melodiesoflife | Intro Log || The Return of the Heroes

Entry tags:

Intro Log || The Return of the Heroes

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...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Minato could feel his bangs being swept to the side, and his nose crinkled at the subsequent touches. He eventually raises a hand to his face, rubbing softly against the place that Elizabeth had elected would make an excellent wake up button. (Turns out she was right, so really, who can say it was wrong an action?)

His eyes slowly opened, and it seemed like his gaze was still somewhat unfocused. Until he saw golden eyes meet his, and Minato was visibly surprised; or as far as he could be, with his type of personality.

"...?"

Opening his mouth, he asks...

"Don't I know you?"

She tilts her head a bit and nods, "I am Elizabeth, of the Velvet room. You have limited time before your companion returns with ice water however."

"May I ask what is the last thing that you remember before awakening here?"

"... Velvet Room..."

Minato repeats it quietly to himself, holding the side of his head. Ugh, it wasn't so much splitting pain, but he still felt immense fatigue. Wasn't that the place that was 'between dreams and reality'? When Elizabeth asks what he remembers, he squints, confused.

"A rooftop...? I'm pretty sure..."

He stops afterward, certain of the place, but uncertain of what exactly it was that happened up there. Of course the question of which rooftop is probably an important one, if Elizabeth could pardon him a few more seconds to continue to recollect his bearings.

"So the beginning. When Thanatos overcame Orpheus and the story started."

She flops down and shakes her head letting out a breath, "We will not come to meet on a personal basis for some time still. Yet know that I am there to assist you in your ordeal. Even beyond."

"Thanatos... Orpheus... That's right."

Minato murmured them, but he looked sure now, as the memory of that strange green night returned. It was supposed to be the start of his life back in the city where he had lost his parents.

"Persona."

"I said that, and then I..." Wait, he shot himself with that thing, didn't he? That thing that looked kinda like--

Well damn.

"This isn't the afterlife, is it?"

Not that he would've minded if he was in one, he realized. What a strange thought.

Edited 2015-09-11 13:13 (UTC)

Elizabeth shakes her head, "You did not shoot yourself with a real gun. Just a symbol of the death of self so your persona could be realized. I am not aware of symbols being physically dangerous, only ideologically."

She looks around, "This place is not the afterlife, it is another world that is stealing people to deal with its problems. Not the most honest solution to the problems but one I have not really been able to completely figure out either."

"... I see..."

He does wonder why, it felt so natural to have done what he did. Minato raises his right hand and forms the shape in which he had gripped the Evoker and pulled the trigger.

But he looks back up to Elizabeth, as she continues on her explanation.

"A world that steals people?"

--This is sounding like a whole other ballpark of questions he needs to ask. And he had barely gotten any answers for the things back home. The pile of mysteries grows, and Minato's not sure how he should feel about it.

But he should take it one at a time, he figures. For now, he should ask about his present state, or rather, place.

"Were you... stolen to be here too?"

"I was taken by this place, but it is hard to explain, even harder to you given the nature of things."

She looks off into the distance as if in thought for a bit then looks back at him, "You are at the beginning of your journey, just as I was at the beginning of mine. You are the one of your time and me of mine. I can not go into it further though, for if I do I may alter stories all ready told."

"Oh..." The teenager lowered his head, feeling this strange compulsion to apologize, for some reason.

"... Sorry, Elizabeth-san."

And so he does. Inconvenience was never good, incidental or no.

This was all so strange. He has to repeat them, to ascertain he's got it.

"You're saying... we're kind of from the same world," As the Velvet Room he knew and recalled, Igor explicitly clarified was special. "... But we're of different points in time?"

"That would be the simplest explanation. While time does not pass in the velvet room, at some point I will leave it. You have not reached that point, yet I have passed it long ago. Still..."

She stands up and nods, "I am your attendant, and while I no longer have access to the services of the Velvet Room, I can at least show you this place and be a guide."

"Must have been an important reason, if you call it a journey."

Though, given how even in just that meeting he could tell they weren't normal, maybe it would be too soon to judge the weight in which Elizabeth used her terminology.

Only by coincidence is he right; but unaware of his involvement.

He mulls it over for a bit, wondering if he should reject being treated in the professional manner while she is disconnected from her workplace. But he should go with it for the time being. It sounded like she wanted to do it, a little.

"That would be helpful. Thank you."

And with that, Minato picked himself up to his feet, only wobbling once or twice.

She nods and looks over him, an almost sad expression flashing in her eyes for a brief second.

"Excellent, and now your companion has no reason to douse you. Shall we go off to find the building you are staying in? I'm certain Theodore can help your associate find you."

As long as he was in what seemed to be a new world entirely, even he had some temptation to sort of lazily take in the sights, that kind of thing. And the weather was actually nice enough that he wasn't in a rush to get back indoors.

"I don't mind figuring out where it is, but..."

He dusts off his new... robes? Curious. He somehow hadn't realized he was wearing new things until now. Well, there goes his train of thought. He turns to Elizabeth's gaze, taking a few long seconds before remembering what it was he was going to say.

"Ah. Yeah I... kinda wanted to look around first, if that's alright?"

She nods, "Certainly. Do you need me to escort you, or do you wish to wander this place alone?"

"One way or other is fine by me. Did we... kinda hang out like that before?"

Later? Time tenses are hard.

Elizabeth stops and ponders, it would be complicated to explain. He was her world, but she was just his attendant, and there was no good way to explain that without experience.

"You showed me your world in many ways, and I minded your persona with all of my skills. It is hard to put into words."

Minato pursed his lips for a second, before shaking his head.

"It doesn't matter. We can go together."

He was never one to overcomplicate things, so he'd rather she not think too deeply into it. Of course, it dealt with things he hadn't discovered yet, and what he wished for was impossible but... he figures this is the less stressful course. Ah, the ignorance in bliss.

With aside glances to the city, he suggests, "Why don't you show me around? This time, you're the one with more experience."

[ ooc: We can handwave the actual exploration, seeing as it'll probably be a bunch of places. O/ ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Intro Log || The Return of the Heroes

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject