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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"I was awake. It happened while we were marching. It was..." Robin trailed off while she thought about it. It was only a few hours ago -- or was it? The memory was foggy, something she remembered as though it came from a dream, and with some of the fogginess that came with that. "The world around me shifted. Then it... cracked. Shattered, like a pane of glass breaking."

Describing it made the memory sharper and she shivered.

"Then I woke up in the temple, like you," she said. "A voice told me to. I thought it was Marc, but..." She glanced over her shoulder at the grumpy-looking moogle. Robin's smile turned sheepish. "It sounded much more gentle."

"Gee, thanks," Marc sighed. "I'm the gentlest person you'll ever meet, kupo."

Robin smiled a moment longer, but the expression slipped. She remembered the way the world broke and it brought other memories to mind. Memories from her own world, of crackling lightning and a pained gasp, seen through a haze of red. She looked down at her hand, idly, and her expression became more withdrawn. "But whatever happened before..." Her voice turned somber, to match the look on her face. "I wonder if they called us here to help or if they saved us."

That prompted Ven to make a face -- not a frown, exactly, but puzzled and less than pleased by that strange answer, even if what Robin described sounded vaguely familiar. Like a long-lost memory, or a dream he couldn't quite recall, the details smudged and cloudy and not quite exact, but similar enough to be noticed.

He watched her expression shift, curiosity and concern in his own. "Save us?" That, too, touched a familiar vein -- enough that he was a little more open right then, more than he had been even with Mograe so far. Predictably, his moogle perked up. "That's... possible. I'm pretty sure they helped me out by bringing me here." To put it mildly. "Maybe it's both?" he proposed, looking up at Robin once more. "Maybe they look for Heroes who need help -- and we can return the favor."

Some, or most, might be tempted to call that blackmail, but Ven had an unassuming nature that liked to view things optimistically from the outset. It sounded fair to him, to be helped out and help in return; then again, it was already to his duty to look out for the well-being of other worlds. Not everyone would take to such a proposition so lightly.

"An exchange of favors," Robin said. She couldn't quite fault them for it, and focusing on that -- rather than the feelings that memory of being pulled away brought out -- felt safer. Sometimes, armies needed allies. Could she really blame them? The Shepherds acquired more than a few allies in similar ways.

"If they need the help, I can't complain," she determined. She glanced down at Ventus, then she nodded. "Helping us, if that's what they did... it's fair. And there's a lot of people in this city."

And another city, she was told, even larger. Her expression became thoughtful, instead of distant and a little sad. The lack of information around the situation proved disconcerting, but they had a few leads. Maybe whatever pulled them here could only share so much.

"I wonder who or what brought us," she said. "It must have had something to do with that crystal."

Ven could only tilt his head in regards to the identity of the mysterious force, not even having a guess that he felt confident in giving. "It sounds like everything leads back to that Aqures Ixen place," he said thoughtfully. "That might be where the most answers are." Most, but not all, as a couple people had already made clear.

"As for the crystals, I was told there are others like the one we woke up at. And... I don't really get it, but some people have been messing with them, and it's caused some things to get out of hand. Something like that," he added, in case he hadn't understood it perfectly. "But I made a friend here earlier, and she said she's been keeping a journal of everything that's happened since she arrived. If I find anything big in there when I read it, I can let you know, if you want."

"Zelda?" Robin ventured, glancing briefly at Ventus. She spoke with her as well; it stood to reason that she greeted many of the new arrivals, all told. She pursed her lips and considered. "I heard about the journal, too," she added. "I plan to have a look." And make a copy, too. "A few people looking over it for clues might be best. Two people may catch something that someone else might miss."

Ven nodded. "Yeah! She was really helpful, huh?" Not unlike how Aqua would be in the same situation, he couldn't help thinking: guiding people, helping them, and constantly with a smile. She'd reminded him of Aqua in a few ways. "Sure," he went on, "it never hurts to double-check!"

"I'll read it too, kupo," Mograe put in. Mostly to check for its accuracy, not that she doubted one of the Heroes. Necessarily.

Ven beamed. "All right! We'll have three pairs of eyes, now -- once we get to the city." Until then, they were pretty much floating along here. He glanced along the street again. It was all unfamiliar, but at the same time it was casual; this was an amusement park, or something like it, and it was living up to its name even now. "But you wouldn't think the world was in any danger," he mused. "Everything seems so normal."

More or less, and depending on one's definition of normal. Then again, hadn't it been like that with the Unversed? The worlds went on normally except where they popped up. Maybe that was usually the case.

"She was," Robin agreed, with another smile. "I'm grateful for that. It makes it easier to have a welcoming committee waiting for you, to say the least."

She stretched her arms out above her, nodding slightly. They had three pairs of eyes -- four, actually, as Marc glanced between the two humans and nodded. Perhaps the moogle wasn't to be outdone by another of his kind. She smiled at him, before she looked back at the city around her. She flinched involuntarily at one of the spinning rides. Ventus was right, she realized.

"Mm," she murmured. "I think even in hard times... people try to find something normal to cling to." She glanced sideways and down at the younger man. "It's easier to deal with them, if there's a sense that everything else is normal."

Tilting his head, Ven considered that. He didn't really have any personal experiences to compare it with; his life had been normal, or so he'd thought, up until Terra left. Everything after that had been new, but still within his range of normal, and by the time things went badly he didn't have the luxury of stopping to think about it. Then again, wasn't that kind of what he was doing now? Looking around town, trying to make some new friends all while pushing aside the anxious static in the back of his mind that continued to remind him that Terra, Aqua, and Sora were nowhere in sight? That he couldn't feel them anymore?

Maybe so. Either way, it was what it was, so after a moment Ven made a sound that was part sigh, part halfhearted laugh.

"I'm not so sure I know what 'normal' really is, but I think you're right." The mood passed quickly, though, and he soon gave another genuine smile. "I'm just glad we were brought in before things got too bad. This way we'll have time to get ready and everything." For whatever-it-was, and by getting this job thing under control. It had sounded simple enough in theory, but the details were what had started to throw him.

"Mm." Robin murmured noncommittally, but sympathetically. If she was honest with herself, she didn't; she went from waking up in a field with no memories, save a disturbing vision, into fighting a war against the risen undead and a warlike nation. Normal was, at best, an illusion. She still thought it might be true.

She nodded, then she smiled at him. "Yes," she said. "And meet the people we'll be fighting with, if it comes to that."

All indications were that it would -- or already did.

She thought of the people that she fought with before; the Shepherds, and even the newer recruits from Ferox and other lands. With all of them, they formed some bond that kept them all together even when things went badly. It could be the same here and on every world, she decided. "That, I think, will be key to seeing this through."

Ven's cheer and optimism had kicked back into full gear, so there was nothing short of total enthusiasm as he agreed. "Yeah! I've never fought alongside so many people before, but I'm sure it'll work out if we all want the same thing." Whether that was protecting this world for this world's sake, or just to get home to their own, it was the same goal in the end, wasn't it? That suggested, or really demanded cooperation. With this many people, they had to stand a good chance.

He just... still didn't get why their powers had to be taken away. But even that, as earth-shattering as it had seemed upon discovery, was steadily becoming accepted in his mind. He'd lost most of his magic and his Keyblade didn't feel tethered to him any longer, but it could have been worse. He refused to think of it as a permanent disability, anyway, and that helped him put it aside for now.

With that in mind, however, he added after a moment, "But I guess we have our work cut out for us until then, since I'll have to train myself up all over again." With his experience, at least, it wouldn't take nearly as long to get to where he had been. Hopefully. "How about you, Robin? What'll you do after you get to Aqures Ixen?"

"Mm, you and I both," Robin said. It must have had something to do with this world and its nature. She wished she knew what. She shook her head.

"I'll also need to train," she said. "I can't let myself slip up. And then hit their library or wherever they keep the books. I'll need to learn as much as I can about this world and how it works, if I want to do my job."

A tactician could scarcely make tactics if she didn't know what her troops could do.

"And look at this house they gave me," she added. "I'd like to see where I'll be living."

Something like amusement flickered over Ven's face then, but it was nonetheless a respectful look. Robin certainly had things together despite being dumped here the same as everyone else; it was exactly the kind of levelheaded reaction and preparation that Ven would have expected from his friends and master. It was a bittersweet reminder, but his smile stayed.

"Huh," he said thoughtfully, "I haven't really thought that far ahead, now that I think about it. I was just going to focus on training, but..." He glanced sidelong at Mograe. "I guess there's more to it than that. Like finding another weapon." He didn't plan on hanging up his Keyblade, of course, but he would need to learn his way around a spear, and maybe more if he acquired more jobs later, as others had explained. With a shade of clueless in his expression, Ven looked up at Robin. "Do you normally just -- buy weapons somewhere? Can you do that?"

Tactician, meet sheltered child.

Even Mograe facepawed behind Ven's shoulder.

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Intro Log || The City That Never Sleeps

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