Intro post

[zerozerovier]

It didn't make sense. 004 was standing in a plaza, surrounded by mismatched architecture in varying states of age. How had he- no, wait. 001 had transported them all out of the city before they were crushed. They'd been dropped into the sea, and then he was inexplicably here, standing in this plaza of sorts, alone. Not to mention still soaked in

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[hellfire_gouka]

A young man made his way across the plaza nearby, his steps careful and almost hesitant. He held a book in hand, the cover seemingly blank.

Shinju turned his head slightly at the sound of the squeaking footsteps, taking note that they seemed heavier than the typical person's stride. Not finding the steps familiar, he paused and moved to face the newcomer, his eyes not quite focused in the right spot.

"Hello," he greeted simply, not sure if perhaps he simply couldn't remember meeting this person before. Making assumptions was something he tried to avoid since coming to the strange City.

[zerozerovier]

Another stranger. Considering the last one had shot at him, he was put on guard again, looking this newcomer over as they faced him. He didn't notice his eyes just yet, more focused on looking for signs of a weapon or ill intent. The only thing he seemed to have on him was that book, however, and he looked more friendly than malicious.

"Mm. I take it you're another one of the people stuck here." More of a statement than a question. "What's your name?" If there were only around thirty people here, it wouldn't be too difficult to find out who all of them were. He may as well start now.

[hellfire_gouka]

"That's right," he responded with a short nod. He was glad the newcomer seemed calm despite the strange situation he'd been put in.

"I'm Shinju Gouka. And you?" the young man said, offering a friendly smile.

[zerozerovier]

Shinju Gouka... was that a japanese name? He wasn't sure, and it didn't really matter anyway. He hesitated a moment- he still didn't feel like it was a great idea to shake hands with a stranger- before he held out his left hand, which at least looked like a normal human hand.

"004. It looks like I'm new around here."

[hellfire_gouka]

"004..." Shinju paused briefly, wondering if that was really his name, but brushed it off; if he didn't want to give a real name (if what he had given was indeed fake), the young man wasn't going to pry.

He didn't appear to take notice of the offered hand, instead shifting his weight slightly, revealing the textured covered of the book in his hand--the title written in Braille. "It's nice to meet you. Welcome to the City, in that case. I guess you've already been filled in about what this place is like?"

[zerozerovier]

He had a hunch as to what was going through Shinju's mind when he said his 'name', and was a little relieved when he didn't say anything more about it.

At first he found it strange that Shinju seemed to be ignoring his hand; after all, he seemed congenial enough. But he wasn't even... looking at him? His sudden suspicion was confirmed when his eye was drawn back to the book he held by the series of upraised dots on its cover.

"You're--" He cut himself off with a low sound in the back of his throat. Blind. Probably not the most polite thing to go pointing out. He lowered his hand. He can't be much older than 009... "...Yeah, I've been filled in. More or less."

[hellfire_gouka]

"So you would already know about the Shades and lack of currency here, right?" It couldn't hurt to be sure--he didn't want someone to wander around the City without knowing the way it worked if he could help it.

The scent of blood found its way to Shinju briefly, and he turned his head, eyebrow twitching. He was reminded of a recent event the City had forced on them and decided to add to his comment. "...as well as the strange things that tend to happen here?"

[zerozerovier]

"The Shades I've heard about, briefly." He hoped to see them for himself, soon enough. "I didn't hear about the lack of currency, but I suppose it's not too surprising."

His usual expression was something like a frown, but it grew deeper at that, as well as the way he turned his head away as if he'd noticed something else. "Finding myself here was strange enough." He almost didn't want to think about what other kinds of things could happen there.

[hellfire_gouka]

"It's something you don't have to worry about, at least," he replied, "And there are apartments you can sign up for, as well. There's a podium somewhere around here to do that, if I remember right..."

Shinju paused for a moment and turned back to the newcomer, the unpleasant smell already gone. "I don't doubt it. But I think as long as you stay calm, whatever this place throws at you shouldn't be too bad. You seem to be taking it pretty well so far."

[zerozerovier]

"Sign up for them? Is someone keeping track of these things?" That caught his interest. Was someone keeping track of the people coming and going?

That last comment made him smile. "What can I say; I've seen some pretty strange things. Although..." He frowned again, suddenly thoughtful. "Hn. This is the first time I've been cut off entirely from my comrades."

[hellfire_gouka]

"No, I don't think so; not in the sense of a person," he replied, frowning slightly in thought. "The City seems to have a mind of its own, though. I guess I really can't say."

"Sounds like they've prepared you a bit, at least," Shinju responded with a small smile, though it faded at his second comment. "I think most of the people here have been cut off from everyone they know as well, though there are a few that knew each other before arriving."

[zerozerovier]

That was a perspective he hadn't heard yet. "I see." He frowned and took a brief look around once more. The last time he'd been in a city that had a 'mind of its own', it had tried to kill him. A city run by a machine... Is this place the same?

"Mm... well, it's fine. Either I'll find my way back to them, or they'll find me." He grinned again, a bit more distant this time. "Even if it takes a while, I can always count on that."

[hellfire_gouka]

"You must be pretty lucky to have good friends like that," the young man said, a wistful smile on his face. "I hope you can find them soon."