INTRO LOG - OCTOBER 2013

[rekindlemods]

Who: Everyone Where: The Welcome Plaza When: 18th October, afternoon 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. The lanterns flicker and the shadows rise... 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 Assistance Devin, Technological Assistance Mai, Medical Assistance Unlike 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!)

Comments

[topgun_textiles]

By now, he was still on the hunt for the phone, but he was at a crossroads: He'd seen a couple of his friends at this point, but that didn't mean much in the way of it being a 'good thing'. It meant they were trapped again in some weird place, and unfortunately for him, his theory about the TV world wasn't the least bit sound. Man, he felt dumb, but it made him wish it was the TV world. Just gotta contact the bear somehow, then, and-

Yeah, he knew that voice too, and as he turned the surprise was brief. Another name was added to his mental list of 'who is here'. "Shit, I was gonna say the same thing! I saw Senpai n' Naoto earlier, started wondering where the rest were. You ain't seen the other girls, right? Yosuke-senpai or Teddie, neither?"

[tofu_idol]

"Naoto-kun's here too?" That was news to her, though it was only adding to the sense of dread she was feeling about this whole situation. Naoto had been quick to see through the Malevolent Entity's tricks, after all, plus she seemed to have more of a connection to Mitsuru and the others than the rest of the group. More than ample reason to get her out of the way.

She shook her head a little, mostly to get her focus back. "No, I've only seen you and Senpai. I can't sense any of the others here either, though maybe I just missed them." She'd missed Kanji and Naoto, after all, and she was still freaking out somewhat.

"I just can't believe this is happening again, and so soon."

[topgun_textiles]

He nodded to confirm, but was looking away. He'd talked to Naoto and seriously blew it due to dry mouth and other stupid crap! But yeah, she was here, which so far made half of the team here in Saeng Seong.

"Ain't surprised- tryin'a call my Persona was a bust."

But he could commiserate, nodding in agreement. "Right? Ya figure a giant freakin' corpse-goddess was enough, and now we gotta deal with this shit. But y'know what? I got a plan!"

A fist into a palm, and he stood up straighter. She looked distraught, as did Naoto and... less so for Senpai, but it was rare when the guy freaked out.

"Lookin' for a pay phone's a bust, and they say we can't leave the city or your energy drains or whatever. I can take a bigger beating than you guys, yeah? I think I can make it out further. Figure some shit out or bring back some info."

[tofu_idol]

Rise could feel her heart sink as Kanji spoke about his Persona. "It was? That might be why...but that's not good, Kanji. I have mine and so does Senpai...ooh, that jerk had better not have found a way to take them back after all."

It was a flash of temper that was gone the next moment, as she realised that no, if that was true then Kanji's Shadow would be around somewhere and for all the movement around them, brief flickers at the corners of her vision, she couldn't see any sign of him.

Before she could say anything to that effect, however, Kanji was running off with a half-formed plan, or trying to. "What? Out further where? Kanji, we have to stick together here...sheesh, and here I thought you were being smarter this time. Tell me you at least don't think this is a dream."

[topgun_textiles]

He shook his head. "He ain't gone, but... I dunno, he doesn't like bein' out for long before he just kinda blinks out. But I thought we could do it in the TV world, y'know? But my glasses ain't workin' here, and I can see more than a foot in front'a my face..."

He also felt a little tired before talking to Naoto, but maybe adrenaline or something was keeping him going now.

Kanji's response was a frown. His ideas weren't the best most of the time, but... "It's all I got, damn it! ...And why would I think this is a freakin' dream? I pinched myself already. Still here."

[tofu_idol]

"Well obviously you can see. The fog's gone now, you know that...don't you?" Only after she'd already said it did she remember that Yu hadn't remembered the situation with Labrys and maybe it was the same for Kanji.

After all, he didn't remember that he'd thought that whole tournament was a dream either.

"Anyway, maybe it's just what they were talking about with this place. You know, how we have to touch people to feel okay here...let me try something." Spoken as she reached for his hand, because like heck was she going to let him get sick for his own stubbornness.

[topgun_textiles]

"Tch-!" Kanji only frowned, looking away. The glasses kept them all from getting sick, too, and while he was feeling less like crap he figured it'd at least keep him from feeling worse.

There was that 'touch people' stuff again. When he looked back, she was reaching for him. Kanji took a step back before he could realize, hand quickly twitched to chest level. "Wh-what're you doin'? Try what?!"

Kanji did look a little clammy, some of the color gone from his face. Maybe that was making him edgier than the whole 'strange new world' thing. Other than recovering from the Bathhouse, Kanji never got sick; last thing he needed was to catch a damn cold in some place he knew nothing about.