Week 1

[linkupmods]

WEEK 1

AWAKENING.

You were taken. That much is obvious when you come to your senses and see the world around you. You feel a little groggy – just how long were you asleep for? – but you should otherwise be alert, enough to realize that the surrounding area is unfamiliar to you. You are in front of what appears to be a modern dormitory (or, well, just a large building, for anyone who's never quite seen anything like it before). The area is decorated with balloons, streamers and other miscellaneous decorations with a giant "WELCOME" banner spanning across the front entrance.

You have a moment to look at the people around you. Strangers. No one here looks familiar to you whatsoever. Furthermore, it feels like there is something stirring in your heart, waiting to be brought to light, waiting to speak your truth...

You might need more time to let that sink in, but that time is interrupted by a voice.

"Oh wow it actually worked- Um, I mean! Hello!"

The speaker is a short, plain-looking young woman with dark hair in a bob cut, her hand raised to catch everyone’s attention.


"Welcome to Sunset City! The goddess Braphine needs your help, so she’s called all of you here to fix this place. Fortunately, it should only take about three months of cooperation, I think? Probably. So...

Welcome to your new home away from home!"

The young woman - Mina - goes on to explain the current situation: everyone here has been summoned by the goddess of community and connection, Braphine, in order to rebuild the connections of the people of Sunset City. Lately, the people have become more and more isolated from each other, getting into fights and arguments over the pettiest of details.

While Mina doesn’t know the details, exactly, what she does know is that the goddess instructed her to prepare these dorms for residents ("that’s you!") and to more or less act as her representative. Mina will also note that everyone’s dorm rooms have already been labeled with their names, and that the goddess has deigned to gift some in particular with the means to defend themselves - which is to say, when characters do eventually make it to their dorm rooms, those who did not arrive with one will find their gifted weapon waiting for them with their name handwritten on a tag attached to the item.

For now, people can use their phones to access an app that will allow them to see any currently open commissions - complete the commissions, and they will not only help the community, but also earn money and rewards! And if your character doesn’t know how to operate a phone, well... Mina will patiently guide them through the process, don’t you worry.

If your character has any other questions, they may talk to her at the party, or otherwise contact her via phone!

WELCOME PARTY.

After speaking with Mina, you may have an idea of what you're supposed to be doing here. Things don't have to be all work, though, because despite the state of the city, you are allowed to have fun and get to know one another.

Mina has graciously set up a welcome party for everyone, which will have refreshments inside and outside the dorm, and games available for people to partake in throughout the day at their own leisure! Indoors, there are a variety of board games for you to mess around with. Outside, there's a pool, basketball and tennis court set up with appropriate equipment. Of course, you aren't limited to just those, as there's a small open field at the dormitory where you can play ball in other ways, too. Interestingly enough, there are also some training dummies available for you to use...maybe to put your weapons to use?

Don't forget about the arts and crafts section inside, either, where nametags are laid out for you to create your own (or others')! You can also use this section to create decorations for the dormitory, your room, or even something to give to a fellow dorm mate.

EXPLORE.

You're free to explore the town, too, at your own leisure, to get used to your new home. The city is bustling with people, but for some reason, many of the residents don't have good vibes. They seem unsettled, unhappy for whatever reason. It's not pleasant, but nobody will go out of their way to bother you, unless you trip into them or initiate pvp yourself.…The random trash scattered around various parts of town might make it hard to avoid the former, though. Be careful not to trip on a banana peel, a stray canister, or even something as large as a throwaway tire on the side of the street. The residents will not react positively if you try to interact with them in any capacity.

That being said, for all that the city seems gloomy at a first glance, there is surprisingly an advertisement for a go-kart racing contest coming up in three weeks, and the go-karts are two seaters! The flyers posted around town read that this is a competition for pairs; the driver's seat (left) has a gas pedal, and the passenger's seat (right) has the brake. Looks like the events are being hosted by one of the popular arcades in town, too. Even so, there are prizes for first, second, and third place; the grand prize consists of a good amount of cash, a trophy, and one (1) free night at one of the hotels in Carnation Court for both people. Why not team up with someone and enter the competition, or just find some people to practice with?

(OOC: Please see our OOC section for sign up details.)

NETWORK.

So, about those phones...there's a non-zero chance that you may post your live thoughts onto the network without meaning to. Likewise, you may also unwillingly comment on someone's post with your thoughts while reading it. Yes, this phone grabs from your psyche, for better or worse! Well, mostly worse, but oh well. There isn't a fix for this "bug" just yet, but you can still use the network intentionally! Just don't be surprised if you get a bunch of notifications for a post you didn't even know you made.

COMMISSIONS

TOP MODELS

A local boutique is looking for people to model their clothing, but they plan on taking group photos instead of single shots. This will be a summer-themed photoshoot with summer outfits (not necessarily swimsuits!), and the photographer (who is cranky, sorry) plans on encouraging all kinds of interactions between their subjects for some unique photos. Participants will be able to keep the outfits they wore for the photoshoot! How nice.

CLEANUP

You've seen the questionable state of the city streets. Should you feel like doing your part by cleaning up some of the trash, you may find something valuable hidden in all the rubble. And who knows? Maybe some of the residents might actually respond kindly to your efforts... (Cleaning up can unearth things like jewelry; collector's items; small, old electronics -- just to give you an idea! Go wild.)

PVP ENABLED

Basketball, volleyball, soccer match anyone? Monopoly? Uno? Or, better yet, a sparring match with your fellow dorm mates…? Whatever you feel up for, Mina would like residents to get some friendly ("friendly") competition going in the spirit of getting to know one another.

LEAVE YOUR MARK

The arts and crafts area has a large paper canvas taped to one of the walls with a "DRAW ON ME!" post-it stuck to it. There's a lot of room to be creative with this, and yes, you will get paid for just decorating the dorms a little bit through this commission!

OOC

READ ME!!!!

• Welcome to your event log! Currently, Personas and Elements are NOT in play but you have your weapons with you regardless. These things will be unlocked when we introduce the Nekyia in Week 2.
  
• Please use the OOC PLOTTING POST for all plotting purposes. Please do not plot in Discord.
  
• If you would like to sign up for the Go-Kart Contest, please fill out the form and submit it here! There will be a follow up to this in a Week 4 mini event. :)
  
• Furthermore, we have a very big series of events we are planning to do in later weeks. We will OOCly give details and open signups early in Week 2, with the introduction of the Nekyia. Keep an eye out for that as well!
  

ic comm | inboxes | ooc comm | full nav

code

Comments

[supherb]

1 - welcome party

[It's scary enough for Arven to suddenly find himself in an unknown place and surrounded by complete strangers, but the nonzero amount of people covered in blood and laughing/screaming freaks him out to the point of him just bolting as soon as the group is allowed to leave.

Presumably after taking some time to calm down and attempt to process the situation, he can be found at the welcome party. This time he has a massive dog at his side that he's practically latched onto like a lifeline. This dog is basically keeping him sane at the moment.

He doesn't seem too keen about interacting with anyone, but he's clearly keeping tabs on what's happening at the party.]

Am I seriously gonna be stuck with these people for three months...?

[He murmurs to himself, though not necessarily quietly enough to not be heard.]

2 - cleanup

[In an attempt to get settled into this strange new life he'll apparently be living for the foreseeable future, Arven starts exploring the city with Mabosstiff at his side. Mabosstiff's intimidating presence keeps the cranky citygoers away so Arven's able to move about freely. And man, the vibes sure are weird here. It's unsettling, and Arven isn't a fan of the sense of isolation he feels from being in a foreign place—without a single other Pokemon in sight—and surrounded by people who clearly don't want him around.

Maybe sucking it up and participating in one of those commissions will help him feel better. So with Mabosstiff's help, he starts cleaning up the random trash piles around town.]

3 - PVP enabled

[At some point, Arven can be found out by the training dummies with a comically large frying pan in his hands. He frowns down at it, eyebrows furrowed.]

Am I expected to fight with this? Wait, better question. Am I expected to fight? Against what? People?

[Because there's no Pokemon around...and he'd rather not fight Pokemon directly anyway.

Speaking of Pokemon, Mabosstiff lets out a deep woof at Arven's side. The huge dog doesn't seem to get it either.]

4 - cooking

[As the first week wears on and everyone begins to settle into their routines, Arven develops one of his own. He can be found in the kitchen at breakfast, lunch and dinner whipping up meals for himself and Mabosstiff. The kitchen always smells absolutely heavenly while he's in there and the food he makes looks delicious to boot.

Those who have seen him around or perhaps have gotten to know him a little will find that he looks at home here, and actually relaxed as opposed to how on-edge he usually is. Maybe these are the precious few times of the day that actually feel normal to him.

He won't offer food to anyone who stops by, so you might have to prod him a bit if you want him to share.]

5 - wildcard

[For custom threads! My plotting post can be found here if you'd like to hash anything out!]

cleanup

[incompletely]

[ Oh, hey, it's the guy with the dog... He doesn't look like he's having a good time, and perhaps the dog isn't, either. Tenn understands. This city is not a nice place to be in. He can see why it needs saving.

He arrives on the scene to get to cleaning; he approaches Arven with gloves and a mask on. ]

Is it alright if I join you?

[ He can do it alone, and he'd probably prefer that, but given that they're supposed to make connections or whatever...yeah. He's going to at least try, even if it's just a little. ]

[supherb]

[Arven is of the same mindset...for the most part. He's stopped short of wanting to acknowledge the whole "make connections" thing. He just wants to go home.

He peers up from what he's doing and gives a noncommittal shrug.]

Do whatever you want. I'm not your boss.

[At least Mabosstiff is friendlier than his Trainer. He looks up and gives Tenn a woof of greeting.]

cooking

[beathollow]

( mafuyu isn't that rude! ... nor does she have much of an appetite. she doesn't seem to acknowledge him at all, actually, beyond a half-hearted glance before she begins rummaging in a separate part of the kitchen. after a moment though... )

Excuse me. Can you reach the kettle...? Someone put it up too high...

[supherb]

[Mafuyu is precisely the sort of person Arven doesn't mind sharing the kitchen with. They're doing their own thing in relative peace, with Mabosstiff having moved to another part of the kitchen to stay out of the way.]

Oh, sure. One sec...

[He has to get on his tip-toes, but he's able to scoot the kettle off the shelf and hand it over. Curiosity gets the better of him, so he asks:]

Whatcha planning on making?

cleanup

[destage]

[Sayaka's been a busy bee since she decided to take on this commission--flitting to and fro and picking up every bit of trash she can come across, being something of a chronic overachiever in her work. But it's when she's taking a small break after sweating her butt off that she sees Arven, and perhaps most importantly--she sees Mabosstiff.

Big dogs like that have always been cute to her, even if her Father would never allow such a thing in the apartment they had. Something in Sayaka's eyes lights up genuinely, and she's indecisive and staring for a little bit. That guy seems standoffish, or maybe he's a therapy dog--he doesn't have a vest or anything like that to signal no pets, but...

Her legs are off before she is, and she finds herself too close to not broach the awkward question--though she does it at a respectable distance, her eyes practically still shimmering--]

Um--excuse me...could I bother the both of you, just for a moment...?

[Sayaka's voice is. Startlingly shy, right in this moment, but she's very respectful and gentle. If he wants to tell her to back off she can, but...]

[supherb]

[Arven is immediately set on edge when he looks up and discovers it's this girl addressing him. He hasn't forgotten the image of her covered in blood and screaming. Seriously, what was that about? As curious as he is, he's also not sure he wants to actually know the details.

Mabosstiff, by complete contrast, is super chill about all of this. The huge dog regards her with curiosity.]

Yeah...?

[He almost snaps with a "what do you want?", but she's being polite? So warily acknowledging her is good enough.]

pvp enabled

[fullmoonmutt]

[ lmao what the hell, he really did get a frying pan— i mean... Chances are they've already run afoul of one another as they share a dorm room, but until now, Eli hasn't been friendly enough to chat or introduce himself. He's barely been in the room, anyway, intent as he was earlier with finding a way off the island. Like, he saw there was a ridiculously large frying pan in the room, but... ]

Is it at least cast iron?

[ It's a miracle. Eli has arrived in the training room just in time to witness Arven being confused with his big pan and he's finally bothering to speak to his own roommate. ]

[supherb]

[Arven hasn't exactly gone out of his way to interact with Eli either, aside from making a very futile attempt to set some kind of boundaries for their shared dorm room and thinking Eli is kind of stupid for trying to flee the island when that doesn't solve the whole "trapped in another world" thing.

Maybe this is a good time for them to actually get on some even footing? Lol. Lmao, even.]

Yeah. But it's way too unwieldy to actually use for cooking, so I dunno why that matters.

[...He turns to Eli, even more confused.]

Does it matter?

1

[emptyself]

[ while soujuurou doesn't like dogs (he doesn't, he hates them), it's secondary to the mission at hand. clearly the job is to build bonds and therefore restore the broken bonds of the city...therefore, it's time to make bonds!

with an amicable smile, he goes to the wallflower and his canine friend (he notes the size of the dog— is this some sort of part wolf? he doesn't think he saw anyone in the mountains tame a wolf of all things...) ]

Yep, looks like it. It's nice to meet you.

[supherb]

Bwuh?

[Arven clearly wasn't expecting anyone to have heard him, so Soujuurou responding catches him by surprise.]

Uh... [He crosses his arms before offering a halfhearted response.] Sure, nice to meet you too, I guess.

Cooking

[kandata]

[By now Arven might have seen this one from time to time. She's not one to socialize all that much, but from time to time there's Kirumi in the kitchen. Today, though, she says something]

I have noticed you have quite the skill for cooking. Rather impressive, if I may say so.

[The scents and all don't lie: Arven knows what he's doing!]

[supherb]

[He's seen her all right, and she's another who he hasn't minded sharing the space with. She's diligent and has good cleanliness. No complaints here!

And now today she's chosen to compliment him?! Arven grins as he finishes plating his fancy-ass sandwiches. Unexpected validation...he loves to hear it.]

Heh, thanks! I've had a lot of time to get good at it. It's what I wanna go into once I graduate.

pvp

[bloodweapon]

[Fray has been watching from a distance. The giant frying pan was baffling enough, but seeing this kid looking at a training dummy with it... wow, who had the terrible sense of humor to give this kid a frying pan as a weapon. Fighting with those is like a death sentence!!

Anyway, Fray approaches, eyeing the big puppy curiously.]

That would be the assumption, though from my observations, there is nothing to fight at present.

[The people here are angry and bitter and off-putting, but they aren't a threat.]

[supherb]

[Okay, Arven hears what Fray is saying, but there's something he can't get past without speaking up about it first.]

Why're you dressed like a... [He trails off, trying to find the word. Ugh, what did Penny call these people again?] ...like a larper?

[Mabosstiff is also curious, but not in a judgy way. He's just never seen anyone quite like this before.]

PVP Enabled

[moodwrecker]

[This girl's got a nail bat slung over her shoulder, what's up.]

That's what it looks like. What, never been in a fight before?

[supherb]

[What the hell? Why does this girl get a nail bat? That's a way better weapon!

...it's also kinda scary.]

No? I've never needed to since I've always had Mabosstiff by my side.

[He looks toward the huge dog when he says "Mabosstiff".]

3 - PvP Enabled

[silentfury]

[Right after Arven finishes talking, there's a loud SLAM, followed by the head of one of the dummies flying through the air, landing on the ground behind him.

Tracing the trajectory of the head leads to a mountain of a man shaking one of his hands and rolling his shoulders next to a headless dummy.]

[supherb]

WAUGH!

[Arven lets out an undignified shriek at the sound and nearly falls over when the dummy head goes sailing past him.

Angry yet terrified, he holds up the frying pan as a form of defense and stammers at the man:]

Hello?! Y-You could've hit me with that!

cooking!

[cirquedesang]

[As the week wears on, and as Celeste gets used to being able to go out in the sun again, he does start to wonder about other possible differences in himself between here and home. Can he eat proper food without immediately losing it? If he can, will it taste good or immediately turn to ash?

The kitchen keeps smelling absolutely divine, though, so if there was ever a time to test it, it would be now, right? Right.

And, hey, it's the kid with the dog that he's been meaning to totally not check in on, nope. Time to be a multitasking king, or something like that--

So don't mind him as he reeeeeaches over your shoulder to snag just a bit of whatever you're cooking, Arven. It's fine, probably.]

[supherb]

[It is, in fact, not fine.

He's not blind. He can see that hand trying to sneak one of the baked potatoes he's just pulled out of the oven.]

Hey! [He swiftly brings his tongs down to smack Celeste's hand away.] What do you think you're doing?! That's mine!

1

[proposed]

You're free to leave if you'd like. It doesn't seem that anyone will stop anyone from acting alone.

[ He speaks frankly, but there's no emotion behind the words. It's simply an answer, the same sort one might give to a math question or mention tomorrow's weather forecast.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, he seems equally unconcerned with Arven's clear desire to be left to his own devices. ]

Is there something about them that you're dissatisfied with? Or do you just prefer not to deal with people at all?

cleanup

[idealitas]

[ Yi Sang didn't really ask for another to do this commission with, he just felt this was something helpful. There isn't an aim from him to make the cityfolk cheer up, the City has left him a little too cynical for that. But not tripping on trash (again) would be nice. ]

Is this your companion?

[ Arven would seem to be the other guy doing this commission at the moment in theis spot and completely unbothered by the canine-ish creature scaring away people so that he (and Yi Sang by chance) can keep working in peace. He doesn't have an affinity for living animals like an old friend had back in the day, so he's keeping a bit of a distance from Mabostiff. At the very least though, he wants to acknowledge their company. ]

They're diligent.

cooking

[imperiosity]

[After a few days of living in this place, it wasn't hard to nail down some of the habits of his fellow residents, especially when it involved a public space like the dorm kitchen. And while he's not necessarily aiming to be there while Arven is doing his thing, sometimes it's just noon and you need some food to fill your stomach. So Aaron finds himself wandering downstairs to the kitchen, following the scent of Arven's cooking.

And when he spots an unguarded plate of food left on the counter, he'll go right ahead and help himself to a bit of it.]

Not bad, but don't you have anything with more of a kick?

[He says, like he has any right to be demanding anything after stealing someone else's food, but yolo apparently??]

2

[chimken]

[ Falin was helping with clean up but immediately was distracted because DOG. She hurried over, all shyness forgotten: ]

Is your dog friendly? May I pet him?