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Ken Kaneki ([personal profile] ghoulking) wrote in [community profile] maskormenacelogs2019-01-13 09:11 am

JANUARY SWEAR-IN: DEATH ISLAND

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: Death Sacrifice Island, New Zealand
WHEN: 13th January
WHAT: SWEARING-IN TIME, on the beautiful Island of New Zealand, Sacrifice Island.
WARNINGS: None so far

Welcome everyone to Sacrifice Island, once known as “Death Island” (and still called so by many). Located in the beautiful country of New Zealand, and under their government’s jurisdiction, Sacrifice Island is a place where investigation and scientific development happens: it’s the headquarters for Onward Research Station, laboratories that hope to learn how to neutralize the effects on humans/animals of chemical/biological weapons.

But this island holds dark history as well. It was in this very same place that seven young imPorts permanently lost their lives on October 3rd 2008. This tragedy deeply marked the history of United States and all Heroes of the nation, and is remembered with heavy heart. With hopes to never forget these painful events but to also look for a brighter future, United States of America and New Zealand both joined their hands and decided to raise a memorial for the lives lost at the island.

This memorial will be inaugurated on the 13th January along with the Swearing-In ceremony for the new heroes who have arrived this month. Media has been invited as well as this is too a political event to strengthen relationships between New Zealand and USA. Old and new imPorts are all welcome to come and pay their respects to the Heroes who are gone, swear their allegiance to the US government (or not), forge relations with a foreign country or simply show their presences during this event. Whatever reason one has, they will be welcomed.


TRAVEL
Thanks to the interest of many, an airbus has been generously loaned for free in order to fly the imPorts to Death Sacrifice Island. The airbus includes a dining area and each imPort has their own little cubicle, with chairs that can be converted into a bed. The trip will take a while for sure, so the travelers are welcome to mingle while they are on air, meet the new faces, and try some delicious airplane food. Or they can try sleeping, if other imPorts are quiet enough.

Because it's a long flight, there will be many movies to choose from: there is a strangely big collection of Adam Sandler movies, and apparently the big hit has both Adam Sandler AND Jerry Seinfeld and tells the story of a Wasp that falls in love with a Human, while it leads a rebellion against the humankind. If you aren't into Wasp movies, well- good luck picking something else that isn't as amazing.


ISLAND
Miss the hot summer weather? Well, New Zealand certainly has a lot of it to offer. The weather is the kind that would invite anyone for a swim, even though it’s not one of the activities offered during the Swear-In; in fact, the island has no beaches as it’s surrounded by cliffs. The island itself is beautiful, with a lot of greenery indigenous to the country, forming large forests through the island’s surface and surrounding the research center. There are no animals roaming around, with the exception of some birds (do not expect Kiwis, though), but imPorts are warned not to go too deep into the island’s forests or they might get lost.

At the east area of the island, stands the top of the art Onward Research Station, near the only beach the island offers. The airbus will land not too far away, in a small flight track that crosses the green forest, and imPorts will be directed to the center where they will be greeted by scientists, politicians and, of course, a lot of media.

Onward Research Station is white, clean, and shiny. Everything looks like it has been double or triple sterilized and visitors can almost see their reflections on every surface. The technology is probably the best you’d find in the entire nation: quick silent hoover carts that transport people and objects from a section to another, trays that hoover with food, snacks and drinks, and holograms of several scientists that made a difference while working at the Research Station can be found on specific marked areas. ImPorts that wish to know a bit more about the place will have the chance to press a button for a holographic guide who will tell them the story of the Center, their researches and hopes for the future.

However, since Onward focus on chemical and biological weapon studies, much of the area is very much Off Limits to prevent accidental contamination. There will be security (physical and electronically) to stop people from snooping around and causing huge accidents.

The center has allowed local tourism to be part of this. New Zealand certainly wishes to show their own culture, and thus there will be many who are eager to share it with the new comers. Talks of their fauna and flora, their national bird as well, history of Maori who voyaged across the Pacific, good old Rugby, and of course mentions of certain really popular fantasy movies that have been filmed there – one can certainly become immerse in this lovely world. Not so far away, there is also a buffet area with a lot of variety, all typical New Zealand dishes, including Maori dishes naturally. Try Hangi, or lamb, or delicious sea food, and end your meal with good wine and cheese.

Photographers, journalists, paparazzi will be everywhere. Not just for US ImPort Heroes, but due to the political connotations this meeting has as well. It’s no surprise that apart from “who are you wearing”, heavier and much more serious questions will be asked, involving politics, past events, current political feelings, where and for whom imPorts stand for.

The nearby beach isn’t amazing, but they worked really hard to change that. The whole area was cleaned as well, with new, white and shiny pavement that leads visitors to a special area: the memorial. There is a huge marble wall with the names of those imPorts who’ve lost their lives; there is a screen as well, and whenever someone touches one of the names said screen will activate show a video of the selected imPort while a voice tells the visitors a little about their life and death. Nearly, there is another holographic guide who, when activated, will tell the story of Death Island.


MEMORIAL
Anyone can access this history by checking out the Memorial, but in the afternoon, everyone will be invited to the beach. Here, imPorts and everyone else will be taught the dark history of the island by a spokeswoman dressed in white, while the screen on the Memorial Marble wall shows the lost imPorts.

“A scientist who held hatred for the imPorts used this island as his private base of operations, where he built a deadly ray and threatened to use this weapon against the United States. Seven imPorts heroically followed to investigate, only to find this ray permanently end their lives. These heroes and their tragic deaths are today remembered by us all, a memory of a dark and sad past – but we too hold on to hope, hope their deaths were not in vain, and hope we can rebuild and move forward.”

The speech is met with solemn nods and soft applause, while the names of the Heroes show on the screen:
DAVID GREEN; Chosen, age 19
MAGENTA MOVELLO; Mauve Avenger, age 17
IRA BRAUNSTEIN; Power Prince, age 21
JUDE BYEON; Bludgeon, age 17
CAROL "CARRIE" KING; Reign, age 18
MASON LOCKLEAR; Entropy, age 16
MALIK ISAIAH MARCHETTI; Journey, age 40

After, the woman will give stand to few more people who will give their own words about the memorial and the events of Death Island, including a New Zealand Minister and also an imPort: Tohru Adachi.

Once speeches have been spoken, people are welcomed to leave white flowers near the marble wall and learn more about the personal lives of each lost hero by touching their names and watching the movie about each. For those who don’t wish to stick around, the buffet area is always open, and people are more than welcome to return to their activities.


RETURN
The event will be over late night, and all imPorts will be brought back to the airbus. Since there are records who came on the airbus, it’s better not to try to stay behind – as welcoming as they were, those who work at Sacrifice Island have no plans to accommodate everyone more than necessary.

Media will be the first to leave, followed by imPorts and finally every politician involved. Once up in the air, the airplane lights will be turned to minimum, to allow imPorts some well needed rest. That is, if they want. Sorry if your neighbor is noisy.
pharmaka: (sways49)

[personal profile] pharmaka 2019-02-03 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
You are young to be so wise, unless you are older than you look, [ Circe replies with a wry smile. ]

It took me much too long to understand how it works. That my feelings are themselves part of the working. But come; that is a somber discussion, and I promised to make you a toy. Though I am more used to making toys for cats than toys that resemble them.
sonofgold: (^_^)

[personal profile] sonofgold 2019-02-03 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm only 17, in mind and body, but... Brother and I have led an interesting life. Our world was touched by war when we were young, and we saw the aftereffects of it wherever we went. What hatred and violence and mistrust can do to people.

[His ears perk up at that, though.]

I'm fine with that, too. I'm fostering two cats right now. I've always wanted one of my own, but... people have pointed out that pets get left behind all the time when their owners get Ported out. Fostering helps scratch that itch without adding to that problem.
pharmaka: (oslo08)

[personal profile] pharmaka 2019-02-06 09:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Seventeen seems unbelievably young to an immortal. From Circe's perspective, seventeen years ago could've been yesterday, for all she knows. ]

I will not ask you to dwell on war and violence. [ She puzzles out this use of 'foster' but it seems clear enough in context; it's just not a practice she'd heard of. ] That is a kind thing, to house unwanted cats, [ she goes on, ] and not something I had thought of. Perhaps I will do the same.

[ And if any of her roommates take issue with it, well, she'll just move out.

Circe approaches a tree, and reaches up to slice off a branch with a small, anachronistic looking knife, which she replaces at her hip after the branch is retrieved. She turns to face Al, holding it out flat in her palms. ]
Let's see. I suppose it is a better demonstration of my explanation if it does not stay wood. [ Circe's witchcraft is not a flashy business: she closes her eyes, and concentrates, and pictures these poor, sad, unwanted cats that Alphonse has at home. She dwells on how she would want to enrich their lives just a little.

And in a moment, a twig is a flat woven cloth toy shaped like a mouse, filled with catnip and other herbs attractive to cats. She opens her eyes. ]
I could give it the illusion of movement as well, but it would only be an illusion.
sonofgold: (wonder)

[personal profile] sonofgold 2019-02-08 12:57 am (UTC)(link)
It's fine... it just helps me to put things in perspective when it comes to trying to deal with these world's problems. Working with the Aegis Force and seeing the things people will get into fights over... it's hard to not think about what we've gone through.

[He smiles bashfully.]

Brother and I traveled so much, we could never keep a pet... so it's like a dream come true.

[However, he falls silent when Circe begins the demonstration of her powers, and he gives a low whistle, impressed.]

And you can do that just by willpower. I should say that in my world, being able to do alchemy as I do it- clapping my hands and transmuting- is exceedingly rare. Most people need to draw a circle to contain the flow of power, and runes around the edge to act as a blueprint. So to be able to change things by just wishing it... I love seeing it.
pharmaka: (sways08)

[personal profile] pharmaka 2019-02-08 01:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Perspective is not something Circe is lacking, she reflects dourly. In many ways, being here is like a dream come true, and she is both highly cognizant of that and not willing to let on how pathetically lonely her life had been before. ]

It is not quite just willpower. Some aspects of witchcraft can be taught to anyone with the temperament for it, but as you say about your transmutation, it is rare to have the aptitude for it I do. Most witches have a particular thing they are most skilled at. For me, it is transformation.

If I taught you witchcraft, for example, most likely you would need many other ingredients to achieve what I can do with thought. They work as your circle and runes -- aids to direct the energy.

[ It would be inaccurate to say it's been a long time since Circe's gotten to discuss her craft. The truth is, before coming here, she'd never gotten to, past what explanations she'd offered Daedalus about her capabilities. And that had been factual, an exchange of knowledge in a crisis. Nothing like this.

It is liberating and comforting in a way she hadn't known she was looking for from Medea when she'd asked her to stay on Aiaia. ]
sonofgold: (confident)

[personal profile] sonofgold 2019-02-09 05:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Alchemy is sort of the same... everyone in my world is capable of doing it, but some have more natural aptitude than others. I've compared it to cooking or playing music- most people are capable of doing those things, but not everyone can or wishes to become an expert at it. And for those who can do it, there are ways to expedite using circles- like having a tattoo or a piece of clothing printed with a circle to achieve a certain effect. Most people resigned themselves to having to draw something every time, though.

[He nods in understanding.]

I have a specialty, too- Brother and I mostly worked with metal. In fact, Brother's codename in the military was "fullmetal". Making weapons, repairing or breaking down structures... One of our comrades was skilled in the use of fire as a weapon.
pharmaka: (sways03)

[personal profile] pharmaka 2019-02-10 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Circe makes a quiet noise of agreement with this description. Some natural aptitude is indeed needed to be particularly skilled. To her, that's as much inborn ability as it is a matter of character. Her sister Pasiphaë had as much inborn talent as Circe, but none of the patience for the work. When properly motivated she could perform spells -- and they were all of alike with her character, vicious and conniving and self-protective. ]

I am better suited to natural materials. Perhaps that is partly a product of the time. Metal was a rare and expensive thing.

[ Circe offers out the toy. ] It is for your cats.
sonofgold: (talking)

[personal profile] sonofgold 2019-02-10 10:08 pm (UTC)(link)
[Al takes the toy and smiles.]

Thank you- they'll love it. They are spoiled rotten.

[He looks thoughtful again, though.]

Having metal in abundance was both good and bad. Some of it was used for vehicles and transportation and building, but it could also be made into weapons. It could also be fashioned into artificial limbs that worked almost as well as real ones, but war was the reason people needed them in the first place. Brother had a prosthetic arm and leg that helped him walk on his own feet and work with his own hands, but they caused him a lot of pain, too. Everything has a good and a bad side.