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

[jiyunotaika]

Somehow it wasn't nearly as awkward sitting across from his mentor as it had been for him to run into other people. Even those he was friendly with. Cloud was no longer his comatose limp self but back to the motion-sick kid that knew nothing about his hometown burning down or Tifa being injured. Tifa was older and not pulling away from him but she wasn't the tour guide that she had been either.

And of course there was Sephiroth. That was probably the biggest hit of shock he'd had today. He was back to being the SOLDIER they had all known rather than trying to kill anyone that got in his way. Even after all the time they spent together as 1sts, Zack didn't know the guy as well as Angeal and Genesis did but it certainly had been hard to confront the silver-haired General. Mostly because he hadn't been able to help save him like he had done for Genesis.

Right now he doesn't know if he'll survive the battle against ShinRa when he returned home, and with Cloud here Zack wasn't sure if he should try to hurry back. Maybe there was another Cloud right where he'd left him among the desert expanse, one waiting for Zack to protect him. So while the talk is welcome he also has so many questions about the way things work. "He's pretty good when he has a goal. Cloud is...well, he's the sort to want to protect other people before himself. I just don't think he's all that comfortable with his potential."

That last bit made Zack laugh lightly. It truly was something he missed, even if he never liked getting them at the time or they sometimes left him more confused. "I can't believe that you lectured Sephiroth. He told me, you know."

Clearly they did miss them if they talked about it. Reminiscing about Angeal hadn't been pleasant, not right after but it became easier. Especially with Sephiroth considering they both cared for Angeal very much. He watched for a moment at Mogington darted around the restaurant before looking at Dream who was content to eat off the food that Zack had gotten for them earlier. Then he gave his attention back to his friend.

"Oh, I think it was B-04." Zack looked over at Dream who merely nodded her head.

[wear_tear_rust]

Angeal couldn't help his laughter at Zack's statement. He lectured everyone and not one was ever spared. Of course, that was of a time where he could since he was often the ramrod straight and narrow of the three. The defection was simply to try to protect Zack from the real issue when Genesis was seen in Wutai. It hurt to think about but Angeal could no longer give those same lectures without the guilt of hypocrisy hanging over his head.

Whatever the issues were, Angeal would support anyone with a cause, as long as it was a just one. He wasn't aware yet of the dangers that Zack would face but he figured that they weren't good judging the Nibelheim Incident that he would never see and yet to face Modeoheim.

His hand began to itch on his palm. He had spent the morning chopping wood. His nails racked the inside of his palm through a motion that looked like he was balling up his fist, but that wasn't the case. He smiled then at the house number and chuckled. "Well, it seems that you and I are going to be roommates. I have only one rule, don't make a mess."

Not that Zack would, but he had to say it anyway. He knew that Zack was disciplined even though he was still a kid in Angeal's eyes. He enjoyed his pupil's company and even more so, he was interested to learn just how far Zack had come and how much he had grown as a person since his death.

His laughter died down just enough to give credence to the primary issue. Sephiroth, while he was the same, didn't entirely trust Angeal and he knew it through the conversations they had, however brief, but heavy with emotion and tension. "Now Zack, there is something you should know. Sephiroth believes that this place is a dream. I cut myself slicing vegetables and I felt the pain. I know it's not. Whatever you do, don't be loose in telling him what happens. Be discrete, but be aware that he is still my friend no matter what happens."

His expression changed from serious to lightly amused. "And you should know that there are two. I don't know if you met his female counterpart yet. And no, she's not a copy."

He went rounds about the entirety of that little situation. He met both on his first day and thought that it was a dream as well but said nothing about it openly. He was strangely attracted to his best friend's female alternate and had to shake those thoughts away fast. She was his best friend in a woman's body and she was a lot more direct in personality. It was odd but at the same time comforting.

[jiyunotaika]

At one point when they searched for Genesis and Angeal, for answers to their defection, Sephiroth had spoken about events that had happened in one of the training rooms. It completely made sense that Angeal had been the one to step in between the fighting friends. But still, to lecture Sephiroth was crazy in his eyes.

Honestly as long as Zack doesn't have to face the General again, he'll be fine with whatever risks continue to lie in front of him. Once was more than enough considering the other 1st had been seriously trying to kill him.

His eyes dart up to look at Angeal. "Hey! I don't make messes! Uh, not where I live anyway." Because he has left his fair share of messes in other places. Some he's not even sorry about.

But there was a huge difference between messes where he lived and ones where he'd been on missions. Sometimes making messes were part of the mission and other times it was about cleaning up those messes. Either way, rooming with Angeal meant that he wouldn't have to worry about his roommate while he slept.

At the next words, he frowned. Somehow he didn't picture Sephiroth believing anything a dream, especially not this. If anything the General was more a realist. He sponged off of Zack's hopes and optimism, including that of his friends. "I don't think this is a dream. Feels too real to be a dream. And trust me, there's no part of me that wants to tell Sephiroth about his future."

He liked his head where it was, thanks.

"Yeah, I met female Genesis. So far she quotes LOVELESS less." That got him smiling a little again.

[wear_tear_rust]

Angeal watched the changes of expression and it was a comfort to know that this was the Zack he remembered. His outspoken and carefree nature helped Angeal on more than one occasion to lift his spirits or to slap him back down when he felt that he was being too serious or lofty. He leaned forward with his hands folded on the table top with a soft smile that he showed only to his friends. Zack was one of those friends now that he didn't have to teach him any more.

They were equals now, and that was all that Angeal could ever hope for. He wanted to tell Zack more about what happened but the issue was getting around his own stubborn nature to reveal the reasons on his end. He chuckled anyway about the messes and shook his head. "Don't ever change."

Perhaps he said those words to help with his own stability, but there was something behind those words that he knew wasn't always possible. Events happen to change a person for the better or for the worse. He didn't want to dwell on those negative thoughts. The discovery that Hollander was his father didn't set well with him at all. He found the scientist disgusting and it showed slightly on his brow.

"I suppose all that's left to do now is to get you settled. Any questions?"

[jiyunotaika]

Even if they were friends, Zack would always think of Angeal as his mentor. All of his dreams and ideals came from Angeal's way of thinking and he's adopted them as his own now that the man was dead. It didn't matter if that same man was sitting at the same table as him alive and well.

All these years later there are a lot of things that Zack doesn't understand yet. But it's never really stopped him before so whether Angeal told him or not wouldn't change anything. There was a slight smile on his face. "No chance of that."

Zack was who he was. Maybe not that 'puppy' the other used to think of him as but he supposed there were still all of those qualities he had before somewhere inside of him. He might be older, stronger and a little wiser but even then he still had his SOLDIER pride, his dream of becoming a hero. If Zack noticed the change in Angeal's expression, he doesn't say anything about it.

"A lot. Any truth to us being these Heroes of Light?" An important question in Zack's opinion. It might be his dream to be a hero but he doesn't want to just be handed the title because he showed up here without doing anything to earn it.

[wear_tear_rust]

"Some." Angeal's tone depicted his contemplation. "It took a bit to settle on the idea, and even now we still have questions."

He wasn't about to explain Sephiroth's point of view on the matter since Zack had just gotten here. "It's been a challenge." He managed to smile slightly at the play on words.

While he wasn't aware of just how long Zack had suffered, it was one issue that he didn't want to delve into until later. Genesis had spoken to Angeal about his own fate, but now wasn't the time nor the place. He lifted up his mug of ale and drank some of it down that came with his meal.

"How much has your moogle told you?"