melodiesofeternity | Event || Worldwide Tourists

Event || Worldwide Tourists

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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ There was a bit of a pause from Hunk. Not just because the "souls of the dead" thing came back. But because apparently someone was doing that. ]

So, Noct... [ He looks nervous. He had to know. If the Altean castle ship could have an AI mirror of a dead king, maybe this was similar. Or it was spooky evil magic. Maybe this worked on concepts like quintessence, and he could come back with knowledge to help Allura and Lotor. Or maybe it's just spooky evil magic. ]

What'd they do with those souls?

Honestly, I'd rather not know.

[And yet a Certain Asshole decided to leave a nice little paper trail for him to find. Bastard.]

Weapons, robot troops, various magitek... [He frowns.] Still not sure what to make of how they use the same term here.

[He is really, really hoping that they aren't using the same sort of shit here. Otherwise he might just want to burn some factories down. Because his weapons are kind of stuck at present, so that option is out of the window.]

So, [subject change, go] What do you think of this job?

[ Hunk doesn't mind the topic change. He prefers anything but this dark nonsense, but it makes him feel a little safer knowing that the Necromancer Guild is far from the Magitek Knight guild. Maybe he'll send that info Noct's way later. ]

I already picked up the asterisk, then I ran into Shiro, that was fun. [ He's casual, particularly nonchalant given that he just learned he's speaking with royalty. ] But Ganeshan said I can support my friends with my cooking, so it was a no-brainer.

[ His voice raises just a bit, more from excitement than boisterousness. ] I'm gonna be the best Gourmand they've ever seen- I mean, I might be already, given all the cooking I've done.

[ He giggles, and takes another sandwich. Hunk is wholly oblivious to the few gasps that echoed from bystanders who then hurriedly left the room. ]

[He would appreciate it. So much. But given how much he hates both by the mere concept alone, it'll probably take him months to even look at Magitek Knight.]

Oh really. [He leans forward slightly, returning to polishing off the sandwich.] I thought Specs would be interested, considering his hobby's cooking, but apparently not.

[Hunk might not notice, but he does notice the movement in the corner of his eye. He blinks, looks over, and shrugs. Again, more food for them!]

Specs? [ Hunk gives the guy a look. Because that sure is a name, especially compared to Noctis. ] Tell me that's not his real name.

[ And then a smile slithers across Hunk's face. ] And is he a good cook?

No, it's just a nickname. Real name's Ignis. Just call him that because he keeps messing with his any time he has an emotional response he tries to hide.

[And at that question, he grins.] He's turned things no one's thought as edible into some of the best steaks or lasagna I've had, despite the veggies.

[And he ate. All of it. Without complaint. It's a godsdamned miracle.]

[ Hunk's got a bit of a grasp of how to make miracles out of weird space foods, so he's thrilled at the idea of Ignis being a cook with similar skills. ]

Lasagna? What sort of crazy stuff did he put in lasagna? [ Steaks, sure. There are some weird things you can kill and eat. But that's not the weirdest part. ]

You... don't eat vegetables? How do you survive?

Oh, just jabberwock meat. No big deal. [He pauses before telling him what that is.] Giant bipedal lizard? About three stories tall?

[And that certainly is a few more bystanders slowly shrinking back and toward the councilors. Huh.]

Oh, I eat them. Begrudgingly. Just can't stand the taste all that well.

A jabberwock is a... [ A three-story bipedal lizard sounds like a T-rex, honestly. And that's not very comforting. ] ....it's a peaceful herbivore, right?

[ But Hunk kind of turns his nose up at his peer with this admission. ] Man, just fry 'em up and drown 'em in soy sauce. Or drown them in cheese. [ And then his eyes go a little wide. ] What sorts of vegetables do you have in your world?

Not. At. All. Considering its teeth. [He grins. Because-] We had to kill it because it ate one of my ancestor's weapons. It's a long story.

[Noct makes a face at that though.] Don't look at me. I tried before and nearly destroyed the pan in the process. [Granted that was, what, five years ago? Eh.]

Oh, potatoes, sweet potatoes, shallots, aegir root, alstrooms and at least three other kinds of mushroom, tomatoes, onions, green peas, chocobeans, [he shudders; guess who hates beans]sweet peppers, beetroot, carrots... Just to name a few.

[A few that he had to find at the markets and stores. A lot. Save the carrots, which somehow earn even more disgust than the beans.]

[ Hunk just blinks a few times. They fought a weird T-rex because it ate a weapon. Okay. Sure. But then Noct admits to nearly destroying the a pan, and Hunk can't help but laugh. At him. But to be marginally more polite, he waits until after that list is done to say anything. ]

Please tell me you don't cook all of your own meals. And we don't have jabberwocks, thank goodness, but we do have a lot of those veggies. [ He squints, looking at Noct. ] Same names and everything, it's weird. Are there any of them you don't hate?

[It's okay, Hunk. He laughs at that attempt himself, too. It wasn't all that funny at the time, but...]

Nah. And to be fair, before that? I had servants to do all the cooking for me. Moved out of the Citadel when I was fifteen and had a couple crash courses. [Mainly because Ignis kept telling him he had to take care of himself, which started the Eternal Greens War.] Tomatoes and onions, but I'll eat anything if I had to... except carrots.

[The day he eats a carrot, hell has frozen over and he's likely dead.]

[ Hunk's eyebrow raises at the mention of Noct living in a Citadel. Weird, but okay. He lived in a castle-spaceship. ] What, no peppers? Mushrooms are basically a meat!

[ But then he chuckles and rolls his eyes. He had to do it. ] I just can't see what the problem is with carrots. Can you at least stomach a carrot cake?

[Royalty, Hunk. Royalty.] Peppers are alright. Don't taste nearly as much like grass and mud.

[Mushrooms just weird him out, man. Even truffles.] Ugh, hell no! They tried that one year and it was just- oh, ugh no. So many levels of wrong.

[Because pick a flavor already. Earthy or sweet; not some amalgamation of both!]

Yeah, okay, fair point, carrot cakes are weird. [ He nods, realizing that his highly advanced gourmand's palette might have... blinded him to the eccentricities of the culinary world. Alas. ]

But what about lettuce? It doesn't even have a flavor. [ He pauses, looking a bit offended. ] And sweet potatoes are basically a dessert all on their own. [ And then he gives Noct quite the scrutinizing glare. ]

Do you just eat vitamins like they're candy? Is that how you survive?

So long as we're on the same page... [Hey, if Hunk likes it? All the more power to him. It's all his.

...

Noctis just turns to stare at him.

He sees what Hunk's doing, here. He's gonna tell Ignis, isn't he?]

[ Hunk just stares back. He doesn't know what he did, aside from ask about food in a guild of chefs, but okay. He's game. So he keeps his eyes on Noct's, and keeps on a-talkin'. ]

See in my world, we had this green food goo out in space. [ Not blinking, but he does sort of contort his face into a grimace of disgust. ] It gave us all the nutrients we needed, but it was... boring. Kinda gross. Attacked me once.

[You're talking to him about vegetables. That's enough to get a couple stares.

Welcome to the Eternal Greens War, Hunk.]

...Green food goo. That attacked you. [He raises an eyebrow, but the stare relents a bit as he chuckles at the thought of an Attack of the Killer Goo.] The hell?

Yeah, it was absolutely traumatizing when it happened. [ A shiver runs down his spine, and his eyes grow wide before he suddenly pouts, and Hunk looks very, very displeased. ]

A malicious A.I. attacked our castle ship and tried to kill us. Almost threw my friend out of an airlock, training dummies turned hostile, the gravity turned off, and the food goo attacked. Terrible day. One of the worst.

You know, that's somehow not the craziest story I've heard.

[He has to question Hunk's priorities, though. That's just weird to be more concerned by attack of the food goo over the rest.]

But yeah, I... sweet potatoes are easier to stomach. Used to just give Ignis any lettuce.

[Because he'd let him get away with it and only a disappointed sigh. Though to tell Hunk that, no, he didn't live of vitamin supplements and share a funny story...]

In fact... he once challenged me to a sparring match in which the condition of defeat was 'eating all the vegetables.' Never felt more betrayed by my friends and retainers before or since.

[Read: he lost. And had to eat six bowls of salad and carrots. Never again the dark times.]

Wait, I think I'm missing something here. [ He laughs, because shotgunning a bucket of vegetables onto Noct seemed funny, but... ]

Ignis challenged you, so why'd you feel betrayed by your friends and retainers? [ He cocks an eyebrow, and tries to restrain a giggle. ] Was this the Great Carrot Conspiracy or something?

Because he's my chamberlain and I've known him since I was three. Also because he put down six bowls of assorted greens... and carrots.

[He lets that sink in a minute, while shuddering at the memory. He only peeled those suckers, too.]

Think he and Cor started calling it the "Eternal Greens War" or something. Only heard it in passing.

[ Hunk just starts laughing. Vegetables really aren't that bad, but six bowls sounds like a lot for this scrawny dude. It brought him to his next question, of course. ]

So, did you eat all of them? Did you lose the Eternal Greens War? [ And then he scoffs. ] Would have to be pretty embarrassing if a monarch lost to some carrots and stuff.

[He winces at the very memory of it. That is, until...]

I did not lose! [Oh. That went from rather calm and amused to snappish irritation rather quickly.] Maybe that battle, but not the war. A deal's a deal.

[But in the end, no one wanted to sleep in the same camper...]

Sounds like someone's a sore loser. [ He's trying so hard to be cool about vegetables and failing so hard. It's like Lance. This is just so wonderful. ] Sure, you ate six bowls of vegetables, but does the war end when you like them? Do you win when that happens?

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