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

[selfconcept]

i. lecture hall

[ Maybe, for some reason, you're inspecting row to row in the lecture hall to take a good look at everyone, but then you might find someone lying down on their side, hugging their tablet, and curled up under the chairs. This guy somehow managed to fit somehow under there, but is he breathing? Seems like it. But is he sleeping? Definitely. He probably went under the chair to sleep, so he probably wants to be left alone. He seems to be in a much better shape than other people though. He's just wearing a black t-shirt, black pants, and... that's it.

zzz... ]

ii. convenience store

[ After he's done with sleeping, he goes to explore, but then ends up being stuck in one place: the convenience store. There's no one working here, and this guy with checkerboard-patterned eyes doesn't seem to give two shits about eating bbq chips right then and there without paying. He just keeps eating... and eating... the onion ring snacks are next. When he sees you, he quickly turns away and resumes eating. Don't look at him. ]

i

[mirrite]

[Marcus is gonna stare for a moment and then just kind of... nudge him with his foot, because why are you sleeping on the floor, my dude, you're worse than Phil.]

That's a good way to get stepped on, but hey, don't say I didn't warn you.

[selfconcept]

[ He groans and turns over, looking up at Marcus with a tired look on his face. ]

Step on me, daddy.

[ He says that with the flattest voice he can muster, even though his voice is full of distortion and static. Not to mention his eyes look weird with black and white square patterns. ]

[mirrite]

[CUE A HELL OF A LOT MORE STARING and is that his eyebrow twitching there...]

... what.

[It's a question and also a statement at the same time, because how is he even supposed to respond to this? He'll probably notice the eyes in a moment, but that is definitely not what his attention is focused on right now.

TEMPTATION TO KICK HIM FOR REAL RISING...]

[selfconcept]

Yeah. What if I wanted to get stepped on? Weirdo.

[ ...

He's still curled up under the chairs while staring up at Marcus. Does he look like he wants to be stepped on? Not really, from how he's under the chairs. ]

[mirrite]

Yeah, well right now you're acting like you wanna get kicked.

[Who says that kind of thing to someone they've never met before? Weirdo.]

I'd do it, except you might like it, and that's really not what I'm here for right now.

[selfconcept]

Oh. Wow.

[ His voice is still flat, but he's not planning on crawling out of being under the chairs anytime soon unless Marcus makes him somehow. ]

That's so rude. Are you here to be rude to me specifically, then?

convenience store

[goodfaiths]

[ He is perceiving you fully, sir. ]

Um... How did you buy those? I was just wondering, since I don't see any staff here...

[selfconcept]

[ ...

Hien continues eating his chips as if he didn't hear Riku, but the next time Riku opens his mouth (probably to question him? Maybe?), he jams a fried onion ring snack into his mouth.

Do not perceive. ]

[goodfaiths]

[ Perceiving in 3, 2.... ]

...Are you even listening?

[ Grumble, grumble, then: ]

Well, can I at least join you? I'm a little hungry myself, heh...

[selfconcept]

[ Oh.

Hien turns to face Riku fully. Sorry for his weird white and black square patterned eyes, but Riku will just have to deal with it, and Hien always risks being called a monster when he shows normies his eyes and showcases his voice.

Either way, it doesn't look like Riku will report him or anything, so he holds out another onion ring. He wants to feed him. Eat, you sweet, summer child. ]

[goodfaiths]

...Eh?!

[ Well, Riku's not going to call him a monster per se, but before he takes the onion ring: ]

Are you okay? Your eyes – do you need medical attention?!

[selfconcept]

[ ...

Hien stares at him in silence before shoving the onion ring into his mouth again. He shakes his head no though. What a caring kid. ]

lecture hall

[imitationsoul]

[ Miach is one of the people who stays behind latest in the lecture hall, so the existence of another being ... under the chairs really sticks out. To think that someone else would be this carefree about things.

Sufficiently intrigued by the odd behaviour, Miach crouches down in front of his row and... just watches him. Just to see if he's waking anytime soon. ]

[selfconcept]

[ He doesn't wake for an entire minute Miach watches him, but if she sticks around longer than that, he slowly turns around on the floor, still curled up with the tablet close to his chest. He gives Miach a tired look. ]

What...?

[ What does she want!! He's half hoping that his weird checkerboard-patterned eyes and distorted voice full of static will weird her out so that he can sleep in peace. ]

[imitationsoul]

[ She's patient, so he does indeed wake to the rather blank stare of a girl resting on him. And really, she was pretty sure she'd lose interest as soon as he woke up but that voice is... something. Huh.

She just leans in closer, studying him as though he were a fascinating bug.... ]

Were you having a nice dream?

[selfconcept]

No.

[ He didn't sleep deep enough for a dream, because otherwise he would have never woken up by stares alone and then i can't thread. But he also recognizes the intentions behind her leaning in and studying him. He's not sure what to say, so: ]

There's only one of me, like there's only one of you.

[ Speak in some cryptic bullshit. Nailed it. ]

[imitationsoul]

[ Likely counter to intention, that makes her smile. Hien is very quickly establishing himself as the brand of weirdo who doesn't feel suffocating to be around. ]

Can you be sure of that? We have just been brought to a strange place with no memory of our transportation. We could be built from copies of our brain structure - then there would be two. Unless, of course, you would not count your original as part of yourself...

[selfconcept]

More of me would be a pain.

[ He thinks her statements are rather amusing, considering what he is, but it's interesting. He rarely talks about this sort of thing with anyone else, because, again, it's mostly a pain. ]

Regardless of being copies, we have our own self. It could deviate from the original, since it doesn't have to be the same.

[totalcatastrophe]

[ Just leaving this here to document Luci taking a photo of this under-chair lurker before skedaddling. ]

I

[herlocksholmes]

[Well there's this guy sleeping and curled under the chairs. Seems like he's tired. Why else would he be under the chairs?

........

Oh well. It's a prime opportunity for some investigating. Sholmes crouches, observes him for a moment...

yoink

...and tries to snatch the tablet]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien has been hugging that tablet close to his chest, but his reflexes literally kick in with an attempted kick at Sholmes. He's very welcome to dodge if he can, since Hien mostly did that as a warning.

He groans and opens his weird checkerboard-patterned eyes. ]

If you want something, you can just ask.

[ Like why the hell is his voice so distorted and full of static like a garbled radio. ]

[herlocksholmes]

[The kick connects! Sholmes made no effort to avoid it, getting a kick right onto him. Sholmes rolls a little back, laughing, as if he trying to take someone else's belongings and then getting kicked for it is something funny]

Fair enough!

[...the voice, though, that sure is something Sholmes pounces on. He's not one to not inquire very directly, especially since he was told to just ask if he wants to find out something]

Since you generously indicated a willingness to answer questions-- [No he didn't, Sholmes] --then my first question is what's wrong with your voice! You seem to find yourself affected by some sort of malady, young man!

[selfconcept]

I was born this way.

[ ladygaga.mp3

It's a lie, but it might as well be the truth. There is absolutely no magic in his voice. ]

So there's nothing wrong with my voice.

[herlocksholmes]

Is that so? I feel I must insist. Your voice, coupled with how you were deeply asleep underneath these chairs -- a sign of extreme fatigue -- say otherwise.

[Hah, nah. While he doesn't...believe him about nothing being wrong with his voice, the lack of alarm is worth noting.

Sholmes steps back, gesturing him to come out of the chairs]

Why don't you come out of there? I can give you some stuff that will get some energy into you.

[By this point he has checked a few places and found the cafeteria. This is pretty much a friendly offer to come and get some coffee, because energy drinks aren't a thing he knows exists]