transport log » ❝ welcome to Exsilium ❞

[initiates]

Date & Time: Sept 23rd, 2012.
Location: The Initiative Hold & Courtyard.
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports have all arrived and have been shuffled into the Courtyard after their initial briefings.
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. "This isn't standard," she's saying, walking perhaps faster than most of the people she's dragging around. "We don't normally have so many Transports at once. 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. 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. 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.

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

~open.

[allures]

Fuck.

[that was the first word that effy murmured as soon as she set foot in the courtyard. her weapon, a mini uzi, was sitting comfortably inside its holster which was attached to a belt around her waist. she didn't touch it after she picked it out. she hated weapons, she hated fighting. she made a point not to touch it even as she wandered through the courtyard, stopping at a booth every so often, arms wrapped around herself. perhaps it was comfort, or she was cold. either way, she needed a rain coat.

whatever positivity that she had had when she was speaking to pandora was long gone. she was lost once more, and the woman who had 'explained' the few things that needed explaining hadn't done a great job.

she ends up asking one of the sellers if anyone had ever really escaped from here. sadly, there wasn't a clear answer for her.]

[peaceinchaos]

[ Wanda is in search of something more closely resembling a peach than... whatever it was she had bought last time, which was definitely not an peach. She's distracted from her quest by the young girl, sans both rain coat and umbrella, speaking to the man who ran the probably-fruit stall.

She moves closer to tip her umbrella accommodatingly over the girl, shielding her from the rain. ]

I'm afraid this gentleman doesn't quite have the answers you're looking for.

[allures]

[effy turns to face her, head cocking to the side. if she's cold, she doesn't look it. she peeks up at the umbrella, then to wanda.]

Why?

[she may be a bit emotionally drained at the moment, but that doesn't stop her curiosity.]

[peaceinchaos]

Ah well, he's a native to this island. As hospitable as they are, I'm afraid they're rather in the dark about the people and the situation that's brought us here.

[ She pauses and adds, a bit dryly; ]

Though in fairness, the same could be said for many of us.

[allures]

So no one really knows anything.

[well, at least she tried. it was disheartening, but the woman had been kind enough to let her know.]

[peaceinchaos]

We know we have been brought here to fight, but yes. Little else.

[ Wanda pays for her fruit, tucking it into the bag hanging from the crook of her arm and turns again to the girl, holding out her free hand. ]

My name is Wanda Maximoff.

[allures]

I can't fight.

[the corner of effy's lips tug up into a half smile when she reaches out to shake wanda's hand.]

Effy.

[peaceinchaos]

[ She shakes Effy's hand warmly. ]

Well then, Effy, we will simply make sure you are not put in the position where you'll need to.

[...Although that could take some doing... ]

[allures]

We?

[effy looks confused as she pulls her hand away. was wanda talking about teaming up with others? she knew it was inevitable, because of the circumstances, but she didn't expect it so quickly, if that was what she was implying.]

[peaceinchaos]

[ Wanda holds up her hand, pacifying. ]

Forgive me, I was speaking in broad terms, but yes, I suppose we. I'd be happy to help you anyway I can and I am sure there are others who would say the same.

[allures]

I'd appreciate it, thanks.

[there's a spark of something genuine in her tone, which is rare to come in contact with when it comes to her.]

[peaceinchaos]

You're welcome.

[ The smile she offers is a warm one. ]

[sidecar]

[It's that holster that catches Kotetsu's attention; being on the lookout for potential threats to public safety is an old habit he'll probably never let go of. It takes a moment to remind himself that carrying weapons in plain view is the standard here, just another one of the many things about this place that sets him on edge. People said Sternbild was dangerous, but at least the mayor didn't stand around at the city limits ready to hand out shotguns and grenades to everyone who visited. Geez.

Shaking off his initial misgivings, he notices how confused the girl looks and puts on a friendly smile as he approaches her.]

You'd think giving everyone umbrellas would be part of this whole welcome deal, huh? [He goes to offer his own.] You okay?

[allures]

[effy's eyes linger on the vendor's items before facing him. and honestly, she wasn't okay. she'd just gotten her life together, or at least, part of it, and then she was dragged into this mess.

but she wasn't about to talk about it.]

I am.

[she eyes the umbrella, the shrugs, deciding to take up his offer.]

Thanks.

[sidecar]

Sure.

[If he's put off by her short response he doesn't show it, gesturing at the city with a dramatic sigh.]

All this rain gets really annoying. It's pretty much always like this here.

[allures]

[don't worry, it's nothing personal. she perks up just a tad when he mentions 'always'.]

You're not new here?

[sidecar]

Ah, kind of! I've been here about three weeks, but some of the others have been around a lot longer than that.

[allures]

Know anyone who's got out?

[sidecar]

[He pulls a face at that. It's not something he understands yet himself.]

No one I know, but they say it's happened before. Only it's more like they got sent back instead of escaping.

[allures]

So people leave.

[judging by his face, she can tell that he can't tell her much more than that.]

Donno. Sounds like escaping to me, even if they don't mean to.

[sidecar]

I guess so!

[No point in being depressing at a new arrival.]

I'm sure the rest of us will figure it out soon if it comes down to that.

[allures]

Comes down to it?

[as if it was some sort of ultimatum. yeah, she doesn't know how she feels about that.]

[sidecar]

Well, staying here for a while doesn't sound so bad to everyone. There's a lot about the Initiative we can't trust, but this world definitely needs our help.

[allures]

And the ones that hate it here?

[sidecar]

It's that bad for you already?

Maybe someone with the Initiative will be reasonable if we try to explain once things are less crazy. It's not gonna do them any good to keep people around who don't want to make sure they win, right? And if not we'll make our own way.