(no subject)

[initiates]

Date: February 1st
Location: The Initiative Hold & Courtyard.
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports have all arrived and have been shuffled into the Courtyard after their initial briefings, while older Transports are returning from the mission to Uruguay.
Warnings: None.

While those who have been guests of Exsilium since at least the last wave of Transports return from their desperate mission and are pressed out of the Transporter room and into the Courtyard, the Initiative prepares to receive a second wave at the same time. And if you're in that second wave, the fresh meat, then you've just been hustled and bustled through mazes of information and literal, wide corridors of the Initiative Hold and you've been equipped with your weapon—be it a gun, a sword, or even your existing powers. They've handed you this light netbook and a small pouch of coins (or a debit card, if you're more inclined), and there are several Transports before and after you going through the very same motions. You can hear the Greeter's voice as she walks alongside large groups, telling them all about the history of this place and sharing with you your purpose here in a hurried and urgent tone. "You're in luck that we have enough rooms for all of you; the housing building is getting awfully full. Please, let me show you into the courtyard."

You pass what looks like huge gymnasiums, all with dummies and targets strewn and splayed around the room. Training areas. There are even classrooms, and a few small offices. You're rushed past a large library while the Greeter informs you that you can find almost all your information there, if you've got the time to look—and trust her, you'll have time. You don't spend a lot of time in the bank, and it's a bit of a blur of exchanges with more and more of these strangely-accented and oddly polite-seeming members of the Initiative.

Soon enough, you're in a massive courtyard bustling with all the other Transports. It's not exactly what you'd expect, and it looks more like barracks than anything—huge walls of concrete and stone, separating you from all of the hallways you'd just passed through. It's raining heavily, and dark clouds loom in the air, though it hasn't turned to snow. It's a chill cold, and there are shelters—long cloth hangings that extend from the walls of concrete to house you from the rain, but not enough. Most notably, the courtyard is filled with a marketplace. Even in the cold and the rain, there are several citizens seated at their covered booths and tables, bundled up against the weather. They're selling all manner of their own handmade goods and foods, and citizens and Transports alike are traveling from one small covered shop to another in search of all manner of necessities.

The Greeter's voice has become so faint now, but you swear you can make it out in the back of the crowds as she tells you, "Good luck. Be safe!"

Her voice is drowned out by the busy marketplace, though even the transactions taking place are somewhat subdued. Nobody is overly happy, really, though most citizens can be found with smiles on their faces. It doesn't seem like they're that shocked to see you, either; even if you're not bound in tattered rags and wrapped in heavy shawls as they are. You're welcome to walk up to a shop, and find yourself something to eat—hey, maybe you'll even find something akin to a raincoat. Or, you can join the others under the coverings against the walls. Where am I? What war? She was talking so fast, and it didn't all make very much sense… did anyone else catch it all?

Welcome to the courtyard. Welcome to the Initiative Hold—and most importantly, welcome to Exsilium

Comments

as promised!

[silenceandcards]

[Credit cards are a bad idea, or so Keith thinks as he approaches the same vendor the girl is at and sees the card she has in her hands. It's much easier to keep track of money an avoid unpayable debts when you use tangible cash.

He stands there silently, watching her without really trying to hide the fact, then reaches over and grabs a couple pieces of fruit from the stand. He pays with coins, then holds one of the fruits in front of her face.

Take it.]

Hurray~

[concealingeyes]

[She just chose it for convenience but his worries are probably right. She's never had to keep track of money. Kido blinks at the fruit but accepts it.]

Thanks. How can I pay you back? [She holds up the card again.] Do these transfer money?

[silenceandcards]

[He shakes his head. He doubts it. And then he pats the hand he put the fruit in, shaking his head another time. The food is rather expensive compared to what he's used to from home (then again, what does he know about currency exchange between here and there?), but it's not like she asked for it.]

[concealingeyes]

...Thanks. [She smiles. It would probably be prying to ask if he can talk, so she won't, but she nods.] I'm Kido. Are you a new, uh... 'Transport' too?

[silenceandcards]

[A nod, committing her face and name to memory. He then reaches into his coat pocket to look for anything that may have his name on it, but his job being what it is, he doesn't have a business card. He can't find himself a pen or paper, either, and glancing at the tablet his fingers touch, he decides it's too much trouble to figure out if he can somehow use it to show her his name.

... He sighs to himself so she wouldn't hear it.]

... Keith Gandor.

[And watches to see if she might react.]

[concealingeyes]

[Oh. He can talk. It's a little surprising. But beyond being surprised at that, she doesn't react strangely.]

So... it'd be 'Keith' right? [She's more used to calling people by their last names but she isn't sure if it works the same now.]

[silenceandcards]

[He doesn't mind the usage of his first name, at least. At home his subordinates would call him by it, although the majority of them also added a "mister" before it. She's involved in none of that Family crap so there's no reason to dictate how she wants to call him.

He nods at her to confirm though, then takes a bite out of his fruit.]

[concealingeyes]

[She takes a bite, too. Not bad.]

Have you gotten this place explained to you yet? I'm still too pissed to think about it too much.

[silenceandcards]

[He nods, although he has to admit (to himself) that the explanation made as much sense as Claire Stanfield's solipsistic rambles. Actually, Claire might make more sense by this point because he's heard it so much before. He pulls out the gun he was provided, still in the holster, and glances at Kido.

The same for you?]

[concealingeyes]

[She shakes her head and pulls her iPod out. Remembering that not everyone knows what it is, though, she tries to describe it.]

It plays music. I'm not exactly sure how that's going to end up being a weapon but I guess it will somehow. I can usually take care of myself.

But I guess in a war... I don't know. [She's a teenager, does she look like she has much war experience?]

[silenceandcards]

[That small thing can play music? That wasn't important, but it was surprising enough to Keith who doesn't show that surprise on his face anyway. He just frowns at it, and raises an eyebrow under his hat when she explains that it's a weapon. It dawns on him, then, that if she has a weapon, she must have been brought here for the war, too. If she's here at all, that's what it must mean.

He remembers when boys eighteen years and older were drafted for the World War some twelve years ago. He remembers how he and his brothers, and their friends, avoided it due to their young age. Looking at Kido, she doesn't look any older than Firo (and that meant that she could be as young as fifteen, since Firo looked younger than he was, already).

He stares at her for a minute in silence.]

Stay out of it.

[concealingeyes]

['Stay out of it'? She frowns. She can't just do that. Or, well... she'd like to. If she's really, really honest, the idea of war scares her. She's only read about it. And while her and her friends get up to some scary things, it feels different. Like a game they'll win.

A real war, though...]

...I can't abandon people though. It's not in my nature.

[Because a lot of people must be scared, too. Someone needs to be brave for them.]

[silenceandcards]

[He doesn't question her skill due to strength; he knows children can fight. He grew up with Berga and Claire. There were plenty of kids around that could hold their own. But that doesn't mean all children can fight, and he wonders if she knows how to defend herself. Does she know enough to fight a war?

He stares at her, then shakes his head. War isn't a place for kids.]

[concealingeyes]

[She doesn't blame him for thinking like that. Actually, she kind of appreciates it. He doesn't seem to be the kind of adult who thinks kids can't do anything - just realistically concerned. It's a little nice.]

I'm not going to rush into something stupid. I'd rather not participate in anything... But they didn't give me much choice in coming here, right? I'm guessing they won't give me a choice in the rest either.

[silenceandcards]

[From the way the guide sounded, Keith expects some leniency from these people from the Initiative. They mentioned "missions" -- missions usually had fighters and support, like first aid. There's no guarantee that every mission would be mandatory for everyone, either. If Kido wants to stay back -- but she doesn't sound like she really wants to.

Well, as long as she's careful.

He shrugs.]

[concealingeyes]

[She nods. She understands what he's thinking - somehow? or at least she thinks she does - so it's not so bad.]

Thanks, though. I'm guessing you can handle yourself, huh?

[Being asked that by a sixteen year old, yep.]

[silenceandcards]

[He's pretty sure he can. Even if he couldn't, he's sure the biggest damage he'll receive and keep would be rips and tears in his clothes. That would be a bummer, but it's better than what else could happen. But he does not reply to Kido yet, and raises his own hand to stare at it for a moment. He clenches it into a fist, digging his nails into skin and watching the small cut heal itself.

Yeah, he's definitely fine. He nods at her.]

[concealingeyes]

Heh, I figured.

[She laughs softly because it was a silly thing to ask but most adults, well, she doesn't really trust them to know what they're doing. She couldn't blame anyone for being lost in such a weird situation. But she has a good feeling about this guy.]

I don't know if I could do anything for you but it's an open offer. Knowing someone can be enough sometimes.

[silenceandcards]

Likewise.

[He can take bullets for her, but not just yet. He still felt pain and she was too much of a stranger to make that offer for at the moment, but he figures he could go a little out of his way for her at least. Or maybe like she said, knowing someone can be enough.]