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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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[There really is no way to answer that question and reassure him, is there? At least, not if she answers honestly. And, as it is, she's not sure she can bring herself to lie to him, not about something as important as this.]

...No, [she finally answers at length, breathing out a sigh.] I don't know how long it'll be until something else happens. I'm sorry...

[ 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?

[Well, at least he knows now. That's... one good thing, isn't it?]

I don't know of any way to go back. [She shakes her head.] Um... But, ah, I don't think anyone back home will notice you're gone!

[...Wait, that came out wrong.] B-because they won't notice any of us are gone! That's what they told me!

[ Well, he could usually believe that most of the people he knows in passing back home might not notice he's missing, but considering the circumstances it seems a little hard to believe that Koujaku and the others won't be sort of alarmed or irritated by him being gone. Besides, there's no way his grandma and Ren haven't noticed the absence.

He may be misunderstanding what she's saying here. ]

Even if I'm only here for a day someone is bound to notice before I have a chance to get back.

N-no, that's not what I mean! [Another shake of her head. She's stuck her foot in it again, hasn't she? Telling someone their friends and family won't notice they're gone like that is hardly a good idea!]

Um... I don't really get it myself either! But I was worried about my mom and they said she'd think I was only gone for a little while! So, heh... I think they'll be okay...

[She takes in a breath, before attempting another smile. All right, she's got this, she can totally do this...]

[ He's not entirely sure he gets what she's trying to say, but he is getting she's saying it's something weird that's going on that makes it hard for them to notice they're missing as opposed to actually not caring about them being gone.

Was that something the Initiative was able to do too then? ]

... Are you sure about that?

[ Because he's not sure if that's a comfort or not at the moment. ]

[...Oh boy. Yeah, she totally can't do this.

He sure doesn't look very relieved. So much for that.]

I can't go back home and ask... But I really do think it's true! I do!

If they can drag us all here, I think they can do that, too...

[ He's not all that relieved, but it's better than nothing. They've got other things to be concentrating on right now, and worrying about him being missing probably isn't one of them.

Besides she makes a good point about what the Initiative is capable of. ]

That's true... And there isn't anything else I can do about it in the meantime so.

[ Trying to look a little less crestfallen here. For the time being he has to put his effort into finding a way back home that won't cause his entire world to be destroyed. Moping won't help. ]

[She nods, folding her hands behind her back. All right, well this is a better reaction, isn't it? She can work with this!]

But it's really not that bad! You'll see. Um, when nothing bad happens, we're all okay here. I promise! And um...

[Oh, what to do, what to do... A shake of her head and she sketches a quick bow.] My name is Momo Kisaragi! I know the welcome they give you isn't that good... So welcome!

Edited 2013-07-14 02:51 (UTC)

[ It's not like he's blaming her for this situation, since as far as he can tell she's definitely not part of the group that brought him here.... but yeah, there's pretty much no way to give someone a good welcome in this situation.

He doesn't look particularly convinced by her comments about this place not being so bad though. Of course when bad things aren't happening things aren't so bad, but considering how often bad things happen here that isn't saying a lot. He keeps the comment to himself though. ]

I'm Aoba Seragaki. Thanks for the welcome, despite the circumstances.

[It could have ended up worse and, for that, Momo's grateful. She hardly had the best time of it when she first arrived either, but at least she found her brother and friends quickly after. What if he's all alone here? It's hardly something she can bring herself to ask straight out, but the thought still isn't a very pleasant one.

She'll just have to hope he isn't.]

Um... Yeah! Nice to meet you, Seragaki. There isn't a lot I can do, but if you need any help later, I'll do my best, hehe...

[ As far as he knows he is. He's spent time looking for his All Mate, Ren, without much luck, and he's not holding out hope that Koujaku somehow managed to end up here either. He's not sure he'd want his grandmother to end up in a place as dangerous as this, and the only other person back home he'd really feel like he could rely on...

Well, he doesn't want to think too much about Mizuki right now when he has other things he needs to focus on.

He's trying to smile now, but it's a little forced. ]

Thanks. I don't really know if there's much anyone can do to help me at this point though.

[At the smile, her own widens. It might not be the most heartfelt smile she's ever seen, but if there's one thing she's learned, it's that there's nothing like a smile to get others smiling. So she might as well try it here, too.]

That's fine, that's fine! You just need to get used to being here for now!

I'm really sure you'll be okay.

[ It sort of works. His smile is still a little strained, but it's not going away at least. It's not bad given the circumstances and how completely miserable he's feeling at the moment. ]

I hope you're right about that.

[Good enough for her! She nods.]

I'm sure of it.

So, um, if you ever need any help later, don't be afraid to ask me or my friends!

[ He doesn't actually know any of her friends, and he's not so sure how he feels asking for help from people he's never spoken to before, but the offer is still appreciated. A small, sort of nervous laugh. ]

I'll be sure to do that. Thanks, Kisaragi.

[Unfortunately, Momo's just the type to forget important details like that. Whoops. She raises her free hand to in a small wave though, grinning brightly.]

Good luck then! I'll see you around!

[And, with another wave, she's moving to run off!]

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