Round 1 [new characters and round announcement]

[utopiamods]

You're falling, and you can't remember why. It's a sickening feeling that makes your insides lurch; the darkness and the vertigo combine, and all you can think of is a story you heard once, somewhere.

- I remember now. It's a simple story that everyone knows. A legend of a Princess, the Demon Lord who kidnapped her, and the Knight who fought to save her.

The Demon Lord had kidnapped the Princess countless times, but every time the Knight bested his challenges and rescued the Princess.

No matter what tricks and ploys the Demon Lord used, the Knight would always triumph in the end. This was because--

The world tilts on its axis one last time, and the dream slips from your mind as easily as it arrived. A new voice intrudes on your sleep.

"Next stop: Academy Main Entrance. This tramline terminates here; all change. Next stop: Academy Main Entrance. All change."

Sunlight streams through the windows of the long carriage, making the seats almost uncomfortably warm beneath its waking passengers. The air is muggy and thick, the atmosphere deeply tired. Your nausea settles, slowly. The last of the dream fades.

"We have arrived at Utopia. Repeat, we have arrived at Utopia Academy. Could all passengers please leave the tram, as it is terminating here."

The tram pulls to a stop outside the academy station, and the students onboard are ushered off and directed to the front lobby of the school. They can't miss it; there are signs up pointing toward the main entrance, reading "New student orientation" in big, bright letters. If anyone should care to move off the path, try exploring somewhere else, a teacher will conveniently appear to shoo them back toward the lobby, assuring them that "all your questions will be answered inside".

The lobby is big and spacious, looking more like a university or perhaps a fancy international hotel than a high school. Stood around are any number of students in the uniform of the school. Some of them even look awake. There are several receptionists at the desk towards the back of the lobby, but for now they seem busy with paperwork.


[ Note: the round announcement will go up in a thread once you've all mingled. ♥ ]

Comments

[awildcatappears]

Mikoto... doesn't have the slightest clue what any of this means.

"A player?"

And she was pretty sure that wasn't her name. And she didn't recognize any of the names listed either. Needless to say, this wasn't Fuka Academy and she... didn't know where her brother was. She was just with him! After all that searching... and finding him... for nothing.

[ninjasloveme]

Even here, children were being made to fight. Gaara's expression had gone flat the moment the video had called them 'weapons', and it hadn't recovered yet. If only he could be sure he could fight without triggering the demon... But he had other responsibilities now. Sakura Haruno was here, and he had to keep an eye out for the injured people Enki had mentioned, even if so far there had been no sign of them. When a girl near to him spoke, he glanced over.

"You've been selected?"

[awildcatappears]

"Uh huh." Not that she understands it. Of course she was paying attention to whatever the woman was saying, but that didn't mean she got it.

She looked back at Gaara. "Have you?"

[ninjasloveme]

"No, I haven't." He paused, wondering what else to say. The idea of offering himself as a Weapon was abhorent, but getting back the memories they'd taken was of huge importance. Eventually, he tried, "Do you need a partner?"

[awildcatappears]

Mikoto stayed quiet for a moment, as if contemplating. But what was there to think about? She was a player and she needed a weapon. If figuring this out meant she could find her brother again, then sure.

"Uh huh. I need to find my brother and this might be the only way to it."

[ninjasloveme]

And that was that. He nodded, because naturally everyone would have their own reasons, and to achieve them working together would be everything. In this case, he'd do whatever he could to help her find her brother.

"I'll show you how to use my weapon," he felt this would be a necessary step. No-one looked much like a trained shinobi. "Will you make the vow?"

[awildcatappears]

"Okay." Mikoto thought back on what the lady said. "I have to... promise to protect and serve you right?"

[ninjasloveme]

"Protect and own," he corrected, though he didn't sound particularly happy with that second part.

[awildcatappears]

Mikoto nodded. "Uh okay. Um... I don't know your name. I'm Mikoto. Mikoto Minagi."

[ninjasloveme]

He checked the screens. It matched one of the names, so everything checked out.

"Gaara."

[awildcatappears]

"Gaara... okay. I promise to protect and own you." That would do it, right?

[ninjasloveme]

"I accept."

And that was that. He unfolded his arms to check the mark on the back of his hand, expression unreadable. "Thank you, Mikoto Minagi."

[awildcatappears]

Mikoto looked up at Gaara and nodded. So what now? "What's your weapon like?"

[ninjasloveme]

"A flail," the answer was automatic. Enough so that he had to stop and frown, and try to recall how he knew that. Also included in that pause was the vague feeling that he had a lot of teaching ahead of him. "Are you familiar with them?"

[awildcatappears]

Mikoto shook her head no. "Sounds like food to me."

[ninjasloveme]

The feeling was no longer vague. "... Ah." He folded his arms over his chest, head tilting a fraction as he considered her. "Then I'll have to teach you."

[awildcatappears]

"Okay." That was their only solution. "So where should we go? I don't know this place at all."

[ninjasloveme]

"We need an open space, that's all." He looked across at the desks, and nodded towards them when he had her attention. "We'll ask there."

[awildcatappears]

"Oh... okay." She moved towards the desks, following Gaara.

[dancingflames]

Having come to see the list, Mai stared at the monitor as the Player list appeared, hoping to see some familiar names, even if that meant more people trapped here. Upon inspecting it, the screen did say "Mikoto" but it had something unfamiliar attached to it...

"Minagi?" she said outloud to herself, the words ringing hollow in her head. In the end, it was most likely that it was a completely different Mikoto. But it did raise another question that Mai strangely did not know the answer to: Mikoto's family name. She was fumbling for answers, but simply nothing was coming to mind. How she managed to forget that would beyond her if not for having known about other memories she lost in this place.

Still, she was looking through the crowd, just in case she caught sight of someone in the crowd who was new. Maybe her friend and roommate (or ex-roommate anyway) was here too, though with the sea of heads and bodies in the way, she has not spotted that shorter girl yet.

[awildcatappears]

After her conversation with Gaara, Mikoto approached the front desk. That was her next move. She had a room... a dorm she needed to go to, one that belonged to her. Not that she had much with her. Miroku was with her, but when she arrived here, the sword wasn't with her.

"I think I'm a student here now, so I have a room, right?" she asked the woman at the desk.

And once the formalities were done, she took her room key and turned around. Mikoto caught sight of familiar stature.

Assuming in the meantime, Mai confused Road for Mikoto

[dancingflames]

So much for that. Mai sighed, making her way through the crowd after misidentifying someone else as Mikoto. She made her way back through the crowd, having pretty much given on her search by now. But that was just when her eyes caught on a face, near the front desk. A face that was a much better match. A perfect match, in fact.

"Mikoto!" she called out, waving over the crowd

lmao sounds like a title for a drama

[awildcatappears]

"Ah--" Mikoto heard her name and froze. Was... that Mai? But why would Mai want anything to do with her now. Mikoto knew that Mai was mad with her, but she couldn't remember why. But she did remember was the rage and hate in Mai's eyes. Mai was her enemy...

...

Bringing herself to her senses, she walked away from the voice.

[dancingflames]

...That was Mikoto, wasn't it? But the girl just simply walked away, even having seen Mai, didn't she?

Mai tried to pass through the crowd, attempting to pursue the girl, but unfortunately the blockade of people was impeding her path.