(no subject)

[initiates]

Date: February 1st
Location: The Initiative Hold & Courtyard.
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports have all arrived and have been shuffled into the Courtyard after their initial briefings, while older Transports are returning from the mission to Uruguay.
Warnings: None.

While those who have been guests of Exsilium since at least the last wave of Transports return from their desperate mission and are pressed out of the Transporter room and into the Courtyard, the Initiative prepares to receive a second wave at the same time. And if you're in that second wave, the fresh meat, then 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

[medicating]

[Immediately, he's holding out his hands, palms faced out, to reject the kind offer.]

Oh, no, no I couldn't, ma'am. Really. You're real generous and all, but I'd never take a, uh, cape from a lady. Not a chance. I'll get a jacket later, promise. Now go on and put that back on. No sense getting wet on my account.

Yeah. I'm a doctor.

[wilder]

[he'll smile back a little, at least what counts for a smile from him these days. And hey, a name's a name. That always beats being a something]

Alright. I think I can remember that.

[courageous_wit]

"It doesn't mention anything about the house-elves!" she said. "Not once in over a thousand pages!" She didn't want to start a rant about house-elf treatment, so she left it at that.

[blossomgale]

[ Amongst all the strangers is a girl with purple hair in twin tails. She looks about fourteen...? Or maybe younger. She's kind of short. For a moment, it seems like she doesn't notice Peter sneaking away... but just before he can completely slip past her, Sophie turns to look at him. ]

...Why do you wear a lot of blue and red? [ Head tilt! She's curious. ]

[spongetastic]

That explains it, then. It's only 2007 for me.

[he pauses, and then sheds off his jacket, offering it to the younger man] Here, why don't you take this? It'll help cover your outfit until you can find a place to change. Walking around like that's just going to attract attention.

[reassures]

[She doesn't really appreciate being spoken to as though she's a child, but she's (mostly) sure that Feferi doesn't mean anything by it. Nill bookmarks it as Feferi demonstrates. It hadn't been very hard to find, but she's grateful for the digital copy. She hands Feferi back the guide she'd given her at first.]

You should probably give this to someone else.

[andagain]

"Oh I see. Well you're always welcome to help me walk John if you want to." He winked. "I think he's taking a liking to you." And indeed, the dog wasn't barking or being hostile. He was only remaining seated beside of them, wagging his tail in contentment.

[holy_prankster]

Humans were fragile creatures in many ways, and yet they had a strength that most others didn't. Sohki looked like a child on Christmas morning when Cedric finally relented and used the hidden wand to conjure up a spell summoning a warm breeze. It was all just so exciting!

He clasped his hands together when he felt the warm breeze, enjoying the feel of that warmth before he took pity on the young human as he reached a hand up towards the sky. While not all of the clouds disappeared, those just above them parted to cease most of the rain falling down around them.

"How terribly rude of me!" He exclaimed, although he was far from honest with his apology. "My name is Sohki."

[governorkang]

[He frowns slightly at 'lizard people', though he stays friendly. Those not from Krynn don't know that it's an insult to his kind.]

A draconian, to be exact. We're more closely related to dragons than lizards.

[Much more closely related.]

I am Lord-Governor Kang of the nation of Teyr, on the world of Krynn.

[fintastic]

[ She means well enough, it's just not every day she gets to teach people about technology! She grins and tucks the excess guide back into her folder. ]

So what's your name?

[theboywhodied]

"That's odd," Cedric answered. Honestly, he'd never noticed. Wasn't the mark of a good house elf that you didn't detect their work? Obviously they were great in the common rooms, the bed warmers were always ready. And the food was just fine---he'd heard the stories from his fellow Hufflepuffs who were fond of kitchen trips.

He sighed. "Well at least it's proper reading material. What else did you manage to cram in there?"

[andagain]

Keith acted perfectly normal. He had to scrape by with what he had at the time to help, but for now he aims over his head when Jason points out about his temporary measures.

"Oh, don't worry about me. I wasn't able to get my umbrella from home. It's a shame they didn't let me bring it over here."

[theboywhodied]

"I see. It's nice to meet you, Sohki," Cedric said, as sincere as always. He glanced up at the sky, marveling at how quickly the rain had parted. He couldn't seem to think of a spell capable of that.

"Were you looking for a wizard for some reason?" He looked around again, trying to ensure that no one else was listening. No, wait, that was a stupid question---why? Cedric frowned. Sohki would obviously have powers greater than any wizard.

[controlledvariable]

I wouldn't call it that, there aren't half as many as there are back home. [Despite Batman pretending to be a loner, Steph is used to at least six or seven operatives at a time in the city, plus assorted people who wander in for team ups and the like]

Crime's pretty low here, and mostly petty crime rather than, you know, supervillains trying to blow up the city. So, yeah, the worst we deal with is those 'designated time battles', we just got back from a warzone.

[courageous_wit]

"All sorts of things. Whatever I thought might be useful. I even packed a few Muggle items in case we were in a place without magic." She wasn't sure if this world was like Paradisa in that way, but was glad for the preparations just in case.

*insert witty title about walking into mordor here*

[undroppedeaves]

[Sam was glad that everyone had come back from the latest mission safely, and they arrived in a flurry of activity as apparently the Initiative had seen fit to bring more people.

He blinked when he saw the figure at the food stall, someone else he had not thought to set eyes on again.] Legolas...

[theboywhodied]

Cedric nodded. That was a very useful thing to have. He wished he'd thought of something like that. "They said I could switch my weapon if I thought of something better, but...I don't know, it felt right. I obviously can't grab a spellbook and teach myself more, so it's the only way I'll ever get any better. But I'll definitely think about it."

[courageous_wit]

"Do keep in contact," she urged him eagerly. "And let me know if you need help with any of the Muggle technology." She knew most pure-blood wizards had a bit of trouble in that area.

[holy_prankster]

The sincerity wasn't missed, and he was a bubble of happiness and amusement because of it. There were some humans that were just so exciting to talk to!

"Well I've never met one before!" He felt no shame in admitting that fact. Folding his arms over his chest, he paid no mind to the fact that the area around them was barely raining. It was just a simple matter for the kirin, after all.

"Tell me, being a wizard, are there also witches and other magical creatures?"

[reassures]

It's a pleasure, Allen. Though Nill is fine.

[She shakes her head, and glances back out into the rain for a moment.]

You haven't. I was only going to wait to see if anyone I know showed up.

[holy_prankster]

"He's delightful!" Not to mention that Sohki would undoubtedly spoil him rotten. "You'll have to tell me all about your world during our walks!"

There was a pause before he smiled pleasantly at Keith. "Do you drink tea?"

[theboywhodied]

"That'd be great, thanks," Cedric said with a sheepish grin. He'd almost been ready to toss the thing out.

"Just---before you go, where will I find you again? I don't want to rely on these things to find out. We've got apartment numbers, right?"

Lacus Clyne l Gundam Seed

[singstheprayer]

['Welcome'? Well, no, this situation was not really welcome at all. Lacus had just been involved in stopping the war between the coordinators and the naturals back home. Another war was the last thing she wanted. And yet, it seemed that whoever had brought her here, this Initiative, had other ideas, regardless of Lacus' wishes. She couldn't say she approved, lips pursed a little as she listened to the explanation and chose her voice as her 'weapon'. She knew she was no fighter, that she was more someone to help from the sidelines, as a pacifist, she did not want to wield a weapon the way Kira or Athrun did. But perhaps she could find other ways to help instead, if she truely had no other choice in getting back home to Orb and the orphanage.

When she was at the courtyard, she paused for a moment when the Greeter left, looking down at her money and notepad. The notepad shouldn't be too hard to figure out, once she looks at it later, she decides. Right now she should get out of the rain, under the covers near the walls to think about all of this. To figure out if perhaps Kira or any of the others might be here or if she was the only one from home here thus far. She wasn't quite sure how to go about that though, and considered the situation as Haro, her pink robot Athrun had made her, bounced at her feet, apparently not pleased either. 'I won't accept that!']

[reassures]

[Does she? She doesn't feel like she is. Then again, she knows the general procedures of these things a bit better than most people.]

I've traveled a lot.

[theboywhodied]

"Well it's an honour to be your first," Cedric joked, allowing himself to laugh just this once.

"Yes. The school's for witchcraft and wizardry, obviously. We've got ghosts in the castle, merpeople in the lake, unicorns in the forests, vampires, giants, and dragons. And many more, of course. All hidden away."

It still bothered Cedric to be read so easily, on one hand, but on the other, it was nice not to have to watch his tongue. And he didn't see the harm---Cedric knew how escape most of those creatures if they were ever used against him, he'd just have to have a better strategy for the dragon next time.