(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

[interspace]

That would just make me a gearhead.

[ Her arms cross, trying to figure that one out. ]

No kidding. Who ever thinks that would actually work?

[skort]

Not as much as you might expect in a city that runs on anarchy. But there's always a handful of people that don't like to play well with others.

[ kara frowns as she says that. it's sad to think that even when there's no way these people can survive without each other, there's still terribly cruel people around. ]

[grooves]

[ well, then.

shiki just hangs back and watches while he does the work. she's used to neku using the pins of course, so it doesn't really come as a surprise -- though it does seem a little like overkill. she would've gladly helped turn over the trash can, after all.

but then, he probably also wanted to make sure the psychs work here like they're supposed to... ]

Sorry. He's usually better about it.

[ ...she chuckles a bit when she sees him, despite the attitude. really -- is he wearing some kind of costume? ]

[oncearanger]

Someone I'm unfortunately quite attached to. And very irritated with as a result.

When I see him again I'm probably going to hit him with his sheet music.

♥

[grooves]

[ imagine that, he apologized in return.

it's always nice to be surprised by the little things -- but rather than dwell, of course, she focuses on the task at hand. if it's enough that neku is engaging other people -- well, it really must be a big deal to him.

and that means he really has changed as much as he said he did. ]

Well... [ now that he mentions it: ] Actually, we've been looking for a couple friends of ours. We're new, and we're trying to find out whether they were transported here with us.

[ ...they haven't been able to make much progress. ]

[vocalizer]

[ It's kind of encouraging still to see someone has this kind of attitude about the situation, even if there's not a lot of hope for getting out of this. ]

Even if it's probably going to take longer than you want it to?

[interspace]

Well, obviously. Sounds like the least you could do.

[ Some of the rain drips past her hood and into her face. She blinks irritably, then shakes her head to clear the water off. One of these days, she's going to have to fly right through it and that is going to be a pain in the ass. ]

They must have some great drainage in this city.

[vocalizer]

[ He's letting out a big sigh. It's not like things were exactly safe back home, but this is absolutely insane. ]

And there's also definitely no way to get back to our own worlds any time soon, right?

[oncearanger]

Otherwise we would've been flooded out by now, of course.

[Billy glances down at the curb, looking for signs of it.]

I've been meaning to look into that, seeing if there's an efficient way to filter that water for other uses. It probably won't ever be safe for drinking, but it might be possible to fix it for other uses.

[vocalizer]

[ Oh jeez. She looks like she's panicking here. He definitely didn't mean to upset her asking a question. Maybe he should just... stop with that. ]

What-- Hey! Come on, don't apologize for that. It's fine.

[interspace]

Like a crazy kind of waterwheel? That would be pretty cool, powering the city with its own oppression.

[ainsophaured]

[Aster can't help noticing how he holds his side, though he says nothing. He'll be sure to keep an eye on Kili, in case he happens to be as stubborn as a certain someone he knows.]

Her face?

[vocalizer]

[ Jeez, what a friendly guy. Not that Aoba isn't used to that type already at this point. Between Noiz and Mink you'd think he'd be expecting people to ignore his questions more often than they actually answered them at this point, actually...

He's surprised when Neku starts talking to him again. ]

I've never actually been inside, but I doubt it. At least, most of it shouldn't be.

[ Even for someone like Toue that would be too expensive and impractical, and even just painting everything to look like platinum would be kind of boring and monochrome, wouldn't it? ]

[andagain]

[Keith was passing on by on his daily patrols through town. But he can't leave a lady alone who looks lost and out of place. So he stops in front of her and offers a hand.]

Excuse me miss, but you're going to catch a cold standing around.

[grooves]

[They can be uncool together.

Which is to say, when Shiki hears him, she turns in the direction of his voice with a mildly surprised expression on his face. Not that she hadn't expected the attention, but... she hadn't noticed the stray one that got away...

After staring at it for a moment, she takes it with a sigh. She feels a little grateful that someone took the time out to help.]

Thanks.

[She puts it with the others, and puts all of them in the basket, largely undamaged. There.]

I didn't expect to make such a mess on my first day.

[cynics]

( ...Excuse me!? )

[ he thought his technique was as good as it normally was, so he kind of rolls his eyes on behalf of both of their statements. ]

...... How'd you even end up in there?

[vocalizer]

[ He sees what she's getting at with the doubts now, and his expression falls. ]

Mm... If they can't send us home now, they might not be able to even after their war is over.

[ Shit. ]

[oncearanger]

I'll have to tell my friends about it. I have a friend who's worked with me on a similar project before, maybe she'll be able to do some heavy lifting.

[He looks so delighted he could squeeze her, but he refrains]

See? Maybe you have the power of observation to be an inventor after all.

[vibrant]

Hm? [Wako looks up in confusion.] Uh, I don't know who Momo is... Did you lose someone?

[interspace]

[ It's a strange thought. She puffs out her cheeks again, trying not to seem too surprised by the enthusiasm. Not that she'd mind a hug, but... you know. Propriety and all that shit. ]

... okay, maybe. You offering classes or something? Billy's inventor workshop?

[vibrant]

[Wako sees the hand and looks up, taking it hesitantly.]

I'm not exactly sure where to go from here.

[fintastic]

We didn't! The UE did, and then they blamed it all on us! It wasn't our fault this time.

[precludes]

So it is.

These people are resilient. [They do what they can. Still, it's hard to ignore the ways a significant population of outsiders must be a strain.] I find they're rarely mentioned but often the most affected.

[onehundredswords]

Well sure I had, that's why I offered.

But [Shoulder shrug.] if ya' don't want it, that's fine.

[Bite. Nomnomnom.]

[grooves]

[Excuse you, Ed, Mr. Mew is a c-a-t CAT. And she would be more than happy to tell you all about him, if you ever dare say that aloud --

Buuuut since he hasn't said much of anything yet, Shiki doesn't notice him until his trip back. She does get some weird stares, of course... but seeing the stranger with the brushes in his hands comes as a surprise. On top of the fact that she hadn't noticed him pick any up, she's also staring at him as if she hadn't even considered his suggestion before.]

Huh? [And then she looks at the only possible thing he could be talking about: Mr. Mew.] Oh... um, well technically, I... guess I could.

[She doesn't want to, though, which is evident in the fact that -- well, she doesn't. She stands up after picking up all of the brushes she can with her free hand, and plops them back in the basket that she'd put back up where it belongs.]

No harm done, though. S- See? [That may have been more directed at the booth keeper than anyone else, but... then she holds out a hand for the rest that Ed picked up.] But thanks... I mean, for your help.