WEEK 0 — ARRIVAL

[cartesio]

Week 0: Arrival

When you wake up you immediately feel something’s off. You sit on the bed and find it’s not your bed, and this isn’t your room either. You seem to be in a rather normal-looking motel room. To your side there’s a trunk, if you open it you’ll find a military uniform, the key to your room, a set of rules and a debit card. Don’t lose those items! Or do lose the rules, you'll find a brand new copy the next day under your pillow. There’s also a calendar on the wall, you can see today’s date. The year is unreadable, but the month and day are very clear:

March 28^th
There it says ‘Meet the Sergeant at the Lodge, 9:00 AM’. There’s also a circle around March 31st, with the word ‘END’ scrawled there.

For now leaving your motel room would be a good choice. When you reach the lobby, you see the receptionist’s desk— no one’s manning it. There’s a rack filled with maps, marking several locations in the town.

There are also many strangers here – and you’re one more. For now it may be a good idea to take a map and explore the town.

After all, looks like you’re stuck here in the boonies for a while.

Links

IC Rules
Room Assignments
Locations
Tasks (LOCKED currently)

March 28^th
March 29^th
March 30^th

Comments

[clearities]

I don't think it's Nirvana... but I'm pretty sure that's the sun and not the moon.

[dvaita]

[ Ah, had he said that aloud? For a moment he pauses, his mind snapping back to the present and away from his thoughts. ]

I thought Nirvana would have a sun like this. [ But of course, this can't be Nirvana. Not when he still has his Atma, and not when he's the only one here. Except that wasn't true either—who were all these other people he saw? He had been in such a rush that he hadn't even stopped to consider how wrong that was. How young the girl in front of him was either.

Instead of asking all the questions that rush his head, he responds simply. ]

They're both celestial bodies, right?

[clearities]

W-Well... I don't really know much about Nirvana... but I saw a map of this place, and it said the name of the place was Cartesio.

[So, there's that.] I think they are, but the sun is a star and the moon isn't... at least, that's what I know for sure.

[dvaita]

You're not familiar with this place either? [ That made this all even stranger. ]

I wouldn't know, but Sera would. [ And he needs to find her, he shouldn't be here talking leisurely with this girl, but running around with no clue wouldn't be productive. Or so Gale would say. ]

If the Sun is a star, then what is the moon? [ Somehow, this all feels strangely nostalgic in a way he can't place. ]

[clearities]

[She shakes her head at both of those questions.]

I don't think the moon is a star... I think it's a big rock?

[dvaita]

A big rock hanging in the air? That sounds ridiculous, but I think I can see it. [ It sounds so familiar, like a bad joke. Something Cielo would say maybe. Despite how he feels, he can't hold back a small smile. ]

Where are you from that you've seen such a thing?

[clearities]

I think the reason for it has to do with the planet's gravity if I remember correctly... [But she isn't entirely sure, so don't count on her on that.] And back at home, in Tomoeda. The sun shines brightly during the day and then you see the moon at night. It's really pretty.

[dvaita]

[ Briefly he turns to Sakura at the mention of her hometown, before looking back to the Sun. While he knows better (even if it is instinctually) than to look directly at it, he can't help being entranced by how bright it is. ]

If it's anything like this, it really must be beautiful. [ A beat. ] Why are you in a place like this then? 

[clearities]

It is. [At least, Sakura definitely thinks so. She thinks fondly of her hometown.] I... don't know. I just woke up here.

[dvaita]

You look young, even for a Newborn. [ He offers a tired smile. Some things never seemed to change. ]

If you can't fight on your own, you should find someone who can. [ As much as Serph wants to offer, he has no sense of anything right now. This girl didn't seem to have an Atma either, and the chance of her having powers similar to Sera was exceedingly thin. But he's not going to leave Sakura here either, so he's not moving on until he's sure she's safe enough. ]