A TRAIN COMES INTO THE STATION.
You wake up on a train.
Your phone is buzzing. It's in your pocket, in your hand, on the seat next to you. It's a normal phone, and you're on a normal train car. One of the lights flickers, a little further down. The world is very quiet. It feels like you're right where you're meant to be. On the phone's surface is a white screen and the words—
WELCOME TO THE CITY. BEGIN ORIENTATION?
▶ NO
Please take a moment to complete your orientation.
Once you're finished, the subway doors slide open to let you out onto the train platform. To your right, the platform continues on and eventually ends; to the left is a set of stairs that will lead you up into the station itself. The platform is quiet, clean, empty–there's no one else around, and the only sounds you can hear are your own footsteps, your own breaths, and the occasional faraway sound of a creaking pipe or rush of air. The train you disembarked will stay there as long as you do, its doors still open, until you finally decide to venture up into this new locale.
As you make your way up the stairs to your left, you find yourself in the belly of City Hall station. The station is large, a sprawling underground mini-metropolis of corridors and storefronts. Here, you may find others like you, freshly-arrived city residents from other realms (or even your own). There is also a subway map, which will give you an idea of the layout of the neighborhood, and ticketing machines, which can currently only be used to buy tickets to a handful of stations located on lines 1, 2, and 9.
If you're hungry or in need of any kind of supplies, there are plenty of storefronts inside the subway station as well—snack stands, convenience stores, restaurants, clothing stores, a pharmacy, and a variety of empty shops that may or may not have ever been in use. Everything is unlocked, and you can take whatever you need.
Characters may stay on the train platform indefinitely, and may re-board and re-disembark from the subway as many times as they like, but the train will not depart nor will the doors close. Once they go up the stairs into the train station, they may hear the train doors closing and the train departing. Another train will not arrive, no matter how long the character waits. Only once they come up the stairs into the station itself may characters encounter their fellow newly-arrived residents and take advantage of what the city has to offer.
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WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
The station is located in the city center. It has three major exits that lead to areas of interest in the district, but there are several other smaller exits that lead in other directions around the neighborhood. You are welcome to use any of them, but may find the north, southwest, and east exits to be the most welcoming.
TO THE NORTH
The northern entrance to the station leads up into the sunlight and puts you out in a brickwork plaza. There's a modest building in front of you, three or four stories of stone with a welcoming facade. There's a sign above the entryway–it says City Hall. You may be tempted to explore, if you're interested in learning more about the city and how it functions, but prepare to find yourself disappointed–the folders in the records rooms are full of empty, blank sheets of paper, and the logbooks and balance sheets are similarly devoid of information.
Immediately to the west of City Hall, you will find a small building that houses the tourist information kiosk. The kiosk is not currently operational, but you may want to remember its location...
TO THE SOUTHWEST
The western exit of the station takes you up into a city park, lush and green with a very light fog still hanging about the trees. There are lampposts on the walkways and benches where you could rest, and plenty of flora, although you can neither see nor hear any signs of animal life. You walk the paths that meander idly through the verdant grass and you feel a sense of peace, some of your unease about this place easing into a pleasant calm. The air smells fresh, like it's recently rained, and you'll find the grass ever so slightly damp should you decide to take a seat.
As you make your way deeper into the park, the trees grow denser and the smell of soil and plant life grows stronger. This is the older part of the park, very nearly a forest, with ivy climbing the trunks of the trees and plants and shrubs growing riotously around their bases. As you turn a corner, you find yourself first in the statue garden, although the statues are harder to see now, choked as they are with ivy. There are many statues, some partially obscured, some fully–very few of them still stand free of the vines and clinging roots. (It doesn't feel quite as peaceful here.) If a statue's face looks a little bit familiar, you may not want to look at it too long.
Continue down the path and you will find yourself in a graveyard, one that seems centuries old. Most of the headstones are worn away by time and covered in moss, rendering them impossible to read. The few that are free of moss are blank, or bear only suggestions of names too faint to be understood. (Was that the name of–no, it couldn't have been. Could it?) Many of the headstones stand at an angle or are toppled over completely, having been subjected to either strong winds or the roots of the trees that grow up from some of the graves, spreading branches toward the sky.
TO THE EAST
The final exit of the station, to the east, puts you out on a quiet surface street. Are you hungry? Or are you paralyzed by choice? There are plenty of restaurants, offering options of almost any food you can imagine. You could try a convenience store–it's well stocked, and the items there seem free for the taking. How about a restaurant? There's no one to take your order, but when you look in the kitchen, there's something on the stove, and it's just what you've been craving. Imagine that.
A few blocks down, you come in through the lobby of a tall building and find yourself in a corporate office. The fluorescent lights are steady and unforgiving, and the cubicles and offices are empty. There are a few pieces of paper on desks, a few folders left in organizers, but everything is perfectly blank. Despite how empty and quiet the office is, it nonetheless gives you the feeling that just a few minutes ago, this place was bustling with workers going about their daily business.
You enter another building and find yourself in the lobby of an apartment complex–finally, a place to rest. The first door you try opens easily into a completely empty living room, freshly vacuumed but without a single piece of furniture. It's a nice apartment, quiet, but with a little too much echo for your taste, maybe. Still, and perhaps oddly, you have no trouble envisioning what life here would be like.
The second door you open leads to an apartment that feels lived-in. Why does it feel lived-in? It's fully furnished with items that seem to go together perfectly, true, but the feeling is more than that–the room feels like someone was just here, maybe standing right in the kitchen only moments before you swung the door open. The air is a perfectly comfortable temperature, and it somehow smells like home despite that you've never once set foot here before. The refrigerator is stocked, and the cabinets are full of spices and flatware and kitchen utensils.
As you look around the living room, you find that there are pictures in frames on the walls and some of the flat surfaces–a seascape, a field, a shot of a city park bench. In each of the photos there's something just slightly wrong with the angle, as though the photographer were aiming for a subject that can no longer be seen.
Characters are welcome to explore the district around the City Hall subway station to their heart's content. The City Hall building itself contains several floors of offices and file rooms, but none of them contain any particularly interesting information. Nonetheless, characters may wish to team up with other newcomers and try to find some hints about the nature of the city. They can also spend a while in the park, the statue garden, or the graveyard. In the blocks surrounding the station there are plenty of options for food and housing, as well as office buildings, storefronts, and alleyways to look around. There are no workers in any of the buildings, and there does not seem to be an honor system for payment, nor any consequences for taking food from the stores or setting up camp in an apartment or office building.
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A WASH, ANYONE?
The coin laundromat is tucked into the first floor of one of the tall apartment buildings. Soap is complimentary, and while the machines say that they cost a quarter per load, in reality they are fully operational without any money being exchanged at all. If you have any clothes that need a wash, perhaps items that have been dirtied by your explorations (or your travels before arriving in the city), you may want to take this opportunity to wash them for free.
From the soap dispenser, you can retrieve packets of detergent in different strengths. There's plenty of stock of for mild to moderate grime and for heavy-duty stains, but there are also a handful of packets with slightly less obvious purposes. For things remembered, says one. For unhappy accidents, says another. Feel free to use whichever seems most suited to your needs.
When your laundry cycle has ended, the buzzer sounds and the door pops open so the clothing can be retrieved. You grab a laundry basket and reach in to start pulling fabric out of the machine by the handful. But wait a second–the more clothing you retrieve, the less familiar the items seem, and by the time you've retrieved the last bundled sock from the depths of the dryer you're absolutely positive: These clothes don't belong to you.
You're sure that you put your own clothing into the machine, but these are someone else's clothes entirely. Did someone sneak in while you weren't paying attention and swap out your laundry? Or did you accidentally open up the wrong dryer to retrieve the wrong load? Maybe you'd better look around at whoever else is in the laundromat with you and have a go at trying to find the owner of these clothes.
Whether the characters have had their clothing swapped or simply opened the wrong machine to grab someone else's laundry is up to the player's imagination, but one thing's for sure: you have someone else's clothes in your basket. Maybe these are clothes that belong to another character in the laundromat, or maybe they're garments that belong to someone that character knew back home. Players are encouraged to mess around with the premise and use it to get to know other characters!
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COME ONE, COME ALL...
Have you ever noticed that flickering sign hanging in the window of that little building around the corner from the parking lot? The one that says PSYCHIC READINGS in bold neon lettering?
You step inside the shop and immediately smell a powerful combination of aromas: herbs, candles, incense, something spicy and warm underneath. It's a small space, cluttered with objects. A crystal ball covered in velvet sits in the center of a table, and there are tarot card sets and drawers full of dried herbs and flowers. On the shelves are various remedies with labels printed so neatly it's impossible to tell whether they're typed or handwritten. Headaches, or hemophilia, and also irascibility and fits of sighing. There are also jars full of less easily-identifiable contents, but a close examination may show you frog legs, fish eyes, rat tails. For some reason, it feels like sticking your hand in one of these jars might not be the best idea.
Toward the back of the shop is a glass case that holds the bust of a woman. As you approach, your movement triggers a light inside the case to illuminate the woman's face–or where her face would be, if she had one. The normal human features of her face are smoothed out until they barely resemble a face at all, with slightly hollowed divots for eyes and a faintly raised bump for a nose. The closer you get, though, the more strongly you feel that despite the absence of eyes, the woman is indeed watching you.
The lettering at the top of the case states FORTUNE TELLER, and a sign affixed to the front of the glass says, Ask for anything, but be careful what you wish for.
You form a question in your mind, then ask your question out loud. The woman shifts, straightening up, and you hear the faint whirring of clockwork and pneumatics moving inside her. She gathers her hands in front of her, cupping them like she's holding water, and strange light emanates from her palms, casting harsh illumination on the blank space where her face should be. Although she has no mouth with which to speak, you nonetheless hear a vaguely female voice intone, "Your fate has been read."
A paper slip emerges from a slot in the front of the case, your freshly-printed fortune, the ink barely dry.
Although the crystal ball will not actually show the future, characters with any kind of herbal knowledge may clock that the herbs and remedies in the drawers and shelves of the shop are legitimate. Characters can ask anything they want of the fortune teller, or make as many wishes as they like. They'll get as many fortune slips as correspond to the number of questions they ask. Players are encouraged to come up with whatever vaguely-accurate fortunes you think work for your character, but if you're low on ideas, you can always try an online Magic 8 Ball or fortune cookie generator.
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WILDCARD.
The city is by no means small, and there are plenty of things for you to see. There's no rush in exploring, so feel free to take your time looking around and peering into various nooks and crannies and alleyways—and don't worry, you're not very likely to find anything peering back.
If none of the above prompts appeal, feel free to check out the Locations and Maps pages and write your own freestyle prompt using one or many of the available locations.
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citycenter) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
citylogs2023-06-01 12:00 am
Also I’m so sorry for breaking Connor LOL
You may, if you wish. Dark Shadow, hold still please.
[Dark Shadow does as he’s told, holding still for Connor and even retracting his shadowy arms back into his body. If Connor does go through with touching him, he’ll find Dark Shadow’s “skin” to be cool and slightly malleable, almost as if someone had taken smoke and condensed it into a solid. Also, Connor’s sensors will find no sign of a pulse or blood or anything organic within Dark Shadow, but rather a steady thrum of energy of some kind. Fumikage won’t be able to feel it himself, but he does watch Connor carefully.]
I suppose it helps to consider Dark Shadow as less of an ability and more… well. [And here, even Fumikage pauses for a moment.] Well, others might view him as a monster or demon, but I always considered him a friend.
[Because Dark Shadow was his friend. They had been together since he was a toddler, after all.]
Truthfully, I cannot explain how he came to be fully myself. Quirks are a phenomenon that occurred in my world very suddenly, and we’re are still not fully sure as to how humans began to develop them. The scientists of my world consider it a type of human evolution that allowed them to come to being, and it’s the most accepted answer among people.
[The man seems desperate for logic, so perhaps a logical explanation will help? Still, after a brief pause, he speaks once more.]
If… if Dark Shadow is making you uncomfortable, I can recall him.
He'll have to find a good technician here, lmao
Thank you. Both of you.
[His fingertips have reached Dark Shadow, and without thinking, the skin of his hand peels back and disappears, to reveal the gleaming white chassis underneath. He probes the shadow being carefully, a tiny smile of wonder beginning to grow on his face as he analyzes the texture and the being's reactions to his touch, feeling the energy pulsing softly beneath his fingers.]
He feels...soft, almost? Not velvety, not like that, but more like, like... I'm not sure what it's like. I don't have words to explain it. That's never happened to me before.
[The smile is genuine, if still small. He listens intently to Fumikage's retelling of how Dark Shadow came to be. He's still very confused about Dark Shadow's origins, but he likes the way Fumikage refers to him as a friend. There's a pang in his Thirium pump as he wonders if he and Hank could ever become friends like that.
And it suddenly clicks for Connor, as the supernatural lore of his own world has tales of very similar beings: tulpas. It doesn't seem like exactly the same thing, but it's close enough for him to come to an understanding of Dark Shadow's nature.]
I don't know anything about how your world works, and what kinds of possibilities exist there. Your explanation sounds as reasonable as anything I could propose.
And no, no, you don't need to recall him at all. I think...I like him? [He smiles down at the creature.]
Hello, Dark Shadow. My name is Connor. It's very nice to meet you. And you too, uhm. I'm sorry, I forgot to ask your name.
lol poor Connor
Good! 'Cause I'm the best quirk! Fumikage, I like him!
[He's obviously pleased as punch at being liked! Fumikage looks between Dark Shadow and Connor for a moment, before nodding slowly.]
Right, forgive me. I am Fumikage Tokoyami. A pleasure to meet you.
[And then he pauses, before deciding to ask:]
Are you... what was that with your hand?
🤣
And you, Fumikage Tokoyami.
[Connor looks down at his hand, which is still bare of skin.]
I'm an android. [To explain further:] Connor Model RK800, #313-248-317 -51.
no subject
[Fumikage visibly jolts in surprise at that, eyes wide. This guy was an android? But he looked so human! He looks from Connor's face to his hand and back again, quite shocked for a moment. That would explain the strange circular disk-thing on his temple...]
[But soon his shock gives way to intrigue as he leans in to get a better look at Connor.]
An android... I've never seen one so lifelike before. And Connor Model..?
[Sure some of the Support Class's technology was truly amazing, and there were people with all kinds of weird Quirks around, but a fully lifesize, lifelike android like this? That's something straight out of a movie or video game.]
[Ah, but he's probably being rude, gawking and marvelling over Connor like some shiny new computer. He clears his throat and shakes his head.]
Ah, please forgive me. The level of technology to make an android like you possible is mostly something in the realm of science fiction in my world, so seeing someth-- someone like you is quite surprising. I'm quite honoured to meet you.
[Dark Shadow, meanwhile, moves to gently poke at Connor's hand with a shadowy claw. Cool!]
no subject
Maybe not? It flickers over to yellow as Fumikage's shock changes to interest, and he turns his head to follow his movement.]
Connor Model RK800, #313-248-317, -51. I'm a prototype.
[Connor isn't fazed; he understands why Fumikage would be so intrigued if he's never seen an android before. It's different. In Detroit, androids are so commonplace no one looks twice at them anymore. Not until recently, that is. One corner of his mouth lifts in a lop-sided smile as Connor watches him.]
Then we're even. Having a quirk like Dark Shadow is akin to high fantasy in mine. The honor is still all mine.
[Fair is fair, he was the one poking at Dark Shadow earlier. He lifts his hand so the quirk can have better access. The electric thrum is akin to the tickly feeling of an electric razor along the plastimetal. It's pleasant.]
no subject
[The more he hears from Connor, the more impressed he is. He nods in understanding.]
For a prototype, you are certainly impressive. I'd consider you a fully-finished model if you hadn't told me.
[If Connor was a prototype, what would a refined model look like? Now Fumikage is wondering just what kind of world Connor comes from... Meanwhile, Dark Shadow is marvelling over Connor's metallic frame. The electricity feels tingly!]
Well, even though we come from different worlds, it's still remarkable that we were both brought to this city. Perhaps we can discover what happened here together.
no subject
Thank you, but Cyberlife had over a decade of experience to get it right by the time I came along, if I'm being fair.
[Oh? Maybe a little like this, though thankfully Connor himself will never have to worry about being replaced. Markus's uprising succeeded, thank rA9! Connor decides to run a small current through his fingers, enough that Dark Shadow will notice the increased power, but not enough to cause any pain or harm. His LED is lazily spinning a contented blue as he watches Dark Shadow.]
I would have to agree. And yes, I would like that. I was a detective back home in Detroit, and I'm very curious to explore and find out what's going on and why we've been brought here.
no subject
[So there's a whole company that makes lifelike androids like Connor? He wonders if they make other kinds of robots, and what they look like. Connor's world must be a fascinating world in terms of technology.]
Oh, Detroit? I know of that city; though, where I am from, Detroit hasn't made any robots or androids quite like you. I think I remember hearing that they were once famous for automobiles.
If you're a detective, we may be able to work well together. In my world, I am training to become a pro hero, and heroes work alongside local law enforcement in Japan.
[Though, that might be put on hold right now due to the whole issue with All For One... but that's a story for another time.]
no subject
But yeah. An entire company. The first company in human history to make one trillion dollars in profit. They have all different kinds of models, but if they were smart they would have diversified into other aspects of technology, like smart appliances. Idiots. They put all their eggs in the android basket, and when it went boom, they suffered a crippling blow. For all Connor knows, they've gone under by now, unless they've somehow restructured under Elijah Kamski.]
You do? So you're from Earth? [At least that's something; even if they're not from the same time or even universe, knowing about Earth is comforting to Connor.]
They were. That's why Cyberlife decided to build its HQ in Detroit- to capitalize on the reputation for innovation that the city once held. What year are you from?
A professional hero? [Huh. Weird.] I'd like that. Wherever we are and whoever brought us all here, we need to figure it out if we want to find any chance of going home again.
[No doubt there will be plenty of time to tell Connor at some point.]
no subject
[At least, that was the year when he last looked at the calendar. Things had been a little wild in his world as of late...]
You're right. Hopefully we could all pool our resources and find a solution to this phenomenon.
[Though, a thought hits his mind, and he hums a little as he considers it.]
Though, with a lack of police here, it may fall upon us to help keep order, lest those trapped here begin to panic.
no subject
[He doesn't dwell on it for very long, but he files it away for consideration later. Things aren't adding up according to his hypothesis upon waking.]
We can kill two birds with one stone, as they saying goes? With our combined experience we can not only investigate what's happening here, but also gather people with similar backgrounds to form a sort of police force. I'm sure we can find others willing to help us!
[Connor is enthused about their plans; having a purpose is something he definitely needs.]
no subject
[Different worlds, different times... what was going on here? Still, Connor's enthusiasm is infectious, and he nods with a smile.]
I agree. I can discuss with my friends about establishing some sort of police force or emergency hero agency here, and see who is willing to help us.
no subject
[Connor sighs, a habit he picked up from the humans around him, but it's more resigned than defeated. He's sure they'll figure things out.
On to better thoughts, like a police force!]
That's a great idea. It will also give us a good idea of how many people here have law enforcement experience.
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Right. I would be happy to work with you.
[Fumikage even offers his hand out to Connor.]
no subject
[Connor gladly shakes his hand; it's nice to be accepted so readily.]