Welcome.

[trustfellows]

Rise and shine. There are a few things that matter right now - the fact that you're waking up in an unfamiliar but decently comfortable bed, the fact that you don't recognize the room you're in, the fact that you seem to have some sort of headache... Nothing severe, mind. Just the sort of odd, heavy fuzziness that comes with having slept far too long. You don't really remember where you were immediately before this, not upon waking. Something will come to you eventually if you think long enough, however - a couple of seconds of consideration will bring to mind a place, a memory, a recollection of where you were and what you were doing. It probably wasn't anything that would result in you being here, though. Welcome to Graceside Preparatory Academy. You may want to pick up the key to your room before you leave the room, but don't worry too much - your door won't lock automatically, so you won't be locked out if you've forgotten to pick it up. It seems you're not alone, either; the hallway outside your room is most likely full of other confused people by now, and should you turn around to look at the door of the room you just left, you'll find a nameplate with your name printed on it. There's a single word underneath it with no explanation. This is your title, but don't worry about that right now. Depending on when you left your room there may be a clock chiming in the foyer up ahead. It seems like it's seven, though it's difficult to tell if it's seven in the morning or seven at night. There aren't any windows, after all. Should you venture into the room with the clock, you'll find that the only exit is closed - there's absolutely no way to break down that steel bulkhead. It looks like you're not getting out of here anytime soon. The foyer also holds some very interesting information. There's a bulletin board with thirty-five pictures on it. Beside each picture is some very specific and very familiar information. Feel free to examine it. The bulletin board is large enough for plenty of you to gather around and gawk. Don't try to get at it though, that glass in front of it is very thick. If you try to break it, you'll find out the hard way that it's shatterproof. Sorry about that. Perhaps even more of a concern than the glass is the list beside the profiles. It looks like a set of rules. You might want to examine those, though they're not providing much of an explanation for why you're here or how you got here. So relax and get to know your fellow Participants. You might be stuck here for awhile.

Comments

[icysemblance]

No kidding. I can't imagine the amount of money it took to pull this off.

[matchbreaker]

Money, manpower... hell, just power? I guess aliens could do it.

[icysemblance]

I don't know that I'd buy aliens doing it, but I can think of at least one criminal organization that could. Have you ever heard of the White Fang?

[matchbreaker]

Nope, not a peep.

[ WHY NOT ALIENS... ]

[icysemblance]

They started out protesting for peace, but went bad after that.

[Weiss taps her fingers against the wall, clearly thinking.]

[matchbreaker]

.... Okay?

[icysemblance]

Bad enough to wish death on everyone who didn't agree with them. They paired up with a bunch of powerful criminals, almost killed me, almost killed two more of my teammates...they're awful, and the one group I'm aware of with the motivation to do something like this.

[matchbreaker]

Okay, see, it's better to lead with that. No need to go into some history lesson about them. I mean if I was going to accuse the Inquisition, I would lead with "hateful monsters who'd probably as soon torture all of us" and not "oh they probably began because God told them to."

[ Just saying. ]

[icysemblance]

I suppose I did bury the lede. I'm not used to explaining things like that completely cold like that. Sorry.

[matchbreaker]

If you're going to accuse them in the end, what's so cold about it? An enemy's an enemy.

[ she waves a hand dismissively. Well, whatever. ]

So you think those white fang guys could do it? The only people I could think of would use different decor.

[icysemblance]

It's complicated. One of my teammates was part of them, but she left when things started to get bad. I trust Blake, but I don't trust anyone else affiliated with them.

[She nods.]

I think there's a chance. Who are you thinking of?

[matchbreaker]

Oh, it doesn't matter. I know for sure it's not them! I'd detect what means they'd use to spy on us in a few seconds. And then if it was the church they wouldn't have a holy man in here.

[ Waving a hand dismissively.

... But huh. ]

... Well, okay, fair enough on the disclaimer then. Even if you still didn't need to.

[icysemblance]

I'll have to trust your judgment, then. You know your world better than I ever could.

Mm. I know, but like I said, it's a big complicated mess.

[matchbreaker]

- My world? What're you on about?

[icysemblance]

I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I'm just saying that I've never heard of any of the countries or cities on the profiles aside from my own, and I know my Remnant history.

[matchbreaker]

... But you look human? You're an alien too?

[icysemblance]

Humans can live on different planets, I'm pretty sure.

[matchbreaker]

Since when?!

[ WHa T ]