(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

[sithiche]

His eyes found themselves on the cane. He had not thought much of it at first, being raised in Victorian England, but he found himself idly wondering if it was more than just an accessory.

"Far be it for me to delay you." He gave a bit of a shrug. "I know my way around. Different room number, but I think I can figure it out."

[5055034455]

There's some required reading on your tablet that delves a little deeper into this world's history, but if you're looking for more recent information...

[It's then that Saul's expression turns a little grim. Usually, it's easy for him to distance himself from disaster — that's been his job for years — but it's hard to do that when he died once and almost died a second time and is beginning to keep tally of Days Without Incident just for the hell of it.]

We were attacked a few weeks ago. First with a biological weapon that made nearly everyone sick, then with the world's worst quarantine effort.

[sithiche]

Artemis could not help but chuckle a bit. He knew about the relativity of time all too well, hardly even able to give a straight answer about his own age these days.

"It sounds like you arrived not long after I left, then."

[curiousredsoul]

Sort of? [She picks up on that with a slight raise of an eyebrow before taking her offered hand to give a firm shake, smiling easily the whole while.]

Why thank you, Elizabeth, you've a very nice name yourself.

[lambofcolumbia]

[She smiles tentatively.] It's complicated. And...fairly impossible to explain, actually. Or believe. [A little shrug.]

So...can you recommend anything to see? For the new and curious tourist, I mean.

[bumbles]

( And how could he object to such a compliment?

"A native custom?" He likes her already, but there is a certain dramatic solemnity in the way he bows his head, as he starts to move towards the market. Getting through there and grabbing a coat will be easy, even if it doesn't quite (such optimism) match up to her dress. Perhaps it's just as well that he's armoured as Atlas, for now; it makes moving through the crowd easier, and a few of the natives remember his help at the hospital during the bombing, so the looks cast their way and resistance as they move through the crowd are less vicious than they might have been. )

Coffee is a time honoured tradition.

( His grin betrays the effort at gravity, and excuse him as he points to a stall with coats, just so she knows which way they're headed. It's a pretty opportune spot to make some cash on arrival days, really. )

Are there any questions you have?

Elena Fisher | Uncharted | Open

[tearsinnajar]

God, it's cold.

[ It's all she can think to say as she takes a seat and watches the rain drum over the ground. Her loss for words is as much an indication of how overwhelming this is as anything. For one thing, she can hardly believe its happening. Her life has taken strange turns before, ones you would only believe in the movies. But it's never been science fiction before. She continues to stare into the crowd as she hugs her own arms close to her, rubbing them for warmth. She used to be able to handle the cold so much better—she'd weathered Colorado winters after all—but a few months in the desert will change that, apparently. In the back of her mind, a list of what she should be doing is forming—she needs to be networking, to be getting information, finding a way out and back home. But for the most part, she's still doubting that this is even real. So she sits, people watching the crowd, trying to find her own calm in the storm before moving on.]

[pixieboots]

[ It takes him a minute to realize she means the shorts. ] Oh, these? They're not for keeps. You wouldn't believe how hard some of these materials are to come by here...

[ But she'd pointed it out, which means chances are great that she isn't the only one who's noticed. It makes his cheeks heat up, just a bit. ]

So you're from Gotham too? I know there's a few of us around, but not too many.

[freewoman]

[She doesn't look like much by all standards, but she's clever. She speaks softly and is clever. Ygritte thinks of her like a snake in the grass or a fox, and she can admire how both animals strike. Taking a step back, there's a small smirk.]

You figure'em out, tell someone. Might give us a chance against this Earth o' theirs.

[Ygritte admires her even more when she mentions her home. She gives the woman another look. She remembers Jon's sister's warning about the wars, about how no Stark is safe.]

You've no idea what dies beyond the Wall, and what doesn't. [A beat.] You're not the first Southerner I've crossed here either.

[curiousredsoul]

[She raises an eyebrow to that.] I have seen much that would have otherwise been considered impossible. I would not be so quick dismiss such things. [A soft grin touching her lips before shaking her head.] Perhaps another time if you would wish however.

If you are interested in learning and reading, the Hold here has quite a substantial library I am quite fond of. Outside of the hold much is currently in ruins but there are a number restaurants about.

[She commented listing off the names of a few of those she had come across.]

The civic gardens is quite a sight to see, from what I have seen of it myself from above, I have been meaning to give it a closer look. Though it is has been out of use for many years from what I have hear from locals and no doubt more than a little run down, should not be difficult to get inside however.

Oh hey a tag derp

[lazyinlove]

Huh?

[He's startled for a moment, both by someone taking notice of him unexpectedly and by the appearance of the woman. That's pretty intense. Belatedly he realizes she asked him a question.]

No. I basically only know English.

[wolfchild]

Because they are. They bring in people with a machine that hardly works. People disappear all the time. Either the leaders go or all their followers do and no one can get anything done.

And when you go on missions there's always a chance something goes wrong. Like one time people ended up in bodies that weren't theirs. Like my friend. He was in the body of someone he mislikes.

[caligulas_aquarium]

[...okay, point. All he can really think of as a retort is mentioning he doesn't care about people who want to go home, but it's pretty minor compared to the other questions.

SO IGNORE AND DEFLECT.]

So this is your place?

I thought I'd replied to this kjsdlkg

[clario]

[ she glances at the building before facing him again. her heart is pounding--a ridiculous fear that she will be caught again and she'll be taken back--but she nods. ]

I'd appreciate it. Thank you.

[caligulas_aquarium]

I'd a feelin' that was the case. Pretty much had tabs on ewery single person here at one point before I left, didn't recognize you.

[An exaggeration, but ww/e.]

Tsun, then. Name's Eridan.

[clario]

[ she wants to laugh. she wants to scoff. she doesn't do either. ]

Right. I'll keep that in mind.

[heartsink]

[ Sometimes, a girl just needed to get out of the apartment. It was the first of the month, which meant new arrivals, which meant either a group of complete strangers, or a mess of incomplete strangers, but almost guaranteed not to include anyone to whom Ruka's would be a familiar face. And despite having given up on things like hope a long time ago, she did keep her eye out for any such familiar faces on this dreary Monday afternoon. She kept close to walls, which (un)fortunately meant keeping close to alleyways, which even more (un)fortunately meant being able to hear the commotion and racket coming from once such dank offshoot of the main road.

So, against all reasonable odds—or "inevitably," one could say—while Eridan was tipped over in one of what would be a series of garbage cans, Ruka was walking the street beside it. It was hard not to notice all that echoed, distorted shouting. While the answer to the source of commotion, she knew, was likely some idiot drunkard, and a history of not having a good history in alleyways even during daylight hours should have forced her to keep walking, she paused, bracing her umbrella against her shoulder.

She never could deny curiosity.

And so, cautious, she made her way closer to the inverted and likely inebriated trash can occupant, squinting a little at the limbs flailing from out the top. Those were... Well, it may have been months since Ruka left The City, but she was pretty sure she recognized those legs—or at least the fashion of the pants covering them.

She would not let hope enter her heart; full of trepidation and the expectation for disappointment, her approach stalled, hesitated, and pressed forward—letting her umbrella drop to the ground, her hands reaching to catch the flailing limbs by the ankles, or at least block them from kicking her in the face. ]

Hey, you. [ Spoken loudly, authoritative. ] Stop thrashing so much.

[caligulas_aquarium]

[ It was pretty fortunate their first conversation, as antagonistic as it had been, was nothing but text. He hadn't really paid much attention to any names associated with her network's ID, and he had no idea what she looked like either; if he did, there's no way his pride would let him accept help from someone he had a negative opinion of. He'd issues with accepting help in general anyway, but not recognizing her voice saved her from him intentionally attempting to kick her in the face, even in the state he's in.

Never was a smart one, this guy.

So he ends up forcing himself to hold his tongue, the first thought that jumps to his head being some random person has no right to tell him what to do, and the urge to shout it back at her is a lot stronger than one might think. Instead, he just does as she asks, but he can't find it in himself to do it quietly.]

If you're gonna get me outta here you oughta do it quick, it fuckin' reeks in here.

[Which, to him, sounds a lot more reasonable.]

[ainsophaured]

No, we normally refer to it as the sun and speak of it as an object, not an entity.

[That may be different in other towns where the Church's influence is particularly strong, but Aster has yet to hear it since he grew up in a fancy pants science town. He smiles at the comment. It's a nice way of looking at it.]

I heard there's a library here. That may offer the information needed to find sunny areas or on how to get it back.

[Or at least provide the necessary hints to do such things.]

[lazyinlove]

[Well...he'll give her a pass. People who got hit bad with that really would've been pretty out of it.]

Yeah. They sent us to Alaska or something, the people who weren't dying. And we uploaded a virus to change the disease. That's why the antibiotics started working.

[heartsink]

[ The voice confirmed the identity, and with a closed eye and a shaking inhale, Ruka bit down on her tongue, feeling tension in her shoulders. He wasn't going to recognize her. He wasn't. He wasn't.

If she could have known that he would, know her for who she really was, then she wouldn't have hesitated in using her powers to haul him out in one quick motion. A sphere around his ankles, careful not to cut the flesh, hauling him vertical like a fish on a line, then depositing him on the ground—it would have been simple. But aside from Soldier Blue, nobody in this world knew that she had powers at all, and she couldn't risk that, even for a situation like this. ]

If it's so offensive, hold your breath. And brace yourself.

[ She didn't have much in the way of physical strength, but she could accomplish this much. She tugged at his legs until they came something close to settled on her left shoulder, that arm wrapping around them to lock them in place—with her right hand, she took a firm grasp of the garbage can's rim and pulled, slowly tipping the whole thing onto its side in a controlled descent, kneeling as she went. He was heavy as fuck compared to her, but at least she got it to the ground without it banging too hard.

(Not that he wouldn't have deserved rough treatment, mind.)

Satisfied, she let go, backing away and to the side. He could crawl out on his own like that, she was sure. ]

[limitstorm]

Oh--sorry.

[ he takes her hand in a firm grip, giving it a shake with a little smile. ]

It's Riku.

[dawningsun]

"Very well, then. Safe travels, Artemis."

In a brief flash of light, he's left his side, leaving behind only cigarette smoke and little else. Just as quickly, he reappears several yards away, before disappearing again.

1/2

[caligulas_aquarium]

[It's definitely a lot easier to get himself out of there now, considering his entire body is no longer weighing down on his arms as they had been. As he pushes himself out he's quick to look up at her from the ground while in the process of climbing out, but having only seen her in person once barely recognizes his rescuer, so thinks nothing specific of her.

Instead, he focuses on getting himself standing then immediately starts brushing off his arms, the more loose bits of dirt and garbage he can get off of his clothing the better. His new-found wings even give a little flutter to straighten themselves out, but judging from just looking at him it'd be easy to tell he didn't quite seem to notice that happening.]

Re: Elena Fisher | Uncharted | Open

[assworthsaving]

[Drake arrived with Elena, not saying much of anything other than to protest with the Initiative. They were processed separately and he didn't even know that she had gotten sent back with him. And while it had been an eventful couple of months, they were both right back in this insufferable shithole.

Great. His favourite place. Wonder if he was still in his old apartment? He digs the key out of his pocket, vaguely recalling the room number before shoving it back in. It's weird. He remembers being here, but it's still so fuzzy and things were slowly coming back to him. Well, at least they knew what to expect. No surprises.

Drake follows Elena down the alley towards the apartments, looking around as everything slowly clicks together- not saying a word about it and simply taking it all in. When she sits down, commenting on the usual weather, that's what prompts him to finally speak.]

Yeah. This place really hasn't changed a bit... [Still standing, he looks down and notices her shivering a little.] C'mon, let's go find you a jacket.