INTRO LOG - JUNE 2014

[rekindlemods]

Who: Everyone
Where: The Welcome Center
When: 18th June, late 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. NPC responses may be slow.

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...

Close at hand there's a note that reads:

WELCOME CENTER
Newcomers: Please come downstairs 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 cool and relieving food and drink, including some you probably aren't familiar with. It's just as well they're in good supply, as the windows outside show a city well heated from a summer sun.

On the wall opposite are a pair of desks, each with a sign, and one person at her station-

Rhea, General Assistance
Andi, Technological Assistance

The plaques have a shiny new look to them, as do the desks. The one with 'Andi' listed appears to be empty, though. Gathered around both desks and several tables are boxes as well, and...Empty jars? The woman minding her desk doesn't appear to give them a second thought.

However, before you can go over and give at least one of 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 Rhea
Arrival Liaison

Outside, and through the translucent glass you can see a banner hanging from the tiled roof of the building across the street. The cheerful colors on it match well against a bright blue sky:

WELCOME TO SAENG SEONG
(ENJOY YOUR STAY!)

Comments

[needlefingers]

Chromedome catches up to him before he could go back inside.

"Not a lot of Decepticons around here."

He says cheerfully, catching Fulcrum by the arm and yanking him away from the building. There should be a good alleyway around here somewhere. Maybe.

"Let's go somewhere a little quieter."

[forcowardice]

It's not hard to yank the K-Con around; to his dismay, he's weaker and smaller and that's never really changed, before or after his reformat. Still, he struggles anyway to the best of his ability, but he's still stumbling around as the Autobot drags him away.

"How about we don't?"

This already doesn't bode well.

[needlefingers]

Everyone's been trying to tell him off over his "bad behaviour", but Chromedome feels like he's been doing a great job at ignoring them. Where does this aggression even come from? Rung might be able to give an actual answer, but Chromedome doesn't really care. Anything to blow off a little steam is good by him.

Fulcrum finds himself dragged into an alley and thrown against a wall.

"I hope you put up a better fight than the other Decepticon. You all make such convenient punching bags."

[forcowardice]

The weight of the K-Con is easily thrown, and Fulcrum feels his back hit against the wall. He winces, feeling some air forced out of his vents; they reset and he cycles air again.

What catches his attention is what he says. About the other Decepticon.

Before, Fulcrum would have been fine to yell for help, call for Spinister, and hide behind him. However, knowing he's being faced with this...

"You attacked Krok!" he snaps.

The smarter thing would be to try to make a run for it. To call for help or something. He isn't feeling very smart. Enraged on the behalf of his friend, Fulcrum swings a fist at the Autobot's visor.

[needlefingers]

The punch connects, much to Chromedome's surprise. Decepticons fighting back? Who knew they did that!

Honestly, he expected that to hurt a lot more than it did.

Despite the drama of the moment, he stops and stares at Fulcrum in disbelief.

"...Is that really the best you've got?" The punch just barely made a dent.

[forcowardice]

"Sonofa--" Fulcrum hisses, shaking his hand after the punch had connected to Chromedome. Frankly, that had hurt him more than it'd hurt the Autobot. "Hell, I think I popped a finger out of alignment!"

At the question, Fulcrum coughs and takes a step back. "Well, uh. I was going easy on you. You don't want to mess with all of this-- this barely contained K-Class rage and violence. Obviously."

Yeah, no one's gonna buy that.

"So, I'll just. Save you the effort. And go. Okayseeyoubye."

Fulcrum attempts to make a break for it.

[needlefingers]

Whoops, there goes Chromedome's bullshit detector. He quickly reaches out and grabs Fulcrum by the arm. This takes almost no effort at all.

"Heey, where're you going? We're not done here."

Pause.

"K-class? Really?"

[forcowardice]

"Oh no, I think we're completely done! What with your whole attempt at being an imposing Autobot and my incredible desire to be no where near you. Pretty self-explanatory."

He tries to twist his arm free. That's about as effective as one would expect from Fulcrum (which is not at all).

"Yes, really. I take it you've never really seen one considering you haven't been blown up, clearly. Which is a shame, it'd really improve things right now."

[needlefingers]

You know what? Maybe it's about time they stop messing around. Chromedome shrugs and suddenly slams a fist into Fulcrum's midsection. Ahh, that felt good. And hey, look at all the contact he's getting!

"Did you know that this counts as contact?" He asks, taking a step back. It's tempting to immediately follow up with a few more blows, but he wants to see how the Decepticon reacts first.

"Makes things even more fun."

[forcowardice]

K-Class armature isn't that durable. It's not meant to be, not when they're supposed to explode. So the first punch lands a good blow into his midsection, denting his plating and making Fulcrum stumble back, almost forcing him off his feet.

"I think you and I have two verrrry different definitions of fun," Fulcrum mutters through his groan of pain, which is not a thing he does well with.

Running away didn't work. Retaliating didn't help.

"SPINISTER!!" he shouts as loud as he can, definitely knowing that he can't get himself out of this one. Not on his own.

[needlefingers]

The next couple of punches were well earned, or so Chromedome thinks. Both of them went right to Fulcrum's face, hopefully hard enough to do some actual damage. THIS is how you punch someone Fulcrum, god.

He doesn't know who Spinister is, but he figures he can get a few more kicks in before he makes his daring escape.

No wait, he decides to do something better.

Leaning over, he gets a good grip on the Decepticon and puts his hand near his face. There's a shark shrrkk sound, and hello, suddenly Fulcrum has needles practically in his eye.

"Have you ever been injected before? Do you know what I can do? Here's a hint: it involves getting in your head and taking your precious memories from you. I can make you forget who you are... or even make you forget your friends. How does that sound?"

He's tempted to do it. Just reach right in and mess with the Decepticon's mind. It's like an itch in the back of his mind. He really wants to do it. Really wants to do it.

[forcowardice]

It's not the first beating he's ever received, nor the worst. But it doesn't mean he can tolerate it very well, either. He can feel the unfortunately familiar feeling of energon bleeding down his impressive chin, and he hasn't much the strength to fight off the Autobot.

He probably won't die, but obviously worse things than that can happen.

The needles make his optics widen, and the threat is haunting. Removing his friends from his memories, the only reason he had any real inspiration to stand up to Tarn? It makes him angry and terrified.

A hand comes up and grabs onto Chromedome's wrist, struggling and attempting to shove the needles as far as possible from himself. "Get the hell away from me," Fulcrum hisses, trying to sound more furious than afraid. Inwardly, he hopes that maybe Spinister heard him.

[triggerhappycopter]

Spinister doesn’t tend to announce his arrival dramatically and he tends to arrive like a tossed lead brick: suddenly and heavily.

Unless Chromedome dodges, he’s getting thoroughly ploughed over by a pissed off, magenta and teal tower of metal.