생성에 오신 것을 환영합니다!

[rekindlenpcs]

Who: Everyone Where: The Welcome Plaza When: 6th of June Summary: The new arrivals, freshly pulled from their worlds or others, awaken in a strange plaza... Warnings: Inbox death may occur. System overload at own risk. SOME NPC RESPONSES WILL BE SLOW UNTIL THE ONE WHO PLAYS THEM IS PRESENT. The first flickering of a lantern... It's a shuddering breath, a sensation of being pulled to elsewhere and finding oneself pressed against something rather hard with the sound of water coming from nearby. However, before one can fully stir, there is something that lifts you up from the rather warm (yet why did it feel like a chill going down your spine?) stone when you begin to drift off once more. It felt as though someone had thrown you from the frying pan, and then into the freezer - all you wanted to do was sleep... Yet the feeling passes quickly, and when you awaken, you begin to realize your surroundings. It looks like...a plaza of some sort? As they look around them, the ground beneath them is an intricate mosiac - a water fountain at the center of the plaza in this foreign world. There are many buildings around its perimeter, making this location seem like a central hub of whatever town this was. Some may even recognize the peculiar design of the buildings and sloped tiled rooftops as a Far Eastern theme. Were they somewhere along the Pacific? Who knows! But what is quite apparent is this: Along with the many buildings surrounding the plaza, the first thing that is noticeable is the amount of people sitting or standing around you in a similar daze. You are not alone... One building seems to stand out among all the others; one that seems large enough to house all of the completely lost and confused masses gathered here to the welcome plaza. A sign outside the door reads: WELCOME CENTER Newcomers: Please come inside for refreshments and your welcome packets! Odd... This wasn't written in your own language, and yet you find it easily understandable. Soon enough, if you don't enter on your own, someone comes from inside the double doors to usher you and everyone else inside. "Welcome to Saeng Seong! I know you must be confused as to where you are and what's going on, but we promise to explain this to you once we're inside and away from the hot sun!" Whether you go inside immediately or linger outside a little longer, eventually you must come in from the hot summer day. You'll find yourself in a well-lit lobby, filled with comfortable-looking couches and chairs. Along one wall are refreshment tables, loaded with all sorts of food and drink, including some you probably aren't familiar with. On the wall opposite are a trio of desks, each with a sign and a person seated behind them - Irene, General Assistance Devin, Technological Assistance Mai, Medical Assistance Ren, General Nuisance However, before you can go over and give them a piece of their mind and ask for questions, the same person who ushered you inside hands you a manilla envelope that contains your welcome packet, urging you to read this before asking the three figures questions that the packet likely answers. Inside it, you will find: a ring with a key and apartment number on it, some kind of cash card, a map and informational guide to the city, and a letter folded neatly on the top - Welcome to Saeng Seong! You are among the first of many new arrivals to our city, from many far-apart worlds. We have gathered you here because our city is in a crisis, and we are at our last resorts. The energy of the city is in a slow downward spiral, and is dangerously close to expiring altogether. That's where you come in - you and everyone else we've brought to the city. Unlike those of us here, you have the potential to generate the energy the city needs, but you'll need to work together to do it. Why? Because the energy can only be generated when two people touch each other. Any touch will do, but it must be between two of you who are new to the city. If you don't keep in contact with someone, eventually your energy will begin to drain as well, making you dangerously ill. A few other things: The closed-off sections of the city are closed off for a reason; approaching them will cause your energy to drain very rapidly. We're working to open the rest of the city to you as soon as we can, but for now, please remain within the two central districts of the city. You have been given a key to a one-bedroom apartment in a complex set aside for you and the other new arrivals, near the riverside in the 1st district. You're free to change your living quarters whenever you like, and we encourage you to move in with someone in one of the larger apartments. When you want to change, just come back to this building to exchange your key. We've also included a cash card with a living stipend; if you're unfamiliar with this system, or the network established for new arrivals, you can talk to Devin in the lobby for help. It's what he's here for. If you need medical assistance, contact Mai at her desk today, or at the hospital in case of any future accidents. Again, welcome, and thank you for all your help. Irene Arrival Liaison Back behind you, others still linger, and through the translucent glass you can see a banner hanging from the tiled roof of the building across the street in the bright summer day: WELCOME TO SAENG SEONG (ENJOY YOUR STAY!)

Comments

[NPC] Ren - General Nuisance / One-Man Welcome Wagon

[rekindlenpcs]

There's a young man flitting about through the crowd of arrivals - he doesn't seem to be a newcomer, though, and he seems familiar with the three seated at the desks, even lingering by the nurse's every so often to exchange a few words and some laughter with her.

He's definitely full of energy and he's got a wide, easy smile. In fact, he even takes it upon himself to approach you, instead of waiting for you to come to him.

"Yo! The name's Ren. I'm your go-to guy if you need any info that's not in that packet or that you can't get from those guys." There's a bit of a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he thumbs over his shoulder at the trio of desks. "Welcome to Saeng Seong!"

[demimaudite]

Watch out Ren, an angry-looking, half-naked woman covered in what look like geometric tattoos is marching toward you, her welcome packet crumpled in her hand.

"WHAT THE FUCK???" she shouts, loud enough to echo in the lobby. "You kidnapped me to steal my magatsuhi???"

[rekindlenpcs]

"What's that now?"

Ren looks a little startled by her raised voice, but thankfully manages to keep his cool. Man, it would have been embarrassing if he'd jumped nearly three feet in the air and squeaked in surprise! He's a guide. He's got to stay cool, calm, and collected.

...and he needs to not be eyeing her up the way he is, too. As he realizes that he's staring, he snaps his gaze up to her face.

"We didn't kidnap you to steal anything, ma'am. We brought you here because we need your help."

[demimaudite]

"That's exactly it! It says so right here!!!" She shows him the crumpled letter, pointing at the sentence "Unlike those of us here, you have the potential to generate the energy the city needs, but you'll need to work together to do it.".

"What energy are you looking for if not magatsuhi??? It's the energy produced by human life!!!"

[rekindlenpcs]

"I... beg your pardon?"

He stares at her for a moment or two, his expression one of complete and utter confusion. And then, after a moment, he chuckles. "What, you think I'm not alive?"

He holds out his hand to her. He's very clearly made of flesh and blood, and he's living and breathing right in front of her. "Even if I wasn't, like I said, we're not out to steal anything. From anyone. Not even you, no matter how impressive your magatsushi is."

[invisible_friendship]

Dude, he was just abruptly taken from his own to some foreign land with a bunch of other strange people he's never seen in his life and you think a cute little welcome would be enough to coax Jonouchi?

"OI! Give me a good reason why I couldn't beat your face in!"

[rekindlenpcs]

Whoa. Okay, at this, Ren holds up his hands disarmingly and might just take a few steps back. (He'll deny it later, but oh man, he's two for two with people being pissed at him! Off-worlders were scary!)

"Be...cause you don't want to have to pay for the dental work to fix up the brilliant smile you'll be breaking if you do?" And with that, he smiles uneasily. Look at these pearly-whites, Jonouchi!

[invisible_friendship]

Ren, is, unfortunately unaware of just how aggressive Jonouchi could get when he felt threatened. The other's attempt to put distance between them was thwarted when the blonde jerked his arm out to catch the other by the collar of his shirt. Those pearly-whites are going to be taken out if he doesn't get serious.

"Don't mock me!" If Ren was listening close enough he might hear the sound of Jonouchi's fist clenching.

"You didn't harm my friends did you?" He hasn't seen or heard of them yet. So help Ra that his friends were harmed.

[rekindlenpcs]

"Hey, hey!" His eyes go wide and he stares down at the collar of his shirt that has, unfortunately, been grabbed. Jonouchi really is aggressive. He can't say he blames him or anything, because it's got to be disorienting to suddenly wake up in a place like this, but...

He swallows hard. Right, man, gotta figure out a way out of this! C'mon, think... think...

"No, we didn't do anything to hurt you or your friends! We brought you here because we need your help! ...Please let go of my shirt it's getting kind of hard to breathe."

[ribbonbon]

Pilouette is still trying to comprehend what's going on and is just staring at her hands, the letter clutched tightly in one hand and her cellphone in the other. Energy? Touching people? How is this seriously happening?

When Ren speaks to her, she looks to him and does her best to force a friendly smile, though she's probably not doing a very good job. She does her best to keep her cool as she speaks.

"S-So, um, how hard would it be to send me back? I mean, I'm pretty sure I can't make much of a difference with this...energy stuff, you know?"

[rekindlenpcs]

"That, uh... sorry, I'm not really sure!" Ren smiles sheepishly and rubs at the back of his head. He didn't even fully grasp how they'd managed to bring so many people here; he had no idea how they'd go about sending them back.

He grins at her with what he hopes is a reassuring expression, though. "But hey, you make all the difference just by being here. That's what helps, so if that's what you're worried about, don't be worried!"

[ribbonbon]

"O-Oh, well, I guess it's nice to know I can help ou-"

She stops short. That's not what she was concerned about at all. Pilouette shakes her head just a little to get herself back on track. Knowing that he's "not really sure" how to get her back home fills her with another wave of anxiety causing her to chuckle nervously as she speaks.

"See it's just, um...back home...I really need to be there. I mean, I should have been at school hours ago! If I don't show up, people are going to think I'm skipping or something! A-And my dad will probably worry a lot! And...And...!"

[rekindlenpcs]

"Hey, hey! Don't worry about that!"

He offers her a disarming smile and relaxes his posture a bit, both hands in the pockets of his pants. "No one'll think you're skipping, promise." Or at least, not if they did it right. Considering he's no scientist and doesn't really know, he'll just have to assume they did. "And it'll be okay. We'll be keeping you as safe as we can here since you're helping us. We'll return you to your dad safe and sound as soon as we can, okay?"

[hellfire_gouka]

Shinju hardly manages to notice Ren's presence before he approaches, jumping just slightly at his greeting. He was still disoriented and a bit confused, but the friendly atmosphere was enough to calm him slightly.

"Th-thanks," he manages to get out after a short moment, still trying to gather his thoughts. "Um... do you have any idea how long this whole energy thing is going to take? Not that I'm in a huge rush, but..."

If it was much further in the past for him, he would have been asking all sorts of other questions--how he got there, how hugs can power a city--but he stopped questioning those sort of things a while ago. He's all too aware that there are a million supernatural things he knows nothing about, and his mind isn't clear enough for him to really want to figure them out.

[rekindlenpcs]

"How long? Now that's a toughie..."

Ren crosses his arms and allows a thoughtful expression to settle in on his face. He's never been one for numbers, or calculations, or anything like that. "Well, uh... there's lots of you... and if lots more keep coming, then..."

His brow furrows. Oh, man. He felt like he was about to fail a test or something.

"Not... too long...? The more of you there are and the more you guys do, the sooner everything'll be put right, you know?"

[hellfire_gouka]

He sighs, something between a grimace and a smile on his face.

"So you don't have a clue, basically? I guess I should have expected that..."

He doesn't seem to blame Ren, however. Or blame anyone. He's fairly nonchalant about it all compared to some of the others.

Despite the unfamiliar situation, Shinju had to admit he was a bit curious about the state of the city. If they were desperate enough to pull people in from other worlds--it must have been something serious that happened, right?

"So... what exactly went wrong that needs to be 'put right'? That letter said something about an energy crisis, but that's kind of vague."

[rekindlenpcs]

He uncrosses his arms and shrugs. "Hey, man, I'm no rocket scientist, I'm just a writer." But his tone of voice is apologetic, and it's pretty clear that if he had more information, he'd pass it on.

There's a slight nod in response to the question.

"Yeah, uh... I'm not really sure how it happened either, or how it started. But we've been on a pretty bad decline for awhile now. We used to be able to hold it off, but..." And then a troubled expression clouds over his face. "Not anymore. Nothing we do is generating the kind of energy the city needs to survive. But you guys can do it, for... some reason."

And then, a sigh. "But basically, if the city goes dead? It's not gonna be long before the rest of us follow. I mean, your home dies, you're pretty much screwed too, yeah? ...but that's just for us natives! You'll be home way before any of that'll start happening. If it gets that bad."

[aworldwithoutyou]

Sora puts both hands behind his head and smiles, though the habitual gesture is a little awkward while he's holding the welcome packet and he quickly has to put his hands down again. Whoops. At least he's still smiling.

"Thanks!" he replies. For a kid that just got dragged off of his world, he seems pretty relaxed - but then again, he's kind of used to wandering from world to world. at least this makes one person who isn't yelling at you, Ren.

He was about to head over to the desks and ask a few questions, actually, but since he's got someone else from this world here anyway...

"Actually, I do have a question. How did everyone get here?"

Sora doesn't mind being on a different world, but the how is still really bugging him.

[rekindlenpcs]

Finally, someone who didn't want to punch his face in. Ren could get used to this.

He grins widely, because the friendlier someone is, the happier he is. Sora's smile is practically infectious, too, so that definitely helps.

The question does put a bit of a damper on things, but not much.

"I dunno the specifics, I'm not a science kinda guy. But it's sort of a... pulling, thing? There's a lot of people in lots of different worlds, and the ones who are most suited for being here are sorta, uh..."

He furrows his brows. "It's almost like a magnet," He says after a moment, nodding because that's the explanation that makes the most sense to him. "Like we're a big magnet, and the pull gets stronger depending on how likely to help us you guys are."

He glances out at the crowds. "A lot of people are upset right now, but I don't think they'd have been brought here if they were bad people. I think they're people we can rely on. You are, too!"

[aworldwithoutyou]

"So it's...kind of like a really strong Magnega spell, only it works on people instead of Heartless. And it only picks certain people. That makes sense! I guess."

Sora wasn't much of a science guy, either, so Ren's explanation was as good as any. At least now he was sure that they weren't all being dragged here through dark corridors or something, and that they weren't here because there was something wrong with their worlds. That was a load off his mind for sure.

"Everyone has been really nice so far, and I'm glad to help!" After all, helping people on other worlds was kind of his job. "And we do have some free time right now, but...how long do you think fixing this power crisis is going to take?"

He really did want to help, but what if something started happening with the Organization and they were stuck here? That would be bad for all the worlds.

[rekindlenpcs]

"Iiiiii don't know what a Magnega is but I guess, kinda? ...if it makes sense to you, it makes sense to me!"

Ren's just going to accept it. That'll make everything so much easier, he thinks.

What's not easy is pinpointing how much time fixing all of this was going to take. Ren shrugs, but he knows that a shrug isn't much of an answer. It's a crappy answer, and you can see the effort it takes him to try and figure out a better one. It's all over his face, in the way his brows furrow and his lips curve down into a small, thoughtful frown.

"I'm not totally sure. The more of you there are and the more things you guys do, the sooner it should be fixed... in theory, anyway." For all he knew, things could change in practice. He just didn't know. "But you don't need to worry about things at home! One of the side effects of you being brought here is, uh... well, you know the exact moment when you left? Your body wants to return to that. So when you go, it'll return to that moment."

[puckoff]

Canada stops short reading his packet as he looks up at the friendly, buzzing man. "Thank you," he says automatically, before correcting himself. "I mean 'welcome' does seem kind of odd in this situation, considering we've been basically abducted, eh?" He'd been watching the man flit around and looked pretty skeptical about his enthusiasm; This felt like the start of Stockholm Syndrome en masse.

"Okay, I- I do have a question actually. Say I do for some reason believe this... touching-energy thing of yours. I, er- The bear. My polar bear." He pauses and points down at Kumajiro. "Is he affected by it- Or, um, lack of it I guess?"

[rekindlenpcs]

Ren brings up a hand to rub at the back of his head. Yeah, it's sort of an abduction, but... "There's no reason why we shouldn't try to make you as comfortable as we can. You being here is helping us out a lot, you know?"

Then his gaze travels down to Kumajiro, and his eyes light up. "Oh, how cute!" He really wants to kneel down and pat the bear, but Canada's question takes priority, and he looks back up to the nation's face.

"You mean, will he get sick?" A moment passes as Ren thinks about that and he shakes his head. "Nah. He should be fine. Touching him kinda counts for everything? Like brushing his fur and petting him and things like that. But it doesn't really work as fast, especially if you do it a lot. The sickness comes from having the potential to generate the energy but... not doing it. Kind of like an overload of energy and it has to go somewhere or else it affects you badly. Since he doesn't have enough potential to generate it all, it won't get to the point where he gets ill."

[puckoff]

"Sure, I'm fine with helping but- A bit rude to demand it of us isn't it? And do we even get assurance that we'll be able to return home after this?" Canada replies with as firm a voice as he can manage. It almost sounds like he's angry. "Some of us are really- er- needed back where we came from."

He's happy to hear that Kumajiro will be fine, at least. Not that it would matter with all of the attention he's been getting while they've been meeting people in the plaza- As usual the bear gets noticed more than he does.

[rekindlenpcs]

"Yeah, I'm really sorry about that. For what it's worth, I'm not the one who made the decision to do it, and neither is the nurse over there." He nods towards the trio of desks. That nurse is his sister, and if he can manage it, he won't have anyone blaming her, either. "We're just here to try and help you... while you're helping us."

He fidgets a little; he understands having duties, or at least he does in theory. He's not the kind of person who helps people the same way his sister does, though; he's never been someone who had that sort of responsibility on his shoulders. So while he gets that Canada's worried, he just doesn't grasp how worried.

He gets that he's angry, though. That's one thing he does pick up on quite easily.

"Look, I promise - we don't have any malicious intent here. We don't want to keep you here permanently or take you away from the places you're needed. And I get it if it's not really enough, but you've got my word that when the decision was made to bring you here, it was with the caveat that if the attempt at saving our city was futile you'd be sent back, and that the second we had enough power to keep our city going, you'd be sent back if that's what you want. It was voted on and everything. I bet I can find the minutes of the meeting it happened in over at the government building if you want, so you can see."