Welcome.

[azumods]

AWAKENING. You're asleep, and the first thing you're aware of is the pulse. It comes quickly, flooding through your system and jolting you awake; the room you're in is dimly-lit but the bed you're in is soft, and while all of this is jarring you'll soon become rather aware that you aren't going through this alone. The room you're in is lined with beds not unlike the one you're in; you'll be able to hear other people stirring, coming awake as they respond to the pulse too, and... ...And it will soon become evident that whatever just happened, something is wrong. Whatever your response may be to waking up in a low-lit room full of people is going to be highly amplified, the emotion rubbing your nerves raw in a way that makes you feel like you're experiencing it for the first time, and whenever you manage to sit up, you'll feel something...strange on your head, tickling the sides of your face, and as you turn your head a little you'll catch a glimpse of an odd, synthetic-looking green. A wig...? Your clothes, too, are different from whatever you remember last (because whatever you remember last, it wasn't this room, it wasn't this place - ); they feel warm, designed to withstand cold weather, and if you throw the blankets off at any point (or even just pause to look beneath them) you'll be greeted with an outfit made of thick material that's alternating parts black and white and glossy silver, with an emblem inscribed on the chest - a G inscribed in gold and black. Whatever's happening here, you aren't given much time to dwell on it; everyone here seems about as confused as you are. There are twenty-four of you in the room altogether, and you're all going through the same thing; whatever you're experiencing, the door is closed, so at least you're experiencing it in relative privacy. For now. It isn't long before a voice can be heard, soft but agitated-sounding, as though trying very hard to not awaken everyone in the building; it sounds like a man, and you can hear his footfalls pause just outside your door as he speaks to someone else, voice soft and androgynous. "And you're sure they're gone?" "Yes, Commander." "And don't you think something should be done about that...?" "Right away, sir." With that, the man and whomever he was speaking to can be heard parting ways, one moving rapidly down a corridor and the other pausing, shifting a bit before eventually moving on himself. You have several options. I. You can sit here for a while and get to know each other, seeing as none of you know what happened. That might be a good idea, all things considered, and as long as the door remains closed there's no rush. It's the middle of the night, after all, and it isn't as though anyone is going to come looking - despite the urgent conversation outside, there isn't any alarm going off, nor is there any reason for most of the building to be on high alert. II. You can explore the building. Should you do that, you'll find several winding corridors leading to what look like dorms, with several rooms containing sleeping people and areas such as formal break rooms; exploring a little further will let you find conference rooms and other large, empty spaces that don't seem to have much of a purpose. There are signs and notices in several places referring to "Team Galactic" and its protocol, all adorned with the same emblem that's on your clothes. Some of these corridors also lead to doors that are, unfortunately, locked and staying that way; some of them lead to people dressed exactly like you, bizarre wig and all. They seem to be a little strange, however; they'll greet you, and they'll speak to you if spoken to, but they look odd and dead behind the eyes and there's not much to their answers, and asking them about preferences or any personal information will just net you a blank stare. It's going to be a long strange journey through the building, but at least you're traveling light; you don't seem to have any belongings with you - save for the outfit you woke up in and the red and white capsule attached to your belt... III. You can also pause to try to figure out what's going on with those capsules. They each contain something very important to you, after all - a creature that seems to have been assigned to you specifically. They don't seem to have anything on them indicating a name or another person that owns them, at any rate, so it's probably safe to assume it's yours. That said, something seems decidedly wrong with it - it seems alarmingly apathetic, the look in its eyes dull and resigned as opposed to alert and emotive, and while it's willing to follow you (it's almost a bit too willing to follow you, it will stay close by your side in the manner of a dog trained to heel if you try to walk away from it) it doesn't seem to be due to any sort of genuine affection. It's all very...sterile, for lack of a better term. Welcome to Sinnoh. Glory to Team Galactic. [OOC: Welcome to Azume! Feel free to use this log to get to know one another iCly; you can use the prompts given or come up with your own, though for now you're confined to the building. The Commanders are currently not present in the building (anywhere that you can find them, anyway). For now, have fun getting your bearings.]

Comments

[semistableman]

I
[It's not the first time, or even the third time, Bucky has woken up without realizing he's fallen asleep, but waking up to green hair in his face, he makes a noise not unlike a strangled cry, ripping it one-handed from his head, letting it drop to the ground.

It's done one-handed because taking one look at him will make something immediately clear: he doesn't have a left arm. The uniform's sleeve hangs limp from his shoulder.

He looks down at himself, and anyone looking carefully will notice how quickly he goes from looking troubled and confused to shutting down completely. He stands up, very deliberately and clearly takes in the people around him, and then walks away very carefully, throwing the blanket around his shoulder.

Yeah, this one doesn't seem all that interested in talking.

Bother?]

III
[It takes him a long while to make himself look at the strange looking device on his belt, picking it up, weighing it curiously in his hand. He finally clicks the button, and look on in fascination, and then in what is clearly abject horror as a strange, partially green, goat looking creature emerges from the ball. He takes one more look at the thing before tossing it to the other side of the room, and stooping down into a crouch to pet the goat, like he's trying to soothe a frightened animal.

It doesn't get any response at all, and that only seems to bother him further.]

iii

[discutio]

[The flying capsule was halted by a quick motion, Ignis catching it in one hand before it collided with his head as he walked in. The Absol at his side was in much the same condition, blank and apathetic. When no further attack or threat came, he found it fairly safe to assume the source was one of them.]

...Is yours in a similar state?

[semistableman]

[Bucky nods, looking the guy up and down. Heavily scarred, and it doesn't look like he can see much of anything out of his right eye. He hates how his mind does this, automatically assessing every person he meets.

But the guy caught the ball mid-air. He's clearly not helpless.]

Seems like it. No reaction at all. It's weird, for such a feisty animal.

[discutio]

[Ignis frowned in thought, listening as Bucky spoke and tossing the capsule back in his direction.]

From the sound of it, the people here appear much the same manner of listless. Am I correct in that assessment?

[semistableman]

Yeah.

[Which is kind of funny, because Bucky's tone right now can best be described as "I'm dead inside."]

It's unnerving, but I'd suggest against leaving until we have a plan we can agree on. There's a lot of us here; we'd be noticed trying to slip out.

[discutio]

Agreed.

[At least he was coherent enough to talk, which was good enough regardless of deadpan.]

There doesn't seem to be an immediate threat in here, but there's no telling when that 'Commander' or whoever they were speaking to might return.

[semistableman]

No. But I'm almost certain they're aware we're here; after all, they were nice enough to dress us in matching uniforms while we were asleep.

[At least petting the goat helps a little. Eventually, it makes a little skii noise, that Bucky pauses at, breathing in sharply.]

The best plan, as far as I can see, would be to separate civilians from those with combat experience.

[Is this a test? Yes, it is absolutely a test.]

I.

[bloodspent]

[...You know, he's got to ask, because someone's gotta and it might as well be him.]

So what the hell happened to you?

[Gesturing. At. The left side there.]

[semistableman]

[His lips quirk in what could almost be a smile.]

I lost it.

[That's.

Probably a joke.]

[bloodspent]

[...You know what, that's actually fine, you're getting a similar reaction in the facial department actually. Not quite a smirk but getting there for a moment? Yeah.]

Keep a better eye on the rest of you, yeah?

[No, but really.]

You remember when, or is that kinda like waking up here - no idea how it happened, it just did?

[semistableman]

[That earns a wry expression, but after a moment he responds.]

That depends on which time you mean. The most recent one was a couple years ago, but it was blasted off with a laser canon attached to a man's chest.

[Yeah. He's just. Throwing that out there. Without further comment.]

[bloodspent]

[That gets a pause.]

...Shit. Lucky bastard.

[Jake.]

[semistableman]

Me?

[He just looks like he finds this all pretty funny.]

Yeah, I'd like to think so. The guy, not so much.

I

[ventulus]

[ By this time, Ventus has managed to somewhat get his bearings more so that he's on his two feet. He comes a little closer to Bucky out of curiosity then anything. ]

...Do you know where we are?

[ He doesn't know what else to ask and he's still confused himself so that's what comes out of his mouth first. Also, he's forgotten to take off the green wig. ]

[semistableman]

[He looks the kid up and down, especially at the wig, but doesn't say anything about it.]

Not at all. Sorry, kid.

[...]

You should get that wig off your head.

[ventulus]

Oh.

Huh?

[ Green wig? Oh...oh! He reaches up to grab the thing and flings it as hard as he can. Luckily it doesn't land on anyone. He looks pretty sheepish for a second, though. ]

...And I guess you don't know why people would give us random wigs either, right?

[semistableman]

No.

[He shakes his head.]

I've got ideas, though. None of 'em too pleasant.

[At least he's nice enough not to go full on paranoid in the direction of teenagers?]

[ventulus]

[ That is nice, yes. ]

Alright. Do you want to look around this place together?

It might help with finding out where we are and what's going on.

[semistableman]

Sure.

This building has to have some sort of importance; we wouldn't have such a huge group all in one room otherwise.

iii

[divinedescendant]

[By now and with some effort, Emmeryn's gotten her capsule opened and a little Bagon trots at her side with empty eyes and measured steps. Not that she's been especially ecstatic about any of this, but now that she's walked over with her weird dinosaur paused by her feet and sees the goat stay still even at someone's touch, her expression purses into a frown. Voice soft as she stops near them—]

Are they all so quiet, then?

[semistableman]

[He looks up at her, his expression grave, before glancing down at the goat, as if to confirm it's just as dull and listless as before.]

Yeah. Seems that way.

Normally these are the sort of animals that're always running around and making noise, too. She looks strange, but she's still a goat.

[divinedescendant]

And that she doesn't even respond to your touch, regardless of what she is... I don't recognize my new companion, myself, but I would expect something from it. Anything at all.

[Her voice lowers some as she continues.]

There are other people in this building, besides those of us just awoken in here. They...behave the same way, with this sort of indifferent emptiness.

[semistableman]

She's acting strange. I don't like it.

Goats have a lot of personality, normally. If they don't recognize you, they'll headbutt you. They also usually never shut up.

[divinedescendant]

What charming creatures...

[At least, in theory? Despite the stated risk of being headbutted, Emmeryn crouches, too, very careful. Her Bagon doesn't so much as shift.]

Could she be ill?

[semistableman]

[He nods.]

It's possible. Animals acting listless is definitely a sign of illness, and it's not a good sign.