The Search for the Newcomers, December 2012 Edition.

[stringmods]

Who: Open to Everyone, but only Newly Accepted Characters can start threads.
Where: All around the city! They appear where you want them to appear.
Summary: Newcomers arrive and by now the Government is more ready and sends everyone out to go people hunting.
Warnings: ARRIVALS. Also assume the first thread is the ones who tell you about the city, and the other tags for the character can be talking with others in the city and learning more about it.

[FOR THOSE IN THE CITY:]
They were getting much better at this, it was for certain.

Last month's initial testing of the HORUS system had worked really well. The device which allowed everyone to spot abnormalities; and now even more refined, they could hone in on newcomers at a much faster pace. The leftover energy from the travel (commonly called Magatama Residue) gave them a few minutes to find them before it would flicker out.

Combined with the fact they could appear in most parts of the city, it made finding the newcomers was both easy yet frustratingly difficult.

As the blips appear on your own radar function, it was also nice enough to calculate for you the best transport and destination routes to take to get there. Speed was of the essence, after all.

[FOR THOSE WHO JUST ARRIVED:]
You're not in your homeworld anymore. That much is evident. So how do you feel? Happy? Sad? Troubled? A little of all three? No matter what, the memories of a butterfly man named Philemon are fading like a dream; you'll remember the details, but perhaps not everything he has said.

There is one word that stays with you, however.

Persona.

So...here to save the city, huh? First you'll need to find out more information. And who knows, maybe a familiar face or two...

[OOC: As stated above, only new characters can start a thread, but feel free to jump in any of them. characters arrive with their clothing and whatever items they had on them the moment they were taken; the remaining items will be later found in their apartments.]

Comments

[greyerrant]

"Yes. No need to fear, I'm another sojourner here like you. My name is Cerberus."

He is quiet for a moment and says, "Welcome. I can lead you to the dormitories and more talkative people, if you like."

[doesasordered]

Still on the defensive, Nik nods, but he rises from the bench.

"Alright. You... also just appeared here as well?

[greyerrant]

"No, I have been here for some time."

He shifts slightly at Nik's standing, but makes no aggressive actions.

"It is a mix of good and bad, like many things."

[doesasordered]

"Yes, well..." That's vague. "All in all I'd rather just go home. Or wake up. I'm not convinced I'm not dreaming, yet."

[greyerrant]

"It is quite real, unfortunately. I do believe you can go home at any point you like. As for it being a dream, well, I can certainly strike you and you can determine for yourself whether you are perceiving reality. I am told mortals sometimes do this."

[doesasordered]

What even is this guy. "N-No, no, not necessary. But, if I can leave any time I like, why bring me here in the first place? No one asked if I wanted to be involved."

[greyerrant]

"Apparently you were asked, though you don't remember it. Is there something you wanted to leave behind in your home time? IN my case, I simply accepted the chance to defend humanity for a little while someplace else, if only because I was needed."

[doesasordered]

He reflects on that quietly for a moment as he follows Garviel.

"I'm not sure I would count myself as a 'defender of humanity', but... I suppose I could use some time away, yes."

[greyerrant]

Garviel will shortly lead him to the dormitories, and even open the door for him.

"You'll find people here a bit odd. Some of them aren't even human."

Says the 8 foot tall guy.

[doesasordered]

"You don't say." He wondered what made this guy, then. "Are there a lot of, ah, immigrants here?"

[greyerrant]

"Yes, and they continue to swarm in. I guess whatever conflict is being fought requires a lot of people for it."

He seems sober about the idea, almost worried.

[doesasordered]

Nikolai ponders it quietly for a moment himself, before asking another question. "Is life here difficult, then? With this 'conflict'... Though if I do say so, you look like you're more than prepared for any battle."

[greyerrant]

"I can't say. War is just war, to me. The only thing difficult is individual battles, and the conflicts of honor, duty, and morality."

He watches Nik carefully, as if sizing him up.

[doesasordered]

"I see... " Nik looks unassuming, but he definitely carries himself like a fighter. He's thinks for a moment before he asks his next question. A morality conversation isn't what he wants to be involved in right now, so it was time to steer in another direction.

"What does... 'Persona' mean? Do you know?"

It might not mean anything, but it couldn't hurt to ask...

[greyerrant]

"It is... sorcery of a sort. I am haunted by the ghost of a dead friend. I do not trust it. There are others who use them, but I refuse." For the most part. Sometimes his persona has other ideas.

[doesasordered]

That made it sound like a lot more than just sorcery to Nik. "What exactly is it?"

[greyerrant]

"I do not wish to talk about it."

He doesn't sound angry, just firm.

[doesasordered]

"Alright." He didn't need to push that issue yet. Garviel had been pretty helpful so far.

"I don't think I've introduced myself yet. My name's Nikolai. Nik is fine."