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
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"I-I'm sorry. Did you say something?" Pepper looked down at the coat she was now wearing, and plucked at it. "Oh- is this yours? Thank you. Sorry...I don't know how I got here." Her jaw tightened, as she clearly tried to gain control of her surroundings.
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Ooooh yeah, she was out of it. For a moment he was reminded of one of the Lost with how she seemed to stare through him, yet seeing nothing, but he shrugged off that thought when she took his coat. Yeah, seems like she was just in shock. He was relieved when she finally spoke, however.
"Uh, s'okay! I was just askin' if you're alright..."
He gave her a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his head.
"No, no, it's alright! I can handle the cold-- you uh, look like ya need it more."
At her comment, his own expression soured, giving her a nod.
"Me neither! I just got dragged here walking to the dorms with a friend... you uh, seems like you had a bigger problem to deal with when they brought you... d'you need to sit down, ma'am?"
He was seriously worried about her...
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"Probably. But I don't know if I should. H-have you seen anyone around? A man, a bit older than me? Pretty disheveled, might have a metal suit with him?" She tugged at the inner edges of the coat, trying to cover herself a bit better. "His name is Tony Stark." Her eyes, a bit clearer now, seemed interested in his reaction to that name. "Oh. And I'm Pepper, Pepper Potts." She sighed again. She wasn't used to being so awkward in social interactions.
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He snapped to at her question, though still a bit confused. Metal suit...? What, like some sort of Power Suit like in Kamen Raider?
"There's a few people around here... but I haven't seen anyone that looks like that yet, I'm sorry. Name doesn't ring a bell either."
Junpei gave the woman a smile, still concerned for her well being but relieved she was becoming more aware.
"I'm Junpei Iori-- nice to meet you, Potts-san, though uh, kinda wish it wasn't like this."
He glanced around them, trying to see if Fuuka and this 'Tony Stark' guy were in the plaza as well.
"I wonder if your guy ended up here too, just somewhere else in the plaza; I wonder if Fuuka is here too, actually..."
no subject
"That's, thank you, right? My Japanese is a little rusty." She frowned slightly then, brow furrowing as she glanced around slowly, more calm now that her mind had had a few moments to recover itself. Old habits were slowly starting to settle back into place.
"You're looking for someone too? I'm not sure whether to hope those we're looking for are here. I mean, where is here? And why?" She snorted softly. "I've had enough of being kidnapped - for forever." That last was said with a certain dry wryness.
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"...Wait, you weren't speakin' Japanese the whole time there, were you."
This was more of a statement than a question, Junpei frowning.
"Cuz... My english skills are shit-- uh, aren't very good, but I can understand you, perfectly. T-this is too weird!"
He nodded at her question-- he was half hoping Fuuka was here too, because she'd freak out if he just vanished infront of her, but half hoping she wasn't locked up here either.
"From what I read in those papers-- the place is like... dying without power, and only people outside the town can help, or somethin' like that. But how to get power..."
Junpei's cheeks reddened-- touching, they just meant friendly stuff, right?--- only to deadpan at her comment.
"Maaan oh man, do I hear ya on the kidnapping shit."
This was a third time for him, if you counted Ikutsuki's whole freak out ontop of Tartarus...
no subject
The blonde swallowed and smiled nervously, and tried to bring her attention back to what Junpei was saying. She had just missed something he had said about power, and she frowned as she tried to piece together what he had said. But in the end she nodded to his statement about kidnapping, feeling a bitter lump in her throat and trying to force it away. Anger stirred, a slow, fiery beast within her, and at the reminder of 'kidnapping' her eyes flared again, softly glowing blue coals, and tendril of vibrant flaming light seemed to trickle down the skin beneath her neck.
"I hate feeling so helpless." Pepper said softly, seeking calm and control, as unexpected and impossible rage began to fill her. Suddenly startled by it's uncontrolled appearance, the blonde-haired woman was now trying desperately to suppress it. "What right did they have to bring us here without asking?" But would you be dead, otherwise? A small voice whispered cautiously, and Pepper ignored it fervently, even as she tried to ignore the growing anger towards her kidnappers. Killian, a man whom she had trusted and his accomplice, who had baited her so easily it was more than pathetic. And now these new strangers - people she didn't even know who could snatch her away so easily they didn't even need to trick her.
Pepper drew in a sharp intake of breath as several lines of fiery light suddenly trailed down her face, jaw, and neck. Extremis was stirring.
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Junpei was just commiserating with the woman on their mutual situations, when he saw her eyes glowing again-- and not just her eyes, her skin was seeming to become a light with fire.
"P-potts-san?! Are you alright?!"
It was like she was out of a manga or anime or something-- He reached out to take her hand, figuring that if she was burning; well, he could handle flames, after all-- besides, what if she was gonna lose control if she didn't get brought back to reality or something?
He was sort of freaked out by how used to this he was...
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"S-sorry." Her voice was shaky, but strong beneath the tremble, determined. "Some...people did something to me before I got here. I haven't exactly had a moment or two to learn how to control it." She didn't flinch back from his touch now. Honestly the kindly human contact was reassuring in a way she hadn't expected.
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He pulled his hand back a moment, unsure if he'd upset her, watching as her skin flared in ways even he'd never seen before; but she seemed to calm down a bit when she looked straight at him.
Pepper's words, her explanation-they caught him off guard and angered him in a way he hadn't felt so firmly in several months; experimenting on an innocent person, them unable to control it...
His hands went back, both grasping hers and giving her a light squeeze.
"I'm sorry."
His voice was choked, an old rage boiling up inside, but his eyes didn't leave hers.
"I... I understand better than you'd think; and if there's anything I can do to help I'll do it, alright Potts-san? But I promise you ain't alone."
no subject
Had he or someone he knew been in a similar situation?
"Thank you." Pepper swallowed, straining to control her emotions, she couldn't afford to irritate the chemical change within her. "You can call me Pepper if you want, you know. I mean, if it doesn't bother you." She wasn't used to being so awkward, but she couldn't quite remember how the lines of respect worked in Japan. She usually only dealt with business-people, to whom she always offered every courtesy her advisers suggested.
no subject
Thank god for her, really. Junpei realised he'd been a bit, well, forward, and smiled sheepishly, one hand leaving Pepper's to rub the back of his head.
"No problem! Heh... oh, and if you're sure, Pepper. You can just call me Junpei then."
He wasn't the most formal Japanese guy, after all.
"Do ya need to sit down or anything...? The pamphet gave us all an address to an apartment or something, so maybe you need to... y'know, kinda sleep this off? At least get your energy back..."
Lord knows after a night fighting shadows, he needed some sleep; whatever happened to her, she needed some rest too.