INTRO LOG - JANUARY 2014

[rekindlemods]

Who: Everyone
Where: The Welcome Center
When: 20th January, afternoon
Summary: The new arrivals, freshly pulled from their worlds or others, awaken in a strange place...
Warnings: Inbox death may occur. System overload at own risk. SOME NPC RESPONSES WILL BE SLOW UNTIL THE ONE WHO PLAYS THEM IS PRESENT.

It's a shuddering breath, a sensation of being pulled to elsewhere and finding oneself pressed against something on the soft and some place cozy. However, before one can fully stir, there is and odd, warm stirring sensation that lifts you up from wherever you've been dropped, when you begin to drift off once more.

Yet the feeling passes quickly, and when you awaken, you begin to realize your surroundings. It's a small room with what some might recognize as a Far Eastern theme when it comes to decor, from the walls to the sofa you find yourself on. Illumination is provided by carefully crafted lamps, and even a candle flickering on a nearby desk. The doors are made from paper and wood, with a thin frame; through them it's easy to hear other people stirring, talking, or coming to.

You are not alone...

And perhaps even a small fuzzy cat just outside, making a persistent 'miiiiii' sound in order to get you up and about. There's also the sound of more noise from further downstairs, and even the faint whiff of something warm and tasty. And to add to all of that, close at hand there's a note that reads:

WELCOME CENTER
Newcomers: Please come downsatirs to the lobby 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, there's a gentle knocking on the door as someone comes from downstairs to usher you along.

"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 you've had a chance to stretch your legs!"

Whether you go downstairs immediately or linger a little longer, eventually you must come down and get out of the small space, and sooner rather than later would probably be better. 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 warming, comforting 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

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 downstairs 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 two central districts 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 nurses.

Again, welcome, and thank you for all your help.

Irene
Arrival Liaison

Outside, and through the translucent glass you can see a banner hanging from the tiled roof of the building across the street. It's looking oddly bright and cheery against a darkened and chilly looking sky:

WELCOME TO SAENG SEONG
(ENJOY YOUR STAY!)

Comments

[dadcepticon]

Krok makes an extremely rude sound, a combination of vocal squawk and power plant rumble that doesn't actually translate to words. His narrow-eyed, scornful expression and the tight clench of his fists say it all, though.

"Not in any ways that count," he mutters, "but where there's a will… well." His mood shifts abruptly when he realises his arms are starting to shake. He stops and deliberately flexes his hands to ease away tension, spars creaking and servos whirring. "Ancient history, I suppose," he adds, not quite smiling.

[dontthesunlookgoodtoday]

Whoa. Who would have thought a robot could be touchy like that? Always something else to know.

"Yeah, stick that way back where it belongs and no one should manage to stumble over it," he agrees, leaning forwards again. "So what's present-day robot life made of?"

[dadcepticon]

How can Krok possibly put this without letting himself go on a bitter ramble? It takes him a few seconds to sort out his thoughts.

"…Surviving," he finally admits.

[dontthesunlookgoodtoday]

Bitter rambles are a thing he can totally understand the need to go on. Still, he appreciates not needing to sit through one himself. The word itself brings back a familiar feeling, even if it's been a while. He makes an attempt at playing it off, sort of, frowning some.

"What kind of shit gives a guy like you that kind of trouble?"

[dadcepticon]

Now there's a question Krok didn't expect to hear.

"War," he answers simply. "And the war ending." He fought virtually his entire life. It's hard to cope and find a new reason for living once all that's taken away. Of course, he has something in the W.A.P. and its crew… questionable as they are.

But they aren't here.

[dontthesunlookgoodtoday]

Whoa. That's- more intense than he was expecting. But it could fit, if he thinks about it. Explains why Krok would get so tense, at least.

"That-" He stops, clearing his throat awkwardly, wings twitching slightly. "That sucks. Who started it, do they know how shitty of an idea that was, does someone need to go and shake that into their head?" They probably do, but it's something to say that isn't thinking about at least partially-destroyed worlds.

[dadcepticon]

Tens upon hundreds of partially to utterly ruined worlds. When Cybertronians go to war, galaxies tremble. Krok steeples his fingers under his chin and his eyes narrow as he stares at some vague point on the opposite wall.

"Those who started it?" he echoes, darkly amused. "Some of them are still around. I don't know what they think of it; Decepticons like me aren't privy to command decisions." He gives Davesprite a sideways glance, adding, "And everyone who thought they'd shake some sense into him came out much deader for the attempt."

[dontthesunlookgoodtoday]

Heavy. And kind of ominous. Davesprite goes very still, with only a little twitch of one wing before he pulls them in tightly.

"Just hit the floor and hope you come out at the end." He puts his hands together, fingers pulling against each other. "So not the listening and caring type."

[dadcepticon]

"Hard to say." Krok's eyes focus on the now again and he pulls a face – or as much as he can, anyway. It isn't quite a smirk, nor quite a scowl. "Not as though I know Megatron personally. I only know that all of us on the ground weren't much more than numbers for some part of the war."

He blinks, then, and makes an apologetic noise.

"…Not very good conversation fodder, though." Though he hasn't much else to talk about, either. Some life he's had!

[dontthesunlookgoodtoday]

It's a pretty good expression, as far as Davesprite's concerned. He snorts. "Yeah, no bothering with the simple equations with a name like that, he'll go cozy up with Fermat's Last Theorem or i or something like that." There's a weird moment in there, since he remembers a little about the way Sburb worked, and the way the underlings- the imps and other creatures- are basically just a grist mill, but he pushes past that. Some other time.

He flicks a wing and shrugs. "Yeah, well. I asked. Soooo. Changes of topic, let's try that." He drums his fingers against the sofa arm for a moment. "You haven't really looked around yet, right?"

[dadcepticon]

Krok shakes his head in the negative.

"I haven't," he adds verbally. "I haven't exactly felt exploration worthy." A systems destabilisation from whatever process brought him here, he suspects.

[dontthesunlookgoodtoday]

He nods. "Need some time to recharge, huh. Transference beam or whatever isn't perfect, I guess." He flicks one wing again, and looks off to the side. "Pretty sure the touching thing's supposed to help with that," he adds. That's… sort of an offer, because no way is he about to say it straight out.

[dadcepticon]

"Touching thing?" Krok echoes a bit dumbly before his recall catches up with him. The letter explained all that. "Ah," he mumbles, "that." Were they closer to a similar size, Krok could better grasp the logistics of the situation. A pat on the shoulder, something like that. But there's a rather drastic gap in height even though he's always been on the shorter end of the scale. Awkwardly, he looks from his hand to Davesprite. "…How will this work, exactly?"

[dontthesunlookgoodtoday]

That is. A good question. Davesprite follows that look, and shrugs awkwardly, wings fanning out a bit. "Skin to chrome?" he suggests. "Pretty sure hugs work even through fabric, though so hell, you got space on your shoulder or something?" It'll be embarrassing, but less embarrassing than an actual hug. Plus, cool points for being on a robot.

[dadcepticon]

Krok has very limited shoulder space; the gap between his collar and the tailfins might be enough for someone sitting on his back, assuming they were about Davesprite's size, and there's the flat span of his upper arm between his torso and shoulder vents. There's risk of being pinched there, though. He looks from his shoulder to Davesprite, then shrugs.

"You're welcome to try," he says. He can tolerate this business for his health, organics or no. It's better than collapsing.

[dontthesunlookgoodtoday]

Krok's upper arm span is probably less close, but he's not exactly a fan of being pinched if he doesn't have to be. Collar it is, then.

"Alright, then. Coming up," he says by way of warning, before moving to pull himself up there, wings flaring out a couple of times to help balance.

[dadcepticon]

Krok does what he can to keep Davesprite from falling on the climb, largely because that only seems the decent thing to do since the little fellow offered to help him out. It's strange, having someone sit on him like this.

Strange, but also… bolstering. He didn't expect it to actually work. He doesn't feel well enough to, say, take on a squad of Autobots, but after a while, he feels like he could at least walk without stumbling. And that's certainly an improvement.

"…I can't believe it actually works like they say," he mumbles.