[Action]

GYAAAAAH! Wha...?! Who? What?

[This was not what Eggman was expecting to wake up to. A cave, stuck in a strange cocoon, in the middle of freaking winter... wait a second...]

It's cold in here. There's no cold in this world. No one would allow it! "Oh, it's too gloomy!" Bah!

[Hopping out of the cocoon, he's greeted with the box landing on his foot, causing him to yelp, then grab the box in annoyance. He took out the items and looked at the pamphlet with a sneer.]

"Genessia", huh? Another world, another... wait... another world? It's cold, a place with such a weird imaginative name...

[He holds a hand out, expecting the powers he and the other survivors of Mayfield were granted to kick in... and it doesn't. Everything clicks together...]

I'm aliiiiiiiiiive! OHOHOHOHOHO! I'm flesh and blood, no longer zeroes and ones! After six years, I'm finally free! But, this is a new world. I need to be on my guard - knowing my luck, there's probably someone watching me, plotting to do unspeakable things to me and anyone else here!

[Video]

[And now you're greeted by the sight of a large nose and mustache framing a pair of black specs.]

Greetings, I am Dr. Ivo Robotnik, but please, call me Dr. Eggman. Everyone else does at the moment. It seems that I've been dropped into your wonderful world, which I am more than certain is filled to the brim with you hero-types. But, what fun is taking over the world when there's so many of you and I'm more than certain there's some evil threat that rules over all of you?

But, no, after six years as nothing more than computer data, I'm taking my new lease on life for the betterment of all! And maybe overthrowing that threat that keeps us here.

[Paranoid, isn't he?]

And Sonic, if you're there, and I know you are, you better stay out of my way!

[Lea seems to be kicking back in his room. And for someone who seems to be just laying on his bed and staring at the ceiling, he looks oddly thoughtful. After a moment, he turns his head slightly to look more directly at the camera.]

Question for everybody: can friends do things for Valentine's Day too? Or is it just for romantic couples?

I know there's probably a lot of different opinions on this, if you even celebrate the holiday, but I wanna know what everybody thinks.

A-A-AH CHOO!

[The video feed shows Mirajane Strauss practically buried in blankets, tissues overflowing in the wastebasket beside her, and a half-eaten bit of toast next to her.]

Sowwy ebewyone. I habe to take a leabe of absence fow a while.

[She honks rather loudly into her next tissue clearing her sinuses a little and clearing her throat with a raspy cough.]

Sorry about that. As I said I'll have to take a few sick days from bar-tending for a little while, but I should return before Valentine's day. I'm terribly sorry I've been gone for so long, but I have not been doing well at all. Have I missed much in my time apart from all of you? I seem to remember being frozen into a block of Ice and that seems to be the cause of my current malady.

I'd like to thank everyone who has been looking after me these past few weeks, and I hope you're all having a better day than I am.

(Private to Erza)

I'd like to especially thank you Erza. You've been a true friend, and a great girlfriend.

[She offers Erza a playful wink... which might be slightly ruined by the wheezing cough afterwards, but Mirajane tries to laugh it off in good cheer.]

(Private to Mavis)

I'm so sorry I've been so absent lately, I hope you're not disappointed in me.

(ooc: Hi everyone, I'm back from my hiatus and I'd like to make an apology for my crummy health. The entire month of January was pretty bad for me, and I didn't get a single day of RPing in. I hope to come back more with my other characters to, but I figured I should start with my muse who's most active in the community.)

[Dray is in his garden, fixing the flowers around his house. Or rather, he's holding a pair of bypass pruners and trimming weeds. More often than not, by accident, he cuts some of the flowers. Dray's tail is moving behind him in annoyance, his ears are flat against his skull.]

I don't understand why most of you worry so much about that Valenfinne's day or whatever is called as if it's the most important thing in the world.

[Snip snip snip, oh, there goes another rose...]

We don't celebrate it in my world and sounds for the best. It's stupid. If you love someone, you should show it to them every day.

[So....guess who just got dumped by his boyfriend.]

[So...an amore festival. Of course Karla wants to go, but it says a date is recommended. But how is she going to get one? Obviously, no man is going to ask her out, so she's going to have to do the asking. This is going to feel extremely awkward, especially considering that she was just asking about men in general a few weeks ago. But she's been told multiple times that she's going to have to step out of her comfort zone if she's going to make friends, let alone find that special someone. When Karla begins the feed, she begins with a smile.]

Hello, everyone. I am Karla, Deputy Guardian of Genessia City. Many of us know that there will be a Festival of Amore on Valentine's Day, and I would like to attend. However, it is highly recommended to have a date.

So I would like to ask if there is anyone who's willing to go with me. I don't mind if we've never met before, and it doesn't even have to be romantic. I'm just looking to meet more people, and I've been told I have to step out of my comfort zone.

I'll look forward to meeting many more people at the festival. See you there.

[Her smile brightens a bit before she ends the feed.]

[the video opens on a large man sitting on a couch (and kind of taking over it) and grinning at the camera]

Hello, Genessia and all parts around. Name's Thatch, an newcomer to your fair-- world. Tell me what it's like here. Anyhwere you recommend a hot blooded young man to go? [he grins] Anywhere to not go? I'm open for suggestions, recommendations, advice or good old fashioned flirting if you're bored with all the above. After all, ladies, I'm free. [a wink]

Gentlemen? [he spreads his hands in a conciliatory gesture] Better luck next time.

(Action)

[Twas the day after the Christmas, and all through the city, all the children were at play, including a girl who's middle name is Kitty.

Though she answers to Anastasia. She was outside together with all of her Pokémon. She was dressed like the Princess she is in beautiful gown gifted to her by Ayame, her youth and beauty further touched up with a light touch of lip gloss and pink nail polish gifted by Minako.

She was standing beside her Nidoking, she was tied up in typical damsel-in-distress fashion. The Nidoking makes a bold attempt to make a evil laugh. Her Sylveon, Glaceon and Ribombee stand together as if in opposite to Nidoking. Sylveon had a tinfoil helmet on its head while holding a toy sword and shield with its ribbon-like feelers.

Ribombee was holding a big stick and wore a napkin as a cloak.

Finally Glaceon was wearing the witch hat from Anastasia's Halloween costume.
Anastasia pretends to struggle to get free of the ropes as her Pokémon get ready to have what hopes to be an amusing a Dungeons and Dragons type battle.]

Please save me~! The evil King Nido will surely use my power to take over the world~!

[Sylveon raised the toy sword and skipped over, gently bopping Anastasia with it.]

Sylvie~ Syl~veon~
No, Sylvie, that's not how the knight saves the Princess.

[Sadly,she was bound tight enough that she can't slip her arms free. Therefore, she can't facepalm while Sylveon continues to fail as a pretend knight.

Someone should probably come help her.]

(Video)

[The sun was fixing to set as the video kicked on to show the little lady back in her room, the gown she was wearing hanging in the closet door in the background while she was in a nightgown. She seems to be laying in her bed with something laying just off screen.]

It's been so much fun. I'm blessed to have such wonderful friends and I am ever thankful for the presents I got. I wish I could have done more for them. Maybe next year. Maybe some day...

What did everyone get for Christmas? What was your favourite gift?

[She moves the offscreen object into view, it was a white armoured pixie knight riding a cute armoured platypus. She was making it gallop heroically into view, even.]

I love everything I got on Christmas, but this toy knight is probably my favourite, along with the note that came with it.

[People have always been puzzling for Karla. As far as these dating auctions and everything else romance-related are concerned, she has noticed a pattern; that men like to hit on women who keep rejecting them. What is the point? Of course, the only way to understand such matters is to ask the public at large.]

...I've a question for all the men out there. When you flirt with a woman, what are you truly looking for? The pattern I have noticed is that men aren't truly looking for a relationship.

[It also didn't help that she's noticed that men have stopped flirting with her the moment she accepted their advances.]

Do you enjoy being rejected? If so, why? Men are so strange...

...I suppose women can also answer if they understand men better than I do...

 [anon text]

This auction. What was it about? Charity, apparently. Or something. In the end, it was just a bunch of people getting their hopes up. Imagine watching everyone around you getting paid for a high price, while you're left getting spare tickets to be a pity project. 

There has to be a better way to get a date than putting yourself on a stage to be ignored.

[Shooting Range]

There's a young woman here, hellbent on having fun with guns, and perhaps letting off some steam. She'll even try a rifle though it's not her usual. And it'd seem that she's a pretty good shot, too. Maybe even worth having a wager with.

[Christmas Eve - Nova - Various Bars]

Christmas means a lot of things to a lot of people. To Faye, it's another opportunity to have some drinks and attempt to unwind. Faye can be found in a few different bars, trying different atmospheres, hoping to find somewhere she'd enjoy drinking. She hasn't put much attention into her outfit, just a denim mini skirt and a tank top, because for Faye this was just another night after all. Faye is happy to drop herself on a stool at the bar, eyeing up what's going on around her.

[Lea comes on the network, grinning like an idiot. He seems to be holding up a one of his own action figures.]

Guys, look at this! I'm an action figure! And I come with a monster truck! I mean seriously, how cool is that?

So basically, toy company people? Thank you for helping fulfill one of my life's goals. You're all awesome.

[Some people would demand a cut of the merchandising. Lea is just having a nerdgasm. And is planning to buy the whole set of figures the first chance he gets.]

*********************************************************************************

[Later, after calming down from said nerdgasm, Lea is taking Xion out Christmas shopping. The latest weirdness had somewhat derailed his plans to get a tree and decorations and that needed to change, stat. You might find them browsing at the Christmas tree lot, or in the decorations section of the department store, but wherever you find them Lea will be filled with Christmas cheer. And Xion probably with confusion.]

[The feed starts up to show Gale, decked out in his piloting garb sitting on the railing of the balcony that oversees the After Life club floor. How is the video perfectly in front of him when there should be nothing to hold it up? Magic, of course! Ice magic is a very handy thing to have control of. Gale simply smiles and pulls off the butterfly mask to address the feed, waving at the device.]

Gooood evening, dear Genessians. Why, it's Guardian Election Time again, isn't it? Such fun twice a year, isn't it? So let me preface with my usual shpiel- drinks of the alcoholic and non variety are half off again 'till the election's over with! This goes for After Life, Hangar Queen and Holy Diver, and I think this'll be a thing for every election period.

Now then! [He claps his hands.] There's something else to go over!

Yours truly is running for Nova City this time. Am I drunk, you might ask? Nope! I can't get drunk! I'm as serious about this as a guy like me can possibly be.

[Which in reality is none at all, but he's taking it seriously enough.]

But let's be real, I know none of you care about this until the debates and the polls roll around, so I'm not gonna go into it any further than that. So let's just enjoy your drink deals 'till then.

Oh, and if any of you try to put campaign posters anywhere near any of my clubs, I'll burn 'em without a second thought. K? K. These are politics free zones, thanks.

See you all soon~!

[He winks and waves before he cuts the feed.]

[Karla feels awful, to put it mildly. Throughout the past week, she had craved nothing but battle, a ravenous hunger that could not be sated. She cared not if she got hurt, or if others got hurt. She just followed the sword, as if it had a mind of its own.]

[Now, she's finishing yet another Holodeck's simulation, by striking down a generic sword-wielding opponent, and the room changes back to its plain, empty form. Karla stands still, gripping the hilt of her sword in a calm rage directed only at herself.]

[This cursed blade, only good for cutting people down, cleaving flesh, and spilling blood, nothing more. Karla asks herself again and again, why does she wield it? She ought to break the thing before it completely takes over her mind. She raises the blade above her head, preparing to strike the ground and hopefully shatter the blade against it...]

[But then she freezes. Even now, her brother is somewhere in Elibe, seeking opponents to cut down, trying to sate the hunger of the blade that will never be truly satisfied. Karla has to see him again, and hopefully bring him back home. And for that to happen, she needs her sword.]

[She brings the blade in front of her, gazing at the shining blade, an expression of longing on her face. She then collapses to her knees, propping herself up with her arms. Everything hurts, from her heart to her muscles. She's aware that she hasn't done much to fulfill her basic needs, like sleep. And with the blistering cold weather, can only lead to one thing. Tears begin to trickle down her cheeks. ]

What...what have I become...?

[In the center of the arena, Karla stands with her sword at her side, another fallen opponent lay motionless at her feet. She stares down at him, her face lacking its usual warmth. Rather, her expression is colder than ice, showing no remorse for taking down her opponent in one strike, not caring if he was dead or alive. All she cares about was whether her blade was satisfied. Even now, she could feel the craving for more battle, her blade craving more blood.]

Still nothing. Is there no one with the skill to match my blade's appetite?

[OOC: Just a little warning that she may act creepy. AU description here: https://genessia-ooc.dreamwidth.org/399065.html?thread=6808281#cmt6808281]

[It had been a week since Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Lifeform, and his colleague Rouge arrived in Genessia. And it had been a week of him not keeping up his usual schedule. But being tossed into a whole different world can kind of muck with that.

And really he was only going to let one week go by of being, in his own mind, lazy. So he's turned on his device to ask an important question.]

... Where in this place can someone find an area to train in that won't result in anyone being angry over property damage?

[When Shadow trains, he goes hard.]

[Dray has never asked someone out before, not properly, so he's not 100% sure he's doing it right. He post the next message, directed to Jaune Arc but visible to everyone:]

Hi, Jaune. How’s the sexiest guy in Genessia doing today?

I imagine you might already have a long list of people waiting but...would you like to go out sometime? I've never gone to the Bright Sky Diner in Genessia and I've heard they milkshakes and fries are really good.

PD: I promise I'll be wearing clothes this time.

 /ᐠ __ ᐟ\
(=｀ﻌ´=) ฅ˒˒♥

[Gale had already been out when midnight hit, so he was quick to pick up on his transformation thanks to the casualty that was one of his shirts, which tore open at the seams thanks to the sudden appearance of his wings. At least his jacket was spared the same fate. It was certainly a feeling of deja vu when he'd looked in the mirror and saw the horns on his head, and honestly? It was a welcome change. He'd had so much fun last year with the whole 'incubus' thing as it was, so this time around should prove just as entertaining. And on his birthday, no less! He just had to make a hasty return back to his apartment to change into the proper attire again. He's glad that getting that leather outfit to match it last year wasn't a waste.

So when Gale comes on video later in the day, he's decked out in his outfit of black and purple leather and clearly seems to be in a good mood in some lively establishment. Luckily with the way the camera was turned, there was little evidence to show where he really was... Faye may have taken him out to the Glitter Palace. He'd been eager to check the place out when he'd overheard some people in Hangar Queen talking about it and some guy that supposedly worked there a while back. Yeah. He's at a strip club. Don't judge him.]

Well, isn't this certainly a fun surprise? Or at least, it is for me. I appreciate the birthday gift, Genessia, really.

[It sure beats something terrible happening, given the superstition of the whole "Friday the 13th." What nonsense. Let him have his birthday in peace.]

So, Nova City became one big ol' Monster Mash, huh? Now, since I've seen a couple of you so weirdly helpless about it, if you came out of the city with wings and horns, congratulations! You got one of the more interesting options in the creature roulette. Ladies, you're a succubus. Guys, you're an incubus. If you don't know what that means, well... how old are you? Twelve?

Kids, turn off your devices. Uncle Gale's about to get frisky.

[God help us all.]

( cut for mentions of friskier adult content gale please stop )

[He winks at the feed and then takes a drink from a glass of wine that was sitting on the table in front of. Honestly, those poor unassuming transformees are distracting him from the show.]

That said, having wings again and the whole nonsense in Everglade is putting a few of my plans behind. I'd hoped for an October opening, but right now, I don't want the place getting eaten. Fixing that window was bad enough.

[He's still mad, Dracula.]

By the way, all you keep an eye open for the next newspaper and keep the 31st open. Just sayin'.

[His eyes are drawn away from the feed and to a particularly scantily clad lady passing by his table and he just casually turns off the feed.]


( Private Video; Sonico )

[This is going to be a long month. David is very prepared to take it on, though. He starts up the video feed. He needs to go over some things.]

Until this is all over, Genessia City will have a curfew. Tentatively, it will be set for 10PM until we have a better grasp of when the creatures appear. This curfew is only for those who have no way to defend themselves from the monsters.

[It honestly feels like it should go without saying that anyone that can't fight these things shouldn't go out and put themselves in danger, though.]

There is no punishment for breaking the curfew, but it is highly suggested that if you can't fight those things that you should either be inside of a building when they appear or in another archway. Judging from what’s going on in other cities and given how long stuff like this usually lasts, It’s a safe bet that they will be making a few encore appearances.

I will try to have safe areas set up on every city block that I can for people to take shelter in should they need to. The creatures appeared to be unable to go into buildings, so that's a good thing. The GCPD will also be out to help combat the creatures and lend aid where they can. I will have groups of them positioned throughout the city.

If you can actually fight against these things, your help would be very much appreciated when they attack. Genessia isn't a small city so it's impossible to cover every inch. If you would like to receive some sort of payment for giving your help, then I can try to have something arranged. I ask that if you do come to Genessia City to do this, to make sure you help anyone in need and make sure they get to the nearest safe area.

Anyone that can't battle these creatures can also have someone that can escort them through Genessia City or request a police escort if they really need it.


( Genessia Deputies )

Public

[A woman's face is perfectly framed in the communicator screen, neither too close nor too far. Her blue-eyed gaze is serious, not a trace of warmth reflected in her elegant features.]

I will keep my queries brief, and I would appreciate it if the answers supplied in kind were kept succinct.

[Funny how her appreciation sounds a lot more like an irrefutable demand. Her head inclines slightly as if to indicate gratitude, though vocally she gives none.]

First, I would like a status update on what is being done to remove ourselves from this situation. Is there an organized effort. Are studies being conducted.

[No questions, just statements that require explanation.]

Second, I would like a list of names of those who have been within this realm the longest, including the date of arrival. If you were able to return to your home at any point, whether through the Dream Docks or other methods, I would also like a summary of what you experienced.

Third, and last, I wish to know the structure of your emergency response personnel. If there is a breach in the barriers, who responds? What kind of leadership has been set in place for such events?

[Her chin lifts imperiously as a means of indicating that her orders requests are given in completion.]

I thank you for your assistance in this matter. Should you wish to contact me at a future date, my name is Winter Schnee. But I trust that your responses will be punctual.

['Trust'...'insist'...same thing. The feed ends crisply.]

* * * * *

[Private to Weiss]

[This follows just seconds after her initial public announcement, and her tone is just as brisk. However, there's just the faintest incline of her snowy brows to hint at her true concern for her sister.]

How long have you been a part of this world?

[No formal greetings, no 'how nice it is to see you's. This is no time for pleasantries as far as Winter is concerned.]

Who: Karla and Lea
Where: Holodeck'd in Genessia City.
When: Today
What: Following through with their sparring agreement.
Warnings: Some mild violence. Or friendly violence. It is a sparring match, after all.

After being the lone deputy of Genessia City for over a year, Karla was happy to get some partners. Especially one who shared one thing in common with her: being more combat-oriented than anything. If they were going to work effectively as a team, they needed to learn each other's capabilities. And what better way to learn that than with a sparring match?

Karla paced back and forth in the empty Holodeck'd room as she waited for her partner, remembering what she had learned about Lea's abilities from both Lea and David. Lea used "chakrams," some weapons Karla has never seen before. And David had mentioned that Lea had teleporting abilities. No doubt he would use his powers during the match. Even with the disadvantage, Karla wouldn't want him to hold back.

As she waited, she could feel the urge to swing her sword pulsing through her arm. But patience...she would be swinging her sword soon enough.