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

[onblackwings]

No.

[ The smile sweetens, but she doesn't think to tilt her head playfully. Human gestures and motions haven't quite impressed themselves upon her yet, so she just stares instead. ]

You seem a little fragile, you'd better keep everything on.

[doubleoohbaby]

Oh, ouch. [And yet he's still amused enough to be offering her a soft, throaty chuckle. No suspicions here for her not being human, although he's still not quite used to that concept.]

I can see why they picked you.

[onblackwings]

[ Okay, she likes this one. She might not be sure what he's after, but the compliment is nice. She preens a little, pleased. ]

They don't even know what they truly have in me yet.

[doubleoohbaby]

[He'll tread carefully enough that he won't try and push his luck, but hell, this one seems to be enjoying the attention enough for him to keep piling on the flirting.]

Plenty of secrets hidden under that robe, are there?

[onblackwings]

[ The innuendo of that, just... yep, right over her head. She takes it a little more literally, and smiles. ]

You could say that. But why did they bring you here?

[doubleoohbaby]

Hard to say. Perhaps they just needed a handsome face to brighten up the place.

[As if he's going to give her all his secrets at once. Besides, his good looks are the important thing here, as are hers.]

[onblackwings]

[ Oh. Is that what handsome looks like on a human? She looks a little closer, and has to concede that yes, there is something nice about those blue eyes of his. Too bad none of this study and grudging approval is at all subtle. ]

Well, at least they haven't wasted their time, if that's all they were looking for.

[doubleoohbaby]

[It's starting to seem like this chick could provide him with constant amusement, seeing as how her blatant staring has got him smirking broadly.]

I've got plenty of other uses too.

[Like sexin'.]

[onblackwings]

[ She cocks her head at that, mildly wondering if she's supposed to take that to mean he's good with some weapon she can't see on him. ]

Like what?

[doubleoohbaby]

I can't give away all my secrets, my dear. We barely know one another.

[But he sure would like to.]

[onblackwings]

[ She considers that, and has to concede that it does make some sense. But dammit, she's curious. So: ]

We could arrange something.

[doubleoohbaby]

[Bond is taking all this to be some outrageous amount of innuendo and flirting, he can't help it. She'll just have to excuse the constant smugness.]

What sort of something?

[onblackwings]

Mutual demonstrations.

[ That with a small smile, because she's totally expecting him to have some kind of skill that she can steal and/or learn from. And if she has to show off a little magic to get it, well, seems fair to her. ]

[doubleoohbaby]

You know, I think I might like that.

[It's possible they're talking about totally different types of demonstrations here.]

[onblackwings]

[ Entirely possible. But she just smiles, greed kicking in, and trying not to look too pleased. ]

We should probably find somewhere more secluded.

[doubleoohbaby]

Right now? You don't want drinks first?

[Returning that smile, sounding mildly amused at just how easy this is. A lady after his own heart.]

[onblackwings]

[ What is this human nonsense, why would she want to drink anything right now? What does that have to do with anything?? Whatever, she'll just brush it off. ]

No, I'm not thirsty. [ And moving on to RELEVANT THINGS... ] Do you have anywhere in mind?

[doubleoohbaby]

[Wow. Just... wow.]

I'd rather not go to my apartment, if it's all the same... The choices are actually rather limited when it comes to somewhere with a little bit of privacy. Suppose we could always see about a hotel room or some such.

[onblackwings]

[ And she just... makes a face, NOT FOLLOWIN THIS LOGIC HERE. ]

Do you really want to do this inside a building? [ That seems... destructive. ] Maybe you're different, but I'll need some room.

[doubleoohbaby]

Well then...

[Uh. Maybe she's got an outdoor kink? Or likes doing it in public. He's not even sure he cares, other than to keep her happy.]

There's plenty of quiet locations around here. Back alleys, abandoned warehouses and the like. Would something like that better suit you?

[onblackwings]

[ Not totally sure what a warehouse is, but it sounds promising. ]

Yes, one of those will do. [ She cocks her head, smiling. ] Lead the way.

[doubleoohbaby]

Alright.

[And lead the way he does, because there's no way he's going to decline the offer of a good looking and apparently eager female. She could do with some drying off, at any rate.]

I'm James, by the way. [Might as well share names, considering what they're about to get up to.

With a friendly(ish) smile, he offers out an arm towards her, an act of a proper gentleman.]

[onblackwings]

[ She stares at the prooffered arm for a few seconds, suspicious and wondering what she's supposed to do with it. A quick glance around shows her a few examples though, so with some obvious hesitation she takes it.

Weird-ass human customs, man. ]

I'm Dagger. [ She's getting better at not making that sound awkward! ]

[doubleoohbaby]

[At least she's caught on to the arm linking thing. He might be slightly offended if she'd ignored that. As it is, he's happily smirking to himself and leading them off to a section nearby that he knows has a few quiet warehouses.]

Interesting name, Dagger. Is it a nickname?

[He can't imagine someone naming their child that, but he's heard stranger.]

[onblackwings]

[ Oh, shit, she hadn't thought about that. Should it be a nickname? Better sidestep the decision! ]

It's the only name that you need to know. [ That with a smug little smile over at him, because yeah, she's a little pleased with that SMOOTH MANEUVERING. ] Suffice it to say, I chose it myself.