❧ Whispers From Different Worlds

[luministimods]

[any and all conversations being held on the CATs suddenly cease all at once, and in the next instant, a little alarm begins to sound. none of the townspeople appear fazed by the strange happening, writing if off as yet another malfunction that has plagued the communications systems in town for the past week.

however, appearing only to the residents' CATs is a video transmission featuring someone whose face is obscured in the shadows, but from the timbre of the voice, it's a young man.]

Please be patient! We're going to help you, but we need a little more time. Keep an eye out for a message from--!

[the transmission cuts out suddenly and is replaced with a picture of a blue screen that simply reads: "Signal Lost." it takes a few moments for that screen to go away, but what--or who--appears next may surprise the residents...]


❧ Plot Details: Whispers From Different Worlds

Welcome to Luministi's Fourth Wall event! As you might have guessed from the above IC portion of this entry, this event will be part of the game's canon and it's all thanks to those malfunctioning CAT devices! However, visiting characters will not appear in the town itself. They will appear in video transmissions alone.

For this entry alone, the vidscreens are still down and most of the CAT functions are down as well with the exception of the video function, enabling residents to communicate with visiting characters, and visitor can also communicate with other visitors as well. Think of it like signals being crossed. And to make things a little easier for everyone, the video transmissions are clear and normal as they would be any other day and don't feature the strange solarised/flipped quirk that they have had for the past week. In any entries made after this one on until the end of the plot, the CATs functions will return to what they were like at the start of the plot.

For those of you new to the game, the CATs, or Communications Audiovisual Transmitters, are personalized communication devices about the size of your palm, and for this day only, visiting characters will have this device. From a video broadcast standpoint, you'll be able to see the the immediate surroundings of the person you're talking to. More information about the CATs can be found on the FAQ page.

In-game time, this event lasts a day, but you can tag for however long you want!

Ah, one more thing! If visiting characters app into the game following this entry's events, memories about what was said and who you spoke to will be able to come to you upon proper entry into the town, but not before then. Characters in-game already will be able to remember their time talking to the visitors and will be able to react to them after the fact.

So yes! Tag in and threadhop in this entry as much as you like! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave an OOC comment here or PM me.

Hope you all have fun and welcome again~

Comments

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie is shaking her CAT and pushing buttons at random, unknowingly starting her own transmission] A message from who!? You confounded contraption!

[jackalpi.livejournal.com]

[There's a young man fiddling with the CAT he's received, and as it clicks on, he pulls back with a rather triumphant look on his face.]

Ah, success! Take that, mysterious device, for you are as nothing when faced with the skill of the...

[He blinks, realizing that there is someone transmitting, and breaks off from finishing the rest of his speech.]

Oh! You have my apologies, fair one, for failing to notice your presence previously. Gracious greetings! I am the Jackal. How might I be of assistance?

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie gasps, quite as surprised to receive his transmission as he is to see hers] Oh! [she appreciates the polite greeting, but she's a bit too startled--and too annoyed in advance--to be as polite in return] Have you just arrived as well?

[jackalpi.livejournal.com]

Have I...? Well, that is a most interesting quandry. I don't seem to remember actually leaving Port Charles. In fact, I still seem to be here at Casa De Stone Cold, about to embark on investigations for my latest case.

However, I have found myself in possession of this device -- I believe it is called a CAT, if my perusal of the instructions is correct. And as I have no way of knowing how or why it was deposited here in my residence at this time, I can only surmise that someone placed it here. It is entirely possible that someone may have gone to the trouble of recreating Stone Cold's living room and placing the item in it, but it sounds to be a far-fetched tale.

Where might you be, if I might be so bold as to ask?

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie frowns curiously; the place names he's given are completely foreign to her, which would not be so strange on its own, but what she truly can't understand is how he could still be there now] What sort of investigating?

I'm in a town called Luministi, though not by choice. [a fact she hardly needs to add, considering her sour expression] We received CATs when we arrived here. But you mean to say it simply appeared in your home? And you haven't left it?

[jackalpi.livejournal.com]

I am a private investigator -- and newly published author, as well. In fact, you could say that my cases are the inspiration, as it were, for stories of intrigue and mystery most sublime.

[As for his home? The room behind Spinelli shows an elegantly decorated penthouse apartment, but while not too dissimilar in terms of style to the townhouses of Luministi, the furniture and layout are all wrong. The self-proclaimed Jackal is sitting on a dark brown sofa, a laptop set up in front of him, and a glimpse of stairs leading up can be seen to his left.]

Oh, most assuredly. While the Jackal's life is often enriched by travels to various locales, there has been no such departure from my abode recently. [There is an eager light in his eyes, however, and he leans in, addressing her with a barely disguised excitement in his voice.]

But have I heard you correctly, that you were brought to this place against your will? Perhaps my partner and I might be able to aid you, if you are able to divulge the particulars of your plight.

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie just watches him, a little suspicious. he doesn't sound entirely reliable; she's used to a certain wizard who uses flowery language to slither out of giving answers. however, his last comment gives her a spark of hope]

Do you think you could? Only a group of us have been brought here by science of some sort. Are you a scientist? Or a wizard?

[jackalpi.livejournal.com]

[In Spinelli's case it's more that he's just a bit eccentric in his choice of speech pattern. He's actually quite sincere about his offer to help. He's tickled pink by the idea of being likened to a wizard, though - and briefly laughs in a rather, well, geeky sounding sort of way.]

Not in the traditional sense, but I am the assassin of the internet - the ace of cyberspace, as it were. There is not a firewall I am unable to breach or a program I cannot defeat with the aid of my trusty laptop and my own cyber skills. I am quite willing to provide you and the others with my assistance however I can. If there is a way to find your location and effect an escape, oh hijacked one, I am certain I can find it.

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie just stares at him. most of those words made no sense, but she did pick up on one thing] You're an assassin!?

[she knew they existed, but really, for one to be so brazenly open about it! what sort of man is this?]

[jackalpi.livejournal.com]

[Why does she seem so surprised by that?] Oh! I see where that may cause some confusion. I am not an assassin in the traditional sense, of course. That line of work is better left to people such as Stone Cold.

[Okay, so technically Jason Morgan is a mob enforcer and not an assassin, but it's a similar enough comparison that it works for the moment.] No, I refer to my ability to work with things electronic. The Jackal is, most unfortunately, not as gifted when it comes to using the tools of a more manly persuasion.

[In fact, he is so bad with guns he once shot himself in the foot, but it's not something he cares to relive right now.]

[fortune_sought]

[she relaxes a bit, though she's still not sure she understands what he actually means, as comforting it is to know what he doesn't] When you say electronic, you mean machines?

[seizethehorizon.livejournal.com]

[Beat.]

In my experience, most like yourself tend to start off with a "hello" before demanding answers of those who might happen to hold them.

[fortune_sought]

[gasps at the sight of another person on the CAT] Oh! Oh my! I'm sorry; you aren't the one I was speaking to. [peers at him curiously] Have you just arrived in town?

[seizethehorizon.livejournal.com]

[Jack takes a moment to furtively look to either side of him. Nobody. Who was she speaking to, then, if not him?

...no matter.]

A town, yes, but not the town you seem to be showing me, love.

[After all, there's the sea around him as he's standing on the docks, the screams of birds and the shouts of shipmen and drunks nearby. That doesn't seem to be the sort of place this woman's in, if her choice in clothing didn't already clue him in to that. Jack's smile could -almost- be termed "wicked," if you squinted at it close enough.]

And what manner of witchery is it that lets you and I talk in the here and now, then, mm?

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie, on the other hand, is walking past the pavilion into the park. there are a few of the normal townspeople nearby, talking cheerfully as they enjoy a walk in the nice weather] Oh, I see. You're near the sea! [she wishes she were in that town rather than this one, not only because there are many places she would rather be, but also because she's had very few opportunities to see the sea]

It isn't witchcraft, I assure you. It's science. [which, by her tone, is a rather unsavory thing] This town has technology that allows us to see and speak to each other even when we aren't nearby, and not a hint of magic in it!

[mightyappendix.livejournal.com]

Waah! I didn't do it!!

[fortune_sought]

[is startled by the sight of a child over the CAT] Goodness! I'm certain you didn't. But what's your name? Are you in the town now, too? [squints, trying to pick out Kiki's location]

[mightyappendix.livejournal.com]

My name is Kiki. I'm in Sanctuary! Where are you, Miss?

[fortune_sought]

It's very nice to meet you, Kiki. I'm Sophie.

I'm in a town called Luministi. [wrinkles her nose] It's not a very nice place. But what sort of place is "Sanctuary"?

[mightyappendix.livejournal.com]

Luministi? Never heard of it!

Sanctuary is where the Saints of Athena live! Not just anywhere can come here, ya'know!

[fortune_sought]

Then you should count your blessings.

[curious] And what does it take for a person to be a "Saint of Athena"?

[mightyappendix.livejournal.com]

That bad, huh?

Ne, you need to be able to use your Cosmo! I don't know how they pick Bronze or Silver trainees though; I've been with Master Mu since I can remember.

[fortune_sought]

Yes, but it's nothing you need worry about.

[tries to equate that strange declaration to concepts she's familiar with] What trade is your apprenticeship in?

[mightyappendix.livejournal.com]

If you say so...

Cloth repair, mostly. And when I'm ready, I'm going to be the Aries Saint!

[fortune_sought]

That sounds like a very important job. Are you a tailor?