The Deadland

[Standing outside your room Elliot! KNOCKNOCK]

Elliot?

So... how long is it supposed to be until this universe, um, revitalizes itself? Did anyone ever say?

[RADIO]

The monsters are attacking. If you can't fight [WHAT IS THAT RATTLING SOUND], stay safe inside. If you can, we should fight them off and gather the Energy.

[ACTION]
[Minato is near the entrance of Mercy Street Apartment, a metal bat in hand and a 'gun' in his other hand. When one of the monsters come in to attack, he points the gun at his head and fire.]

Orpheus!

[Instead of certain death, a blue aura surrounds him and a strange, mechanical man appears to attack the monster.]

[ Static, then across all channels a voice chimes in. He's very chipper and cheerful! It's probably irritating to some. ]

Hey, Asper! How are you, how's your stay been, hope the food's been good, nice weather we're having. Now that pleasantries are out of the way, let's get to business: everyone's favorite kid has let us know something to pass onto you guys.

Expect a period of time-- an hour at least-- any time during the day for these lil critters to get especially aggressive. There's some weird mumbo jumbo involved apparently, so it said "when something weird happens, that might be the time"! Keep your eyes and ears open.

During the time that weird stuff goes down, you'll find the wildlife drops a little flask when it's destroyed. It's called Energy, and it's just a drink. You'll need this to live on here-- unless you want to be sucked bone dry, anyways! So drink some every day. That's what it told me to tell you all.

That's all!

--- radio ---

[ there's a bit of crackle on the channel before a voice, mellifluous and utterly calm, starts broadcasting. monsters everywhere? psh. that's a minor concern compared to other things. ]

It's all a very interesting game. Familiar, too, in a way. Asper the board, we the pawns, and the synergy between each piece will be what brings about the salvation and success of this faltering world.

he pauses for a moment before he chuckles lightly ]

But it makes you wonder: who, exactly, is moving us all?

--- action ---

[ and for those who might be near the department store and happen to chance a peek inside, they might see a man with a pair of bloodstained scissors in his hands and a faint smile on his face. there is the smallest puddle of blood near his feet, in which lies in the corpse of a puppycat. look closely enough, though, and you might notice that a few usually prominent facial features seem to have gone conveniently missing... ]

…And to think that just yesterday I had hoped to hear the sounds of animals in the city. Such a desolate place without birdsong, though the howls of animals, while many, haven’t helped. [she tapers off, a little lost in thought before continuing]

For those who haven't met me yet, my name is Ouka. I've been given directions to set up a clinic in Room 112 at the Mercy Street Apartments - [stops abruptly, before sneezing] I’m sorry, for those in need of medical attention. Unfortunately, it’s not in the best of states this morning…all this dust is rather troublesome. But it’s serviceable. Anyone in need of healing is welcome to stop by. I will do my best to treat you.

[the door to room 112 is wide open, with Ouka on her knees on the floor, trying to get at the last piece of dust. feel free to walk by or come in and say hello]

What is this?! Revitalizing a universe, granting a wish - do you honestly expect me to believe that?! I’m not going to save anything - not when you’ve kidnapped me! [ raging elliot is raging ] So you can take your stupid wish and go to hell! And while you're at it - take responsibility for your own stupid universe, idiot!

[ huff huff... ]

Saving a universe – how am I supposed to save it anyway?!

And where the hell is my sword?!

[ elliot is fast realizing that all these animals? THEY'RE OUT TO GET HIM. Brb, running down main street. feel free to run into him. ]

Shion opened his eyes, the dream had been so strange, so vivid. The child figure, who had he been? Shion was a little shaken, because dreams were not something he often had, not one that felt that realistic and yet were so divorced from real life.

He blamed Rat and all the books he was making him read. Shion sat up to inform his friend of this and his mouth dropped. He was still dreaming? No surely he could not have this much rational thought in a dream.

There were noises all around him, and he thought he heard a gun shot in the distance. A gun shot? Where was he? Even though he had gotten used to the West Town this was not there. This was... somewhere else entirely.

More noises, getting closer. Shion soon found himself surrounded by three... well they looked like a fusion of feline and canine but that wasn't scientifically possible either. He stood very still hoping they would react in the ways dogs did. As they got closer he started to doubt that. Maybe he should try to run.

[He sounds furious] What is making all that noise!?

[Voice // Open]
There's some things in our apartment I don't think we're going to need, but just getting rid of them when someone else might find them useful... Well, that sounds like a bad idea.

So-- does anyone want to trade, or pool our excess resources? Things we don't need right now might be useful in the future, or to anyone else that shows up here.

[Action // Mercy Street Apartments]
[After making his audio post, Souji can most easily be found in the hallway in front of rooms 202 and 203, moving back and forth between the two, often times while carrying stuff. He'll periodically slip downstairs and through the rest of the second floor and will be at it for the rest of the afternoon.]

AUDIO

[ the voice that speaks through the radio is soft, polite. a girl's voice, no doubt, hardly bouncy and cheerful but neither is it monotonous. but while there is civility in the tone, beneath it lies a certain degree of distance. wariness. a girl, apprehensive and distrusting. ]

If the payment is not made fully, then the price cannot be granted fully. There's no such thing as a free wish. But I wonder -- if that child would credit what can be partially worked for?

[ if so, then i no longer mind.

she pauses. a hint of -- was it desire? longing? wishful thinking faintly laces the tone before it disappears, replaced by once more that tone of civility and politeness, followed by an awkward laugh. ]

A question of sorts though I have a feeling that I may already know the answer.

The town square is silent.

Cornelia paces, waiting for people to show up. She thumbs the hunting knife she'd picked up from a house near where she had woken up. Should any troublemakers appear, she was prepared-- unless, of course, they appeared with a gun. The city was too big to explore alone; too dangerous to wander the streets aimlessly. So that's why she doesn't have one herself. The only reason she didn't go to pick anyone up so they didn't have to traverse alone was because that would be setting herself up for an ambush. For a similar reason she waits off to the side of the square, concealed behind a food vendor, rather than sitting in the middle.

Trusting these people could be her downfall-- so she won't trust until they've proved themselves. But they're largely children. And she thinks of her late sister because of that. Euphie wouldn't want these people to go around alone in a place where any danger could be lurking. So that's her primary motivation in doing this. It's a mixture of that and the wholehearted desire to go home, to find the answers of this place. Cornelia knows returning home could be impossible with or without help, but she isn't about to give up on that hope. So she seeks help, because her chances are higher that way.

She scans the surrounding areas, alert. If that false Zero were to appear before her, she thinks, child or not-- she would destroy him. Anger swells once again, a sort of madness and hysteria that she finds unbecoming in other people. Cornelia breathes.

[ ooc: Mingling post! Starter in prose, please don't hesitate to switch to action. Cornelia isn't going to be coming out of the shadows until there are a few people there/ someone she knows appears, so please interact among yourselves!

Speaking at the Square
At the Apartments ]

[ After waiting a moment to make sure no one else is going to chime in and interrupt her, Cornelia takes a step forward and holds down the button of her small radio. ]

That's enough fooling around.

[ It seems as though most of them have only just arrived. But listening in on the radio has told her enough: she's stuck here with a bunch of lost children. There are a few adults, and not everyone has spoken up obviously... but an organizer. They need someone to efficiently manage them and direct their efforts towards returning home. ]

My name is Cornelia li Britannia of the Holy Britannian Empire; Chief General of the Imperial Army and Viceroy of Area Eleven. If you would like to survive with ease in this barren place and efficiently find a way home, you'll follow my orders and my command. If you would like to forage like a rat in the filth, go straight ahead.

We're meeting in town square. If you don't know where that is, there should be a map inside a building near your current location. It's along main street; connects with Beck, Baker, Indigo, Parkview and Hawk.

The majority of you are children, so I'll say this much: being brave and alone in a place where virtually any threat could exist is stupidity. Remember it.

[ Beeeep goes the radio before static. ]

[[ ooc; I'll be putting up a log for the town square meeting tomorrow morning, assuming characters are interested. ]]

[There's crackling, a voice at first too muffled to here before clarity strikes it.] ... Hello? Hello.

I know you're new here, you've just arrived. Welcome to Asper City.

[static] I'm Lara. Stay safe.