melodiesoflife | Intro Log || The City That Never Sleeps

Intro Log || The City That Never Sleeps

Characters: All the "Heroes of Light" (only new characters can start threads).
Where: Trano Golsaucia, Aqures Ixen, Airships.
When: The 5th of May. The new Heroes of Light will awaken early in the morning.
Summary: The new Heroes of Light awaken in the Temple of Wind next to Trano Golsaucia, and they 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.
Warning: N/A

Where you were or what you were doing— It does not really matter. Not any more. Within a split second, 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 know 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 before long it feels as though life itself is slipping out of you...

And at this very 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 a gentle breeze. Had it all been nothing more than a dream? The soothing voice repeats its call once more, but is soon replaced by a much less graceful "Wake up, Kupo!" Hand clutched on your Crystal, the call of the Moogle may finally bring you back to your senses. But you are no longer in your world, nor in the void. You are before the Crystal of Wind, in the Temple located right outside of a city called Trano Golsaucia. At this point, you may realize the breeze originates from the massive green Crystal floating nearby. 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. They look pretty tired, but they will be more than happy to tell you everything you want to know. They shall tell you about your 'destiny' as a Hero of Light and about what awaits you. Or at least, they will tell you everything they do know, which isn't much in the end.

There are quite a few people around you as well. For the most part, they are people like you-- All clothed in their Job garbs and most likely wondering what is happening. There are also some other Humans, Tarutaru and Hypello in the room, but unlike you they don't have a Crystal, nor do they have a Moogle following them. If addressed, they will say they are the Guardians of the Crystal of Wind and will confirm everything the Moogle said. They will reveal they found you unconscious around the Crystal a couples hours ago, and immediately contacted the Moogles and the government of Aqures Ixen.

If asked about it, both the Moogles and Guardians will explain that Heroes of Light have already appeared in this world within the past year, and they all are in a city called Aqures Ixen. It's the first time Heroes have appeared in this temple. In fact, you probably should go to Aqures Ixen as well. The Moogle will tell you this is where your house is and where the other Heroes will be able to help you. Thankfully, should you decide to take your sweet time to get there, the other Heroes may just come to you.

The Other Heroes
— Anytime —
And indeed, thanks to the efficiency of Mognet and Shoopuf Airline it does not take long for the other Heroes to come around. You may meet them in Trano Golsaucia or in Aqures Ixen, or maybe even in one of the Airships going back and forth between the two cities. They are those who arrived in this world months ago and they have gone through quite a lot. You may have imagined heroic and charismatic figures when your Moogle told you there were other Heroes of Light in this world. You may have imagined persons with fearsome powers when they told you how they recklessly attacked the Heran Empire to free their friends a few months ago. And most importantly, you may have imagined them as people who would have the answers to your, doubtlessly, numerous questions.

If so, you may be up for a complete and utter 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.

Trano Golsaucia
— Anytime —
Should you leave the Temple of Wind and head south, you will reach Trano Golsaucia. It's a gigantic city covered with snow-- To make it simple, this city is a gigantic amusement park. It is the most popular place in this world and of course, there are plenty of people all around. Thankfully, other Heroes of Light are easy to spot: they are the only ones who are followed by a Moogle and holding a Crystal.

And there is quite a lot to be done in this city. Maybe you could stop by the Triple Triad Center to begin a successful career in card games, or maybe you could buy a ticket at the Blitzball Stadium to support your favorite team. If you're the kind of person who relies on luck, you may have more fun gambling in the Casino or betting on your favorite Chocobo in the Chocobo Races. If you're more of a person who enjoys simpler games, maybe you could try one of the numerous carnival-style mini-games found in the city, such as the shooting stand or the treasure chest game.

If you'd like more details regarding all the attractions and games available in Trano Golsaucia, you can find everything here! Of course, all of this requires money and odds are that you may not have a single Gil yet. If your Moogle is nice though, maybe you could ask him or her to loan you some Gil...

Airships
— Every Four Hours —
Upon reaching Trano Golsaucia, you will also have the right to board an Airship. Exceptionally, there is an Airship available every four hours, all because of your arrival so that Heroes of Light can meet each other and go to Aqures Ixen with ease.

The flight itself should take between four to six hours as it will travel from one city to the other on route. This is nothing special for the denizens of this world, but for you it may be quite the experience if you never boarded a plane or any flying contraptions before. The service is nothing special, but there are some light refreshments offered free of charge. Note that most of the employees on Airships are Hypello.

Aqures Ixen
— After an Airship Trip —
Upon arriving in Aqures Ixen, the first thing you will see is the Airship Port in the 12th District. Following that, no doubt your eyes will find the Castle of Aqures Ixen, a classic yet refined structure standing in the city. From there on, characters are free to visit the city-- There are no attractions in this city, but there are scientific buildings, another Blitzball Stadium and even an Observatory serving as base for the Heroes of Light. If you'd like more details regarding all that is available in Aqures Ixen, you can find everything here!

Or maybe -and perhaps inevitably!- you could visit your new house in the 11th or 14th District, and get to know your new neighbors and housemate. It's been a long day, so you could use some sleep. Hopefully your neighbors are people you will get along with...

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Sparks took off his hat and rubbed his forehead. Crystallis found news ways to give him a headache each and every day.

"A week? Barkeep, I've been stuck dealin' with this weird planet and their ever-growing list of things that are goin' wrong for a whoooole lot longer than a week. Reckon you can ask just about anyone how long I've been here. A good chunk of the Heroes, and even the guys down at the statio-- Wait. Why does Gork have a baby. How does Gork have a baby."

Edited (i momentarily forgot my canon point like an idot) 2015-05-10 19:05 (UTC)

"I dunno! He and two other robots adopted her, which you told me." He threw his arms in Sparks' general direction. "You wouldn't stop talkin' about how Ginny scared everyone into thinkin' she was gonna reboot him. How can you forget somethin' like that?"

Honestly, the marshal could be a tad forgetful, but never to this extent.

"Whaaaat. Robots adopting a baby. And I don't know anyone name Ginnie. You need t--" Then it finally hits Sparks. "Haaang on. Now I get it. The same thing happened with me 'n Red. You must be comin' here from a different time! From my future I'm guessin', considering I think I'd remember something about Gork havin' a baby. Cuz that is weird."

Sparks was suddenly and visibly hit with an idea. If he was actually still on Mars, and not actually missing along with Red, did that mean...?

His shoulders slump. "Oh my god. Maybe we are dopplegangers."

"Red's here, too? She was with you last week, as far as I remember." And not remembering Ginnie? Okay, now that was too much. "Sparks Nevada, did your memory get wiped or somethin'--"

And idea hits him, too. "Maybe you're not the Sparks I know. This must be an alternate universe where we all need to use crystals to get anythin' done!" Wait. But Sparks knew who Gork was, so... "Then you must be from a different universe where Harriet and I never introduced Ginnine to you!" He'd be disappointed in AU him if that were true.

"But I can use the Force Galactic no matter the universe, so this still doesn't add up."

Edited 2015-05-11 14:00 (UTC)

"Yeah, I... I really don't know, Barkeep. What I do know is that when ya show up in this place, any stuff like that is gone. It's completely dumb, considerin' they want us to be Heroes, but they take away all the stuff people could do. Heck, without the right Jobs equipped, I couldn't shoot the broad side of a barn."

He stands up straight, though, a determined look crossing his face.

"I also know this: I'm Sparks Nevada. I don't care if there's a million other universes with a million other guys callin' themselves the same thing. I'm Sparks Nevada, the one 'n only, and I'm from Earth."

No matter what crazy dream-visions people had that said he was living here 2,000 years ago.

"Couldn't agree with you more." So whatever was providing these powers also had the ability to take them away. But why remove the most useful skills? For fun and whimsy?

Barkeep will need to give the person behind all this a good piece of his mind.

"Well, you're not the only Sparks Nevada from Earth. I'm pretty sure we're from different universes." There was one alternate universe Barkeep created where Sparks was born on Mars, changing no other details, but that hardly lead to anything worth writing about. And where else would Sparks be from? Crystallis? Of course not!

Unless, of course, alternate universe.

"So now we're stuck here, with all our powers taken away, only you got Mercury and your robot fists while all I have are these." He picks up the sides of his robes and lets them drop. "This must be all some kinda game to them, puttin' all this trouble on us."

"Robot fists were on me when I showed up. Had to go through some trouble to get Mercury here. Apparently bringin' my horse here wasn't no problem, but sending anyone or anything back the same way is apparently a no go."

Now that the Barkeep mentioned his robes, Sparks looked them over, smirking.

"Wait, so they made you into a spell slinger? Heh. Right now I'm a Warrior, and somethin' called a Magitek Knight. Got a fully maxed Paladin at my disposal too. Got a sword that shoots bullets and my own robot armor to ride around in. Robots 'round here are way different then back home. For one, they don't talk. Which if ya ask me is a huge improvement."

Lucky for him. They let him keep something useful for fighting outlaws and trouble, and now he's probably inwardly laughing at the Barkeep's ridiculous outfit.

"A what? Sparks, I don't what what anythin' other than a Warrior is, and that's because I'm guessin' based on the name. And usually, my guesses are pretty accurate."

He didn't have much of an opinion on robots. As long as they were useful, he was content.

Sparks waved the issue off with a hand.

"Ain't important right now. Reckon you got plenty 'a time to learn the lingo later. Plus, yer moogle shoulda clued you into the basics. Except that this place is basically the stone age. Y'know what their most advanced mode of travel is? Airships. And I've seen, like, five computers the whole time I've been here. Plus, their normal mode of travel? Birds. Really big, kinda smelly birds that don't even fly. They just run."

Sparks tosses up his arms in annoyance. All his months here and he still can't get used to that kind of stuff.

Edited 2015-05-15 03:06 (UTC)

To be honest, Barkeep couldn't believe most of what Sparks said.

"Airships? You talkin' about space ships, or literal flyin' boats? Because the former won't make much sense with that context, but the latter doesn't make any sense at all!"

And birds...well, Sparks rode a bionic horse, so large birds didn't seem that alien. The lack of computers was troubling, though.

"Naw, that ain't good." He crossed his arms. "How can they communicate without computers?"

Annie gave the Barkeep an annoyed look.

"Reckon these folks wouldn't know what a startship was if one crash landed on their house. Yeah, I'm talkin' about--" Sparks looked up to see if there were any incoming airships. Trano Goldsaucia, being a popular vacation destination, had a lot of flights coming and going. Sparks pointed to one that was just coming into view of the city. "--Big, flyin' boats."

"Havin' no computers is bad, but havin' no electricity is even worse. They send letters. Like, actual letters. On paper. Moogles mostly deliver 'em. No internet. No email. Not even AI for yer doors. Nothin'." Sparks slowly shook his head as he delivered that news. But the news doesn't end there.

"Oh yeah, plus people turn into crystal statues at random and the whole planet is, like, under threat of that happenin' to it to. So. Y'know. Welcome aboarrrd."

He finishes that up with a tiny wave. Maybe that was too much at once...?

The Barkeep followed Sparks' finger and squinted in the air. Yep, that was a giant, bulky boat that wasn't crashing horribly to the ground for some reason. "And it just flies. Like that." How?, the tone of his voice added.

"Letters? That low-tech? And these," he points to Annie next to him. "Carry 'em? How can they even fly that much?"

"Actually, Moogles are some of the most resilient-"

"This is practically the twentieth century they're livin' in," he interrupted. "I've visited planets with no sense of civilization, but at least I had a choice of goin' back!" This entire day was turning worse by the minute.

That tiny wave did not help. For a moment, it seemed that even the Barkeep was rendered speechless and frozen by the information dump. "That' ain't good."

"Nope. Sure ain't. But I don't plan on letting any planet I'm livin' on turn me into some tacky art piece for all eternity. I'm gettin' back to Mars, and no mad scientist who can't stop makin' crystals ruin everything get in my way. No sir."

Sparks folded his arms, back to the picture of confidence. This was despite the fact that such confidence was completely baseless, as almost everything for him has gone completely wrong since he arrived and the future wasn't looking much better.

Sparks was always good at appearing confident and competent, and it provided some comfort to the Barkeep. He, after all, had no clue about how horrible everything was going, but with the Marshall here, there was some hope.

As long as the Barkeep stayed away from those bad crystals Sparks was talking about, he'd be safe. Yeah.

Several minutes passed between them. "So now what're we supposed to do? I can't really live in the temple 'til it all passes over."

"Well, we ain't far from a place called Trano Goldsaucia. Might as well have a good time before we head back to Aqures Ixen. It's a resort town in the mountains. Aqures Ixen is where most of us showed up first, and they put us all up there for free. So most Heroes still live there. Though yer probably gonna have some roommates."

Besides trouble, Sparks figures there's one other thing the Barkeep would be concerned about. "As far as jobs go - I mean like the paying kind - you can ask around once we get back. I'm on their police force. Been here long enough to get promoted. Twice."

He opened up his jacket to show his police inspector's badge, pinned neatly above his marshal badge. He couldn't bring himself to take that one off, telling himself it was with him for good luck. But it was more that he felt that if he put it away, it would be like giving up on getting home.

"Guess the least I can do is take a look around a resort town. Never been to one before." Mars didn't have this luxury, and he and Harriet preferred other places to visit on their honeymoon on Earth.

"Maybe I can find myself a job there instead. I reckon they'd be needin' a barkeep with all those saloons in there. What kinda town even is Aqures Ixen?" As much as free housing sounds good, he'd rather play it safe and check out the city he knows would have some jobs opportunities.

"It's, well... Nothin' too exciting. It's clean, it's got less crime than this city, and the saloons are okay, I guess." Sparks shrugged. He never thought about it before, but he only stays there because of the free home and his job. That, and he liked living with Red - for as much as she's home.

"Just don't go to Aerilon. As someone who's allergic to trouble in his place, reckon you'd go into shock there."

Less crime? "Oh, then I think I'll like it much better there. Folks probably might like a decent barkeep in their city." More customers, and he'll have to spend less time chasing out trouble. Much better for business.

"Thanks for the warnin', Sparks. There's already too much trouble for me to handle, and I don't want no more anywhere near me."

Sparks muttered something about how the Barkeep has no idea. He can give him more details in a day or two, after they get back to Aqures Ixen. Things like the crystal situation and the recent shares dreams will take more time to explain. He also wasn't sure if he really wanted to get into the worst of the details anyway.

"Trouble keeps finding us, so don't get too comfortable. This place is... This place is just weird, Barkeep."

It was in everyone's better interests to give the Barkeep only one piece of bad news at a time. He'd exhaust himself trying to keep track of trouble otherwise.

"That's what I always say, Sparks. No matter where you go, trouble's sure to find you. Only difference is what kinda trouble it is, and some are easier to deal with than others."

Weird was one way he could describe the planet. Not the strangest thing he's encountered ever since he got the Force Galactic, but then again, he didn't know just how strange everything was

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Intro Log || The City That Never Sleeps

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