[WORLD TWO | INTRO LOG]

[spellbindmods]

Who: All coven members
Where: In and around the new world’s apartment building where the coven is staying
When: Day (the calendar isn’t syncing for me hELP)
Open/Closed: Open to All

You’re in a room. It’s pretty bright — blindingly so, even. There’s something very stark and very clean about the place, and also the person you’re sitting in front of. You’re sitting? You’re sitting. There’s also a pane of very powerful plexiglass separating you from the uniform-clad person who is now speaking to you. It’s impossible to transcribe what they say verbatim, but here’s the gist of it: - You’re being welcomed to a city called Shehui. Depending on who you are, the level of technology may be light years ahead of you or child’s play. - There’s a very strict policy about magic. While there are measures put in place to prevent magic from happening, this is still something that they reiterate over and over. They don’t want to take chances. - Crime is also frowned upon. Small infractions will result in credit deductions, while major crimes will get you banned. Antisocial behavior is also looked down upon. You’re locked in the city for your initial eight weeks. You can leave afterwards, but trying to break out of the city or cause social unrest will result in monitoring and a potential ban. - This city is supposed to be somewhat relaxing. Is it a free pleasure cruise? No. Is it a self-contained society that runs on community and indulgence? Yes. - You’re being given an allotment of credits in order to stay in the city, which is what the economy there runs on. This goes on for quite some time. - You’re being moved to a housing location. Despite the slotted speaker in the middle of the plexiglass, the only time you have a chance to ask questions is when a small slit opens in the bottom and a package is slid towards you. - What’s in the package? There’s a credit card-like apparatus that has apparently taken a picture of you. It contains a place to write your name, an identification number and barcode. It also has a thin strip near the top that has scrolling script floating by. It states “WELCOME TO SHEHUI. YOUR ID WILL UPDATE WITH COMMUNITY NOTICES AND PERSONAL PINGS FOR JOBS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO YOUR INTEREST.” It’s a lot to take in, but that’s the long and short of it. Have questions? The person will reiterate a few times that there are information desks around the city. That’s all for now…now you’ll be traveling to your next destination: your new home. The floor slowly lowers as if you’ve been in an elevator the whole time. It connects to several other glass containers, much like your own, all suddenly clanking together in a chain. After a short wait, the chain begins to move — quickly. Faster, maybe, than you’ve ever gone before. It’s hard to even make out the scenery when you’re zipping past everything so quickly. Where does this trip lead you? The ground floor of your new apartment building. The plexiglass cases open up and you’re in a hotel lobby. There’s a flashing board on the wall — NEW ARRIVALS, COME HERE. A ▢ So now’s the time to get settled into your new digs. Your name is on the board, and there’s a promise that your things — which, by the way, were mysteriously taken — will be located in your room. No need to fight over bedrooms; those also hold name placards that are digitally installed. Maybe everyone else is already there. Maybe you’re the first person there and need to find a way to stake your claim on the fridge or a bathroom. B ▢ Maybe you don’t want to fuck with anybody right now and are busy exploring the apartment building. You may encounter some aliens, some strangers, some ice machines. There IS that floor that’s nothing but recreational stations. If you’re overwhelmed, the garden is a good place to start. The sport court is pretty empty right now, if you want to have any regrouping meetings.

The apartment building is locked up tight for three hours in order to let new arrivals get their bearings. After that, the ground floor lobby doors open into the city of Shehui. There’s a lot to take in, but let’s cover the biggest bases: C ▢ Right outside this communal apartment building is a large, digital job board. The list of available jobs and credit opportunities are constantly flashing by. Want to pick one out? Just hold up that ID card you were given and the instructions and location will be sent to the ID’s text scroller. D ▢ You’ve got 500 credits to blow on clothes, food, strippers…whatever you’d like? Right next to the apartment complex are tons of local businesses, from bistros to outlet malls. A movie theater, an arcade, a video game store…and the best thing about Shehui? Most everything is dirt cheap. Where are you shopping? What are you buying? Enquiring minds would like to know! E ▢ Right next to the shopping area is a wooded park. It’s akin to a nature trail that’s similar to Yellowstone in scenery and topography. If you’re more comfortable someplace less…tech or modern…then this may be exactly where you’d like to be. F ▢ Wildcard! How will your character interact with this new and unusual world?

Comments

[enflame]

( Jokes on you, blue dude!!! He has no fuckin idea what friend food is. ) Fine, but I still want napkins.

( Emil trails behind, trying to wrap his head around the idea of eating something intentionally greasy...he’ll see if he turns his nose up at whatever it is when they get...wherever they’re going. In the meantime: ) I was never going to eat you! But you can’t believe me when you know you’re some kind of animal.

( He also doesn’t trust anything with blue fur to not be a weird, alien species so that’s not going in his body. )

[fastpaced]

[ it's food that treats you right ]

You're an animal, too, y'know. We're not that different.

[ also, even if Emil is deliberately trying to stay behind him, Sonic slows his gait to walk beside him in a friendly fashion. He doesn't always have to be the fastest! ]

[enflame]

I’m human, thank you. ( Emil ain’t here for all that mammal, evolution business. Even so, he’s not a blue mutant hedgehog.

He also has no problem with Sonic walking next to him — it’s nice to have to look down when he’s talking instead of up. )

What sort of food are you even looking for?

[fastpaced]

[ wow, this speciesism!! Sonic raises an eyebrow at Emil, then shakes his head hopelessly. At least Emil's not calling him a rat. ]

Hmmm... I was thinking burger and fries! With lots of cheese and ketchup. I've been dreaming about it for weeks.

[ although... he seems to realize something, making a quizzical expression. ]

... I hope they actually have stuff like that here, and not just alien food. I'm not ready to eat more bugs.

[enflame]

( Emil blinks at Sonic a few times, expecting some kind of explanation. What on earth is a “fries?” )

Is that not alien food?

[fastpaced]

What? A burger and fries?

[ he stares at Emil in SHOCK. ]

Are you saying you've never had those before?!

[enflame]

No...? Should I have...? I'm sure those things are foreign or made by aliens, so it makes sense I wouldn't have eaten them.

( More blinking...are you trying to poison him with alien delicacies? )

[fastpaced]

No way!! They're the exact opposite of that! Everyone loves 'em all around the globe!

[ this is horrible. Sonic decides right then and there that he's going to fix this problem. ]

All right, we're finding you some fast food ASAP. You're missing out, big time!

[enflame]

Fast...? Whatever you're talking about sounds more ridiculous by the minute.

( Sonic so addicted to speed, even his food is fast...wtf dude. )

What is it made out of, anyway? Hopefully not something like sheep.

[fastpaced]

[ he has a problem ]

Nah! I've never heard of that, anyway. It's a meat patty made of beef... or you can get a vegetarian one, too. Anyway, it's that, a nice slice of melty cheese, some tomatoes and lettuce, then some pickles and onions, all topped off with ketchup and mustard and served in between two buns! It's great! And it's called "fast food" 'cause they'll make it for you in no time. Really, there's no reason not to eat it.

[enflame]

I can think of a few. ( Most of those ingredients don't sound unappetizing, though he's never been one for mustard, but altogether...why would you put hot meat on lettuce?? )

But fine. If you're so insistent, it can't hurt to see what this food monstrosity looks like. I make no promises to eat it, though.

[fastpaced]

All right, then it's settled! I'm gonna blow your mind, Emil.

[ he gives him a big grin, seeming excited about this. ]

Well, anything would after eating nothing but fish and berries for months. I'm glad to be outta that place.

[enflame]

That's true... ( He's so tired of eating boar all day, every day. This place promises him warm food. Food prepared by someone who isn't him. A VARIETY OF FOOD!!! ) I feel like anything would taste good after so much alien game animal.

But I highly doubt this "fast food" would be better than sandwiches or meat pies or spaghetti.

[fastpaced]

Sure, maybe not... But it's really tasty, and you can get it cheap and on the go!

[ for someone like him, it's actually a sensible choice... for once. ]

Anyway, your world has sandwiches and spaghetti, but not burgers? Weird.

[enflame]

( 2 fast 4 emil )

I don't know. We have food, of course, but resources are finite. Better food is expensive! I don't know what makes fast food so special, but that's probably why.

( His world is weird, get in line. )

[fastpaced]

Is there not a lot of food to go around where you're from?

[ he tilts an ear towards the human boy curiously. ]

[enflame]

Sort of? I've never had a problem getting food, but some resources are slimmer depending on where you go.

( And he couldn't tell you what 60% of most foods are because goodbye import/export economy. )

[fastpaced]

Huh... I guess that's just how life is.

[ emil's wording gives sonic the impression that there might be some sort of trouble afoot with the government or something, though. It's one thing for gourmet food to be expensive; it's another thing to have "finite resources." ]

As long as people aren't starving! But everyone deserves a treat now and then.