Intro Log

[progressmods]

Who: Everyone!
What: Your first magical day
Where: Progress City Tranport Center
When: Right now
Warnings: None planned!



[Today you found a ticket to a theme park. It seems relatively normal, except that it reads: Lifetime Parkhopper Pass to Progress City. ”The Most Magical Pocket Dimension in the Multiverse!” This is not a theme park you have ever heard of, if you live in a world where theme parks are of the norm.

For some reason you’re drawn to the ticket. There’s something… magical in this piece of paper, and you can practically hear it calling out to you, and you feel compelled to pick it up. It’s strange, but it’s a piece of paper, what’s the worst that could happen?

However, the moment you pick it up, you feel yourself being pulled. There is nothing pulling you but there is an overwhelming sensation that something is pulling you by the chest into the ground. You don’t have time to process what’s going on before you suddenly fall over, the strange feeling going away the moment you hit the ground.

It takes a few moments for you to regain your bearings, but as you look up you are suddenly hit with the fact that, wherever you were before, you certainly aren’t there anymore. It appears to be a transport station of some sort, and a very sleek and new one at that. Monorails pass by the station every couple of minutes, with small, slower moving vehicles consistently move in and out of the center.

The innermost wall, right behind where you stand, is lined with portals. It appears that you came in through this portal, but if you try to go back the way you came in, you’ll find that you are unable to enter it, no matter how hard you try.

While the realization that you are now trapped in this strange place, you will soon find that you also have a strange band strapped to your dominant wrist. No matter how hard you try to take it off, it seems like it’s stuck on there.

At least you’re not alone, along with a bunch of other people who arrived around the same time you did, there are humanoid people who seemed to be intrigued by your arrival. They’re all generally nice, but get confused if you ask them why you’re here and why you can’t leave. They will, however, happily tell you the name of the place you’re in if you ask:

Progress City.]

Comments

[standingonmyneck]

A:

[It was another day, another painfully dull and long class in which a crotchety old grant guzzler of a professor went on and on about his novel. Though today was special, as she just turned in a short story for Raft College community paper. It had been about a month since she last said her farewells to a place that she held close to her cold heart. It wasn't her home, it was her second home. Said second home's magic seemed to wear off and now she could remember it. How was that for spite? Well, she'd consider it spite, even if unintentional.

But she was at her home now, content on moving on.

Remember them and-wait what's this?

As she left the publishing studio, she felt something in her skirt pocket. Thinking maybe it was a dollar bill, she grabbed it.

Then she stood right there, at the gates of her new NEW home. Staring blankly at it and the world in front of her. She had no real expression, none at all. Was it shock? Who would know. But she literally stood there, zoning out, looking at her bracelet, before she made the heaviest sigh her lungs could muster.]

...Crap. Here we go again.

[That was it. That was ALL she could say.]

B:

[After the shock of getting basically kidnapped wore off, Daria found herself wandering around. She was diligently writing stuff in her notebook. Was she looking your way and writing stuff down? Trust her, it wasn't intentional. Daria, in actuality, was taking notes on all of the stuff she witnessed so far. The buildings, the advertisements, the housing, etc.

She had to make the most of it all if she was forced to live here. But it was likely that she was also focused enough in her own thoughts that she could've been writing stuff and she would bump into some poor soul. If that happened...Gah.]

...Oops. Uh, sorry about that.

b

[itsthecount]

Sorry? Sorry?

[Count Olaf scoffs, and dusts off his suit, unibrow narrowed.]

That’s all you have to say for yourself, bookworm? You were so invested with your book to take heed of my incredibly-handsome-suit and your best excuse is [in a terribly high-pitched girly voice that sounds nothing like her:] “Sorry! I was too distracted by the books and reading and Language Arts to care about your luxurious outfit!”

[standingonmyneck]

[It took her an inconveniently long time before she found herself in the presence of one of the more colorful types. Ah, such was the magic this place advertised, she wondered. So much regret already.]

You're right. I'm also sorry that you might have gotten some of my bookworm germs. You're already making up words and putting them into people's mouths.

[itsthecount]

[He rolls his eyes.]

Your bookworm germs have infected me, yes, thank you for noticing. The rest of whatever you just said was boring.

[standingonmyneck]

So, you were too distracted by the you and the yourself and your "incredibly handsome suit" to care about your own narcissism.

[She was so annoyed with this individual, hoping soon that her snarking would get him to back off. It worked a lot of the times in her life, except for the few times it didn't. But it was all she had at the moment.]

Might want to get the suit steam cleaned and sterilized then, before it's too late.

[itsthecount]

More like burned.

[Olaf rolls his eyes, unibrow narrowing in disgust. He already despised this probably-orphan.]

Is that just your goal, then? Disgusting and disturbing upstanding reasonable members of society?

[standingonmyneck]

[Oh, it was mutual. Not orphan though, two loving parents. Nice mate.]

I bumped into you on accident. I apologized. Then you went on. That's reasonable, how?

B

[greatwidesomewhere]

[Belle can hardly blame the girl; if she had a notebook of her own, she'd almost certainly be doing the same thing. As it is, it's probably better that she doesn't, because she really doesn't even have the words to describe some of these things just yet.

She only stumbles a little when she's bumped into, and then she laughs, shaking her head.]

Oh! That's alright. It's...all so much to take in, isn't it?

[standingonmyneck]

[At least this one was polite. Daria fixed her hair a little before speaking, and promptly closing her notebook. She wasn't a social person at all, even now, but she knew enough to show proper graces in conversation for the most part.]

You can say that. It's been a few hours already and all I have to show for it are superficial observations.

[greatwidesomewhere]

[Belle can relate, honestly. She's always preferred the company of books to people. Her curiosity is piqued by Daria's reply, though, and she cocks her head.]

What have you observed so far?

[standingonmyneck]

[Ah...well, okay cool. A change of pace, someone to discuss it with. Daria knew better than to go through this entirely on her own, at some point. If someone was willing to discuss rationally instead of things getting crazier.

She got her notebook back open and looked at some of her notes, reading some sparse ones outloud. But there's usefulness in paraphrasing.]

Basic things like street names and what's around them so far. If we're stuck here, might as well know where things are and what other things do.

[greatwidesomewhere]

I think that's a good idea. I'd like very much if we weren't stuck here, of course, but...knowing our surroundings is smart.

[An idea occurs to her.]

Actually...I wonder if there's a map. If not, we could always make one, but it'd be time-consuming.

[standingonmyneck]

[Ah. The plot thickened.]

We’re in a giant theme park, so there’s bound to be booths with some. Tourists are probably given them for free.

[There had to be. This place felt too familiar to her real world version to not.]

[faciliheir]

No harm done. [of course she immediately begins leaning over and looking at the writing because that's socially acceptable.] You taking notes or something?

[standingonmyneck]

Uh, yeah. You can say that.

[Nosy but it wasn't like she was keeping her notes secret. There was probably some information on the hosts, the populace that seemed to come to the park on their own free will, some stuff like that.]

Keeps me from going insane. More insane, anyway.

[faciliheir]

Helpful! Remind me to keep near you if we end up having trials in this place.

[standingonmyneck]

[She put the notebook away. Because, uh. What?]

Trials?

[faciliheir]

When somebody ends up murdered! [said like y'know like usual]

[standingonmyneck]

[Like waaaaaaay too casual for her. That was quite a way to put an even more sour outlook on the situation. Mmhm, there was a slight twitch in her expression. Did Not Like.]

What basis to you think there will be? We all just got here.

A

[lusito]

Again? Something like this has happened to you before?

[... We don't recognize this girl from any of the "games" that took place last year. Who is this?]

[standingonmyneck]

Somewhat.

[Ah well, didn't expect to attract a total stranger. But she asked for it with her vague wording. Better clear the air.]

Not like this exactly, but I have been taken to a magical place that was filled with just as much nonsense.

[lusito]

Oh? What kind of nonsense, if you don't mind my asking?

[standingonmyneck]

Oh, you know. Obnoxious spirit tourists, risk of life endangerment, the usual.

[She pursed her lips a little. Just because she got used to Koriko's nonsense, and it gave her good things, didn't mean she had a multitude of nice things to say about it.]

[lusito]

Ah, I see. Given that this place has the appearance of a theme park, perhaps the same will be true here?

[standingonmyneck]

Oh, I don't doubt that.

[She'd been given quite the lowdown now. She had to calm her nerves for the sake of logic. Daria had a few many questions, besides the obvious ones. She was kind of desperate for answers, willing to even ask strangers.]

A few people are talking about trials and murder, you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?