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

[cheerfuldays]

( shizuku comes to slowly- she's always been that sort, and the exhaustion that makes her body feel heavy certainly doesn't help. it's only when she realizes this is a place she's never seen before that she enters full alertness, jolting upright and looking around the lecture hall- between one of the boys suddenly screaming to the general tension and confusion in the air, she's frankly unsure what to do. but this couldn't be a dream... almost reluctantly, shizuku checks the tablet.

when that turns out to be fruitless and the air begins to feel suffocating, shizuku slips out, unsure if she's holding her breath or not until she gets to the courtyard- not that it's any better. more buildings she doesn't recognize, and the fog... maybe she was better off inside. idly, she sort of... heaps onto a bench, trying to calm down. or, well, working on it until interrupted, anyways.

eventually, she tries to seek out a staff member- and this search leads her to the bookstore. maybe shizuku would be better off focusing, but she is having a real dilly of a day, so... may as well take a look at what there is, no? so catch her standing at the fiction section, quietly perusing the options. )

Oh... there's nothing that I recognize...

( oh, but there's one more mystery, right? and this one seems to be more in line with something she can do- so catch shizuku at the dormitory, keycard in hand and looking over the names.

sure is unnerving that she has a room here. and doesn't know like, anyone here. at all. it's probably fine. )

bookstore;

[fabulation]

Nothing? Well, that's not always so bad, is it?

[ New things means expanding new horizons and leading more and more into possible better avenues where fiction is concerned. As well as a chance for finding satisfactory reading in general.

At least, in his opinion. ]

[cheerfuldays]

No, not really. I suppose I was just hoping for something familiar in all of this.

( new horizons are all well and great, but sometimes you want something where you know how it ends perfectly to assuage the anxiety. still, shizuku picks up a book and hums a little- it looks like it's western style, but that's alright. )

[fabulation]

Oh. That's completely understandable. Our surroundings are foreign enough, after all.

[ Xingqiu says this, though he has already snatched up a book he believes looks interesting based upon first appearances... ]

Though, it looks like we've quite a selection here as well. Might as well take advantage of it, right?

[cheerfuldays]

( shizuku hums in agreement, before opening the book and... oh. that sure is english. and she can read english, of course, but... oof. she'll save that for a day she doesn't feel like her head's about to explode. is there anything in japanese...? ah. there we go- )

Have you seen anyone else around? Like... a clerk, or teachers? I feel like we might be breaking and entering.

( trivial, compared to, you know. intergalactic kidnapping, but still. )

dormitory

[unluckyday]

Hey, are you looking for you room?

[ There sure are a lot of people lingering uncertainly in the dorm hallway - and after Bennett has seen a few of them, he's suddenly certain he knows why they're lingering and not going right to their rooms. ]

If you can't read, I can help you find it!

[cheerfuldays]

Oh! Ehehe, no, that's alright. I can read!

( shizuku shakes her head, folding her hands together as she oft does. )

I was looking at who's where.

courtyard 💖

[festiverogue]

[He doesn't understand why this feeling of anxiety is rising in him, because as unsettling as this all is, he's been through enough that he's taking it relatively in stride. But there's a tightness in his chest that he can't ignore, and he's about to go find somewhere to hide until it wears off when he sees... a girl.

A sweet, innocent-looking girl in a heap on a bench. Someone who shouldn't be here, whatever this situation is. Wary as he is, he still heads over to her anyway, because she's alone, and maybe talking to someone will assuage this feeling. Crouching down beside the bench, he reaches out and offers a friendly touch to the shoulder.]

...Hey, you okay? Take some deeeeeep breaths.

[cheerfuldays]

( shizuku jolts, eyes wide and back stiff as a rod before she forces herself to relax a little, one hand curled over her chest. sorry for the anxiety spike there for a second, madara. )

I- sorry, I just wasn't expecting anyone...

( shaking her head, she tries to do as told. )

[festiverogue]

Sorry... I tend to be quiet at allll the wrong times!

[He offers a warm smile, but his voice is lowered. He's not sure why he felt like he was going to jump about a mile when she jolted, but weirder things have happened, he supposes. Like ending up here.

Standing, he takes a seat beside her without even asking, and places a hand on her upper back.]

Here, try to sit up straighter. Hunching over just makes it harder to breathe. I know it's scary, but you've got this!

bookstore

[selfconcept]

[ Maybe she won't recognize the usual fiction novels, but she might recognize other books like this hideous(?) math book he came across. He ends up shoving it into the fiction section. Math isn't real.

His weird checkered eyes stare at Shizuku for a bit as if gauging how much of a goody two shoes she is. ]

[cheerfuldays]

( oh--?? shizuku blinks, eyes wide for a moment... before she bursts into giggles. maybe too many giggles for such a simple joke, but when you need a laugh, you need a laugh. )

That's so-

( whatever she wants to say, she can't find the word. but she's smiling, at least- after an afternoon of anxiety and confusion, that's rather nice. )

[selfconcept]

[ With her reaction, Hien mentally notes that she's actually pretty alright. After seeing some cheery people today, it's nice to see someone who seems more... normal when it comes to being emotionally inclined. He kinda doesn't want to ruin it with his voice, so he stays quiet, even though his weird eyes are just There.

So he just takes his finger and puts it to the corner of his own lips. A smile suits her, while this sort of forced display of a smile on Hien, is not. ]

courtyard

[partymagician]

[ Fai is getting a look around the courtyard when he spots a girl sitting alone on the bench. He recognizes her from the assortment of people he saw in the lecture hall.

She must have found herself suddenly here too.

Without thinking about it too much, Fai approaches her. ]

May I join you, miss?

[ She could probably use some sort of company right now. Situations like this are scary. ]

[cheerfuldays]

( shizuku glances up for a moment before nodding. she recognizes him- but given that he was on the side of the student chairs, he's probably just as clueless to everything as she is. )

I don't mind. It's... really nice right here, actually.

[partymagician]

[ He sits down, giving her plenty of space. ]

It is, isn't it? The weather where I was last wasn't as peaceful.

[ But the trees are green and the breeze is nice. Without the fog around the school, it'd be perfect. ]

Bookstore

[herlocksholmes]

Isn't that more alluring?

[Sholmes does a wide wave all over the bookstore]

Here you have a veritable trove of books you haven't heard of before! Doesn't the mystery, the opportunity to peek into something unknown pique your curiosity?

[Says he, already picking up a random book and getting ready to give it a nice, long read. Investigating the building he found himself in? Yeah, that can wait until he sates his curiosity. This man can get distracted sometimes, that's for sure]

[cheerfuldays]

Ah, normally I might agree! But with the strangeness of it all, I suppose I was hoping for something familiar.

( the comfort of a book you know, or a drink or snack you love, in the midst of a chaotic storm of interdimensional kidnappings... apparently, that's one simple wish shizuku doesn't get right now.

oh well. )

Do you see anything you know?

[herlocksholmes]

Nothing at all! All I see are intriguing titles and authors I had never heard of in my life -- and I consider myself very well read!

[When was the last time Sholmes finished a book? He most likely has countless books he began and never finished because, well, he has too much going on to really sit down and read anything from cover to cover. Any information about books and authors is because he has heard about them, instead of because he has really read anything from them]

Courtyard

[mirrite]

[It's hard not to notice the girl just sort of huddled on a bench and looking... more than a little distressed, actually, and that's enough to activate the Concern. For once he's thankful that he doesn't have his gunblade on him - he's no idiot, he knows how giant weapons tend to come across to the average person - as he turns on his heel to make his way over to her, one eyebrow raised questioningly.]

Hey. You okay?

[He won't get too close until she signals that it's okay, though.]

[cheerfuldays]

Oh- um.

( the last thing she wants is to worry someone- but the whole situation is rather troubling, isn't it? quietly, shizuku glances away, fiddling with her necklace. )

It's just... a little overwhelming. Don't you think?

[mirrite]

It's definitely something, all right.

[Probably less 'something' to him if only because he's been so used to being on the other end of people from other worlds suddenly finding themselves in a brand new one. He's not so sure how he feels about being on this side, though...]

Not sure the whole thing has really sunk in just yet, but maybe that's for the best.

[...]

You here all by yourself?

courtyard

[tosa]

(Mutsunokami is an energetic spirit. He's loud and he likes to run around. There's really no containing his spirit. Not even being sucked into an isekai and shoved into a dream about being in school when he never studied can shake him. Of course, he can't expect others to handle this the same way. Yes, he thinks if he wasn't so used to getting thrown into new places all of the time and if he wasn't so naturally curious, he'd find this a lot more jarring.

So when he sees someone huddled on a bench, he tones it down just a bit. Yeah, he'll dial back his energy some so he doesn't overwhelm her but he'll keep his usual cheer,)

Gettin' some fresh air?

[cheerfuldays]

Oh... something like that. It felt a little crowded in there.

( which isn't normally a bad thing, of course- she's an idol, after all. crowds are part of the job. but there was yelling and panic and tensions and one guy got punched? it was a lot. it's only natural that a girl like her would want to get away from it.

shizuku offers a smile, and tries to pretend it's only slightly strained. )

What about you?

[tosa]

(He nods,)

Just figured there was more outside than inside so I wanted to come out and see.

(He is a simple sword boy.)

There's a lot more room out here.