(no subject)

[initiates]

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.

Comments

[substitutable]

... Aah.

[Says a boy in a red jacket who actually has his own umbrella, stopping by the tent and looking up at the sign as he does.]

Someone finally thought of this, huh.

omg is this going to happen now IS IT

[showmeyourwreath]

[Have a knowing smile, stranger.]

I thought it might be a help. You never know where and when people are coming from.

[And not everyone has handy water-proofing magic, either.]

IT IS

[substitutable]

I've only met one person who was prepared with an umbrella from the beginning, so.

... It's a good idea, I think.

YAY 8D

[showmeyourwreath]

Me too, actually. [She blinks, then hesitates.] It wasn't a man with a red umbrellas, was it?

Thank you, I was hoping as much. I'm Flora, by the way!

[substitutable]

I'm Kisaragi. Shintaro Kisaragi...

I don't remember if it was red, but did he have dolphin teeth?

[showmeyourwreath]

He did. And red eyes, right?

[It's not a sinking feeling she has. More like...wavy ones that crest and trough.

Before she can think too much on it, though. Shin--oh! Flora blinks in recognition.]

Shintaro? From the Dan?

[substitutable]

Yeah. Christop--

[Wait what?!

He actually physically jumps back a bit like she just threw a punch or something.]

Y-you know me?!

[This isn't the first time someone claimed to be from the dan but really? Again?!]

shintaro u are a loser, chris had you pegged

[showmeyourwreath]

[Sry, Christopher, you're going to be forgotten for the moment. Flora stands up and raises her hands in a placating manner.]

Well, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you before now, but I know of you, yes. What's the matter?

shhhhh he's trying

[substitutable]

Ah, sorry! No, it's okay I was just-- [breathe Kisaragi breathe] surprised. I didn't expect to run into someone who'd know me.

squint

[showmeyourwreath]

Here. [Flora holds up a plate of cookies, because they make everything better?]

If it's any comfort, I'm #8. [smilesmile.]

[substitutable]

[Eh. Cookies? He doesn't take them, at least not immediately. He just looks nervous still.]

Oh... oh, that makes sense. So you know Kido or Kano?

[showmeyourwreath]

Both of them, yes! [Such a nervous guy. She smiles in a hopefully comforting manner.]

[substitutable]

[He's not comforted.]

Aaah... aah, um. I'm afraid I don't know your name though... I'm sorry.

YOU BETTA BE SLEEPING CHRIST

[showmeyourwreath]

[She's not about to give up. Maybe he'll calm down if she's very very forthright with details. Who knows.]

It's alright. It's Flora. I just remembered seeing your name in that one text Kano sent to everyone when people were just starting to get sick.

five hours still isn't two minutes

[substitutable]

Oh, right. That text. Have you been part of the dan for a while, then?

i'm right, the end, also WOW LATE AS FUQ

[showmeyourwreath]

I've been since May! [Or whenever that thread was backdated, ok, who knows.

Flora smiles happily, though.]

I love it. Everyone in it is just so wonderful.

[substitutable]

... Yeah, they're not bad people. Mostly. [Kano is still an asshole.]

[showmeyourwreath]

Mostly?

[substitutable]

Kano is questionable.

[showmeyourwreath]

Well, he can be... [She makes a gesture.

Then another, when she feels the first one doesn't articulate it.]

...a little teasing--[Sure, let's go with that.]--but he's also really sweet , sometimes.

[She does grin a little, though.] Questionable might be a good word for it. I certainly ask myself "Why" when talking to him.

[substitutable]

See?

[He slumps his shoulders. Sighs, too.]

He and Ene both...

[showmeyourwreath]

It's not all bad though, is it?

[She tilts her head, curiously.]

Ene?

[substitutable]

I've only known him for a couple months, honestly. [He rolls his shoulder in a shrug, then--]

Aah. If you don't know her, that's fine.

[showmeyourwreath]

I'm sure he likes you more than you think he does, even if he can be a little...roundabout, sometimes.

Is she in the Dan, too? [Flora gives a curious tilt of her head.] I don't think I've seen her around.

[substitutable]

[That is also questionable.]

Ene? Yeah, you could say she is. She's really blue.