( january intro log )

[hownkai]

Who: Everyone
When: January 1st and on
Where: The Moira + Emiri
What: The crew finds themselves on the planet of Emiri
Warnings: None, but please label anything you do that needs a warning

I N T R O L O G

doubled down "I used to live in a room of mirrors, and all I could see was me..." The Ingress has pulled you in. Your body experiences several sensations at once: being pushed forward as if a hand is resting on your back, momentary and startling blindness, a gentle ringing in your head. You have difficulty discerning whether it is hot or cold, but where you have been prodded is noticeably warmer than the rest of you. Some may suffer from dizziness while others are perfectly fine. Once equilibrium has been reestablished, you will notice you are standing on a long platform and that the room is filled with a soft cerulean light. It's slightly humid and dark despite the glow around you, and nothing is familiar. Those that arrive will find they have a very short amount of time to actually adjust to time on the Moira before the ship is preparing to enter the orbit of a nearby planet. Shifts in gravity are normal, but for the most part, things carry on as usual. WELCOME TO EMIRI Despite recent events, it seems things are slowly coming to a standstill. As the Moira comes closer to this new planet, the Captains relay a message to the crew informing them that they are required to dock and stay on Emiri for an indeterminate amount of time due to the nature of its most prized resource: matchmaking. Although it is universally known by many other names, Emiri is a central hub for pairing others with their true intended—or second self. Each crew member will be asked to participate in a series of MANDATORY tests - both physical and mental - so that their profile may be uploaded into an efficient database before being allowed to explore what Emiri has to offer. Curious about the process? Don't be! Side effects to these simple tests are rare, and while some of them may be lengthy, the majority of them are timely, efficient, and short. However, the company responsible for this modern miracle is well-known, especially throughout Emiri, and each Morian should verse themselves as to exactly who they are and what they do. LINK'D INC. The Art of Once Link’d Inc. knows that finding your second self isn’t easy, so we take the guesswork out of it for you. If you’re looking for love, a perfect genetic match, a person to help you build an empire, or something more, you’ve come to the right place. Link’d Inc. runs mental and physical screenings and performs a background analysis--all at your discretion. Immediate customization of a detailed profile is ready for you in seconds. This profile is then calibrated into our system and cross-examined with over 99.9 billion others. We’ll find you your second self, the perfect counterpart, the very first try. It’s the chance of a lifetime. It’s the life you deserve. It’s... The Art of Once. These are some of the many different sorts of advertisements found throughout Emiri describing the corporation responsible for this advanced science. Its founder, Frederick Link, is not easily contacted, but there is some information available about him. Anyone that asks will be told bits and pieces of the following: Frederick Link searched the universes for his perfect match, only to be met with disappointment and loneliness. A businessman at heart, but a romantic to his very core, Link decided to take that perceived failure and channel it into a company that could provide others with the very thing he longed for: the perfect second self. Two years into development, during a trial run, Link was matched with a woman from a neighboring galaxy, and they’ve been together ever since. A prosperous thirty year relationship shows that the methods of Link’d Inc. can provide a person with love, romance, a business and life partner, or anything else that one might need. Whether they hear all of it is determined by how much the crew explores the vast cities of Emiri, which are connected to one another by a railway system that makes travel quick and simple. There are also numerous other modes of transportation that range from cars and trucks to boats and bicycles. HARASHAN Commercial & Professional Map of HarashanPopulation: ~ 7.28 million Major Landmark: The Aerospace Literacy Rate: 95% Harashan is the main district for education and learning. There are countless programs and schools offered to those of varying races and ethnicities throughout the galaxy. Want to learn another language? Perhaps brush up on some of the arts that were never quite mastered? This is the place to perfect things that need a bit of fine tuning. It is also the main business capital and transportation hub of Emiri—the aerospace is located centrally, a busy place that monitors the comings and goings of every ship. The Link'd Inc. corporate office can be found here, as well as its chains and subsidiaries (i.e., screening facilities and health services). Their motto is: Finding your second is a business strategy. Get it right the first time. ☄ DATING 101: Someone thinks you need a little more education before meeting your one and only because you're now being forced to attend reform school. Ettiquette, dining, dancing, and more, there are countless lessons you'll be taught and tested over through the course of your stay on Emiri. Perhaps you won't be so unlucky and have someone to share in the experience. ( 01.01 - 01.17 ) ☄ BOARDED UP: Crew members located in this city will be passed a flier by an unrecognizable stranger who is immediately swallowed up in the crowd of Harashan; being able to follow them will be impossible. Yet, the thin paper has nothing on it but a specific address. Asking some of the locals eventually leads to an abandoned station on the outskirts of the city in the opposite direction of the Aerospace. It's dirty and falling apart, like the residents of Emiri have completely ignored its existence. There are also signs of a struggle in random areas throughout—black scorch marks, bullet holes, and dried blood stains. Yet, the most noticeable feature is the single flag tacked onto a wall just down a flight of steps that leads to a closed subway system bearing an unfamiliar symbol. What happened here? Why won't anyone know what you're talking about if you question them? Something seems to be brewing beneath the business-driven energy of Harashan. ( 01.18 ) Avelle Romance & Love Map of AvellePopulation: ~ 2.1 million Major Landmark: Wem-Run River Crime Rate: 15% Avelle is Emiri's second largest city and is centered around those individuals looking for their second based on love compatibility versus the "entire package". However, it differs from Harashan due to its increase in families rather than individuals and is more suburban in its layout. While it does have schools and general places as Harashan does, its most noted feature is the Wem-Run River, which courses through the center of the city. Much of Avelle's energy and livelihood is generated by this natural formation, but the water is not drinkable. Their motto is: Finding your second is finding your soulmate. The first time is the only time. ☄ FAMILY MATTERS: Congratulations! You've been given the keys to a new place of your very own, completely furnished and with no strings attached. But there's always a catch, right? Well. It's the starting foundation of your new life with your second—regardless of whether or not you've met. So, get settled and get comfortable. You have a while to figure out what you're going to do. ( 01.01 - 01.17 ) ☄ BOMBS AWAY: Crew members located in this city will suddenly feel the slightest tremor shake the ground. Depending on how close you are to the Wem-Run River, it might be possible to see the remains of a burning ship. You might even notice the few figures in the water who are immediately swept up by - what appear to be - the authorities of Avelle. If you're further from the water, there will be thick black smoke pouring into the air, and as the crowd begins to grow larger, it's almost impossible to see what happens across the river. Yet, some of the debris will wash ashore eventually, and pieces of the boat will bear an unfamiliar symbol. What happened here? Why won't anyone know what you're talking about if you question them? Why do they whisper Komai? Something seems to be brewing beneath the light-hearted energy of Avelle. ( 01.18 ) St. Murtel Genetic & Biological Map of St. MurtelPopulation: ~ 867,000 Major Landmark: Link'd Inc. Gen-Lab Success Rate: ERROR Unlike other cities across Emiri, St. Murtel's access is extremely limited and monitored closely. It is the center of medicial-related queries as well as laboratories and other screening facilities. Physical and mental conditioning and other educations are held in the pristine buildings of St. Murtel due to its heavy focus on pairing people from a genetic level to "create a better future". The streets are clean despite the vast highways that runs either side of the center of the city. Settled between these busy roads is the Link'd Inc. Gen-Lab. Their motto is: Finding your second is for the future. A perfect legacy is only born once. ☄ INFANT POSSIBILITIES: The future is closer than you think! With help from several Link'd Inc. sources, you can now know what your offspring will look like. Accessing the system is easy, and all candidates who have been logged through Link'd Inc.'s matching process will be available to view by anyone. Not the most precious thing you've ever seen? Don't worry! There are even programs that assist with altering what those genes may produce so that you can have exactly what you've always wanted. ( 01.01 - 01.17 ) ☄ CUFFED: Crew members located in this city will notice an unrest arising within the people slowly gathering outside the Link'd Inc. Gen-Lab. Upon closer inspection, it seems the authorities have been contacted due to some sort of threat, and if you look even closer, that "threat" is a person being arrested and detained for questioning. What might strike you as odd is the an unfamiliar symbol inked into the back of their jacket and the shout the stranger gets out before being shoved into a locked vehicle. "The Komai won't stop until it's over!" What's happened here? Why won't anyone know what you're talking about if you question them? Who was that person and what did they mean? Something seems to be brewing beneath the strict energy of St. Murtel. ( 01.18 ) ( ooc; For questions or more planet information, go here. Please comment to activity check to receive new ranks (if applicable)! )

Comments

[skelepun]

[The quiet scrabble of footsteps behind him was probably more cause for alarm than Sans afforded it. Turning languidly, he did nothing but grin when coming face to skull with Lara. If there was any reaction at all, it was a brief scan of her person with his eyelights -- taking silent, private inventory.

Human. Injured. That was good for him, right?]

Wish I could tell ya. [Still grinning:] You don't look so hot.

[rraidergirl]

[ Sans is so far out of the realm of what she was expecting that Lara doesn't actually know how to respond. She stares for a solid 30 seconds and when the skeleton doesn't disappear or make a move to attack, she manages to find her voice. ]

I- You're a skeleton.

[skelepun]

[On the contrary. This skeleton is rocking back and forth on the heels of his slippers, head cocked to an inquisitive angle. Though at her question, he took a step back, hands flying over his body in a panic.]

Whoa, what the hell!? [He looked back up, eyelights shrunk down to pinpricks.] They got my skin!

[And, with an arm bent awkwardly into his own ribcage:] Organs too!?

[rraidergirl]

[ She almost takes a step forward, hands lifting slightly to placate before being drawn back to her body. ]

Are you all right?

[ She doesn't know what else to say. She's not entierly sure she's even awake right now, she doesn't actually remember the last time she slept. ]

[skelepun]

Never better. Who needs all that extra weight, right?

[Whatever panic he'd been feigning fell away instantly, leaving nothing more than that same shit eating grin. Rocking once more on his heels, Sans risked a step closer. Humans could be pretty dangerous if you weren't careful, after all. Injured or not, he wasn't about to move in for a hug just yet.]

I was being serious before, though. You okay?

[rraidergirl]

[ The complete about face back to his previous calm throws her even more than the feigned panic did, surprising a short, rough laugh out of her. ]

You know I'm not really sure.

[ She lets her back thud against the wall behind her and lets her legs finally give out, sliding down to sit on the floor. She closes her eyes, pressing the heels of her palms against the closed lids. ]

I think I might be hallucinating.

[skelepun]

[Human or not, the woman was obviously not well. Sans wasn't exactly in a position to trust that on its face, but his instincts rarely led him astray these days. A few more steps, and Sans was at her side.]

How many fingers am I holding up? [At his height, Sans didn't need to do much more than hunch his shoulders to be at eye level with her. Flashing two bony fingers, he raised a brow bone.]

[rraidergirl]

[ She dutifully looks up at the question, letting her hands drop to her lap. ]

Two.

[skelepun]

[Sans glanced between his hand and Lara's face a few times, before shrugging affably.]

Well, I'm not really sure what that proved, but you passed. That's gotta be worth something, right? [Fully convinced that the human wasn't about to jump him, Sans knelt down beside her.] Are you hurt anywhere?

[rraidergirl]

[ Lara lets her head fall back against the wall with a soft thunk and a sighing laugh that ends on a grimace. ]

I can't actually tell anymore. [ One pain bleeds into the next. She shifts slightly to show him the larger blood stain on her left side. ] I suppose this one is the most pressing concern. It hasn't killed me yet.

[ If you can't be honest with your fever dreams, who can you be honest with. ]

[skelepun]

[Shifting his attention to the wound, Sans tried his best to estimate how deep and fresh the cut was. When it came to the anatomy of the human soul, Sans was quite familiar... the rest wasn't exactly his area of expertise. At least, not an adult. Or a very-near adult.

Still he situated himself to the left side of her, rubbing his bony hands together. A faint green glow started up between them.]

This won't do much. It's not really my area. [Sans warned in advance, though it was a remarkably thin explanation considering how the green light continued to grow.] Should get you at least partway outta the woods, though.

[Glow reaching a point Sans found satisfactory, he held out his hands, preparing to lay them against her side. If she let him, the sensation would be a sharp sting followed by the bizarre relief of flesh knitting back together.]

[rraidergirl]

[ The wound is deep, a clean puncture straight through her side, though small. Burned skin and muscles surrounding the immediate area give it an appropriately grizzly look. She'd lost the makeshift bandage long ago, the only cover now her shirt.

She eyed the green glow warily, distantly thinking she should perhaps make an effort to stop him, dream or no. She'd had quite enough of glowing colored lights recently, thank you. At least this one seemed less inclined to implant the soul of a powerful and terrible queen. ]

What is that? [ She has to ask because of course she does. A wince and a soft hiss is the only sound she makes in acknowledgment of the pain. Her breath catches as the healing begins, the pain receding more of a shock than anything. She lifts her head to try and watch what's happening properly. ] Oh... It doesn't hurt.

[skelepun]

It's not going to fix it. [Sans admitted, expression locked in a sort of grinning grimace. Human wounds were... unpleasant, to say the least. You didn't get this much viscera with monsters. His right eye glowed a faint, ghostly blue.] I'm not that great at healing magic. It'll close it up, though, and give you a break from the pain until you can get to someone who knows what they're doing.

[He pulled his hands back, wiping them on his jacket. Blood smeared against blue, but Sans hardly seemed concerned. His eye was completely back to normal.]

How's that? Think you can stand?

[rraidergirl]

Magic. Of course. [ Odd that she doesn't feel faint.

She pushes herself up at his question, slow and steady, and takes stock. The pain isn't gone, but rather she can localize specific pains now. Her head and ribs throb, her ankle aches and the burns on her arm and hand are still naggingly present. However, the incessant burning hurt that had kept her on her feet as much as it had hurt her had lessened to a dull throb in her side.

She took as deep a breath as her ribs would allow and looked down at the talking, magic skeleton. ]

This isn't a dream, is it.

[skelepun]

[Sans stood with her, dusting off his knees. She was taller than him by a considerable margin, but Sans couldn't find it in himself to be too intimidated. They'd swapped magic now, after all.]

Could be. [He nodded, looking almost bored as he surveyed the room again.] But probably not. I've never seen a human like you before, not sure my skull could dream something like that up.

[rraidergirl]

I've never seen a skeleton quite like you either.

[ A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. Whether it was intentional or just who he was, his laid back attitude was oddly calming. ]

I'm Lara. Thank you for... what you did. [ Magic. It was magic. Still she can't bring herself to say it, even as she acknowledges it. ]

[skelepun]

Eh, that was nothing. [Really. Sans waved off her thanks, but his fixed smile looked a little more genuine for the moment.] And I don't know much about human anatomy, but you probably shouldn't leave that for long.

[He shoved his hands in his pockets, making a sidelong glance down the long room.]

C'mon. I got the spiel earlier about this place, there's supposed to be some sort of medical bay. I'll fill you in on the way." He held out a hand, though whether he wanted her to shake it or use it as a brace wasn't clear. "I'm Sans, by the way. Sans the skeleton, but you knew that last part already."

[rraidergirl]

It'll keep.

[ She's survived this long and she's feeling strangely optimistic about her odds now. She takes the hand he offers, assuming it's to shake. She's feeling perfectly steady, pay no mind to the slight swaying. ]

That sounds like an excellent plan. Do you think there's a map somewhere as well?

[skelepun]

[Yep, perfectly steady on her feet. Clearly.

Maybe this called for a repeat of the largely useless yet oddly comforting finger test, but Sans was a bit too busy trying to recall the ship's layout. The answer was probably somewhere in his MID, but bones weren't the best match to a touch interface.]

Pretty sure it's down this way. Here. [He tossed his MID her way.] Try to pull up a map on that.

[He started towards the most obvious exit before stopping with a languid shrug.] Oh and I guess I should mention we're in space.

[rraidergirl]

[ She caught the device and began to fiddle with it. Well, that was incredibly convenient. She followed Sans towards the exit. ]

Here it is, I- [ And then she stops. ]

Sorry, I don't think I heard you right. Did you say we're in space?

[skelepun]

Yeah, I probably should've started with that. You being a bloody mess was really distracting.

[Despite everything, his voice sounded almost fond.]

If I knew much more, I'd tell you. The gist is, this ship is called the Moira. We're hurtling through space for, uh, some reason. I guess I must've slept through that part.

[He nodded for her to continue following him, taking a few more steps round a corner until he, too, stopped in his tracks.]

Whoa.

[The observatory window was... well, pretty breathtaking, for a guy without lungs.]

[rraidergirl]

We've been shanghaied aboard a space ship.

[ She shakes her head as she follows him out. ]

Not making a very strong case for this not being a dream- Oh!

[ She catches herself before she can bump into him, gasping softly when she looks up and sees all of those stars laid out before them. ]

It's stunning. [ She stands and stares with him a moment. ] ...I'm an archaeologist. I never gave much thought to anything not decades old, much less outside our atmosphere, but this. It's incredible.

[skelepun]

[There were legends about the night sky that every baby bones knew. You wish on a star, it'll come true. Trapped underground, monsters had to make due with glowing gems on a cave ceiling. Sans used to imagine seeing the real thing someday.

But never like this.]

Heh, archaeologist, huh? [Another breath, as if finally letting the spectacle of it flow out of him. There were star charts made by monsters before the war drove them all underground. Sans looked them over more than once. The stars he was seeing now, well... they looked completely different.] I'm was an -ist too, once upon a time.

[rraidergirl]

[ She glances down at him, then back to the stars. ]

Was that before you...? [ She gestures at the whole of him, then ducks her head a little, rubbing the back of her neck. ] Ah, I apologize, that seems rude to ask.

[skelepun]

[For a moment, Sans thought she might be asking a much bigger question. It was enough to shake his guard a little, though the broad expanse of stars were at least somewhat to blame too.]

Before I...? [Oh, right. Sans chuckled, rebuilding his cool.] Heh, I've always been a skeleton, if that's what you mean.