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

[totaltrashfire]

A: Lecture Hall

[Mae blinks awake, ears twitching as she takes in her surroundings. Immediately, her stomach swoops unpleasantly - last time she was in a room that looked like this her life was falling apart (not that it's been back together recently by any stretch).]

Okay... this is probably a dream. One of those dreams where I have a test and I forgot!

[She looks down, her eyes going wider.]

No, wait, I'm wearing pants. Oh no. Oh no no no no no.

B: Convenience Store

[After Mae has finished panicking about the new and not exciting supernatural situation she's found herself in, Mae wanders to the convenience store. She was hoping to find someone working, but the place is just as deserted as everywhere else.

Now she's standing in front of a row of chips and trail mix, tilting her head.]

If I've been kidnapped, I think I have the right to take, like. Aaaaaaaaall of these snacks.

[She pulls an entire stack of chips into her arms, using her shirt to cradle them.] I mean, it's only fair.

C: The Dorms(?)

[If you're making your way over to the dorms and happen to look up, you may see some booted feet dangling from the rooftop, and, after a second, a head and big eyes pop over the ledge to look down.]

Hey.

[Said casually like sitting on a roof is a normal thing to do.]

Did you get kidnapped too?

b

[selfconcept]

[ He plucks one of those trail mix bags from her arms, immediately opening it and eating them. His checkerboard-patterned eyes just stare at Mae the entire time as he does all that too.

Share. ]

[totaltrashfire]

[Wow, what an intense stare...

But she won't give up!]

There's a whole row of these, you know.

[Even if she just removed a sizeable chunk.]

[selfconcept]

[ The trail mix that he just stole from Mae is gone. He eats fast. Maybe he vacuumed it all. Who knows...? Either way, he plucks a bbq chip bag from Mae's hold next and does the same thing while staring at her the entire time. His eyes, as weird as they are, seem to be saying, "what are you gonna do about it". ]

B

[herlocksholmes]

[There's a lot going on in Sholmes' life right now, beginning with waking up in this place, followed by intriguing technology beyond anything he has seen, to cats stealing chips and trail mix. There's a lot to mull, that's for sure, and so far the conclusions he's getting to are not favorable for anything resembling normalcy.

Well, nothing he can't roll with. Managing to hide his thoughts, he goes into his usual refuge: act like only Herlock Sholmes can:]

We have been kidnapped. Isn't kidnapping, in the end, thievery of your personage?

[Sholmes nods, pleased with himself]

Indeed it's only fair you steal some of their food as well!

[And if the detective says so, then so be it]

[totaltrashfire]

Haha yeah, that's what I'm talking about!

[Excellent, someone who shares her snack stealing philosophy!]

Thievery of my personage equals thievery of their snacks. Eye for an eye.

[She grabs some more chips.]

[herlocksholmes]

Justice is rarely so straightforward, but in this case I don't see why it can't be.

[Hah, it's not like he condones petty crime...but hey, he finds no issue with any of this, especially since unless he's sorely mistaken -- and he very rarely is, he thinks to himself -- this all is meant to be for them all. This is nothing more than taking what's theirs]

Do tell me if it's any good. As much as I'd like to sit and take a breather to find that out myself, there's so much to check and so little time to do so!

[Which is why he strolls right behind the counter and begins rooting around in that area]

dorms

[goodfaiths]

Eh-?

[ Riku's checking out the dorms, specifically his, when he looks up and sees who's addressing him. It seems okay at first, seeing those feet, but then when the big eyes pop over the ledge? ]

...Eh?!?! A – a cat?!

[totaltrashfire]

A cat!? Where!?

[Mae looks all around the roof but sees no cats. Wow, how disappointing, getting her hopes up like that!]

[goodfaiths]

A talking cat-!!!

[ this is the least helpful conversation i am so sorry mae ]

B-but how?!

c: dorms

[totalcatastrophe]

[ Scuttling on over to the dorms at some point too, he's already got an oversized university tie dye hat on his head. ]

No, I decided to take a vacation.

[ Sometimes, his sarcasm is too good. But he stops anyway, lifting his baby tablet up to take a picture of Mae from the ground. ]

[totaltrashfire]

[Well she's glad someone is enjoying themselves. She jumps a little at the sudden picture taking (warn a girl first, damn).]

Oh yeah, college is really a vacation.

[A pause, while she squints down at Luci. He's a bit far away, but...]

...Are you a talking cat?

[Wait. IS THIS WHAT THAT GUY WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE!?]

[totalcatastrophe]

Try being a communications major.

[ Dry as the Sahara. ]

Are you a talking cat?

Dorms

[imitationsoul]

[ Miach's been noticing the cat since they woke up in the lecture hall, because how could anyone not notice her? If it were a costume, it would be plenty convincing. And who in their right mind would want to stick out so much anyway? No, this feels more like something odd is going on. It reminds Miach of Night on the Galactic Railroad - she does not think this is a bad thing.

So while it does not show on her face, she is indeed very preoccupied with the cat-ness here. Outwardly, she just shrugs. ]

Apparently. I assume that whoever is in charge wouldn't call it 'kidnapping' though. Maybe more like... relocation? Transfer?

[totaltrashfire]

[And Mae doesn't notice she's preoccupied with it. Miach is good at keeping her emotions in check or Mae is just oblivious. Or both!]

I think as the victims, we get to decide what to call it.

[And she's gonna call it a crime, and not the good kind!]

Anyway, I already dropped out of college. Why would I want to come back?

[imitationsoul]

To turn yourself into a productive member of society, contributing your part to the health of the public body, of course.

[ Miach sounds like she is quoting something, rather than speaking from conviction. ]

Has that kind of thing not occurred to you?

convenience store

[undertakings]

[Really, of all the things he expected to find here, a talking cat(?) isn't anywhere close to being one of them. As such, there's a very long moment where he just stares at Mae with a stone-faced expression, internally debating what he should make of this. He eventually settles on:]

...I don't think you can carry that much.

[totaltrashfire]

Watch me.

[And she tips some more snacks into her shirt basket. It is starting to be a lot, though...]

[undertakings]

[He does indeed continue to watch her silently for like, a good minute or so as she piles some more snacks into the shirt, almost like he's waiting to see just how much she can actually fit in there. After a bit though, he seemingly loses interest and wanders off elsewhere in the store, disappearing behind another of the aisles. Still, after a couple minutes, he returns with an empty shopping basket and just drops it off right in front of her with a clatter before his attention goes back to browsing the other shelves.]

the dorms

[cheerfuldays]

( ... that sure is a cat person talking to her- but shizuku has had a very long day, and is very tired and to be perfectly honest she might be getting a bit of a headache (sorry, madara.) and her personal group therapist is miku hatsune.

so like.

you ever have one of those days where things might as well happen? that's where shizuku's approaching, now. )

I think so. I don't much like it so far. ( an attempt at a joke- ) Will you be okay getting down...?

[totaltrashfire]

Oh yeah, no problem. I climb on things all the time.

[She'll probably just... jump off... Someone tell her not to do that.]

Kidnapping is definitely up there on the "bad things that have happened to me" scale.

[cheerfuldays]

Oh! Careful- ( QUIET FRETTING NOISES- but mae seems to be fine? oof... her ankles... )

Ah... yes, this is probably the worst on my end so far. Though I'm not keen on seeing what tops it, either... My name is Shizuku Hinomori. It's nice to meet you, at least.

( the silver lining may be incredibly slim, but she's grasping it, gosh darn it! )

C is for Cat.... 2!

[unsinksyourship]

[Tamamori could be making his way over to the dorms, or he could just be wandering aimlessly in the courtyard as he tries to figure out what... on earth... is up with all these buildings. Universities these days (if this is even a university, the jury is still deliberating).

He doesn't seem startled at all to find a talking cat wearing clothes sitting on a rooftop. That's technically where cats are supposed to be, even when they're debating current events with you.]

If I've been kidnapped, I've yet to find a kidnapper -- which means they could be among us. There were an awful lot of us. [...] I see you're still wearing pants. Are you that attached to them?

[totaltrashfire]

[That's a real non sequitur, guy. Mae kicks her legs.]

Yeah, I usually prefer pants to being naked.

[Does that count as "attached."]

But if you don't want to wear clothes you should be free! I think that's how it works.

[unsinksyourship]

[He does that. You may get used to it. You may not want to get used to it, but you seem to be stuck with him (and other people) for a few weeks (maybe). Tamamori cranes his neck. The cat also has a shirt, wow.]

You have fur, how does that count as naked?

[Layers in this weather?? He doesn't ask about that, though. The fundamental problem is that the cat is possibly more fashionable than him, how can he abide by that.]

I'd get it if you wanted to accessorize. The clothes make the man... or the cat. So a man without clothes is either an idle man, or a drunk.

[What is he talking about.]