exsiliumlogs | (no subject)

Date: April 1st
Location: The Initiative Hold & Courtyard.
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports arrive and are shuffled into the Courtyard after their initial briefings.
Warnings: None.

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It was tough not to smile at the adorable little creature the man before him was holding. Determined to be dreary, Shiki could hardly resist the lull of cute that was the little Fire Ferret. He stopped, standing next to Bolin and looking at it with a little, sedated smile. The creepier part of that would have obviously been the fact that Shiki walked on feet so quiet, he wouldn't have easily been noticed.]

That thing's pretty cute.

WAAAAH! [Where did that dude come from?!] Th-thanks. [catching his breath] Pabu's the cutest fire ferret there ever was. Isn't that right, Pabu? [He talks to the fire ferret like an old friend, not a baby]

Woah, I don't bite. [Only stabs. Only lots of stabs. Kidding. Maybe.]

[Shiki smiled and reached over, asking only as his hand began to draw closer and closer. He was prepared to draw it away if the little ferret decided to be displeased with his approach, but Shiki wore a little trust in his posture.]

Cute, he certainly is. Does he like being petted?

[Pabu leans forward to sniff Shiki's hand cautiously.]

Not really. He prefers to play. I've taught him some sweet tricks.

Ferrets do tricks? [Shiki was always under the impression that ferrets rolled around and went insane for a living. Didn't they always go to college for that?

He let the cute little thing sniff him, remaining still.]

They sure do! Hey Pabu, flip!

[Pabu does a backflip and chitters.]

[Shiki paused, politely clapping. He smiled and then frowned right away.]

I don't have a treat to give him.

That's okay. He doesn't do it for the treats. Pabu does it for the people.

Then, he's a very generous performer. How long have you had him?

Gosh, I don't even remember. How long have we been friends, Pabu? [The fire ferret chitters.] It's gotta be at least six years now, or somewhere around there.

[Oh, he was definitely one of those guys who talked to his pets, Shiki noted.]

Six years, huh? I've never had a pet, myself.

You should totally get one! They're the best kind of friends to have. [They won't leave you, or forget about you, or ask you to do stuff that could get you in trouble with the police. Bolin's no cynic, but Pabu is definitely the best friend he's ever had or will have.]

I've wanted pets, but my sister hasn't ever been a fan of them. [She wasn't a fan of anything that wasn't punctuality, getting to school on time and microwaved bags of blood. Wait, where'd that last one come from?]

I'd actually like a cat, myself. [Yep, just a boring old cat. Not a special cat that can sunder your very mind with brain-altering dreams or anything.]

You should get one while you're here!

Do you think?

What if it's irradiated or something?

.....then it.......needs extra love? I don't know what "irradiated" means...

Well-- [Pausing, Shiki considered the best way to explain it.]

It's sickness that comes from working with certain chemicals. It's pretty scary, but rare from where I'm from. I imagine it's a bit less rare here.

Well if they're sick, they definitely need extra love! Isn't that right, Pabu?