theafflicted | 00

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.

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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.

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( 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)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

& 001 | life is but a dream ;

[ Coming to in the lecture hall, there's a loud gasp that comes from Ace. Why? good question. It only lasts a moment before he places his hand on his scarred chest in confusion. There's a large, circular mark on his chest and a matching scar on the back which also mars the tattoo on his back. Yeah, this boy is shirtless.

It's obvious he's struggling a bit with his jaw tight and the wince across his face. The pain he feels through his entire body is intense. ]

What--?

& 002 | eat it ;

[ After a while, Ace wanders to the cafeteria to fill his empty stomach. If anyone happens to come into the kitchen, they'll find him double fisting some apples and stuffing his face with them. Enjoy seeing a human chipmunk!

He tries to greet anyone that enters, but it's lost as muffles behind the filled mouth. After he's downed one of the two apples, he holds out a fresh apple to his new companion. ]

Want one? They're great!

& 003 | can't keep me down ;

[ A roof is a perfect place to get a proper look at the surroundings. This idiot is currently perched on the rooftop of the dorms, hand on his forehead to peer out at any of the surroundings.

Surely this will turn out fine, right? ]

[Mae can't judge. She's also up on the rooftop. How did she even get up here? Who can say.]

All you can see from up here is the fog. Like some kind of horror movie. [She wiggles her paw fingers.] Spoooooooooooky.

[ The fact that a talking cat is talking to him, doesn't even seem to bother him for a second. But the comment does get a laugh out him. ]

A little fog like this isn't about to scare me. [ He lifts his hands to wiggle his fingers back at her. ] But maybe there is something out there.

[ His head cocks to the side. ]

I'm Portgas D. Ace, by the way. Feel free to just call me Ace.

Ghosts, probably. [She gives a wise nod of her head, like she knows so much about fog and what might be in it.]

I'm Mae Borowski. But my friends call me Mayday.

[She pauses, then adds:] Actually, no. Just Mae is fine.

You might be right on that one. [ There's something a little wry in his voice before he shrugs it off. ]

Not a fan of the nickname?

[ Or is it the friends part? Either way, he's fine with it. ]

Nice to meet you, Mae.

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closes my eyes....

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