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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 glances after the knife, still looking a little concerned, but -- there. Her attention snaps back up to Bariyan properly, caught in a triumphant determination. ]

Then you are not dead! Or you would not be killed. You can't kill dead somethings. See?

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan holds both hands up. Whoa there. ]

Sure! I guess. I'm just more resistant to death. Maybe that's a better way to put it.

[flightlessbird]

[ whatever, man. whatever. As far as Artika's concerned, her point is totally proved. She tips her chin up haughtily. ]

Yes. But you still should not die, I don't want that. [ A point down to his arm. ] And no more that, too.

[stonefaith]

[ She's so demanding. Bariyan really wants to pat her head. ]

All right, I'll try. Can't make any promises, though.

[ He looks around. ] We should probably head back.

[flightlessbird]

Okay. [ She steals his arm again (but can't help awkwardly avoiding that slice in the skin-- touching it would be weird), and promptly tugs him back for the door.

Which doesn't, of course, mean she's done with this interrogation. One hand points to his neck. ] Why is that?

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan scratches at the seams as they start to walk back. ]

This? Someone cut my head off once. Wasn't pleasant. [ He's grinning as he says it, but it's definitely strained. ]

[flightlessbird]

Oh. [ Well that's kind of a weird thing to say with a grin. Did she mishear that, or something? She frowns, a little doubtfully. ] Why?

[stonefaith]

He, uh... [ Ouch. That's a painful topic. Bariyan awkwardly shoves his free hand into his pocket and looks everywhere but straight at Artika. ] Well. Shit happens.

[ All right, that's more than enough. As they walk the path from the armory back to the transport room again, Bariyan switches subjects. ]

What do you think they brought us here for? Did they tell you anything?

[flightlessbird]

[ Another frown, more accusing this time. ] You are only asking that because you don't want to answer my question.

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan frowns, but supposes that it really isn't a big deal. What? So he died. So someone killed him. Hardly matters; he came back. ]

All right, he killed me because... someone asked him to. That's all.
[ It's true. All the rest, all that other stuff, that's just details. ]

Honest question, though. Did they tell you anything?

[flightlessbird]

That is not any more of an answer than it was before.

[ One last darting scowl with that, but... well, good enough. For now. She flaps a dismissive hand. ]

Yes, but I was not listening to everything.

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan gets really nervous when it seems that he might have to start using names at some point. Therefore, he is incredibly relieved when Artika settles for that answer. ]

Damn. that's unfortunate.

[ He glances back down at her, curiously. ] Did they make you pick a weapon too?

[flightlessbird]

Yes! I have a gun. [ She leans closer, a little conspiratorially. ] Pyran told me those were not to be owned, on his land. But it is very pretty, so I don't care.

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan instinctively leans away from her, but laughs. ]

Really now? Pyran sounds like he knew what he was talking about.

[ Bariyan's well aware of guns. They're one of the few modern pieces of technology that he bothered familiarizing himself with. To be honest, he's still not sure what to think of them. He's... healthily suspicious. ]

I'd like to see it sometime.

[flightlessbird]

[ She doesn't seem to mind (or notice) that backwards lean, and just keeps right on. ]

Pyran knows lots of things. Not so many things as Venus knows, but better things. [ and here she pauses, thinking for a second, before she shrugs. ] I do not remember where I put it. I will find it again later.

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan awkwardly straightens up, allowing Artika to lean into him if she sees fit to. It was reaching the point where if he tried to lean over any farther, he'd have toppled right over. ]

All right, let me know. I'm interested.

Who are they? Pyran and Venus? [ He's curious. Artika seems to quite admire them. ]

[flightlessbird]

[ Success. She'll just be recapturing his arm, then. ]

My friends. [ Even if Venus never really gives indication of anything like friendship between them, dammit, she's a friend. ] They are the first humans that ever came to us across the water. [ a pause, she amends: ] Ocean. Pyran says there are a lot of names for water, and you have to be specific.

[stonefaith]

[ Well, it seems that Pyran and Venus, whoever they are, have at least made a good first impression of themselves on behalf of the rest of the human race. Bariyan's grateful for that. Or maybe it's just Artika's personality. ]

So... your people? What did they think of humans, when they came across?

[flightlessbird]

[ She frowns a little at that, looking thoughtful. She'd been so pleased to find them that she hadn't cared much what the others had thought, and hadn't paid too much attention. But she definitely remembers one part of all that. ]

None of the humans had wings, and so my people did not like them at first. Until they realized they had never had wings, then it was not so bad.

[stonefaith]

[ Wings? Bariyan glances back at her, over his shoulder. Over her shoulder too, in fact. Towards her back. ]

Er... do you have wings? [ Hell, maybe they're hiding? ]

[flightlessbird]

[ No wings there! just some old scars, pink against her skin, where they might have been. ]

No. They fell off a lot of years ago. [ She's smiling again, up at him, but this time it looks a little challenging, and her tone is forcefully light. ]

[stonefaith]

Fell off? [ Bariyan blinks in surprise. He's never heard of birds having their wings fall off. Of course, Artika's not a bird, but still... ] How the hell did that happen?

[flightlessbird]

It is a sickness we have sometimes. Most times we die. [ She's given on the smile, but the light and dismissive tone is here to stay. ] I was lucky, because I am a Shepherd, so I only lost my wings.

[stonefaith]

Ah. Well, I'm glad you're not dead. [ He hesitates right before the last word as his mind catches up to his mouth. That... probably wasn't the most appropriate response, but Bariyan can't think of a better one. ]

A shepherd? Of, er, what, exactly? [ Somehow, the image of Artika shepherding sheep is not one that is easily conjured to mind. ]

pretend that was given UP* on the smile

[flightlessbird]

Of dragons. [ oh this is a much better topic! no more faking enthusiasm, she's back to it for real now. ] Shepherds are strong like dragons, but smart like people, and so we look after them.

[ And she looks up, beaming, always happy to show off. ]

Would you like to see? I look very good as a dragon.