exsiliumlogs | transport log » ❝ welcome to Exsilium ❞

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

More people probably just wanna stay alive, though.

Well, that's true. But there's just no helping for it in this case.

[He just shrugs. He doesn't really know the situation.]

[Rin settles into a brief silence, and watches him quite openly as she does. They're fortunately spared more awkwardness by the arrival of food: the bread is crusty, the tomatoes look a little sad but overall are passable, the meat is fine and the cheese is white, soft and rather bland. The tray gets dropped between them. Rin gives it a push Jessewards.]

Eat up. Welcome to the Initiative.

Thanks.

[At this point? He'd eat the sandwich even if it was growing mold. He picks it up and digs right in, not stopping for breath until at least half of it is gone already.]

[Rin watches with mild interest as he eats, gnawing on her own bread - dinner and a show. The portions, at least, are generous enough.]

I guess you needed that after all, huh?

Huh? Oh. Yeah, it's great.

[And he's... done. What'd that take? 30 seconds?]

[Impressive, Jesse. Rin still has a good chunk of sandwich left, which she glances at dutifully, then back to him with a small smile.]

Want the rest?

Only if you're throwing it out.

[She pushes it over to him. She wouldn't throw it out, but hey, it's a newbie, he looks pitiful and she's not hurting for money or food.]

I'll drop you by the apartment next if you want. You can meet your roommates.

[Normally he might argue about her giving up her meal, but he's... really damn hungry. He looks a little guilty while he eats, though.]

I, um... You already done a lot for me, so...

I don't have a lot going on and it's not far. No trouble.

I'll be okay.

[... The eyeroll is completely involuntary.]

I insist.

[He shakes his head. Honestly, woman, you just fed him. Your own sandwich, no less.]

I, uh... I should check this place out a little, anyway.

I bought you a meal, and you won't even cooperate with me now?

Should I pay you back?

I just want to drop you off. Then you can do whatever.

I don't really...

[The rest is mumbled unintelligibly while he stares down at his hands.]

It's fine.

I just don't wanna go. Yet.

Why not?

I just need some time, okay? So just... If you want money or something, I can pay you back. I will.

It's not about money. [She looks a little piqued about the idea it is, actually. Looking reluctant, but.]

Okay, I'll leave you to it.

Sorry, I just...

[To be honest, he's afraid and overwhelmed and he doesn't want to see where he's going to live because he just wants to wake up in his own house and find out everything leading to this moment was just some horrible dream. But he doesn't say any of that. He just keeps fidgeting.]

So, um. What's your name, again?

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payback - 2012-09-25 14:09 (UTC) - Expand

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