melodiesoflife | 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

[Cloud stops, and then rubs the back of his head in his embarrassment.]

No, I guess we're not. And I haven't seen anything like that but...well I'd never seen anything like that...Nevermind.

[He doesn't want to think that whatever that was is something along the same lines as the Ultima Weapon.

He's quiet for a moment as he looks off into the distance. It didn't leave any traces for them to follow but...]

We could try to go after it.

[He pulls his chocobo whistle from his pocket, waggling it in offering. Zack wasn't that far away so they could try to pick up the trail.]

[Umiko looks from him to the large chocobo.]

Can we all fit on there?

[Her, Cloud and moogles? It seems small but Umiko isn't against the idea of going after it. She doesn't think they'd be able to catch up but many they can find something out.]

[Cloud begins to clamber up onto Zack's back, the chocobo trotting in place and excited for the promise of a run. Cloud checks the bird's back behind him and then reaches out a hand.]

Just hold tight and we'll be fine. The moogles can stay behind if they want or else they can hold on tight too.

[It would be crowded but it was doable. Either way the longer they linger the colder the trail would get.]

[Umiko looks at is hand and then takes it to be pulled up. She's small and doesn't take too much room though it's still close.]

Lead the way then.

[Cloud snaps the reins, but more for effect than need. Zack is eager to run and he doesn't take much urging from his rider to do so.

The two take off at a good speed, but as they get out into the open plain it's clear the UFO didn't leave much in the way of a trail. Cloud frowns as he looks around, trying to find some hint of it.]

Where did it go?

[Umiko grips tightly to Clouds waist as they run off. She isn't used to being on the large yellow birds and she doesn't see that changing any time soon. She peeks over the young mans shoulder's looking out over the horizon.]

We lost it pretty quickly, huh?

Maybe it was a monster of some kind?

Maybe...but I've never seen one like it. It looked more like something the Empire might use and if they're scouting Aqures Ixen again then that can't be good.

[He rides on a little longer before pulling Zack to a stop and letting out a little curse under his breath.

Why a cow?

Maybe it didn't have room for a chocobo?

[Umiko has no idea.]

Anyway, lets go back to the city. I'm going to report this to Cid.

[Cloud raises an eyebrow at the joke but then nods before looking back over the horizon.]

Yeah, we probably should.

[He urges Zack back in the direction of town, the chocobo resisting somewhat after that fun run.]

You mentioned Cid. Do you know him?

[The girl had a moogle with her right? How would she know Cid if she was one of the new Heroes?]

[Umiko peeks around his shoulder to look up at him.]

Yeah, Cid called me and Rudder here to lend a hand with things.

[She wonders if it will surprise him.]

Huh!

[Cloud half turns around and smiles at her.]

Sorry. I just realized I didn't even introduce myself. I'm Cloud, one of the Heroes. So you're here to help us out?

[Obvious question is obvious but it's well intended.]

[Umiko remembers him telling her his name and she's guessed that he's one of the heroes though it's always nice to have that guess confirmed.]

Yup. So if you need anything let me know.

[Of course if he asks about something that she can't do then she will straight up tell him that she won't do it. Either way she's getting paid to help out.]

[Either way it's nice to have another hand on deck.]

Do you want me to drop you off anywhere? Did you get assigned a house yet?

[It doesn't take them long at all to reach the streets of Aqures Ixen again.]

[Umiko nods.]

I have a small apartment in the city.

[She'll give him directions and he'll notice that it isn't near the heroes of light.]

[Cloud nods at the directions and takes her where she needs to go. It's not until they actually arrive that he speaks up about it.]

They don't have you staying in District 14?

I'm not a hero of light.

[She said it as a fact and then slips from the back of his chocobo. This world is her home and it always will be.]

[Cloud watches her go, a little surprised by the response. She seemed cheerful enough when she said it but at the same time she might not have intended the way it hit him.

He knew he was from another world. He knew he was brought here at the whim of some force and he was still subject to it.

But this was the first time in a while he really felt like an outsider.

Frowning and letting his brain chew it over, he turned and rode home.]

Intro Log || The Return of the Heroes

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