OPEN ★ ARRIVAL LOG

[futurologists]

ARRIVALS ( OCT 2 ) The dragons are taken from you, sent off to a safe haven. You're back in Oska for less than a day when you hear the announcement and head to the rendezvous point. You blink, step through the portal, there's a loud crack, and... You're thrown into darkness. You taste copper and, for a moment, your ears won't stop ringing. All common side-effects of portal travel. The entire crew arrives just beyond the city gates, so you might also be feeling a little bit claustrophobic. It takes a second for the eyes to adjust, but one can make out buildings and the cobblestone beneath their feet. To the right is the Trade District, where all the vendors are gathered to sell their wares. Up ahead is the City Square, where the rest of the citizens out and about seem to be gathered. To the left of the square is the Commoners' District, and to the right of it is the Nobles' District, the two main residential areas. Further travel west will come to the outskirts, a makeshift residential area, this one densely populated with goblins. Many of the people are holding candles or lanterns. You might want to try getting your hands on one of those. If you have not already done so, your enchanted jewelry will manifest words in front of your very eyes — or sounds in your ear, if you're illiterate — asking you to identify yourself. A quick look around shows that you seem to be the only one able to see it. All you have to do is think or say how you wish to be identified. After that, you're immediately given a message. Those who participated in the dragon mission at Anwick will first receive this: We appreciate your help at Anwick. The wyrmlings will live to grow up and bring about the world's natural end. Thank you. -- ALASTAIR Afterwards, the crew will be given an abridged version of this, then told to familiarize themselves with the city and natives, report all information gathered back to ALASTAIR, and wait for further instruction. At the end of the night, wherever they may be, everyone will receive a letter with the royal seal thanking them for their efforts to end the goblins' defiance and inviting them to the Festival of Illumination on the 4th. FESTIVAL OF ILLUMINATION ( OCT 4 ) Candles are sitting on windowsills throughout the entire city, but the main event is in the city square. In the fountain float lit lotuses, and people all around are holding lanterns, waiting to light them. There's a minstrel playing songs, and several of the vendors have pulled their carts up to the square in the hopes of making a sale. Many sweets are for sale, including baked apples, gingerbread, cherry tarts, pudding, and more. There's also some drinks for sale. Some children are playing games in the corner, and others are dancing to the music or writing wishes on slips of paper to be sent into the sky with their lanterns. Everyone seems merry for once, but you'd better be careful. This is an ideal place for a pickpocket. About an hour and a half into the festival, the lanterns are sent into the sky. They're sent flying, the sky becoming filled with bright lights, until... A strong gust of wind sends all the lights out. At least, you think it was a gust of wind. What else could have done that? On closer inspection, however, you'll see that even the candles sitting on windowsills inside have gone out. For a minute or so, there's only darkness and chaos. Suddenly, the flames begin to burn again, revealing a message in the cobblestone in the center of the square. It almost looks as if it's been burned into the ground: IT IS COMING, followed by a symbol of a creature with a lion's head, goat's body, and serpent's tail. [MOD NOTE: This is a catch-all log for the first few days. For the sake of organization, all arrival threads should be posted under the subheader ARRIVALS and all festival threads should be posted under FESTIVAL. Threads that don't fall under either of those categories can be top-levels. Also, please remember to add your character's tag to the post! Thank you, and have fun!]

Comments

a

[birthbysleep]

--oh! Thank you.

[ While her gratitude is sincere, her words sound a little unsure with the way Mikasa addressed her - or that would-be thief for that matter. Stealing is wrong, but perhaps there was another way to help that person learn. ]

It's been a long time since I've... [ Been around other people? It's probably best not to talk about that right now. ] --nevermind. You're right, I should have been more on guard.

[keeps]

[ From Mikasa's expression, her lack of patience for the woman's explanation is clear. Still, she doesn't just walk away, so that's something! The thief is already beating a desperate path away from them, his footsteps loud and harried against the cobblestones. ]

You're welcome.

[ On those words, her voice softens somewhat. ]

[birthbysleep]

It's sad, isn't it? If we could somehow fix the situation in this town, perhaps they wouldn't have to resort to stealing from strangers.

[ Oh yeah, they should introduce themselves, too. ]

Please, call me Aqua.

[keeps]

[ And, abruptly, Aqua's kindness is met with a wall. ]

They won't steal again if I break their fingers.

[birthbysleep]

They're misguided, we're supposed to make things better here, not feed into the cycle of darkness with violence and malice.

[keeps]

I didn't volunteer for the peace keeping brigade.

[ Would it be nice to accomplish something through diplomacy and education instead of violence? Yes. Is that Mikasa's problem? Hell to the no. As far as she's concerned, her role in this begins and ends at Eren's elbow, assuring his safety and well-being. ]

[birthbysleep]

Nobody here chose the kind of life they're living either.

[ Aqua could be wrong, of course, maybe these people are greedy and want to steal even if they present them with a different solution. But for now, she would like to fight darkness the only way she knows how. ]

Don't hurt them if their fate to you is all the same.

[keeps]

[ The idealism is both sweet and stupid, and Mikasa has a difficult time being charmed by it. It rolls off her like water, considered but ultimately disregarded. ]

I won't hurt anyone who stays out of my way.

[birthbysleep]

[ That's a start, at least. Mikasa may think of it what she wants, but Aqua had seen what happens when you try to fight darkness with darkness. It'll always end the same.

For now, though, she would like to get to know this other girl - if not change her, then try to understand her. ]

So, you still haven't told me your name!

[keeps]

[ Aqua hasn't seen society crumble following an infiltration of unstoppable giants whose only mandate was to consume as many people as they could find - not for sustenance, but for the sheer act of killing. She hasn't seen true darkness!!

Slow down, Mikasa Dark'Ness Dementia Raven Way.

The point is! She's not about to sit and take this heavy handed peace propaganda to heart, even if some part of her might like to. A strange part, a flickering little remnant of the girl she might have been.

...

Names. Hm. ]

Mikasa.

[ Not, Mikasa Ackerman, Survey Corps division. Not here. ]