INTRO LOG - FEBRUARY 2014

[rekindlemods]

Who: Everyone
Where: The Welcome Center
When: 18th February, evening
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 (or bed) 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...

The people who arranged this room aren't stingy with treats, either. Close by is a plate full of mostly benign chocolates...Though there isn't any milk on hand to go with them. 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 downstairs to the lobby for refreshments and your welcome packets!

(PS: This includes milk.)

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 first five 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 darkening sky:

WELCOME TO SAENG SEONG
(ENJOY YOUR STAY!)

Comments

[darkhourdear]

Once all his questions had been answered, Pharos sees absolutely no problem in heading out into this strange new world on his own. To be fair, the world outside Minako's bedroom at all is kind of new to him, so how should he know if this was any different?

Though, one thing is definitely different. The letter mentioned having to touch people, or your energy would wither away. Pharos... hasn't ever really touched people before. Not even Minako, really. He's not entirely sure how he's supposed to feel about that. Touching people is a good thing, he thinks. But he's not sure.

That's not what he's going to focus on right now, though. Right now, he's revealing in the fact that he can be seen. So, random passerby, don't when alarmed when this small looking children comes up to you and says hello. If you don't engage him in conversation, he'll probably just walk away and go explore something else. He's eager to look at everything.

[smallspot]

When Pharos greets the small dark-haired boy who is standing near the entry of the Greeting Center, he is probably going to be just a little startled by the greeting he gets in return.

That is because said dark-haired boy is going to practically squeak in excitement.

"They brought another boy! They brought another boy! And you look kind of like me, but your eyes are different!" Diarmuid giggles and starts to walk around Pharos giving him a closer look, "What is your name? I'm Diarmuid!"

[darkhourdear]

Pharos sees nothing wrong with this reaction! His eyes follow the boy as he makes his way around him, just as curious. "My name is Pharos," he said. This boy does look quite a bit like him... but he's not a Shadow.

[smallspot]

"It's nice to meet you, Pharos!" Diarmuid finally comes around to stand in front of the other boy again. He then bows politely, "You just arrived, didn't you? Do you have any other clothes besides those? You are going to get cold!"

Diarmuid has just learned about needing mittens and scarves and coats in a place that stays as cold as this one does. Now he wants to make sure no one is going without proper clothing. It's bad enough people can get sick from not touching. He doesn't want them to get sick from other things too.

"Did you get your welcome packet and everything?"

[darkhourdear]

Pharos doesn't really understand the boy, so... he doesn't copy it. Sorry about that. He will, at least, answer the questions. "I just got here, yes. I don't have any other clothes." He's not sure he understands why the other boy is worried about him getting cold. Does that do something?

But there is one more question, to which Pharos nods. "I did. I'm not sure how much of it I understood, though..."

[beforetights]

"Brother?"

This is the first thing that comes out of Cu Chulainn's mouth when he sees the other boy saying hello to him. Pharos looks so much like Diarmuid after a haircut that Cu Chulainn gets confused. He's ready to ask who could be so mean as to cut off all of his brother's hair when he notices several things different about Pharos.

First off, he's a bit taller than Diarmuid. Second off, his eyes are blue. And third, he doesn't have Diarmuid's birthmark.

"You don't have his spot..."

Cu Chulainn pokes at the corner of his eye to indicate his brother's beauty spot.

"I'm sorry! I guess you're a different person!"

He gives the other boy an apologetic bow.

"My name's Cu Chulainn! What's your name?"

[darkhourdear]

Well, he has a birthmark. It's just on the wrong side of his face. At least as far as the mun can tell from squinting at icons. He doesn't seem to terribly mind that he was taken for someone else, smiling slightly.

"It's alright." Though it's a new experience, certainly. "My name is Pharos."

[beforetights]

He nods quickly.

"I'm glad to meet you, Pharos! You look like my big brother Diarmuid. Have you met him yet? He's a little taller than me..."

He waves his hand in the air above his head to demonstrate.

"But he's a little shorter than you! And he's got longer hair than yours that's all fluffy. And he has a spot on the other side of his face!"

[darkhourdear]

"I think so." That was the first person he ran into, he thinks, right outside of the building he woke up in. This was his brother? "Do we really look that much alike?" He could kind of tell, but... honestly Pharos doesn't have the best idea of what he looks like anyway.

[blazeoflife]

"...Aw, geez, they brought another little kid here?"

That was one thing Junpei didn't really like about Saeng Seong; teenagers like him and anything older were fine; but little kids like Chu and his brother? That was pushing it way too far. Junpei approached the boy, noticing he seemed pretty calm about this all together. He gave the kid a smile and a hand wave.

...Huh, that beauty mark was in a familiar spot, wasn't it?

"You okay, kid? What's your name?"

[darkhourdear]

Pharos pauses, looking up at this boy in silence for a long moment. He felt... familiar. He's certain he doesn't know him (after all, how could he know anyone not Minako?), but there's some awareness there anyway.

Hope you don't mind the kid staring at you while he's thinking about this, Junpei.

"Pharos," he finally answers, "My name is Pharos." And he's fine, but he's still busy looking at your face.

[blazeoflife]

...Weeeeell, that wasn't creepy at all! But as the kid stared, Junpei couldn't help but get a weird familiar feeling too. Damnit, who was the kid? Did he meet him before?

O-oh, hey, finally talking! He didn't recognize the name, though...

"Pharos, huh? Well, I'm Junpei Iori! Nice to meet you."

How was a little kid supposed to take care of themselves, he wondered?

"If you just got brought in, you probably have a bunch of questions, right? Can I help ya at all?"

[darkhourdear]

Pharos is still pretty intently staring at the guy's face, but he'll keep talking, at least. Which should tone down the weirdness a little bit.

He frowns slightly at the 'nice to meet you' part. Is that what you're supposed to say, after you meet someone? "Nice to meet you too..." he says, trying out the phrase with what's clearly unfamiliarity. But then Junpei offers to answer questions, and Pharos certainly has plenty of those.

"What's the key they gave me for?" he asks. He's never had a room of his own, after all.

[lightstrike]

What's a kid doing here-- no, stupid question. Of course there would be children in a place like this, because it's a city. However, an unattended child raises all sorts of alarms, especially one who's perfectly fine with greeting strangers. So she bends down so she's somewhat level with the boy.

"Hey. Where are your parents?"

[darkhourdear]

Pharos tilts his head to the side slightly, frowning. What a strange question. "I don't have any," he replies. It's true, though it doesn't occur to him that it could also be misleading.

[lightstrike]

Damn, an orphan. Well, they're off to a start, and a terrible one at that. But she cant just leave a kid running about on his own like that.

"Is there anyone you're staying with? Who's watching you? Because you probably shouldn't be going off on your own like that."

[darkhourdear]

Pharos shakes his head, though is clearly confused. "Why not?" Everyone else seems to be going off on their own. Why is he any different?

[shadowsgambit]

One such random passerby is an eight foot tall lady with horns - not that there's any reason for someone like Pharos to care so much about the horns, but he's dwarfed by her by a large margin. When he says hello, the woman looks down at him with a curious slight tilt of her own head. She's not used to small children approaching her like this, still.

"Hey, kid."

[darkhourdear]

Wow. This is very tall... Pharos has to look up at people normally, but this requires a bit more of craning his head back. "What's your name?" he asks.

[shadowsgambit]

Well, as long as he's not scared of her, she might as well crouch down for him. She generally doesn't like to, since it invites "ape" cracks because of her proportionately long arms, but she's got the feeling this kid doesn't care. "Name's Fortuna. What's yours?"

[darkhourdear]

It takes a lot to scare Pharos. A whole lot. It's unlikely this woman is actually any scarier than him. "I'm Pharos." He pauses, before adding: "It's nice to meet you!" He just learned that today. It seems to be the right response to this sort of thing.

[wurstisyettocome]

Another kid? Prussia is concerned about how many children are being brought here. He'll crouch down because he's always friendly to kids. "Hey, where are your parents, Kind." It sounds more like "kid" than "kind". There's concern in Prussia's voice and he's trying to project friendliness, but his almost albino coloring might be a little scary. That and his rather strong German accent which makes his words sound harder.

[darkhourdear]

Somewhat luckily for Prussia, Pharos can sort of sense the relative power of other beings- and since Pharos is effectively immortal and meant to summon the end of the world, not a lot is very scary to him. So little things like accent and paleness really don't bother him. Actually, he finds them quite interesting. "I don't have parents," he says as if it's a footnote, "Why do you talk that?"

[wurstisyettocome]

Oh... well... he could fix one of those problems.

"Well, I'll be your big brother Prussia!" he says. Never let it be said that older nations don't have a tendency to adopting younger nations... and "normal" kids.

He wonders what the child means by the question and then realizes the differences in speech. "I am Prussian. All Prussians speak like this."

[darkhourdear]

Oh! Diarmuid said things about people being like family, even if they weren't related. Pharos thought that could only happen if you knew them well, though... "My big brother...?" he asks, staring up at the older boy. It seems like that would be a nice thing, but he's very confused.

When it comes to the accent, Pharos nods, before pausing and asking, "What's Prussian?"