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
Considering how easily Pepper replied to him, Stein assumed she was in the know (or as much as one could be with a piddling information packet to go on) and also found things suspicious.
"It just doesn't feel right..." Brow furrowed, Stein reached up and grasped the screw with one hand. He gave it two thoughtful turns--it creaked as he did so--and when the last turn ended with a click his face cleared.
"Ah! Of course the whole touching thing is flimsy at best. Maybe it's more about the people that have been brought here. Something everyone here has in common."
What that something was, he had no idea. Hey, even geniuses had to take things one step at a time, right?
no subject
Pepper did hear the last of his words though.
"Maybe. That could be." She held out the paper to him. "What do they mean by 'worlds'? Do you think they mean countries?" Blue eyes met his with intelligent consternation.
no subject
"I think it's more likely they mean planets or possibly even dimensions." He sighed, almost wistfully. "If you want my reason for thinking so just look at the sun."
To Stein, who came from a world where the sun looked like it belonged on a box of raisins and had a tendency to laugh at odd hours, a generic yellow blob in the sky was downright jarring.
no subject
Her eyes glanced sidelong at the sun above them and looked puzzled. Then again, maybe this man was a scientist who could tell by a quick look what made one star different from another. It wouldn't be the first time Pep had been in over her head with someone more sciencely inclined.
She folded her arms, tucking the packet underneath one. "Alright. If we're on a different world or dimension, how do we get back?"
no subject
That said, he let his shoulders drop back to his normal posture.
"I guess it's possible whoever dragged us here will get tired of us and send us back to where we came from. Of course I also have to wonder why only one or two people from wherever would end up here. It's not like I've seen anyone that I recognize since I got here and if a source of energy is what they want I can think of more than one person just out of the group I work with on a daily basis that would be a better source of it than me. Theoretically anyway."
no subject
Finally, it had clicked.
"What kind of energy are they looking for?" Her breath caught in her throat.
no subject
It was quite a theory, but then again he didn't have much information to work with. And anyway so far Pepper had made a fine conversation partner so maybe he would get lucky and she would point out some angle he hadn't considered yet.
no subject
"What about...heat?"
no subject
Stein scratched the top of his head, a tell of uncertainty.
"Something to do with the transference of body heat?..."
no subject
"What if you just had a lot of heat. Pretty much unlimited heat?"
no subject
"You mean if your body could generate unlimited quantities of heat? That would make you a very enticing source of energy I would think." He tilted his head just a touch to the left, eyeing her speculatively. "Though I wonder how you'd go about achieving that in a human body."
no subject
The former PA sighs then, lifting the now normal hand to her forehead and rubbing her temples. "God, I'm tired. I wasn't expecting to be kidnapped twice in one week." She laughs wearily, looking back up at Stein.
no subject
Mind made up, his expression softened from blank disinterest to something resembling concern. "I'm sorry," he said hesitantly, a bit of personality finally entering his voice. A little warm, a little tired himself. "I just started dumping all of these ideas on you and it's obvious you're not feeling your best."
Well, maybe not initially to Stein, but even he got there eventually. Slow but steady.
"Oh," he added suddenly, a useful thought occurring to him, "part of this whole kidnapping mess is a complimentary apartment right?" He dug through his packet and produced the key within, bringing it close to his face to read the tag number. "Two-twenty...a room number I assume. You've got one too don't you, it could be a good idea to check it out. At the very least there should be a bed inside. Maybe some clothes too."
Not that he had anything against her current ensemble, he had students who wore less on a daily basis, but the added-on jacket suggested she preferred a little more coverage.
no subject
She dug inside the folder for her own key, turning it over in her fingers. "Three fifteen." She murmured, then looked up at Stein once more. She had an chagrined look on her face. "I really must be tired, I haven't even introduced myself yet." The former PA tucked the key into the pocket of the borrowed jacket before holding out a slender hand. "Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries." Saying that never got old, never.
no subject
"Dr. Stein," he said in return, his tone of voice almost like a child reciting something for the class, "It's very nice to meet you Miss Potts."
no subject
It was impossible to forget some of the things she had walked in on.
"Right now I need to sleep for a week," Pepper said with a wry smile, "but sometime I'd really like to hear about where you come from, Dr. Stein."
no subject
But no, he wasn't going to go off on another tangent when she just said she wanted to leave, no matter how interesting it was.
"Since we know where we're both staying," he gestured with his key to make his piint clear, "we'll have to look each other up sometime."
no subject
"It was a pleasure meeting you Dr. Stein. I'm sure I'll see you around." His distinctive style certainly couldn't be mistaken for anyone else.
no subject