exsiliumlogs | (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

Azrael was not long in waiting on his own arrival. He made a beeline for Artemis if only because he recognized him at first, though he'd full intention to assault anyone who looked remotely familiar, at this rate.

"I didn't know you enjoyed soggy tobacco," he started, striding up beside the fey with a smirk. Well, he didn't seem entirely too bothered to be here.

"Good luck with that."

Artemis raised an eyebrow at that. "Soggy tobacco is a national pastime, I should have you know," he replied, punctuating his statement with another drag on his cigarette.

He then rolled his eyes a bit, holding out a hand as though the indicate the lack of raindrops falling on it. "Do I look soggy to you?"

"How upsetting," Azrael murmured then, before he was shrugging his shoulders with a slight hum. Then he chuckled, watching the fey. "No, you don't."

Azrael was walking alongside his companion within a few seconds, keeping in time with him as they spoke. "Don't you ever get bored, using your magic for everything?"

Artemis gave a bit of a shrug. "I don't really think about it," he replied. "That is, sometimes it just happens."

His free hand brushed against Azrael's, fingertips sliding over the back of the other man's hand. He paused in his steps, turning so he could meet Azrael's eyes. "I'm glad that you're here. That I'm not alone, I should say."

Looking curious in reply to that, Azrael seemed thoughtful--opening his mouth to speak his mind after a moment, something he'd never have done all those years prior. "That does not happen for me," he explained, almost randomly, albeit he did continue to explain. "I have to try--or at least think about it first. Why is it different, for you?"

Then he was reaching to take Artemis' hand, squeezing his hand with his own and smiling fondly after a moment. "Yes, I'm glad for that as well. Who knows what you'd get up to without me?"

"It's only things that are air-related," he replied, chuckling softly. "I still have to put active effort into anything else. Moreso than you, I imagine."

Chuckling a bit, Artemis leaned in to brush his lips against Azrael's. "I would behave myself," he replied, voice low.

Blinking, Azrael tilted his head to one side. He smiled gently, though he was still thoughtful. "Moreso than me? What do you mean by that?" he questioned.

"I doubt that very much," Azrael murmured, smirking against his companion's lips and kissing him in return.

Artemis shrugged once more. "You have progressed quite a bit in the past couple decades, dear," he replied.

"So little faith in me..." he breathed, before squeezing Azrael's hand once more and beginning to lead the way toward the housing building.

"I would agree, though I don't know that I've become quite as talented as you state," he hummed, thoughtfully. Then he was smiling gently, licking his lips a bit and continuing to walk alongside his companion.

Keeping Artemis' hand in his own, Azrael smiled at that. "What if you have more of your father in you than you realize?"

"You have always underestimated yourself, love," he reminded, chiding softly. He frowned a bit as he stepped over a large chunk of rubble.

"Well, I have yet to discover any illegitimate children..."

Azrael watched him thoughtfully for a moment in reply to the statement. "I have," he said agreeably, though he did not seem displeased. "It is a habit."

"Is that right?" he asked. "Well, you haven't exactly looked."

"Mm, it is one that I will break you of yet," Artemis replied, offering a brief smile at his companion.

He gave a shrug, and could not help the chuckle that escaped him. "No, I suppose I haven't. I like to think that it's not very likely, regardless."

Azrael seemed thoroughly amused as they walked alongside one another, his expression remarkably pleased, given their current circumstances.

"Not very likely," he repeated. "But still likely?"

Artemis paused for a moment, as though legitimately considering the possibility, and then gave a shrug.

"Not likely. But possible," he replied. "I, ah, like to think that I was usually good about... precautions."

"Yes, well, perhaps in the years to come, we will discover that you've a whole zoo of mysterious children. I'm sure that is only months from happening to your father," he chimed, with an amused sound in his throat.

"A zoo? What, exactly, do you think I've been having sex with?" he replied, raising an eyebrow at the other man with equal amusement in his eyes.

Eyes widening as he seemed somewhat shocked, Azrael laughed then. "Oh!" he began. "You know I only meant to use.. the terms -- to describe the thought of many rambunctious children," he said thoughtfully, with an expression of building entertainment.