exsiliumlogs | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Date: July 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's nice, almost, knowing that there's no disaster looming on the horizon this month. Not one that can compare to last month's, at least.

And yet Saul is still looming. He's not keeping watch quite the same way he was last time, though — he looks much more relaxed, a little less anxiously focused. He's even gone tie-less today.

He's sure Jesse knows he's there, even though he snuck in through the back of the tent and has been hanging around that area ever since. Eventually, he decides he could do with a cookie or three — naturally, instead of moving around Jesse to get to them, he reaches over him.

What is personal space.]

[It's weird, yeah, how much better Jesse's mood is after everything going completely to shit. He's not afraid anymore, not even nervous. The more he's around Mr. White, the easier it all gets.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Who knows.

He elbows Saul in the side - not too rough, playfully - when the guy reaches over him.]

Oh my god. Just climb on top of me why don't you.

[Probably both.]

Is that an invitation?

[He'll even make a point of reaching for the farthest possible cookie for maximum discomfort.

How's it feel to be half-crushed by your lawyer, Jesse?]

[Feels like being half-crushed by a lawyer. Now he's squirming.]

Augh, homo!

[And Saul, of course, is laughing. He finally pulls back after he's grabbed a handful of cookies, then dusts Jesse's shoulder off with his free hand.]

Sorry about that.

No you're not.

[But Jesse's not really upset, so whatever. He's stealing a cookie right out of Saul's hands as payback.]

[Whatever; Jesse can have it. Saul should probably be on a training diet or something, anyway.

He smirks.]

Not really, no.

Who do I call when I gotta sue my lawyer for sexual harassment?

[Wow, good thing Saul didn't say the first name that came to mind.

They probably shouldn't talk about Sonya right now.]

I dunno, man. Can't help you out with that one.

Right, right.

[He takes a moment to munch on his cookie.]

So what's up with you?

[Ditto, followed by another shrug.]

You know a guy named Coby? He's supposed to start training me soon. Actual training. So —

[Saul gestures to his own face.]

Take this handsome mug in while you still can, because the next time you see me it'll probably be rearranged.

Look at you, getting into the whole war business.

Nuh-uh. For my health. Physical and mental — I need to keep busy, and business ain't cuttin' it. What, you think I'm gonna go charging onto the battlefield next time we're attacked?

[He snorts. Pfft. Please.]

Yeah, you and that stupid-ass gun. I'm picturing it right now.

Hey. You leave her out of this.

Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean it. She's beautiful.

That's better. Thank you.

[Jesse grins and shakes his head. That stupid gun.]

[And Saul actually manages to resist the urge to smack Jesse in the head. Wow. He focuses on his cookie for a moment, then:]

What about you? What've you been up to?

You mean aside from this? I dunno. The usual, I guess. I went back to the lab after the bombs, cleaned that up. It wasn't too bad.

That's good. And, uh — [A pause. Saul waves the cookie in the air as he tries to find the words to ask, What the fuck is up with you and Walter?]

Our other situation is...? Stable?

[It takes Jesse a second, and then he nods slowly with a guilty look on his face. Like his girlfriend's asking about his ex. Or the other way around. Whatever.]

Yeah. Totally stable.

Okay, but is that a legitimate "totally," as in, "yes, Saul, things are stable, and no, Saul, no one's life is in danger," or is this a dismissive Pinkmanese I-don't-want-to-talk-about-it "totally"?

No, it's... I mean, it's weird, alright?

[He casts a look around real quick, just to be sure Walt isn't lurking nearby.]

It's been nothing. No crazy plans, no asking me to do anything. He hasn't yelled at me like once. He's mostly quiet all off on his own, and when I talk to him, he asks how I'm doing and I say I'm fine and that's it. I don't get it. You'd think he'd be going crazy. But it's like he totally doesn't give a shit.

[Saul wouldn't be talking about this if he weren't sure Walt wasn't around.

Ah, the perks of having a tracking device on someone.]

Huh. [Skeptical? Skeptical.] And your feeling about this is... what?