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

[feistytrader]

[That... That can't be right. He definitely hasn't grown an extra head's worth of height in less than a year- if that.]

...When was the last time you saw me? [Come to think of it, dad looks a little different too. He didn't get to spend too much time with him, so he can't quite place what is so different, but... Something's off. Is it his expression? He looks healthier, but that's a given...]

[hotboss]

[Healthier until all that chain smoking kicks in, at least.]

It must be close to four years ago now.

[feistytrader]

[Close to... Close to what now?]

Are you from the future?

[hotboss]

...

[Look at what he did to his son's mentality. This is going to take more work than he wanted it to take.]

No, Silver.

[feistytrader]

I definitely saw you less than a year ago. [Less than half a year ago, even. Not four.

...But it wouldn't be surprising if his dad made himself scarce for four years...]

[hotboss]

You knew where I was? [Is that how those kids found him in the waterfall? Well, he doesn't blame Silver for ratting him out if he did.] I left after that boy showed up...

[feistytrader]

...You showed up. [...] You came to help save the world.

[What boy is he talking about? Red?]

[hotboss]

[S...ave? The world? What does it mean]

Are you feeling alright?

[feistytrader]

[...He quickly puts a hand up to his forehead, just to double check.

Then he turns to his dad and nods. He feels perfectly fine. Why?]

[hotboss]

[Okay. The crazy thing is that time travel would explain why the kid looks older than Giovanni is pretty sure he should be, but still.]

Tell me where we are.

[feistytrader]

...You should have checked out the place you showed up to get the memo. [You know. Nice convenient little note telling you the basics. It was pretty nice.]

It's some city called Saeng Song. They need us to power up the city using physical contact. [Thus the hand holding- he already said you get sick without it, so there's no need to repeat himself.] We get free housing and cash for our efforts.

[hotboss]

I'd prefer to get a second opinion for this kind of situation.

[Hold hands for profit? Son please that is not a good business model. But apparently it works here.] And I take it we don't have any other choice.

[feistytrader]

[He gets food and shelter and all he has to do is get a little touchy with his best friends. It's a pretty good deal to him.] Nope. Hope you didn't have anywhere important to be.

[hotboss]

...No. Not anymore.

[feistytrader]

[...Whoa. Whoa.

What? He's- He's Team Rocket's leader. Of course he's got somewhere important to be- and somewhere Silver wouldn't want him to be. What's this about "not anymore"?]

[hotboss]

[Yeah, about that. But let papa get a good look at you first. He raises a hand and...right, putting it on Silver's shoulder is a good start. Will he get taller than Giovanni one day? He never thought about that before.] I didn't think you'd grow your hair as long as Ariana's.

[feistytrader]

[What about his-

...Did he just say Ariana?] What does she have to do with it?

[hotboss]

[Er. Does that question need to be asked?] What?

[feistytrader]

She's just one of your Executives, isn't she? [And his hair's always been like this. Is dad really going around comparing him to one of his executives because of a similar hair color?]

[hotboss]

You know she's more than that to me. [Are we talking about the same Ariana here son come on.]

[feistytrader]

[...He... does?] I only met her when I was stopping her. I don't know anything about her.

[hotboss]

[Well, they never really did get along back in headquarters, so-] Stopped her? Were you at the radio tower that night?

[feistytrader]

What happened at the radio tower?

[hotboss]

My Executives took it over and called for me. But that boy... [That boy and his meddling Pokemon stopped him - even if it was for the better, it's still a bitter loss to swallow.]

[feistytrader]

...If that's your watered down version of what the Executives did, you're free to stick to it. [That boy?... Red? ...Gold?]