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

[cheerfuldays]

Ehehe, some do. But photography is an art form of it's own. I'm sure there was some kind of ruckus when the camera was invented, though...

( she gets the feeling that that'll amuse him. but she lets him sit, completely unbothered. )

Are you familiar with them? Cameras, I mean.

[totalcatastrophe]

Best thing about new inventions, how many people get pissed off. What's the big deal losing your livelihood? Like get over it, you obsolete crybabies.

[ Both little hands fall to his sides as he relaxes on her shoulder again. She can be his tablet keeper for the moment. ]

Nah. It ain't magic either, huh?

[cheerfuldays]

Mm... change is scary, isn't it? But in the end, both are around and thriving. So it's not so bad.

( oh! tablet keeper... she'll make sure not to drop it. )

It isn't... though, ah, I'm not entirely sure how it works myself. I've never been very technologically inclined.

[totalcatastrophe]

Only for the poor saps left behind. So, how many paintings of yourself have you commissioned?

[ OG selfies. ]

[cheerfuldays]

Oh, goodness! That's not been a standard practice for a very long time... oh, but maybe it would be fun!

[totalcatastrophe]

Really? Man, just think of all those poor starving artists.

[ One more good stretch before Luci realizes his stomach hurts. That's new.

He jumps back onto the desk from her shoulder. Nope, still hurts. As if discussing the weather, he asks-- ]

Hey, what's starvation feel like?

[cheerfuldays]

Ah- starvation...? ( IS KITTY OKAY ) Well, your stomach would hurt- incredibly so. Depending on how bad it is, maybe you might feel dizzy, or low on energy... at best.

[totalcatastrophe]

Huh...

[ Dramatically flopping onto the desk, Luci drapes one arm over his stomach. It's not that bad, he's just hungry... ]

So this is what mortals were always whining about. How lame.

[cheerfuldays]

Oh- have you not eaten? Let's find you something, then.

( shizuku stands and almost seems to be holding out her arms. permission to scoop? )

[totalcatastrophe]

[ Permission granted. Even as dead weight, Luci is light and easily scoopable.

But hungry or not, the drama never ends. Luci lifts one arm towards the door once he's comfortable in her arms. ]

To food!

[cheerfuldays]

( than scooped he shall be, as shizuku quietly moves from the lecture hall to the hallway. let's see... which way should she go? well. it is a straight hallway, so they'll have to find a door eventually. )

Do you recognize any of this...?

[totalcatastrophe]

[ Audible thinking sounds from her arms, before-- ]

Nope. [ After a beat, not sounding concerned. ] Think they'll let us all starve to death?

[cheerfuldays]

No, I don't think so. There'd be no point... and if they wanted us to suffer, wouldn't there be worse than a classroom?

[totalcatastrophe]

Depends on which dropout you ask.

[ Says the communications major from Hell. Luci lets both arms fall like it's suddenly too much effort. ]

[cheerfuldays]

( shizuku chuckles, but keeps going. let's see... oh hey. a door. to outside, even! and imagine her surprise when it actually opens. )

I almost expected it to be locked!

[totalcatastrophe]

Me too. Guess they draw the line at fire hazards.

[ Dry sarcasm, even as he switches his curious attention to the courtyard and beyond as soon as enough of it becomes visible. He even whistles appreciatively. ]

Could've been crappier.

[cheerfuldays]

Oh! That's lovely. ( she'd love to take it in for a while, honestly. )

Hm...

( well! that fog will give her anxiety in a little while but they've got things to do. like finding the poor thing something to eat. between the pool, gym and... is that dorms? it might have a few options. but at the same time, there's no guarantee either of the former has vending machines or the like. )

Let's see if there's anything across the way.

[totalcatastrophe]

Sure, whatever.

[ It's said without any attitude, surprisingly. Luci's too busy looking around while he's got the vantage point of her arms. He thought the place would look more like a prison or something. ]