[ OPEN ] here comes the boooooooy

[coordination]

WHO: Yzak and you!
WHAT: Various "come, let's get CR balls rolling" things
WHERE: All over
WHEN: WHENEVER, he's new, so ~new guy time frame~
WARNINGS: n/a but will note if anything comes up!

( Top levels in the comments! Hit me up at gaignun or urtv @ disco for any questions/etc. Down with wildcards too so don't adhere to just the top levels if you've got an idea! )

Comments

[OPEN ] hello,

[coordination]

[ The cafeteria and the dataportals are the two best places to catch as many of his new allies as possible, Yzak figures. Brand new and freshly awakened, he seeks to learn as much as he can about the new team he's going to be working alongside.

So whichever location your character happens through, be it to grab a bite to eat or to head to the Kyoto base, there's a(n unfairly) handsome man with silky silver hair and serious, piercing blue eyes, his choice of clothing on the fancier side of casual. He leans against the nearby wall with his arms crossed, as those intense eyes fall on you. ]

Hey. [ He calls out, and gets right to the point. ] Your name?

[curingidiocy]

[ There sure are a lot of handsome men around here, aren't there? Because this indigo-haired man with equally piercing eyes is just as handsome, and just as blunt. He frowns at the direct address. ]

Is it not common courtesy to introduce yourself first on your planet?

[coordination]

Hah? [ Yzak tips his head at this (fellow beautiful wow they should all form a club) guy, notes his tone ... and then gives him a quick little shrug of one of his shoulders. ]

I don't care what order people go in! I'm just making sure I become acquainted with everybody as swiftly as possible.

[ At that, though, since he doesn't actually give much of a shit about order of things here (at least he's honest and straightforward about it), his already straight and proper posture seems to tighten up even more and he tips his chin up when he speaks again, proud. ]

Lieutenant Colonel Yzak Jule. [ Emphasis on that title, because wow he's soooooo cool. ]

[curingidiocy]

[ What's with the tone of voice this boy is taking with him? Just based on this short interaction, he can surmise that this Yzak is a bit of a hot head. Well, he's not impressed. Nor is he impressed with Yzak's title, clearly indicated by the expression on his face. ]

Dr. Ratio. Scholar and educator. A pleasure, colonel.

[ Was that just a bit of sarcasm behind that word? Nah, you must be hearing things. ]

Is that all? If so, leave me be.

[coordination]

[ As a fellow face-maker, he sees and understands the look he gets too clearly. So there's a small pinch of his brow as the edge of his mouth twitches downward. He doesn't think this guy is very impressive either!

... he's grateful that he at least introduced himself in turn, though.

Despite the shift in his expression, he continues. ]

No, that not all.

I want to ask where you're from, too. They've taken us here, to planet Earth in a year that isn't aligned to the history I know of it. And some that I've met here already ... they don't come from anywhere near Earth at all, or even know what it is.

[ It's obvious from how he words that, that these are concepts somewhat fantastical to him. But there's also an edge of a awed curiosity to his tone. ]

[curingidiocy]

[ Just wait till he hears the list of accomplishments under Ratio's belt.

A surprisingly civil response. He'd half expected the boy to explode in a rage after Ratio flippantly dismissed him. First impressions are not always correct, and he is glad to have it disproven. ]

I would be among the latter count. Earth is not one of the numerous inhabited planets that I know of.

[ And he knows a lot. A least a few dozen star systems, and hundreds of planets. Yzak, the man you are speaking to is an interstellar traveler. ]

At this point I must surmise that it is not connected to the star rail network, and potentially out of the IPC's sphere of influence.

[coordination]

[ Thankfully the absolute dick of a gremlin that Yzak started out as - and, embarrassingly for him, remained as for a nice chunk of time - got enough wake-up calls of hey, maybe you suck and should do these things known as learn and grow and reeled it back from exploding and yelling over every little thing.

...... he still yells a lot, so you win some you lose some.

Raito's elaboration piles more questions onto Yzak's mind. ]

The star rail network... [ Sounds self explanatory ... space trains? That part seems odd to him. ] Intergalactic travel, then? And would that make this 'IPC' some sort of widespread governmental organization?

[curingidiocy]

[ Don't think too hard about it Yzak. It's totally just because space trains are cool. Most people use spaceships to travel anyway. ]

The Interastral Peace Corporation, an organization dedicated to serving Qlipoth the Preservation. It is not governmental by nature, but its influence is so widespread that it is essentially the arbiter of interstellar commerce and law.

[coordination]

[ Thinking hard is what Yzak does best.

(which is why his best friends constantly notes that his head seems on the verge of exploding) ]

An arbiter, huh. [ Sounds familiar enough to him, and space travel for his world is still confined to their own galaxy, much less something so much more ... vast.

...

It's a little overwhelming to consider, honestly. Especially since Yzak's come here just after a huge mess back home. It's so hard to keep things steady without fighting and infighting breaking out and trying to blow each other to dust in their little pocket around Earth. ]

Peace Corporation. Is peace something that's maintained with relative stability?

[curingidiocy]

[ Ratio scoffs quietly when Yzak chooses to focus on that. ]

Do not be fooled by the name. It is not a peacekeeping organization by any means. They merely seek profit, even if they claim that it is to stockpile resources for their Aeon.
Idiots, the lot of them. Qlipoth has never given their materials a single glance in all the Amber Eras the corporation has existed.

[ He has never held his tongue even when he was still at home, under the IPC's sphere of influence, so the disdain flows out of him like water. ]

But to answer your question: the universe is far too vast for peace to be maintained throughout. But planets under the IPC's control are usually stable and free of conflict.

[coordination]

A planet can be too vast for peace to be maintained. From my experience, anyway. [ Said with all of the Very Done exasperation that he can manage.

But organizations more about profits ... the planets in their net of control being deemed safe enough... Yzak idly wonders if that's so easily the case if a planet somehow comes to cease serving those profits. Experience has also made him a bit jaded there due to what he just left behind in coming here.

Still... it might have been nice to hear peace was attained somewhere else in some other form. ]

That being said, I don't think I understand half of those terms you just used. Aeon? Qlipoth, Amber Era?

Well, I assume that last thing could be what you call your calendar.

[curingidiocy]

[ The truth, of course, is uglier than Ratio has stated. But he senses the young man before him already understands this, and thus feels no need to elaborate. It did not seem like that was what he was seeking for in Ratio's words anyway. ]

Aeons are ascended, higher-dimensional beings that preside over the universe. You may liken Them to gods if that is more familiar to you, but They do not respond to human prayer. They care for little else but the Path They walk upon. Qlipoth is one such Aeon—the Aeon of Preservation.

That is correct. The Amber Era is the most prevalent calendar used across the cosmos, as it was created and promoted by the IPC.

[coordination]

That's making a lot more sense now. [ Especially regarding the raking in profits under the guise of serving some higher power. Even so far out in the distant reaches of the universe, things like that stay the same.

His gaze is downcast, clearly turning all of that over in his mind. But then as if he realizes he's let himself stray slightly, he perks back up to look at Raito again. ]

You said you specialize in education. What kind? Is it your primary focus here on this mission?

[icyspicy]

[ Is this the handsome man convention? Because the fellow Yzak calls to in the ruins of Kyoto is indeed that – very tall, very well put together, with a cascade of raven hair that slips over his shoulder as he turns to get a look at who just addressed him. Ice-colored eyes eventually land on the other man, and Winter puts on an air of innocence. ]

Who, me?

[ Cheeky. He knows he’s the only one here. ]

Not the politest way I’ve been asked for an introduction, but if you’re that interested, my name is Winter. And you are?

[coordination]

[ What can they say, LILITH has good taste. ]

It's not like I'm threatening people! [ A cranky response at most - all bark and no bite. But at least this guy still goes on to oblige, so he's placated easily enough. (and it's not like he's unused to hearing about his personality) ]

But of course I'm that interested. I've only just recently arrived, and it'd be stupid not to get acquainted with the people I'm going to be fighting alongside here.

I'm Lieutenant Colonel Yzak Jule. [ The rank probably gives away why he's so set on doing this. Ever the dutiful soldier. ]

[icyspicy]

[ "Lieutenant Colonel" oh boy. Yes, that introduction tells him everything he needs to know. ]

You're quite the serious type, aren't you, Lieutenant Colonel?

[ Just gonna come out and say it, huh? ]

[coordination]

This is a serious situation. [ Aka: yes, yes he is. Because even when they're technically just on downtime and standby, he's not very good at completely relaxing. ]

Not just the fact that we've been ... volunteered. But the situation itself is cause for concern even if we hate that. [ And by 'we' he means he. ]

[icyspicy]

I am aware. As are we all.

[ Hard not to be, when it's all crammed down their throats the moment they arrive. ]

We all cope differently, hm?

[coordination]

Whatever it takes to get the job done.

[ A beat, as he regards this other guy. ]

Within reason, of course. Some people have some fucked up ways to cope that won't do anybody any good, including them!

[icyspicy]

[ Oh, he just laughs. ]

Don't stare at me like that when you say such things. I might start to think you find me suspicious.

[coordination]

I didn't say anything about you!

But I have an entire team to look after back home, so I have to make sure none of them are pulling some kind of shit like that. It's more common an occurrence than one might think!

And since I'd like to get this mission wrapped up as soon as possible so I can return to my duties there, I'd prefer as few people as possible here were pulling that, too.

[icyspicy]

[ When Yzak reacts like that, it just makes Winter realize he’s fun to poke at. Good luck, buddy. ]

I don’t think it’s us you have to worry about. Completing this “mission” is no easy task. Some Outsiders have been here for nearly half a year, and not for lack of effort or poor coping mechanisms.

[coordination]

[ He's doomed, oh no. What ever will he do! (lowkey enjoy it because it means he has a New Friend) ]

A year and a half, huh?

Wars can last for a hell of a lot longer even when you know who or what your enemy is, where they come from, what their goal is and what sort of offense they're launching. So that's not too surprising.

[ Still, the idea of being here for months when he was so busy back home ... Yzak's expression dips into a frustrated pensive one. ]

What about you? Have you been here for that long?

[icyspicy]

[ Will he be ready for the full force of Winter's... Winter-ness? Stay tuned! ]

Me? Just a couple of months. I've seen one large-scale kaiju battle in that time, and a number of smaller skirmishes.

[coordination]

I see.

[ Since he is also a workaholic, he moves to the nearest generator that needs to be cleaned up. Yzak kneels down next to it, some loose debris crunching beneath his knee as he carefully moves some of the bigger pieces off of the machine. ]

What was your part in that last operation? Are you more of a combatant? A doctor? Mechanic?