Connection Established [Open]
Feb 12, 2020 5:18:34 GMT
Post by Heinrich G. Napier on Feb 12, 2020 5:18:34 GMT
Don't panic. Don't panic. Losing your composure in this kind of situation and breaking down is losing the game entirely. This could be worse. Far, far worse.
I'm not dead, I think. That's a positive, no matter how this situation actually turns out. I'm not in pain, even though I'm pretty sure I hit my head. Maybe that's a cause for concern? Whatever. Let me review what I know so far.
I've woken up on a railway platform. Nothing unusual about the platform so far; it's solid stone, there are two benches against the wall here, looks like some on the other side. And... that's it. There's a building, maybe you get tickets in there, though that's a curiosity for later. Next to said platform are a few sets of train tracks, extending off toward a high-walled area in the distance. A city, maybe? Off in the other direction, the tracks just seem to end.
This makes some sense, last thing I remember was getting on a bullet train that knocked me over. When the train stopped, whoever was running it must have kicked me off and left me here. Wherever "Here" is.
After probably ten or so minutes of desperate denial, I've confirmed that I've awoken with paws instead of hands. Cartoonish yellow paws, with cone claws like you'd see on a stuffed dragon. Currently, I'm not touching the ground. Seated in some fake, stitched-together cloud that's hovering in the air. It's surprisingly warm in here, and startlingly cold when I step out of the cloud, so I've just been stewing here. Thankfully it seems I can control it with a thought, so I don't have to leave. There isn't a mirror out here - there might be one in the station, but I'm not going inside - but I can feel spikes going around my head, and I have a feeling I've turned into a super-deformed cat.
This... doesn't really make sense. Obviously, but I'm trying to process what led to this outcome. If I were an anime protagonist, some catalyst had to have isekai'd me as a cat. Or is it just that simple, there is no reason except for narrative convenience? No, no! Snap out of it, this is reality.
There was a strange device that I dropped when I fell in the train. It seemed to appear out of nowhere, right in my hand, and it replaced the console that led me to the station in the first place. How did it do that? By beeping and buzzing at me insistently until I got out of bed and followed its cryptic map. Why was I following random instructions from a game console? I'd say the voice compelled me, or that it felt important to obey, but that's a bit cliché.
Anyway, the strange device might have... told me to do something when I was falling? There's no proof or real recollection of such an event, but there's a nagging thought in my head that the device is why I'm like this. Too bad I can't find it now, maybe it got left on the train.
No use worrying about that now, or how stupid I was, and am. It'd help a bit if I could figure out where I am, but truth be told I'm afraid of going into the station and asking for help - assuming anyone's even in there. Would I trust a talking yellow cat floating in a cloud out of nowhere? Probably not. And the outside of this platform doesn't have a board, or any times posted, or a location... or anything! The station seriously looks like it was just dropped in the middle of an uninhabited grassland.
Did I come from that city in the distance? Must have, the tracks end abruptly over that way. This doesn't look like Shibuya, or anywhere in Tokyo, for that matter. My best chance would be to check out the city, but it'd be nice if...
I'm momentarily blinded by a light emanating from my body, and then I find myself on the floor of the platform, staring up at the sky. Not as cold anymore, and as I stretch I realize I have my human arms back! Not only that, but the strange device that I'm suspicious of is in my hand.
Take a seat on the nearby bench. Talk about not being cold, now it's way too hot... I have pajamas under this, but I can't keep this coat on. Somehow I still have my school bag, which I decided to carry to the station in the middle of the night. If my console transformed into this tacky thing, I'm afraid to find what else is in here... Try as I might, none of the buttons seem to do anything on the device, and all of my belongings are still in the bag, save for the game console. That's still gone.
There's another weird device, with a weird lid covering the screen. You'd think it's like a DS, then, but the bottom of the lid... is just the bottom of a lid. Rather simple buttons next to the screen. It powers on with some effort, and after starting up it refers to itself as a "D-Terminal" on what I'd consider the desktop. Some experimentation reveals a browser, which apparently has internet, at least.
It loads up a place called "Tamernet", which appears is a ripoff of F**eb**k, Tw***er, and an IRC chat all in one. Have to make an account before I can read any of the posts. Sure, "origamiking" it is. No email confirmation, or a password. That's secure, alright. No I don't want to set up my profile now. Let's try the general chats, sort by oldest...
Here's a blog, that might be helpful. They mention the "Digital World", filled with "Digimon". Are they human? Something to do with Shibuya in here, and most people are typing in Japanese, so that makes sense. Something about partners... People are making anime references instead of supplying any useful information, of course. A warning about fruit in "Server Woods".
... Server Woods? What kind of name is that?
Here's a rumor board. That might be helpful, not exactly an encyclopedia, though. Trouble in villages, cities, I don't care, I don't care. Last post is about a mysterious cure to a mysterious virus... ominous.
Someone's picnic was trashed by a... Digimon, do I have that right? Their partner, or whatever. Can't tell what it is. This screen size is complete garbage, and it's a blurry image on top of that. Small and yellow. Don't like this information. There's no way I'll remember all these names, but I feel like it'd be irresponsible not to try. Maybe I should write them down...? My notebooks are in here somewhere, so here we go. Most people don't use their real names, but others do, or what sounds like a real name at least. Others have photos too, that'll be easier to remember.
Another person nearly lost their console while finding the D-Terminal. Lucky you, it was only nearly.
...
From what I can gather, people from Shibuya end up at Shibuya Station, where they're transported to this "Digital World". Not sure if that's the only way, and no one mentions if it's one way, or if you can return through the train you came in on. When you're transported, you're given a "weird-looking gizmo" known as a "Digivice". Stupid name. Having one of these makes you a Spirit Wielder, a Tamer, or a Xros "General". How do you even pronounce that last one? Cross? Okay. I've no idea which of these I am, or if I'm any of them. Apparently Digimon themselves log on this Tamernet sometimes, which is adding to the confusion.
Bits are the currency used around here, and the overall relaxed nature of these posts is actually calming me down a bit. There was some emergency at Shibuya Station, and something else about a disaster during Golden Week. Don't remember anything weird during then... Do I?
I guess that was kind of useful, though maybe I should make a post, asking for further information? Sounds like a pain, but what else am I supposed to do? Wait for someone to show up here? I'm still nervous to go into the station, what if there is a Digimon running this place?
Eh... Whatever. It's not like anyone will know who I am, and it doesn't seem like I'm in immediate danger, even if they know I'm at this station. Better to make a general post, rather than try and message one of these people individually.
...
That should do it. Nothing else to do but wait for a response. ... If I get a response. If I don't soon, I guess I'll have to check out the city, or worse, see if anyone's in the station... I go to submit the post, but a prompt appears telling me I have to set up my profile before I can post. Why'd you even let me type one up then? All it really wants is an image... Ugh, I'd rather not. Well, I can just take a picture of the sky or someth-
As I crane my neck up, my finger slips on one of the buttons. The screen changes to my reflection, along with a 3 second timer... WAit no--
I go to close the lid on the D-Terminal, but the screen flashes before I can do so.
From the momentary blindness, I drop the D-Terminal with an audible clutter on the ground. What a great start to the day.
I'm not dead, I think. That's a positive, no matter how this situation actually turns out. I'm not in pain, even though I'm pretty sure I hit my head. Maybe that's a cause for concern? Whatever. Let me review what I know so far.
I've woken up on a railway platform. Nothing unusual about the platform so far; it's solid stone, there are two benches against the wall here, looks like some on the other side. And... that's it. There's a building, maybe you get tickets in there, though that's a curiosity for later. Next to said platform are a few sets of train tracks, extending off toward a high-walled area in the distance. A city, maybe? Off in the other direction, the tracks just seem to end.
This makes some sense, last thing I remember was getting on a bullet train that knocked me over. When the train stopped, whoever was running it must have kicked me off and left me here. Wherever "Here" is.
After probably ten or so minutes of desperate denial, I've confirmed that I've awoken with paws instead of hands. Cartoonish yellow paws, with cone claws like you'd see on a stuffed dragon. Currently, I'm not touching the ground. Seated in some fake, stitched-together cloud that's hovering in the air. It's surprisingly warm in here, and startlingly cold when I step out of the cloud, so I've just been stewing here. Thankfully it seems I can control it with a thought, so I don't have to leave. There isn't a mirror out here - there might be one in the station, but I'm not going inside - but I can feel spikes going around my head, and I have a feeling I've turned into a super-deformed cat.
This... doesn't really make sense. Obviously, but I'm trying to process what led to this outcome. If I were an anime protagonist, some catalyst had to have isekai'd me as a cat. Or is it just that simple, there is no reason except for narrative convenience? No, no! Snap out of it, this is reality.
There was a strange device that I dropped when I fell in the train. It seemed to appear out of nowhere, right in my hand, and it replaced the console that led me to the station in the first place. How did it do that? By beeping and buzzing at me insistently until I got out of bed and followed its cryptic map. Why was I following random instructions from a game console? I'd say the voice compelled me, or that it felt important to obey, but that's a bit cliché.
Anyway, the strange device might have... told me to do something when I was falling? There's no proof or real recollection of such an event, but there's a nagging thought in my head that the device is why I'm like this. Too bad I can't find it now, maybe it got left on the train.
No use worrying about that now, or how stupid I was, and am. It'd help a bit if I could figure out where I am, but truth be told I'm afraid of going into the station and asking for help - assuming anyone's even in there. Would I trust a talking yellow cat floating in a cloud out of nowhere? Probably not. And the outside of this platform doesn't have a board, or any times posted, or a location... or anything! The station seriously looks like it was just dropped in the middle of an uninhabited grassland.
Did I come from that city in the distance? Must have, the tracks end abruptly over that way. This doesn't look like Shibuya, or anywhere in Tokyo, for that matter. My best chance would be to check out the city, but it'd be nice if...
BZZZZZAP!
I'm momentarily blinded by a light emanating from my body, and then I find myself on the floor of the platform, staring up at the sky. Not as cold anymore, and as I stretch I realize I have my human arms back! Not only that, but the strange device that I'm suspicious of is in my hand.
Take a seat on the nearby bench. Talk about not being cold, now it's way too hot... I have pajamas under this, but I can't keep this coat on. Somehow I still have my school bag, which I decided to carry to the station in the middle of the night. If my console transformed into this tacky thing, I'm afraid to find what else is in here... Try as I might, none of the buttons seem to do anything on the device, and all of my belongings are still in the bag, save for the game console. That's still gone.
There's another weird device, with a weird lid covering the screen. You'd think it's like a DS, then, but the bottom of the lid... is just the bottom of a lid. Rather simple buttons next to the screen. It powers on with some effort, and after starting up it refers to itself as a "D-Terminal" on what I'd consider the desktop. Some experimentation reveals a browser, which apparently has internet, at least.
It loads up a place called "Tamernet", which appears is a ripoff of F**eb**k, Tw***er, and an IRC chat all in one. Have to make an account before I can read any of the posts. Sure, "origamiking" it is. No email confirmation, or a password. That's secure, alright. No I don't want to set up my profile now. Let's try the general chats, sort by oldest...
Here's a blog, that might be helpful. They mention the "Digital World", filled with "Digimon". Are they human? Something to do with Shibuya in here, and most people are typing in Japanese, so that makes sense. Something about partners... People are making anime references instead of supplying any useful information, of course. A warning about fruit in "Server Woods".
... Server Woods? What kind of name is that?
Here's a rumor board. That might be helpful, not exactly an encyclopedia, though. Trouble in villages, cities, I don't care, I don't care. Last post is about a mysterious cure to a mysterious virus... ominous.
Someone's picnic was trashed by a... Digimon, do I have that right? Their partner, or whatever. Can't tell what it is. This screen size is complete garbage, and it's a blurry image on top of that. Small and yellow. Don't like this information. There's no way I'll remember all these names, but I feel like it'd be irresponsible not to try. Maybe I should write them down...? My notebooks are in here somewhere, so here we go. Most people don't use their real names, but others do, or what sounds like a real name at least. Others have photos too, that'll be easier to remember.
Another person nearly lost their console while finding the D-Terminal. Lucky you, it was only nearly.
...
From what I can gather, people from Shibuya end up at Shibuya Station, where they're transported to this "Digital World". Not sure if that's the only way, and no one mentions if it's one way, or if you can return through the train you came in on. When you're transported, you're given a "weird-looking gizmo" known as a "Digivice". Stupid name. Having one of these makes you a Spirit Wielder, a Tamer, or a Xros "General". How do you even pronounce that last one? Cross? Okay. I've no idea which of these I am, or if I'm any of them. Apparently Digimon themselves log on this Tamernet sometimes, which is adding to the confusion.
Bits are the currency used around here, and the overall relaxed nature of these posts is actually calming me down a bit. There was some emergency at Shibuya Station, and something else about a disaster during Golden Week. Don't remember anything weird during then... Do I?
I guess that was kind of useful, though maybe I should make a post, asking for further information? Sounds like a pain, but what else am I supposed to do? Wait for someone to show up here? I'm still nervous to go into the station, what if there is a Digimon running this place?
Eh... Whatever. It's not like anyone will know who I am, and it doesn't seem like I'm in immediate danger, even if they know I'm at this station. Better to make a general post, rather than try and message one of these people individually.
...
That should do it. Nothing else to do but wait for a response. ... If I get a response. If I don't soon, I guess I'll have to check out the city, or worse, see if anyone's in the station... I go to submit the post, but a prompt appears telling me I have to set up my profile before I can post. Why'd you even let me type one up then? All it really wants is an image... Ugh, I'd rather not. Well, I can just take a picture of the sky or someth-
As I crane my neck up, my finger slips on one of the buttons. The screen changes to my reflection, along with a 3 second timer... WAit no--
I go to close the lid on the D-Terminal, but the screen flashes before I can do so.
From the momentary blindness, I drop the D-Terminal with an audible clutter on the ground. What a great start to the day.
