Intro Log: Rock This City

[hadrielmods]

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for January
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: January 10th-14th
Warnings: New folks, rockin' dudes made of rock, and collectible friends!

This time, it's different.

There's no cave, no stone walls looming up around you and overhead, no stifling air or artificial light- not that you'd appreciate it, seeing as to how you've probably never been here before. And still, when you land facefirst on the dirt ground of the colosseum, you may not quite appreciate all the improvements and steps we've had to take to get here- after all, you're still surrounded by strangers in a crumbling city on an alien planet in the middle of nowhere.

Oh, and you're being attacked by Earth Elementals. These creatures are tall, between seven to ten feet, and made of solid rock, capable of punching through all the squishy bits of you- and for whatever reason, they definitely want to start punching. They're incredibly strong and, seeing as to how they're enchanted alive and have no internal organs, they're very difficult to kill.

But don't let that scare you off. For all the collectors in you, you can also find a very special array of beanie babies all scattered at the ground at your feet. Do you know that some of these things will be worth a lot of money someday? Better find the rarest one and stockpile it while you can! You might run into the rainbow crab, the platypus, or the sought-after bald eagle, or many more! Be sure to never take the tag off and never ever let anyone play with them so they don't lose value.

Once you've got your kids' college fund squared away, it's time to start exploring! You can explore the rest of the city! Find a house, a new monster, a project to help with, or simply scavenge for supplies. Good luck, and enjoy your stay in Hadriel!

► This log covers January 10th-14th.
► Feel free to make your own logs as well!
► All characters arrive with phones that have network communication and the newbie guide installed.
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!

Comments

[claritatis]

[It does not hit him until that moment, just how much he had missed the presence of the young man in front of him. The feeling comes in the form of a subtle tightening in the back of his throat, an abrupt and all too noticeable thud of his heart. When you make a person the whole focus of another's life the removal of them hurts, and though time had passed there would never be enough to fill the space that Noctis' absence had left behind.

When Ignis draws in his next breath it shudders, just slightly. A gentle quiver on the tail end of the inhale. It's shaken off quickly, normal composure resumed, but there was an impact to that promise.]

I shall hold you to that. [He replies quietly, then gripping Noctis' hand in both of his for a moment.] Our best resource in this place is each other. We should not forget that.

[nascere]

[ Another question: why the hell does his best friend have an eyepatch? Noctis stares at him, wide-eyed and stumped, and between the eyepatch and the chocobo he goes for the more obvious priority: ]

What do you mean where was I? I -- what happened to your eye? [ Bird comes later, best friend first. He's pretty sure Prompto didn't suffer an injury to his eye when he'd been taken away from them, and to know that it would have happened somewhere down the line makes him sick to his stomach. ]

[hasitsthorns]

[ Even if it's not Rey's style, Rose has owed people enough before. She wants to avoid it if she can... Plus, she doesn't take the things she does into consideration as anything more than what she should. ]

Me neither. People have done awesome stuff with the weird fruit in the orchard. Or so I've been told. Still, that sounds... good. I miss decent Chinese food too actually.

[ As for the tea, Rose glances down at it and sighs. ]

Yeah, pretty bad. It's just... so gross. It all is.

[hasitsthorns]

[ Got it in one, Serah. Not that it was likely hard to place two and two together, really. ]

Yeah, it was.

[ She shouldn't feel guilty about asking. She's new and a lot has changed, so. It's expected that they'd needed to be clued into going ons around Hadriel that the rest of them have just recently lived through.

But it hurts still, to think about it too long. To keep facing the reality of his death. ]

One of the casualties. He'll probably be back. I mean, I hope he is but that's- That's up to Hope, I guess.

[durare]

[ She catches sight of his eyepatch, having noticed his weapon of choice (which is actually quite impressive when you have only one eye), but with the fact that more are coming means she needs to make a quick decision -- exits, and fast. From the looks of it, he cares a lot about the bird, which means leaving it is not an option. ]

We have to move, it's not safe here for the chicken. [ Something Diana never actually thought she would say in her life, but there you are. He's young, almost painfully so -- and she can't help an instinctive sense of protectiveness. Gesturing towards the exit to the right a few yards away, she adds. ]

Go, I'll cover you both.

[durare]

I will remember.

[ Sylva and Lunafreya, Oracles loved by their people, and by none more than their son and brother, respectively. His grief must have been a terrible, heavy thing, this prince of House Nox Fleuret, pain written clear as day in his eyes, a shadow that dogs his steps.

She pushes open the door, and holds it for him to pass through, looking out at the unfamiliar land before them. ] I don't suppose this is a world familiar to you?

[nascere]

[ Noctis just stares blankly at him, but confusion becomes disbelief becomes alarm -- he will never raise his sword to someone who comes to him in peace, not even if it's Ravus, a man who had helped destroy his home, put to the sword all that he'd loved.

A lump in his throat, Noctis' hand falls to his side. ] Luna would not have wanted me to kill you. And neither would I.

[ Because more than that, he can see the grief and vengeance and hate; and for good reason, too. Would things have turned out differently if his father had managed to save them all? Would Insomnia still be standing? Who knows? Things are as they are now, and the only way to move is forward. ] It wasn't me. It --

[ And then it clicks into place, his eyes darkening with anger. No, he's seen it before, witnessed it firsthand, and that had caused him to attack Prompto. Different circumstances, but still: ] Ardyn?

[claritatis]

[The chocobo doesn't balk from him, so he gently rubs two fingers down the soft feathers under her chin and lightly scratches into the thick down of her chest. It's pleasant to see something so familiar, even if he has no idea of how Prompto came across such a thing.

More comforting though, is the presence of his friend.]

And you as well. [He replies warmly, dropping his hand and clasping both neatly behind his back.] I haven't seen any of you since shortly after I arrived. It's been... taxing, at times. I've missed you all a great deal.

[durare]

[ One of the old tongues, lost to civilisation at large. Diana was already ancient before the language was born, but there is everything comforting about knowing that there's another fluent in it, the words bringing forth a glimpse of home -- Themyscira.

The young man is definitely not of them for obvious reasons, and her brows raise, immediately intrigued. She responds in turn, equally fluent. ] I have only heard stories. And you?

[durare]

Rage?

[ Diana echoes, the young woman before her seems entirely at ease with the whole situation and this armory; she must have been here awhile. ]

[sonofacesius]

[Good, he wasn't wrong, she was Greek, demigod or other flavor. Maybe she was really just from ancient greece. It could be anything. Still, it was nice having someone to talk to who wasn't one of the Campers here. It was different.]

I didn't expect anyone else who wasn't from my world to be able to speak this. No, I've never been. Last I heard it moved to San Francisco. You're not a Camper are you?

[For one reason, she was an adult. Maybe she was one of the rare few who survived the monster attacks. But she wasn't wearing any beads. Maybe she was just a regular mortal pulled out of her world?]

[durare]

[ Herpes? Diana takes a moment to register that before she makes a soft noise of amusement that sounds suspiciously like a half-chuckle, because that was sort of funny and there's something about hearing Richie say it that just makes it funnier. ]

Richie.

[ Half-chastising, she smiles; she remembers him when they were facing off against those giant crocodiles earlier, and she'd quite liked him, despite the potty mouth. ] What are you doing here?

[durare]

[ Sorrow's temple. She looks up at the architecture of it all briefly, before she focuses on the beautiful young woman before her. Hair so pale it's almost silver, braided and falling over her shoulders. Regal and stately, there's something about her that immediately intrigues. ]

Yes. [ There is no reason to lie. ] And you?

[durare]

[ That's... a very different kind of priest, and Diana contemplates him with no small amount of skepticism. Still, she's nothing if not polite on the very, very off-chance that he might be one -- who knows, right?

Love temple, he says, irreverent and strange, and despite herself she finds him bemusing. ] A newcomer to this city. Diana. And you are?

[durare]

No, I'm not. What's a camper?

[ The term baffles her -- does he actually mean someone who camps, or is it another meaning entirely? And did he mean that the garden moved to San Francisco? Stranger things have happened, but surely not that strange.

Then again, Themyscira is a magic, inaccessible island located nowhere, so. Glass houses and stones, all that. ]

[nascere]

Snow's your cat?

[ Noctis asks, because it always helps to be sure of these things. Also, Snow is a strange name to call a cat, but what does he know, he's probably not the best person to name things, either. ]

Never got the opportunity. [ His apartment didn't allow pets, not even for crown princes of Lucis -- which, when he thinks about it now, is probably a very good thing. Tucking his garishly colorful fish into his pocket, he continues.] But they're not bad.

[ In other words, he really likes them. ]

[failtography]

Holy shit. Dinosaurs sound cool — well, probably not so cool if they're tryin' to eat you, but still! ( apart from the single instant of surprise, the line of prompto's shoulders is easy and free of tension - just in case the girl needed any more assurance that he was fine. ) I'm... guessin' there's been worse things in there? Apart from the dinosaurs?

[nascere]

[ Funny, he thinks distantly, looking down at where he's gripping his hand with both of his. He remembers having done this when he'd been a child, when he'd met Ignis for the very first time, nudged out from behind his father's cloak. Ignis Scientia, the first and only friend of a very lonely prince for a long, long time, until Prompto came along (twice) and Gladio warmed up to him. ]

Yeah. [ He says at last, and even if he can never say it, he's glad he's here -- a source of stability in the mess that's become of Noctis' life lately. He'd caught the shudder, the gentle quiver in the wake of that breath taken, a glimpse of emotion behind the mask that Ignis would never, never admit to, and only squeezes his hand briefly before letting go. He will make that promise every single time, and keep to it for better or worse. He's quiet for a moment, before he decides to speak up. ]

What was he like? The older me. [ Did he bring back the light to the world? Did everyone he loves survive? ]

[failtography]

Aw, man. ( the two of them seem to be close, but prompto still feels a little pang in his chest when she mentions that the wolf has pretty much lost everyone else - and it shows on his face plain as day, as does the relief after.

at his ankles, the chocobo puffs her feathers out in response to the larger creature moving in a little too close for comfort, and prompto drops into a bit of a crouch, petting her across the back lightly in assurance. ) Glad he's still got you, though!

[failtography]

Um, 'bout half a year or so, maybe? She's already bigger from when we first met her. ( still fits in the cradle of his arms, though, and that's all which matters at this point. ) Seen any houses here with yards large enough for her to run around in? Or... Iunno, to build a stable or something. I could probably still take her for runs around the place as long as we avoid the tunnels, right?

[failtography]

I haven't seen you in a long time, man. Kinda a good thing, maybe, 'cause I wouldn't really wish my last few months on anybody, but holy crap, anyway?! ( that's all pushed aside in favour of the fact that noct really is here, though; for better or for worse, he's got his best friend with him. ) Oh. The patch? It's, ah. Just a scratch. Got me good right across the eye though; who knows, it might scar and I could be on my way to becoming Gladio #2.

[sonofacesius]

From Camp Half-Blood. You know what, nevermind. It doesn't matter. I'm Will Solace. How is it you know ancient greek?....unless it's not ancient to you?

[Nope definitely not a camper. Maybe she was one of the lucky ones, who survived without training. Maybe she was lucky enough for monsters to overlook her. It still didn't make sense. She knew ancient greek.]

[failtography]

( he's close to protesting that she isn't a chicken, but it's not the time or place for that. prompto recognises the need to flee when the situation presents itself, and this mysterious warrior need only point him the way out once before the gunner is giving her a grateful nod and making a dash for it.

only when he reaches the relative safety of the darkened passageway does prompto take a moment to pause and turn back, seeking sight of his saviour. ) C'mon! There's a light at the end - probably leads all the way out!

Re: 2

[knifecollecting]

There wasn't really time. [She shrugs and holds out her hand for a shake.]

I'm Jo. Welcome to Hadriel.

[failtography]

Dude, I'm super glad you're okay, too! Y'went missing and we couldn't find you anywhere — guess this is where you ended up? ( the time disparity seems to be getting less important by the second, to be honest; maybe he's even remembering wrong. not a far shot, considering how his memory's been messed with before. ) Not a bad thing, though, 'cause you missed a huge attack on the town; s'where I got this. ( prompto gestures, vaguely, to the white patch of gauze and elastic over where his eye is still healing, and casually leaves out the bit where aranea had an unfortunately fatal encounter with the business end of some very wicked claws — no big, since she came back in the end.

in his arms, the chocobo leans into the scratching, eyes almost shut with a satisfied little peep, and prompto fights the urge to coo even if he's no stranger to this. she's so cute. ) Guess you dodged a bullet there, disappearing when you did.