(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

[concealingeyes]

[If he talks to Kano it will probably be him. Kido sinks down in her seat, hiding her face more in her hood.]

...He's a bastard but I've known him since we were six. He runs his mouth a lot, though. [Currently she's mad at him but even then...] Well, he's my best friend I guess.

[overclocking]

[... That's really adorable, but he's not going to point it out. That seems like it would be asking for trouble.

Still, it sounds an awful lot like himself and Rosette, so he can't help but relate. The only real indication is that his smile gets wider, and warmer.]

It sounds like you're lucky to have a bond like that. Even if you have to keep him in line, sometimes.

He's probably really grateful for it, too.

[concealingeyes]

[At least she just groans under her breath. Chrono is right but she's not good at expressing it obviously. She can tell what he's thinking but she'll just sulk more if she dwells on it.]

Maybe. ...What's your friend like?

[overclocking]

Rosette? She's kind of... [Exhausting, exasperating, infuriating...]

She's loud and violent and doesn't think before doing anything, so someone has to constantly pull her out of her own messes, and she never thinks about how much trouble that might be for anyone else, or how hard she punches, and she's currently hung over because she got drunk illegally and that's making all of those traits worse...

[Maybe, at the end of the day, all he really needs in life is someone to bitch to about Rosette.]

... And her cooking is terrible.

[concealingeyes]

[She listens, because it's probably only fair to hear the perspective of the other side. Though, Kano might be too nice to say it that bluntly. ...Maybe.]

...Well, my cooking is really good if it helps. And I don't drink.

[overclocking]

Really?

[He perks up slightly, almost imperceptibly. THESE ARE GOOD TRAITS BOTH.]

See, you're already leaps and bounds above her!

[concealingeyes]

[She rubs the back of her head, a little embarrassed.]

Ah, probably not... But uhm if you ever want to come by for breakfast or dinner, I usually make it for everyone. Not everyone here obviously. Just everyone in the Dan.

[overclocking]

The Dan...?

[Why is being nice an embarrassing thing!! Tsunderes.]

That's kind of you, Kido. I'd really like that, actually!

[concealingeyes]

It's not like they can cook. [She has to tsun okay it's part of her deal.] Ah, but the Dan is my gang. The Mekakushi Dan. We take care of things for people who can't.

[Mostly meaning dinner but she's proud of her little gang.]

[overclocking]

So it's like a philanthropic gang?

[TEENAGERS BEING RESPONSIBLE, there is a certain novelty here that he can't help but admire...]

I'm impressed.

[concealingeyes]

Well, we did other things back home too but our missions here don't have anything to do with that. But thanks. I'm really proud of them.

[overclocking]

[Has he perhaps encountered several people's very own motherhen? He suspects maybe he has.]

"Them"... how many are there?

Aside from Kano, I mean.

[concealingeyes]

[Ah, actually describing her friends. Kido tips her head to the side as she thinks.] Hmm, there's eight of us from home. I'm member number one. Kano is number three. Seto, number two, ah, he's a cheerful guy. Our big sis is here, too, Ayano. She's member zero. Then there's Mary, number four. She just got here today. I left her with Seto since they're close. Ah, she's part medusa, so this weather is making her sick. That's the oldest members.

[She ticks off her fingers.] After them there's Momo, Ene and Shintaro. Momo's an idol, you know, a star? She's optimistic... Ene is really energetic. I don't know much about her yet. Shintaro is kind of a loser but he's nice. He and Momo are siblings.

Members that have joined here... are Flora, Kanaya and Kaede. Come to think of it, we have a lot of girls in the group.

[overclocking]

[He blinks a few times, and it might be obvious that that's a lot of names for a brain already buzzing with information, but he listens intently. He can't help feeling a twinge of envy. If they were still home, would their tiny rag-tag band of misfits have become something like that?

He supposes he'll only get to wonder now.]

There are that many of you here? [Come to think of it... he's really not sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. He feels a tug of sympathy anyway, though, based solely on the amount of fretting he's done over Rosette being here as well.]

Wait, Mary... does she have long, white hair and red eyes?

[concealingeyes]

[She can hardly believe their gang has grown so much either.]

Yeah, the trembling girl who looks like a big, fluffy bunny, right? She's a good kid. She's scared of people, though, so try not to upset her.

[overclocking]

I met her earlier. I gave her a cookie. [This said with an air of Was that a mistake?? Should I not have done that?? Is that why she was so terrified?? AM I A COOKIE TERRORIST?]

I just thought she was scared of the situation, not me... Ahhh, stupid, stupid...

[concealingeyes]

[She shakes her head and holds up a hand. Don't be so hard on yourself, kid.]

Don't worry. She has to get used to people eventually. She was probably miserable for a lot of reasons but even if it wasn't obvious, she appreciated the cookie.

[overclocking]

Mm... she reminds me of someone back home, quite a bit. I couldn't help thinking they might have gotten along well. [Or possibly created an eternal feedback loop of pointless apologies; he guesses (hopes) he'll never know.]

Though... what does "part medusa" mean?

[concealingeyes]

Well... we don't know everything, but... [It seems safe enough to tell him. Chrono is nice. He wouldn't hurt Mary and if he did, well, he'd regret it. Pretty simple.]

A medusa is a legendary creature with the power to turn people to stone with her eyes and snakes for her hair and body. Mary is a descendent of medusa. Something like that... So, cold weather makes her miserable. She can also freeze people with her eyes but she usually only does that if she's teased too much.

[A pause.] ...People were pretty cruel to her in the past and called her a monster. So if you can, I'd like it if you could be her friend, too.

[This is basically a kind threat.]

[overclocking]

[.... Oh. Oh. No, threats won't be necessary, kind or otherwise. When you come from a world where your very existence is illegal, and you're tenuously granted the right to live, you learn something about feeling like a monster. He probably doesn't quite keep the knowing sympathy from his face, or his voice.]

... I see.

No, I'd like that. Being her friend, I mean. [There's something to be said for non-judgmental, unconditional acceptance. It can literally change your life--] Thank you for already being someone like that for her.

[concealingeyes]

[So, he's like them, too? Even if Kido isn't always observant, she watches reactions to this at least. It's important to all of them. Especially now, especially when the rest of the city had reminded them they still aren't accepted here.

Kido breathes out softly.]

Well... We're 'monsters' just like her. Just a little different. We didn't want her to believe the world was cruel or have to be alone. So we took her in. That's what the Mekakushi Dan is for us. So... if anyone's ever treated you that way, too, you never have to be afraid of us.

[overclocking]

[Just a little different... He wonders, briefly, what their definition of 'monster' is, and whether he's a bit more than they've bargained for.

But unrelenting kindness like that is something he's only seen from two humans in his entire life, and for a moment, he's left entirely at a loss. It's only after a few beats of silence that he gets his voice to work.]

You're not monsters. No one as kind as you could be.

[concealingeyes]

Thanks. I believe it. 'Monsters' aren't what people think they are. [Even though she's not as confident as she acts, she does her best to believe it for the sake of the wonderful family that adopted them and her friends who carry that same pain in their hearts.]

If any of the others seem down ever, remember we've felt like this for ten years. They're kind people too, believe me, so... let's do our best to remind them of that.

[overclocking]

[There's a brief pause, his expression shuttered somewhat.

Then he lifts his hand, pinkie forward, in a gesture he learned from a grinning little girl on a picnic blanket. His own smile is genuine.]

I'll promise to that.

[concealingeyes]

[A pinkie promise...? Kido's face flushes again. It reminds her of sweeter childhood memories and she tries to ignore that silly feeling. Just be cool.

She hooks their pinkies together and gives a firm shake.]

I'm counting on you.