(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

open!

[substitutable]

a
[It would be nice if the Initiative was nice enough to give out ponchos or umbrellas, but fate deems that that is not to be. So today, in the courtyard, there is one teenage boy walking around with... a white rabbit in his arms, wrapped in his red jacket to keep it warm and dry. He also seems to be carrying a half-empty bottle of Coca Cola. He's wandering about, looking around at his surroundings but not really looking at where he's headed, so every once in a while he bumps shoulders with someone that's going in the opposite direction. He backs away every time with a flinch and a "s-sorry!" before scurrying away to avoid any fights. Will you stop him?]

b
[The teenager has made his way to the marketplace! Here it's much more crowded than the courtyard, so he holds his rabbit closer as he peers at store after store, trying to find a place where they sell umbrellas or maybe some food for himself and the rabbit. He hasn't had dinner yet, but he has that money in his pocket. But it's taking too long to find the right stores, so he turns to whoever is nearby and doesn't look like they're going to punch his face in, nervously asking--]

Excuse me, um... is there anywhere I can find food for pets...?

c
[Maybe you dont' want to find him at the courtyard or marketplace! Maybe you already met him in the test drive so it's too much work to introduce each other again. For you, Shintaro can be found with umbrella and rabbit food acquired, probably walking next to you because if you managed to have a conversation with him already, then you've convinced him that you're not going to beat him up or kill him (just yet). He's not asking about the war or the missions; he already got the tour. What he is thinking about, though, is dinner. He's a little hungry.]

So... what sort of things do they have around here?

C

[duplicitoussight]

[It's a pleasant surprise to find Dan members from home popping up--it's like an unexpected gift tucked beneath the bed, something nice to come back to from the Australia mission. Kano seems brighter than he usually is as he leads Shintaro around, gesturing with great gusto.]

Futuristic food isn't too different from the food we usually eat, even if it looks strange. Ah! There's a cafe that Kido works at... we can definitely get a discount there.

[substitutable]

[Shintaro doesn't know Kano enough to notice the brightness, but he does appreciate the tour he's being given. He managed to get his clothes dried at some point too so now he's dry and warmer and under an umbrella with Shiro sniffing the air quietly in his arms, and he tries to look at everything Kano gestures too.]

Do you think Kido will give us a discount? She doesn't seem like the sort... but I'll eat anything that's not going to poison me, right now.

[duplicitoussight]

If we bug her enough I'm sure she will!

[Bugging Kido is always a great solution to problems.] Well, if you're feeling peckish now the market's always open for business. We could try the local cuisine, heh.

[substitutable]

I won't say no. I haven't eaten since the amusement park, so I'm definitely starving.

[And he's got food for Shiro-san, so he's not worried about that right now.]

Do you know the way?

[duplicitoussight]

I see, I see. And nope! I don't.

... just kidding. Of course I do. Does Kisaragi's brother like his food alive or dead?

b with a side of c

[concealingeyes]

[Kido, meanwhile, is buying something from a vendor. When Shintaro is done trying to ask for things again, she holds out a bag.]

Bunnies like carrots and lettuce... food like that, right? Here.

[substitutable]

["Bunnies?"]

Yeah, they can eat those, too, but we need hay to make sure he's getting enough fiber.

[He shifts his hold on the rabbit though, so Shiro can poke his head out of the blanket Shintaro put over him.]

My hands are full. You want to give him some lettuce?

[concealingeyes]

[She stares when that fluffy white head peeks out. Way too cute...]

Ah, yeah sure. [Kido takes some out of the bag and leans down to be closer to him. Though, she doesn't want to spook the poor thing. She naturally talks more gently to it anyway.]

...Hey little guy, here. Sorry it's raining so much.

[substitutable]

[The rabbit sniffs nervously at the food he's being offered. He's jittery, but he'll take the lettuce and start nibbling on it happily.]

You can call him Shiro. I mean, he won't respond like dogs will, but that's his name.

[concealingeyes]

Shiro, huh? [Kido wouldn't be very original with names either so it sounds good to her.] It suits him. Feeling better, Shiro?

a

[limitstorm]

You know, you don't have to be scared of everyone here.

[ as an umbrella comes over the teenager's head, riku steps forward to be shoulder to shoulder with him, raising a brow. he is soaked to the bone, even with his black coat on.

he stands with his back straight, glancing at with a slightly tilted head, a small frown on his face. he may be being generous, but he sure doesn't look any less imposing with broad shoulders and being nearly six feet. ]

No one's gonna hurt you.

[substitutable]

[It takes some effort not to jump when there is suddenly another person standing next to him -- very close to him on top of that, and this is a really tall person in a black coat. Is he frowning, too? Shintaro looks up at Riku with no smaller amount of nervousness than he had previously.]

Aah, sorry. It's just-- I haven't been around people so much in a while, that's all.

[A glance at the umbrella.] Thank you..?

[limitstorm]

I know the feeling. [ he can sympathize with that--he remembers a time he was like that, too. ]

Uh--don't mention it. Need something to eat?

[substitutable]

Eat? Aah, I guess I am pretty hungry.

[He still eyes Riku nervously, but he's less fidgety than he could be.] Is there somewhere I can get food?

[limitstorm]

Check the stalls. I've got bread from work on me, some cheese too, and water. There's also a cafe up ahead, I work there, too.

[ he works two jobs. it's a thing, he can't stay still anyway. ]

You've got better luck asking for food for him-- [ a nod to that bundle in his arms ] in a stall.

b

[blossomgale]

[ Sophie is nearby, nice and dry and underneath an umbrella... and doesn't look like she's going to punch anyone's face in. Hearing the voice, the twin-tailed girl turns towards the boy... oh, hey. A rabbit! She kind of knows what they eat, having had a rabbit before in Exsilium... ]

There's a vendor here that sells vegetables. I can show you where.

[substitutable]

Ah, you do? [His expression brightens just a little, although you can't say he's smiling.] If it's not any trouble, that's be great.

[blossomgale]

It's no trouble. [ Sophie gives a bright smile. She likes helping others! ] You can stand under my umbrella, if you want.

[substitutable]

Two people under an umbrella is a pretty tight squeeze, you know? I'm already wet, so...

B //haves at you

[bloodyashes]

[Hi, Shintaro, don't mind the somewhat scary-looking redhead in the fancy uniform, a couple tarps slung over his back. Not sure where you got the idea that he's not going to punch someone's face in, so he probably just overheard you.

Ello, bunny. You are a somewhat strange sight.]

Not in the marketplace. You'll want one of the more permanent shops, down the street that way.

[Luckily for Shintaro, Asch already went through this with a kitten.]

[substitutable]

[Actually.

He does mind. He really does mind. He immediately assumes (or realizes) that he may have caught the attention of someone he didn't want to bother, and he tries to lean away from Asch as much as possible without looking like he's about to run away. (Don't show your pack to the predator...!)

Aah, is that so? T-then I guess I should go over there, then.

[bloodyashes]

[Which, unfortunately, Asch is pretty damn good at reading body language - kid, that rabbit you're holding has more confidence than you.]

There's a cat on the sign, it shouldn't be hard to find. Don't know if they'll have anything for that on hand, though.

[Gesturing at the rabbit, there.]

Most people around here keep cats if they keep anything.

[substitutable]

[Great. More predators, and now for the rabbit, too. Shintaro seems ready to sigh heavily as he glances down at Shiro-san and back at Asch.]

He was here with me when I got brought here, so I don't have a lot of choice. Mostly if I can get a lot of hay and some fruits or vegetables, I'll be okay.

[bloodyashes]

There's plenty of the latter, at least. Don't expect them to be what you're used to, but they're around.

[Welcome to Exsilium. Weird mutant veggies are the norm.]