Intro Log: April 2015

[highseasmods]

WELCOME NEW CHARACTERS!
Have an intro log for the month of April!

Who: Any and all new characters, as well as anyone hanging out on or around Isla Empieza!
Where: Near the fountain in the town center.
When: New characters will arrive around April 9th! The log is good for as long as you need it.
What: You've just been dropped on your head in a weird new world. Time to figure out what the heck is going on!
Status: VERY OPEN.

Spring has arrived in Empieza! The days are cool and occasional thunderstorms growl through the night. If the citizens of Empieza seem more anxious than usual, it's because of the pirates that aggressively roam the streets, hunting for fresh meat -- either for shanghaiing or sport. If you don't wish to be coerced to sail under the flag of Ammon the Bloody, it's best to stay out of their way.

Feel free to throw your characters here if you need a place for them to get situated and start figuring things out! Start new threads, tag into others, meet the people who might just become part of your crew! Older characters will be in and out, too, depending who is on the island at the current time.

HAVE FUN! And welcome to High Seas!

Comments

[makingfriends]

[It's been a while since Ventus woke up in this strange town, but he hasn't gone far or done much since. For a bit, he didn't go anywhere, or do anything besides hoist himself up to sit on the edge of the fountain, staring silently at the surrounding town, the buildings, the people passing by, as if in a daze.

He partially is. His mind is a hazy mess of memories, some recent and some old; some crystal clear, some jumbled and foggy. It would be enough to alarm most people, but Ventus isn't too worried. He knows in his heart, at least, that the recent past is nothing to be alarmed at, and that's enough for him to keep a level head. It's the present that warrants questions and concern and investigation. Even so, he doesn't hurry to explore or talk to any of the townspeople or discern what world this is just yet. He wanders the town center for a half hour or so, listening to the local talk and getting his legs back (all of him feels so stiff, even a little groggy), but soon makes his way beyond the edge of the town to the beach. He stands just above the shore and stares out, feeling the breeze and squinting slightly in the bright sun and thinking and... living. Awake. He's awake. Alive.

Not all of it's clear, but he knows something's amiss. He's not where he should be, he's not with who he should be... but for the moment, that's okay.

Anyone passing by might notice a familiar?? teenager standing on the sand and staring out at the waves, a distant, sad smile on his face. At his side, he clutches a glass trinket of some kind, but he's otherwise absorbed in the sight, or maybe a memory.]

[childofreim]

[Titus had been hunkered down in the sand further down the beach, poking little crabs with the end of his staff and watching them run around with rapt fascination when he looked up and noticed he wasn't alone. Since he figures it can't hurt to talk to new people, he stands and walks over to the other boy.]

Have you never seen the ocean before?

[He isn't sure how to interpret that look, but he's sure he's seen something similar. Actually, he probably should have introduced himself first and then started asking questions, but the look surprised im a little.]

[makingfriends]

[Ven breaks from his thoughts with a slight start, but quickly smiles as he turns to the stranger.]

I have a couple times, actually. But it's never looked so... big, before. [Plus there's just something so... familiar about it, but more so than before. Like he's done this many more times than he actually has. Not to mention it's relaxing.

But anyway--]

Are you from this town? [He indicates the one behind them with a nod.]

[childofreim]

No!

[He looks momentarily horrified. He's definitely not from a place like this! If he's from anywhere it's Remano and Remano is the greatest city in the world, not some little peasant village like this. Not that places like these don't have their merits or that there's anything wrong with them, but he can't imagine being mistaken for a resident of one. He certainly isn't dressed like they are.]

I'm not even from this world. I'm not sure how I ended up here, but I'm trying to figure it out.

[makingfriends]

Oh! So like me, then. I just woke up here, too.

[Very curious. Ven pockets his Wayfinder and crosses his arms thoughtfully.]

That's weird... Hey, did you wake up with some kind of book, too?

[childofreim]

I did! See?

[Titus pulls out his journal and holds it up with a smile.]

I've been trying to figure out how it works, but I don't want to take it apart just in case it breaks the spells somehow! I played with it all morning, but then I decided to take a walk on the beach. Did you know there are crabs? There are crabs!

[He sounds incredibly, incredibly excited about that.]

[makingfriends]

[Ven can't help a laugh at the guy's excitement, but it's a cheerful sound, not at all mocking or sarcastic.]

No, I didn't notice. I've heard they're good to eat, though. Have you ever tried 'em?

[childofreim]

Can you eat the little ones?

[He's eaten crab, of course, but the ones he saw were tiny. It wouldn't surprise him to find out that you could eat them, since that seemed to be something a chef would challenge themselves with, but it seems strange to even try. You wouldn't be able to get the meat out, so you'd probably have to eat them whole. That would be very crunchy.]

I couldn't even catch them.

[makingfriends]

[Ven crosses his arms thoughtfully, as if this is a serious question that deserves a thought-out answer.]

I'm not sure. I haven't done a lot of cooking -- nothing fancy, anyway.

[But where are his manners--]

My name's Ventus -- just Ven is fine. I guess we're both in the same boat right now, huh?

[yourotherleft]

[The Million Merrily has just pulled up so they can restock on Luffy's favorite meat en route to the summit. Zoro honestly meant to go find a tavern to wait in but ended up turned around (as usual) and is now at the beach instead.

Right, so he needs to figure out where the bar district is from here but first. Is that who he thinks it is? He cups a hand to his mouth and calls out.]

OI! Roxas? What're you doing here?

[makingfriends]

[The name itself doesn't really get a reaction; it's the fact that the beach is pretty empty and there's not many people this guy could be addressing.

Ven glances over out of reflex, staring briefly at the stranger before turning and looking behind him -- but no, there's no one else.

So he tilts his head curiously, blinking once.]

Uh...?

[yourotherleft]

[that's right, Ven, he's looking right at you. Hands on hips, three swords at his right side.]

What's the matter? Forget where you were going?

[makingfriends]

[Does no one else here only carry one weapon??]

I, ah... [He looks out at the ocean, behind him again, and then back at Zoro.] I'm... not sure where I'm going, actually. I barely know where I am.

[But let's backtrack.]

...Did you say Roxas just now?

[yourotherleft]

Yeah. That's your name, isn't it?

[So casual about it. Haha don't worry Ven, he doesn't know where he is either.]

[makingfriends]

[???

Ven's just staring like this guy's the strangest thing he's ever seen. No offense.]

I, uh, talked to Roxas in the journal earlier -- but my name's Ventus.

[Headtilt]

Are you a friend of his?

[yourotherleft]

[whoa. No way. Zoro blinks at that, brow furrowing]

Really? Weird. You guys could be twins.

...eh, acquaintance more than friends. We've fought together, and against each other.

[makingfriends]

[Ven tilts his head again, eyebrow rising. Surely "twins" is exaggerating, right...?]

Oh -- so were you brought here, too? By the ghost guy he mentioned?

1/3

[heartismyown]

[Roxas arrives the day after his journal conversation with the mysterious Ventus who questioned his skills. He's fired up and ready to go. He even stopped at Miss Margie's and happened to pick up something special, a little surprise for him.

He's ready. He goes to the beach.]

2/3

[heartismyown]

[Roxas is treated by the strangest thing he's ever seen. The boy on the beach, the only one around really...looks just like him.

Like he's looking at a mirror.

What. The. Hell.

His eyes go wide with surprise.]

3/3

[heartismyown]

[His brain has never worked so slow in his life, he's completely speechless.

He walks up to Ventus and pokes him in the chest, to see if he's real.]

[makingfriends]

[True to his word, Ven remained on the island (not that he could go very far, he discovered, when he tried to fly his glider off towards the sea. For the first time in his life, that thing disobeyed him and simply stopped at the shoreline, sending him flying into the surf in a rather rude awakening). His talk with Vanitas left him uneasy, thoughtful, and even broody overnight, but getting some food in him and walking around for a bit did some good.

So he makes it down to the beach, bright and early, to wait for this Roxas kid as promised, every so often watching his back to make sure Vanitas doesn't change his mind and come after him.

It's during one of those backward glances that Ven catches sight of a very familiar face.

His own face.

Ven is equally speechless, equally stunned, enough that he doesn't even really react when the duplicate approaches. Is he still asleep? Still dreaming, maybe? Except...

...no, when this kid draws close, Ven can tell something about him feels familiar. He could never explain how -- he just knows it, somewhere in his heart. When the kid reaches out and touches him rude, Ven starts slightly and takes a step back -- because just like that, a name comes to his mind.]

Roxas?

[heartismyown]

[He's still looking pretty stunned when his clone speaks. He blinks a few times and shakes his head.]

Yeah, I'm Roxas.

[Is he really seeing what he thinks he's seeing?]

Just...who are you really?

[makingfriends]

I'm... Ventus.

[That's... a pretty lame answer, all things considered, but that's all he can think of.]

I...

[He frowns slightly.]

I guess... that's why everyone keeps mistaking me for you. But... I don't...

[Understand?? At all?? Sorry, bro, he has no more answers than you do at the moment.]

[heartismyown]

Ventus.

[It doesn't make any sense. Why do they look alike?]

You're not my Somebody. Sora is. So why do you look like me?

[Oh his head is starting to hurt.]

[makingfriends]

[Ven's silent for a moment, thinking things over -- as well as he can when he's been asleep for so long and his memories are still a little jumbled and he's still a bit shaken by this revelation.

In the end, he does pretty well, because he sudden speaks up.]

I... You come from Sora, you said? Sora's Nobody... [His frown deepens thoughtfully.]

He... he actually helped me. A long time ago... and more than once. [Unconsciously, his hand moves to his chest, gripping the Master symbol there lightly.] He... protected my heart, I think. Our hearts touched.

So... if you came from Sora...