Perhaps you felt a rumble beneath your feet, a sensation of what you were standing upon giving way underneath you as something
pulled you in and away from what it was you were doing. Or, perhaps it was simply a gentle tap on your shoulder before you had the same tugging sensation from behind your navel. No matter which it was; there is one other constant:
lp...A quiet rustle of the wind, wherever it is coming from as it hits your face.
help... u...The earth grumbling beneath you resounds with something unintelligible. Of course; it's the earth. Dirt can't speak, after all. Yet it won't stop, nor does the wind. All you wanted to do was sleep...
Yet suddenly it stops, and as you begin to stir, you begin to feel the crisp wind still seems to be picking up, yet as it settles, it's almost as if it whispers something to your ear.
'elp... u... sh....Before you can make sense of it, it is gone; 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 mosaic - 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 this windstorm!"
Whether you go inside immediately or linger outside a little longer, eventually you must come in from the slight autumn chill, and sooner rather than later would probably be better. ...What
was that shadow from the corner of your vision?
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 pair of desks, each with a sign and a person seated behind them -
Irene, General AssistanceDevin, Technological AssistanceMai, Medical AssistanceUnlike a few waves before, the only people in charge seem to be the people behind the desks. They look a bit busy.
However, before you can go over and give them a piece of your mind and ask 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 two 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 a new group of 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 four districts in the south and west parts 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, one of our newest and brightest doctors.
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 blistering summer day:
WELCOME TO SAENG SEONG
(ENJOY YOUR STAY!)![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rekindlemods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
rekindleme2013-10-18 07:17 pm
no subject
"But you just saw me...?"
Fairly recently, in fact. Maybe it's a girl thing?
no subject
That all cuts off, or at least dims when she hears his question. Then M'gann steps back for a moment (though she does keep a hand on his arm) to look at him.
"N-no, I didn't? At least, it's-" That's when her other hand comes up to tap her head, as she realizes the whole 'time difference' thing she and Robin already encountered. "It's been a long time...For me?" She offers, trying to measure his response to that.
no subject
A long time for her? Definitely a girl thing. Conner figures it would be rude not to return the sentiment. He's not lying - for the ten to twenty minutes he's been in this place (planet?), he's sorely missed her.
Cue awkward smile here. Awkward because, even if it's M'gann, he's not feeling the whole "smile" thing right now.
"When did you get here? Just now?"
no subject
"No, actually I...I've been here for months, now. But they've gone by like it's been nothing at all." There's been no shortage of things to do, at least. "That's what I meant, with missing you."
no subject
Instantly, his tone takes on a note of suspicion. That doesn't seem right, does it? Especially if he's just arriving here now and he thought he saw M'gann only a few hours prior. A myriad of scenarios run through his mind - suspended animation, zeta tube malfunctions, so on and so forth. Memory tampering. Or worse.
If this is M'gann and she's been away for months, who is the M'gann at home?
He pulls his arm away from her grasp, gently but firmly.
"What's the last thing you remember?"
How do I know you're you?
no subject
...And which unfortunately means that she's listening a little too well to his thoughts. When she hears that thought and the suspicion in it, M'gann is fast to morph the muscles around in her throat so she can ease out any knots or sour tastes in her mouth...With limited success. Maybe it's just that his voice, spoken or mental, is frighteningly similar to how her nightmares of him seeing her in white play out. "I'm still-" 'Me' she almost says before she can think, and rushes to fill that in with something else. "That is...You mean...In our world? I-I remember heading back from Qurac-"
Too close to her insecurities. Way too close for comfort, and it takes a deep breath and a focus usually reserved for meditation to keep her voice from wavering.
no subject
"That was three days ago. I think."
What does he actually know? The last thing he remembers is coming to near a river, alone. Before that, there's another gap in his memory he can't properly account for, but according to his phone, he had only been unconscious for four or five hours.
"How were you here for months if the last thing you remember from our world happened three days ago?"
Time travel isn't - shouldn't be - possible.
no subject
"It's more confusing with Robin; he's ahead of us by a month, I think." She glances at the ground and...Pauses for a moment when she sees that dent in the pavement, before continuing. "I think it's how transport here works; if we're getting pulled between worlds, maybe that does something to time, as well?"
no subject
He settles for just clenching his fist.
"Alright. Robin's here. Why don't we find somewhere more private to figure this out? With him. I guess I should see where my quarters are."
He fairly spits the word. What Conner really wants is to be alone, but he needs more answers than this paper can give before he can process anything.
no subject
She puts herself a few feet into the air as she speaks. "Does it say which room you're in? On the papers, I mean."
no subject
He straightens the welcome packet that, along with the key, faced the consequences of his anger.
"Apartment 3-06 in building two. Lead the way."
Well. As far as completely surreal and discomfiting situations went, it could have been worse. At least he had a room.
no subject
"Hey, that's the same building as me! You have to walk a little if you want TV, but...But it's nice?" She offers; maybe he's grumpy, but realizing that they have rooms in the same building is enough to put some lightness back into her chest and words. Maybe his room will have a nice closet sized space, too? "I like it there, I mean; it's comfortable enough...Even if it's not exactly like the cave."
no subject
"That's good."
When not actually listening, a vague, affirmative response is usually the best course of action. One of the many lessons he's learned since having a girlfriend.