interstellar5555 | ☆MINGLE IN THE CITY

Who: NEWBIES FROM EVERYWHERE.
What: More rescuers and musicians have arrived. This is a non specific mingle log for whatever you want to do that is intro related!
When: March 9th, 2055
Where: Anywhere in Vista City!
Warnings: Could be anything, or possibly nothing.

☆VISTA CITY

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. 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.

RESCUERS WILL BE GIVEN THE FOLLOWING LOOT:

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.
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.
FAKE IDS: 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. Silver and Gold made them themselves so they expect they are excellent quality, but you can never be too careful.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The use of the word "nobody" concerns Sora, probably more than it should, and the emotion shows on his face. It was just a word that left a bad taste in his mouth, no matter who was calling themselves that.

And Demyx is wrong about the entire band not being interested in him. Sora's right in front of him. He's interested. Why else would he be here, offering to help, wanting to make sure he doesn't take any of the others' possible bad moods personally? Because they're in regards to current circumstances, and not in any way a reflection on him. Unfortunately, there wasn't really a way Sora could make the others be in a welcoming mood for him. And he wasn't sure trying to force anyone past their grief if they were still grieving would be good, either.

After a moment's thought, his smile returns, just as hopeful as ever.]

Nah, that's not gonna happen. And you can't talk like that. You're a 'Step now and we all stick together. Just give it your best, and so will we, and we can have some fun along the way! [An idea occurs to him.] --Oh! Hey, I wanna give you something. Wait just a second, okay?

[He'll rush off back to his room right down the hall so long as Demyx lets him.]

[The significance of the term is utterly lost on Demyx, he has no idea what could have disturbed Sora about the word, except it's true. He's newly discovered and they're well established. The fans know them, the world knows them and he pales in comparison.

He isn't sure what to make of Sora's apparent eagerness when he's telling him otherwise and the grief the rest of them are feeling, isn't something it's a part of. It's something he'll never be a part of, because he didn't know the guy that left. In fact, it's because of him that he gets the opportunity to make a dream come true.

It's okay. They don't have to be friends, they just have to work together. He's pretty sure he knows what it's like to be the odd man out and he can handle it just fine.]

Uh, yeah, sure I guess? I'll try anyway.

[He smiles, like he's uncertain it will work out, like any moment this will have all been some terribly vivid dream and he'll be back wherever he was before he got discovered and signed to the label. Without Pride, he'd be nothing, isn't that right?

Sora asks him to wait and he just nods a bit, wondering what the teenager is doing now. As he does, he looks around and lets out a low whistle. He's got some pretty extravagant looking digs at the moment, so at least there's that.]

[Honestly, none of them had been told much about Demyx before he arrived, otherwise Sora would have gotten him something better, but. He has balloons left from Valentine's Day, ones he sent out to all his friends. It made sense that Demyx should get one too, even if that was last month.

He comes back with the new, deflated balloon in his hand, and blows it up while he's standing there. It becomes clear quickly that it's a heart. When it's full, he ties the end of it, and holds it out to his new friend.

It's probably cheesy and kind of ridiculous, and definitely dorky. But it was something he wanted to do, and he always follows his heart.]

I'll get you a better present when I get to know you better. But here's a little welcoming gift for now. Something to go in your room since you haven't got a lot of stuff, right?

You don't- [He seems really surprised and his voice catches a little.] You don't have to give me presents or anything. I wasn't looking for anything like that but I...thanks.

[He offers him a shy smile and ducks his head lightly.]

I'll keep it on the dresser or something...

[Demyx takes the balloon and does just that. He's fine with no one really knowing anything about him, after all he didn't get a briefing on them either and despite knowing they have fame, he can't seem to remember a single thing about them. He assumes they just escaped his musical interests.]

[Sora seems very happy that Demyx willingly takes the balloon, and doesn't seem bothered that it's such a small gift, either. It rather reassures him that things will be fine. Demyx is nice, and they'll all be friends eventually.]

Nah, it's nothing. If I can make all this easier on everyone I'd like to do that, and I mean for you too. 'Cause it's probably not easy coming into a group that's already been together a while, especially when at least one of 'em tends to be on the cranky side when meeting new people anyway. That's Jamie. He's kind of prickly at first but he's not a bad guy. In fact, he's my best friend.

[He stops for a second to think, scratching his cheek with a finger. Demyx is part of the band now, and will be living in the penthouse. It was probably best just to tell him.]

Actually he's more than that. Uh, everybody in the band knows we're together but not many people outside of it do. Just so you know, I guess.

[He smiles at Sora, offering half a shrug.]

I can handle it, don't worry about me too much.

[It is hard to join a formed group that is missing someone you happen to be replacing, but if he keeps his relaxed part of him at the forefront, everything should be fine.]

Oh. [He blinks, he wasn't expecting that kind of confession and he laughs a little nervously.]

Well, whatever works for you I guess. It doesn't matter to me if you want to date him. I don't even know you.

[Sora laughs good-naturedly.]

Yeah but talking helps so that you get to know me, right? But I wasn't asking permission or anything, just getting you caught up on all of us.

Oh, Maxxie's boyfriend sometimes hangs out here too. And he joins in on our Mario Kart tournaments. You're welcome now too. We play a lot of video games in this penthouse.

Erm, I guess that's true.

[He nods a little bit.] Yeah, but some people might have a problem with something like that. I'm not one of them, but it happens. [He shrugs lightly.]

Uh, thanks, sure. We can play games sometime. You'll have to look out though, I'm pretty good!

[Well, Demyx isn't wrong. One of the reasons he and Jamie hadn't told the rest of their band for a month was being afraid of how Yosuke would react. And there was still the press and fans that they kept things from, too.]

True. I'm glad you're cool with it.

[This is said with a smile. The comment about having to watch out 'cause he's good at games, however...]

Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say, [he teases.] We'll just see how you are when you're tested on the battlefield!

[He just smiles indulgently, not offering anything about himself one way or another and he laughs at Sora's tease back.]

If you want to call it that, I'm probably going to consider it a slaughter myself.

[Demyx just smirks.]

Sounds kinda like a lot of hot air to me, but we'll see. We'll get all the guys together and do that soon. Been a while since we had a real showdown!

Oh-- Speaking of stuff that's hot, you had breakfast yet?

[Demyx being new, he can't wait to show him the near feasts they have prepared for them all the time in the penthouse. There were downsides to being here definitely (and more popping up all the time if he thought too much about it), but at least there was never a chance of them starving for good food.]

[He laughs, sure, but was it?]

Nah, I haven't had anything to eat yet.

[Demyx hasn't checked out the food really, he's only just arrived with his bag. Does he want to eat? Hell yeah.]

☆MINGLE IN THE CITY

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