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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! )
Evening???
He has a bag full of snacks. He's never been in a dorm like this before. It's nothing like the traditional style of the citadel back home. He recognizes some of the names on the doors as people he's already met today. It sure is convenient that they have their names on them! He should be able to find his in no time--)
...
(Ah, and there it is. "Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki" with "Sakamoto Ryouma.")
Gah?!
(He doesn't know why he didn't expect his name to be on there too. Honestly, he just didn't think that far ahead. It all makes sense now. Everyone else's names are on their doors. But now Ryouma is definitely going to know. The jig is going to be up. He hears footsteps behind him and immediately places his hands over the door, covering the names with his hands and the sleeves of his kimono.
There's definitely nothing suspicious about this.)
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[ he is not oblivious to the fact that everyone's names are on everyone's door, so without thinking he just assumes this is a little joke. not thinking is also why it takes him longer to realise that he'd never bothered to actually get the name of the person he was talking to that whole time.
well. it's a thing that happens sometimes. it's not like he can't figure that out right now! ]
Hehe, did they spell your name wrong?
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(Not budging,)
There's nothing wrong. Dunno why you'd think that... everything's fine.
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Well, I mean—... wait a minute! Are you me too?!
[ he's connected the dots. they're very similar people, after all, and it's not impossible. and he's also an awful liar. SEE? connected the dots. ]
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(An understandable conclusion but he's losing his gosh danged mind here, Ryouma.)
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[ it's a little funny though. ]
Anyway, if y'know me you know it doesn't matter what it says! Not like I'm gonna judge ya.
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(He said it! But... )
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'S not being judged I'm thinking about.
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[ priorities?? ]
What are ya thinkin' about then? I bet it's not that bad.
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He is hungry tho, thanks for mentioning it.)
Just...
(Ugh, he starts to side his hands down. The first name to show through his fingers is Ryouma's. It's easy to make out if you know what you're looking for and look! When he pulls his hand down enough, it's even spelled right!
The next name looks much longer, though. His sleeves had been covering much of it; "M______MI _____YUKI" until finally there's nothing covering it anymore,)
MUTSUNOKAMI YOSHIYUKI
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[ at this point he's terribly curious and so he's anticipating a big! dramatic! reveal! ]
Oh, hey!
[ you know what looks like coincidences? this. ]
You have the same name! The same one as my sword!
[ who would think they're actually talking to a sword? ]
1/2
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(He can work with this.)
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[ which is to say, when he stops being jazzed about that connection it really is weird, but specifically in the way that nags at whatever sense he's developed as a counter guardian. ]
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(He isn't making any sense to Mutsu but it some how still feels like he understands? Weird.)
Well, we ain't the same person. If you're like the Ryouma I know... you're a real one-of-a-kind guy.
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[ because he can't help but get awkward when people say things like that. ]
It's not like we gotta figure it out right now anyway, right? We're gonna be here for a little while it seems like. It's just a funny coincidence unless where you come from they have Sword Spirits like we have Heroic Spirits!
[ isn't it funny?? ]
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Ain't no one else in all of Japan or time like ya.
(He means it. Genuinely He's so, so proud.)
Gaha.. hah. (Glances,) Sounds like ya got experience with spirits!? How 'bout we settle in and.... get to know each other.
(And avoid the sword spirit thing.)
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[ ryouma continues to struggle at accepting credit for literally anything.
he pats his pockets down and fishes his key card out of one of them so he can open the door. ]
Only on account of bein' one myself, yeah. But you're right! I wanna know everything about my teammate.
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(An initial way of surprise folled by his heart sinking just slightly, feeling only a tiny pang of sadness,)
Ya mean like a ghost?
(Is that what he means by spirit?)
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[ he'll just leave out the part where he's hated his job for the last however long, but it's not because he doesn't enjoy working itself! he just likes to solve a different sort of problem. ]
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... Yeah. I get what ya mean. (On both counts.) Are ya still the same?
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I like to think so... I've never stopped working for the same goal, after all. I have to create a world where everyone can be happy, you know? I'm carrying everyone's dreams!
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I get it. (He nods and smiles,) I know I said you're a li'l different from how I remember but... ya sound the same to me!
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[ and now something else occurs to him... ]
So... if ya really are the same as my sword... that means ya heard every embarrassin' thing I ever said or did...
[ he assumes all versions of himself were equally embarrassing in private. ]
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(It's true, he knows everything about Ryouma. From the moment he was born to the moment he died. There's only a brief moment in his history where he doesn't know what Ryouma was up to but he's heard the stories from letters and histories.
But instead, he only winks,)
But I dunno what you're talkin' about.
(Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki is a real bro.)
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