azume | First.

ENCOUNTER 1.

Your searching of the building won't be for nothing; in the end, it is a building, and buildings are wonderfully finite spaces. Eventually there's an exit, and the exit isn't sealed; in fact, compared to the impartial corridors of the rest of the place, the doorway leading out seems surprisingly professional. There's a reception desk and a small waiting area, and a vending machine in the corner - it looks the way one would expect the entrance to a professional corporation to look, as opposed to something housing the large number of strange people that seems to inhabit the building.

The wind is cool as it hits your face when you make your way outside - because surely, you do want to make your way outside? - and you're greeted by a city enveloped in the darkness of late-night; the building you woke up in is elevated, overlooking the rest of the buildings below from the highest point in the city. There are cobbled steps leading down to street level proper, however, and if you want to turn to get a better look at the building once you're down there, you'll find that it's not particularly inconspicuous, all things considered.

There are buildings once you're down on street level, several of them; almost all of them are dark. Whether they're abandoned, closed for the night, or simply housing sleeping occupants is a bit difficult to say at the moment; however, one building seems to be lit up brightly - isn't as massive as the place you just left but it's large enough, and perhaps most importantly there's a woman standing outside of it.

She's standing tall and still, and were it not for the large amounts of blonde hair cascading down her back and framing her face, she might be difficult to see - she's dressed all in black, in a long duster coat and pants, and her arms are folded across her body as she watches the building. Her expression is calm; it's difficult to tell much else without approaching her, to see if she's exactly like everyone else you just left behind, but as soon as you approach and she's able to take a look at the rest of you...

She smiles.

The expression is gentle, understanding, though there's a hint of concern in her features; it easily reaches her eyes, and she tips her head while studying those of you she can see in the light from the building behind her.

"Well! You are all a sight for sore eyes."

When she speaks her voice is warm, affectionate in a manner that one might expect from a friend or maybe an older sister; she glances behind her, toward the lit-up building with its orange roof, before she turns back to you, beckoning you inside after her.

The room you're led into is large and open, with a courtesy desk with a large set of machines behind it, and a woman stationed there as though it's her job; the blonde looks at her for a moment, pursing her lips as though bothered by something, and it isn't difficult to see why - the woman is one of the strange ones, one of the ones that don't seem to respond properly to much, stock-still and dead behind the eyes. She doesn't address her, though; she just gestures as though inviting all of you to sit - there are benches near the wall, though some of you may not mind taking the floor. There are stairs nearby, and that's where she takes up station herself, walking up a couple of steps before turning and settling on them, hands on her knees. She smiles again when she addresses you, though the expression is a little subdued.

"My name is Cynthia. I'm sure you have a lot of questions; we have a lot to catch up on."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...I know.

[There's something else that colors her voice then, something almost regretful in nature.]

That doesn't mean that you weren't here before. It just means that you don't remember.

...

[It took him a second or two to piece that together, fingers curling in the sleeve of his Galactic uniform in a white-knuckled grip. Was she implying their awakening wasn't the same as their arrival? But then...Prompto and Gladio-]

How long. How long have we truly been here?

I've already told you that I don't know for sure.

[Unfortunately. It's unfortunate, but it's firm; she doesn't know.]

[Deep breath. This is fine, this is fine, don't show your hand and don't panic. Gladio and Prompto could handle things at home for a while, certainly. But...]

[...but he'd made a promise. And what was the point of it if the world he'd sworn to see was one he had simply left?]

We have to get back. Whatever the method use to bring us here, there must be some way to reverse it.

I believe there is. And trust me, sweetheart, I want to help you achieve it; you don't deserve any of what's happened to you.

[Calm down, he told himself. There was no proof Cynthia had any hand in this, no matter how suspicious she was as the only functional human apart from them.]

Ignis. My name is Ignis Scientia.

What would you have us do in order to solve this problem?

Ignis... It suits you, I like that.

[Just saying.]

We need to find the Lake Guardians. I'm sure they'll be able to assist you with what needs to be done.

Very well--that's hardly that far removed from what I'm accustomed to. I take it they're the Astrals of this realm.

Where can we find them? And please don't say 'a lake', you know what I'm asking.

Wouldn't dream of it! The closest is Azelf, who resides in Lake Valor. That's a ways south of here.

I would suggest spending some time here to gather provisions and acquaint yourself with the world, and then moving in that direction.

I imagine none of us are exactly carrying our wallets, you realize.

[...Oh.]

Don't worry about cost. I'll ensure that you're taken care of.

First.

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