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

[kneecaptain]

You're a friendly guy, huh?

[implying]

Friendly is what I aim for! [ Cue a wide smile, and he sticks out a hand to shake. ] I'm Vanadi.

[kneecaptain]

[You're not getting a smile from this end, you're getting the same semi-bewildered scowl.

But he does take the hand, shakes it.]

Barnes.

[implying]

[ Just for you, Bucky, Vanadi won't steal your hand and kiss it, because this guy is definitely shooting out straight vibes. That sort doesn't take well to extravagant affection. He keeps it to a firm shake, dropping his own hand back to his side afterward. ]

Only Barnes? Humans always seem to come with two names, I've noticed.

[kneecaptain]

[His eyebrow arches at "humans" but he doesn't say anything.]

James Buchanan Barnes. [He has three. Like all famous assassins.] Most people call me Bucky, though. Or just Barnes.

[implying]

Four names, look at that! You must be proud. May I call you "Bucky", then?

[kneecaptain]

If you want. [He used to hate being called anything but. That was a long time ago, though. He's not a kid anymore.]

I'm guessing it's just Vanadi?

[implying]

Vanadi of House Vadarta, if you want to be really elaborate about it. But really, simply Vanadi will do perfectly well.

[ The nose of the mask dips as he gives Bucky a thoughtful once-over. ]

Now— would I be correct in guessing you're from Earth? America, specifically?

[kneecaptain]

I get told that's obvious. [Fun fact: one of the reasons he was so good and Communist assassinating is because he looks so gosh darn American.]

[implying]

It may be, if one is familiar with Earth! But I'll have you know that I've only known about it for near to six months now, so I'm happy to consider it a good guess.

[kneecaptain]

They really didn't go halfway with the alternate universe crap, did they?