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[initiates]

Date & Time: Evening, 10th February 3312
Location: Transport Room
Characters: Open To All
Summary: Everyone is brought into the transport room at roughly the same time, in a great succession and flow of imported individuals. Everyone is being lead around in small bundles, or left to their own devices together inside the Initiative Hold.
Warnings: None.

Widespread and crowded, everyone is being transported into this unusually bright room with an efficiency that is almost horrifying. One after the other, new people are appearing -- being led, shown around and then ultimately abandoned with one final phrase; "Good luck."

The Initiative Hold is wide, like a small town in its depth and industry. You've received your weapon; you've got your keys, your netbook, and one of those robed strangers has shoved a small pouch full of what you can only assume is money into your open palm. You've been given an apartment, but where on earth -- are we on earth? -- is it? Your best opportunity right now is to mingle; at least, that's what everyone else appears to be doing. Those strangers in the robes have left. They're tending to the people who are arriving, one by one and in a quick procession. Energy bustles all around you, as you're strapped up with your sudden gifts and looking around.

Hey, maybe you'll even see some familiar faces.

Comments

[flightlessbird]

[ She blinks to hear that and, for once, bears no particular expression. ]

No you aren't.

[ She sounds pretty sure of that, Bariyan. Might want to checck that pulse again. ]

[stonefaith]

[ Nope, pretty sure that pulse is still MIA. Bariyan sighs and, rather uncomfortably, gestures towards his neck. ]

I... someone brought me back. I've been called a zombie, if that means anything to you.

[ His tone of voice has gone very flat, and suggests that he'd very much like to leave it at that. ]

[flightlessbird]

[ She peers up at his neck, intent and thoughtful, before finally leaning away and shaking her head. She has no idea what a zombie is supposed to be, but she sure knows this guy is just doing way too much talking and moving around to be dead. ]

But you aren't dead. You are-- [ a vague gesture ] Moving. And speaking. So you aren't.

[stonefaith]

[ He sighs, resignedly. All right. Come on, it's not like this is physically painful to think about or anything, he's not that stupidly fragile. ]

Yes, but that's through... magic. It doesn't make me alive. Here.

[ He leans down, and gently reaches for her hand to take to his neck, right under the jaw. Where there definitely is not a pulse. ]

[flightlessbird]

[ Artika is not looking at all convinced, possibly helped by the fact that "magic" is another new word to her. She waits to feel a pulse, frowns when she doesn't, and lifts her other hand to her own neck. Huh. Well, she's apparently checking in the right place...

She waits a few more seconds for something to make sense, and looks a little disappointed when nothing steps up to the plate. Finally she drops both hands. ]

Then your heart is not moving, but you still are not dead.

[stonefaith]

[ Against all expected rational behavior, Bariyan starts to laugh.

He doesn't really know why. He guesses it's Artika, and her refusal to accept that he's about half a step away from worms eating his eyes. Her stubbornness is actually kind of endearing. ]

All right, if that's how you want to think of it. You should try stabbing me some time, though. It'll be interesting, I promise.

[flightlessbird]

[ Aaaannndd Artika's pretty sure that she'd made the right decision to like this guy, even if he's so confused that he think she's dead. Anyone who laughs like that -- and not cruelly -- isn't bad. So she goes straight from defiantly bemused into smiling. ]

Why, what if I stab you? Is it different than if you stab me?

[stonefaith]

Oh, yes. Very different.

[ There. Hopefully that's enough to sate her curiosity for now. If not, they'll go back to the armory and let her try it out. ]

How about we see to getting you a better shirt, now?

[flightlessbird]

[ Silly Bariyan, of course that's not enough to sate her curiosity. And if that sudden wide-eyed and leaning-in interest isn't enough of an indication, then he might be dead and blind. ]

No, I am warm. Do you have a knife?

[stonefaith]

[ Whoops, Bariyan is suddenly threatened by another onset of laughing. He stifles it as he leans away from Artika. ]

No, but there were plenty of knives back that way-- [ He jerks his thumb back towards the armory that they'd been walked through. ] --at least, as far as I recall.

[flightlessbird]

Okay. Then we will find a knife. [ And she's darting forward immediately, looking to capture one of his arms in both of his to pull him along with. Curiously, as she does: ] What will happen?

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan goes dead stiff at the contact, but allows himself to be dragged along. For now. He arches an eyebrow at her. ]

You really want me to tell you? It'll spoil the surprise.

[flightlessbird]

[ If she notices any unhappiness, she's a pro at ignoring it. ]

Yes! [ because suspense sucks. but seriously, how can anyone say no to such an earnest upward stare from down here at his elbow?? ]

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan picks at his stitches with his free hand. He looks down at Artika. All right, all right, he'll spill, put the puppy eyes away. ]

It won't hurt me. I won't bleed. And I won't die.

[flightlessbird]

Oh.

[ She mulls that one over for a few seconds, glancing away again. Huh. How weird. She's not sure if she believes it or not. Everyone bleeds, right? That skepticism is back when she looks up again. ]

Why?

[stonefaith]

[ Uh oh. Circles. Artika's almost like a small child, and-- Bariyan starts when he realizes that Artika reminds him of someone. He pushes his hair out of his eyes and shakes his head of the thought. ]

It's because I'm-- [ Dead, he's about to say, but thinks he knows where that will get him. ] --because I don't have a heartbeat. [ Close enough. ]

[flightlessbird]

[ Impatiently- ] No, no. Why are you...

[ Like this, is about all she can think to put to words, but that's not very specific, and probably wouldn't get any questions answered. She considers the phrasing for a few seconds, getting more agitated, and finally just spews a stream of birdsong.

At least she can ask her question in one language, even if he won't understand it. ]

[stonefaith]

[ Unfortunately Bariyan is not versed in the language of birds and has no idea what's set her off. He stops walking. ]

Uh... you all right, there?

[flightlessbird]

[ She nods, but looks a little miserable. ]

I have not learned the words in my questions yet.

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan shrugs. Inside, he is resisting the urge to pat her head. ]

I'm sure we can work it out. Is the question about me being dead again?

[flightlessbird]

You aren't dead. [ oh look, the sharp insistence can cut pretty easily through that language-barrier despair, how nice. ]

[stonefaith]

Mostly dead. Close enough.

[ Bariyan's terribly amused by her insistence. It seems like his degree of living matters more to Artika than it does to him. ]

Come on. Still going to the armory or not?

[flightlessbird]

[ oh right. there was a purpose to all this. She picks up the place with a cheery affirmative, promptly ducking around the corner as soon as they're there. She's found a knife in no time at all, and turns around with a smile--

--which is where the enthusiasm dies. She doesn't, actually, make a habit of stabbing people, and suddenly she's eying him a little nervously. ]

How do I...?

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan examines his hands, then his chest, and scratches his head before shrugging. He feels distinctly awkward right now; maybe this wasn't such a great idea. Aw, but she'd asked so nicely. ]

Well, you can start with sticking the pointy end in me. [ Oh that sounds unfortunately dirty. He really hopes Artika doesn't pick up on that. ]

[flightlessbird]

Oh.

[ Yep, absolutely no picking up on anything, here. She considers the knife, then considers Bariyan. Back and forth, a few times, before she holds out the knife, hilt-first. ]

You do it.