00 - prologue

[afflictionmods]

PROLOGUE

It doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing – something strange begins to happen. There's a sudden burning sensation that wraps around your right wrist and part of your forearm. If you glance at the affected area, you'll find that it's...glowing.  The glow is pale blue, and it's so bright that it hurts to look at. The burn itself isn't so painful that you feel like keeling over just yet, but it does hurt nevertheless.

But before you have time to try to soothe the pain, you start to feel lightheaded, dizzy. Perhaps some of you may attribute this to any injuries you may currently be sustaining. For those who were previously unscathed, however, there's quite possibly no explanation for this other than the sudden appearance of the mysterious burn on your arm.

There is no time to mull it over, though, because it is the last thing that you see before the world suddenly fades to black.

-----

When you regain your senses, your vision is blurry; but when it starts to even out and you survey your surroundings, you find yourself sitting in a rather uncomfortable chair. Looking around you’ll see rows and rows of chairs, all facing the same way towards a desk, a podium, and an empty wall. A projector hangs from the ceiling and the lighting is bright and artificial... For some of you, it might be reminiscent of a college lecture hall. For others, you might have never seen anything like this before.

Your wrist, by the way, feels perfectly fine...though there’s now some kind of strange marking on it. It looks like a scar of some sort, and if you choose to touch it, it doesn’t feel inflamed or damaged in any way...but that doesn’t mean you don’t experience any pain. Perhaps the last thing some of you remember is a hard-fought battle, and the aches from your injuries still linger; some of you might not even remember getting hurt, and yet, your body aches like it has; for the lucky ones who feel fine, well. Pray that it lasts for a little while longer.

Because the moment someone gets hurt – emotionally or physically – there’s a small chance you’ll feel it, too. Where and who and what it’s coming from, though, is on you to figure out.

In front of you on the desk is some kind of device – a tablet, for those of you who are familiar. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be capable of doing much of anything right now, other than take photos and videos with the Camera app. There's also a translating app for those of you who need help reading some of the text around campus, as it is all in English. (Verbally, however, you can understand everyone in your own language. Tablets are also in characters' native languages.) It seems to be incredibly durable and hard to break, but you may want to be careful with it regardless.

Something shifts in your pocket (or...in your socks/shoe/what have you, if pockets aren't a thing) as you move around. Should you reach in and feel for it, you’ll find some kind of card – those who are familiar with modern technology will recognize that this is some kind of card you need to swipe. It has your name and a photo of you on one side, and the back of the card has the word "KEYCARD" on it.

There are also other people here, scattered throughout this mysterious classroom you’re in. In fact, there’re a bunch of you — 29 others, to be exact.

And now... you’re free to do whatever you want. Mostly anything, at least, given that once you step outside and explore, you’ll notice an ominous fog behind the various buildings within view. Still, this is a good time to get your bearings, check on what you have - and don’t have - and talk to the people around you until orientation starts.

-----

( OOC: Welcome to your Intro Log! The partner system is in effect for the Intro Log, meaning that yes, pain share is happening! For some notes regarding the partner system, your character will not know who their partner is upon arrival. It’s entirely possible that they find out now if their partner gets or is already injured, or if they can pick up on their mood. Otherwise, they’ll find out later today...!

Anyone who tries to leave campus grounds will have to enter through the fog, but no matter what, they will mysteriously wind up back onto campus grounds. And for clarification, the keycards are what characters need to gain access to their dorms!

Finally, we will have an NPC Reveal at 6pm EST today! )

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Comments

[totalcatastrophe]

Close enough. Don't forget beheadings, starvation, and oppressive monarchies.

[ Those are way more entertaining than being burned at the stake. Luci... just lets this being picked up thing happen. He's sort of used to it. And is surprisingly lightweight! ]

What about you, Dr. Maybe?

[selfconcept]

Starvation is also a trend several hundred years ahead.

[ Ha. ]

I'm from the void.

[ Said flatly. Is he lying? Sounds like a lie. He starts taking Luci to the health room, still holding onto him like longcat. ]

[totalcatastrophe]

Score.

[ Not surprised at all. Humans: 0, Hell: 1, apparently. ]

That near Hell?

[ Longcat for too long and he'll try to sort of wiggle his way out to reposition Dr. Maybe's hands to hold him so he can stretch out with his own hands behind his head instead. But if that fails, well just call him Mr. Grumpy Longcat all the way to the health center. ]

[selfconcept]

A different kind of void. I look over a bunch of worlds and stuff. But I guess being that close to hell wouldn't be too farfetched for someone like me.

[ When Luci wiggles, Hien changes the position so that he's cradling him like a baby. He can definitely put his hands behind his head in that position too. Win-win. Maybe.

They arrive at the health center. Before Hien gets anything, he holds one of Luci's hind legs and wiggles it. Did he really sprain it... ]

[totalcatastrophe]

Bunch of worlds, huh? So are you some kind of big shot?

[ Perfect. He's now dead weight, still but looking more like he's lounging than hurt. His leg seems to be fur covered, relatively catlike. But depending on how rough he's being... he might discover there's too much give when pressing against Luci's leg, too much wobbly bonelessness when shaken. ]

[selfconcept]

Never felt like one.

[ But is he? Yeah. Kinda. He's not lying about not feeling like one though. ]

Just someone who eats a lot. My diet is very...

[ ... ]

... varied.

[ Hm. This feeling in Luci's leg is a little weird. ]

Hey, are you like... part octopus?

[totalcatastrophe]

Why not?

[ Luci straightens out his leg as best he can while in the doctor's clutches, wiggling his wee toes and remembering to wince again. Less wobbly. ]

Maybe.

[ but his tone says no. ]

[selfconcept]

You barely have bones in your leg.

[ Or... something like that. He's not sure. Hien sure as hell never felt a cat like this before, but then again, Luci is obviously not the typical cat. Well, despite everything, he grabs a roll of bandages and some pain-relieving ointment and sits down on a chair with Luci on his lap. ]

If I have to pick a reason, I'd say it's because I can't do the things I want.

[ He puts the ointment over several places on Luci's leg, making sure it gets under the fur. ]

[totalcatastrophe]

Who needs bones?

[ Most people. But, he's more interested in the answer to his question, ears perking up again. ]

Really? Can't you just enslave some minions?

[ Luci sighs like this is a massage instead of medical treatment, but the attention gets him to sit still. ]

[selfconcept]

[ Rather than quipping on the morality of enslaving people, Hien slowly shakes his head no as he continues to gently rub the ointment into Luci's skin(?). ]

I can't trust anyone else to do it for me. You wouldn't give the important jobs to mooks, right? If they fuck it up, that's on us. If I have to bear responsibility for something, it might as well be something for I did and not someone else.

[ Hien massages the ointment into Luci's other hind leg too. ]

[totalcatastrophe]

So you still gotta boss, Dr. Big shot?

[ Ugh he's really trying not to purr here. But whatever it's happening and Hien will just have to deal with it. ]

That's the spot. You know, I think my feet could use some of that stuff. What is it anyway?

[selfconcept]

Hm? It's pain-relieving ointment. Do you want lotion instead?

[ But he pauses for a moment, but continues his finger motions. Cute purring Luci... ]

I'm Hien. Just that. I'm my own terrible boss.

[totalcatastrophe]

... Hey, if that's what the doctor orders. Oh! See if they have any with mercury and lead.

[ Luci stretches his arms out before crossing them behind his head again. The purring ebbs and flows depending on the motion, but he's trying real hard not to care about that. ]

Please, bosses can do whatever they want. You work hard, right? You deserve to take it easy.

[ Like taking a petcation to pet a demon. ]

[selfconcept]

[ Mercury or lead... He highly doubts the health room has anything like that mixed with lotion. ]

They're out of them. Although, this is me, taking it easy.

[ As much as he can with some depressing thoughts lingering in his head. After he's done with the hind legs, he pauses. ]

Do you want it anywhere else? Like your front legs?

[ Or arms. ]

[totalcatastrophe]

Damn. Humans looove poisoning themselves with that crap. Slathering it on their faces and everything!

[ He sounds way too amused.

Luci holds his arms up at Hien's offer. His hands are clearly hands up close, overly small in relation to the rest of him with two pointy fingers and what could be considered a thumb. ]

You know, you got issues if being kidnapped's the only time you 'take it easy'. Bet nobody'd notice if you slacked off more.

[selfconcept]

Yup. Got plenty of issues alongside that, but you're right. I could just slack off, but I don't want to. At the same time, I'm not in a hurry.

[ He starts rubbing the pain-relieving ointment over Luci's arms and hands. He's really getting the spa treatment with medicine, isn't he... ]

Nice hands, by the way.

[totalcatastrophe]

What other issues you got?

[ Blink. First time anyone has given him that specific compliment before, which is really saying something for someone that's lost track of millenniums. This guy is all kinds of weird. But it beats boring. He wiggles the fingers in Hien's grip. ]

You know, besides a thing for hands.

[ He's still purring though. ]

[selfconcept]

A bunch. We'd probably be here all night if I had to list them all, but I'm surprisingly well-adjusted.

[ He would have added "sane", but that's even more opinionated then claiming to be well-adjusted. Hien views them as two different things. ]

I actually don't have a thing for hands. I like humanoid legs a lot more.

[ He's a legs guy... Not sure if Luci has shadow beans in his hand despite it being a hand, so Hien massages them. ]

[totalcatastrophe]

You sound pretty sure about that. Think you've got the self awareness to know that?

[ Going to go with... no visible beans but he might feel something akin to them. A rougher patch with no fur. Similar to his feet, since it's not like he can't walk on all fours naturally. Pretty much everything still seems to blend in with his non-reflective black fur, even the skin(??) beneath it, like he's a little furry shadow. ]

Okay, a little vanilla--What kind of humanoid legs we talking here? Beefy? Long? Stubby?

[selfconcept]

[ Hien Callias, the concept of Self, says— ]

Yeah.

[ Eloquent. ]

I like long and slender legs, but they need to be wearing clothes that show them off very well. A bare leg isn't gonna do anything.

[ He finishes massaging Luci's hands and arms and ties a little bandage on his hind legs in a way that doesn't restrict his movements. ]

There.

[totalcatastrophe]

Uh-huh.

[ Ugh, not much to pick at there. ]

What about stockings? Lingerie? Heels? You know, the depths of leg depravity know no bounds.

[ He says as the massaging stops, along with the purrs. Bandage finished, he stands up to scamper off Hien's lap (tail moving to loop the leg he climbs down for balance). Once grounded, Luci lifts the bandaged leg up in front of him, tilting it around to get a good look at that handiwork that he'll probably be ripping off soon. ]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien is quiet for a moment after he's asked about the question. Other than Luci getting off his lap, he just stays sitting there on the chair. He'll miss massaging kitty legs. ]

You really wanna know? You can't take it back.

[totalcatastrophe]

[ Luci would let him again. Not that he's gonna admit that this welcome has made the whole experience arriving here easier not to worry about where Bean and Elfo are. He's still got to finish searching around for them, but he's not in a hurry either. ]

Look, bub, nothing you tell me is gonna shock me. So spit it out.

[selfconcept]

[ Hien wants to say it's not really the shock factor, but. Fine.

Okay. ]

Long slender legs look really good in leggings. They give the legs shape in a more obvious color and depending on the one you're wearing, they make the legs seem longer. But the combination that shouldn't be underestimated is the one with the garter, stocking, and shorts. That little gap between the shorts and the stocking that are barely held together by the garter is the real good shit. It's even better if they wear specific shoes that have heels, because they really accentuate how your legs look. Fishnets in particular. Black sheer stockings are nice too.

[ i hate i typed all this but also Hien is gonna keep going if Luci doesn't stop him. ]

[totalcatastrophe]

[ Have an appreciative little whistle. But he's not stopping him.


Sorry. ]