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theafflicted2022-05-21 07:30 am
afflictionmods) wrote in theafflicted2022-05-21 07:30 am
00 - prologue
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! )
2
Woah... (He holds some sour cream and cheddar chips! Five different types of jerky!) Check it out!
(And to the next shelf he goes. There's shampoo! Laundry detergent! He grabs a pack of ballpoint pens. And over here!! There are magazines for like, National Geographic or something. He has to get one of those too.)
'S nothing like the store back home! This 's gotta be... yeah, it's gotta!
(LOOK THERE ARE EVEN CANS OF SODA! And juice! And different types of milk that clearly come from different cows. And next to it are machines that let you mix your own drinks which is where Ryouma is creating his monster drink.)
Yeah! It's a modern "konbini!"
(--Jya in that unmistakable Tosaben. Ignore his armful of goods.)
no subject
What're the odds of comin' to a place like this and meetin' another Tosa man, huh?!
[ ...because how else would you greet someone in this situation other than to yell across the room loudly. he also takes a swig of the drink in his hand. there are... flavours happening, for better or worse. this will require more science. ]
Oho, ya oughta try this. I mixed all the kinds together all at once!
no subject
(He's just as loud. He can't hide his excitement so why bother? He might as be as loud as he is proud.)
Guess no matter how big the world gets, 's still a pretty small place sometimes.
(Yeah, yeah. He's coming over!)
Yeah? So these things let ya make your own drinks... man! You can really do anything!
no subject
[ because that's exactly the sort of thing he would've said!!! ]
... 'cause actually, I'm pretty sure this is a totally different world entirely!
no subject
(He'd cross his arms if he wasn't holding so much junk. Well, this is basically the same...)
Feels pretty Earth-y to me. (And he taps his foot as if trying to prove his point. See? It's Earth-y.) Kinda western... but that doesn't make it a whole new world. 'S got good lighting, too.
(Therefore? Maybe not a whole new world?)
... Guess the fog is weird, though.
(Hm.)
no subject
[ which is an easier thing to say than pointing out he feels weird and his wife is missing. but now he's curious. ]
... What's the lighting got to do with it?
[ maybe he missed something?? ]
1/2
What. Slow down. Rewind. Rules of this place is one thing but magic???)
no subject
(Yeah. He holds up one hand to wobble it in the air and drops a box of oatmeal cream cookies or something.)
Good weather!
(Yeah.)
no subject
[ rip to the cookies. ]
Heh, you looked pretty surprised a second ago. Somethin' I said?
[ he knows what he said. ]
no subject
(Stop calling him out.)
Huh? Well... I guess ya mentioned magic. 'S pretty silly, don't ya think?
no subject
[ and the part where that's what servant bodies are made of but he'll get to that when he gets to that. ]
Not like I know what I'm doin' with it exactly, but it's really real!
no subject
(Nice save. Because this world looks modern, he should use the modern name!)
So what're ya? Some sort of magician? Or are ya like one of those fancy wizards at parks?
(USJ. He's talking about USJ and Harry Potter.)
no subject
[ tfw that's more literal now than ever. ]
It's sorta complicated, but I don't do tricks so much as I... fix things. I want to create a world where everyone can be happy one day, so, for me, that's where it starts.
no subject
(Do you ever feel like you're talking to a mirror because Mutsu sure is getting a feeling. Just a little itch... That feeling in his chest that makes it beat a little stronger.)
That's the Kochi spirit for ya, ain't it? (Well, not really. It's true, back home, you can rely on the Tosa swords to get things done no matter the challenge.) I feel the same way!
Heh... what're the chances of running into someone from back home here. Feels like I already know ya.
(He lets out a sigh. A nice, content, saaaaa.)
no subject
Yeah? Then you must be from the future, huh?
[ it's a reasonable guess?? ]
Honestly? Whatever the chances are is a kind of math I can't do, so just know it ain't very good chances. That's why it's probably more likely we're here for a reason. S'pose the next question would be "why".
[ he forgets his awful soda is awful and takes a drink after all this talking. he's goin thru it like the kombucha girl. ]
no subject
(Oh, gods, is he in a situation where...... he needs to think about this sort of thing? He supposes that should have been a given but he just assumed that if they were in this modern place and this guy is dressed all modern, he must also be modern.
No comment on being here for a purpose, though. He has his own little theories and opinions but those are just for him. For now.)
no subject
[ NO BIG DEAL. JUST THE TIME. TRAVEL. ]
I've been all over different times but I don't get the chance to see much of the world. I dunno how the people think. In my own, Tosa was still jus' startin' to wake up, so if things changed, that's good news! The last place I happened to be workin' before comin' here was in the 21st Century though!
1/2
He mentions time travel which is surprising enough! But he considers himself open enough and it's pretty arrogant to think of himself as the only time traveler here. Maybe there are others? What does he know!?
But
"In my own, Tosa was just starting to wake up, so if things changed, that's good news."
What does that mean... he's math lady'ing it up over here. If things were getting ready to change then that means... maybe they're remembering the same time period? And then there's this feeling like he's talking to someone he already knows and he's felt this once before.)
no subject
Time travel? Gahaha! Real crazy talk ya got there.
(Yeah,)
What's your name, stranger?
no subject
[ there's an anxious sort of giddy feeling in knowing he's going to answer the question that he knows he's only experiencing because he hasn't seen someone from back home — really, actually that place — in so long. this is what happens when you lose touch with your own story. ]
I'm Sakamoto Ryouma.
[ maybe you've heard of me. ]
no subject
He's surprised. Of all of the names he could have heard, there's one that he hadn't expected to hear. He knows Ryouma. He knows Ryouma better than he knows himself, he thinks. And this guy doesn't look like the Ryouma he remembers or knows. But at the same time, he isn't so surprised because... he wasn't kidding when he said he felt like he knew him. The way this guy responded to him and answered his questions was just like how he, Mutsunokami, would have answered and he would have answered that way because he inherited his character from Ryouma in the first place.
There's excitement. His heart swells and he's warm with great pride and love. Even if this guy wasn't Ryouma, he'd feel the same. In all of the centuries that have passed without him, he still loves Ryouma. He's proud to be his sword. He's proud because of him.
And his heart sinks because from the moment he was summoned, one of the rules that he'd taken to heart was to be careful when confronting his past. Their mission is a secret and important one. He can't allow selfish feelings to get in the way. Even if he wants to run into his arms and say a million words, he has to behave. )
Y-you're pulling my leg...
(Mutsu just looks surprised.
This is some sort of joke, right? Or a coincidence? Sakamoto is a common enough name. Ryouma is a hero in Tosa. Maybe someone was just proud or something...?)
no subject
[ it's strange, that jumble of feelings he can't put his finger on. it's all too confusing and a little too similar to his own to quite realise they might not belong.
it's not that ryouma would ever worry about being remembered favourably as much as knowing he accomplished something. ]
Always a chance it wouldn't, weird stuff like this bein' what it is. If y' have questions, I'm happy to answer 'em. Only I figure maybe ya don't wanna hang onto all'a that forever...
[ which is to say, he's fine to have this chat in the middle of a deserted konbini or they can bag up their haul and choose the alternative. ]
Daylight's burnin' and you wanted to take a walk anyway, right?
no subject
Yeah, well... Ryouma's-- you're a pretty famous guy. Ain't a soul in all Japan that hasn't heard of him--you. (He's so, so proud.) I guess you're just... a li'l different than I thought.
(Is this okay to say. Ah, he doesn't know. He's grateful for a brief distraction.)
Right. Yeah. (HE HOLDS UP HIS GOODS,) Let me get this all bagged up.
no subject
[ it's one part humbleness and one part really not knowing much about his own hype. ]
But I'm different how? Taller? More handsome?
[ these little jokes are fun and how often do you get to make them?? he'll keep his hell soda and collect a few bags of random snacks on the way out. unclear what kinds — the fun is in trying weird new things! ]
no subject
Well... never seen ya dressed like a modern man before.
(Ryouma died before he could, after all. Ah...)
(no subject)