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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.

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[ ~~he also has the worst sense of fashion, shiki. he's probably wearing a polka dot jacket as they speak.~~

he smiles at her, a little awkward but earnest despite confusion. ]

Don't worry--it's like that for almost anyone. You're probably starving or thirsty, too. [ he offers a bottle of water to her. ] The transportation pad messes with your stomach; either you're nauseous or you're hungry.

[ ~~tetsuya nomura...!~~

oh, man. she looks grateful, though -- for that kind smile of his and that bottle of water. she vastly prefers being hungry (and thirsty) rather than being nauseous. being hungry has a much more pleasant fix. ]

Thanks. [ she accepts the bottle of water first, though, with a gentle smile. her throat is pretty dry, too, she's realizing... ] That explains a lot, actually. I appreciate it.

[ she cracks open the bottle with a deep and eager breath. she'd just been given money, so even if it does cost anything -- she'd be able to pay. she takes a drink, and at first seems unable to stop; but when she does, she turns right back to riku. ]

I... hate to ask, too, since you seem to know me and all, but... who are you? And what exactly did I help you with?

[ riku certainly doesn't expect any monetary returns; this is just kindness and teamwork as far as he's concerned.

shiki's refocused attention throws him off; he stammers at first before clearing his throat.

so how do you say 'well actually you were going to hand me over to save neku but that's not the point' nicely? ]

Actually, it was more like me saving you first, and then you helping me. But--that doesn't matter-- You helped me find my best friend.

[ she listens in, most definitely interested. in all honesty, him saving her sounded a lot more likely than the other way around... but if they found a way for both to happen, then -- well, that's good in its own way. this is all just so bizarre, though.

his best friend, huh...? she doesn't even know who that is. ]

N- No way... [ her voice doesn't sound like she's questioning him -- but rather herself. ] That sounds like a huge deal. Not something I'd just forget.

[ is he lying? no -- where else would he have learned her name? she looks thoughtful with the water bottle pressed against her chin, wondering if asking for more details would even help in this case. ]

Can that transportation pad mess with our memories, too?

No--but I think I've got an idea of what happened.

[ he sighs, though he seems more frustrated with the powers that be than her or himself. ]

Different times. With all this time travel the Initiative does, they've also got a habit of taking people from their worlds at different times. One other person from my world right now is at least a year behind me, and another's ten years behind me.

Maybe we just haven't met yet.

[ ten years?!

well... if nothing else, that gets a visible reaction from shiki, at least for a moment. she looks surprised, but then calms down to think, taking his words as a whole -- all together.

if people are being taken from different points in time, then... ]

I see. So if that's true, I guess I'm meeting you a little bit earlier than I'm supposed to?

[ spoilers!!! but she actually vastly prefers this explanation to memory shenanigans, so -- ]

Heh, that makes me kind of lucky in a way!

[ cue riku tilting his head at her. ]

L... ucky? [ he echoes. ] I'm not following.

[ that is such a guy thing to say, shiki can't even. ]

Well, it means I'm getting to meet you sooner than I normally would. So... isn't that a good thing?

[ sure seems like something eri would say... and honestly, she needs her perkiness right about now in this effed up situation. but in the end, she swore to be less of eri and more of herself, didn't she...?

...hopefully neku can forgive her, just this once. ]

Oh.

[ she raises a good point. but...

thinking back on the multiple time shenanigans he's experienced, both back home and here, make him wince little. well.

if she retained any of her memories upon going back home, maybe she wouldn't want to hand him over to young master xehanort. then again, would that mess up everything...? ]

You know, I wanna believe that it's for the better. Since I've come here and learned about time and how it's effected by changes... I don't really know.

But, [ he shrugs ] I don't think knowing you earlier'll be too bad.

[ ... he sharply knocks on the wood counter. >>; juuuust to be safe. ]

[ ...well it's not like shiki really knows for sure either. time is a weird thing and she's just being optimistic; but realistically, she can't expect everyone to be that way, she supposes. she's always known that.

after a moment she gives a nod to agree with him. ]

We'll just have to find out. [ she tucks mr. mew under her arm, and with the hand that's not holding the water bottle, she extends a hand for a shake. ] Come on. You didn't even tell me your name.

Oh--sorry.

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

It's Riku.

Riku...

[ she repeats the name, shaking gently with a smile of her own; and then she'll let her hand fall back down to her side. pretty soon she's holding mr. mew again, and looking over all the desserts she'd ignored before, largely in favor of the water.

... what a sweet smell they're giving off. she hadn't noticed that. ]

Did you make all these yourself?

Oh--

Yeah.

[ his hand falls to his side; he glances down to the demi-loaves, rolls, danishes, and challah bread. ]

I take some time to make them every month.

They smell really good...

[ shiki eyes glance over everything that's available; and if she's quite honest, she feels like she could eat everything right now. luckily she does have more restraint than that, luckily, but still --

that she'd even think about it is a little alarming. ]

I guess I get to try your cooking that much earlier, too. [ a pause, as she grins and reaches for one that looks particularly delicious. but then -- ] It's okay if I take one... right?

[ he raises an eyebrow, and then takes a napkin from a little stack beside him, holding it out for her. ]

No, I was just putting them on display for hungry newbies. [ he smirks. ] They're here for everyone to eat. You included.

[ he's so cute with his sarcasm. but when he takes the time out to actually offer her one out of his own hands, shiki pulls hers back and accepts that instead. ]

Well, I am a hungry newbie!

[ in case there was. you know. any doubt about this. but either way, she's taking a bite, grinning as she feels her hunger sated. ]

Seriously though, that's really nice of you. I mean, especially with crummy weather like this... most people wouldn't bother.

It's because of the weather I bother.

[ glancing up to the skies, he shakes his head. ]

It's always rain. Might as well give everyone something to be happy about when they get here. Besides--not a lot of people'll feel too comfortable going out and getting something to eat their first day... [ he sideglances a few other booths as they give dirty glances to new arrivals. ] ... especially not with the natives as they are right now.

[ always rain...

maybe shiki doesn't quite grasp the scope of that statement yet. she just hasn't been here long enough to grasp how true it is; but when he mention it, she does look up as well, following suit. normally she wouldn't let a little something like rain deter her; but when she shifts her gaze to the other booths like he has, receiving dirty looks from all of them, she kind of understands. ]

They sure don't look happy to see any of us.

[ ...sure, it'd suck to have to work in the rain, but -- there's something more deep-seated behind those glares. resentment. ]

...What's their deal, anyway? I thought our business would be a good thing.

[ money and all that. ]

[ riku exhales.

he's been here over a year. he works closely with a lot of food vendors, and sure, times were tough every now and then, but this was... blindsiding. in a way, being a transport seems as thankless as being a master. you're supposed to operate without imparting real knowledge of what you're doing, back home. here, it feels like the more invisible you are, the better. it's a problem for him, and it's difficult to explain. ]

Even people who want business want to be choosy about who they give that business to. It's... I guess, it's difficult, being them. They didn't want to be in this war, just like we didn't, and maybe we were both dragged into it, but ... they blame us. United Earth likes trying to wipe us off the face of the map, and the more they do it, the angrier they get.

[ a sigh; ] If you fight back, that'll just prove their point, that it's our fault they're suffering.

[ ah...

even right from the start, shiki can tell she's touched on something big just by asking. the way he breathes out really calls for her attention, she takes a pause in her eating, drinking, and anything else she may have been preoccupied with.

... until the end, when she scrambles to gather her own thoughts to try to contribute -- from the perspective of someone just arriving. ]

So... what, they'd rather we just sit back and do nothing?

[ is that even an option? ]

I mean, I get that they're angry, and... it's not like I WANT to fight. But blaming us doesn't seem fair. We're suffering, too.

[ or so she hears. aren't they on the same side here, or......? augh. even though the greeter explained so much, there's still a lot she's still processing. ]

[ he gives her a simple nod. ]

I don't know what they'd want us to do--some of them even side with United Earth, so there's got to be something we're not seeing. All of us Transports--we've got our own problems. Not just United Earth, but our own worlds.

We can't sit back with them at stake. [ he exhales again. he's just not sure how to go about this. ] It's a mess.

[ rrgh.

well, it's not as if shiki's never dealt with difficult people before, so she'll probably manage. but still... it's just a little discouraging. she'll just have to focus more on the people like riku... despite the slightly complicated circumstances of their knowing each other.

she gives a light sigh as well. ]

Yeah. It sounds kind of like we're here to fix it, which is kind of what I got out of the whole explanation. But if they're still pulling in more Transports... I have to wonder how well our side is really doing.

[ wouldn't more transports make things harder for them in some ways, too? in terms of keeping things under control...

ah well. ]

It's... well.

We've already caused some changes in the history here, but it feels like we're hitting a wall, now. There's something we can't get past--especially not when United Earth threatened our homes. I don't know if any of us have gotten over that.

[ he sure hasn't. ]

Besides--I don't think this is much of an army. A lot of people don't want to fight. I understand why, but...

[ well... more people will be needed to fight if they don't. ]

[ threatening their homes...

shiki hadn't really given much thought to that yet. shibuya feels so distant now, after everything... but it's the home she fought so hard to get back to. she's still fighting to get back, even now, so she feels protective of it, like any person would.

she nods when riku trails off, understanding his second point, too. ]

I understand, too. But there's no way we can get past that 'wall' if we don't work together, right? So... I'm gonna have to do my part.

(...Whatever that is.)

If we're already making changes, then we just have to go all the way and put an end to this.

[ he huffs out a slight laugh. ]

No one's saying that you have to be the one helping. It's appreciated, but not necessary.

If you're really willing, though--there's a place for everyone.

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