Round 3 [new characters]

[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."

The sound of thunder and pounding rain jolts you the rest of the way awake. 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 anyone onboard is ushered off and directed through the rain -- sans umbrella -- to the front lobby of the school. You 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. The lights are all off; the large flat screens set into the walls are dark. A few staff members are standing around; they approach the new arrivals to take you to your dorms, assuring you that the round announcement will happen tomorrow.

((OOC: The staff will not answer any questions about what's going on; if asked, they will refer the new students to the Exaclan manuals that are included in their briefcases. Students don't have to follow the staff to their dorms; they can wander about the school if they like. In the rain.))

Comments

[womenwouldgrieve]

"Everyone is." He didn't realize his friend had stopped until he found himself no longer under the umbrella. He halted and turned to him. "...for example, I can't remember your name."

[kings_thief]

He knew it wasn't just that Edgar had forgotten, but the thought still stung.

"It's Locke. Locke Cole."

At least Locke could still remember all of his friends' names, at least, he thought he did.

[womenwouldgrieve]

"Locke Cole..." From what he'd observed, he would forget that soon enough, which was rather disturbing. "It's not just yours, either; I can't remember any of our friends' names. Not even my brother's."

He smiled sheepishly. "Aha, there it goes... I just forgot your name again."

[kings_thief]

"You don't remember Sabin's name? There's a way to get them back, isn't there?"

Whoever was in charge here were real assholes for making someone forget their own brother.

"So, there's no way for you to remember. Well..either I'll keep reminding you, or you can call me whatever comes to mind!"

[womenwouldgrieve]

The name Sabin rung no bells in his mind, so he shook his head. Was that his brother, or someone else?

"There are the memory charms. They cost five tokens; you should have ten in your briefcase, all new arrivals do. Aside from those, the only way to earn more is by fighting in this 'Exaclan' game." Hm. "I'm sure something will come to mind."

[kings_thief]

No luck on the name thing...well, he'd keep trying. Although, if Edgar couldn't remember his own brother, what was Locke not remembering?

"Exaclan? Never heard of a game like that...but if it's the only way to get our memories back...how do these charms work?"

[womenwouldgrieve]

"Putting them on restores one lost memory. I'm not sure exactly what counts as 'one memory', though..." Well, they would see. "And Exaclan is a game that involves owning the other people here as property. The manual you received should explain more about it." He sounded about as disgusted as he felt about the whole concept.

[kings_thief]

Locke shared his disgust, he didn't need to read the manual to know he was going to hate the entire thing.

"That's...terrible, people arn't property." He felt sick at the thought. "If you just need to put one on, then what stops you from just putting on the ten you get to begin with?"

[womenwouldgrieve]

Oh, sheesh. He should have counted on the thief being clueless. "You have ten tokens," he corrected himself with a sigh. "And in any case, memory charms you buy for yourself don't work. They can only be given to other people."

[kings_thief]

"Oh."
In his own defense, he's still a little thrown off.

"Jeeze, they've thought of everything, haven't they?"

He continues walking with Edgar, no point thinking things over in the rain.

"How about if I were to get you one then?"

[womenwouldgrieve]

"It would work," Edgar said. "Only Players can use the booths to purchase things, though. And I'm down to only one token after purchasing things for my 'Weapons' when I was a Player a couple of weeks ago..." Realizing he was spouting jargon the other man might not recognize, he added, "Once we get inside, you really do have to read that manual."

[kings_thief]

Locke smirked.
"Yeah, I will."
He hoped he'd get it quickly, even if he didn't like it, he needed to know as much as possible if he was going to help.