Introduction!

[utopiamods]

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!))

Comments

[willbeurprincess]

Koharu took the easiest route, walking along as directed. It all looked the same, nearly, just...different. Her eyes lifted upwards to the screen and she dutifully watched the explanation, frowning. They didn't mention girls being owned by boys or anything--

A startled squeak was her first reaction to the names on the screen and she blinked a few times, trying to work it out. She was a Player? But Sora was the Knight to their princesses, the one who drew weapons--She couldn't help but wonder what Sora's weapon looked like then. Then a thought struck her and she fumbled through her bag, pulling out the glove she had seen in passing--why had she assumed it was just Sora's glove?

"I have to fight?"

[isur2ndprincess]

Yuki was equally as shocked. Girls could be players now? What kind of game was this? She quickly looked around to try and find Koharu, trying to remember the girl on the train since her memory seemed to be failing her.

"Koharu? Are you okay?"

[allurprincess]

"You two!" Their indecision was abruptly flung out of the nearest window, as Sora jogged over to Koharu, snagging Yuki's hand on the way.

She wasn't really sure how she'd explain that she couldn't remember their names. Or that she wasn't a Player, somehow. Her blank, useless glove was still tucked into her back pocket, though. Just in case. Reaching Koharu, she took her hand in hers too. "Are you okay?

[willbeurprincess]

Koharu's own problems flew out the window at the hand clasping hers and she beamed, squeezing the hand in her own.

"I'm fine Sora. But um...I'm a Player." She gestured to the screen where her name was still prominently displayed, "I didn't think...Sora was the only female player right? So why am I?" She held out the glove in her other hand.

[isur2ndprincess]

Yuki looked at Sora as if she had to have the answer. First there was only one female player but now there's three? And not all the boys are? What's going on here.

"Koharu, Will you be okay fighting?"

[allurprincess]

"You're-" Sora didn't understand. But then again, she didn't have to. One of them could still play. It didn't matter who, she believed in them as much as she believed in herself. "That's great! And if you're a Player, then I can serve as your weapon, and we'll still be together."

[willbeurprincess]

Koharu was hesitant, surely, but she didn't think there was anything to do but fight and be strong for everyone else. It was so strange being the one everyone had to count on.

"I...I have a weapon already. Another one of us. I can do it." The name eluded her, but she shook her head and looked between them.

"If you'd want to--" Koharu stopped herself short, of course Sora wanted to.

"I'll protect you Sora and use your weapon." Koharu already knew that if she won enough, got a memory charm, that it would be going to Sora.

[isur2ndprincess]

Yuki quietly watched the moment that was going on between Koharu and Sora, but another thought was on her mind. Another one of us must be... "Reiko? I saw her on the train earlier. I think."

She hesitated to ask but, "Koharu, I may not be useful but would you like another weapon?"

[allurprincess]

"And I'll serve you always," Sora added, because it deserved repeating often. As they began to talk, she dropped Koharu's hand, so she could undo her lace and undo the first few buttons of her blouse. And then, predictably, she peered down to check...

There it was! "Ah, the mark!" Excitedly, she tugged her blouse further so the others could see. "It appeared!"

[willbeurprincess]

"I...think that's her name?" Koharu was troubled by the whole name forgetting business, but she put it aside to take Yuki's hand, nodding.

"You're a wonderful weapon, I remember that. I promise to protect you--" Her attention swerved just as the words ended and she dropped the hand to fully take in Sora's mark. The brief moment of admiration gave way to a creeping blush and a dazed look.

[isur2ndprincess]

Yuki just nods along as Koharu speaks, a bit too wrapped up in watching Sora unbutton her shirt to really hear what she was saying.

[allurprincess]

"It looks like your glove marking, too. It's kind of cool-" Sora craned her neck to try and see it less upside-down, then glanced back up. And blinked. They both looked kind of flushed... "Uh, are you two okay?"

[willbeurprincess]

We're sorry, this Koharu had been interrupted for a very special omake. You can leave a message or try again later.

[myownfuture]

"Koharu!"

There she was. It had taken a while for Reiko to find her, but she finally had.

"So--you saw?"

[willbeurprincess]

It was obviously someone who knew her but she didn't even ring a bell. She didn't let it affect her greeting, smiling slightly and nodding.

"I'm going to be a player...like Sora."

[myownfuture]

Reiko was breathing heavily from running about trying to find the other people she knew. Honestly, if Koharu didn't recognize her, she... she didn't know what she was going to do.

"I'm sure you can do it," she replied, trying to sound encouraging. But really she was tired, and scared, and confused.

[willbeurprincess]

Koharu's mothering instincts kicked in and she took Reiko's hands in hers, squeezing slightly.

"I certainly have to try. It's different from home, with the female players right? So maybe..." She blinked, she wanted to say something about what they needed to do, to save all the girls, but that didn't count here right? Hmn.

"We'll just have to keep playing so we can figure this out."

[myownfuture]

Reiko smiled back slightly. "Yeah. As soon as we start getting those Memory Charms we should be able to figure it out..." She nodded. "Oh, have you found Sora and the others yet?"

[willbeurprincess]

Koharu paused, then shook her head a little, "I think I saw Yuki." Or was that Hiyo or Tomoko. She couldn't remember her face, only the name and the name could be completely wrong.

"Is Sora alright?"

[myownfuture]

She "thinks"? Hm.

Reiko nodded. "She just...?" And then she sighed. "They took away her memories of our names. Yuki's too."

[willbeurprincess]

Koharu hesitated then shook her head a little.

"It's the link between names and faces that I can't recall. Yuki...I guess it's Yuki if she forgot as well...we thought maybe name tags?"

[myownfuture]

At that, Reiko let out a little huff of rage, pulled her hands away from Koharu's, and threw them up in the air. "What is wrong with these people?! Why would they do something like this?!"

And then she grabbed the sides of her head in anger, completely ignoring the suggestion.

[willbeurprincess]

Koharu tucked her hands close, watching her little fit of rage. What would Sora do, what would Sora do. She leaned up and carefully placed her hands on Reiko's wrists, tugging just slightly.

"At least someone remembers. At least you remember. It's a start. Isn't that what Sora would say? We all have our strengths to help her and we all have our weaknesses. We're a team."

[myownfuture]

Reiko's face grew more plaintive at that. It was true, but it just seemed so...

Why had everyone forgotten everyone else? Why was she the only one (so far) who remembered?

"...right." And then she realized something else and frowned. "I... I guess I'm going to need a Player, and Sora can't be it this round..."

[willbeurprincess]

Koharu straightened and held out her hand.

"I can be your player if you like. I promise to.." Her mind faltered at the own part, they were all Sora's weapons, her princesses.

"I promise to protect you until Sora can."