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(no subject)

Date: June 1st
Location: The Initiative Hold & Courtyard.
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports arrive and are shuffled into the Courtyard after their initial briefings. Now with 200% more People-Seeking lists!
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. Now and then around you you might spot paper fluttering in the faint wind from somewhere relatively dry. It looks like a list.

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.

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[To say that this person is easy to overlook would be a gross and complete lie. The wetness coupled with the odd, bulging stomach captures Mitsuru's attention instantly. Whatever the cause for it is, it does not look natural. Suspicious, yes. Natural, no.

If nothing else, the kid appears fairly out of it so she can attempt to help out a bit. With that in mind, she approaches from behind.]

Should you inquire about it, someone may be able to provide you with dry clothing.

[The unexpected voice makes him jump a little and whirl around to face it's source. The source happens to be a smoking hot foreign girl, speaking Japanese or something like that, which the device somehow knows automatically to translate for him. He still blinks at her stupidly for a moment before he recovers himself.]

What? Oh. You think so?

[Because actually, some dry clothes wouldn't suck, now that she mentions it.]

[The translation feature certainly is handy, isn't it? Mitsuru gives a nod. She doesn't know for sure if they have any but it's definitely worth finding out.]

I would assume so. Given how they pull in people without regard as to what they are presently engaged in, preparedness to provide basic necessities, clothing included, upon arrival would be considered common sense.

Yeah, maybe. They probably don't want people getting sick.

[It doesn't hurt to ask, anyway. He glances towards the building he's just recently been ushered out of.]

Feel like a walk?

Precisely. An army is of little use if the soldiers compromising it fall prey to illness.

[The question then takes her off guard for a moment. A walk? Well... why not? She can help with his search for clothes while simultaneously getting familiarized with the location. Mitsuru offers him a small smile.]

I suppose one could hardly prove harmful.

[Aka sure.]

[That sounds enough like a yes that he starts walking, assuming she'll follow. His shoes squish with every step he takes. Making conversation isn't easy. She's beautiful, probably rich at home, definitely polished in a way he can't relate to. Stanley casts about awkwardly for a topic.]

So...girls school?

[The awkwardness is lost on Mitsuru as she's too focused on a. dry clothes and b. taking in everything around them. Even the bulging stomach had gotten forgotten for the moment.

Focus shifts onto her companion when he suddenly speaks up. She blinks, confusion crossing her face. Girls' school? What?]

What of them?

Really? Not your scene?

[Stanley shrugs, which makes the thing under his shirt crinkle again. He winces a little at that and leans forward over it again, sort of protectively.]

You kind of look the part.

Judging based on appearance alone may lead to ungrounded assumptions.

[Her eyes trail down to the bulge momentarily before she looks away. Were this school or something of the sort, it may get more attention, but not in a situation like this. Priorities dictate that finding clothes for him came first; finding out the secret behind that shirt can come later, if necessary.]

Up until recently, I had attended a regular, co-ed high school.

Yeah, me too.

[Which is probably pretty obvious, but whatever. He doesn't seem too bothered by the lecture about assumptions. Hey, that's why he asked. But no need to point that out.

He wanders closer to the building slowly, trying to keep comfortable pace for them both.]

[So a high school student, huh? It seems her guess about him had been correct.

Before anything else can get said, one of the Initiative members standing just outside the building catches her eye. It's a tall, rather burly guy that could probably scare people pretty easily. Mitsuru, however, calmly heads over to him (making sure to keep at that nice pace).]

Ah, pardon me! Would you be able to provide some dry clothing? As may be obvious, my companion here is in need of them.

[The guy looks down at her before glancing at Stanley. A small, grumbled 'hang on a minute and I'll look for ya' gets said before the guy heads on inside.]

[The clothes, when they arrive, are weird by Stanley's standards. They're simple, adjustable by drawstrings at the waist and cuffs. Total hippie clothes. He stares at them for a moment before taking them, with a slightly confused "thanks" to the big dude. It's a bit insulting that the dude brought him smalls. Sure, he's not big and bulky like that guy, but he doesn't think he's small either. But at least the dude brought a sack for the wet clothes too. That was nice of him.

The question then, of course, becomes where he should change into them. There's an alley right there. And it's not like he expects anyone to be interested enough to try and get a look. He's a skinny dude who looks like a drowned rat at the moment, definitely not eye candy. So he shrugs and steps around the corner.]

Wanna be a wall?

[The clothing which comes is suitable. Mitsuru gives the man a proper thank you before he leaves.

Seeing her companion head towards the nearby alley confuses her momentarily before the realization about what he's doing hits. Oh. A bathroom somewhere would have been a better choice, but if one needs a change of clothes that badly then so be it. The request gains an immediate nod from her. Everyone deserves their privacy even in an alley.]

Very well.

[With that, Mitsuru turns around to a. keep an eye out for oncoming people b. to be said wall and c. to not needlessly see another person naked. The last thing a drenched boy needs is to have a spectator while changing.]

[It's gross to peel off his river soaked clothes and not step into a shower. There's gritty something or other clinging to his skin, along with the scent of pollution. Bleh. But once they're off he shivers and hisses and hurries into his new clothes. Great. Going commando today. Well, whatever. At least he's covered. He sneezes loudly, shivers again, and stuffs $1k worth of drugs into a laundry sack. His clothes get kicked aside. They're not as important.]

'K.

[The K gets taken to mean Finished. It's a smart move to have hid those in the laundry as Mitsuru does not question the laundry bag upon turning around. A laundry bag is filled with laundry, right?

Maybe Mitsuru gives him a quick once-over to see if all looks well. Yup, the clothes seem to fit, though the fabric looks a bit low quality. Ah well, beggars can't be choosers. Even so, it can't hurt to ask what he thinks of it.]

Is the clothing to your liking?

Pretty sure my crazy uncle used to beat this shirt up for lunch money back in high school.

[Stan tugs at it a bit uncomfortably, but makes no other complaints at least. He starts back in the direction they came from and then stops, looking around. Is this the right way? Nothing is familiar here yet.]

[That commentary gets a laugh. My, that's certainly not something she's heard before.]

What an interesting way to put it.

[Once Stan starts looking around, Mitsuru quickly glances around herself. Two individuals in a foreign land. The best thing to do now would be finding shelter.]

Locating our new residencies would be best as a next course of action.

Stanley nods, apparently agreeing with the plan. What he really needs is a place to stash his stash, but that might have to wait. A cot in the gym doesn't exactly sound private. But it does sound way more inviting than he ever would have guessed it could.]

Temporal jet lag's a bitch.

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