[Woe and betide Samus Aran, for her shower would forsake her this morning. It was a nice routine, not that she really liked the idea of settling into one much; wake up, stretch, shower, shove some breakfast in her mouth, go to the Police Station and do her Police Lady thing. This morning however would not be par the course; her nice, hot shower turned into an unforgiving sheet of frigid ice water pelting her back. Not to mention the utter darkness that fell over everything. The distinct hum of electricity stopped. The distinct, muffled and frustrated groans of a few other unfortunate apartment residents she could pick out through the walls. They could probably hear hers too.

Mere inconvenience? Or attack as well-founded paranoid let her mind secondarily settle into. She ambled out of the shower, slipping and sliding on the wet tile floor just to hastily throw a towel around herself. It's surprisingly dark inside the building despite the time of day, and her eyes haven't had time to adjust yet.

After a bit of fumbling around, eventually she manages to locate her tablet. Given the circumstances, she'll be sticking with audio.]

Requesting a status report from all awake and coherent Transports.

[If she could figure out if this outage was limited to just the apartment building or not, that would be a good first step.]

Who has electricity and who does not?

Greetings,

I have seen the poisoned earth and the strange trees beyond this city's borders; I did not recognise half of the roots scavanged from there abouts. And no doubt the quality of produce from seeds sewn out there would surely be questionable at best. As such, I would know what means Exsilium has for the growth of plants.

Though I imagine that a poison brew would simple enough to make from what currently exists, there must be some means of harvest provided for use by apothecary?


[ About ten minutes later, the post is updated with a second (unrelated?) query: ]


And if anyone knows the best means of cooking lamb, I would be most grateful for assistance.

[Anduin's voice is once more quiet and lightly tinged with a well-composed disappointment. He had perhaps been a bit too-focused on finding a sembalnce of normalcy lately, and now...]

May Aunt Jaina find peace ...or at the very least the strength to ...get herself through what is to come.

[Because he knows what lies ahead for the departed Mage and feels nothing but sadness for it. More than the loneliness of an empty home, more than his homesickness and desire to see his father once more - this is still perhaps worse. The knowledge of what lay ahead for Jaina very soon now that she had gone home was heartbreaking. He sighs softly, the weariness creeping into his tone.]

Ah- tell me, what do you do when you have trouble sleeping?

[ Gwen is sewing.

There is so much time to fill these days that she takes these projects, uses them to pass her hours and keep her mind occupied with simple things rather than her worries and lord knows she has plenty.

In her lap, a dress is laid, more of a gown of silks in shades of royal blue and lighter blue. It is an impressive piece, one she is working on for many weeks on from the look of her fingers, she had poked herself with the needle more than once.

Still she works, sewing what looks like a golden embodiment on the edges.

Beside her is a cup of tea and actually, it's not the gown she wants to talk about. ]

It's rather brilliant.

[ she takes the cup, sips her tea. ]

Are they really tea-leaves? I have never heard of any leaves that can make something so wonderful. In Camelot we only have water and if you're fortunate you have milk.

[ and ale and mead and wine, but Gwen never tried those. ]

N-not that I mind the milk and the water. Or Camelot, really, I miss it quite often but -

[ she's doing it again isn't she? the babbling. She stops, smiles. ]

It is rather brilliant. Where can one find those...tea leaves? Where do they grow?

[Cedric appears on the screen, waving hello.]

Hello! I know we've all had a rough time of it lately and we've got some newcomers again, so I was wondering if you might be interested in trying the virtual reality system with me? I really like football, it's been going great, but I miss my own game. So I'd like to try us with a game from my world, Quidditch. That word probably means nothing to most of you, so I'll explain the game. Just try to follow along with the picture.

[Cedric holds up this crayon drawing, adjusting the tablet's position so that it can be seen more easily.]

( cut for crayon drawing and long description of silly broom games )

Time!

[ the screen flickers onto a scene in the training rooms; there's a complicated systems of fabricated heights and landscapes, all metal, but changing. it's for terrain training; so people can understand and utilize the things around them. it's simple and made of clean metal, and riku stands on one side of it, breathing heavily, eyes focused ahead. the camera itself is wobbly as intense flapping can be heard--it's most likely that the device is in the hands (well, claws) of one stellaluna the dream eater, especially in the way he glances towards the camera with a little smile.

the timer blinks on a screen above him; he turns his head to watch it blink 2:03, and he narrows his eyes, obviously displeased with that. the terrain changes again, and he yells start before he's set to run.

he just... doesn't run normally. he jumps from edge to edge where he should probably topple over the edge, tucks into a roll when he makes a slightly clumsy fall so he doesn't injure himself, climbs back up, slides and pitches himself suddenly forward, grabbing onto a ledge and hurtling himself backwards onto another one. nothing is purely decorative, not even the flips he does that seem a bit like showing off, some aspects purely gymnastic. either way, if he isn't doing an essential move, he's booking it straight to the other end of the course, head dropped low and tucked against his chest.

when he finally hits the flashing button on the end, he turns sharply. ]

Time!

[ loading. loading.

loading--

the same voice from before crackles. 1:49. he grins, and glances to stellaluna, raising his hand. ]

Hey, high-wing--

... hold it. [ squint. why do you have his tablet. why is the red light flashing--

fzzt. end feed. ]

[When the video clicks on, it's nicely arranged so that Seles is visible sitting in a chair in her room and her hat doesn't take up too much of the screen. Her hands are folded formally in her lap off screen and she gets right to the point.]

I'm interested in training... So for those of you who happen to be experienced in using swords, I'd like to request that you share your routines with me. I could make my own, of course, but I've heard it's more educational to encompass knowledge from a large variety of people.

And could Cloud respond to me as soon as possible? It's... regarding the same thing!

...Thank you. [Click!]

[A video feed begins, displaying a small girl sitting on her bed in her apartment quarters. She's fiddling with the placement of her netbook as it records, but she doesn't seem to realize it's... filming upside-down. When she's erroneously confident it's pointed in the right direction, she crosses her arms and grins.]

Hello, everyone. My name is Toph Beifong! I'm a new person here, but if you're from my world, you've probably heard of me. Greatest earthbender who ever lived, pioneer of metalbending, celebrated war hero. Not to mention a wanted person for a while, too. And the star of a smash-hit play.

[she straightens up and tips her head, apparently pretty proud of all that.]

Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know that I'm blind, so I can avoid having to explain it to each of you every time we meet. But - don't think I'm asking for your help or anything either, I can get around fine with earthbending. Basically, just don't bother coming at me with any pictures or books or papers or whatever. I can't see them or read 'em.

[she pauses as if about to say something else, and then suddenly brightens.]

Oh! I was gonna say not to bother sending me text messages either... but actually, I was messing with this thing earlier and I found out it could read them to me! [As she says it, she waves her hands in the air excitedly.] I mean they gave me one with special buttons just for me, so that I'd be able to use it, which is so cool already, but I never thought it would read for me on top of it! How awesome is that?!

[very awesome, because she's all smiles now.] So, I guess that even though you basically kidnapped us right when we were ready to start relaxing... I should say thanks to you Initiative people, too. I can't really think of anyone ever giving me something like this! You know... something that I normally wouldn't be able to use, but it's fixed so I can. It's kinda nice.

Anyway, uh... nice to meet you all! [she reaches towards the camera again and the video ends.]

[Arthur Pendragon, prince of Camelot, is wearing a very wrinkled version of his usual shirt, and someone has done up the laces crookedly.

actually, he looks a general mess. he's clearly made the effort to appear slightly presentable--his hair has been recently smoothed down with some water, though not as flat as it usually might lay--but his shirt looks like it was trampled beneath a horse's hooves and the room that he's in is a little hazy with smoke from some old fire. or hopefully it wasn't an actual fire, because it was meant to be dinner.

but he's here to make an official announcement, and so he's composed himself as best as he can--all slightly rumpled clothing and bad hair and smudges on his face aside--and he stares grimly into the camera. this is a dare to anyone to comment, to make any smart remark.]

I must speak with the witch Morgana. She can deliver herself, but I do not expect her to come when she is called upon. If there is any of this city that knows her location, send word to me, and you will be rewarded.

[he's not learned how to send messages privately, so here it is, curt clipped, and that might be all there is to it, but then he glances away, his face tightening into a small glare.]

I would speak, too, with anyone that can be counted honest enough to make a delivery. Your reward will be a smaller sum, but your service will be counted valuable.

[without Merlin, what choice does he have? the smoke seems somewhat thicker in the room now, and it's a good thing you can't smell over the devices, because it would smell strongly of burnt food now. Arthur spares the air an irritated glance and now, finally, he reaches to flip off the video before this gets any worse.]



[[ any roommates, feel free to notice the smoke/horrible smells/et cetera! ]]

[The first time the feed turns on, it focuses on a blank wall, and then blurs as it is turned around. Thorin emerges, leaning into the camera until the tip of his nose almost touches it. He stares for a few moments--a subtle wetting of his throat--and then he growls to himself:] Ridiculous. Nonsensical-- [He starts to say something else before it is cut off completely.]

[Almost an hour later he tries again, in a different room, with a grumpy, yet subjected scowl. This wasn't something he had been expecting to have to do again--was none too thrilled about the prospect of it--but it needed to be done.]

I have counted twenty-six days since I arrived in this place. Far more sunsets I have seen than the presence of my own kind. I had not wanted to believe it, but there are no dwarves here. Or they hide themselves well, even from me. [He hasn't seen a single mountain either, for that matter.] As far as I've gathered, we are but legend in this realm.

Then it is not a far stretch to assume you are in need of a smith or a stone worker--as your city lacks a pair of hands true in their mastership. I extend to you my services, and the guarantee you will not find one more skilled with a hammer or forge than a dwarf.

I go by Thorin Oakenshield. You may address me on this talking book.

[There's an exhale, a sound of fire crackling in the background. Ygritte has her furs on tonight, cold and alone. It's got her thinking.]

All this talk of war and all this new technology this place has, metal buildings, them weapons to wipe out the land and the trees, none's ever talked about death here. Like it's some cloaked figure. Death is a companion o' war. If you've ever killed someone, you'd know it.

[A pause.] I'm not afraid o' dyin'. My people have the blood o' the First Men in us. The children o' the forest used t'believe when you died you became a part o' the weirwood, but there's no weirwood trees about here. No heart trees neither. Suppose they believe different in the south, their Seven. There's no weirwood there neither.

I wonder what's t'become o' me now. Or any o' us. We burn our dead. Wouldn't want to come back anyhow, unnatural as it is. Though none o' you know the Others.

[She pauses again, mulling something over. People are always telling her how she must be glad she isn't home. No, it hurts still. It will always hurt.]

I'd like t'go north. How long does it take to get there? I've never been to the other part o' the city nor what lies beyond it.

Excuse me, if someone could help me for a moment?

[Anduin slips into view, peering solemnly at the screen. His voice is even and calm but there's an uncertainty rising in his eyes as he continues to speak.]

Has anyone seen my father? Varian Wrynn? Normally when he leaves like this I'm aware, but-

[But he's not sure, and he's uneasy even if he's doing well at hiding most of it.]

If anyone sees him, please let me know, or have him contact me, if you could. Thank you.

[Annnnd blackscreen.]

[An anxious Cedric appears on screen. He looks from left to right, his mussed hair flying just about everywhere. He taps the screen to ensure that it's turned on---in his mind this somehow serves a purpose. When he's sure everything's working, he waves.]

Hello! This is Cedric again. I've talked about this with one or two of you before. I'm sorry if I'm repeating myself or it's something you've all heard before, but this is something I need to sate my curiosity about. It's just that this world is so different from what I'm used to and there are so many different types of people. If that's even the word you prefer. And sometimes we have conflicts with one another.

So I have to ask: what do you think of people who are capable of using magic? Witches, warlocks, sorcerers, casters, wizards, or whatever you choose to call them. Are they all right, do you think? Or not?

[ as usual, Riku's been helping Transports that're coming in. it's the courteous thing to do, he figures. but even he needs a break, and remembering what he was told as a kid during the event, he's ... made something of a makeshift soccer field in one of the gymnasiums. with two goalposts and lines in tape, it looks like a proper field.

without the grass, of course. he'd love to play in the rain, but with all the new Transports and with dirt turning to mud and good god, the chill... well, not much of a game if everyone's slipping and sliding and freezing, anyway. he bounces the ball on his head like the proper showoff he is. ]

Who's up for a game?

There's got to be soccer--uh, or football [ he glances to the Initiative staff member who coughed when he said 'soccer' with a raised brow ] on other worlds, too.

There's a lot of new people around, now, like there always is around this time of month. So if you just arrived and need to kick something--

[ there's a flash of yellow and purple suddenly, and the ball he'd been bouncing is suddenly gone. he has to turn to look off-camera, and he levels his gaze. ]

C'mon, Stellaluna. You can't...

[ ...!

he rolls his eyes and moves off-screen, himself. ]

That's not for eating. Spit it out.

[ off-screen wrestling; the ball shoots out, hitting the chair his device is sitting upon. it tumbles over and reveals Riku taking the ball from a flapping bat's grip.

once the ball's let go, the bat perches atop his head, and he gives her a pet before looking back at the device. ]

... oh, right. [ he starts to get up. ] If you helped me as a kid, I'd like to talk to you. Privately.

[ he moves over, and clicks off the feed. ]

[On the feed, you can see a pretty blonde girl staring at the screen. She's brushing her long hair with one hand, reaching to poke around on the screen with the other.

Finally, she lets out a little sigh, and mutters:]

Same shit, different day, I guess.

[She'll finally look directly into the camera, now, and put on a bit of a smile as she continues brushing her hair.]

So, it looks like I'm one of the few people whose age didn't get screwed around with. Anyone else out there?

I think I missed the hat. [ No she's not joking, and yes she knows that sounds... odd ] And when your wardrobe's destroyed you get [ ... ] somewhere else not on the map. [ Not on her map. She's seen the map, and even if it looks vaguely familiar she doesn't remember anywhere known as Exsilium. Granted she's never heard of Storybrooke before or Fairy Tale Land before going there ]

If this hadn't been explained I would think I hadn't gone anywhere, or that this was Cora's doing. [ She may still be thinking that. Explanation or not it's not all sunk in yet, and considering she's here alone - her mother would be a better fit for this than her, not that she wants her stuck there either - it doesn't sound like something she wants to believe ] Which wouldn't be good. [ Just pointing that out ]

So. Just going to go out on a limb here. Has anyone read Snow White? [ Just in case? And why Snow White, other than the obvious ] Or... Pinocchio? [ As much as a friendly face could be nice she's not sure she wants to hear from them ]

Never mind. [ She sounds a little defeated, and she can't blame herself ] It was just a thought. [ A very bad one. On a scale of 1-10? ]

Okay, going with better questions I guess I need to know about this, or at least what's not covered in Exsilium 101. [ Great read, could have done with a joke or two though ] What don't they tell you? [ She needs that fine print ] Or a tip for getting used to it. [ Not settling in, that's not happening. And now she's stopping ] I'd appreciate it.