☆MINGLE IN THE CITY

[interdimanagers]

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.

Comments

Oscar | OTA

[riveres]

01 | communicator | my world has fallen/let's start a war

Hello? This is Oscar, Oscar Riviere. I've joined your group to help with the efforts of saving the brainwashed. I don't have a home or a job right now, but I can assure you that I will find work soon and be good help around anyplace I live in.

This city is... rather strange, I may need assistance.

02 | around and about the city | in your garbage rose the rulers of the restless/do not test us

[They gave him his tools, his rations, his clothes (which are casual, but still dark colored and hooded) and an ID: Severin Dufour. Then they put him out on the street. He's mostly unassuming, hoodie low on his face as he explores the city. He know's there's no way he can walk the entire city and see all of what there is to see, but knowing his surroundings is important.

It's a strange place. People seem to be carefree in their manner, dress in garish costumes for clothes, and when you talk to some of the residents in this city, their words are almost... musical.

It's fascinating and also off-putting.]

cityside

[4thdimensional]

[Doc's also a little out of place. His discomfort might be of a slightly different bend---of all this bustling activity seemingly unaware of the rotten goings-on at the core---but he can sympathize with what he sees.]

What do you make of all this?

[riveres]

[It's the man with the shock of white hair... they didn't speak much on the ship but Oscar gives him this answer.]

I'm shocked there's a planet out there exactly like Earth. And the humans... they're kind of alien.

[In the fact a lot of them don't seem to question what is happening.]

[4thdimensional]

In a sense, I'd to say that we're the aliens. Hailing from another dimension.

[He leans against the window, chuckling.]

Though there's no musical conspiracy on my Earth as far as I'm aware.

[riveres]

Good point.

What's a man like you doing here anyway?

[4thdimensional]

[A man like him? What does that even---well. It's likely his age causing him to stand out. Doc shakes his head.]

Same as everyone else. My friend's in danger, I've come to find him.

2!

[psyvampexperiment]

[Perhaps at some point, he passes the propped-open door to a bookshop with a decidedly spooky yet homey look to it, a grey tabby Maine Coon cat lounging on the brick sidewalk before it. A tall man with a pale, delicately carved face, his lean form clad in a long black coat over a black silk shirt open at the collar emerges, carrying a brown bag clearly full of books; he's peering into it, clearly checking out his purchases, and he might not notice Oscar as he steps out into the sunlight, up to and including perhaps bumping into him...]

[riveres]

[It's the kitty that catches him. Furry and pretty with it's grey coloring, Oscar may dare to reach out for the cat to try and pet it before someone bumps into him and the cat runs off.]

Sorry...

[He'll be off soon enough...]

[psyvampexperiment]

[The cat emits a rowl of annoyance and scoots into the open door, pausing to turn back and give them a "do you mind?" look, tail lashing irritably.]

Quite all right! I should be the one apologizing to you and to Pyewhacket: I got my wits too wrapped up in triple-checking my purchases, but that's no real excuse, is it?

[It might be at that moment, he gets a good look at the young man he's bumped into, and does something like a double take, clearly impressed and hinting at attraction...]

[riveres]

The cat is named... 'Pyewhacket'?

[Dammit, he's looking at him. Get away pale man, go find some goth twinks at the mall that are interested.]

[psyvampexperiment]

[He'll look into the shop, past the cat to a slim, ash blonde woman who looks to be in her twenties, clad in a black turtleneck jersey and a black sarong-like skirt in black with a pattern of red roses, stocking a shelf of tarot decks.]

You'll have to take that up with Jill, his human: I'm told it's a very old name for a cat, and Jill's quite fond of old things.

[The lady in question, who seems to be Jill, looks up from her work and waves hello with one hand, flexing her fingers in that little wave.]

2

[missknight]

[He's not the only one wandering around. Connie knows that her mother would have a heart attack if she found out that she's in some strange city, mostly on her own, where everything is so... strange.]

[But she's fine, she thinks. Carrying Rose's sword around would be too attention drawing, so for now, it's just herself, dressed in a funky colored sweatshirt and light up sneakers. When she sees Oscar, she gives a pause and waves.]

[She didn't talk with him much, but she recognizes him from the ship.]

Hey. It's a big city, huh?

[riveres]

[It's the girl with a gigantic pink lion.]

I've been to cities sort of like this. [Sort of because the layout is strange and the people are dressed even stranger.]

What happened to your lion?

[missknight]

Oh. Um.

I kind of had to... hide him. You know.

[The collar only lasted so long and, as it turns out, giant pink lions are really friggin' noticeable.]

Have you figured out a place to stay yet?

[riveres]

Understandable.

[Oscar shakes his head.]

No. Have you?

[missknight]

Yeah, J and Robin have both offered to let me stay with them... I bet if you asked Robin, she'd let you stay with her.

So long as you help out and stuff, I suppose. That's what I'm going to try to do, but... [Her brow furrows a bit.] I'm just not sure what kind of job I could get.

01

[woomy]

I can tell you where the libraries are. I've been learning a lot from books and using the internet.

[ She can't really help with housing. The place isn't really hers, and they have a lot of people staying already. ]

[riveres]

I guess that might help...

[The person's voice sounds... unique. Like it's in water.]

[woomy]

Can you describe where you are? I might be able to find you.

[ She does have a rather watery sounding voice that even language training couldn't prevent. It's a wonder that more people don't question her about it or think she's sick.

(No doubt her employer doesn't worry about her health. She's just a busy worker.) ]

[riveres]

I'm nearby a row of shops. One's a spa, another a bookstore, and one seems to be a gift shop of sorts. It's not anywhere near the ocean...

[woomy]

Okay... not near the ocean helps...

[ She knows what direction not to travel in at least. ]

02

[oceantier]

[Lapis is coming from her second job at the Blooming Lotus, dressed and projected as Luna in a long, loose jersey skirt that falls to her ankles, ballet flats, and a shrug that covers her gem. (Likely she's off to practice.) While her features are slightly altered, the essence of the Gem is there, and deep blue streaks through her hair, almost electric at the tips.]

[She catches sight of him and startles a little, eyes widening . . . but also can't quite bring herself to look away.]

[She knows him.]

[Doesn't she?]

[riveres]

[Oscar may be walking by the Blooming Lotus as he notices the girl and promptly stops in his tracks. How can someone he's never seen before look so familiar?

He realizes he's staring a little too much and quickly looks away.]

[oceantier]

[This is insanity. She knows this. Calling out to a stranger . . .]

[She wouldn't do it if she weren't as sure as she is. Her voice is quiet, but it carries.]

I think . . . we met.

On a river?

You called it the Seine.

[riveres]

[And he looks shocked. It's the girl on the ship and in his dreams...]

It's you. You look... different.

[He means to say like a human.]