[The feed turns on to Gin, Seles and Yoruichi’s apartment, where the statue of Gin is just hanging out in their living room. Yoruichi is out of sight behind the camera, for some reason, filming the statue.]

[After a few moments, the feed swings over to a slightly different angle as Yoruichi takes a few steps to one side. Then she walks clear across the room, still keeping the statue the focus of the broadcast. Strangely enough, the terrible, knowing grin seems to be fixed on the camera, no matter where in the room she stands.]

[Finally, she speaks, her voice faintly disgruntled.]

No matter where you stand in the room, that thing looks like it’s watching you.

[She flips the device around, her expression matching her voice.]

You guys saw it too, right? I know I’m not crazy.

[With the video set up nice and neatly so she's shown sitting properly at her desk, Seles doesn't waste any time getting to the point.]

For those of you more informed in the workings of this city, I have a question! Is there a form I can fill out to request the removal of a roommate?

I believe there's a point where so much time dealing with an issue is enough to file an official complaint. They'll do something about this, won't they? [They better...! She's just been thinking on this the past two weeks and wondering how to approach it, if her huffy expression doesn't share that enough.]

...That is all, so thank you in advanced.

[Good morning, Exsilium! Rin Asano is cold, wet, hungry and irate this rainy Monday morning. Read on to find out why!

In a voice of pure seethe:]

You know we have some absolutely crazy people running around here? Not on medicine or anything or kept track of, no, well just running around.

Well you know who the very worst of them is? His name’s Gin Ichimaru, he’s this snaky, venomous, pallid, scrawny guy with white hair, and he’s a public menace, I’m not even kidding.

He’s a public menace! [Restated for emphasis.] That’s why you should come down to the hold, right now, and you should come and find him and – OHHH MY GOD AHHH –

[The splashing of footsteps as Rin books it, heard only briefly before she mashes the “mute” button on her communicator.]

 [You know what, Exsilium? Trying to figure out his own shit is giving Sam a headache. So he's going to try to figure out yours.]

Got a couple things on the agenda today so bear with me. Who knows, this just may end up saving your life down the line. So first thing first - if you see a ghost? RUN. Safest place to be, if ghosts here act like they should, is inside a salt circle, or in a room whose entrances are all guarded by undisturbed salt lines. Fill you in on it when it's tested, but it's better than nothing for now. If you can't run? Grab anything iron to defend yourself. Ghosts are weak to it. 

Item number two - raise your arm if you have no idea how the judicial system works here. If you do, explain it to the best of your understanding. The point of this is to eventually make a comprehensive accessible document. Laws and rights are kinda basic knowledge in a civilized society. 

Item number three - looking for someone? Want people from home to know you're here the moment they arrive, wanna let people know someone disappeared? Give me names, and I'll make an organized list we can pass around. There're a lot of posts on this network and it's way too easy to miss things. If you're looking for volunteers for anything, I can make a list for that too. 

Item number four - been on missions, willing to talk about your experiences on them, or just in Exsilium in general? I wanna hear all about it. Anonymously is just fine too. 

[Oh right]

Name's Sam Winchester, and if you're new, welcome aboard. Feel free to ask every question, if I can give you an answer I will. 

 [The woman who has pressed record on this tablet looks as though perhaps she has made a mistake because she does not speak for a long time, and seems to make no effort to find any words. It has taken her some time to come to terms with where she is, how she has come to be here, but it does not mean she has to like it and there is no doubt in her mind that she does not like it here with its ruined land and cities.

And ruined people.

She has yet to venture into the room that has been set aside for her in the Initiative hold, wanting nothing from these people who have taken everything from her, and instead she is sitting by a fire she's set for herself in the shell of a building where someone- her son, her adult son- has set up a camp, curiously studying this tablet which is somehow able to allow people to communicate. Ratonhnhaké:ton- and it is still strange and hard for her to associate a full grown man with the four year old she left behind- had shown her how it worked, and she puts this newfound knowledge to the test as she looks at the device.

For a while that is all she does, wondering what it is that people say on such a thing... why they would want to even. Nothing about this world makes sense.

The fire crackles some, she seems to poke at it with a stick causing sparks to fly, and then the sound of the almost omnipresent rain is accompanied by the low grumble thunder. While she glances out at the gloom she shakes her head and speaks, the corner of her lips quirking up just a fraction as she does, though her voice low and calm.]

With weather like this I can see why the British would have wanted to take other lands for their own. Does it do nothing but rain in this place?

[It is hardly the most scintillating way to introduce oneself to the neighbours, but Kaniehtí:io does not have much experience with small talk.]

By way of some odd notes about feet, it's come to my attention that yesterday was some sort of a sex holiday. That is, a holiday about sex, not a holiday from sex.

This morning, then, would be the morning after.

In a week or two, you should know whether you've picked up any unpleasant souvenirs of the holiday. Please see the attached document for some information on the subject, unless you are a small child.

[ ATTACHMENT: HELPFULINFORMATION. It's a comic entitled "Capt. Veedee-o and Ms. Wanda Lust in VD CLAPTRAP." Anders doesn't know to mark it not-safe-for-work. This is his work! ]

If you are a small child, you don't know what I'm talking about, and that's as it should be. You ought to go do something fun that doesn't involve listening to grown-ups discuss boring things on the network. Run around! Do you know how wonderful it is that you've got the freedom to run around outdoors whenever you like? I'm telling you, you really ought to take advantage of that. Don't take those freedoms for granted.

If you're a healer or a doctor of any sort, and you are not a small child, the transport clinic could probably use your help. The coming month may bring an explosion of nasty rashes or worse. Contact me, or our co-director Ashraf Salib, or Adrasteius who doesn't want to have a title. We'll put you to work, whatever it is you do.

Oh, and since Merrill's gone home ... [he won't admit he misses her, but: ] I suppose we could also use a receptionist. That's what it's called, yes? We didn't need receptionists at my clinic in Kirkwall. People would just come right in shouting about their wounds, and I'd see to them eventually, when I wasn't hands-deep in something else. Apparently having more than one healer in this Transport clinic means we need to be better-organized, therefore having someone in the front room is nice and useful.

_{( Remy is seated at one of the taverns in the city, drumming his fingers along the bar counter and regarding the tablet idly. )}

Y'know, I mighta been grateful that they'd gotten us all back an' put ta rights by the end a the holidays if there was a better way ta celebrate out here.

_{( That's about as close as he's getting to mentioning timeline discrepancies on his own, since his general philosophy is "let's not talk about it." )}

I haven't been home for Mardi Gras in years, but it still seems a shame ta let it go by without a second thought. Even if there's no music, no parades, and no king cake. But here's ta you, fellow Transports. We survived another month.

_{( He raises the bottle of beer he's been sipping from, tilts it back and then sets it back on the counter decisively. )}

Guess Valentine's a bit more popular, no? An' it's comin' up right around the corner. Hard thing ta celebrate when you're not with the people y'care about, but maybe we can make do with each other. Would be a shame ta waste another holiday. _{( That's all said in rolling, easy kind of tone--not upset, just thoughtful. He smirks at the camera, once, before the feed cuts. )}

[The feed turns onto a face that may be familiar to some. Her hair is much shorter, her eyes larger and her cheeks fuller, but it’s unmistakably Yoruichi, even if she only looks about nineteen right now.]

[She looks rattled, but determined not to let her recent arrival get to her all the same. Still, her words are hurried, betraying her obvious distress.]

If there’s anyone out there from the Onmitskidou, or the Gotei 13, or Seireitei...or Rukongai, I guess, can you let know? And if you know why all these humans can see us--

[She stops and pulls in a deep breath, her face firming]

I got an explanation but it doesn’t make sense. Since when are humans even capable-- [the last is a mutter, almost to herself] So just. If this thing’s working and you have some information, it’d be a big help.

[She bites her lower lip, then reaches out to turn off the device]

(ooc: Backdated to earlier today.)

Ah, so I see that it's that time again where our gracious hosts decide that they're not satisfied with their ranks and aspire to add to them. One might consider such behaviour to be excessively greedy, though I suppose it is the season... or at least it is the season in some other cultures. I vastly prefer the New Year to Christmas.

[Which has nothing to do with the fact that there are back to back birthdays on New Year's Eve and Day to look forward to, but that's neither here nor there.]

To take our minds off our rather unpleasant and uncertain futures, I propose a little survey amongst us. Tell me, fellow reluctant recruits, what is it that you want most for Christmas? Or, if Christmas is not your cup of tea, what will you be celebrating to help make the winter months that little bit less bleaker?

[The device powers on and the view swings around wildly for a moment as Rick turns it over in his hands:]

--amn thing. What do they even expect us to do with this piece of junk? What would anyone want a bunch of strangers spying on you for. Putting your face all over the place? No thanks.

Guess it makes for a good start to your paperweight collection though huh?--

[By the sound of it, it's fairly obvious that he has absolutely no idea that he's live. The netbook's camera focuses first on his shoes, then the drab grey sky then - finally - Rick's ruddy face. Upside down. He turns the device over and frowns at it - checks his teeth in video feed. Hello, you handsome devil. He taps the screen, the red light. Think that might be important?

He glances away and speaks to someone off screen.] Think I could hock it? [Cue the world's wryest smirk. Well someone thinks they're being clever.]

[ the camera flicks on and the image is that of a disused staircase and old iron railing at first. It then swings around showing what could have been a small parlor with the doors forced open and footprints in the dust. There's a soft voice chanting something in Japanese, but for those that know the language, it's basically a polite 'I am coming inside'. ]

It moved around a little but still is what I had found before. [ Takegami pauses and the camera moves over to a wide room, maybe once a small conference room or a ball room. There is a lot of debris swept up into a pile to one side, and sitting in the center of the room is a worn piano that someone has been patching up. ] See?

I was going to make this place into a club. Some drinks, some music, something other than the dull chatter about missions and fluctuating timelines. Something interesting or at least something that is not missions or recruiting armies.

I do think I would need some help with it. I am no carpenter and I hesitate to add that I know little about brewing arts although I can mix up several cocktails from simple ingredients. I would be most grateful for those that can help in that regard.

[ The camera swings around and there is Takegami, stripped down to a pair of worn jeans and a tank top. And for someone that complains he is not a fighter, he has muscles. He also looks sweaty and dusty, but still is smiling a little. ]

If you wish to help, it would be appreciated. I may be able to pay for that help in alcohol if not in money.

[Nick is sitting at a table in his favorite bar, a glass of beer sitting on the table and a silver-plated lighter in his hand. He’s turning the lighter over and over, tapping it against the table occasionally.

His usual pissed-off look has been replaced with one that’s more somber.]

Y’know, I’ve never actually killed a person before. I’ve killed hundreds of zombies, and my dad took me hunting when I was younger – deer and elk, mostly. But I’ve never killed an actual person until that mission we went on.

It felt… different… than I thought it would.

[He taps a sealed package of cigarettes lying next to the beer.]

I gave up smoking about ten years ago… I’m starting to wonder why.

[The pissed-off look is back as he shakes his head irritably.]

Fuck this shit. We went back in time, right? By our standards, those fuckers had been dead for thousands of years. We were just… reenacting history. Nothing to feel guilty about.

[It's extremely obvious that someone who isn't used to this kind of technology has been unleashed upon the tablet. And this is the most successful attempt. At least Varian has managed to find the text function.]

i will not be taking part in any of your games do you hear me? if you think i will be rolling over and just accepting that you are taking a man hostage in the most dire of times then you are thinking wrong. i do not care what your reasoning in i have things that require being taken care of back in stormwind

how dare you, that you have even attempted this. you wILL SEND ME BACK RIGHT NOW. DEATHWING'S ARMIES ARE ON THE MARCH UPON THE WORLD AND YOU HAND ME SOME KEY AND TELL ME TO GO LIVE IN A HOUSE? I WILL NOT TAKE THIS SITTING DOWN I WILL SPEAK TO YOUR LEADER AND YOU WILL SEND ME BACK. I DO NOT CARE HOW THIS HAPPENED I ONLY CARE THAT YOU WILL FIX THIS AND FIX IT RIGHT NOW. EVEN THis device is some gnomish contraption that is a pain to use. someone had better be reading this. who's in charge? where are they?

[So... monsters.

As if being transported back into time against your will and being basically forced to fight humans wasn't bad enough, coming back to what is supposed to be 'home' for now to find it crawling with monsters isn't exactly good for Byakuya's temper.

He's been good, he avoided killing as many people as possible during the mission because he didn't want to be involved. Monsters, though, he has no qualms about those. They even look like Hollows, in a way, and are clearly just beasts.

This one is big, though. So it requires a little more firepower than what he has been using so far.

He unsheathes his word and extends his arm, blade directed downwards ... and drops the sword, which disappears into the ground, as if swallowed by it.]

Bankai.

[The area around him darkens as giant blades erupt from the ground, framing him.]

Chire, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.

[The blades seemingly explode into a multitude of what looks like cherry blossom petals... but they clearly are not, since the beast starts writhing in pain and bleeding from what appear to be multiple cuts to vital points.

And then, a silhouette appears behind Byakuya. A samurai wearing a mask that hides his entire face. The silhouette is half transparent, and Byakuya's eyes widen as he turns around to face it, beast enemy momentarily forgotten.]

... Senbonzakura?

[The silhouette appears to look in Byakuya's direction. Just before it fades away again, a single word is caught by the feed.]

'Master!'

((OOC: There are millions of blades the size of a flower petal floating in the wind in the area around Byakuya and the monster. He is usually in perfect control of them, but something surprising happened, so if you'd like your character sliced up a little - or a lot - feel free to make it happen!))

[Here we are inside Unit 605, and Urahara is sitting in an armchair in his room. Since getting back to the apartment from the bunkers, he's tried to make the modernistic surroundings more his own; a scroll with some calligraphy hangs from the wall, he's somehow managed to turn his linen green and there are one or two odd nicnacs he's managed to unearth from somewhere, which includes the armchair he's currently sitting in with a very content looking black cat sitting on his lap. He's idly stroking her with his fingertips, while he taps his chin with a folded fan that he holds with his right hand. ]

Good evening everyone, I hope you are all in good spirits.

[He keeps tapping his chin a little longer, then he snaps open his fan with a loud 'crack'.]

What a month it has been! Those bombs really were a most unpleasant surprise, hmm? And as for that business with androids being in charge of our enemy, what a shocker! It seems that this world is rife with misinformation. That is not surprising of course, seeing as the whole of the world's history has been coloured by numerous dark and terrible deeds of deception, I am not at all surprised it remains the same some centuries into the future~

[For her part, the cat merely opens an eye briefly, her tail making a lazy, sinuous lash before stilling once again. Urahara brushes a hand over her head for a moment, his smile lazy and indulgent. Clearly we have a cat person on our hands.]

Did you know that centuries ago, when fine European ladies used to want to get the attention of a man who'd captured their interests, they used to pass messages with their fans? Just an ordinary fan like this one I have right here- [He turns his open fan once, then twice, showing both sides and just how ordinary it is]- and it it could be used to arrange clandestine meetings between lovers or express a lady's disgust.

[He chuckles and drops the fan so that it's open over his chest as he tickles the cat under the chin.]

I'm a big fan of ingenuity like that, no pun intended. But it does make one wonder... if such a simple, ordinary, every day object can be used for subterfuge in the days long past... what could our more technologically advanced hosts and enemies be capable of?

[He scoops up his cat with his free hand, closes his fan and then taps the handle against his lips.[Said cat dangles from his hand without protest, but when she opens her eyes, she looks distinctly unimpressed.]

[He taps his lips again.]

[She yawns, still unimpressed.]

[He brushes the tip of his nose against hers.]

[And abruptly the cat seems to have had enough. She twists out of his grip, then pushes off from his lap to headbutt him right in the forehead. Ignoring his startled cry, she calmly turns and walks off screen, tail held high.]

Yoruichi-saaaaaan, what was that for?

[And then he sheepishly ends the feed.]

You know, there's really nothing like spending time in caves to make you appreciate the great, unenclosed outdoors. [ though the scenery leaves something to be desired. ace misses the sea like burning.

buuut that's not actually why he spent time figuring out this new holographic, folding tablet thing. (look, it's a pain in the ass for someone who's used to communicating via snails. i'm not kidding.) he clears his throat a little awkwardly. ]

Ah, I know everyone's still rebuilding, but... Does anyone know if there's any place around here where a guy can get a tattoo? Or are there any artists on this thing? Thanks.

( ooc: dated to a bit earlier in the evening. )

[ Edgeworth is sitting his room tonight as he address the network; someone who knew him well might suggest that he looks tired - exhausted, even - but if questioned about it, he'll just deny it. ]

Good evening, fellow transports. For those of you I've yet to meet, my name is Miles Edgeworth and I am a prosecuting attorney.

Tonight, I bring forward to you all an idea that I have been considering since my arrival here last month. As some of you may know, Exsilium currently has no internal judicial system. That is, no police, no courts, no prisons... and even worse, no laws. Both in light of recent events and out of concern for possible future occurrences, it would be my preference to implement some sort of system to deal with inter-transport conflicts.

I am willing to work to my full capacity to ensure the functionality of such a system and all that it entails, but I do acknowledge that I am only one person, and I cannot achieve my goals alone. So, I ask: who amongst us would be willing to assist me in this matter, so that we can ensure a safe and just society for all of us who have been brought here?

And a second question, if you don't mind: I am aware that there are many individuals from a wide array of disparate alternate realities, and that the judicial system as I know it might not exist where you are from. If this applies to you, I would welcome any information about how crime was handled in your reality.

Thank you for your time.

[ At the end, he submits a text version of his main points for reference: ]

1. Would you be willing to assist with the creation of a transport-run judicial system and an accompanying set of laws?
2. If your judicial system differs from the one I have briefly described, how does it differ, and what aspects did you like/dislike about this system?

I will answer any further questions or discourse on this topic, and you are of course free to discuss it amongst yourselves.

- Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth

[The feed turns on to a pair of large golden eyes. They pull back just far enough to reveal a dark-skinned face framed in black hair--a woman who looks to be in her mid to late twenties. A large bowl--about the size of a mixing bowl--rests on the seat next to her, the tips of a pair of chopsticks barely visible over the rim; she’d wasted no time raiding the fridge after her arrival]

[Frowning, she reaches out to hit a key on the netbook, clearly not yet at ease with her new communication device.]

They could have better explained how to use this... [She mutters, giving the computer a narrow look as she decides whether or not it’s actually working. Finally, she shrugs, figuring she might as well try.]

I assume everyone got the same story upon arrival. I can’t help but wonder at the fact that people with the power to pull us from our homes without warning aren’t capable of winning a war without our help.

[Her voice is even, with a clear sardonic edge that suggests she’s not quite ready to jump in and be a team player just yet. Still, she’s not rushing to judgment just yet, preferring to gauge the attitudes of others presumably in her situation.]

So, tell me--assuming you all cooperate with our [abductors] hosts--how did they convince you to do so?

[pauses]

And on the off chance there’s anyone here from Seireitei or Karakura, I’d appreciate you contacting me.

[Frowns again, and reaches out to tap the screen.]

Shit, this thing isn’t on, is it?

[She sighs and stands up; might as well go out in her cat form and gather information that way, until she can figure out how to work this stupid thing.]

[That decided, she hooks her thumbs into her waistband and draws her pants off in one smooth motion.]

[Luckily for those more squeamish, her shirt hits the tops of her thighs, keeping this PG-13]