utopiamods: (The right way to fight Exaclan)
Rakuen Moderators ([personal profile] utopiamods) wrote in [community profile] rakuen2010-12-28 12:37 am

Introduction!

The tram quickly arrives at 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. There's a woman sitting at a desk ready to check everyone in, but she's not important right now; what the students should pay attention to is the large flat-screen TV set into one of the walls. As soon as everyone has gathered inside, it clicks on and starts to play a prerecorded video. A cheerful woman appears on-screen; when she speaks, she's so chipper you might just feel your teeth starting to rot.

"Good afternoon to our new students here at Utopia Academy! Thank you for choosing to enroll with us for this, our first semester of the new year. Our battle system is the best in the world, set up for you, our students! I hope that you all had a fun journey here, and that you've all made some new friends! You're going to need them soon, so keep them close, okay?

"Now, I'm going to explain the rules for you. Make sure to listen carefully, and remember, you can find all of this and more in the Exaclan manual!"

A map of the academy appears on-screen. The woman stands green-screened in front of the map.

"Our academy is fully integrated with a virtual network that includes several layers of tactile, empathic holographics geared toward the battle game Exaclan. Exaclan is a game fought between groups of Players using their respective Weapons; if a Player wins a battle, he or she takes possession of the opposing Player's Weapon. This way, Players can own many, many Weapons. Collect them all!

"As for the Weapons, you might be wondering where those come from. Well, as it turns out, only a few of you are going to be Players. The rest of you are Weapons! Players, if you equip your custom-fitted Exaclan gloves, you will be able to unsheathe your weapon from the chest of any Weapon you own."

Meanwhile, behind the woman as she speaks, a stylized cartoon sequence plays out in which a man in knight's garb pulls a sword from the chest of a woman in an elaborate princess gown.

"Now, since you're all just starting out here, you don't own any Weapons yet. In order to take possession of a Weapon, you must ask permission, and then promise to own and protect it. This is very important! Be nice to your Weapons, and in return, they will bring you to victory!

"The items you draw out of your Weapons' chests aren't real; they are part of the holographic Exaclan system. Each person's Weapon will be different, and they aren't just guns or knives, either. Their form is partly determined by the Weapon's personality, but it's partly randomized. Maybe you'll get lucky. Maybe not. It eliminates natural advantages!

"Now, like I said, the Weapons aren't real, but the damage you do in battle is real. You will feel every blow you take from an opponent's Weapon, and physical damage done to your Weapon will damage the person you drew it from, too. So be careful, or you could cause serious damage!"

The woman holds up one finger, grinning ear-to-ear;

"If you win a battle, ownership of the Weapon you fought against transfers to you. You also earn one Token, and you earn an additional Token for every five battles you fight, whether or not you win. Tokens can be used to buy Upgrades, Link Charms, Memory Charms, and Legend Fragments, so do your best to earn as many Tokens as you can!

"Oh, right, about the Memory Charms... you're probably wondering why there are some things you can't remember. That's just a little precaution we took to make sure that you would participate in Exaclan. You've each been stripped of ten memories: Some of them are very important, but some of them aren't. You can purchase a Memory Charm for five Tokens, which means to regain all of your memories will cost fifty Tokens. Ah, there's a catch, though: You can't use the Memory Charms you buy. You have to give them to other people. So get along with your fellow students and make as many friends as you can, okay?

"Now, if you have any other questions, make sure to consult your Exaclan manuals. They will tell you more about the rules of Exaclan, what you can and cannot do with your Weapons, and so forth. Following this video, the list of Players for this Round will be displayed. Anyone not on that list is a Weapon for this Round. Sorry!"

The woman holds one hand up in front of her face apologetically, but continues smiling as ever.

"In conclusion, welcome to Utopia Academy. Let's all do our best and achieve utopia together!"

The video clicks off, replaced by a pale blue screen stating the following:

PLAYERS FOR ROUND -2:
Dave Strider
Gino Weinberg
Grenn Atair
Koharu Izaki
Molly Hayes


((OOC: Feel free to post reactions and general mingling in this post. From here on, you're free to make posts, fight battles, attend class, etc.! If you have any questions, get in touch with a mod.

Edit: A mod mistook how much Memory Charms cost. They're five tokens, not ten. Oops! So the post has been edited slightly. That is all!))
veepofchess: (chess anyone?)

[personal profile] veepofchess 2010-12-31 12:48 am (UTC)(link)
These two seemed to be taking the game to heart. "I have my own Knight," he replied. If only they knew how literal that was. "But thank you." He smiled a bit at them, in hopes that they would not actually think he was being serious. The less strangers knew about his world, the better.
Edited 2010-12-31 00:48 (UTC)
allurprincess: (pic#697450)

[personal profile] allurprincess 2010-12-31 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
Sora leaned into Reiko gratefully, glad that the older girl wasn't taking the memory loss to heart. And there was another knight?

"That's great!" She didn't sound even slightly sarcastic, "Are they here?"
trollofthree: (pic#702152)

[personal profile] trollofthree 2010-12-31 01:25 am (UTC)(link)
"Great!" He shook Kevin's hand amiably, then hmmed a little, glanced at the screen to give himself time to remember what the girl in the video had said, and then, suddenly serious and graceful with long practice, dropped to one knee. "I, Gino Weinberg, promise to own and protect you, Kevin Smith."

Clearly this was something he was used to doing. Part of him was unsure whether this somehow went against his oaths as a soldier of Britannia, but the rest of him shoved that first part into a closet and reminded it that this was a game. If someone called him on it, he'd review. Until then... He stood up after what he felt was an appropriate time for whatever the academy computers needed to do, and looked around. "D'you think that did it?"
veepofchess: (hand in hair)

[personal profile] veepofchess 2010-12-31 01:48 am (UTC)(link)
Her smiling face made his heart ache, but he didn't let it show. She was real, not a figment of his guilt-ridden mind. "Me too. Are you alright?" His hand slid down her arm, before landing back at her side again. But what was he to do with her?
veepofchess: (going over the plans)

[personal profile] veepofchess 2010-12-31 01:50 am (UTC)(link)
"I have not found him yet," Lelouch replied. "But I haven't been able to search thoroughly yet."
themerryway: ([?] - pretty smile)

[personal profile] themerryway 2010-12-31 01:51 am (UTC)(link)
"Ah... yes, I'm okay," she says. "Just... I don't understand much of what is going on. Are you okay too?"
myownfuture: (Huh?)

[personal profile] myownfuture 2010-12-31 01:52 am (UTC)(link)
"Ah." More knights? Not a literal one, surely. But that was interesting.

...and Lelouch, a boy, had a knight? He would be someone to keep an eye on.

"Good luck," she said, nodding to him. And then something else came to mind, speaking of knights -- "Sora. Did you see that Koharu is a Player...?"
thatguywhohasablog: i guess he's doing some splaining or something (check out these horrifying demon eyes)

[personal profile] thatguywhohasablog 2010-12-31 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
Dave frowned, and sniffed his own sleeve. Okay, so maybe he still kind of smelt of onions, he'd kind of worked up a bit of a sweat with this monster fighting, and his incredibly businesslike suit was a little scuffed here and there ... but ...

"Look, it's been a really fuckin' long day, alright. The difference is that washing is actually on my agenda. Except now it's on yours too. Right at the top of the list."
allurprincess: (aa I don't get any of this)

[personal profile] allurprincess 2010-12-31 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
"Who?" It slipped out before she thought about it. It only occurred to her a few seconds later that the name might have belonged to one of the others, from the stress she'd put on it. "Uh, I mean..."
myownfuture: (Ow my brain)

[personal profile] myownfuture 2010-12-31 01:56 am (UTC)(link)
Not even Koharu. Reiko sighed and put a hand to her forehead. "Nevermind for now."
thatguywhohasablog: possibly he is smiling a little possibly he is just indifferent hard to say (we challenge you to a rap battle)

[personal profile] thatguywhohasablog 2010-12-31 02:30 am (UTC)(link)
Dave nodded, and frowned, for a moment, just a little.

"Okay. Well, if you need a partner," he said, and gestured to the screen over his shoulder, where his name was displayed at the top of the list, "just so you know, I am a fucking excellent choice. You pretty much cannot go wrong with a Strider, it's a scientific fact."
greennotgold: (Bzuhwah?)

[personal profile] greennotgold 2010-12-31 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
"Um--th-thank you." Fletcher really did appreciate the offer, but he really didn't want to have to fight. But he would have to be a Weapon at some point, wouldn't he? And maybe even a Player in another round, if he had to stay here that long. "I--I need to ask my brother first, though..."
tenwholeryou: (soooo about that thing you said)

[personal profile] tenwholeryou 2010-12-31 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
It wasn't like he objected to a bath, really, so much as this was setting a dangerous precedent for him following Dave's orders. To satisfy himself, he spent a decent amount of time glaring at one of the panels on the huge doors leading out into the academy before finally - and grudgingly - nodding.

"Alright, but if you don't wash too, I'll get angry!"
thatguywhohasablog: possibly he is smiling a little possibly he is just indifferent hard to say (we challenge you to a rap battle)

[personal profile] thatguywhohasablog 2010-12-31 02:47 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah? Okay, well, I don't wanna face your wrath or keep on smelling like a motherfucking gourmet stew, so you can pretty much count on it I'll be getting seriously well acquainted with a bar of soap as soon as the opportunity presents itself."
Edited 2010-12-31 04:30 (UTC)
thatguywhohasablog: possibly he is smiling a little possibly he is just indifferent hard to say (we challenge you to a rap battle)

[personal profile] thatguywhohasablog 2010-12-31 03:06 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, okay," said Dave. "Don't think it's like you have to, okay. I'm not gonna hold any kind of gut-wrenching eternal grudge if you and your bro wanna sit it out or pick someone else or something."
greennotgold: (Afraid to speak up)

[personal profile] greennotgold 2010-12-31 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
He nodded. "O-okay." At least Dave wasn't offended or anything. That was the last thing Fletcher wanted to do.

"Um... I'm going to go talk to the lady at the desk," he said. Maybe there would be some answers there?
thatguywhohasablog: thumbs upppp (8|b)

[personal profile] thatguywhohasablog 2010-12-31 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
"Cool. Good luck catching up with your bro."
imperceptible: (Ignore / Couldn't care less.)

[personal profile] imperceptible 2010-12-31 05:04 am (UTC)(link)
"What are-!?" Kevin got out in the form of a yelp when Gino went down on one knee before him. For a horrible moment, Kevin thought the blond might be proposing to him and nearly had a heart attack. Fortunately, it was just a little less worse than that.

Fighting the blush that formed on his cheeks and failing, once Gino was on his feet Kevin yanked his hand back and rubbed at it like it was diseased. "It'd better have." He grumbled, quickly crossing his arms before Gino could do something else horribly embarrassing. Quietly, he shuddered at what the knight would do if it wasn't.
frozen_desires: (aw fuck me silly)

[personal profile] frozen_desires 2010-12-31 05:25 am (UTC)(link)
That had to be the most feeble declaration of ownership he'd ever seen. Still, maybe it would count? Now what would the girl- er- weapon say in this situation? He tried to remember all the ones he'd ever owned and what they had said to him afterwards.

... well, besides the whimpering and scared crying.

Er, something like... my heart and soul is yours? ... yeah, there was no way he was saying that to her, she might kick him again. Maybe he didn't have to? There was one way to find out.

Tougyu started unbuttoning his shirt.
veepofchess: (going over the plans)

[personal profile] veepofchess 2010-12-31 06:03 am (UTC)(link)
He noticed that they have a lot to catch up on, and he had people to find. "If you'll excuse me, ladies. I have a knight to find."
summerstars: (hmm)

[personal profile] summerstars 2010-12-31 10:01 am (UTC)(link)
... What. was. he. doing? Grenn stared thoroughly dumbstruck for the moment. That was completely random! She knew she wasn't particularly good at social interaction, but in no way could she see how this might be the result of what she'd said...

"Er... what?" Yes, not particularly comprehensible, that. Grenn shook her head and tried again. "What are you doing that for?" Yeah, that sounded more like a reasonably coherent question.
frozen_desires: (aw fuck me silly)

[personal profile] frozen_desires 2010-12-31 10:25 am (UTC)(link)
"Undressing." Tougyu responded blithely as he finished undoing the buttons and pulled the two halves apart revealing a sickly pale, yet strangely muscled torso. Peering down at his own chest, he scanned his skin for the mark signaling his new status as an owned weapon and frowned when he found none.

"It's not here." He remarked after a moment, sounding put out as he peered under the flaps of his shirt as if he could find it that way.
summerstars: (hmm)

[personal profile] summerstars 2010-12-31 11:23 am (UTC)(link)
Shaking her head, Grenn frowned. Undressing was obvious, but how it could even be remotely connected... Oh. Why was something supposed to appear? Or had it disappeared?

"What are you even looking for?" Grenn scratched her cheek; if whatever it was had disappeared, oughtn't he be more surprised? And usually things didn't just appear on the body suddenly... Grenn supressed a shudder as she remembered the first signs of the Rot.
bitofafiction: Looking down, pensive, unsure or regretful. (== come all the same)

[personal profile] bitofafiction 2010-12-31 03:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Sherlock glances down at the back of his hand, where an inch-wide mark has just appeared.

"I do believe it worked," he observes dispassionately.
swordofzero: (they did what?)

[personal profile] swordofzero 2010-12-31 09:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Suzaku blinked and took a step back. Obviously his theory; that they were both in this wierd place and should stick to the known until they figured out the unknown, was not shared with the girl whose name he could not remember.

Still he would accept that she did not want to talk to him and go. He was not sure where he should go though, but took another step away from the girl. "I'm sorry," he said and looked around him, trying to take stock of his surroundings.

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