rekindleme | January Intro Log

Entry tags:

January Intro Log

Who: Everyone
Where: The Welcome Center
When: 12th December, early 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.

'I'm sorry for this... but we need your help.'

Yet the feeling -and the voice - pass quickly, and when you awaken, you begin to realize your surroundings. It's a small room with what some might recognize as something akin to 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 red 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...

On a small table beside you, there rests a note atop a manilla envelope (that oddly enough is enscribed with your name). Unfolding the note will reveal some answers in the form of a letter addressed to all arrivals.

Inside the manilla envelope , 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 second letter folded neatly on the top.

Odd... Neither were written in your own language, and yet you find it easily understandable. Soon enough, if you don't make an exit 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 or upset as to what's going on, but we promise to explain further once you've had a chance to stretch your legs!"

Whether you go downstairs immediately or linger a little longer, eventually you must come on down to leave 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 warm and filling food and drink, including some you probably aren't familiar with. It's just as well they're in good supply, as rain is pouring outside with no sign of relenting. During this time of the year, it's definitely something to leave a chill in the bones. Perhaps picking up a rain coat by the desks on the other side of the room might be a good idea. Who knows? You may just find something suspiciously in your size!

Speaking of those desks, two ladies seem eager to answer any questions you may have, names and positions conveniently written on signs on their desk.

Irene, General Assistance
Andi, Technological Assistance

Outside, and through the heavy rain and translucent glass you can see a banner hanging from the tiled roof of the building across the street. The deep autumnal colors on it match the welcoming (though rather damp) atmosphere as the letters proclaim:

WELCOME TO SAENG SEONG
(ENJOY YOUR STAY!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Czeslaw's unease is mirrored by Bucky's own, and his fists clench in his pockets. Either his memories of his home had been locked for some reason, or he hadn't gone home at all. Were they keeping people somewhere instead of sending them home now?

"January 12th. When's the last date you remember?"

"It was November. The 7th or 8th, maybe?" He hadn't been playing that close attention, and now he regrets it. He was just now realizing how much he had let his guard down in this new world.

He looks the kid up and down, but nothing seems particularly out of place physically. He doesn't get what the purpose of the situation might be, but he can at least make sure he's alright.

"You're not hurt or anything?"

Czes shudders in response. "It's not like I would notice if I was."

The truth of the matter is that he could have spent the past two months in a torture chamber and, with his memory gone, he has no way of knowing. Unfortunately, with the circumstances as they are he's not being especially careful with his tone of voice, which is a little pointed for the average twelve year old, or what exactly he's saying.

Of course, if the powers that be in Saeng Seong have figured out his secret, there's not a huge point in keeping it, is there? It would only give them the ability to blackmail him.

It seems obvious that Czeslaw been through enough to give him the idea that he might have been hurt. Bucky can't see any obvious marks of anything, but the way he's acting...

His social skills have improved a lot since he last saw Czes--enough that he can speak a little better about sensitive things without seeming indifferent. He lowers his voice slightly in case any of the officials or security turn their attention towards them.

"You think they might have done something?"

Czes looks down for a couple of seconds, composing himself. It's a risk, but even though Bucky is sort of terrifying to be around he does tend to act like he feels concern for Czes. And he presumably has a better understanding of how things work around here than Czes, so...

"By they...you mean whoever's in charge here?" He's speaking lowly too, and his tone is dry as he finally looks up. "It's possible. But we probably shouldn't talk about it here in the open."

He glances around, his bearing totally different than normal. There's suddenly a confidence in his posture that is really at odds with how he usually holds himself. This talk usually goes better if he drops the 'kid' act to give it.

"Want to take a walk, Mister James?"

Bucky nods in response, and the change in demeanor makes him wonder just what's going on in his head. He's always taken people seriously regardless of age, but speaking about whatever the scientists might be up to is another level. He takes the subject very seriously.

He relaxes his posture, seeming almost casual as he turns to head out of the welcome center.

"Sounds like a plan."

Czes walks beside him, wearing a similarly casual demeanor. He doesn't try to make conversation until they reach the doors, at which point he realizes that it's pouring outside.

"Ugh..." He mutters mostly to himself, but immediately after notices an umbrella rack with a couple of umbrellas just begging to be borrowed. He snags one quickly and glances back at Bucky.

"After you."

At his direction, Bucky steps forward, not really minding the rain. He'll dry off his clothes later, but he has more important things to focus on right now.

He knows the city well at this point, so he doesn't waste any time looking for somewhere to go--he heads towards the nearest secluded alley with some amount of coverage from the rain, making sure Czes can keep up.

Czes is grateful for the cover, though he keeps his umbrella up anyway. They're still outside, after all. He leans casually against the wall, and gives Bucky what could be considered a smarmy smile. He's kind of nervous about sharing this with Bucky, but he's making an effort not to show it. This is his usual demonstration so he'll stick with it.

"So, how can I put this? I would make a pretty interesting experiment to those scientist types." He pats himself down, looking for something, but comes up short and sticks his free hand in his pocket instead. "It'll be a lot easier if I just show you. I don't suppose you have a pocket knife I can borrow?"

He has at least five knives on him at all times, Czes.

He frowns slightly, like he doesn't like where this is going, but he takes out one of his hidden blades nonetheless and holds it out to him. It's not a good way to follow up a suggestion that he'd be an interesting experiment.

Czes takes it with the ease of someone who is used to handling that sort of thing and rolls his sleeve up with a sense of efficiency. His smile turns into something that looks a little unsettling on the face of a child. A cross between a smirk and the kind of teasing smile a kid would be more likely to give.

"Pay attention, this part is pretty cool." He quickly slashes his own arm, making the cut pretty deep just to drive home the point that it's not a sleight of hand. He holds the knife up, blood glistening on the blade, still smiling. Blood from the wound drips onto the pavement.

And, after about five seconds, every drop of that blood slowly comes back to his arm, gliding through the air as though the wound has turned into a magnet, and once it's back inside his body it closes like he never even cut himself to begin with.

Czes grins expectantly as he casually flips the blade and offers it back to Bucky. He didn't even flinch when he hurt himself.

Although he doesn't look pleased at the fact that Czes hurt himself, he doesn't react with anything other than his expression at first. He seems to have some sort of clear reasoning behind it, so Bucky leaves it alone for the moment despite his doubts.

The sight of the red liquid retreating back into the cut doesn't make him do much more than stare for several seconds, but after that, he lets out a breath and loses some of the tension in his posture, as if he's made a realization. He takes the knife back from the supposed kid.

"Every injury does that?" he asks, now well aware of how he could be an interesting experiment. Bucky has to wonder if HYDRA ever tested how quickly he could heal.

Czes huffs a little at the lack of reaction, though he guesses he shouldn't have expected much from someone like Bucky. But for once he's not hesitating to meet Bucky's gaze.

"Yeah. To put it simply, I can't be killed. I don't really age, either. That's kind of inconvenient when it comes to the ladies, you know?"

He seems more at ease now than he's ever been around Bucky, although it's partially an act. He always feels like it gives him a strong position if he acts confident when he reveals these things. That he's less likely to be victimized if he doesn't come off as weak.

He can't be killed and doesn't age... So he's not a kid at all, then. Not being able to die, he could get into all sorts of things and still survive... though he's sure it has consequences, it sounds convenient.

"Guess we have some things in common," he says, resting the edge of his knife against his fingers and inspecting the blade for any trace of the blood that was on it. After Czeslaw spilled his secrets, he supposes he doesn't have much issue telling a few of his own.

"I already know you're not an immortal," Czes says smugly. "Not like I am, anyway."

Of course, maybe since Bucky has a knife in his hand he should tone down the smug factor a little. This is the kind of thing that's gotten him horribly murdered in the past, to be honest.

"I'll admit I'm curious, though. About what we have in common." He's entertaining the idea of Bucky being a homunculus or something similar.

"Younger than we look," he explains, placing the knife back in its hidden spot... wherever that is. "Experimented on. Heal quickly."

Thanks to being reverted to his younger self last month, he has a few clearer memories of the first time he was taken by Zola... even if he was made delirious enough to not be certain of the details, he has no doubt that those were a part of what made his abilities what they are.

"Though the healing was the result, instead of the cause, and I don't heal that fast."

Czes' expression shutters at the reminder of experimentation and he glances away.

"Sorry to hear that." He hesitates a moment, wondering which way he should take the conversation. "Well, I guess in this case I should probably be grateful that I can't remember what they did. If it was even them."

"Not sure if the scientists would or what they'd get out of it," he admits, diverting his own gaze. "But it's possible. There's one of them that's more dangerous than the others. Kidnapped his boss's friend behind her back."

Several things have happened in the past couple of months that people should know no matter if they're involved or not, as far as he's concerned. He assumes Czeslaw is someone who'd rather know.

"There's more to be learned from a living specimen than a cadaver, I suppose." That's what Fermet thought, anyway, for all that Czes tries to avoid the man's memories. Sometimes he regrets looking at them at all but he is the kind of person who would rather know, in any situation.

"Or they could be interested in the idea of immortality. I've wondered if that's why I ended up here in the first place."

He shrugs, frowning. "I would remember it if I had gone back to my own world, though, don't you think?"

"All the natives are over a hundred years old. Maybe they're trying to keep that going and restore everything else."

He doesn't know much about what's causing it aside from the miasma, or if removing the substance would make them all age normally again. It hasn't really been something that's interested him.

He nods at Czeslaw's question. "Doesn't make sense for them to remove memories of when we aren't here."

He isn't really sure what Cyntia would get from that. He's spoken to a few people who left the city temporarily and remembered their stay at home... so the most logical explanation is that he was kept here.

"Trying to unlock the secret of immortality...what a pain."

Czes feels like he's hit on the reason he was brought here. The fact that it's based on a lot of assumptions doesn't phase him too much.

"So, I was gone for two months but now I've been released back to the general public. Whoever is responsible, they must have finished what they planned for me."

"Just another thing they're hiding."

He has his suspicions about who that he's already shared, and he doesn't have to wonder much about the motives. There are a lot of people who are interested in not dying. He puts his mismatched hands in his pockets, turning his attention back to the not-kid. He'll have to adjust the way he thinks about Czeslaw.

"So what do you plan to do now?"

"I don't know," Czes admits, a touch sullen. "It's all so sudden, I hate coming up with plans on the fly. Certainly I'll want to lay low for a while, as much as that's possible around here. Maybe gather some supplies."

He sighs gustily. "I was all set to have a quaint little vacation while I waited to be sent back home. It looks like that's not an option anymore."

After all, it's one thing to just drift along when you never age or die and are fairly confident things will work out eventually, but another thing altogether to try the same thing when you think someone's after you.

"If you don't want to stay where they put you, I have a couple places," he offers. "Or if you want to stay with someone, there's a woman who has a place for people the ones in charge don't like."

Being immortal, it probably isn't nearly as important to Czes to come up with what he should do so soon. And given Bucky's extremely short frame of reference in comparison, even with the additional memories his younger self afforded him, he's used to coming up with plans in a short time frame.

January Intro Log

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

wow self good job using the OPPOSITE of the word you meant

for that one moment...it was opposite day

that's my story and i'm sticking to it

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)