumbs-up. The out-worlders who are not scared off by this booming speech can feel free to enter the airship and prepare for their ride around the world. Hopefully some of the Curti Center's newest hires can serve as non-crazy less exuberant tour guides for the new arrivals.]

Around the World

[The Ragnarok will be stopping at every major city in Vaikuntha, with the exception of those cut off by the Imperial border closing. Characters can create top levels to respond to the Guild prompts and explore the cities themselves as the ship makes its stops. Each Guild provides information sessions, free food and trinkets for potential applicants, and once you're ready to receive your Asterisk, all you have to do is take some introductory lessons and fill out forms. Characters can receive up to two asterisks. Time to get to know your new world!

Questions for Ganeshan can be directed to the Ganeshan top level post.]

Comments

Questions for Ganeshan

[eternitymods]

[Have questions about jobs? Weapons? Combinations? Ganeshan LOVES to talk about jobs, and will answer you questions and probably more. Ask away!]

[daggercubed]

[Vax sidles up to Ganeshan. But... what, exactly, is he?

No, don't ask that first.]

So... Dragoons. They're meant to kill dragons? If I understand this shit right.

(frozen comment) GUILD PROMPTS

[eternitymods]

(frozen comment) TARK VARENTAIN: Gunslinger & Ninja

[eternitymods]

TARK VARENTAIN

[In the wake of the murders on the shores of Lake Ira, the police presence in Tark Varentain is unusually high. Citizens are being cautioned to return to their homes by sunset until the investigation is closed, and the locals are all especially wary of newcomers. In spite of this, both the Gunslinger Guild and the Ninja Guild will open their doors to new members. The prestige of an outworlder member is usually rare, so no guild on Vaikuntha will turn away one of the new arrivals.

At the GUNSLINGER exhibition, the hall has been lined with targets. The master Gunslingers lean against the opposite wall, looking cool and collected. At the signal of the Guild Master, they draw in the blink of an eye and fire with guns of all sizes and shapes. Each has gotten a perfect bullseye, with the exception of those that shot with guns of such a size as to blow the target away completely. The Gunslingers return to their casual leaning poses. We cannot stress how cool they look throughout this demonstration.

Upon entering the NINJA guild, new arrivals may be surprised to find the room empty...or so it seems. There is movement from above. A smokescreen rises, and when it clears, the room is full of masked figures, running and leaping and scaling the walls with ease. A gigantic fire-breathing frog is summoned, and the ninjas take turns leaping through the rings of smoke it puffs into the air.]

Madhuri | OTA

[songbird_slayer]

[Sparks Golsaucia- Dancer's Guild]

[She felt like she was home, marveling the feel of silk against her skin, welcoming the sound of the occasional jingle of gold adornments over her hips and ankles. She opted for a lavender color scheme, and had tossed her shoes to the wayside for now.

She gave the shawl a flip and nodded to her moogle, who in turn fluttered over to the performers and bid them give something of a drum beat. She'd promised to help advertise, after all, as she didn't even need to see the demonstration to slap her information all over the paperwork to receive her Asterisk. The lessons would begin later. But for now... well. Gotta shake what your mama gave ya.

Madhuri clapped twice and widened her stance, then neatly retrieved a pair of harmless scarves from her belt. As the music began, she tread out of the Guild light as a feather, trailing lavender and glimmering gold. Should you be passing by, she will happily land before you and begin the sway of her hips, her long black tail weaving through the air like a serpent.

Congrats. You've become the centerpiece in a dance, the tiefling making circles around and wordlessly inviting you to join in. With eyes that practically sparkle with mischief and a curved smile, it might be a little hard to resist.]


[The Royal City of Myste Aure- Bard's Guild]

[To get her hands on a guitar again, oh, what a delight. Did Madhuri all but throw her info and decide to take things on before the ink dried? Of course she did. Once a bard, always a bard. Once she took a good five minutes tuning everything just right, she did as she felt in her heart as she always did: She took to the streets. Everyone was so stressed, and bardic song was meant to make folks feel good. Damn good, even.

So off she goes, straightening her feathered cap before she joined a group of bards from the Guild to tread through the streets, voices lifted in song. Feel that tingle of power making the goosebumps rise? Oh, yes... perhaps now you can do just about anything.

Or perhaps it was the gaze the tiefling was giving you that's given a little extra punch of courage. Care to toss a few gil their way for their efforts? A bard's gotta eat, after all. ]


[Lavode- White Mage's Guild]

[Oh my, so busy...! More importantly, so exactly what she needed for her own soul. What was a tiefling to do, really, looking the way she did? She was grateful that she only got a couple of stares for her efforts, but when she penned in her information, there seemed to be a sense of relief all around her: Someone wanted to do good and give their aid to others, rather than run in to get yet another wound that needed closing.

It seemed Sir Macaron the moogle was all in, too. With a little mog-sized pen and notepad in hand, he fiercely took notes as Madhuri joined the shadowing, watching these folks struggling and groaning in pain ease and sigh as pale white magic began to close their wounds of staunch the bleeding. She turned to another in the group- perhaps you?- and didn't wish to interrupt the instruction:]

I have to wonder how they keep their outfits so pristine. Do they get cleaning magic as well, you think...?

B

[zanarkandian]

[Hey, it's Madhuri, the singer! Tidus is quite happy to see her in action...but maybe she grabs his attention a little more completely than usual.

He's already feeling more comfortable with one new skill in progress, so ever the showoff, he performs an excessive series of flips. And then presents a tip, grandiosely. Because he just has to.]

Wow. You didn't show me that before. Guess that's the new magic, huh?

Kanji | OTA

[topgun_textiles]

[Tark Varentain- Ninja's Guild]

[He'd reluctantly parted ways with his friend, but he was sure she'd be fine so long as she stuck with the rest of the group heading for the Gunslinger Guild. For now, however, he was more than a little curious about ninja stuff. In truth, it kinda reminded him of some of the old TV shows he used to watch. Besides, how cool would it be to be a ninja?

One absolute shit-spooking from him later when the building went from empty to full of smoke, fire and parkour later, the folks here seemed friendly if a bit surprised to see someone like him interested in stealth and agility.

And really, psh, Yosuke-senpai's clumsy ass can do it. So he can, too, right?]

Hyaah! ...Fuck!

Language, brute! Now try again, kupopo!

[Okay, so he can't even reach the targets yet with his throwing knives. But he sure as hell is trying! Maybe once he gets the Asterisk he'll improve, but this whole trip was to try some stuff out. He wasn't gonna pass that up.]


[Safer Osu- Berserker's Guild]

[He didn't think a Guild could pump him up, but here he was, watching as a bunch of these men and women completely destroy everything in their path while tapping into something deep and angry. He knew he could fly off the handle sometimes, but to put it to good use sounded mighty useful. He liked the prospect of 'tanks' too, folks who protected their friends from harm by putting their whole selves on the line.

Just like back home. He liked that.

With pen in hand, he was happy to sign himself up and get that first Asterisk. Soon he was sending wood splinters and cotton stuffing flying, all while Guild members nod in appreciation:

"Huh, he's a natural."

"Or maybe he was just an angry kid. Either way, natural. Oh- oh $#!+, there's nothing left of that dummy... hey, can we get Tippie out here, please?"

Fifteen minutes after the destruction, Kanji is sitting in a corner corner, arms full of a little white terrier that is licking his face and wagging that tail. Tippie was the very best dog, and Kanji couldn't be happier. What was happening again? Were they getting Asterisks?]


[Von Oktavia- Paladin's Guild]

OW- god damn it-

[Okay, he was way too tall for this stupid place! But he had a tour to finish, and he'd do it properly. After passing by the, uh... emo kids... he managed to find the guild of paladins, and is kind of impressed if not a bit weirded out by how orderly they were.

He liked to keep his stuff neat and tidy for the most part, but sheesh.

Yet he couldn't shake just how honest they were. They seemed like they wanted to do some good, and he wanted to do some good as well. Though there were remarks about his scar, he found himself jotting his name down on the paperwork and requesting a few lessons. Two tank classes might seem a bit much, but what the hell else did he know? Heck, they could heal a little, too. That'll definitely come in handy.

But for now he needed to sit a couple of things out and just rub his tender noggin. How many doorways did he bang into now? He'd lost count. And brain cells.]

Ow ow ow...

Safer Osu

[pishirogane]

Kanji-kun, are you feeling better?

[That had certainly been a... display. It almost didn't seem like he would stop. In fact, the other Guild members held them back until they gave him time with Tippie.]

Naoto Shirogane | OTA

[pishirogane]

Option A: Tark Varentain - Gunslinger Guild

[Naoto doesn't care for the attempt at being cool and aloof that the Gunslingers already part of the Guild are attempting as they come in for a demonstration and to see what the Job has to offer. Then again, she's been trained in a way that, sure a gun might be cool, but it's also a responsibility. And even if these guns appeared a little different from the ones back home, she had no problem taking one and hitting a few targets.

[Felt good, felt familiar.]

[Duh she was filing out that paperwork in a moment's notice.]

Option B: Lake Ira - Investigation

[There's an interest in the Ninja Guild...]

[... But Naoto was drawn away when she recalled that Lake Ira was here. She can't help but investigate of course; or at least, attempt to. The police were determined to conducting the research themselves. The only reason she could get even so close was because she now had an Asterisk and wasn't pushing her way into the scene. She stood back with Cristo, doing what she could to glean while watching the Investigation continue. If something caught her eye, she might wander off; otherwise, she understood they'd rather outsiders not interfere.]

[Good thing she was used to getting around undetected.]

Option C: The Royal City of Myste Aure - Magitek Knight Guild

[Naoto was gone and away when they entered the guild, fascinated by all the technology and weaponry. So far, they've only been exposed to so much tech upon arrival, but this was tech. Magitek to be specific.]

[Sure, she's a little more starry-eyed looking at armor and watching the demos unlike the Gunslinger Guild, but magic bullets and lasers. It was something out of tokusatsu and she joined in on disc shooting when she got the opportunity.]

[Once that's done, she... collected herself. Please ignore the pink cheeks.]

Option D: Arito - Summoner Guild

[There had been the briefest discussion of Eidolons with Cristo, but now, being in their Guild had Naoto examining the depictions both maintained and illegible, dipping into the dark corners and discovering Ultros tucked away.]

[There wasn't similarly flashy demonstrations like back at the other Guilds she had officially joined, but it's interesting enough to see even the partial forms of the Eidolons appear. It was... familiar.]

[... Perhaps in the future. For now, she continued walking around, occasionally observing the demo, but also taking note of names, powers, and the overall Eidolons themselves.]

B

[topgun_textiles]

[His face was grim after making landfall in Tark. If his map-reading was right, that right there was the lake where the weird masked moogle killed those camp counselors. But what was worse was when, not a moment after Naoto kicked ass in the Gunslinger Guild and completed her starting lessons with her Asterisk, she set off and he knew precisely where.

That crude drawing and the warning- "she" will find and try to kill you if you're alone- drove him to ignore his nerves and plod right on after her. Her face somehow grim as well, Suzette passed the iMog slate. Kanji tapped through menus, swiped, and the change was a sudden rush: Plate armor and furs adorned his body, complete with a horned helm. The weight of a giant hammer settled against his back, something familiar from his tests with the berserkers. The moogle took the tablet back and made a shooing motion. Kanji didn't need to be told twice.

The tape was everywhere, and figures moved through the darkness using magic for light. But he didn't care about the cops- did he ever, really?- and he ignored the first stammered warnings that the area was sealed off for their safety.

Hammer pulled off his back, he let it rest heavy against his shoulder. He'd just make a beeline and stop at her side, all while Suzette fluffed her pom to calm its subtle glow. No use being bright and noticeable.]

Oi... we got monsters here on top of this slasher creep. You're not goin' in by yourself.

Adrien Agreste | OTA

[modelcivilian]

Option A: Tark Varentain - Ninja Guild

[Exploring the guild is more a curiosity... and maybe some nerd-ish intention. Give him a break, they're real-life ninjas capable of actually using smokescreens and scaling the wall and summoning frogs! He wanted to join in with the free running...]

[... but he kept back, eyes open, but feeling that emptiness again. Black masks and attire just reminded him of his missing possession that he unconsciously rubbed the bare ring finger. Adrien doesn't get to do things like this openly.]

[Maybe on reserve. Looking at the masks again, maybe he could pull someone off.]

Option B: Lavode - Red Mage Guild

[There's a weird feeling of being at home. Weapons to flirtatious mannerisms, but red was so not his actual color. It needed more black or green... or both. And seeing all this red, he wanted to see someone wearing spots with it, but when he does, he just blinked and it was gone.]

...

[Fencing matches - spell fencing matches - he's almost sold, but it was the red keeping him back. Still, it wasn't enough to keep him from participating in a normal fencing match, keeping up well with Guild members thanks to years of training.]

Option C: Nakagawa - Swordmaster Guild

[Chocobos (and allergies) aside, he felt more at peace being in the Guild. The sword was familiar; the technique, not so much. Still, it wasn't mainly red, wasn't mainly black, and it wasn't making him think so much of what he's not doing right now. He walked around the gardens and breathed, the stresses of earlier locations melting off.]

[The demonstration also helped. Learning how to wield a sword in another way was a distraction. Sure, he wasn't doing as well as at the Red Mage Guild, and incorporating some of the fencing style breaks what was being taught in the Guild, but they're not discouraging it either.]

[Yeah, he could be found taking the Asterisk later.]

[euphemia]

[ Euphemia was a little more drawn to the actual city than the guild. The scenery alone was beautiful and one she couldn't help but explore fully. Eventually, however, her travels did allow her to pause and stop to observe the Swordmaster guild. It was eerily familiar to Knights at home, yet they served a far greater purpose here.

Seeing a familiar face, however, made her stop completely. She was not going to pick up any sword, but observing someone else do so was fine with her. ]

You seem very good with that.

Mythra | OTA

[sirenslight]

A. Mythra in the Sky with Disappointment(Cloud City)

[So far, the Cloud City was Mythra's favorite place to be. It was the place closest to her home, after all. It was the evening, and she was staring out at the setting sun with her feet hands clutching a railing, right at cloud level. She felt somewhat solemn, however. She knew these Clouds weren't like the Cloud Sea. They were made of different stuff, that was obvious. One, from the fact she couldn't swim in them, and two, they lacked the regenerative properties of the actual Cloud Sea. So she's somewhat sad she doesn't get to take a nice swim in familiar waters.]

"If only I had some of Rex's salvager stuff..." [Then maybe she could simply, take a bit of a dive down into them while still firmly attached to the city. She supposed she could just, get some rope or something. Well, she needed to enlist someone for this. She turns to the nearest available person, and asks them,] "Do you know where I could find some rope?"

B. Tactical Living Nuke Incoming(Tactician Guild)

[Mythra walks into the tactician guild with a certain sense of swagger about her. Tactics, yeah, she got tactics. For the Architect's Sake she was pretty much designed to analyze and process data, and time and time again, when she planned something, it would work out. Rex wasn't exactly that much of a thinker, and Pyra... well, she could be reckless at times. So she's got it on this job. She fills out the paperwork relatively quickly, and she walks away with her asterisk in hand.

[She quickly heads out of the guild. She's not a fan of the stuffy atmosphere and the weird board game obsession. She hates businessmen and stuffy nobles, they were never her types with few exceptions. She was at home among soldiers and warriors, those who stood on the battlefield rather than in an armchair. And in her hurried rush, she commits the Oh-So Classic trope, of bumping into someone coming in. Though, not knocking them over, merely brushing up against them and dropping her asterisk. She stops, and goes to pick it up.]

"Ah, excuse me. I need to get out of the elitist intellectual club."

C. A Blade Gets a Blade(Swordmaster Guild)

C1. How Mythra has not Learned to Stop Thinking and Love the 1000 Times Folded Nippon Steel
"What are you doing?" [For all you new Swordmasters trying out your new jobs, you may be approached by your fellow Swordmaster, looking rather, unenthused. You are one of the unlucky souls to have caught her ire. Maybe it was your parrying technique, maybe your foot positioning, maybe it was your swing telegraphing. If a mistake in your movements appears, Mythra will be here! To fix it, whether you want her to or not.

[Because, as the experienced soldier who has bested hundreds of enemies in battle and also literally a sword girl, Mythra knows a lot about swords. And so, people fighting improperly bothers her. It bothers her immensely. And so thus, the blonde with the Messer in the Swordmaster uniform is expressing her distaste in the most helpful way she can. So prepare to get rated.]

C2. Honing Your Edge
[But maybe you're not a Swordmaster, maybe you're just around town. If that's the case, you might find Mythra elsewhere, on a cliff overlooking the city. Rather than admiring the view however, Mythra is running herself through drills, on her own. Looking incredibly focused. Mogra, her Moogle, is off to the side, taking notes on her performance. She hasn't seen you approach because of that. Her movements are all precise, yet naturally flowing. It's clear this girl has had some experience in a swordfight.]

"You were always the better sword fighter than I was, weren't you Addam?" [Two steps forward, a horizontal cut to the head.]

"It makes sense, you were my Driver after all." [A duck beneath a cut, a thrust to the newly formed opening in her enemy's guard.]

"Rex was pretty good, but you were always his better in that department." [A sidestep and a deflection.]

"But you aren't here to teach me, to guide me here." [A final thrust, to finish off her enemy.]

"I miss you, Adda-" [She turns around, and she finally sees you there. She instantly raises her sword to this new intruder, and issues a single command.]

"Don't move an inch."

C1

[modelcivilian]

[Adrien likes to think he's doing pretty well following the instructions of the other Guild members, but the style is way more kendo than foil, sabre, or épée. And maybe practicing one of those three off to the side isn't the best idea because he hears someone yell in his direction.]

... Me? [Wooden sword at his side, he points at himself to make sure he's the one she's speaking to.]

Jade Curtiss | OTA

[jeido]

[Lavode - Painting The Town Red]

[Jade is no stranger to such reverences, but he cracks an amused smile all the same when one of the members of the guild do kiss the hand of some of the newcomers--him thankfully not included. Once the pleasantries are over with, he finds himself observing the demonstrations intently, impressed with their bladework. While handling a sword isn't too familiar to him, having a base familiarity with most spells used around this world seems like an interesting boon, as with a similar ability to imbue his weapons with the power of the elements.

Once he gets his asterisk, he can be found either participating in one of the demonstrations, smiling as he holds a simple rapier to the side.]

Thank you for being my partner for the day. I'll do my best to make this worth your while.

[Or perhaps, chasing after someone who has dropped one thing or another while in town.]

Pardon me, but it seems you've dropped this.

[Is what he says once he catches up with the said person, accompanying it with a small and polite bow quite characteristic of his class.]

[Safer Osu - Not Something You Want To Drag On]

[Familiarity is another important thing to Jade, which is why he chooses this particular secondary. But the brochures don't quite prepare him for the extent in which these Dragoons take their skills--nothing at all like anything he's familiar with. Or at least, that is the case for these jumps and stunts they're capable of.]

That's quite the task they're expecting out of an old man like me...

[He says with a slightly overdramatic sigh.]

[Kiddilion - Just Kiddin' Around]

[With all his asterisks acquired, Jade finds himself free to explore, quite interested in checking out the Black Mage Guild for future reference. The demonstrations are not mindblowing, but perhaps impressive for their scale. It takes a good amount of self-control to properly manage the elements, after all, and this world may not be an exception in that regard.

More interesting, however, might be the town itself--quite different from the brighter places he's been to. The air is rife with distrust, with most citizens keeping to themselves and to their own business. Still, the selections of the markets here are quite wide, and with respect to the price of the items, Jade simply window-shops instead of picking up anything.

It is in the course of doing so that Jade finds himself jostled, then treated to some accompanying shouts from behind. Of someone shouting after a thief, who is presumably the one that bumped into him earlier.

Perhaps you're the one whose purse was stolen. Or perhaps you are simply a passerby interested in helping out. But whatever the case is, Jade is chasing after this Bangaa thief, who also actually made the fatal mistake of making away with Jade's then empty wallet.]

I want to paint it red

[fatefulprincess]

[ Red Mage is the only class that Corrin feels completely comfortable with. She knows how to wield a sword and is familiar with flinging spells from tomes. Thank you Nohr Noble class. So it seems like the most practical one for her to have.

She takes her stance across from her sparring partner with a smile. ]

We're all beginners here. All experience is worthwhile.

Nyx Ulric | OTA

[nyxmare]

[ Better Safer than Sorry (Safer OSU) ]

Nyx was doing his best to be selective. Part of him wanted to experience new things that this world had to offer but the other practical side of himself was telling him to focus on the familiar as he learned the rest of this world. So, the closest thing so far he'd found to what he was able to do at home so far was Ninja.

It was different in ways but still held familiar aspects. Like the knives. The Kukris were his main weapon in the Glaives and he used them as well if not better than many. The familiarity of having a short blade in hand felt good.

At least, until he saw the Dragoons.

He knew Dragoons existed in his own world, heard of a rather skilled woman actually. But it wasn't something he'd ever done himself. Watching these Dragoons leap into the air... He felt that familiar thrill, the desire to have that sense of excitement and danger.

He is soon balancing the lance in his hand. It was definitely a longer weapon than he was used to but the lessons were simplified enough. Nyx took to weapons like a fish to water and he practiced while he waited for the other travelers to finish. Exploring was fine, but he was interested in perfecting these jobs.

Someone should probably save him from himself.


[ Freelancing Nausea (Hisan City) ]

Nyx's stomach was still unsettled after the Gourmand demonstration. How anyone could look at that and feel anything less than sick to their stomach absolutely deserved to be a Gourmand themselves. He had a feeling if he ever wanted to take on that job he would need to mentally prepare himself.

He ended up outside the Help Center For Those Who Cannot Use Jobs. He tilts his head, staring at the poor souls inside that seemed to be stuck using rocks. That was it? Rocks? They couldn't be taught how to use any other weapon? Or perhaps just a basic job skill like ... mopping a floor or something?

He covers his mouth, arm crossing his abdomen as he watches, brows raised. This was proof that this world was absolutely strange indeed.

[ Magi-What Now? (Royal City of Mist Aure) ]

Nyx was filled with so much tension during the Magitek demonstration. He continually reminded himself this wasn't the Empire that he was looking at but people with a job that just seemed awfully akin to Magitek technology. His instincts were on high alert and he wanted to know more but also didn't want to get involved at all.

These people weren't dangerous, he reminds himself. They were just people. taking up jobs. This city wasn't dangerous. It was just.. a city, with people. Normal people. There wasn't a war here.

Relaxing was just going to be next to impossible considering the last time he was near Magitek technology.

Anyone that approached him here would have to deal with it.

[ Ultra-ly Uncomfortable (Arito) ]

They had to be kidding. Was Nyx really staring at a tapestry of the same monster that tore apart an Imperial airship and nearly killed both him and Lunafreya? After killing plenty of other Glaives and Empire soldiers.

Nyx reaches up, almost touching the tapestry but chooses to withdraw his hand. His head was shaking slightly and he wasn't sure if he should laugh or just..

You know what? Walking away was a good plan. He chose to turn and step out for fresh air. It would be nice to just take a moment to--

Oh right.

The holiday.

He was rather quickly approached, even as he puts his hands up to try and stop them. Please, save him.



[Your Choice!]
[Nyx will be visiting all the Job centers and usually be caught exploring the areas near the transports. Feel free to drag him around!]

Safer Osu

[shinra_dog]

Reno hadn't considered Dragoon before. He'd been focused on perfecting Assassin. But now... it didn't seem that advanced job existed here.

He remembered the way Johnny looked as a Dragoon. Strong, powerful... It had impressive offensive power. Not that Reno discounted his own offensive abilities, but he knew his true strengths. Reconnaissance. Stealth. Other such shady business. He was the one to successfully backstab, not run straight into the fray.

But maybe it was time to change. He did miss the sky.

"They make it look so easy," he noted to the other student near him, hefting the lance's weight. He remembered seeing the man at the Ninja Guild as well.

Azusa Miura ☆ OTA!!

[mythmaker]

i. stars' light, stars' fright

My, my isn't this all so lovely? I wonder if they do tarot~.

[Azusa can't help but laugh to herself whenever she's in the astrologian guild. She'll gladly pull anyone aside an ask what they think, or ask them to stare up at the stars with her. She's like a kid at a candy star, sometimes standing on tiptoe to get a better view of this or that, sometimes bouncing on her feet instead, giddy.

That all abruptly changes at one point. She exits a room that had been set aside for fortune telling and exits it looking downright abysmal before bumping into your character. Literally. She's a bit dazed.]

Ah...I'm sorry, please excuse me...my fortune...

ii. 9:02PM

[Azusa doesn't expect to be famous in Vaikuntha. That would be a mistake. But upon stopping in the bard's guild, sometime after the mock battle, she approaches the mic. A guild member has encouraged her to sing after her mentioning her love for music in passing and her lamentation that she's not skilled with an instrument.

She's on no main stage when she lets loose her song, but those wandering the back rooms might just get to hear a professional sing her heart out.]

♪ Goodnight...I’m all alone, again...
Make up off, face blank as I lay...
I turn to the mirror, and I say:
“Hey...are you...happy?”

I want to meet you!
But my phone never rings.
Why? These tears, my eyes sting...
If only now, I could feel you...
Just for one more second...! ♫

[When the song is done, there's some clapping—the room isn't very crowded. She'll take her seat again after thanking everyone for letting her use the microphone, heart set on acquiring this new asterisk for real. It turns out there are some things she can never give up.]

iii. aquatic ambience

[Azusa can't stop staring at the sky. They're truly underwater. She can see fish swimming in the distance, she can see fish people like their tour guide. It's all incredible. She can't keep herself from looking like a tourist as she stops to inspect every little thing.

She finds herself in the ancient history museum and later heads to the hypello shop. She's never going to make it to any of the guilds here, but she doesn't mind. She only has a few hours, and she'd rather use them talking to elderly zora and answering questions from a few local kids.]

This city is so beautiful, isn't it? My, my...I can't help but feel I'm fortunate to be here.

iii

[rivieran]

[ Ancient history museum you say?

That's where Ena will be too, fascinated by an alien history. She is engrossed in the artifacts, reading the descriptions over and over, carefully studying the shapes and designs and absorbing any information she can.

It's when she's ready to move on to the next exhibit that she notices a familiar face. ]

Azusa? Is that you? [ Her voice is barely above the whisper, out of respect of the ancient items. ]

Connie | OTA

[conniemaheswaran]

WONDERLAND (Tactician's Guild, Tactician's Guild)
Round One
Connie, unlike many other children her age, pays almost no attention to the wondrous attractions of Sparks Golsaucia. Sure, they were impressive feats of technology, magic, and engineering, and sure, they looked devilishly fun; but they aren't what Connie is here for. Forcefully pushing her way through the crowd of businessmen, she stumbles through the doors and nearly into the real-life chess game.

She spends a moment gawking at the spectacle, then a few more minutes carefully observing the game, chin in hand. Eventually, she begins calling out the moves as the tacticians take turns, muttering chess positions under her breath. And, amazingly, she gets it right one in four times.

Round Two
The young girl gets more than a few strange looks in the lecture hall, scribbling in her rapidly-filling composition notebook at a furious pace as the keynote guest gives their lecture to an audience that is generally much older than Connie. As they explain the dizzying nuances and minutia of the Job, the complex casting that's vastly different from the brute force of the Black Mage, and the sharp intellect required to wield the asterisk properly, Connie sits enthralled, absorbing the information with shining eyes.

Round Three
Of course, the guildmasters hadn't taken her seriously when she first came to them asking for an asterisk. Connie was thirteen years old, for goodness' sake! She should be in school, not on the battlefield. If anything, Connie was probably just hoping to gain an edge over her opponents in her school's shogi club or other such nonsense for bragging rights.

But her enthusiasm and obvious intelligence win the day, and now Connie stands before a glowing wisp of blue light. Taking a deep breath, she reaches out to grasp the asterisk. And her whole world changes. Hundreds of years of accumulated strategic knowledge flood into her memories. Runic circles, somatic gestures, and magic power are embedded in her soul.

It's almost too much. Connie falls to her knees, panting and sweating, as information almost completely overwhelms her. Still, though, she refused to give in. This was her first true test, and she would not fail it. With great effort, Connie gets to her feet, grinning broadly as she conquers the new power of her asterisk.

One down, one to go. And so with newfound purpose, Connie runs out into the front hall, grinning, and almost bumps into you. "O-oh! Whoops!" She rubs the back of her head, embarrassed. "Sorry. Got a bit carried away there."

Saute!
Dressed in the blue and gold robes of a Tactician, with a battered, hand-me-down Tome at her side, Connie rushes out into the streets. There were still time before the airship departed for Von Oktavia, so why not finally let herself have some fun? With wild abandon, she skids to a stop in the line for one of the many rollercoasters, Golden Ticket in hand and smile painted on her face.

THE BUREAUCRACY OF TOMORROW (Von Oktavia)
Von Oktavia is certainly an... experience. At least Connie doesn't have it as bad as some of the older arrivals, who were constantly bumping their heads on the top of doorframes. Anyways, as tempting as it was to ogle all the technological marvels on display, Connie was on a mission. Taking a deep breath, she pushes through the glass front doors of Mognet Central, just barely avoiding a bump on the head.

Connie confidently strides up to the harried-looking receptionist, clears her throat, and says. "Hello. I'd like to schedule a meeting with the Linkshell Maintenance Director, pl-"

In the blink of an eye, a slip of paper with the number "051" on it is in Connie's hands. "Take a seet, kupo," the secretary says. "They'll be with you in a moment, kupo."

"That's a blatant lie and you know it, kupo," Mogheswaran mutters under her breath as Connie goes to sit down in one of the waiting chairs, which is just barely big enough to fit her. Fluttering around her head, the suited moogle says, "It's fruitless, kupo. You'll be waiting for the entire day, if not more, before they get back to you and say that the director won't be open for appointments for another six months."

Connie shrugs. "A girl can hope."

"Hope is a thousand gil a unit in MogNet Central, kupo."

"Jaded much?"

"What do you think, kupo?"

Sighing, Connie takes out her tome and settles in for a long wait, idly perusing the contents of the arcane manual.

ONCE IN A LIFETIME (The Royal City of Myste Aura, Magitek Knight Guild)
And You May Find Yourself in Another Part of the World
Connie gasps in delight as the airship pierces the clouds surrounding the City, the elegant architecture and beautiful hot springs combining to create a sight to behold. Sparks Golsaucia was gaudy, and Von Oktavia was impressive, but Myste Aura was truly beautiful. She barely manages to repress the urge to just soak in the view and forget about everything else. as she rushes out onto the streets. Glancing at the map, Connie sprints straight towards the Magitek Knight guild, sparing a few moments here and there to admire the surroundings--of course, so wrapped up she is in the sights and sounds Connie may have a few close calls with vehicles and people.

And You may Find Yourself in A Beautiful House
The Magitek Knight's guild is easily identifiable by the sounds of machinery and magic booming from within its finely sculpted halls and courtyards, all constructed with bleeding-edge technology on par with that of the Oktavian State's but with a much better eye for aesthetics. Connie wanders through the complex with a half-dazed, half-excited expression, admiring the various demonstrations of the Knights' abilities and gadgets. The most accessible one, however, is that of the gunblade exhibition.

After some pleading, one of the kinder demonstrators finally relents, kneeling beside Connie as he carefully calibrates his gunblade in a dazzling series of lightning-fast hand movements. "Alright. Here you go." He gently gives his precious weapon to Connie, smiling gently. "It's set to fire six bullets for a guest user, so there shouldn't be any trouble. Still, I should probably show you the ropes for the first few rounds."

"Yes, sir!" Connie says.

"Now, follow my instructions exactly." As more skeet is loaded into the cannon, he tells Connie on how to use the firearm, hands guiding hers. "Okay. Fore!" he shouts, and the skeet launches from the cannon and into the sky. Before he can give the order for Connie to shoot, her fingers squeeze the trigger, clipping the side of the clay disc and disintegrating it with the bullet's force.

He gives her an appraising look as Connie's eyes gleam. "...you said you wanted to join the guild, right?" After the barrel is emptied, and four out of the six discs are obliterated by gunblade, he gives Connie directions to the initiation hall, and she whoops with delight as she runs full-tilt towards her second asterisk.

((Feel free to thread Connie at any point of this prompt: during her initial exploration of the guild hall, her first experience with a gunblade, and her mad dash towards her second Job.))

And You May Find Yourself Behind the Wheel of a Large Automobile
Barely a second after the guildmaster finishes his initiation speech, Connie's hand snaps out towards the floating asterisk, smile almost crazed as a bachelor's degree's worth of engineering and runic studies pour into her brain. And, most importantly, Connie feels some of her old training return. Not all of them, not by a long shot, but the rest would come with training. Grabbing the starting gunblade from the hands of one of the ceremony's officiators and yelling many emphatic thanks, Connie runs towards the armory, jumping for joy and whooping as she goes to collect her guild-issued armor.

ON THE TRAIN AIRSHIP TO BANGKOK THE CURTI CENTER
"Ki-ya!" Connie yells on the deck of the airship, cleaving through some imaginary foe on the least crowded part of the airship's deck. For the past few days, she's done nothing but train day and night with her gunblade and armor, going through the dozens of sword forms she learned under Pearl with visible joy at finally regaining her sword skills. Rather than be disconcerted at any looks she might be given, Connie basks in the attention for a change, doing her best to show off her abilities to any curious onlookers.

Tactician Round 2

[likewishes]

He thought that he had recognized the girl in the crowd. As much as Lelouch should be surprised to see her here, he isn't. Someone that actively seeking knowledge and scribbling furious notes coupled with the fact she had said something about finding comfort in it such habits just sort of jives more with this Job. In fact, the girl is still taking notes. Amusing, but...

Lelouch reaches over and takes the note book out of her hands. Before Connie can say anything he presses a finger to his lips. Wouldn't want to disturb the lecture by talking, right? is exactly what he seems to be saying with the gesture.

[conanima]

Myste Aure - The Bard Guild

[Kaede is the Ultimate Pianist - of course she is going for the Bard asterisk! Hopefully she will be able to use a miniature piano in battle. And even if she does not, she can always get a piano in her apartment and the bard job still does music anyway!

She enjoys the rallying music and the tap dancing. There is one thing that slightly bothers her though.....]

Um....I get that they don't want to damage their instruments but isn't that taking it a bit too far? Can't they use another weapon?

Lavode

[Well, Kaede has never been a fighter so she felt that being a white mage would be perhaps another good start into learning asterisks. After the bard skill, obviously (which she got anyway despite the weird priorities of those in the guild).

After she takes a few lessons and fills in the forms, she decides to go and explore the city for the rest of the day. As she does so, she spot one massive animal that catches her eye.]

I didn't know they rode elephants in the city.....w-wait a sec, where's it's ears?!

[And her moogle shakes his head and sighs.]

That's not an elephant, Kupo.

Myste Aura

[peninhand]

[ Monika might have been only in the process of learning piano, but that had been enough for her to pick that Job as her primary one. ]

A lot of these people seem... Quirky...

[ They really were video game NPCs, weren't they... She smiled regardless. ]

I think a good way to go about it would be to craft special instruments that can resist the wear of battle. [A pause.] Of course, then it might affect the quality of the sound... I guess there is no perfect compromise.

Roxas | OTA

[chosennobody]

I - H.C.F.T.W.C.U.J.
Already today Roxas had seen so many things and places that reminded him of other people he knew. Dragoons reminded him of Xaldin, Dancers of Demyx, Berserkers of Saix, Gunslingers of Xigbar, Illusionist of Zexion, and so on and so forth. Monk reminded him of Snow, and he felt a pang in his heart where it felt empty from missing his family. But... there was always a chance to build a new family here. His housemates seemed kind enough already. Maybe...

Something about the guild-- or lack of guild? --of the freelancers caught his attention and drew him over to the sad group. "Come on, it can't be that bad... Let me see?" He held out his hand to a volunteer and motioned that he wanted to received an asterisk. What training could they possibly provide, rock throwing 101? Yeah right. "Alright, now what's so terrible about this?" Incidentally, Roxas did not see any change in his hair from the Job.


II. - Swordmaster
Chocobos, Roxas decided, were not for him. Maybe his hair looked like hay or something, or maybe there was still a bird-like quality to him they could sense, but the giant birds seemed to want only to peck at his hair or preen him. It was... humiliating.

So on they went to the swordmaster guild, and after watching the presentation and talking with the folks of the guild a bit, testing out a sword or two, he decided this was the right place for him. And so he told the guildmaster he wished to join, to receive his asterisk, even proved he had a touch of previous proficiency, but... "What? Why won't it equip? I only have one other, and the fish man said I could have two."

I - H.C.F.T.W.C.U.J.

[peninhand]

Somehow, Monika could sympathize with these poor people. There was nothing worse than being left on the side. To see others be under the spotlight, your own time to shine denied. It was torture. Looking at these people, she turned toward Roxas when she heard him wonder aloud what was so terrible about this.

"I think..."

She paused and looked back at those poor people throwing rocks.

"When you are surrounded by people who can do something you can't... When they all have access to something you know you'll never be able to achieve, no matter how hard you may want it..." She turned back to Roxas with a sad smile. "I think it must be incredibly lonely."

Red Savarin | OTA

[mech_and_mutt]

[Myste Aure: Magitek Knight Guild]
His first stop was no surprise. He'd set his alarm for this-- well, okay, he had Mocha wake him up for this-- And if he wasn't first in line then he at least entered the guild hall at a sprint, in rapt fascination with every single piece of hardware he stumbled across. By the time he's got a Gunblade in hand, it's familiar enough in technique to practically be second nature.

And, hey, these things shoot lightning! Real lightning!! There wasn't any question to begin with, but it was set in stone even moreso in a matter of minutes. He could almost smell the warm metal and hint of ozone from his very own Magitek machine. There was just one teeny tiny obstacle to overcome first.

It turns out they didn't have armor that could accomodate his tail.

Which may have explained why someone like him would be grumbling on the sidelines during a training exercise, wearing impressively-ordained Magitek armor from the waist up and from the knees down but only a set of plain white boxers where the groin and thigh protection needed to be. Watching the goingson with a deadpan glare and a crackling bone between his teeth.

That metalworker had better finish up soon. He really, really wanted to shoot something right now.

[Von Oktavia: Paladin Guild]
...Paladins.

Okay, so it wasn't quite what he'd remembered of them. Guardians, yes, and certainly adept with magic. And there was that distinctly stuck-up, inscrutable air about them just the same. But... this time-- even with the absence of the more familiar feline form-- there was a whole army of them. Regimented. Strong. Numerous.

Maybe the ones from his world once looked like this, too.

Red had to take a peek inside, if only to satisfy those lingering threads of curiosity that kept catching on the corners of his mind. He almost felt like he had to do this... that he owed it. It wasn't a feeling he was used to having. They were well-trained, well-coordinated, rigid, and in so many ways rather unlike his own style.

And by the time he was back outside, A Paladin's proper Asterisk in hand, he was peering at it like he expected to find the answer as to why.

[Hisan: Gourmand Buffet]
The ruckus and shouting was easily audible even from outside... though perhaps it wouldn't be quite so simple to parse out what was actually happening from it all.

"C'mon! You can't tell me you're planning on eating ALL of this by yourselves?!"

"Nuö! NUÖ! Yuou öunly get fuød iff-a yuou're a guöurmuønd!!"

"...Wha?? I don't-- HEY!! That's MY sandwich! Get your--"

"Døg in zee-a keetcheen!! DØG IN ZEE-A KEETCHEEN!!"

CRASH. Clatter, a tumble, followed by the sounds of rapid footsteps.

"YOW! My tail-- whoa, alright, alright! I'm goin', I'm--"

Before long, the doors were nearly kicked open clear off their hinges. A canine form was heaved into the street, a richly-stacked sandwich in-hand spitting half of its ingredients across the ground as Red slowly came to a weary, tumbling stop. By the time he'd managed to actually get his bearing and sit back up, the world still felt like it was in tilt-and-tumble. Those Gourmands weren't your ordinary chefs, that was for sure.

"...I didn't get a WORD of that."

[Hisan]

[spaceforged]

He barely remembers what he did after the demonstration. It had happened and his mind had went blank. Shiro blinks at the shouting and turns back to the doors in time for a canine humanoid to hit the street. He approaches and offers his hand to him. "I think and I'm not sure...that was 'dog in the kitchen'. The stuff before that is only a bit more clear."

He eyes the doors warily. No one is going to come out and keep making a scene are they? After all of that he'd hope not. "They were saying something about Gourmands. You okay?"

Nanamo | OTA

[nanaimo_bar]

[Tark Varentain - Gunslinger]

[Watching the Gunslingers fight with the skill and style of their craft reminded Nanamo of the ninja of Doma, and how they moved. Or rather, if the ninja used guns. She had only been privy to protection from them once before, but it fascinated her.

Trying it out however made it difficult, armed with a tiny pistol and aiming to shoot. Only to be blown backwards from the recoil.

Sitting up gingerly, the potato sultana groaned.]

Mayhap I'd best come back to this once I learn a little more.

[Myste Aure - Red Mage and White Mage]

[The Red Mages had potential, as she swung the rapier about gingerly this time. After her incident with the gun, she was more careful with the blade than anything else. But nodding, she continued to fence, showing a surprising dexterity for someone so small.

It was here that she thrust forward and leaped backwards, having remembered seeing it from the Red long ago.]

It will take a while to get accustomed to this, but I will take it.

White Mages
[The second stop took her to the hospital on tour, and Nanamo was surprised how deeply different the White Mages were to the Conjurers of Gridania. The similarities were there but not the ability.]

So we can heal, whenever we offer it to someone?

[Sign her the heck up. She took it in a flash.]

Tark Varentain

[peninhand]

[ Needless to say, Monika was still in the process of getting used to potatoes Lalafells being a thing. Very short people, yet they looked neither like dwarves or children... One could wonder what evolutionary process had led to their existence. Regardless, she had no real interest in the Gunslinger Job, she was just following along with the tour. As a general rule, she didn't like weapons, especially firearms.

When Nanamo was block backward by the recoil, Monika approached her hurriedly and offered her a hand to help her get back up. ]

Are you alright? [She smiled.] I think that gun might have been ill-designed for neophytes such as us.

Ena / OTA

[rivieran]

1. LAVODE: MAKE IT RED
[ Ena is seriously considering taking up the Red Mage asterisk.

While they're stopped in Lavode, she spends every day mingling with the members of the guild and anyone else who decides to hang around. She watches every demonstration and asks every question she can.

It's only on the last day there that one of the guild members lets her hold one of the rapiers. She smiles, almost glowing as she admires it. ]

It's nice. I would rather prefer to use my own rapier to fight, but this'll do.

[ Oh, to hold a rapier again. To talk to people of noble status about meaningless things. To have spells in her arsenal again. To feel like she mattered.

This is all she wanted. ]

2. KIDDILION: NEVERMIND, PAINT IT BLACK or CLOUD CITY: HOW CAN MIRRORS BE REAL IF OUR EYES AREN'T REAL
[ Except, it isn't.

The reason she didn't take the Red Mage asterisk was because she knew there were other magic guilds yet to be seen. That was the reason she was telling herself, at least. Deep down, something was pulling her back.

As she watched the demonstrations of other guilds, she thought about what magic meant to her, why she used it.

It was not so she could play nice with other nobles.

It was for control over her surroundings, so that she may go about as she pleased with no restrictions. It was for the rush of adrenaline when using a powerful and destructive spell, an almost Pavlovian response her brother had conditioned in her.

That was what she wanted.

So it's almost right after the very first demonstration at the Black Mage's she goes right ahead and gains that asterisk. She barely stays a day before she decides that the last location isn't worth seeing, and requests a separate, escorted ride to Cloud City to gain the Illusionist asterisk without a single word to anyone she knows.

That might take someone who had seen her hanging out at the Red Mage Guild all day every day by surprise. Or perhaps you saw the momentary clarity - or was it a shadow? - beneath her cordial facade as she watched the Black Mage demonstration. ]


3. ABOARD THE RAGNAROK
[ Between stops, Ena will park herself at a table in a common area on the ship. Alvin the moogle will be propping up her iMog before her as she concentrates on furiously writing things down on a cheap, flimsy notebook. As with all convenient devices, after a minute or so the screen goes black and Ena lets out an audible grunt of frustration. She taps at the screen for a few moments before Alvin gets the hint to fix it. Then after another minute or so, she finds herself back at the home screen, taps her way back to where she was, and groans when she sees the whole thing refreshed and she has to scroll to find where she was. When she does, she goes back to writing... and rinse and repeat.

A more tech savvy person (read: anyone else) will notice that Alvin the moogle is actually turning the tablet off then turning it back on whenever it goes into sleep mode, chuckling as he does so. He's only doing what Ena tells him, after all - "Turn it back on!" ]

Re: Ena / OTA

[conniemaheswaran]

Connie, taking a break from her training exercises, rolls her eyes at the moogle's antics. Sighing, she strides up to the table where Ena is sitting, and politely taps Ena on the shoulder. "Um, hey. Your moogle is messing with you. The reason why you're stuck in that loop is that he's turning it off and on again, instead of just putting the slate out of sleep mode. Do you, uh, want me to show you how the work it properly?"

Dylas | OTA

[sullenstallion]

i. yummy-yummies

[After the event demonstration at the Gourmand Guild, Dylas is...extremely unbothered. He looks a little bored if anything. He drums his fingers against the seat in front of him during the entire performance, the tip of his serpentine tail twitching in anticipation of that feast before.

When all is said and done, he exhales and heads back to the table for some food. He helps himself to a large helping of fish, a little helping of everything else. What can he say? He has a voreacious appetite. A few of the gourmands nearby seem a little impressed—or scared. Whatever.]

This is the best guild yet.

[He says to no one in particular.]

ii. the sleep of the dead

[In stark contrast to the Gourmand guild, Dylas is too bored to function during the Necromancer Guild displays. There are two important things going on, though. First, he notices how the locals seem to avoid the building. That's nice. Second, it's so cold inside that he finds a couch in the lobby and...sleeps through the entire thing.

And when Dylas lays around on the couch, he really lays around it. He hangs off one of the arms, his tail coiled around the rest of the couch, going over, under. He's making himself so comfortable that he starts to drool and speak in his sleep.]

Fish bastard...is too loud...

[If you wait around, he might say even more! Or you might catch him signing with the Necromancer's Guild before the airship leaves. He's not particularly interested, but it's quiet here. He'd like to come back.]

iii. kupo? more like kunope

[It's the city of Arito. People to and fro are venting about this and that, but in a quiet corner of the city there's relative silence, a peace to be found. But as your character approaches an intersection, they hear several loud Moogles yelp and 'kupo' in distress before running out into the street.

If they round the corner to see what the fuss is, they'll find Dylas in mid-yawn, his snake fangs extended. When he finishes yawning, he goes back to trying to rest on the bench, forgetting to retract his fangs. They jut out over his bottom lip instead.

When he notices someone coming, he turns to them. Look,]

It wasn't me.

[It probably was, though.]

i

[poisonwish]

[Snow watched the demonstration... mostly. He had an idea there would be something foul about it, based on Ganeshan's warning. Still, he was set on his goals, and he was not about to be caught in a strange, unfamiliar place without his immunity to poisons.]

Rather barbaric, if you ask me.

[Still, he seemed content enough to help himself to the spread -- dainty portions fit for a princess, of course.]

The most effective way to draw power from a living being is to go straight for the heart. It houses their essence -- their very soul, fit for consumption.

[What interested him the most, though, was the strange snake man at the demonstration. Well, mostly the snake part, if he was honest. Another outworlder, it would seem.]

I do have to agree, though, [He addressed Dylas.] it is quite remarkable.

Amanda O'Neill | Bring It

[witchwithoutacause]

A1 - Sparks - Dance Like You Want To Win!

[ Dancing is something Amanda knows. She's been dancing with or without a broom since she could walk, and while it's less a part of her identity than the more overtly magical parts, she doesn't exactly have access to those here, now does she? She has to check out the Dancer's guild then, even if combat-dancing sounds a bit dubious.

Really, it only takes a few pointy shoes and bladed fans to start changing her mind. Even better, while she'd need practice, it all looks like stuff she could do - if not easily, than a lot more quickly than most of the people who've been brought here. ]

Really wanna see those magical dances though...

[ If they can't just show them off readily they have to be cool right? ]

A2

[ ...she's practically dancing, tapping her feet, as she moves around town, too. She probably couldn't dance well enough to make enough money to start gambling if she tried a street performance, and that's assuming the guild didn't murder her for stepping on their turf, but missing out on festivities because you're broke is the worst. ]

B - Lavode - Better Red Than Dead

[ Amanda doesn't want to seem all impressed. There's nothing special about this! Just a bunch of foppishness and showing off.

Problem there: she's totally a showoff who knows how to put on the charm. Plus, the swordplay here, more than anywhere else reminds her of home; bringing together spells and swords feels almost natural just thinking about it. Sure, guys hitting on her is boring and whatever, but that just means that, given enough time, she'll be able to rep the girls-hitting-on-girls demographic for them if she joins up.

And judging by how upbeat she fails to hide herself looking afterwards, it seems like she might join up. ]

C - Ka'Pandol

[ So Amanda rides ze Shoopuff that Tidus mentioned. It's quaint. A little dull, but a little charming too, although she doesn't plan on getting used to it. That said, this town's guilds aren't too interesting - necromancy is super forbidden back home, and not her style - but there is something else Tidus told her about, and she's probably spending most of the time poking around the Blitzball arena and trying to figure out what the hell you'd do in that weird sphere thing. ]

Ka'Pandol

[zanarkandian]

[Someone else is also poking around the blitzball arena, because that's what he does. He's comparing it to the ones he's seen before---about the same, if a little more secure given the location.]

Hey, Amanda! Still thinking about the game?

[There he is with another cheery wave.]

Sparks Nevada | open

[red_planet_blues]

[MYSTE AURE]

[Sparks's main Job, for now, is Magitek Knight. Despite any previous disparaging talk about robots, Sparks really missed his armor once he left Crystallis, so naturally he gravitates towards it again. It's a little frustrating to start all over when he put so much work into it before, especially when top-tier knights are sporting the coolest new models. He's a little jealous.

He'd also kind of missed having a gunblade. Shh, don't tell anyone.

When not taking the introductory lessons, he'll definitely be taking advantage of those hot springs. Some solitary soaking time is just what he needs after all the craziness of arriving on this planet. It's a great time to think... if he actually was alone. Of course, there are plenty of other new arrivals around who might like to bother him.]

[VON OKTAVIA]
[A]
[Sparks isn't an especially tall man, but he sure feels tall in this town. It's pretty comical to him, really. Right now he's looming over some poor Moogle's little house like a giant movie monster. Maybe the owners lucked out and aren't home.]

Hey. Hey, check it out. I'm totally like one of those cheesy monster movies. Attack of the Giant Radioactive Marshal. [That's when Sparks, trying to navigate around the little house, trips on its fence and falls over, crushing it.]

....Uh oh.

[B]
[After running into a small group of Pupus, Sparks has some questions. Of course, the creatures seem perplexed.]

No, look, okay. I swear, I ran into some guys like you on another planet. They had a starship. Abducted some cows 'n stuff but-- [He waves a hand.]
That ain't important. What is important is that if you guys still have those spaceships and go off galvantin', say, anywhere near my home solar system? Near a place called Earth? Or Mars?

[SPARKS GOLSAUCIA]
[Sparks has no interest at the moment at the two Jobs being offered here. What drew him in was the fact that he spotted a place on the map that shared his name. The more he looked at Vaikuntha's map, the more familiar names jumped out at him. So how could he not check out this town?

All this nightlife, and no one to hang out with. Sparks is going to try and act like this isn't a problem, but it's easy to feel lonely in such a crowded place. If he spots anyone even remotely familiar from the newbies group, he will zip over to them and (metaphorically) latch on for dear life.]

S-So, uh, this place sure is somethin', huh? You a gambler?

MYSTE AURE

[righthandstand]

[Hot springs. You don't get to visit one every day. Okuyasu could use the opportunity and relax with the spare change Ganeshan gave him. He's a cool fish dude. Unfortunately, the hot springs are crowded and even he feels a bit self-conscious around all this visitors. And as luck will have it, his policeman housemate is sitting across the pool with no one to block the view.

Okuyasu sinks into the water and searches for a free spot before Sparks can spot him.]

Johnny D'Amico | open

[charming_jerk]

[MYSTE AURE]
[It was a tough call for Johnny to choose Bard over other more physical jobs, as he loves a good fight almost as much as he loves music. But music wins out over all, and the idea of not being able to play would drive him to despair. He shows up in Myste Aure looking more chipper than he has since he arrived, especially after he signs up, and they hand him a new guitar. An electric guitar. He's stunned silent for a few moments just to be able to have his own again.

He manages to gather a small crowd of Bards and onlookers by playing some songs they've never heard before. It might be familiar to certain people from Earth from a certain time period, too. The crowd doesn't really know what to make of Johnny and his style, but they can't say that he isn't a great musician. He earns a lot of applause, and he can't help but bust out into a grin when he's done.]

[NAKAGAWA]
[Johnny's other Job is Cavalier, so he's off to Nakagawa to meet some potential chocobo companions. Johnny is a city boy through and through, and he's never been super fond of the countryside. It never hurts to get some fresh air and quiet relaxation that comes with it, though. Or at least it would be more relaxing if it didn't involved a somewhat stubborn chocobo. Demons usually have an aura that scare animals, and Johnny was lucky enough to have no inherited that trait. That doesn't mean that those pointed teeth and big horns aren't a little disconcerting to the bird, however.]

Hey, c'mon now. I'm not gonna hurt ya. I haven't hurt ya yet, have I? Settle down already!

[MYSTE AURE]
[There is one place that Johnny had to make a pit stop at in his travels - the Amico Singing Association. It was such a strange coincidence to see a place dedicated to music with (most of) his name on it. The members get a pleasant laugh from the coincidence when he introduces himself, too. Maybe there are other newbies checking the place out as well?]

Myste Aure - can move to both prompts

[shinra_dog]

[Reno had no interest in becoming a Bard, but he knew it was Johnny's passion. Of course he went to see the demonstration and show support. The electric guitar was just as much a surprise to him as well, and he was delighted that Johnny finally had something he'd wanted so badly.]

[Reno clapped and whooped with the rest of the audience at Johnny's performance, pride in his chest. That was his boyfriend.]

Yeah!

Camilla | OTA

[carnageandclass]

Safer Osu-Dragoons Go Boing Boing!


[It's pretty chilly out in the city so Camilla's made sure that she and PomPom have the proper gear to stay warm as they go to watch the Dragoons and their exhibition. Sure she was more familiar with axes but when she saw them jump, she can't help but be reminded of flight. They have such grace that it makes her think of her own wyvern, right down to the fire breath that some have decided to use along with their theatrics. It's enough to make her clap along with the crowd as she turns to her moogle.]

This seems to be very interesting. I've never been the type to use lances but there's nothing wrong with trying something new.

Wow, you're taking this rather smoothly, kupo!



Von Oktavia-How Do You Get a Dark Knight's Attention?


[When they were going to the guild, they were not expecting to hear loud guitar rifts and the guild members to be just sitting around. Camilla blinks as PomPom tries to cover her ears and shakes because ow her poor ears as she walks over to one of the loitering members. She wanted to learn a bit more of this type of Job because it's her little brother's position back home and...this certainly was not it.]

Excuse me, but where is the exhibition for this guild? I'm curious in learning about this form of trade.

[Being polite always seemed to work but the guild member just muttered something about 'I refuse to bleed for you' and ignored her. Well then.]

...very well. I suppose that a bit of persuasion cannot hurt anyone.

I-I don't like the sound of that, kupo!

[Seeing one of the giant claymore swords on the wall, she walks up and with both hands grips the handle tightly. It's definitely heavier than the weapons she's used to using but she takes a deep breath and takes notice of one of the wooden training dummies. With a loud grunt, she uses all her weight to lift the sword and chop off the dummy's head, nearly hitting another bored looking guild member who had to roll out of the way. You kids want extra? She'll give you extra. Slamming the weapon into the floor tip down, she leans on it with a hand on her hip and giving the biggest grin.]

Now that it seems that I got your attention...is there anyone who can explain to me how this Job works? I am hoping that it is as strong as they say.

[...and no, she is not staying for the party. That type of dancing they do is pretty much bullshit and she'll have none of it.]

Safer Osu

[witchwithoutacause]

[ Amanda has a hand shielding her eyes as she looks way up high to the airborne dragoons. Her Moogle Morag is busy actually gathering useful information at the moment, while Amanda watches - she likes to fly, so this is a pretty tempting Job.

Hearing someone talk - and clap - she nosily glances over at the powerful woman. ]

You seem like a pretty good fit here.

Reno | FFVII AU

[shinra_dog]

Ninja Guild

Visiting the Ninja Guild was a given. Reno had been a Ninja before, had grown accustomed to the familiar weight of daggers in his hands. He wanted that again, wanted the speed, the shadows. If there was any hope of getting back to the precision of being an Assassin, Ninja was where Reno would start.

He whistled when the giant toads came out, though. "Well that's new."

Tark Varentain

Reno walked near-silently through the streets, taking it all in. It was cold and everyone had a suspicious fear in their eyes. The police presence was heavy, to say the least. Reno remembered reading about the murders here -- so many, in so short a time. He wasn't horrified at the bloodshed; on the other hand, he was almost impressed. That many kills, then to disappear? That was professional, not luck. The police wouldn't accept help from outsiders, that was an easy assumption to make. Still, Reno resolved to keep abreast of any developments in the case. If a child-murderer wasn't a fitting Assassin target, Reno didn't know what was.

Kiddilion

Reno smiled at the name. If the others were any indication -- Tark Varentain, really? -- then this was probably some allusion to Mary. Not that it wasn't still a bit weird to be in a world that somehow referenced those Heroes from the last one (there was no way it was a coincidence, not with so many). But Kidd... The smile was pained but nostalgic. Reno missed her. He hoped she was alright, wherever she was.

But he was resolved to carry on her work. Their work. And a place like this was highly reminiscent of Downapolis. This was the place to make and manipulate connections. Reno had nothing on him worth stealing, but he still didn't want anyone to try. So everyone was met with the same gaze -- a friendly smile, but one that said I see you.

Ninja Guild

[studdedcouncilprez]

While all this was going on, a girl might have been leaning a bit too close to the feats of acrobatic skill. She couldn't help herself -- it was like watching the trapeze artists.

The frog however, was completely out of left field.

"WAH!" Not prepared for its sudden appearance, she leaned her shoulder back -- right into Reno.

"Oh!" She looked at him, a bit flustered, raising a hand to cover her mouth. "I am so sorry!"

Irhya Pendhula | OTA

[omnicrafter]

A: Von Oktavia - Dark Knight Guild

[In Eorzea, Irhya was quick to drop the conjurer nonsense for a giant fucking sword and a more comfortable philosophy no sweat, even though it came with a host of bizarre trauma and guilt issues later. It was the principle of the thing that won her over.

Here, things seem to be... a little different. She finds she doesn't dislike the grungy sounds of electric guitars, but godsdamn it, not when she's trying to speak to someone--]

Twelve's sake.

[She has a claymore already and she damn well knows how to use it. With surprising accuracy for such an unwieldy and heavy weapon, she skewers the guitar one of them is holding and chucks the remains off somewhere, pointing the tip at the former player's neck after that.]

Stand up. It's time for a history lesson, kids. The dark knights of Ishgard were better than this. Sure, their lives sucked, probably more than yours do, but do you think they complained when the clergy started cheating the system, screwing over their fellow man in the process? Who do you think was brave enough to stand up to such egregious abuses of power, even when only threats of revenge and trial by combat and death existed in their futures?

[Everyone's staring. The guy with the sword at his neck is a little pale now.]

If this looks like the bard's guild to you where we sing campfire songs over our problems, mayhap you need to find a better trade. We ought to have an appetite for blood, sweat, and tears every single day.

[...So maybe a little of that edgy grimdark is seeping in without her realizing. Just a bit. Whoops.]

B: Lavode - White Mage's Guild

[At least the white mages have some semblance of responsibility. It reminds her of Gridania, of home, in a sense, but... Irhya still has a fair bit of trepidation. Hospital environments are high-stress and full of death, which may suit her in some sense, but for all the good she'd done healing people previously, she has to wonder if her work as a dark knight reaping so many lives outweighs that.

She's just watching the chiurgeons and healers move around, doing their work, until one of them grows frustrated with her presence and drops a piece of gauze in her hand, shouting, "If you're just going to stand there, at least make yourself a useful pair of hands and put pressure on this person's wound!"]

What? I--

[She's more than a little flustered, not having expected to be roped into things. There are other initiates instructed to do various small tasks flitting about, and she can't help but cast a deer-in-headlights look at them.]

Hey. Hey! Listen to me! I wasn't--

[But the chiurgeon is having none of it, completely ignoring her with a stony expression. Irhya sighs and does as she's told, because damned if this person doesn't have a puncture wound to the midsection, at any rate.]

It's been so long since I've done this, I couldn't possibly...

White Mage Guild

[euphemia]

[ This was all rather new to her. Learning and trying to understand her role here. But Euphemia is dedicated to this task and committed to understanding everything. She's been instructed to do a few things herself and can't help but to pause after noticing the exchange. One thing she hears definitely has her attention. ]

... You've done this before?

[ She can pause in her practice errands to chat, yes? She was curious! ]

Makoto Niijima | OTA

[studdedcouncilprez]

A1 -- Let's Get Down To Business (Monk Guild)

[Not sure what to expect, Makoto is actually thrilled that the demonstration is relatively normal. Eyeing their feet and hand movements, she was genuinely impressed. She fought in the Metaverse before, but the monks had their own style: restrained and precise, perhaps?]

[That thought went out the window when she saw the dummy explode.]

[She genuinely appreciated the yoga session and found herself really getting into it. After spending such a long time doing physical fitness on her own, stretching with others was a welcome change.]

A2

[Things were going well up until the very end when one of the younger recruits spoke out, "Hey! When are we going to spar?" Rather than admonish the recruit, the one assigned to overlooking the new recruits shrugged and said "Why not?" And so Makoto found herself lined up for a brief two-point light-contact match. The referee will call for a stop and receive a point whenever a punch or kick made contact, and the first to successfully make two points won.]

[Makoto wasn't sure this was what she wanted during the first demonstration, but she wouldn't back down for a challenge. Tightening her belt around her gi, she waited patiently in line before being paired off against someone and brought out to the middle of the stage.]

B -- One Lump or Two Hundred? (Hisan City)

[Far from dismissing the vendors for an opportunity to drink some coffee, Makoto thought it would be an excellent opportunity to see what otherworldly coffee was like. She was quickly starting to regret the decision.]

[The coffee smelled divine, but the Lalafell attendant was... a bit of a handful. No sooner did she order her coffee did she start suggesting a nice scone to go with it. Oh, and that she should must certainly try the biscuits--they were freshly made! And would she be interested in receiving a membership card? She would get a free coffee with ever tenth purchase! No matter how many times Makoto insisted that all she wanted was one cup of coffee the attendant persisted.]

[Help her?]

C -- Now You See It Now You... (Ninja Guild)

[The city of Tark Varetan was certainly on edge. Makoto made note of the curfew and decided that she should probably return home before things got too dark. Still, it was not that the city lacked its charms: the area had a beautiful view of the mountain side and Lake of Ira. In some ways she felt bad for the people here and wanted to do something for them.]

[Those thoughts were the furthest thing on her mind once she got into the Ninja Guild. There was a brief breathless question of whether they had picked the wrong door when suddenly there was an explosion of lights, smoke, and acrobatics. Makoto's eyes went wide and she could feel her heart beat quickly in her chest. A casual glance at her would see an almost childlike innocence as she brought two clenched hands toward her chest and leaned forward to get a better view.]

...this is so cool...

D -- Head in the Cloud City (Cloud City)

[There were many fun-sounding events that is going around the world, but there was one thing that Makoto was more interested in finding out about more than all the others: the Dream Width. Where she thought Tark Varetan was cold, Cloud City was an entirely different level. The cold wasn't just the air, it was the wind chill. Brr.]

[The warmth of the Deep Cloud Observatory was welcome. The people inside seemed busy -- apparently the recent increase in visitors did not go unnoticed. For her part, Makoto was doing her best to get someone's attention and see what new information she can uncover about the space she was apparently found.]

B

[likewishes]

[ That Moogle is certainly annoying. Lelouch does have this habit of not minding his own business and seeing someone clearly just as annoyed as he felt about it? How can he just not do anything about that?

Besides. That's borderline harassment. So Lelouch relies on a very old, but simple trick. He sees a cup that was left over from a previous customer and knocks it over. Then he just looks shocked. ]

I'm sorry! I didn't even see that there... How clumsy of me.

Black Mage Evilwizardington | 8-Bit Theater | OTA

[soangryicouldtinkle]

KIDDILION
A) [Look, he only cares about one thing here. Getting magic back and getting back on track. Kiddilion is his main and most important stop. Kiddilion is not a great place for him though and any by standers can witness pick pockets get very disappointed at finding he has nothing useful. One manages to score something that might have been half a small animal or maybe just a really unfortunate looking piece of fruit at one point. Who knows. It's gross, BM is gross, everything about this is gross.

At one point BM will find his way on his own and back to the group sporting a brand new bloody knife! Whose blood it is might be uncertain but BM's not looking all that great so it's probably his.]

B) [At the Black Mage guild he's super impatient. He's just listening to the lecture and doesn't seem to care. He just wants the spells.]

Yes, yes. Basic elemental spells created by the chaotic energy that tries to rip it's way out of all existence. Got it. When do we start? Who do I buy them from?

[Oh, forms. Stupid forms. Black Mage gets to work filling them out in hopes to just get this over and done with! The moogle that's been trailing BM just sighs as he watches the wretch get to work.]

Could you be any more obvious?

[If you trailed BM all day you'd feel justified in being judgmental and condescending too.]

VON OKTAVIA
A) [Luckily, BM is short. Not quite short enough and his hat does keep bumping things. He's very, very cautious to keep it on and to keep his face shadowed. When light gets close to touching it sometimes someone might see something moving funny. Funny in a weird, stomach churning way. Probably best to let the little monster keep his hat.]

B) [He grits his teeth and listens to the bards playing. All these Dark Knights though have something he wants, the ability to murder! Or maybe it's just their name and the fact that someone in particular went Paladin. Black Mage signs up and though will accept that he has gear he should be wearing, he puts it off because that'd take time away from his true passion.

As he's scribbling his signature down, the moogle trailing him continues to mock.]

I was wrong, you can be more obvious. This is going to make you even more insufferable.

Kiddilion A

[righthandstand]

[Okuyasu kept close to the group, heeding Ganeshan's warning and deciding that risking his life to check out the shops was not worth it. He could always come back here for vacation when he had mastery of the Monk Asterisk. That'll show those muggers!

He hears someone shuffling behind him, and as he prepares a right hook, he stops to see one of the tour members looking like he's about to die.]you? [His eyes meet the knife.] Didja get in a fight?

[This is what happens when you split up, gang.]