Intro Log || The Return of the Heroes

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All the "Heroes of Light" (only new characters can start threads).
Where: Aqures Ixen.
When: The 5th of September. 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. It marks the first time since January that Heroes of Light have appeared in Aqures Ixen.
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." Hand clutched on your Crystal, the call of the Moogle may finally wake 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 dock beneath 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 have arrived in the course of the past year and they will come soon! Like you, they have Jobs and a Crystal.

If asked, the Moogles will mention that the city was recently attacked by the Heran Empire and nearly destroyed by Ultima Weapon. What's the Heran Empire? What's Ultima Weapon? Better to ask to the heroes who saw it 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 within the past year. 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 when they told you about how they fiercely battled each other past month. 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 tragic 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 City of Aqures Ixen
— Anytime —
With the recent attack, Aqures Ixen is under reconstruction. The city was saved for the most part, but there are ruined buildings, the Sixth District is nothing but wasteland now and the Thirteenth District has become a graveyard. Even so, there are a lot of things left to do in the city for newcomers. A few groups of Triple Triad players are playing before Mognet Office in the ninth district, mostly Moogles as many of them are not working after what happened. And of course, 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-- Mognet Office just behind the Triple Triad games is filled with Moogles, most of them panicked, tired, busy or slacking now that their director has disappeared. They can also visit Airship Port in the twelfth district from where characters can board for free Airships from Shoopuf Airline-- Though they have to make a request 48 hours in before to do so.

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.


Close Encounters of the Third Kind
— 19:00 —
Characters venturing by the city's outskirts at this specific time will be able to see a most peculiar sight: a flying saucer seemingly abducting a cow before flying away and disappearing into the sky without leaving any traces of its presence. If your character do see it, hopefully there will be someone with them. Otherwise, nobody will believe their story.

Was it an UFO or just a hallucination? Only the future will tell...

Comments

3. Around the City

[greenmagick]

[Terra catches sight of the hero on her way back to her shop. She has a small basket filled with flowers and seeds she had collected that morning. Tempest would be keeping the shop open while shes gone but she prefers to get back and help as quickly as possible. Her eyes move to the red crystal recognizing before she inspects his expression.

He doesn't seem happy and she can understand why.

She stops in front of him, holding up a daisy with a gentle smile.]

Here. For you.

[silencesfate]

[ He seems momentarily stunned by the kindness of the stranger, and nods, quietly muttering a reply that is nonetheless grateful despite being inaudible further off. Terra was the only one who needed to hear, anyway. ]

... Thank you...

[ He carefully takes the flower, staring at it for a few seconds. It was still healthy, and vibrant... that was good. A stark contrast compared to... .

Minato's eyes don't wander from the tiny gift, and he watched as its petals swayed a little from a breeze. He eventually breaks his held silence. ]

A lot happened, huh?

[ It was still something he didn't understand, and he doesn't believe in himself enough to be sure if he could. But it's not like he could take his eyes away from it. ]

[greenmagick]

[Terra nods, she remembers the fight clearly and some nights it still haunted her dreams.]

Yes, we tried very hard to save as much of the city as we could. [Except they were horribly out numbered.

Bright blue eyes look over him curiously for a moment.]

Do you like flowers?

[silencesfate]

[ Minato didn't have much of an opinion on most things, and flowers would normally be among them too. He had nothing against them, but he didn't think about them too much, either...? But it seemed like, for this moment, it was a really nice little symbol. He allows himself to be weirdly sappy, following that. ]

They're pretty. They don't last long, but they do their best. It's something...

[ His own grayish eyes were distant, twirling the daisy by its stem a bit. As usual, he can't really tell how he feels. "Heroes" really have to fight something like this? It is surely something important, with things as they are. Yet they shouldn't rely on someone ordinary like him for helping out... It made no sense for him to be summoned into this world among the others. ]

[greenmagick]

[Daisies represented innocence, while each flower held there own meaning. It's true that they can't last forever but for as long as they stand they have a voice. Terra find them beautiful beyond anything else.]

It is. [She smiles softly.] Some are more vibrate than others but they all have something to say.

[Terra's head tilts to the side.]

Each one can have a different affect. It's why I love them. [Yes, it's love that she feels for her petaled friends. A love that's so tender and pure it'd make most shy away from it's light.]

[silencesfate]

Do you mean like... the aroma, or those "flower meaning" things? [ It seems like a nice thing you can read up about, if just for trivia. They're not bad things to look at and flowers do help with a relaxing atmosphere, Minato's noted. ]

... Love huh. Strong word.

[ Can't say he knows how that is, to feel so strongly about something... ]

[greenmagick]

Is it? [Her head tilts to the side. She doesn't know much about love though she's been told that she loves flowers because they make her happy. It is the same with animals.

She can't say she completely understands.]

Ah... yes, meanings both common and then what they mean to each person.

[silencesfate]

. . .

[ Maybe some people can toss it around easier than others. It's not a bad thing and Minato didn't think it was; having passions is nice to see in others, even if his own lifestyle has lately revolved around not caring.

Or so, that was how it was supposed to be.

It made this whole shindig of being called a Hero more jarring, he never asked for this. And it would've been easier to ignore if he hadn't happened to pass by these places, and kept looking on instead of just turning away. ... He seems to be working against himself, just a tad. Conversation is a nice distraction, for the time being. ]

Do you have a favorite?

[greenmagick]

[Terra doesn't have many favorites, it's only since arriving in Crystallis that she's been able to form opinions about things.]

I don't.

[Each flower in her shop is shown the same gentle care to help them grow.]

Is that unusual?

[silencesfate]

Not really.

I think it's normal... to go "whatever".

[greenmagick]

whatever.

[Terra repeats the word to get a feel for it. She hasn't been raised as a normal teenager and she hasn't gone through the usual steps of development where dismissal is common.]

That sounds a little strange.

[Except that it brings a small smile to Terra's lips.]

[silencesfate]

... You think so?

If anything it's easier than making decisions.

[ Truth be told it's really not a good thing to teach... Minato no don't be a bad influence... ]

[greenmagick]

Is it?

[This is a completely new view for the young Esper. She always thought that making decisions was important but she doesn't remember who taught her that. It was most likely her moogle Tempest.]

I'm sorry. I guess I don't understand.

[silencesfate]

That's part of "whatever" too... you acknowledge that people will be different, so.

[ A small shrug. ]

You just go about your own ways. Or one can adapt to the other. Whichever's easier, go for that.

[greenmagick]

[He is giving Terra a lot to think about which may or may not be a good thing. Her head cants to the side curiously looking at the strange boy.]

How do you make friends?

[Since arriving those she's met have been wonderful. They give her strength and hope.]

[silencesfate]

... I don't need to be part of too many lives. Nor do they have to be part of mine.

[ He keeps such a factual tone, even if in truth, it's something he should've been more concerned about. It was how things are. He feels no special calling to bond with people and have their voices in the back of his mind to support him. Keeping up talking with most people is too much trouble. He doesn't hate them but... he doesn't need them, either. ]

[greenmagick]

[A hand comes to rest on Terra's heart.]

I've been alone.

[For so long she was without the warmth that friendship allows.]

It's... sad.

[silencesfate]

... I see.

[ He got so used to it over the past couple years, he can't even feel envious about people who have closer companions. He never pitied himself for it, and he doesn't even start considering. But he does still care about how other people are doing, in his own way. He looks back at Terra. ]

You're not alone anymore, then?

[greenmagick]

[Terra shakes her head, tousling green curls from the ponytail that held her hair back from her face.]

I have Tempest.

[As well as other heroes of light.]

I woke up without my memories, she's helped me since.

[Getting her memories back has been painful; years of loneliness and pain.]

[silencesfate]

[ Some type of amnesia huh...? ]

It must have been hard, I'm sorry. It's good you got help for it.

[greenmagick]

[Terra is a special case when it comes to memory loss. Her memories had been stolen from her but with time they had returned.]

It isn't you're fault.

[There is no reason for him to be sorry.]

I was lucky.

[Her smile falls slightly as a white ball of fluff comes sailing through the air.]

Terra! Kupo~ I've been waiting for you. [Tempest is known to worry so she went looking for her wayward hero.]

[silencesfate]

Oh, I guess you two will be getting back to whatever you were doing?

[ He glances to the Moogle, then back at Terra; wondering a bit if Moogle and Hero relationships are supposed to work out as well as theirs seems to be. ]

[greenmagick]

[Terra shakes her head.]

It's alright. I was due back at the flower shop. [Tempest smiles at the young boy.]

Excuse me. Kupo. I worry more than I should with this one.

[Tempest saw Terra as someone who needs to be protected.]

I enjoy talking to you.

[silencesfate]

[ Minato nods. Well that explains the flower he got earlier... he'll be keeping it with him. ]

Good to meet you both. I guess I better get going too...

[greenmagick]

[Terra isn't sure if she wants him to leave just yet but she won't stop him. She glances down towards Tempest and then smiles shyly at Minato.]

I don't think I've introduced myself. I'm Terra Brandford. This is Tempest. [The little moogle nods at her introduction.]

I own the Jardin Verdoyant. It's a flower shop near the 14th district.