☆TRACK VI: THE NEW AMERICANA

[interdimanagers]

Who: All the rescuers...and DAFT PUNK.
What: The rescuers enter Vista City for the first time.
When: January 20th, 2055
Where: The ship, the coast, and outer Vista City.
Warnings: Could basically be anything.

“Viral mess turned dreams into an empire. Self-made success now she rolls with Rockefellers. Survival of the richest, the city's ours until the fall. But we don't feel like outsiders at all.” ☆THE NEW AMERICANA Your arrival on Tera doesn’t exactly happen with a bang – though maybe that’s a good thing, given that this is supposedly a stealth operation. The ship firsts touches down somewhere in the ocean, at which point it hovers above the waves for a few hours while Shep “touches base” with some “contacts.” This is your time to get ready, to collect any gear you’ve been assigned, and to talk over initial plans with your new teammates. You’ve been given a rough outline of what to expect upon reaching actual land. You’re going to be dropped off in the ring of forested land outside of the city, at which point you are to access a hidden stash of supplies that has been planted there for you and head into the city, where a second stash of supplies will be waiting for you in the outer ring of the city. It will probably be a long walk. From the onboard supplies everyone will be given the following: ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING: if your character doesn’t already speak English, they will be given some time with a crown like technological device that seems the be able to psychically teach people languages at a rapid pace. Whatever has been enabling communication so far won’t cover you once you enter the city, so it’s important that you’re prepared. How easily a person’s brain accepts this information will vary based on unseen neurological factors, and can range from perfect fluency to an uneasy second language. (On an OOC level, whether or not your character struggles with picking up English is completely up to you.) Most of this training will be done on the trip to Tera. THEIR DESIGNATED TOOLS: any items your character was designated on your application will be given to them now. They’ll have some degree of choice in what they get, but everything is limited in supply. There are manuals for everything, but how much you can be fucked to read them will vary. Also, some of them aren’t in English or anything else even remotely recognizable. COMMUNICATION DEVICES: Everybody will get a communicator, which are worn around the back of your ear and project a holographic field over your eyes when activated. The device itself must be manually switched on with your fingers, and from there on out your exact method of controlling it depends on the settings. Some of the more basic functions can be manipulated with “brain waves” (though nothing very complicated) and the rest is mostly voice or touch activated, though you can also set it up to be controlled with blinking and eye movement if you are a “pro”. Its functions include voice, voice-to-text, and a sort of janky manual text mode that you have to touch the screen to use. Video chat is not available, though it is capable of recording video from your POV to be shared manually after the fact. It can also share still images. Various channels can be set up and accessed, both private and public, much like a Teamspeak server is used in gaming. HOLO EMITTERS (LIMITED): The amount of these available are limited by “plot convenience.” Do you want your character to have to struggle with their alien appearance to get by constantly? Then imagine there wasn’t enough of them to go around and your character was unlikely or benevolent enough to not receive one. Would you rather they have access to one? Then you can have one. A holo emitter is capable of projecting a holographic image around your character and disguising their appearance, the complexity of which is entirely up to you. The major problems with it are that 1) it can’t conceal things that the hologram doesn’t actually touch – cow horns could be covered in a hologram to look like a hat, but it couldn’t make them look as if there is nothing there at all, and 2) the holograms have no mass, and so if anyone tries to touch them they’ll realize they are just light projections. Also, like most of the equipment, they only work for a few hours before running out of power. ☆STASH NUMBER ONE: THE FOREST Once Shep has made sure things are prepared and everyone has their stuff, the ship will very briefly skirt close enough to the shore for people to disembark. The beach seems totally free of witnesses, and once you’ve hit land it’s a short run to the tree line. A few random people will have map information uploaded into their communicators (Usagi, Saitama, Reborn, Pearl, and Sparks Nevada are the lucky winners) and will be put in charge of making sure everyone navigates to the first stash correctly, and then into the outskirts of the city where a meet-up point and a second stash of equipment is located. The directions are not complicated, but it’s a lot of people to shepherd around incognito. How everybody handles this is completely up to the characters. Meanwhile, Shep is piloting the ship back off into the ocean to hide it somewhere. He says he’ll meet you in the city at some point, and that he’ll keep in contact via the communicators. Stay safe, and good luck! The first stash is about a twenty minute walk into the forest, and should be found with relative ease. It is basically just a few large, plastic tubs buried beneath soil and moss, and has to be dug up like treasure. Inside of it lies the following: AMERICANA DISGUISES: Clothing, make up, the works – everything the average joe needs to pass themselves off as a resident of Vista City. Outfits are perhaps a bit more eccentric and flashy than you’re used to...or maybe a bit less, depending where you come from. Either way, it’s a specific look, and there should be enough here to accommodate new outfits for all the humanoids. If you’re a horse, you’re sort of on your own. What your character ends up with is up to you, though “space rave” is a good way to describe common aesthetics. There are also a lot of hooded coats, hats, and other articles that would be good for hiding inhuman characteristics. RATIONS: Enough food at water, tightly compact, to last everyone for a few days. It’s going to start to run out quickly, though, so the group is going to need some breadwinners sooner rather than later. A WELCOME CARD: A welcome message from these two with their selfie printed on the front. Written inside are the following messages: “Glad you could make It! ♥ –Gold” and ”Welcome to hell. ☺ -Silver”. They are both in the same handwriting. From there, the maps only lead further into the city. ☆STASH NUMBER TWO: CITY BOUND You'll quickly notice that Vista City comes with multiple levels - the ground level, that actually touches the earth, and then a second level of streets and walkways that occurs halfway up the mountainous buildings. Cars streak down both sets of speedways, and the signs of life scatter every inch of the towers surrounding you. At the same time, though, a city of this magnitude leaves a lot of nooks and crannies left frequently unseen - something you'll definitely have to take advantage of. In the outer ring of the city the population is less dense than it gets towards the center, so at the least it gives you the opportunity to get your bearings. You'll find that there is no shortage of people stalking around in the darkness, even as the sun sets and night totally takes hold. A lot of them are dressed pretty funny, too, and any insecurities you had about looking ridiculous can tentatively be put aside. The costumes you were left do allow you to blend in about as well as you could hope. If the navigation team holds true, you'll be able to make it to the next stash in good time. You've been advised to avoid talking to locals as much as possible, at least until you've figured things out better. There is a notable absence of homeless people on the streets, which could mean any number of things. The place you end up at is, unsurprisingly, a warehouse. One of the few entirely flat buildings in the cityscape, the maps will lead into the center of the building. You try the door. It opens. When you go inside, you aren't alone. The floor is littered in blankets and what passes for foam mattresses. Waiting with them is the silver helmeted figure from the welcome card earlier. They usher you in hastily and ask you some cursory questions about whether you've been followed. When they seem satisfied, they'll tell you that you can spend the night here. "This is the first and last time you can stay here," they'll say, gesturing around. "This was Gold and I's launchpad for the last little while, and we're junking it after this. I recommend you follow our example. Don't stay any one place too long, and don't travel in one huge group. If you do that, one bad night will pin you all down." Silver will pass out what is apparently enough fake IDs for everyone in the ship - complete with each individual's image (or a human approximation) and a made up name. It's enough info to get a job with, they'll explain, if you can manage it. Avoid pushing the forgery's limits, though, if you can. They made them themselves so they expect they are excellent quality, but you can never be too careful. "...Most importantly," they'll finish. "Don't go looking for the prisoners right now, as much as you might want to. If you fuck that up, you'll fuck this up for everyone - and I'll tell you right now, other people have already invested a lot more blood and tears into this than you have. Respect that." Silver will stay for a few more hours, and then Gold will appear to take over, bringing snacks and hot chocolate with them. Get a good sleep, you'll need it. “We are the new Americana. High on legal marijuana, Raised on Biggie and Nirvana. We are the new Americana.”

Comments

[avidita]

Not if we just end up getting caught because such a large group is too noticeable.

[Mammon scoffs, shoulders hunching up a bit. It wouldn't be so bad if they had more of their own with them. Multiple illusionists would thrive in this kind of situation.]

We'll have to split up eventually, even if only to maximize everyone's abilities.

[invisiballman]

True enough. But we'll have to keep in touch as well. This group is going to be difficult to organize with no leader.

[And he hasn't seen anyone yet that has both the capabilities and the inclination.]

[avidita]

I think we have leaders... We simply haven't met them yet.

We have directions into the city, after all, don't we? And I doubt our pilot organized all of this on his own. [No offense meant to him, it just seems that he was in a bit of a rush to even gather this group.]

[invisiballman]

[Kuroko agrees with Mammon's impression of Shep. But still...]

An organizer is not the same thing as a leader. Do you think the people supporting the pilot intend to lead us?

[It's a genuine question. He'd actually been assuming that they would have chosen their team more carefully if they intended to take on a leadership role. And they would have used the travel time on the ship more efficiently.]

[avidita]

If they're not complete imbeciles, they will.

[A subtle line of venom laces their words. Out of everything, it's the least these people can do.]

[invisiballman]

I hope you're right about that. It would make things much simpler.

[He's not terribly optimistic, but it's something to hope for.]

[avidita]

If nothing else, well... [Scoff.] We can try the democratic method.

Or just put our most troublesome members on leashes tied to poles. [What do you mean they're not dogs]

[invisiballman]

[The side of his mouth very subtly quirks upward.]

Leashes and poles? That sounds a little bit harsh.

[avidita]

Harsh training gets through quicker, didn't you know?

[And not that they're a jackass who's smirking about it or anything.]

[invisiballman]

I certainly can't deny it's effectiveness.

[He's been through his fair share of harsh training. And he knows a lot of people who improve faster under tougher conditions.]

Do you mind if I ask your name?

[avidita]

[Oh, right, introductions.]

Mammon. Yourself?

[invisiballman]

Kuroko Tetsuya. It's a pleasure to meet you. And this...

[He indicates the little dog poking it's head out of his gym bag.]

..is Tetsuya #2.

[avidita]

...You named a dog after yourself?

[They're only half judging. Squalo was just as bad.]

[invisiballman]

My teammates named him. They thought we looked alike.

[They were correct actually. Both he and the dog have exactly the same eyes somehow.]

[avidita]

Really? [They lean in for a better look.] Hm... I suppose I can see the resemblance. Then again, they say owners and their pets often look alike.

[invisiballman]

[The dog tilts his head curiously at Mammon. He likes meeting new people.]

I have heard that before. Perhaps people are drawn to animals that resemble them in some way.

[avidita]

Stick with what you know, and all that? Fair enough.

I hope you're prepared to take care of it in our... pressing situation.

[invisiballman]

I appreciate the concern, but we'll be alright.

[Tetsuya #2 yips in agreement, and Kuroko reaches down to pat him on the head.]

And I've noticed several other people with pets as well.

[More than he expected, anyway.]

[avidita]

Some are partners... Not mere pets.

Although the journey here seems to have bothered some of them.

[invisiballman]

That's to be expected. It was a rough journey for all of us.

[But something about the way they said 'partners' caught his attention.]

Did you happen to bring a companion with you?

[avidita]

[Without a word, Mammon tugs aside their hood slightly. There, nestled against their neck, is a fat frog squinting out with red eyes.]

[Fantasma croaks.]