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

[magicam]

#selfie

[Huh. That's... weird. One minute, Cater was going through the mirrors, and the next minute he's sitting right smack in the middle of a lecture hall that looks distinctly more modern (and more brightly lit, honestly) than any back at Night Raven. It's easy enough to figure out that the tablet is his - everyone has one, after all - and that it's meant to replace... well. All the personal belongings taken from his pockets (spooky!!!), which is a little unsettling, but.

Can't let that show! He's not genre-savvy enough to start leaping to any wilder conclusions than 'hey, maybe this is where Yuu came from, weird'.

Especially not when there's a camera app to pour all of his attention into. It's easier than, you know, worrying like some kind of sane person.]

Aaaah, this lighting is totes not good... maybe Cay should go outside to commemorate the moment...

bookstore

[So, all that nonchalance at the initial arrival? There's definitely significantly less of it now that Cater's had a little time to explore, a little time to see that he's been thrown here with only the clothes on his back, and the only alternative is what's here.

It's not fashionable, no, but it'll do for pajamas and laundry, at the very least.

That's not the problem, though. The problem is, he's got two fairly decent stacks of items gathered up - a stack of clothes, and a stack of notebooks and pens and such things, just in case - and... is that muttering? That's definitely muttering.]

Eh? Ehh?? Where are the other Cay-kuns, is he just being lazy today...? I don't feel sick...

[Someone just found out about the power nerfs. Oops.]

dorms

[So, you know that thing in dorms, where those super extroverted types tend to keep their doors open to look all cool and welcoming to anyone passing by looking to meet the neighbors and/or make friends?

Yeah. Yeah. He's that type. (Sorry, Idia.) He's likely to be sitting on the bed he's claimed as his and messing with the tablet and photo app, but as soon as anyone so much as peeks in, there will be a cheerful greeting and a peppy wave.]

Hihi~

wildcard

[So there's a lot of new places to explore, and the lighting outside? Definitely better than in the auditorium, so it's totally valid to find Cater exploring and/or taking pictures and/or selfies out and about! He'll even give a friendly wave and acknowledgement at being stared at!]

dorms

[escardos]

Uwahh, hello!

[ is flat trying to go around and greet people? yes, absolutely. which is why he's waving back, his smile equally bright. ]

I'm Flat. It's nice to meet you!

[magicam]

Cater!

[Flat... Flat... sure is a weird name, he takes a moment to mull it over for a second before deciding that, no, there's no real easy way to make it cutesy-sounding, so please assume that if Flat's Automatic Translation Hearing(tm) includes honorifics, then whatever the equivalent to '-chan' is is now permanently attached to his name. Congrats!]

Totes nice to see a friendly face around, yanno? [Not that he knows Flat is friendly... or vice versa... but they're both putting on genial airs, so it's fine. Probably.] Do you know what's going on, though? Cay is super lost...

[escardos]

[ flat is friendly! or, at least, he seems genuine? he doesn't seem afraid of cater at all, and even leans against the frame of the door. ]

Oh, do you talk in third person? [ flat you can't just say that. ] Anyways, I think we're in an isekai! Or something like that.

bookstores;

[sicklysweet]

Did you not realize you're all alone here? Are you that desperate for company? I'll spend some time with you, if that's what you want.

[Hello, Cater. It's time for Owen to pop up over your shoulder - though without his magic he has to rely on the old-fashioned way to suppress his presence, and isn't all that especially sneaky.]

[magicam]

Eh?!

[Ah. He has some very sudden company. Luckily for Owen, he was preoccupied enough with his magic not working that the sneaking was... successful! He even looks a little startled when someone pops over his shoulder, wow!

...Before putting on a somewhat cheery, almost airheaded smile.]

Well, yanno, Cay knew he was alone, but that's the problem! I have to take this allllll back to my dorm- [gesturing at the Pile Of Things] -and usually Cay can make more of himself, but... not right now. It's totes spooky.

[sicklysweet]

[Aw yeah, still got it.

He smiles in response to Cater's, but it's much less... Friendly. He kind of smiles like he has terrible news and he's excited to talk about it.]

So you're weak, now? Lost your magic, what makes your life so much easier, and now you're left to struggle and learn how to adapt without it? How sad. Does it make you upset?

[Heh.]

Are you afraid you won't get it back? That it's been stripped from you forever? You'll only have yourself, now. Just one of you, all alone.

dorms

[teidaisei]

[ It's not so much a peek as a glance, because who wouldn't be trying to get their bearings in a situation like this? But Cater does catch Kawase's eye nonetheless. He stops once he's spoken to, and then perfectly perfunctorily: ]

Hello, goodbye. [ And he just resumes walking. ]

[magicam]

[So, he can't say it's terribly surprising that someone peeked in, said hello, and then goodbye in quick succession, and then left, but. Man. Still wild to see!

Mental note to try and crack through that icy demeanor in some nebulous future setting when Kawase can't just walk away like that, watch out.]

Eh? Bye?? See you later??

[teidaisei]

[ ...he won't have to wait too long actually, because a few beats later, Kawase is back. ]

Why even bother with a greeting if that's the best you can do?

dorms

[ignihidden]

[After a busy few hours of his own toplevel, Idia's finally heading up the stairs in the dorm to try and see if there's a room he can hole up in. The first thing he sees is that the doors have plaques. Oh, great, assignments? He can only hope he gets one down at the very end of the floor. The second thing he notices is, ah, someone's got their door open? Oh, gross, the overly-familiar friendly guy move! Who could possibly survive with their door open for no reason! He's going to have to use all his slinking powers to avoid making eye contact with whatever psychopath this is-]

[Cater Diamond
Idia Shroud]

[So, Cater, there's a blue blur going past the door because the options popped up in his menu and the only feasible choice was:]

[>Run]

[magicam]

[It sure has been a busy few hours, huh?? And, aside from initially catching sight of him in the big auditorium (and not bothering to, you know, bother him, with more out there to explore), Cater had been wondering when Idia would make his appearance, given. You know.

Room sharing.

But instead of a gloomy classmate slinking in and, maybe, asking to close the door for a while to decompress like a normal person, there's a glowing blue flash darting across the doorframe!

And. Well.]

Iiiidia~~~? Where are you going so fast??

[Yeah, that psychopath absolutely hopped up out of bed to at least lean out the door and call down the hall at him.]

[ignihidden]

[KYA-! And then Idia tripped over his own stupid feet and landed face-first on the floor. It's an immediate stinging of pain and shame-]

[-and it's not just his anymore.]

[Enjoy that, Cay-kun, while Idia succumbs to his fate of living on the floor now.]

Dorms

[herlocksholmes]

Hello!

[Sholmes gives a small and very practiced bow in response and, having done that courtesy, looks around this team's room, seemingly forms a plan of action, goes straight to the wardrobe and opens it wide open, looking into the emptiness inside, immediately beginning to check it all over.

Not even caring there may be objections to his checking around]

[magicam]

[Hey! At first this guy seems pretty legit, like he was going to come in, sit and chat, do the whole dorm living getting to know your neighbors bit, but...

Nope, the situation just can't be that normal, can it?]

...Can I... help you?

[What could be so interesting about someone else's closet, anyway? Especially before there's even been a chance for it to accumulate any skeletons??]

[herlocksholmes]

You certainly can! Come here, lend me a hand.

[He waves Cater to come over and help, either not getting what Cater's question meant, or flat out not caring about the intent of that question. Still, it's clear Sholmes has something in mind and is trying to figure things out. Whether it's something worth pursuing, though, is a different matter]

bookstore

[cheerfuldays]

( there's a lot going on, but... huh. shizuku can see cater is saying something, but she doesn't quite catch what he's saying. that's a lot though- so, not for the first time today, shizuku puts on a polite smile and clears her throat. )

Do you need help carrying those? I don't mind.

[magicam]

Hmmm?

[Oh, hey, company! Cute girl company! Time to put on a winning smile and shove aside all the fretting... for now.]

I'd offer to get you lunch for the trouble, but I don't think there's any cute cafes around here...~

[Truly a tragedy.]

But Cay won't turn down the help, if you're offering~

[cheerfuldays]

How unfortunate, honestly... but I'll take some company instead, if you don't mind.

( ^^ )

Of course. Let me just check something real quick-

( and shizuku smiles before going around the counter and...aha! holding up a pile of admittedly flimsy plastic bags, shizuku grins. )

This will make things easier, don't you think?

#selfie

[festiverogue]

[Madara is also having a field day with the camera app, and he slides in behind Cater to take a... selfie of someone else taking a selfie.]

Can you do a peace sign or something?

[magicam]

[Oh, shit, selfieception! But, you know, after a peek over his shoulder, that does seem kind of fun, so...! Up goes the peace sign!]

Like~ this~☆?

[As if there'd be any other way!]

[festiverogue]

[Madara makes a fake surprised face and points at Cater, then snaps the selfie. It's silly and fun, but whatever. At least someone else is coping with humor. Gallows humor though Madara's may be...]

Peeeerfect! You're a pro! You've probably got a mean wink, too, right?

[Wink.]

dorms

[tosa]

Woah, check it out.

(He pokes his head in the doorway,)

There's someone already up here. (And he'll come step out front properly. He crosses his arms and leans on the doorway,) Did ya race up here or somethin'?

(Because Mutsunokami spent so much of his time just running around wild around the grounds before he even made his way to this this building in particular.)

[magicam]

Naah~

["He" would have already been here way sooner, if he, you know, could still be 20 places at once. Alas, it was not meant to be.]

Cay just totes wanted to see if he knew his roommate, but then thought, like, maybe he should hang out and see if anyone else came by, yanno?

[Can't panic over finding newer and weirder things by the second in this "totally normal campus" if you're hanging out in your totally normal dorm room, willing to be friendly to anyone who comes by, like a totally normal student, right?

...Right?]

[tosa]

(He looks up at the door to see what the names say. He doesn't recognize them but to be fair, he doesn't recognize a lot of things. Also let's say he hasn't found his own room yet even though it's right there because el oh el this thread would go very differently,)

Guess that makes sense... do ya? See anything interesting?