ARRIVAL LOG 009

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: New Tokyo
WHEN: October 10
WHAT: The ninth arrival
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion and loss of autonomy. Further notes at end of log.

> ARRIVAL LOG #009

Awareness comes to you in blurred snatches, cloudy fragments of sound and light, color, sensation. Hazy and difficult to grasp on to, but slowly aligning into focus. A series of regular, rhythmic beeps. A sharp, cold breeze that blisters your cheeks as you walk through a thick, cold snow. That soon fades, replaced with warmth. A medicinal, astringent smell. The sensation of movement, a low hum and accompanying vibration under you. Your eyes are heavy, hard to keep open, but in the glimpses between slow, dark blinks you see four people in black body armor seated opposite you, as well as a man in dark gray scrubs.

You realize there are others next to you. All of you in heavy winter coats, water-resistant pants, and snow boots, hair recently cut but at various stages of growth and haphazardly tucked under warm winter hats. You're all restrained by straps across your chests, arms, feet, holding you to the bench under you. To your left, an armored interior door, two more people visible, though due to the storm there's hardly any visibility through the windshield. You try to open your mouth to speak, but it's as if your tongue is coated in tar, and you manage nothing more than an empty parting of lips.

The vehicle stops, landing gingerly in the snow. The guard opposite you stands and comes to unbuckle you from the bench, helping you to your feet. Your limbs feel wooden and heavy, slow to move. One guard opens the back of the vehicle, there's the sound of a high howling wind and that same blast of cold that signals at being somewhere else, combined with a sea of white as far as your eyes can see. The nurse moves to stand at the back, checking each passenger over one by one just before they're helped out of the vehicle, quick and methodical. He doesn't climb out after you, moving to sit as the last passenger is unloaded.

The guards keep their heads down. Their actions are quick, firm, but not entirely unkind. Once all the passengers are out, most of them climb back into the vehicle and close the doors. One stays behind, pointing you and whoever else is near you to one of the closest buildings. "In there," he orders, just before he interfaces with the doors and they slide open. "Stick around until your buddies come to find you. You'll know who they are."

Snow comes up to your knees on this city street, and you're left with no idea of where you are or why you've been brought here. But you'll feel compelled to move toward the building that the guard pointed at and step inside. In fact, you'll have no choice but to follow that order. Once you're in, he closes the doors behind you and hops back inside the vehicle. The engine powers up again, and then the large truck lifts up slowly and flies off.

Inside you'll find the lobby of what seems to be a corporate building. After taking note of the fact that there's a small group of other people dressed in similar clothes who are also confused about how they got to this place, you'll be able to warm up and try to figure out what's going on. For now, it's impossible to exit the building. The same door you came in won't open no matter what you try, so you're all stuck for now.

But don't worry, help is on the way.

◉ Though entirely capable of independent action and thought, new characters will find themselves completely, unquestioningly compliant to any verbal statement which could be taken as a command or request.

> WATANABE CORPORATE BUILDING

The message from El comes the same as usual: insistent, not waiting for any active attempt to open it. Scrolling within your vision as if being written while you're reading it.

I know you all were wondering what would happen if we had a batch of new arrivals while you're all out on your little field trip, but it turns out that they've all landed in New Tokyo too. They're holed up in the lobby of a corporate building, so make your way over and escort them to the PRESERVE dorms. Try for a warm welcome, okay?

At the lobby where the new arrivals have been dumped, they'll find that there's a check-in desk which is currently unmanned, and on the wall behind it there's a logo mounted which reads "Watanabe Corporation." There's no one to be found here and no one to greet them. The good news is that the building is heated, meaning that those heavy coats can probably come off for now. Further in on the ground floor, there's a set of six elevators that presumably lead up to the many floors of the skyscraper, but they're non-functional, and there don't seem to be any accessible stairs either.

For now, all the newcomers can do is make use of the comfortable chairs in the lobby and commiserate among themselves about what's going on. There's a water cooler and some cups to make use of as well, all of it made of biodegradable material, but there's only so much. Try to share.

The Displaced who received a message from El will have also received a GPS pin showing the location of the new arrivals. At this point, the promised supplies (which includes clothing appropriate for the harsh weather, along with additional foodstuffs to stock the dormitory kitchen) have come in compliments of PRESERVE. Everyone will be allowed to leave the dorms where they've been cooped up for the last two days to explore the city or go help out the newcomers.

Getting around a city covered in snow is a little more of a challenge. Going by foot is an option, although most of the streets haven't been shoveled yet and it will be slow-going. It's more feasible to make use of a hover bike. There's a garage connected to the dormitory that's stocked with twenty-some bikes. While they don't function perfectly well over snow and reckless driving with such poor visibility could easily lead to a cold and painful crash, it has to beat walking. If you don't how to drive, guess you'll have to find someone who does. (The bikes can seat two.)

> PRESERVE DORMS

With the help of the current Displaced, the new arrivals will be brought back to a dormitory building managed by PRESERVE. PRESERVE is a world-wide relief organization that focuses on environmental conservation and disaster relief. While a good number of Morningstar agents have joined up with PRESERVE thanks to their charitable activities and because they're UN sanctioned, it is not an organization that's affiliated with Morningstar. As a group, they are entirely pacifistic in their ideals – they believe the world can be saved through being conscientious.

The Displaced are here because they agreed to help PRESERVE with a very different disaster, but that's now a very severe and uncommon snowstorm. This is where they're all staying during the trip, so while this isn't anything close to home, it will have to do for now. A representative from PRESERVE by the name of Nico has been hanging around the dorms, ready to answer any questions from any of the Displaced, new or old. Nico is also a member of Morningstar, as well, though she'll be very hush hush about this fact when around her fellow PRESERVE members.

Newbies will be allowed to pick out additional clothes and gear from a cache of supplies (there's coats, thermal underwear, boots, scarves, hats, gloves, and anything else that would be needed to survive the intense cold), and they'll also need to figure out which of the rooms has an opening where they can sleep. It's four people to a room, with the use of two sets of bunk beds, and space was already limited before the newcomers got added to the mix. Hopefully peace can be maintained and there won't be too much fighting over who gets top bunk.

Other than the rooms, the dorm building has a kitchen, a large common area with comfortable couches and chairs, communal bathrooms, and a small, modestly stocked infirmary. There's also a viewing room which is a large space furnished with bean bag chairs and other comfortable things to lounge on, and a large blank wall that's meant to be used for group viewings of movies, shows, etc. This requires one character to "throw out" their feed from their neural implant onto the wall, and anyone who wanted to watch with them would need to sync up with their ID to watch along. Anyone not synced would just see a blank wall – and unfortunately, that does include anyone new.

There are other PRESERVE volunteers staying in this dormitory and milling about. Many of them already had supplies, so they've been in and out since the Displaced arrived.

◉ The drugs making new characters compliant will remain in their systems for a few hours after their arrival at the dorms before finally beginning to fade. They will be gone entirely after a night's rest. In the meantime, they may want to be careful of what others say to them.

◉ New characters will be given rudimentary access to the network on arrival to the dorms, but will not have their ID set up yet. They will be able to make posts and replies, but their messages will be anonymous and they do not have inboxes yet.

◉ Normally, new characters are confined to a safehouse for 4 days before they can leave and explore the city. Given that these newbies have arrived under unorthodox circumstances, that won't be the case for them. They'll be able to come and go from the dorms, but given that it's a frozen tundra outside, they'll at least want to prep first. At some point during this adjustment period, you can assume that El will contact them and work on setting up their IDs. There is no law enforcement around in these conditions, so anyone wanting to head out can.

◉ New characters won't be able to abscond to somewhere else in the world, as a lack of ID means no tickets or travel papers.

◉ While most businesses in New Tokyo are shuttered, a few convenience shops remain open near PRESERVE's dormitories because they know they can make money off volunteers. New characters won't have any means of paying, as they don't have a registered ID. They'll have to see if a kind soul will spot them the credits if they want something.

> RELIEF EFFORTS

With the new arrivals successfully recovered and supplies delivered to keep everyone warm in the harsh conditions, it's time to set out and fulfill the reason for everyone being here: to offer support and relief to the population affected by the harrowing storm. Nico will provide the Displaced with the information they need to get their boots on the ground and make a difference. There are a number of ways that she'll suggest to help out.

◉ First, she'll deliver a word of caution. While New Tokyo is a large, entirely steel city that runs deep underwater, most of its citizens have evacuated to the upper levels and are huddling down in various locations hoping for some relief. Heading deeper in the large city structure could prove dangerous. In this emergency, heating is centralized on the upper levels of the entire man-made metal city structure, while the lower levels are frigid and dangerous at this time. The only heating revolves around the trains coming and going, and their schedules have been largely delayed thanks to the storm.

◉ Delivering food, clothing, and medical supplies. With power cut off from most homes and all of the citizens having been cautioned to stay indoors and conserve warmth, there are a lot of people running low on food stores. Those who live in impoverished areas are even worse off, with little insulation in their homes. The threat of some people freezing to death is real, so getting the needed supplies to those people could allow them to hold out until power is restored or the storm has passed. Nico encourages people to travel to these neighborhoods in pairs for safety reasons, and again, the hover bikes will come in handy here. Supplies can be carried in heavy-duty backpacks or in a side-car attached to the bike, and all of this is provided by PRESERVE.

◉ Shoveling snow. For those of the Displaced who aren't opposed to grueling manual labor, one of the largest concerns is getting the major streets cleared of snow so that transportation is easier. The train lines also need to be cleared off so public transit can eventually be reinstated, so assuming they're not afraid of heights, the Displaced will get access onto the train tracks that crisscross above the city to clear the snow off. Some homes are also completely snowed in, trapping the residents inside, so those will also need to be cleared. There's no shortage of work to be done. PRESERVE will provide the snow shovels, and they have access to a single snow plow that can be used in shifts by anyone who's got a driver's license (also found in the garage). Nico will also hand out hot packs. Everyone should be bundling up, but in the event that someone takes a fall or ends up with too much snow-to-skin contact, the hot packs will help stave off the cold and prevent frostbite.

◉ Missing persons. There have been multiple reports of missing persons sent into PRESERVE, and the Displaced will be assigned particular people to go look for, if they let Nico know they're interested in this task. She'll give them the description of the missing person and their last known location. This could be anywhere within the city of New Tokyo -- a shopping district, a residential area, a park, etc. If they manage to find the missing person, they'll be instructed to take them to the closest PRESERVE relief center so they can receive medical attention and be reunited with their families.

◉ Restoring power. Turbines are jammed due to ice build-up past any conceivable norm, and need to be carefully thawed and given a jump from a backup battery pack. This is a highly dangerous, but necessary endeavor. The turbines are located offshore due to the fact that New Tokyo primarily generates energy through tidal power. When working correctly, these offshore turbines then feed energy into local sources within the city. For those who have any sort of experience with electrical work, they'll be directed toward areas in the city where covered electrical boards interconnected with the city's branched power source have been buried. They'll need to be cleared of snow, checked, reconnected, and made ready for when the turbines begin to flow again.

While the new arrivals are welcome to help out with these relief efforts if they wish, it certainly won't be expected, given that they're still getting adjusted to everything that's going on. They're allowed to stay in the warm confines of the dormitory building until everyone returns to New Amsterdam, if that's what they would prefer. As for the rest of the Displaced, there will be some expectation that they're going to contribute. That's the whole reason they came all this way, isn't it? And it's not like Nico knows that some of them didn't actually sign up for this.

> FINAL OOC NOTES

Welcome to Meadowlark, newbies! You're now free to post to the network and logs comms. To reiterate, your characters will have no IDs or inboxes until October 14th (OOCly, April 25th). All posts they make on the network until that point will be anonymous. During this time it's expected they'll have gotten a good idea of their new situation from their fellow characters, and will have discussed their background and job potentials with El in order for their false IDs to be set up.

If you have any questions or ideas about how you'd like to get your character involved in the world, please head over to the plot engagement post and drop us a comment! For questions specific to this log, there is a thread below.

Please check out our April/May calendar rundown for a look at things happening this month, as well as some additional notes from the mods.

As a reminder, AC for new characters accepted in April will be 10 comments across 2-4 threads, while current characters will need to provide the full AC of 20 comments across 2-4 threads. AC will be posted on May 1 and close on May 8 at midnight UTC. If you do not reply to AC, you will be considered idled and dropped from the game. We will not post a warning list.

> NAVIGATION

Comments

dorms mechanics

[mercurio]

[it hasn't gone unnoticed to prompto.]

[although he comes and goes a lot, helping out and being ultimately too busy babysitting hideki maeda, it's during the times when the obnoxious guy has fallen asleep out of a drunken stupor that prompto takes this chance to check up on the newcomers that have been settling in.]

[this one intrigues him the most; he seems-- confused, but is ultimately very quiet and exceptionally well-mannered on how he goes about things.]

[prompto catches hi when wangji is trying to operate the doors after prompto's gone through. turning around, he rubs at the back of his neck and steps towards the other man.]

Hey, uh... This stuff's really strange, huh?

[wangxian]

[ it is something that he's noticed. many here, their postures are loose and open. the small movements that prompto makes telegraph his intentions, his emotional state. lan wangji notices these, but he does not comment. to do so in this situation would be poor form. and so, he saves it. he is new in a city of strange heights and technologies, the towers he has come to be acquainted with barely scraping the skies in such ways as these. but, to reveal this too would be to lose face where he finds himself already attempting to retain it.

lan wangji inclines his head once in some greeting, his eyes drifting between prompto and powered mechanism. he certainly appreciates the lack of his calling it to attention, his lack of knowledge, prompto's steps (purposeful or no) avoiding its full detection. ]

Mn, [ he hums after a long moment. he seems to being thinking about it, his hand retracting from the door in a neat and subtle movement. perhaps if prompto opts to go through again, he will attempt it, but in the meantime, he waits for the next opportunity. in the cloud recesses, there were no such doors. certainly, there were those which resembled this. doubled or not, opening on specialized hinges — lan wangji is not unfamiliar with the otherwise method and manner of them, bestowed with specialized characteristics or not. however, this is beyond what any of his world, his time would be familiar with. ] As many things are.

[ it isn't so much an admittance as it is a blanket statement. new places bring new peculiarities. anyone from the outside would consider it strange.

his brows pull together, almost imperceptibly. his eyes settle on prompto, the weight of them not forbidding as it is an indication that he is assessing — coming to some other conclusion to steer from being caught. ] You are not from our group.

[ in other words, he knows prompto isn't new. not like he is. ]

[mercurio]

[prompto feels studied upon, like a specimen on a slab. he smiles, crookedly, when the response is sparse, but is waiting to see if he's going to get anything else from the guy.]

[truth be told: it almost feels rude to try and interrupt him (even though he doesn't know if he exists in a point of their conversation where he would be interrupting him?)]

--ah, no, I'm not.

[is his reply, instead, at the non-question.]

I've been here for about three months. In this world, I mean, not quite... this cold city. This is new for me, too.

[he waits a moment, before pushing forward something that's been on his mind.]

Do you -- Would you like some help? In understanding some of the stuff going on here?

[wangxian]

[ lan wangji is not one for many words.

he cuts conversation to the center, each excess peeled away like lotus seeds from their pods. and yet, his observation is not forbidding. in the subtleties of his expression, there is a lack of tension. it is no matter the weight he carries against his heart. and more, it is no matter the usual distance he keeps from those who would attempt to bridge to him. he is able to maintain both. ]

New Amsterdam? [ where he's lived before, lan wangji means. he’s heard the name around. he assumes that this is what prompto speaks of too, a city that is not this one, a city unaccustomed to. and yet, he catches the implication that prompto is no longer or may have never been accustomed to such conditions. this cold city says it all.

and for that, as he considers prompto's question he moves just past him to work the mechanism to open up the door. it takes him a moment longer than it should, but it takes his ( second ) request. lan wangji learns quickly and he steps back, tilts his chin to indicate that they should go in to continue. he does not move, as if he is waiting for prompto to enter first.

he's polite, that much is certain. but in the interim, he continues. ]

Your libraries. [ digital though they may be, there’s plenty to utilize here. it may seem as though an odd statement, but he follows it up with a question. ] Which do you use?

[ access might be a better word here, but there are habits that all have. lan wangji had made ample use of the library in the cloud recesses and though he may no longer hold such scriptures in his palms, to know a good source of material is crucial here for him to understand - though, he does not specify that. ]

[mercurio]

[prompto goes through the door just as easy, seemingly finding an understanding in the silence provided through sheer luck. truth is -- he's plenty familiar with the silent types, and he's only a little rusty in how he interacts with individuals such as lan wangji. in any case, at least the other seems friendly enough, if overly polite.]

Which do I use-?

[it takes him a moment of thought, but he's offering an answer soon as the other steps through.]

I mostly just input whatever I wanna find on the search bar. The default one, I mean. It'll take you to a general search field with a bunch of options to pick from. Some sites are more legit that others, though, but those are usually the first couple of options.

[prompto is not aware how many years behind on technology this guy may be.]

I'm Prompto, by the way. Argentum's my last name. Just call me Prompto, though.

[he offers his gloved hand for a hand shake- force of habit, yet uncertain of how well received it will be under the circumstances.]

[wangxian]

[ there's a small pause at this. he understands that much, but the concept that all is simply accessible and does not have proper designation disconcerts him. surely, there are more organized means of gaining information? either way, he makes note to search with more specificity later. if he and the rest of his known world were able to discern who was of importance to read singularly, then surely lan wangji could exercise the same judgement through proof of accolades and achievements.

well, probably.

there's a faint knit to his brows as he closes(?) any residual searches. lan wangji's eyes flicker between prompto's expression and the gestures he makes, but he nods his head. it's a slight movement, devoid of any unnecessary emphasis. the point is clear enough. this one likely is not the one to ask such questions to then, if it comes to more dedicated searches(?). ]

I see, [ he grants after a moment. he supposes he quite literally does in this case. were this whole scenario not odd enough, lan wangji has only this moment before prompto's hand is extended to him. it's a greeting of some kind ( odd as it is ), so lan wangji doesn't move back from it as much as he gives his own method of greeting with the more noticeable inclination of his head. it's a minor recognition of introduction, in context. he assumes that's likely all there is to it, given that unnecessary physical contact is not typically on his radar to begin with and is typically not given across his known world. one only clasps hands with another if one is close with them. or, in rarer instances, one requires assistance.

this situation does not designate either. so, he does not extend his hand back. it is only a point of confusion to him when the hand does not retract.

he ignores it politely, as if to allow prompto to save face for it. ]

Prompto, [ he echoes back, as if to confirm he has gotten the pronunciation correct ( he has ). it seems peculiar to call him by his first name, but courtesy is of priority to his sect. and so, he does not defy his request despite it being not as comfortable to him. it seems many here are more readily straightforward and willing to be familiar. while he does not carry the same sentiments, he allows it pass regardless. it is the way this world is.

a beat. it has been so long since he has had to introduce himself, that finds himself having to remind himself that prompto requires his name as well. ]

Lán Wàngjī. [ he pauses again, before clarifying a little further in lieu of what prompto has done. ] Using both is customary.

[mercurio]

[he sure got ignored, and prompto just smiles—all teeth—in a forced kind of way before awkward shoving his hands into his pockets. as polite as it may have been, he's a millennial that gets stitched up over the smallest of things.]

Yikes.

[he'll get over it.]

Lan Wangji, then.

[for his part, prompto is butchering the tones—have patience with him.]

Could you tell me a bit about you? What kind of things you're used to, that way I know what you would require assistance with the most.

[wangxian]

[ yikes, this one says.

it is not a word that he has come into contact with. but, the implication is there in the tightening muscles of prompto's face, in the baring of too many teeth to be considered at ease. again, lan wangji comes to the conclusion that prompto, or perhaps prompto's people, are much less confined within themselves. that is not to say he is unfamiliar with these sorts, of course, but they are rarer where he is from. regulation in all aspects, for lan wangji, is what is typical. it is what is expected within his home, within the cloud recesses. that is what he was brought up with.

but, there has been some social disconnect. lan wangji's brows knit, his mouth dipping into a frown ( almost imperceptible in its existence, but the eyes say more than his mouth does, more than his expression does ). it is all sincerity without any shred of malice. he does not ask directly, because this too is rude, but instead offers a more simple explanation. ]

I do not make physical contact with others.

[ no harm, no foul. there is the tip of his chin toward prompto's pockets, as if to indicate that most do not either. it is one thing he has noticed: the gloves.

still, the question that prompto asks is complex. it is difficult to say how much is different without giving way to his ignorance. he desires to assist, but lan wangji often suffers such things singularly. it is difficult for him to give way to any such vulnerabilities, to not downplay his own injuries. some would declare him stubborn. others would declare it to be because he is reluctant to make connections with others.

and yet, some would say it is because he does not know how to accept it in lieu of his teachings and in lieu of his experiences.

maybe it is closer, to say it is a combination of them all. ]

I come from Gūsū, in the mountains. [ lan wangji starts slowly. he does not correct prompto on his pronounciation, because an attempt has been made in earnest. lan wangji assumes he will understand its shape in time. but, lan wanji's voice is low and deep and steady. despite its cadence, the words are clear. his posture is straight and even, his hands resting neat along his sides. there is some uncertainty in where to rest them, as if they would typically rest upon something else, but he disguises it well enough. he pauses, before elaborating a little further. ] Most would know it to be of China. [ there is nothing of his home upon these maps he found, thus— ] My countrymen and I engage in many studies. We do not live civilian lives.

[ he pauses again, his eyes flitting to the doors and back again. he takes a breath, as if talking at such length is a trial in endurance for him. and it is. lan wangji, for any number of reasons, cannot verbalize as others would. ] This city does not resemble any we would see. [ his mouth tugs at one edge. it is a small movement, almost in thought. it is as if he is pulling each syllable up from where he has stored them, stroked each layer of dust off. ] We explore our world differently. Here, there is much less to touch.

[ that much is true. here there is little warmth and natural beauty, but there is beauty nonetheless. and lan wangji continues, after a moment, in reciprocation. ]

And you?

[ how is that he can help? where is that prompto comes from? it is impossible to say. ]

[mercurio]

Oh.

[the explanation is brief but ultimately polite and sincere—from what prompto can digest. but then an even longer explanation comes forth, and although it doesn't provide a lot of detail it, in itself, shows prompto a lot more of this man's world than what he's heard before.]

[it's succinct, to the point, well-phrased. maybe it's because they study a lot? must be.]

From the mountains to a big city like this one... Sounds like it'd be difficult to get on at first.

I come from Eos. [easily] It's not Earth, so I really don't know what China is, if I—should be familiar with it.

[and unlike the other, prompto speaks a lot faster and with little formed rhythm, some words slurred and in an unnecessary high pitch. he's friendly, at least.]

[wangxian]

[ there are many things about the gusulan that would not translate well to outsiders. more, there are many things about the gusulan that would seem excessive— repressive. these principles and rules, written up on the walls of the mountain, are mirrored down to their smallest aspects. even their clothing, white and completed with flowing ribbon tied about their heads. it is not something, perhaps, that he need explain here in its absence, but it is something that had marked gusulan as gusulan to begin with.

were lan wangji less mindful, he'd have touched the bare skin of his forehead in memory of it. instead, its absence discomforts him from within. with the lack of hair and the lack of his ribbon, there are many things here that shifted him off center. these are but the least of his troubles, but these too are not worn upon him. very little, as one comes to find, is.

but there's an acceptance of his explanation. it is that that quiets again his expression, as subtle as the changes might have been. and still, he listens to prompto's explanation and further information as he had listened to lan wangji's. he hums, if only a little, the sound trapped more in his throat than rising to the surface. he is considering, before he speaks again.

that by itself, that longer utterance, had been most difficult for him. ]

Eos, [ he repeats back. the word comes as perhaps a question, the inflection lifting at the end. it is not a direct admittance that he does not know, but it is a subtle pass to elaborate further if prompto would like. but, still, lan wangji shakes his head. the movement is slight, like breezes at night. if one looks away from him, it is missed.

a beat. ] It is difficult to say.

[ whether prompto should know it or not. china, to him, is the entirety of his known world. in these times, many people do not travel far. they remain within what they are familiar with, do not push the boundaries into lands untouched except in times of starvation or times of exploration— in times of war. it takes a hungry heart, to want to leave home. lan wangji travels further than most.

he has to. and yet, too, he desires to because his home is no longer a singular location. it is a thing that breathes and speaks and says his name. it moves. and still, he thinks of how best to put the differences. ] We do not keep excess, but the city's habits are known.

[ in other words, it is a life they choose. the transition is not difficult, but merely a city like this one is what is most difficult. but, even if it were difficult, it seems like lan wangji would never admit to it. ]