Intro Log || The Night of the Thirteen Moogles

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All the "Heroes of Light" (only new characters can start threads).
Where: Aqures Ixen.
When: The 5th of October. The new Heroes of Light will awaken early in the morning.
Summary: The new Heroes of Light awaken in Aqures Ixen and are informed by their assigned Moogles of what the situation and what their destinies are. This a log for them to react to the situation, meet each other and be welcomed by the former batches of Heroes of Light. New Heroes of Light will not have their Crystal.
Warning: N/A

Where you were or what you were doing— It does not really matter. Not any more. Within an instant, the world around you collapses. Reality twists and shatters... Or maybe you are the one who is collapsing and shattering away from reality as you knew it. No matter what the answer is, it will only take a few seconds for you to find yourself sinking into a void, your world vanishing into the distance. There is nothing but darkness as far as the eye can see. Even you feel different: all the powers you might once have had, are now gone. It is silent, cold and it feels as though life itself is slipping out of you.

At this moment, when it looks as though nothing but a never-ending void awaits you, a red Crystal forms before you. In this void, its warmth compels you to grab it. Upon doing so, you can hear a soft, soothing voice speaking:


"Wake up."

Soon, the void itself vanishes and is replaced by distant noises of engines. Had it all been nothing more than a dream? The soothing voice repeats its call one more time, but is soon replaced with a much less graceful "Wake up Kupo," the call of the Moogle finally waking you up. But you are no longer in your world, nor in the void. You are before the Crystal of Fire, in the third district of a city called Aqures Ixen. At this point, you may realize the engine noise actually originates from an Airship flying low over the city and headed to the castle. As if it wasn't strange enough, your clothes have changed as well. They are now a reflection of the Jobs you are wielding. Last but not least, you are surrounded by Moogles, small and fluffy creatures who are more than happy to tell you about everything you want to know, about your 'destiny' as a Hero of Light, about what awaits you.

Or at least, they will tell you everything they do know, which isn't much in the end.

The only people around you are like you-- There are quite a few of them, all clothed in their Job garbs and most likely wondering what is happening. If somehow you do not realize it, the Moogle who woke you up will be more than happy to inform you there are others like you around. In fact, there are other Heroes who arrived these past months too and they will come soon! Like you, they had Jobs and a Crystal-- Wait, you don't have a Crystal...? That's weird.

Your Moogle will be puzzled by this fact, as all Heroes of Light are supposed to have a crystal with them. Well, maybe you are not a Hero of Light after all?


The Other Heroes
— Shortly Thereafter —
Thanks to the efficiency of Mognet, it does not take long for the other Heroes to come around: those who arrived in this world one or two months ago. You may have imagined heroic and charismatic figures when your Moogle told you that there were other Heroes of Light in this city. You may have imagined persons with fearsome powers worthy of being revered as heroes. And more importantly, you may have imagined them as people who would have all the answers to your, doubtlessly, numerous questions.

If so, you may be up for a minor disappointment. Still, for the most part they know more than you on the situation and may be more than happy to fill you in, especially if your Moogle didn't tell you much.


The Night of the Thirteen Moogles
— Anytime —
Something that may be obvious, is that the city has a spooky feel to it. There are various decorations, it clearly looks like a work in progress but it seems the idea is to make the city looks as scary as possible. Characters familiar with Halloween may recognize the decoration as being strikingly similar. The Moogles will be more than pleased to explain these are all preparations for the upcoming Night of the Thirteen Moogles on the 31st, and they will explain the legends to characters if they ask.

Hopefully all this talk of curse and King Moggle Mog is nothing more than legend.


The City of Aqures Ixen
— Anytime —
There are a lot of things left to do in the city, especially with everyone excited for the upcoming celebration. Starting from 18:00, a series of BLitzball games will take place at the stadium located in the tenth district, opposing amateur teams in a friendly competition. At the same time, a small group of Triple Triad players are playing before Mognet Office in the ninth district, and they are more than happy to teach the rule to anyone passing by. Characters are free to enter and play games of Triple Triad, and if they do so they will be given very basic cards and explained the rules. This may be the start of a promising career!

Characters are also free to visit the city-- Be it Mognet Office just behind the Triple Triad games is filled with very busy Moogles, or the Airship Port in the twelfth district from where characters can board for free Airships from Shoopuf Airline, knowing the next airship departing from Aqures Ixen will do so on the 9th. Still, characters can board an exposition Airship should they like and visit it.

Or maybe you could visit your new house in the 11th District, and get to know your new neighbors and housemate. Hopefully your neighbors are people you will get along with.

Comments

[enduringflower]

Waking Up

Yeul felt the cold air rush into her lungs as her eyes fluttered open. She should be dead but she wasn't, which meant something was wrong. The world felt like it was out of her grasp and distant. Part of her wanted to cry at the loss but she held it in and focused on the world around her.

She stared silently over the city, her mind trying to unravel the feelings that are filling her small frame. It didn't make sense and her current state scared her. She was alone and powerless. "Caius..." Her voice is soft as she prays that her guardian can hear her. "Where are you?"

Her assigned moogle flew up behind her, interrupting her pleads and addressed her with a soft voice. "Child" She turned, looking at the moogle. "I am Hibiscus. You are a hero of light, kupo. Brought from another world to save us from the calamity."

Yeul felt her heart jump at the moogles words. That couldn't be right, she was the calamity that would clam waste to her world. She kept her face calm but she couldn't help and feel her fears overtake her.

The moogle watched the girl curiously. "You don't have a crystal though, kupo."

"Crystal?" Her eyes focused on the moogle as she spoke in her usual soft tone.

Any Time

Her eyes were set on the colorful decorations spread across the town as she walked through the city. She didn't know what they were trying to do with the decorations but her natural curiosity made her want to find out. The sinking feeling inside her was still prevent but she tried to keep that from her mind until she spoke with her guardian.

"Hibi, what is this?" She turned towards her moogle, her face its usual static expression.

House B-03

A soft knock sounded at the door before Yeul pushed it open. She had been assured that this was were she would be staying but she wasn't comfortable here. Everything was different.

Yeul slowly walked into the house her eyes looking over its fixtures curiously. "Hello?"

Her moogle flew silently behind her, letting the young girl explore her new home without interruption.

Waking up

[servaturus]

Upon hearing Yeul's voice, Caius's eyes fluttered open. Last he knew, he was waiting on the shores of Valhalla for his final battle with Noel and Serah. His plan was to die but to die with honor and in battle. It was a fitting end for a warrior and one that he had orchestrated since the beginning before his trip back through time to erase his past and to find a way to save Yeul from her eternal cycle.

"Yeul?" His voice sounded gravely and dry. He coughed which was unusual. He hadn't felt anything since his incarnate summoning that killed him and his rebirth as Yeul's eternal guardian. He was certain that something was off. He could feel the wind against his skin again when he couldn't before. He used the Chaos to sense things around him and so he didn't need to have his sensation of touch to tell him anything.

His moogle appeared close by and hovered. His gray fur and bat-like wings made Caius regard the creature. "I'm Mogamut, kupo. You had been chosen as a Hero of Light, but..." His tiny arm went to his chin with a cant to his head. "Usually heroes are given crystals. Are you not a hero?"

Caius lowered his head and shifted his body to stand. His Dark Knight armor was clear that he wasn't just some commonplace hero. "No, you are mistaken. I was one once long ago. I am but a shell of such memory."

He moved toward the sound of Yeul's voice. "I must find her."

The pull was a strong one to do just that. He had thought it was nothing more than a dream but his heart raced instead. If it was a dream, he hoped to heaven that she was here with him and not just the voice. If this was his mind playing tricks, Hell will pay.

Any time

[watchesthesea]

Kairi couldn't help but be amazed at what decorations were around, they seemed so much like another holiday she knew but yet.... the tale as so different. It was quite an interesting tale she had to admit.

As she happily greeted a passerby, making sure to step to the side to let them pass she spotted the other who appeared to be staring at the decorations. She wondered if she knew what they were for. So making her way over she gave a warm smile.

"Aren't the decoration spooky?"

[red_planet_blues]

Here we go again. Another round of newbies getting dragged here this month. Sparks was pretty unhappy about having more suckers being brought into this weird situation for several reasons, but he figured he should at least show up and see what was happening this time.

Overhearing that people didn't have job crystals was pretty strange, though. Especially considering people seemed to be wearing the proper job uniforms. The cowboy approached Yuel and her moogle, eyes narrows, looking slightly puzzled.

"No job crystal? Wait. How? Don't everyone get one of those?"

[working_for_scale]

Shortly after Yeul entered the house, the door slid open again, and a cultured-looking young man in angular, violet armor walked in, hands on hips and a prim-looking Moogle hovering after.

"Hello? This is B-03, yes? Is anyone here?" he called out impatiently, closing the door behind himself. After a brief look at the house's entryway, he sniffed and turned to the moogle. "This will never do, there must have been some sort of mistake. I'm sure there must be some more fitting accommodations available?"

The moogle, wearing an incongruous pair of spectacles, consulted an actual miniature-sized clipboard, then shook her head, bobbling in the air from the movement. "This is the correct address. I'm afraid you will have to learn to live with it."

"Unacceptable! But leave that aside for now. Where are the maids, and things? Or do you use butlers here?" Jade strode into the house proper, intent on finding the kitchen, or better yet, the wine cellar - or at least, someone to fetch something from said cellar.

[servaturus]

-Other Heroes-

Mogamut made sure to fill him in on the goings on and he crossed a lot of what was said out his mind. He doesn't find any of it to make any sense other than what he thought was just an odd rendering of some god playing tricks with his mind. It wasn't uncommon that such things happened and he challenged his fate on a constant basis.

This case was no different.

His wicked sword, Chaos' Revenge stayed on his back against the heavy black metal of his plate armor indicative to the Black Knight job class with spikes and chainmail covering his body from head to toe. His footfalls were heavy and he painted a rather menacing picture. He removed the helm and had discarded it upon his awakening and how he felt that Yeul wouldn't recognize him with it on. Aside from which, his moogle still picked it up and carried it in his satchel in case it was needed another time.

He was more interested in discovering what this place was rather than get involved with anything aside from exploration. The talk and the passing glances put Caius on edge. He couldn't feel anything from the plastic faces among the town's folk and that was an irritation. He wasn't at his best but come Hell or high water, he wasn't giving away his weakness nor giving in to the thoughts that he might be human once more.

It was off putting but no less substantial in its own truth. He stood out and no one seemed to be afraid of him; for now at least. Children spoke of him how different he was and how cool he appeared, especially among the boys. The memory of Noel came to mind and he felt guilt physically for the first time. It was a heart-sinking feeling and it made him wonder just how cold he was before. It seemed unlike him to give any passing emotion to anything outside of his own actions but it was just another nail in the coffin toward thinking that he wasn't where he should be.

He kept his distance and moved as far away as he could away from the people and stayed along the edges of the streets to keep himself from being seen. It was a feeble attempt considering his height and obvious appearance. The moogle was a dead give away that he couldn't shake. So much for subtlety.

[thegreatninja]

Yuffie was off playing with her new skills when the menacing man came into view. She knew that new heroes were scheduled to show up like she did and she was happy to no longer be the new person in town. Her legs dangled over the side of the roof as she watch Caius move through the crowds.

She chose her targets specifically and he was an odd one. She stood and slowly began to follow him but staying to roof tops for now. A banner came into her sight and she ran over to it with glee. It was the perfect entrance for a great ninja such as herself. She untied the fabric holding the banner in place and calculated her swing. This was at least a stunt she has pulled once before.

Yuffie jumped off the roof top and swung down towards Caius with a happy smirk on her face. She released her grip and turned in the air, landing easily on Caius's shoulder. That wasn't what she had planned but it was worth it. "Hey there!"

Before he had time to react she quick flipped down in front of him. "WOW! Your really tall!" Her hand covered her eyes as if squinting into the sun.

[verteidiger]

Snow had been out on his daily errands, trying to ignore the fact that new arrivals were schedule to come today. It seemed to be a monthly thing now, and he wasn't entirely sure that he had the strength to go greet people every single time, knowing their fate, and knowing that some of them might not even make it through to the next month.

He'd started to learn the back alleys and shortcuts around Aqures Ixen during his time here, and it made his day-to-day life easier. The distance was shorter, and there was less congestion on the whole. It was here that he encountered the new Black Knight in town, but before Snow could reach a decision whether or not now was a good time to introduce himself (after all, people who typically took the side streets did so in order to avoid being bothered), they'd already passed by one another.

Not two steps past him, though, Snow stopped and spun on his heels, eyeing him suspiciously as he went. It couldn't be... could it?

"Caius?"

Snow had never actually met the man himself -- not for real, not face to face -- but he recognized him from both his Focus dream and the brief glimpse of him that he'd caught upon the world's ending. This was the man who'd killed Etro -- who'd killed Serah -- and all things considered, Snow still hadn't fully worked through his feelings about it yet. This was going to be an interesting encounter, to say the least.

[hiddeninfidelity]

Mordred had taken to wandering the city in search of sometime to do, this time having abandon her heavy armor in favor of lighter clothing, remembering all to well the incident in which she had nearly passed out after arriving.

Upon spying Caius amongst the rest of the new arrivals, something about the darkness shrouded man intrigued Mordred. Maybe it was a bond of their shared job, or the demonic sword strapped to his back that so reminded the knight of her own Clarnet. Either way, she went about her tasks, one eye remained on Caius. A curious gaze that wondered what this warrior's tale was.

[neverfirstclass]

Even making the effort to avoid people, there would inevitably one person who Caius would be unable to evade. Cloud had been out doing his own meet and greet and a few other things, so the sun was going down when he returned home. Used these past two months to living alone, he wasn't even paying attention to his surroundings as he opened the door.

Seeing the large man standing in his living room however made Cloud stop in the doorway, shocked for a moment and then narrowing his eyes in anger. "Who are you and why are you in my house?"

feel free to tag in [action]!

[empty_smile]

Not too long after waking, he'd discovered that he may or may not be a "Hero of Light". The yellow creature had seemed...confused, upon explaining that he was without something rather essential: a crystal.

That truly served to grant him a sheer sense of confidence. All confusion was completely and utterly diminished.

Sarcasm aside, he was grateful to have some source of information. Michiko did take the time to explain in a polite tone, everything that she could. Not everything required an explanation, however. During his time exploring the city, he realized that he felt...stronger. When he thought about a sword, he somehow knew what he needed to do to craft it. The same could be said about any type of armor -- which, he was somehow able to form a mental list of different types of. Apparently, the clothing he was wearing was due to his the other ability he possessed. Which was to call forth powerful beings, to aid him in a fight.

Interesting, though he didn't appreciate having to walk around in the thick robes.

With that, he continued his exploration. He made sure to take the time to speak to various people, asking them whatever questions they'd allow him to. No matter what sort of response he received, from his greeting, he managed to remain polite. He didn't have time -- nor the mentality, if he were to be honest with himself -- for pointless conflict. There were more important things on his mind. While Michiko had been more than helpful, he still wanted to learn everything possible about the...strange, new setting.

{ around the city; any time is welcome }

Hours later, he felt less shocked. The reality had sunk in, and he was already forming his own theories, as to why he was there. The decorations were fascinating. After hearing the interesting tale, he took a moment to think on it. Well, it wasn't as though he held evidence to prove or disprove the legend. Decidedly leaving it be, he moved on to explore the city...

He took the time to check out everything from Triple Triad to Blitzball. Politely declining the offer to participate in the former, he continued to take in the sights. He wasn't particularly interested in playing games, considering there was the matter of him, supposedly, not being on the correct planet, at hand.

{ 11th District }

At the end of the long day, he decided to follow the advice of Michiko, and make his way to the 11th District. Even after getting there, he took his time getting to his, apparently...assigned...home. It truly seemed everything was, mostly, lined up, for him. The one in charge of everyone being there, had truly taken the time to think everything through, perhaps. Whatever the case, he planned to further investigate the situation...after he took a moment to re-examine his own sanity think over everything he'd learned, that day.

Then, after making his way into his own home, he was going pause to take a deep breath. After that short breather, he made his way further inside and looked around. Strangely enough, it didn't seem like a home awaiting a new person. It appeared to already be inhabited. Turning to Michiko, he tensed his brow.

"...Does someone already live here?"

[no_dreams_for_you]

“Master! You look so tired, kupo! You need to go home and rest! You spend too much time at the hospital, kupo!”

The look that Gaara gave his Moogle wasn’t unkind, but did carry a hint of impatience to it. Yes, he did remain late at the hospital on some days, even after his shift had ended. He often visited Naruto, trapped in that crystalline state all of a sudden, without any explanation. Despite knowing that physically remaining in the room would do nothing to resolve the situation, it didn’t stop him from… well, hoping. None of the trapped individuals had yet to recover or awaken. It was akin to leaving, but in a much crueler capacity.

“I know, Karura,” he replied quietly, countering the scolding tone of her voice. Though, before they headed back to the 11th district… didn’t a number of new Heroes arrive on this day, the previous month? The last two worlds he had been in, carried similar patterns as well. Gaara couldn’t help feeling curious enough to investigate. There was a chance that he might encounter someone he knew, either from his home world, or…

He walked around along the edges of the crowd, not wanting to cut through it directly. With so many individuals that he didn’t recognize, it seemed as though they were new arrivals. Gaara took refuge in an inconspicuous location and quietly observed them, while Karura excitedly flew about, trying to intentionally gather attention.

[zodiac_brave]

Waking Up

Ramza awoke from a strange dream of a Zodiac Stone floating over him. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He'd never been tempted by their powers before. Why would such dreams start now?

"Wake up, kupo!" a high, unfamiliar voice insisted. The young man turned, and found a strange white creature hovering above him, uncomfortably close. Ramza blinked up at it.

"Who are you?" he asked, too shocked to find a more polite way to interrogate the creature.

"I'm Simon, kupo! And you're supposed to be my Hero. But you don't have a crystal, kupo, or a job! This is bad, kupo. Are you really a Hero?" The poor creature flittered around, distressed.

Ramza stood up, taking a moment to dust himself off as he gathered his thoughts. Apparently his strange dream had not been a dream at all. Ramza had witnessed otherworldly travel before, but never like this. He turned to Simon

"It is true, the crystals in my possession are now missing. I was once employed as a mercenary, although at present, I am not. And I am afraid you must seek another, Simon, because I am no Hero." He smiled a little sadly at that. He would have loved nothing more to be the hero this creature wished of him, but it seemed unfair to claim a title that did not belong to him.

"But...kupo..." Simon began to explain to Ramza all he knew of the situation. Ramza looked around, wondering if perhaps the Hero Simon searched for was somewhere nearby.

The Night of the Thirteen Moogles

Although the pair was still uncertain if Ramza was a true Hero of Light or not, Simon was willing to assist his charge until he received the orders to stop.

"Come on, kupo! Let's get dinner, then we can go home, kupo."

Ramza followed as the moogle flew ahead. He could certainly use a meal, but...

"And where, pray tell, would home be?" he asked. Ramza had not gotten the feeling he'd be back in Ivalice any time soon.

"We have a house in the 14th district, kupo!" Simon took a sharp turn around a corner, and Ramza hurried around it as well so as not to lose sight of his guide. When he did, he made an instinctive grab for his sword handle. A moment later, he released it. Paper monsters. Nothing real. The warrior's eyes darted as he walked, though, checking each doorway and alley as he strode past. He was too used to ambushes to be completely comfortable with a new city, especially one that had so many fake horrors strung about.

"Are the streets always decorated this way?" he asked uneasily.

Night of the Moogles

[iamspark]

She remembered his face from earlier. Seemed as if she wasn't the only one to decide to explore the city that they'd be staying in for a while. Better to know where things were as soon as possible than to seriously need it later and not know.

The decorations don't bother her, not in the twitchy-hand sort of way that gave her the instinctive action to reach for her gunblade. Lightning stepped faster until she was walking beside the other, arms loose at her side to show that she didn't intend to harm him.

"Apparently not. It's a celebration of some kind."

[iamspark]

Wake Up

Honestly, it's not the first time Lightning has heard or seen things in the that black void. Or woken up after in an unfamiliar place. At least last time she could figure out where she approximately was. Nothing around her is familiar, not her surroundings or the people in it. More importantly there's a creature floating around her head and talking to her. With excess use of the word 'kupo'.

Lightning crossed her arms and listened as it told her about this place, about the Legend of Heroes. When it got to the part about a crystal, she straightened. Her clothes may have changed to represent her job titled warrior but Lightning still had her crystal on her. Which she pulled out now.

She held it up. "This crystal?"

Her Moogle shook its head. "Not that one, kupo!"

A frown marred her face. Another crystal, one that she is supposed to have but doesn't.

Other Heroes & Elsewhere

With the stories under her belt about what was going on here, Lightning turned to fully examine the others around her. She'd already been watching them out of the corner of her eyes without actually focusing on them completely. It's instinctive to watch other people by now. To watch their movements and reactions to such a sudden change is very telling.

She had also been scanning faces for anyone she knew but none of them were here upon her arrival. Everyone around didn't look any better informed than she did. Now that some time has passed while her Moogle explained everything, Lightning looked again. Honestly she doesn't expect to see anyone she knows so her eyes flick over faces quickly before moving on.

Since these other new Heroes of Light can't provide her more information then she already has, she wanted to move on quickly. The only things that will prevent her from leaving are people she does know or if they approach her first.

Eventually she does leave but doesn't instantly move to find the house she's been assigned. Instead Lightning can be found just about everywhere in the city. Sometimes walking around the shops or moving at a quick jog through uninteresting sections.

House B-01

Lightning spent time wandering around the city called Aqures Ixen; looking at the decorations, finding shops or other important buildings. Eventually it grew dark and while she had no problem moving around at night, she was getting tired and wanted to check out the place she is expected to live. So she followed her Moogle's, Cosmog, instructions to the housing district.

Outside the house she stopped to look it over. It wasn't her beach house but it would be adequate shelter. With purpose Lightning moved right up to the door and let herself in. No niceties about knocking first. Just like she doesn't stop to find out who her roommates are (and there's evidence that the house is lived in).

"If you come into my room at night, I will shoot you. Fair warning," she called out. Thankfully while her clothes had changed, her weapon hadn't. Apparently swordsmanship was part of being a warrior. Lightning probably wouldn't really shoot them but they didn't need to know that.

Other Heroes & Elsewhere

[goddessofthesky]

Zelda saw the moogle and took a few quick hesitant steps towards the warrior. She had heard the news about new heroes but she had wished it wasn't true. More people stuck here and they had so little information to share. Her eyes watched the girl for a moment before she approached.

She held a basket tightly in her arms as a moogle wearing a green hat floated happily behind her. Her dress was its usual pink and a white shawl was wrapped around her shoulders to fight off the cold.

"Good Morning. I take it you just arrived?" Zelda realized that she didn't have much information but she still wished to help.

[watchesthesea]

The Night of Thirteen Moogles

Kairi couldn't help but notice the decorations. It seemed like it was October here, or at least it was a sheer guess since the decorations seemed very similar to Halloween, but when she had asked Blaze about it she found out that it was called something completely different.

Curious Kairi had stopped walking and had chosen to sit down and let the moogles tell her the tales which brought about this holiday and she seemed rather happy to just simply listen and smile. After all it sounded like an interesting tale they had to share and stories were always quite fun to tell.

City of Aqures Ixen

When all was said and done, Kairi knew what she had to do. Explore and hope that she could find her way quick enough. Sure her mind wandered off to back home and what and who she was leaving behind, but at the same time she understood that she was brought here for a reason. She couldn't just turn her back on that could she?

With her new companion by her side she looked around at all the buildings and could easily be found look at various stores among other things, getting a better idea of the place.

When that is done, she could be found walking towards her new place, hands behind her back and a small smile on her face. She had to admit she was a little excited for helping out and even seeing who she was roomed with.

City of Aqures Ixen

[no_dreams_for_you]

By now, Gaara should have learned better than to let his Moogle wander around... ever. She was definitely the social butterfly type, and seemed to want to befriend everyone in sight.

Catching sight of new people - both Hero and Moogle - she flew over to Blaze and happily waved a paw at him in greeting. "Hi! Did you just get a new Hero today? There are so many people here, kupo!"

A few feet behind her, Gaara pressed his lips together in a brief show of exasperation. Somewhat reluctantly, he stepped forward to catch up with his Moogle, and then... stared at the girl in mild surprise. "...Kairi."

He had seen her before, at the facility. She was friends with Sora and Riku, from their island. Most likely, she wouldn't remember who he was... unless this version was from the same world.

[dragonflame]

The Other Heroes/ Anywhere

Bloom had woken up and to the confusion of her bonded moogle didn't come with a crystal. Bloom didn't find that particularly odd because she knew she never came with one in the first place and even with an... unusual change of clothes she wouldn't question anything quite like that. But she knew it meant something to these creatures, which meant the young woman was going to do her best to find out something that might explain it.

So for now, she simply walked around and whenever she came across someone she walked up to them. "Excuse me, would you mind if I asked a question?"

What is Blitzball?

Bloom had found herself unable to look away as she spotted a friendly game of Blitzball. She couldn't help it simply because she didn't understand how the game worked. How were they able to stay underwater like that for more than a minute without magic? It was simply impossible, but yet... Here they were.

"Do you suppose they use some kind of magic to stay under that long?"

The Other Heroes/Anywhere

[umslay]

"Hm?" Ales had been talking to his Moogle regarding the missing crystals, but the new hero speaking to him took priority. "Sure, ask me anything!"

It had been a while since others viewed him as the knowledgeable one, and despite the fact that he had been here for only a month, his instincts told him to explain any of the basics.

[kissthemoons]

    → other heroes.

"But, but, Kid!" Mopassa the moogle trailed behind the fiery girl as best he could, but she seemed as though she was on a mission, pounding through the streets of the city with loud, meaningful steps. "I don't wanna hear it!" she bellowed, "I ain't no hero and I ain't got any intentions of stayin' here long enough to even find out what that means! You can't just go pluckin' people from their worlds when they got business to do!" Since joining up with Serge, the whole world hopping thing wasn't really that much of a surprise. In fact... none of this supernatural mumbo jumbo really surprised her anymore, and really, she just needed to focus on getting home.

But why... were her memories of what had just happened to fuzzy? "Kid? Kid!" she heard in the distance, the high-pitched voice of the moogle that followed her. What was that dull, aching pain in her abdomen about? She staggered slightly, losing a bit of her balance as she tried to think about it, and bumped into a nearby body, mumbling a "Sorry..." as she cupped her head in her hands.


    → aqures ixen (+ house A1 near the end).

"If you have a headache, maybe you should rest, kupo..." She didn't want to hear the moogle's advice, even if she knew that he was right. "There's housing and everything set up, so you don't have to worry abo--"

"What's up with all these games and stuff?!" she ignored his chirping, standing with her hands on her hips as she looked over some of the festivities going on. She couldn't have felt possibly less festive, knowing that her comrades were lost to her again, and she had found herself in unfamiliar territory. "This place is weird," she scrunched up her nose, as though she smelt something bad, then crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, there's nothin' here for me right now, anyway. An' I've got a bloody awful headache, so I might as well go rest." Totally her own idea, and not dropped by Mopassa at all. She always had the best ideas, y'know.

Turning around with a frown on her lips, she set off in the direction of the housing district, wondering what kind of place it was going to be. "A1, huh? Well they obviously known someone's the best when they put 'em in the first of everythin' like that." And with that, she was off to the house to let herself in...

Other Heroes

[zodiac_brave]

Ramza and his moogle Simon had been exploring the city, getting a feel for the layout of things, when someone barreled in to the young warrior. He took a step back to regain balance, and quickly put out an arm to steady the swaying girl.

"Are you well?" he asked, concerned. She certainly did not look it.

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Waking Up]

[Akiha would probably be more disoriented after being woken up by a fluffy beast and told she was a special hero if she hadn't been exposed to the unpredictable antics of an overly bubbly queen. No, it was the moogle itself that had her perplexed, mainly because she couldn't figure out what manner of beast it was. Thankfully, her beast - it told her its name, but she didn't care to listen - looked marginally more like a rabbit or a bear than a cat. Still, once it told her what was going on and endured her acidic tone (it did flinch a couple times at her tone of voice), she summarily ignored the moogle and focused her attention for the moment on the Crystal of Fire.

She also seemed to ignore everyone else around her, as well, as she mulled over her situation. That was, until she realized she had something like a bonnet on and snatched it hastily off her head and cast a wary glance around to see who may have seen her with the stupid hat on.]

[Other Heroes]

[When the other supposed Heroes of Light arrived, they would find Akiha watching them arrive with a cold look in her eyes. She really hadn't expected any grand heroes like the legend spoke of, but couldn't they have cleaned themselves up better when meeting new arrivals? If any had their crystals in plain view, her attention would gravitate to them.

All the while, her moogle sat on the ground behind her with a semi-dejected look on his face, idly grooming himself.]

[B-09]

[Akiha threw the door to her housing open and started exploring the common area. This was where she was supposed to be? She supposed it would be tolerable, if very small.

Little did she know there were other people living there and it wasn't just a house for her alone.]

[Waking up]

[enduringflower]

[Yeul is watching the girl as she pulls the bonnet from her head. It is a strange reaction to have to a hat but she doesn't comment, instead her eyes remain locked on the girl.

Her own dress was a plain white tunic with a short white skirt. It's style is close to what she wore back on Pulse, which made it comfortable to the young seeress.]

[jiyunotaika]

Other Heroes

With the story of the legend under his belt Zack focused on the others standing around. Mostly he's looking for a certain spiky-haired blond because if Cloud's not here then there's a real possibility that ShinRa got their hands on him. The kid couldn't even walk on his own, or take on entire battalions of troops. So he certainly was looking around for the unconscious kid but Zack isn't looking in the right areas, he wouldn't find Cloud slumped somewhere on the ground.

In his quest for his friend, he can't ignore anyone else hanging around with a Moogle hanging around. So After he'll scratch the back of his head awkwardly. He knew what he looked like, big guy large sword, scar on his cheek. Zack will approach with a smile. "Hey, you okay? This is all pretty weird, right?"

Of course if he does see familiar old faces in the crowd, chances are good that they'll find Zack just staring at them. Because really, he didn't expect to any of them here.

Aqures Ixen

Right now Zack is entirely too happy to have the currency of this world lining his pockets. It meant that he can find a good restaurant and buy his fill of food. Being on the run for nine and a half months meant getting food when ever he could, sometimes he'd go without to stretch out their supplies between towns.

While everything around here is very interesting, all he cared about was following his nose and sitting down to order practically everything on the menu. He made quick work of half of the food but then started slowing down. When someone moved into his personal space, Zack motioned to the seat across from his. "Dig in. Turns out I can't eat all of this by myself."

[wear_tear_rust]

It had been a long day and Angeal was tired from a full day of work in his yard to prepare it for winter and chopping wood for the same reason. He wasn't in the mood to cook his own meal this time and had ordered his usual plate of roast beef and steamed vegetables. He had moved toward one of the tables and since Zack had changed his hair, he didn't recognize him immediately. The change in appearance also included the change in garb. He rounded the corner of the table and noticed who it was that he sat across from. His eyes widened then with his mouth open slightly to speak but no words would come for at least a few breaths.

Angeal was happy to see his friend and star pupil that had made First around the time of the attack on the Shin-Ra building. Old memories and emotions, as old as a few months, had come rushing back as he slowly sat down.

He was just glad to see Zack again even though he had no idea where he got the scars yet he had a feeling he might. The sight of the Buster Sword matching his own made him smile internally. To have not one but two of the swords in this place was something but he frowned a bit to witness the wear and tear.

"Zack." His tone changed to a more chastising one with a countenance of disapproval.

[ported]

Other Heroes

"Anyone know where the quest board is? There has to be one in a town like this, right?"

Yes, she did just show up but she wasn't going to let herself get confused with semantics. Or whatever it was called. Not being confused about where she was, that was it. Kris had been in this situation enough times to know that there was only one thing to do; take advantage of a whole new group of people who could use the kind of skills she carried. It was like a brand new market full of gold and it was waiting for her.

"If that's not around, I'm sure someone is looking for a travel companion who actually has experience in dungeon crawling. Because you could always hire me."

As long as someone was standing between her and danger, at least. Kind of hard to cast spells any other way. That and she leaned a little towards the fragile side. Knowing one's own weaknesses was the key to victory!

[watchesthesea]

"Quest board? I assume you are meaning to go on some kind of adventure right?" Kairi had stopped to ask when he had heard the other asking about it. She had to admit she hadn't asked such a question herself but was rather curious about where it was. She could just ask her moogle if she really had too.

"I think there might be something along those lines somewhere, I'm sure the moogles would know more than us."

[2hell_weride]

Other Heroes

MarKus, probably unlike anyone his age, sat on the floor while letting his Moogle explain all of the things, up to and including why he was here and his lack of a crystal. Neither phased him really. While surely most were shocked to be here, he seemed pretty glad.

"So I have to save this world then I get to go home is what you're basically telling me. Well, before we keep on about it... can I get something to eat?" That just seems logical, right?


Night of the 13 Moogles + Aqures Ixen
MarKus walks along with his Moogle in tow, looking about, seeing all the decorations, and being frequently stopped by all sorts of warriors asking him to fix their thises and thats.

"So it's October... Halloween is coming! Sweet!" he says when he's not being hounded to fix something... His clothing just seemed... 'worldly', and didn't seem to be aware that he was geared up like a Blacksmith; which he didn't mind since he got a bandanna along with it. "Where do we get candy around here?" he asks Kugami, more or less thinking of him as a little kid tagging along on his adventure.

(Of course, this is also a chance to ask him to fix YOUR armor or weapons)

[red_planet_blues]

Near the Hero's housing, there's someone who definitely looks like he could use some help building something. Sparks stands outside of his house with some building supplies, scratching the back of his head while looking at a set of plans. It looks like the beginning of some kind of shelter or shed is being constructed, as an addition to the house, but he hasn't gotten too far. Nearby stands a grazing horse - but not just any kind of horse. The back half of it is completely cybernetic.

If anyone needs help building something, it's clearly this guy. Sparks may be good at a lot of things, but this wasn't one of them.

Through the span of the day

[i_didnt_know]

Good Morning

The last thing he recalled was falling asleep next to Saki, her warmth and the fire the only protection they had from the blizzard storming outside and their dark thoughts. They had just lost two friends and promised each other they would stay together no matter what happened. He couldn't be gone. But he never heard such a noise before, and instantly the fear weighing on his heart startled him awake, sending the small white moogle that had been resting on his chest flying off with a KUPO!

He looked around him, eyes widening and body tense, his heart racing as he took in the strange surroundings and the weird creatures looking at him with shock. His first instinct was to send them flying, but no matter how much he strained his mind they weren't moving...nothing was. His powers where really gone, he looks down at his hands, his thoughts racing, trying to think of any way this could have happened.

Suddenly he felt two small paws on his leg and he looked over to see that same white moogle from before. It explained to him that its name was Yuki and that this was Aqures Ixen and that he was a hero of light! But then a confused expression seemed to befall the creature as it mentioned a crystal.

"I guess you're mistaken because I don't have a crystal." Satoru stated, pulling down his collar to show it wasn't hiding behind the strange garb he was wearing either. "So can I go home? I really can't waste time here." Seriously, a number of things could go wrong without him, Saki could be killed. His grandmother could only protect her so much before they began to ignore her demands.

"...That can't be...Hrmmmmmmm" The white fuzzball seemed to really be straining for an answer. "Kupo...Why would they summon you if you weren't a hero?" Obviously Yuki knew as much as he did, well a little more but nothing of importance. They were so stuck on this topic they never really got into explaining his own abilities.

But he had figured out a few things. His mind was a lot brighter than before, their where things he knew that he had never learned, and their where questions he'd been stressing over for months that suddenly became clear to him.

Weird, but even with his knew knowledge he couldn't answer this one. Yuki couldn't either, so guess it's time to ask the others.

Around the City

The young man's mind never stayed focused on one task for long. Before he knew it his goal of information gathering began to weigh lower than his curiosity about his new surroundings. From what he got so far this would be his new home and like a cat he was cautious but also very adventurous. He went into every shop he ran across and explored every garden, nook, and cranny. All the while Yuki followed him, the moogle content to rest on his shoulder much like a kitten as he ran around energetically.

His worries began to dissipate slowly, but never completely going away. Still, there was no point in fretting all the time. If he runs into someone he'll try to strike up a conversation, first asking how long they had been here and if they heard of any way to get back to their own world. Also he was very curious about the other Heroes of Light. He never met anyone outside Kaimisu 66, let alone a person from a whole other timeline, or world. At first it scared him, remembering the Demon Minoshiro's words about how people in the past had all but destroyed each other. But as scared and cautious as he was, he hid it behind a smile and charming words.

Every few hours he would find himself wondering back to the message board, looking it over for any sign of his other companions and just anyone from their village. He found one, a Aonuma Shun, and he messaged him back, deciding to wait for him by the large crystal. He waited for a while, lost in his own thoughts and as time ticked by he found himself growing more and more restless.

"I can't stand this anymore..." Yuki looked up at him with puzzled eyes before he suddenly got up and nearly knocked the moogle from his shoulder.

"W-what do you mean, K-kupo?" The small creature asked as it clung onto his thick garbs and crawled his way back up onto his shoulder.

"Sitting here, dwelling! Who the hell is Shun!?" He was getting more and more agitated, but then he catches sight of the crystal, he never really looked all that closely at it before. Walking up to the thing he stared at his reflection....Oh wow...was that really how he looked right now? He made a face, grimacing before remedying this.

Like he was going to let this guy see him in such a stupid outfit. He couldn't take it all off, but he did toss away the board hat and ....things. He never saw glasses before, all of his people had beyond 20:20 vision. And then he tugged again at the scarf around his neck, undoing it and leaving it hanging around his shoulders as he unbuttoned the top of his shirt, showing off his neck. Better, not perfect, but better.

Time to Meet the Residents of B-09

Eventually the day has to end and Yuki and Satoru decide to go and find where he'll be staying from now on. He enters the place and notices quickly that it had been resided up until now, probably still was. There was also signs of another new occupant much like himself.

"Guess I get roommates." Well that wasn't so bad, depending on who his roommates where. Yuki mumbled something and gently blinked his eyes open, apparently having already fallen asleep. The young boy smiles and gently pets the creature, stilling his movements until he heard the soft po's of his snoring begin again. They both had a long first day.

Tomorrow he'll go back to his search for both his friends and the answers he sought, but for now it was time to go to bed. He moved deeper into the house, his movements careful as he proceeded a little nervously. He could face down a group of rabid monster rats but he knew nothing of these other occupants and that unknown left him unsettled.

Finally he brings himself to call out, not loudly in case someone was already asleep but loud enough to alert an individual in another room. "Helloooo? Anybody here?"

{by the large crystal}

[empty_smile]

[OOC: After this conversation via Mognet.]

Sure enough, Shun managed to get to the large Crystal before an hour passed. He hadn't been super far from that place, anyway. The moment he'd been responded to by Satoru, he'd found himself out walking, anyway. A restlessness had burrowed its way inside his mind, and he couldn't bring himself to...relax. On top of the stresses of winding up in a new world, it turned out...he wasn't the only person, from home, that had been forced into the new setting. Normally, Shun was able to force himself to remain calm, even when faced with a cruel reality that wouldn't end well.

There were too many questions that he needed answers to...

When he arrived at the place he'd awakened, his steps came to a stop. Rather than immediately looking for the familiar face, he was pausing to stare up at the red object. He still remembered something red within the dream...but, he couldn't remember anything beyond that. Upon lowering his gaze, his brow tensed. Satoru...

So, he really was there.

His expression tensed, for a moment, as he remembered the look on the other teen's face, the last time he'd seen him; a look he had earned as a response intentionally. He...really had done everything he could to hurt him. It had all been for the sake of keeping him away. In the end, his feelings hadn't mattered. Nothing had mattered more, to Shun, than keeping everyone that he cared about...safe. If that meant tarnishing their memory of him, he was okay with that. He was...okay...with them hating him, if it meant they would live...

Funny...

He was thinking that, yet he couldn't move his feet towards Satoru. Maybe...a part of him...was afraid to know how he felt, after all...

Misfit Arrives

[istotesbatgirl]

Waking Up

The moogle had explained to Misfit that she was a great hero, which she knew, and that her powers were different here, which she didn't believe. It was bad enough that they had kidnapped her from Gotham and dressed her up in this weird red outfit, but now they had taken her powers. Misfit wasn't going to listen to some dumb fluff ball, maybe if she tried hard enough she could bounce back to Gotham. So now she was standing in front of the big crystal concentrating as hard as she could and trying to teleport.

House B-05

Subtlety is not Misfit's strong suit. Upon arriving at her new house she throws open the door and calls out to see if anyone is home. Before anyone can answer she walks in and begins poking around. The kitchen's got to be around here somewhere.

[red_planet_blues]

Sparks watches the girl for a moment, not really sure if he should intervene in... whatever it was she was doing. Usually newbies were just wandering around all confused or talking to their moogles.

"Are you, uh. Are you... What are you doing."

[thatlegendarycactoidjim]

And Cactoid Jim awakens
Well, this was different from the other times that he dealt with time portals and the like. Usually it's a flash of light, and there he was again, standing in a different place, at a different time, usually forward, but for once in his life, he was attempting to go back in time. This was also the first time that a flying, white critter had woken him up by tapping him on the face. The moogle itself looked a little...fidgety.

"Oh, this won't do, this won't do. I was told that I would be working with a Hero of Light, but you don't have a crystal. How are you supposed to help us from the oncoming calamity? This won't do at all."

Jim just gives his companion a small smile as he sits up, "Well, I reckon that I'll just do what I usually do, and I ain't needed a crystal in the past to help save folks. Or one in the future, either."

Around Town, any time
After his rude awakening, Jim departed his new quarters, bent on finding out things about his new home, and maybe find something to do while he's here. Anyone who does know him would be surprised at his clothes. He looks almost like he's wearing a lightly armored version of his normal outfit, with streaks of red running through it. He's not sure where these clothes came from, but he's not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. No, instead, Jim is going to just look around the city in awe.

"Well, ain't that somethin'. I've never seen nothin' like this in the past, and I have seen quite a few things in my day. Just never gone through a time portal and seen a castle at the other end. Either they miscalculated, or I wasn't hallucinating that flying bear thing, and I'm not on earth anymore. Wish Sparks were here, as he is a bit of an expert on what is and is not Earth."

B-14, evening
It had been a long day for Cactoid Jim, and maybe it was time for him to go and meet with the people that he would be living with for the time being. With any luck, they'd be as friendly and apt to make friends with him as he already was with them.

And so, Jim will call out when he gets in the home, "Anyone around? I just wanted to see who I was going to be living with."

Awakening

[iknowtheconsequences]

Since he missed out on the last group of people to arrive, Ryoji Kaji has made it a priority to get down there as soon as word comes that there is another batch of new people. The intervals even seem regular, now that they've got three time points of examples.

Between the gear, and the Moogle, Kaji can recognize the newcomer, so he approaches Jim with a friendly wave. He is wearing the blue robes of a Scholar, sleeves rolled up and giving him an overall rumpled look. The Moogle fluttering behind him is wearing his mortarboard hat, instead of him.

"Hello there? Ryoji Kaji, Hero of Light...apparently."

[working_for_scale]

Waking up

Jade sat up with a gasp at some half-remembered nightmare, one arm still extended - to grab, or to ward off, he couldn't be sure. His train of thought was arrested by the unfamiliar sound of metal on metal with his movement, and he stared down at the blue-violet armor covering him from head to toe. What had happened to his elegant suits? His coveted silk robes? What kind of prankster had dressed him in armor?

A soft sound from behind him, a throat being cleared, drew his attention away from the unaccustomed and unwelcome change to his wardrobe. He twisted about, some kind of long spear swinging about awkwardly from a strap across his back, and stared goggle-eyed at the moogle hovering neatly in the air at eye level. It eyed him coolly and gave a businesslike nod, at odds with its soft, quiet voice.

"Awake? Good. Pleased to meet you, hero of light. I am Sashalia, and I will be helping you to - " She paused, her little wings faltering in their constant flapping and letting her fall a few inches before regaining the height. "Your Crystal! Where is it? Did you not see it when you arrived?"

Jade pushed himself to his feet, grimacing at the weight of the armor - and noticed, with a mounting sense of horror, that the winds no longer supported him. His entire life, they had been a quiet, constant presence, aiding his balance and bringing sounds to his ears, as befitted a dragon - but now, they were silent and still. He felt oddly naked without them. Something was seriously strange here.

"Crystal? What kind of crystal? The last thing I remember is...is..." He strove to recollect, but nothing came to him but shattered fragments, and he shook his head hard, giving up the attempt. "Anyway. I'm here, wherever 'here' is. What is this place?"

[holycrows]

An enthusiastic voice piped up at Jade's question.

"It's Arquius Ixen! A place with a silly name and a bunch of giant chickens. Sup? I'm Henry, dark knight and wizard here to help!"

He extends a hand in a friendly jesture.