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

[screwmeister]

"Yeah. Like I just said everything in the world is an experimental test subject."

Stein had returned to his usual bland monotone as he echoed his statement from earlier. Some people might take appearing in a strange world as an opportunity to 'start over' and experience life as a new person, particularly if they had a history of, say, indiscriminately experimenting on other people. Stein was most decidedly not one of those people, he was proud of his work and comfortable with his background. He had never sugar coated his hobbies before and he wasn't going to start now.

[wontdoanyless]

"Not everything needs to be experimented on." He couldn't really understand Stein's view point. Of course he wanted to better himself, but he didn't think that everything needed modification.

"Do you at least ask before experimenting on others?" He realized that Stein might not answer truthfully, but Steve just had to ask the question that was in his thoughts. "And what kind of experiments do you do?" Steve wasn't really interested in the science itself too much though, just the ethics.

[screwmeister]

"Let's see. I disagree, sometimes, aaaand whatever kind I feel like!"

Stein could talk about experiments and science and even ethics for probably hours, but then again why do that with someone he barely knew when he could potentially annoy them instead. He really enjoyed watching people have exaggerated reactions to him.

[wontdoanyless]

"Sometimes." Oh here comes the righteous attitude. Steve just couldn't stop himself when he thought people were being bullies. It was both a good and bad trait of his. He normally gets beaten up for it. "Should be all the time, doctor."

It's way too easy to get a rise out of Steve.

[screwmeister]

"I can't help it, sometimes people just don't know what's good for them. I mean look at you. I could think of more than a few experiments that would do you some good but would you agree to it? Eh?"

This conversation was taking a turn for the entertaining, that was for sure! For Stein, anyway. His casual, borderline-uncaring demeanor probably wasn't helping things either.

[wontdoanyless]

"Think people know what's good for them." He can't help but bristle at Stein's comment about his appearance, he knew that he wasn't the strongest of guys, but Steve hated when it was brought up. Of course, he was fine with picking on himself, but Stein wasn't him or anyone close to him. "And I don't need your help or experiments. I can still do good like this."

So maybe he was being a bit of a liar right now, but Steve wasn't going to mention the serum. The only person that really knew right now was Tony anyway.

[screwmeister]

"Really, you seem kind of sickly to me." Well, scrawny with a cough which wasn't really the same thing, but Stein had sensed he was pushing a button and figured he might as well go all the way. For fun, of course.

He blew out a stream of smoke as though to accentuate his point. See, he was healthy enough to chain smoke and not cough constantly. Clearly science had given him an advantage.

[wontdoanyless]

"I'm fine-" He coughs again, this time sounding a little more hoarse. Great. That really wasn't helping his case right now. "T-this is nothing. Handled it before." That probably wasn't the best thing to say either. But Steve didn't think about it too much, he just wanted to prove himself.

[screwmeister]

"Oh yeah?" Doctor side: pinged. "You don't have some kind of pre-existing condition do you. I could put it out if you want." He hesitates a beat before adding with a perfect little smile, "It's not bothering me of course but it would be rude not to offer."

After all, it would ruin the image he's built up over the past five minutes to show outright concern without being a jerk too.

[wontdoanyless]

"I'm not agreeing to any of your experiments." He pointedly ignored his question. In all honestly, he had a list of various conditions, but that would only show how sickly he was. "So no, no thank you." Steve attempted to be somewhat cordial, but his tone was more biting than polite.

[screwmeister]

Stein shrugged, unbothered by the immediate refusal. He had expected as much, really. He did make a point of exhaling smoke again before he speaks, though.

"Your loss," he said easily.

[wontdoanyless]

"Think I can live with that." Yep, he was being the least helpful person right now. He still hadn't left yet though, but if Stein started to walk off, he wouldn't follow.

[screwmeister]

Oh, Stein is not that easy to deter. Refusal of services doesn't constitute the end of a conversation for him...unless the other person wanders off or something but that's beside the point.

"So I guess you missed the welcome packet when you came in," he said blandly, like they had just been discussing the weather instead of something more annoying.

[wontdoanyless]

Steve was rarely the first person to walk away, especially if they were in the middle of an argument before. Although if they mutually decided to end the conversation, he probably would have gone with that.

"No, I have it. Just I got it three months ago." Guess he didn't mention that he wasn't one of the new arrivals.

[screwmeister]

"Huh. So this has been going on for a while."

Maybe that was why the system was so efficient. Wake up, enter room, receive welcome packet. If one discounted the unpleasant 'just been kidnapped' vibe, it really had the air of a school orientation.

[wontdoanyless]

"From what I hear, about four months at least. Wasn't here for the grand opening." And Steve was sure that some of the people that he once knew were gone, apparently sent back to their worlds. He hoped that was really true and that nothing bad happened to them.

[screwmeister]

"So...what do you hang around this area for, are you trying to get a read on new arrivals." A beat passed and Stein smiled suddenly. "That would make a great experiment actually, imagine the data you could gather especially if people appeared in some sort of set pattern." And then, a little bit of energy entering his voice, "How often does this happen anyway? Surely you've noticed in three months."

[wontdoanyless]

"No, I'm here to help people if they need it. Normally, people are confused when they get kidnapped to another world." Steve didn't like it when this guy smiled. It meant he was plotting something that had to do with science- yep, he said it himself.

"I've noticed. But what are you planning to do, exactly? Experiment on new arrivals?"

[screwmeister]

"Not without permission," he replied innocently. Well, there might have been a little mocking quality to it as well. But only because Steve mentioned it before and was so righteous about it.

[wontdoanyless]

Steve frowned, he just had a hard time believing in his words. But he guessed that Stein hadn't actually tried to force him into experimentation, so that was a plus, even if he didn't like his attitude about all this.

"Once a month. Around this time." He finally go to answering his earlier question. "That's the pattern so far."