thisavrou_log | ( january intro log )

Entry tags:

( january intro log )

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

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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)! )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ 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.

[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.

[ She's tripped over something, clearly. A part of her, a needlessly incessantly curious part, wants to push. She ignores it, offering Sans a hesitant smile instead. ]

Yes, it is. That's rather unheard of where I'm from, I have to say. [ a beat. ] Though come to think of it, a talking, magic skeleton is entierly unheard of.

Hmm. [Sans shrugs, finally turning away from the stars long enough to give her a quick wink.] Well, I've never met an archaeologist, so I guess that makes us even.

[With a quick nod to her side:] Must be a pretty rough job.

[ Her smile turns sickly, eyes dropping and hands coming to rest gently near the wound, as though she's just barely resisting the urge to hug herself. ]

I don't know if I would call this archaeology... More like survival.

[ Gunshots, screams, the smell of smoke and Lara thinks for a moment she might pass out right there after all, despite Sans' work. She moves away from the window, the expanse of black and the brightness of the stars suddenly leaving her feeling too open, too exposed. ]

We should find the medbay.

[ Her voice sounds oddly distant as she moves away. ]

[Observation was his field. As a scientist, that was most of his job. Setting up dominoes and recording how they fell. It only followed that he learned what to notice, and why shouldn't that extend to people? Even if he didn't understand what the data meant on its face, eventually it would cobble together into a readable conclusion.

But the way Lara seemed to draw in like a closing door, shutting down whatever part of her was still able to laugh at his dumb jokes despite their circumstances... he didn't need more data to get an idea of what that was. He felt it himself whenever he the ship lurched with a metallic clang or a strip of red passed his sockets.

Now wasn't the time for pressing on a clearly fresh wound -- and he didn't mean the one on her side.]

... Right. [He began to offer his arm as a steadier, but thought better of it. Touching was dicey. Instead he offered a broad smile, hoping that would provided some support of a different stripe.]

Welp. You're an archaeologist, I'm a skeleton -- sounds like a match made in heaven to me. Lead the way, L.

Edited 2016-01-03 06:59 (UTC)

[ She lets out a breath that's almost a laugh, small and fluttering and gone in a moment.

She follows the map and Sans follows her and. They don't run into anything. No one tries to stop them, the floor nor the ceiling gives out. There's no reason for her to suddenly feel so tired when they reach the medbay, but still she does.

Lara sinks down into the first available space she can find that's not the floor, rubbing her forehead. ]

Sorry. Just need to rest a minute.

[The silence isn't exactly comfortable, but it's not uncomfortable either, and Sans supposes that's as much of a victory as he can hope for. Sometimes there just wasn't anything to say. Talking could be overrated.]

Sure, I'm in no hurry. [He sank down beside her. kicking out his short legs.] Ship's pretty sweet, huh?

[ She's grateful when he sits next to her. It feels like ages since she's been able to just sit with someone and not worry, but really, it couldn't have been that long...

She pushes those thoughts away and focuses outward, on what he says. ]

It is amazing, I've never seen anything like it. [ A smile flickers.] Though I'd like it a good deal better if kidnapping wasn't our means of seeing it.

Heh, I guess you've got a point there. [Sans's laughter is accompanied by a quick glance at her wound, adding an imperceptible hollowness to his voice that wasn't there before. Or at least, not quite as pronounced.]

Though I gotta say, kinda looks like we both are better off here than where we were.

[ Lara looks at him and she wants to ask so many things so badly it has to be written on her face. But they've hardly known each other an hour and there are questions Lara couldn't bear to answer right now.

She leans to the side instead, gently bumping shoulders with Sans. ]

At least it's cleaner, if nothing else. [ She takes a breath and pushes herself off from the cot. ] Better get on to business.

[ She immediately begins rummaging in every drawer and cabinet she can get open, tossing bandages, antiseptic and whatever else looked useful onto the cot besides Sans. ]

[Sans doesn't respond with much more than a chuckle, yawning when Lara finally hoisted herself up. Exhaustion settled deep in his bones, still burning from the intense physical exertion of what felt like only an hour prior. How she managed to keep going like this looking how she did, well, Sans couldn't help being impressed.]

Know what you're doing with these things?

[ Satisfied with what she's gathered, Lara goes back to the cot, sitting down a little heavily. ]

Enough to take care of myself.

[ She starts with her ankle, carefully rolling up her pants leg to get at the now-filthy makeshift bandage. She'll work steadily, going up from there. The injury on her side at least is only a minor nagging sensation comparatively, but the dull ache in her ribs is starting to wear at her. Twisting to try and wrap the flesh wound on her upper arm sets off both of these things and she ends up leaning back again, letting out a slow breath. ]

I might need help.

[ Strange to say something like that over such a minor thing as treating an injury. ]

[All the blood was a bit, well, new. Every monster grew up knowing and fearing the strength of humans, though watching Lara patch herself up... well, maybe the will to persist existing had its drawbacks. Like what looked like a lot of discomfort.]

'Help,' I can do. [Sans moved closer, picking up quickly enough what each was used for. Monsters had bandages, after all. Sans climbed up onto the table, settling himself at a more useful height.]

Think you'll need a doctor? [Sans wrapped quickly, making short work of the wound on Lara's arm. It wasn't the best handiwork, but it would do.] I mean, uh, in my personal opinion? You kinda do. But that's just me.

[ she shifts, leaning forward and moving her arm so that it's easier for him to wrap the bandage, but after murmuring a soft "thanks" she leans back against the wall.]

I should. I know I should, but. [ she frowns, tryin to think of how to explain.] I don't want one of them to touch me yet. I'm not sure I could stand it right now.

[ She grimaces at that.] I know it's ridiculous.

[Sans almost wished it did sound ridiculous, but the rush of understanding he felt was as immediate as it was unpleasant.]

Nah... nah, I get it. [He sighed, raking a hand across his skull. Discomfort or not, she did need some professional help.] Would you be okay with me giving you another quick heal before you lay down for the night?

[Sure, he had no real practical reason to help her, but... well. What can he say? He's got a certain soft spot for this kind of thing. With a shrug, Sans's grin softened with equal parts kindness and apology.]

I promise I'll leave you abone after that.

[ The smile puts her at ease, lets her nod at his request. Whether it was the misunderstanding of their initial meeting or that he's been the first genuinely kind stranger she's met since Yamatai, it's impossible to say, but she trusts him. ]

It's all right, I'd- [ She stops as what he says processes, a sudden loud laugh exploding out of her. She slaps a hand over her mouth to stifle it, but it only prompts more, nearly helpless giggling. ] Did you really just-? Sans, that's awful!

[ Though you wouldn't know it from the way she's giggling, genuine, if a little hysterical, hand pressed over her mouth in an attempt to stifle it and eyes bright. ]

[He couldn't help it, Sans beamed. And while the expression might not seem all that different from his regular grin, happiness and relief seemed to radiate from Sans's skull in waves.]

You like that? I got a skele-ton of 'em. [Bad jokes. The great equalizer. Not even the tell tale signs of, well...]

You ever heard the one about the ghost obsessed with elevators? [Wordlessly, Sans positioned himself at her side. The trouble with green magic was proximity. You had to get close for it to do much. She seemed alright with him for now, but these things could be quick to change. Maybe if he could just keep her laughing...] They really lift his spirits.

Edited 2016-01-18 07:07 (UTC)

[ She manages to keep it at an undignified snort at "skele-ton." She doesn't so much as flinch when he moves closer, if anything, she tries very hard to hold still for him.

It last about five seconds, when he tells his joke and then she loses it again, curling in on herself a little from it. It's not a surprise, exactly, when the tears start. It's when they keep coming and the laughter tapers off into a sob. Lara's hands fly to her face, wiping at the tears. ]

Oh- Oh god, I'm sorry. [ She could feel the green magic working through her, skin and muscles mending themselves, and for some reason that just made her cry harder. She pressed her hands over her face, shoulders shaking from barley repressed sobs ] I'm sorry.

[The laughter, Sans was expecting. That joke was hysterical. And while her laugh was a little too sharp, a little too thin, a little too overwhelmed, Sans thought that perhaps that was okay for now. Perhaps this was enough.

The shift from one form of hysterics to another was subtle at first, but not enough to escape Sans's immediate notice. Alarmed, his fingers tensed against her. She needed more healing. A lot more, honestly, but he was prepared to step back and give her all the space she needed.

Then the apologies started rolling in, wet and desperate. Sans rooted himself to the spot. The last thing she needed was some bonehead treating her like a pariah.]

Sorry for what? [Sans asked, forcing his voice to keep up its casual levity. More green magic flowed from his hands into her side, resuming the slow healing process. He knew it wouldn't, but part of Sans hoped it might help settle her nerves as well.] Being the best audience I've had in a while?

[ If anything, it makes her curl further into herself, shoulders hunching. She tries, though. Tries to calm down, to sit back again. She can't be making this easy for him, never mind suddenly behaving like a mad woman. ]

No, not that. [ She manages to lift her face so she can at least look at him. She knows she must look a terrible wreck, but still it's worth saying to his face. She can even manage the smallest of smiles. ] I like your jokes. I'm sorry, I don't know why I started crying like that.

[Grin going lopsided, Sans slowly drew his hands away. She needed more, but he needed a break. Like all his magic, his healing was incredibly weak. They'd be here all night and well into the next morning if he wanted to heal her completely -- and that wasn't accounting for breaks. Magic took it out of a guy.

But he wasn't the only one who looked like he could use a breather.]

Enough with the apologies, L. [But despite the words, Sans's voice carried more sympathy than scolding.] We've all been there. No bones about that.

[Another breath, and Sans pressed his hands back against her side.]

You want to talk about it? [A beat.] You can go back to pretending I'm a hallucination, if it'll help.

[ It was almost a relief when the healing stopped. The pain hadn't completely gone, but it was something familiar, something to hold onto and ground herself with. She looks at him intently for a moment, studying him. ]

Honestly, Sans, I sincerely hope you don't understand what I've been through.

[ She didn't want that for him, though she had to wonder. And it's it's own individual pain to think that he might, indeed, understand exactly.

She let out a slow breath and faced forward, letting her eyes close. She reaches carefully and sets her hand over one of his when he touches his side. Feather light and only her finger tips meeting his. She's an archaeologist, she knows how delicate bones can be. ]

I... I don't know if I can. I'm not sure I really believe it's over yet. [ The smell of smoke and blood, shouts and screams thick in the air. Her own voice, tearing at her throat, as she hurls back her own taunts. Metal sinking into flesh. ] I don't want you to be scared of me.

[As a rule, Sans didn't crack. His little brother wore cool armor, Sans wore a smile -- and he found it just as, if not more, effective. If you weren't much to look at, nobody really looked too close. Pretty nifty strategy for avoiding unwanted questions.

Still, something about Lara's tone sent an icy sensation down through his bones.]

Hey, who's the monster here? [It was a feeble joke, and sometimes Sans wished he could turn that part of his personality off. It crackled in his mouth, dying off with a wheezy chuckle.] ... You don't have to worry about that. Seriously. I'm capable of that, sometimes.

A lot of stuff scares me, but you don't.

[She was determined, sure. That much was obvious in how she persisted, even now. But she laughed at his jokes, and while her soul wasn't pure but it wasn't heavy either.

She cared. Probably fiercely, if her delicate touch was anything to go by.]

No pressure, of course. [And there was the wink, hoping to relax away some of the heavy atmosphere. Sincerity was a bitter pill and Sans was sort of terrible at swallowing it. No esophagus.] Whatever you're, uh, medi-cool with.

[That was weak.]

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i did it

leave me here to die

8D

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I'M IN PAIN 1/2

2/2