(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

[wolfskin]

[ Cat, he says. He calls Arya by Cat and Robb's face falls. Cat. A pang of pain emanates from his chest. Cat, after their mother Catelyn. He thinks of her then, belted by the rain heading towards a wedding neither of them truly wish to go to. But they need to return North and the Twins is their only option.

She says she is not Arya, she says she is no one, but Arya lives in her still- she must, for what other reason would she name herself Cat. ]

Grey Wind, he is litter mate to Nymeria- to... Cat's wolf.

[yourdistraction]

Really?! So then, this is all a bit familiar to you, at least? How fascinating. It's terribly gloomy, though... Not to insult your home!

My clan came from Fereldan, but during the Blight, after an, um...incident, we had to leave, and we moved on to the Free Marches. I've been living in a human city there for six years, though; it's called Kirkwall.

[yourdistraction]

[ Well she'll follow like a puppy. ]

Ma serannas, I can't thank you enough.

[yourdistraction]

Even if it is a dream, I shouldn't forget my manners! [ She bows, arms flared out and toe tapping beneath her. ] Well met, my name is Merrill.

[inafadingcrown]

It is nothing, truly; we were all your place once. When I first came here there was very little did not seem foreign to me. If others had not shown me the same kindness I now show you, I would have had a much more difficult time of it.

[yourdistraction]

Are those who taught you still here?

[galactically]

[Don't mind Sheryl as she continues gawking in utter disbelief, then takes a few seconds to point at the flames.]

You're not burning at all, are you? I thought you were really hurt!

[Then again, the flames might be holographic in nature.]

[wolfskin]

[ It does, but in the same vein it does not. It brings only questions to his mind, questions that tie his tongue into uselessness. What does she mean by that? What did Jon do? Did he turn his cloak? He exhales, a hand dragging down his face. He had not longed for Jon's presence this much in a while, the pressures of war smothering his own desires, but now in this moment he wishes he was here beside him.

Then she speaks of Arya and his eyes snap to her, glistening with a still fresh pain. This woman, she knows her for true then. He should not be surprised, Arya and Jon shared their father's looks, it would not be hard for someone with clear eyes to see the resemblance. ]

I do, I saw her already. [ And judging by his tone, the encounter ended sourly. ] I would have you speak to me of him, he is my brother and I have no seen him since he left for the wall.

[inafadingcrown]

Some are; some have since left.

[yourdistraction]

How long are people usually forced to stay here?

No problem! also Pepper = the sweetest

[candystar]

Okay! [Ally grins a little fuller] That makes you my first official friend here, then!

[wolfuncaged]

Not them, people who live amongst us. I do not trust them, but I would rather no risk my life if they have shreds of truth in them.

[Mr contradiction strikes again]

[timehalt]

Well, we could call someone if you really need help right away.

[Do you? She searches the other girl's face for signs of distress.]

But they're not far, I think. Are you in pain?

[geniality]

You're freezing! You'll catch a cold if you stay wet for much longer. [He's honestly happy to see her here, even if the environment is dangerous. But when she's this cold, he needs to do something to help her! In addition to her soaking outfit, her long hair must only add to the coldness.... but Seto doesn't have any spare clothes that would fit someone Mary's size.]

I can carry you to the bath if you want! [MARY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE, REPORTING FOR DUTY.]

[spellwork]

How recently?

[ angelique can't help it; reactions like hers are common where she's from, where everything is some secret of life or death literally all the time - she honestly doesn't even realize she's doing it. but she tilts her chin upward toward the woman, gauging. whatever the answer, she can evaluate her own chances of escaping in a reasonable timeframe. ]

[implying]

Have you?

[ He looks alarmed at the thought, but, moving on quickly, because hearing "yes" would be even worse— ]

Ah— Jesse, that's the one who puts together these little welcoming bakes. [ He glances around for a moment, then smiles with his target located, and points. ] That gentleman.

[implying]

Ah, well, there's still time yet. People do sometimes bounce back and forth a bit between here and home.

[ Not that it's a good thing. He stays carefully neutral as he says it though, and leads the way up the ramp onto a little outdoor patio — covered, of course. ]

And here we are. I highly recommend the potato salad as the most palatable thing here!

[galactically]

[Aaand she's giving him a funny look in return, complete with her occasional "hand on hip" posture. What kind of person thinks they're still in one place after being swiftly teleported elsewhere?]

My, I say you need to pay close attention to where you are anyway. It can't hurt in case you get lost.

[She removes her hand off her hip to gesture at their surroundings, flicking her gaze from one side to the next.]

In fact, you're just in luck! I've been in Exsilium for several months now, so I can definitely help you.

[fintastic]

[ Oh Eridan you big awkward dumb. She has to smile a little though. A formal and more-or-less sincere apology (about as sincere as Eridan gets, it's all relative) goes a long way towards helping her feel okay with letting it go. She things for a good few seconds on how to respond, and finally nods. ]

Apology accepted. I knew you had it in you!

[sharpe]

Nymeria, [ Sharpe repeats the name, feels the shape of it on his tongue. It's light, almost magical, like the names of one of those myths and legends that poets write about. He looks at the boy in front of him, and wryly thinks that maybe it's appropriate.

But that's not what's important, Sharpe knows that. He takes a step forward, intrigued by the shift of light in the boy's eyes, in the way he says Cat's name. ]

If the wolf's a litter mate ta Cat's wolf, [ he cocks his head to the side, ] are you a litter mate of hers as well?

[otherness]

[Riku /please/. Hearing someone else talk about Axel like that, though-- and how could Axel be alone for long? Roxas saw him yesterday. That doesn't make any sense.

Then again, he just got whisked to a strange world and there's a boy from the future so really, he has no idea of what is normal anymore.]

... Okay.

[He's still not entirely sure what to do about this guy, but Axel takes priority. He hesitates, giving Riku one last questioning look, and then he ducks out of the tent.]

[otherness]

The blond slowly shook his head. "I don't remember this place at all." It wasn't like the dreams he had, dreams that were more like memories. They belonged to... Sora, didn't they? Roxas still wasn't sure of all the details. "You never mentioned coming to Sillium or whatever it's called. Something's not right..."

[wolfskin]

[ His mouth opens, for a moment he is uncertain to do, but that moment passes quickly. ]

Aye, she is my sister. [ He will not deny her as she does him. ]

[wolfskin]

[ Frown shifts to a short smile, a laugh that is more a rush of air than anything. ]

Worry not, he has had his fill of fingers.

[disheartening]

[ she laughs, more amused than malicious. ]

Hold it, Cat, you must tell it from the beginning. Why did her people need a new home?