(no subject)

[initiates]

Date: May 1st
Location: The Initiative Hold & Courtyard.
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports arrive and are shuffled into the Courtyard after their initial briefings, while those Transports on the mission to Wollongong return.
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.

Comments

THE WELCOME TENT || OPEN TO ALL (ESPECIALLY NEWBIES!!!)

[hostage]

[There's a tent here that's almost the size of a small store, set up for business like the surrounding stalls but large enough for several people to enter and linger a while. At its front, a few tables hold trays of cookies in a wide variety of flavors and shapes, each lovingly decorated with colorful frosting. A sign beside the cookies reads in handwritten block letters: FREE - TAKE WHAT YOU WANT. Inside the tent, clusters of chairs have been set up for ease of conversation.]

((GREETERS: start a new thread for your character! VISITORS: tag a specific person or tag the main thread if you're up for interacting with any random greeter!))

Jesse Pinkman | Breaking Bad | OPEN

[hostage]

[Jesse is seated closest to the cookie tables, slouched in his chair and watching the newcomers pass by with a mixture of interest and something else. Unease, maybe, like he's avoiding someone but he expects them to walk by at any moment. In any case, he looks like the man in charge of this establishment. A strange sight, to be sure. The cookies in front of him look so sweet and cheerful, but he looks like a thug who wandered out of the bad part of town: hollow-eyed, unshaven, dressed in black - complete with a leather jacket - and a cigarette hanging from his mouth. Still, he doesn't look unfriendly. Just out-of-place.]

Re: Jesse Pinkman | Breaking Bad | OPEN

[demonbloodblade]

[Meliantha brings in a small table and a sign before the flood of people happens, and gives Jesse a small nod. She smiles a little, and says:]

This is a good idea. Thank you for starting it.

[Then she sets up as noted below.]

[hostage]

Ah, yeah. It's nothing.

[Not like he solved world hunger or anything. It's a tent and a few tables. He leans back in his chair, noting her sign.]

"Questions Answered". That's good. I suck at that part.

[no_strings_attached]

[Kriem made her way down from where they'd dumped the rest they'd pulled here while walking by his elaborate stall. Like Jesse, she looks just out of place among all the new Tranports as she's dressed in a hospital gown with gauze still taped to both of her arms. In her tight grasp, she also held a bowler hat to her breast as if her life depended on it.

She seemed a little unsteady on her feet here and there, but Kriem otherwise held herself up high as if she wouldn't let the world around her beat her down.]

[hostage]

[Jesse can't just watch a girl walk by looking like that and not do anything about it. As soon as he spots her, he gets up out of his chair and rushes out of the tent. He doesn't grab her - oh he has learned not to do that suddenly - but he does offer his arm to her.]

Hey, hey - are you okay?

[thephix]

[Oh thank god, there's a look she can recognize, and there's something reassuring in the familiarity of a guy who looks like he comes from her part of the world. Thugs are people she knows how to deal with, even if the fact he seems to be handing out free baked good is a little surprising.

It's possible he's just had a rough night and she's misjudging entirely, but it can't hurt to wander over, arms wrapped protectively around herself, a grey pitbull following her happily. Once she's actually close enough to reach for a cookie, she pauses, casting a glance at Jesse, giving off the impression that she wants one, but feels like it'd be impolite to take one without saying anything.]

Hi. [Her voice is quiet, but a brief, unsure smile flickers across her face.] Are these for us?

[She means "Transports", presumably.]

[hostage]

[It's been a rough month, but Jesse always has an easy smile for a cute girl.]

Totally. Take as much as you want.

[He punctuates that with a grand gesture to the trays. They're nowhere near running low on supplies.]

[ex_b_a_n_g251]

[Jake stepped into the tent in order to get out of the pouring rain for a few moments. He actually wasn't planning on talking to anyone, just to flick water off of his coat and smooth down his two-tone dyed hair. He could care less where he flicked his water either, but he was still peering out of the tent for anything of interest.

He already doesn't like this place. It's boring, and he doesn't like his distinct lack of connections. He determined this had to change.]

[hostage]

Oh shit, you're the guy!

[Jesse's already scrambling to his feet, just in time to get hit in the face with water droplets. Oh well, he'll assume that was an accident.]

Your, um - This chick named Kriem was looking for you. Jake, right?

[lar]

[ By now, Ella is shamelessly looking for people offering cookies. She's in shock alright? Weird new world and everything, sue her. ]

Whoever came up with the idea of offering cookies to placate interdenominational travel trauma deserves a star. Or some of these cookies, really.

[hostage]

[That earns a smile from Jesse, and he gives a rather dramatic bow for someone sitting in a folding chair.]

Oh, thank you. You're too kind.

Luna Lovegood | Harry Potter | Open!

[a_bit_odd]

[Yep, Luna's just going to stand off to the side in this tent to greet newbies. Luna has a raincoat and mismatching rainboots on. She's rather peculiar-looking, with her long blonde hair and protuberant eyes. She's holding a bag, and is stopping people as they go by and seems to be handing them things.] Welcome to Exsilium.

[Her voice is dreamy and soft, but she seems to genuinely mean it. She holds out her hand and offers up small objects, marbles, a ribbon, a radish, some beads, things like that.] Hello. Are you new?

[explains]

Hello there.

[A young man in his early twenties, in a video game outfit green and tan outfit waves.]

So I am. Been here a while?

[a_bit_odd]

Do you mean this very spot, or Exsilium? I've been in this spot for about five minutes, and I've been in Exsilium for about a month.

[She blinks at him, studying him with large eyes.]

Welcome to Exsilium.

[She holds out a shiny red marble for him to take.]

Re: Luna Lovegood | Harry Potter | Open!

[ex_b_a_n_g251]

[It's the boots that she was wearing that actually attracted his attention. There is nothing in a style that doesn't scream oddness like that kind of behaviour, though she seemed young and her mind was strange even at a distance.

Stupid sincere little girls would annoy him, but he had one of his own not that long ago. He just happened to have misplaced her in coming here. Still, he took a red ribbon when it was offered to him.] Nice boots. Why are you handing out junk?

[substitutable]

Huh? Oh... thank you.

[This teenage boy has a rabbit in his arms, bundled up in his red jacket to keep it warm. He looks surprised to suddenly have a girl holding a trinket out to him, but in his surprise he takes it without too much question, looking down at the radish he was given. He looks up at her again at her second question.]

I am. I just got here about an hour ago... how about you?

Meliantha | OC | OPEN

[demonbloodblade]

[Meliantha's joined the people at the greeter tent, with a small table, a chair on either side of it - one of which she's sitting in - and a hand-written sign on it:

QUESTIONS ANSWERED
(OR AT LEAST DIRECTIONS TO BEST SUITED TO ANSWER THEM GIVEN)
BRIEF TUTORING ON THE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

She may not be the friendliest face, but she's trying. Jesse had a good idea, and she's supporting it.]

Anna Kushina | K | OPEN

[marbled]

[ It was a lot of fun last month to pass out cookies (even if she was startled by some of the new faces), so this time she's not without the lantern issued to her as her "weapon". Inside a small flame flickers and keeps her feet warm while she stands outside the tent. Every so often, when someone passes by that looks like they might be hungry, she'll wave for their attention. ]

Hello, are you new?

[no_strings_attached]

[Kriem made her way down from where they'd dumped the rest they'd pulled here while walking by his elaborate stall. She looked out of place among all the new Tranports as she was dressed in a hospital gown with gauze still taped to both of her arms, and her head was freshly shaven. In her tight grasp, she also held a bowler hat to her breast as if her life depended on it.

She seemed a little unsteady on her feet here and there, but Kriem otherwise held herself up high as if she wouldn't let the world around her beat her down.

The call had her dark eyes shifting over in that direction. There was no usual smile from Kriem, but her expression was far more serious than it usually was.]

I am.

[soldiers_sacred_right]

[A tall man in armor looks down with a guarded expression from his exploration of the area to see someone offering him cookies. After a moment of slightly unnerving staring, his face broke out into a smile that looked natural enough as he reaches down to take a cookie.]

Yes. I'm new.

[lar]

[ There's a little white haired girl offering her cookies.

What?

Never mind though- cookies. Ella was going to have one. ]

Hey, yeah. Isn't it kind of weird that I just walked out some grand talk of saving the world by changing the past and now I'm eating a cookie? That's some interesting mood whiplash.

And I'm Ella. Hi, cookie girl.

Rita Mordio | Tales of Vesperia | Open

[blahblahblah]

[The young girl walking out of the Hold in a truncated version of a mage's robe takes one look at the tent, and the inviting trays of cookies, and immediately backpedals from it, with an openly dubious look. The old adage of strangers with candy still existed in Terca Lumireis, and she knew better than to take handouts of unclear origin.

That said, she didn't move far... she had barely any idea where she was, and aside from the gels, bottles, tent, and gald in her pockets, plus the bag of money, weird not-blastia, and key she'd just been given... she had nothing. No traveling companions, no access to her lab in Aspio, no boat... and perhaps most importantly, no way home.

So as she stands there, sullen expression being slowly lost to shivering in the rain, she hopes beyond hope for either answers, a familiar face, or someone willing to put up with her for five minutes.]

[jailbreaks]

[It's ritual for him to come down to the hold the day new arrivals come with his own umbrella in hand. Maybe it's because he's genuinely curious, maybe because he fears the day one of his comrades come to this godforsaken place. He's seen kids stuck in the rain, lost princesses, and maybe enough confused newbies that his hero complex decides to take hold of him. Even if he appears to not give a single crap about it.

Still, looking around, his eyes widen when he sees someone familiar. Coming closer to confirm, he can't help but give a lop sided smirk as he bends down a bit, moving the umbrella so it covers Rita.]

Well, look what the cat dragged in.

Re: Rita Mordio | Tales of Vesperia | Open

[have_hat_will_travel]

You look like you could use a little help.

Want a quick bit of magic to help endure the rain for a few minutes?

*Three things jump out at Rita fairly quickly: First, this woman's mode of dress is very... Forward. Second, she called it magic that is totally the wrong word for it. And third... Magic for enduring rain and cold? That doesn't sound like a spell Rita knows of. *