ARRIVAL LOG 009

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: New Tokyo
WHEN: October 10
WHAT: The ninth arrival
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion and loss of autonomy. Further notes at end of log.

> ARRIVAL LOG #009

Awareness comes to you in blurred snatches, cloudy fragments of sound and light, color, sensation. Hazy and difficult to grasp on to, but slowly aligning into focus. A series of regular, rhythmic beeps. A sharp, cold breeze that blisters your cheeks as you walk through a thick, cold snow. That soon fades, replaced with warmth. A medicinal, astringent smell. The sensation of movement, a low hum and accompanying vibration under you. Your eyes are heavy, hard to keep open, but in the glimpses between slow, dark blinks you see four people in black body armor seated opposite you, as well as a man in dark gray scrubs.

You realize there are others next to you. All of you in heavy winter coats, water-resistant pants, and snow boots, hair recently cut but at various stages of growth and haphazardly tucked under warm winter hats. You're all restrained by straps across your chests, arms, feet, holding you to the bench under you. To your left, an armored interior door, two more people visible, though due to the storm there's hardly any visibility through the windshield. You try to open your mouth to speak, but it's as if your tongue is coated in tar, and you manage nothing more than an empty parting of lips.

The vehicle stops, landing gingerly in the snow. The guard opposite you stands and comes to unbuckle you from the bench, helping you to your feet. Your limbs feel wooden and heavy, slow to move. One guard opens the back of the vehicle, there's the sound of a high howling wind and that same blast of cold that signals at being somewhere else, combined with a sea of white as far as your eyes can see. The nurse moves to stand at the back, checking each passenger over one by one just before they're helped out of the vehicle, quick and methodical. He doesn't climb out after you, moving to sit as the last passenger is unloaded.

The guards keep their heads down. Their actions are quick, firm, but not entirely unkind. Once all the passengers are out, most of them climb back into the vehicle and close the doors. One stays behind, pointing you and whoever else is near you to one of the closest buildings. "In there," he orders, just before he interfaces with the doors and they slide open. "Stick around until your buddies come to find you. You'll know who they are."

Snow comes up to your knees on this city street, and you're left with no idea of where you are or why you've been brought here. But you'll feel compelled to move toward the building that the guard pointed at and step inside. In fact, you'll have no choice but to follow that order. Once you're in, he closes the doors behind you and hops back inside the vehicle. The engine powers up again, and then the large truck lifts up slowly and flies off.

Inside you'll find the lobby of what seems to be a corporate building. After taking note of the fact that there's a small group of other people dressed in similar clothes who are also confused about how they got to this place, you'll be able to warm up and try to figure out what's going on. For now, it's impossible to exit the building. The same door you came in won't open no matter what you try, so you're all stuck for now.

But don't worry, help is on the way.

◉ Though entirely capable of independent action and thought, new characters will find themselves completely, unquestioningly compliant to any verbal statement which could be taken as a command or request.

> WATANABE CORPORATE BUILDING

The message from El comes the same as usual: insistent, not waiting for any active attempt to open it. Scrolling within your vision as if being written while you're reading it.

I know you all were wondering what would happen if we had a batch of new arrivals while you're all out on your little field trip, but it turns out that they've all landed in New Tokyo too. They're holed up in the lobby of a corporate building, so make your way over and escort them to the PRESERVE dorms. Try for a warm welcome, okay?

At the lobby where the new arrivals have been dumped, they'll find that there's a check-in desk which is currently unmanned, and on the wall behind it there's a logo mounted which reads "Watanabe Corporation." There's no one to be found here and no one to greet them. The good news is that the building is heated, meaning that those heavy coats can probably come off for now. Further in on the ground floor, there's a set of six elevators that presumably lead up to the many floors of the skyscraper, but they're non-functional, and there don't seem to be any accessible stairs either.

For now, all the newcomers can do is make use of the comfortable chairs in the lobby and commiserate among themselves about what's going on. There's a water cooler and some cups to make use of as well, all of it made of biodegradable material, but there's only so much. Try to share.

The Displaced who received a message from El will have also received a GPS pin showing the location of the new arrivals. At this point, the promised supplies (which includes clothing appropriate for the harsh weather, along with additional foodstuffs to stock the dormitory kitchen) have come in compliments of PRESERVE. Everyone will be allowed to leave the dorms where they've been cooped up for the last two days to explore the city or go help out the newcomers.

Getting around a city covered in snow is a little more of a challenge. Going by foot is an option, although most of the streets haven't been shoveled yet and it will be slow-going. It's more feasible to make use of a hover bike. There's a garage connected to the dormitory that's stocked with twenty-some bikes. While they don't function perfectly well over snow and reckless driving with such poor visibility could easily lead to a cold and painful crash, it has to beat walking. If you don't how to drive, guess you'll have to find someone who does. (The bikes can seat two.)

> PRESERVE DORMS

With the help of the current Displaced, the new arrivals will be brought back to a dormitory building managed by PRESERVE. PRESERVE is a world-wide relief organization that focuses on environmental conservation and disaster relief. While a good number of Morningstar agents have joined up with PRESERVE thanks to their charitable activities and because they're UN sanctioned, it is not an organization that's affiliated with Morningstar. As a group, they are entirely pacifistic in their ideals – they believe the world can be saved through being conscientious.

The Displaced are here because they agreed to help PRESERVE with a very different disaster, but that's now a very severe and uncommon snowstorm. This is where they're all staying during the trip, so while this isn't anything close to home, it will have to do for now. A representative from PRESERVE by the name of Nico has been hanging around the dorms, ready to answer any questions from any of the Displaced, new or old. Nico is also a member of Morningstar, as well, though she'll be very hush hush about this fact when around her fellow PRESERVE members.

Newbies will be allowed to pick out additional clothes and gear from a cache of supplies (there's coats, thermal underwear, boots, scarves, hats, gloves, and anything else that would be needed to survive the intense cold), and they'll also need to figure out which of the rooms has an opening where they can sleep. It's four people to a room, with the use of two sets of bunk beds, and space was already limited before the newcomers got added to the mix. Hopefully peace can be maintained and there won't be too much fighting over who gets top bunk.

Other than the rooms, the dorm building has a kitchen, a large common area with comfortable couches and chairs, communal bathrooms, and a small, modestly stocked infirmary. There's also a viewing room which is a large space furnished with bean bag chairs and other comfortable things to lounge on, and a large blank wall that's meant to be used for group viewings of movies, shows, etc. This requires one character to "throw out" their feed from their neural implant onto the wall, and anyone who wanted to watch with them would need to sync up with their ID to watch along. Anyone not synced would just see a blank wall – and unfortunately, that does include anyone new.

There are other PRESERVE volunteers staying in this dormitory and milling about. Many of them already had supplies, so they've been in and out since the Displaced arrived.

◉ The drugs making new characters compliant will remain in their systems for a few hours after their arrival at the dorms before finally beginning to fade. They will be gone entirely after a night's rest. In the meantime, they may want to be careful of what others say to them.

◉ New characters will be given rudimentary access to the network on arrival to the dorms, but will not have their ID set up yet. They will be able to make posts and replies, but their messages will be anonymous and they do not have inboxes yet.

◉ Normally, new characters are confined to a safehouse for 4 days before they can leave and explore the city. Given that these newbies have arrived under unorthodox circumstances, that won't be the case for them. They'll be able to come and go from the dorms, but given that it's a frozen tundra outside, they'll at least want to prep first. At some point during this adjustment period, you can assume that El will contact them and work on setting up their IDs. There is no law enforcement around in these conditions, so anyone wanting to head out can.

◉ New characters won't be able to abscond to somewhere else in the world, as a lack of ID means no tickets or travel papers.

◉ While most businesses in New Tokyo are shuttered, a few convenience shops remain open near PRESERVE's dormitories because they know they can make money off volunteers. New characters won't have any means of paying, as they don't have a registered ID. They'll have to see if a kind soul will spot them the credits if they want something.

> RELIEF EFFORTS

With the new arrivals successfully recovered and supplies delivered to keep everyone warm in the harsh conditions, it's time to set out and fulfill the reason for everyone being here: to offer support and relief to the population affected by the harrowing storm. Nico will provide the Displaced with the information they need to get their boots on the ground and make a difference. There are a number of ways that she'll suggest to help out.

◉ First, she'll deliver a word of caution. While New Tokyo is a large, entirely steel city that runs deep underwater, most of its citizens have evacuated to the upper levels and are huddling down in various locations hoping for some relief. Heading deeper in the large city structure could prove dangerous. In this emergency, heating is centralized on the upper levels of the entire man-made metal city structure, while the lower levels are frigid and dangerous at this time. The only heating revolves around the trains coming and going, and their schedules have been largely delayed thanks to the storm.

◉ Delivering food, clothing, and medical supplies. With power cut off from most homes and all of the citizens having been cautioned to stay indoors and conserve warmth, there are a lot of people running low on food stores. Those who live in impoverished areas are even worse off, with little insulation in their homes. The threat of some people freezing to death is real, so getting the needed supplies to those people could allow them to hold out until power is restored or the storm has passed. Nico encourages people to travel to these neighborhoods in pairs for safety reasons, and again, the hover bikes will come in handy here. Supplies can be carried in heavy-duty backpacks or in a side-car attached to the bike, and all of this is provided by PRESERVE.

◉ Shoveling snow. For those of the Displaced who aren't opposed to grueling manual labor, one of the largest concerns is getting the major streets cleared of snow so that transportation is easier. The train lines also need to be cleared off so public transit can eventually be reinstated, so assuming they're not afraid of heights, the Displaced will get access onto the train tracks that crisscross above the city to clear the snow off. Some homes are also completely snowed in, trapping the residents inside, so those will also need to be cleared. There's no shortage of work to be done. PRESERVE will provide the snow shovels, and they have access to a single snow plow that can be used in shifts by anyone who's got a driver's license (also found in the garage). Nico will also hand out hot packs. Everyone should be bundling up, but in the event that someone takes a fall or ends up with too much snow-to-skin contact, the hot packs will help stave off the cold and prevent frostbite.

◉ Missing persons. There have been multiple reports of missing persons sent into PRESERVE, and the Displaced will be assigned particular people to go look for, if they let Nico know they're interested in this task. She'll give them the description of the missing person and their last known location. This could be anywhere within the city of New Tokyo -- a shopping district, a residential area, a park, etc. If they manage to find the missing person, they'll be instructed to take them to the closest PRESERVE relief center so they can receive medical attention and be reunited with their families.

◉ Restoring power. Turbines are jammed due to ice build-up past any conceivable norm, and need to be carefully thawed and given a jump from a backup battery pack. This is a highly dangerous, but necessary endeavor. The turbines are located offshore due to the fact that New Tokyo primarily generates energy through tidal power. When working correctly, these offshore turbines then feed energy into local sources within the city. For those who have any sort of experience with electrical work, they'll be directed toward areas in the city where covered electrical boards interconnected with the city's branched power source have been buried. They'll need to be cleared of snow, checked, reconnected, and made ready for when the turbines begin to flow again.

While the new arrivals are welcome to help out with these relief efforts if they wish, it certainly won't be expected, given that they're still getting adjusted to everything that's going on. They're allowed to stay in the warm confines of the dormitory building until everyone returns to New Amsterdam, if that's what they would prefer. As for the rest of the Displaced, there will be some expectation that they're going to contribute. That's the whole reason they came all this way, isn't it? And it's not like Nico knows that some of them didn't actually sign up for this.

> FINAL OOC NOTES

Welcome to Meadowlark, newbies! You're now free to post to the network and logs comms. To reiterate, your characters will have no IDs or inboxes until October 14th (OOCly, April 25th). All posts they make on the network until that point will be anonymous. During this time it's expected they'll have gotten a good idea of their new situation from their fellow characters, and will have discussed their background and job potentials with El in order for their false IDs to be set up.

If you have any questions or ideas about how you'd like to get your character involved in the world, please head over to the plot engagement post and drop us a comment! For questions specific to this log, there is a thread below.

Please check out our April/May calendar rundown for a look at things happening this month, as well as some additional notes from the mods.

As a reminder, AC for new characters accepted in April will be 10 comments across 2-4 threads, while current characters will need to provide the full AC of 20 comments across 2-4 threads. AC will be posted on May 1 and close on May 8 at midnight UTC. If you do not reply to AC, you will be considered idled and dropped from the game. We will not post a warning list.

> NAVIGATION

Comments

[adsero]

[It's a natural movement to put his fingers through the (shorter...?) hair at the back of Cain's head. This is good, the little moment that speaks commitment to what Abel needs now. Whatever anyone said about Cain, they'd never seen this part that Abel loves too much.]

Yeah, okay. Anywhere is better than here.

[blyat]

Okay. C'mon.

[Action feels better than the quiet, uncertain, unraveling thing that now rests between them, set aside until they can figure out the next step. He wants to reach out and wipe the moisture from Abel's face, but a furtive glance at their surroundings -- and Abel himself -- makes him reevaluate. He doesn't know what's okay. What lines he should avoid toeing across for fear of setting this back further. Even if the words, I don't want this be over either, continue to loop in his mind. An insistent and hopeful echo.]

Here, I'll take this, but you gotta get bundled back up. [He reaches to retrieve the jacket from Abel's shoulders, then bends down to fetch the outer layers of clothing likely provided by their captors. Careful hands coax Abel back into them. A hat comes down over short blond hair, fingertips tucking a few tufts under the wool brim. Then the scarf, wound around his throat.] Fucking cold out there. And we're driving back. Ever been on a hoverbike before?

[adsero]

[Abel has seen Cain like this before in a much smaller capacity-- turning the corner in that cargo bay to find a blanket spread out just for them, so they could drink and watch the stars, was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him. In the moment, it had turned an upsetting day completely around. He remembers the talk better than some of their nights spent fucking endlessly, though now the memory of it is peppered with Abel questioning everything. He stands up and relaxes his arms so Cain can get them back into the sleeves-- Maybe he did it because he heard about you talking with Praxis. His hair feels shorter while Cain tucks it back into the hat, he hadn't realized it before now-- No, you told him your day had been lousy, that's when he decided to do that. He tips his chin up so Cain can wrap the scarf tightly enough, it really is so cold, he felt the wind slipping in through any gap in his clothing-- It ended too strangely for it to be another lie.]

[Hoverbike?]

[Abel perks up a little, his eyes finally brightening in interest.] No, I've only been on a regular motorcycle. With all the snow out there though, it makes sense to ride over it. [He has questions of course-- what's the technology? How did they manage to make it small enough to fit on a bike? He's, strangely, a little excited to see it despite everything else going on.]

[He looks back at Cain, all bundled up, looking and feeling like a marshmallow. He pats his pockets for a moment before finding the gloves and starting to put those on.] I think this is the most clothing I've ever worn. So many pieces to keep track of...

[blyat]

[There's no real reason to pretend he doesn't want to do this, wrapping Abel carefully up in the protective winter gear. No reason to pretend he isn't interested in hearing about Abel's experience with motorcycles, or snow, or the differences in climate between their home worlds. Not when all of that is bared open between them now. This may be a tenuous, tentative new thread of their partnership, but Cain is more genuinely himself than he was in the military. He's had three months to make that transition, and it gets a little bit easier each day.]

Yeah, it's good for this kinda weather. I'll drive. Maybe when you've had some rest and eaten something, you can take one for a run. [A slight smile touches his lips, there and gone.] You look like you're drowning in all that gear. Gotta make sure a harsh wind doesn't tip you over.

[With one step back, he surveys Abel's new look to ensure he's well suited for the outside environment.]

... You can call me Alexei. It's not... somethin' I'm going by in public, only a couple of people know by accident. So. If you want.

[adsero]

[It does feel like Abel is slowly being let behind the curtain, seeing the whole of who Cain is behind all of the secrecy and distraction-sex. Every time Abel got close to some part of Cain that he wasn't meant to see, he'd been pushed back. But these glimpses, these moments where he sees something he hasn't before, Abel embraces them. Cherishes them. This small smile as he looks at Abel, ridiculously bundled, it's precious. Abel smiles back, embarrassed, disappearing a little lower into his scarf.] It was a little touch-and-go on the walk from the van.

[He stands at attention for Cain to survey his work, but he feels pretty solid now. But maybe that was just a pause to gather himself for what's next... Abel had thought that Cain would pitch his task name immediately, after what Abel said to him in the observation deck. That had been intentional, a slap to the face because that's how Abel fights-- with words. It wasn't kind, Cain had been upset too after all, that had just been a way to turn the hurt back on him. He regrets it now.]

I think it's going to be a while before I can call you 'Cain' without feeling like I'm punishing you-- when it's just us, I mean. I'm sorry, for calling you that on the observation deck. It was cruel. [He looks down at the middle of Cain's chest, clearly replaying the moment in his mind and regretting it.] I still like the idea of you calling me Ethan. So. If you want...

[blyat]

[It hurt then, and the reminder of that memory is a sharp sting, but it's not as if Abel can be blamed. He gives a tight, quick shrug of shoulders.]

Had every reason. Handled it a lot better than I might've, didn't even try to punch me in the face. [Meant to be a tease however off-color, Cain's mouth twitches in another brief hint of a smile.] So... Ethan, then.

[Only the second time he's said it aloud, but it feels good. Sounds right. And it has Cain's chin dipping down, uncharacteristic self-consciousness bristling up in him, a wave of awareness. Surreal to realize Abel is here at last, after so many weeks of imagining this, wanting it with every selfish fiber of his person. He turns toward the exit, glances back.]

Ready to go?

[adsero]

If you think I'm handling this better than you would have, just wait until I don't feel like my head is full of rocks. [Also mostly an off-color tease, though Abel still feels like the whole treason-jump-drive-van-snow-kidnapping-here's-Cain thing has put off a lot of the thinking he needs to do. Cain always expressed himself externally, if only he knew everything that went on when Abel was quiet. Right now it feels like dozens of monsters are waiting for their turn to do their song and dance, and he'd have to give each one its due consideration.]

[Suddenly he's exhausted again.]

[At least until he hears his name, not pleading with him, just like Cain's trying it out for the first time. Abel likes it, the vowels somehow sounding softer than when someone else rushes through it. He realizes he's staring after Cain, having processed the question but the answer hasn't come out yet. He reaches for Cain's hand, like they've done before on their way back to quarters.]

Let's go.

[blyat]

[There's a dry little breath of laughter, one quiet bark, because he gets it. Too much to digest, too much going on, he doesn't blame Abel at all for needing some time. Maybe he'll get that punch later after all. Cain would take it -- knows he deserves it no matter how much Abel absolves him of the entirety of the blame. So what if he got his arm twisted into it? He still took the contract. He wanted his freedom badly enough to hurt someone else to get it.

His priorities just... changed, somewhere along the line. He's startled when Abel's hand wriggles into a loose grasp around his own, knuckles flexing to thread their fingers together. A giddy knot hitches in his chest. It's something, more than he thought he'd get, maybe ever again.]

This way, sweetheart. [A familiar endearment, although with less of the usual crass bite his tone is prone to carry. Cain leads them back outside where he left the borrowed bike parked in the snow, stopping to push a pair of goggles into Abel's hands, and then a helmet, both stowed in a storage compartment above the back wheel.] I won't go too fast, but you're gonna want to keep your arms around me tight. Got the strength for that?

[adsero]

[Yes, usually that word was reserved for when Abel was being just a little precious about something, and he took the tease in stride. Cain called him all kinds of things, baby, sweetheart--]

['He called you a slut!']

[...probably that. But it's soft now, and Abel squeezes Cain's hand to indicate he appreciates it. It's the one point of familiarity he has right now, he's going to hold onto it both literally and figuratively.]

[He follows Cain out with his eyes on their hands, trusting him to lead them for once, wincing when the bite of cold air hits him again. Abel wants to go back to the climate controlled interiors of the Sleipnir, he doesn't like this at all. It takes him a moment after Cain hands the gear to him to figure out that he should put the helmet on over his hat instead of taking it off-- then he has to take the helmet off anyway to put the goggles on first. Too many pieces, too much for him to keep track of right now.]

[But he nods anyway.] Yeah, I can do that. [He climbs onto the back of the bike, the only thing he's felt graceful doing this entire crazy day, and wraps his arms around Cain. Not some polite, leave-room-for-Jesus thing-- he's right up against his back, exhausted and cold.]

It's odd being back here, but I don't have to do much so that's nice.

[blyat]

[Much quicker with the motions of gearing up, Cain's hands settle over the handles of the bike as he straddles it, legs loose and splayed to either side of the vehicle, patient and waiting. He'd help, but he has to spend that brief interlude of time tracking their route back with the implant's GPS, which will appear externally as though he's staring in hard and concentrated silence at the hoverbike's windscreen.

And then Abel's there up against his back, arms a vice around his waist. Warm even through the layers of clothing. Guiltily, it feels good. One of his gloved hands lowers to squeeze Abel's forearm and tug it centimeters tighter, just for good measure. A quick neural handshake starts up the bike's near-silent electric motor.]

You can always drive me around later if you want. [Soft, a gentle offering.] But you'll have to bear with my driving for now. Promise it's not total shit.

[They had vehicles on Mars, after all, even if the high-end models were reserved primarily for stationed military personnel. Colonists could still get their hands on a snowmobile here and there.

Cain reaches up, pushes the vizor of the helmet over his face, kicks the bike's stand back and rolls out toward the white wasteland ahead.] Wind's about to get real cold, keep your head down.

[adsero]

[All of this would be so much easier if Cain didn't care. If he didn't tell him to wear a helmet, hold on tight, no tighter, I'll drive slow, you can drive next time-- he wouldn't feel so sick as he leaned heavily against Cain's back like they were speeding out of the Sleipnir again off to who knew where.]

I'm sure it's fine. [He swallows and decides to volunteer:] I had a motorcycle back home. Just used to driving myself around, my dad wouldn't let me use his car. [Too noticeable, after all. He hated the motorcycle, obviously, but it was hard to take something away that was legally Abel's. It was practically the only thing that was entirely his, it was his freedom before joining the Alliance.]

[He curls the side of his head against Cain's back and hangs on, shrinking as far back as he can into the slipstream. His thighs are freezing, but at least it isn't his face.]

[blyat]

[Another glimpse into the world of Ethan. He glances back over his shoulder, then turns his focus toward the task of driving as the wind picks up and the bike cuts across the endless snowy plain. If Abel had access to an implant and ID, maybe he could use this opportunity to send a message through that -- considering he's set the bike to route itself autonomously, mostly, and he's needed only to steer -- but for now it can wait.

The image of Abel with a motorcycle is one that fixes itself in his mind for the duration of the trip back to PRESERVE's headquarters. When they make it, Cain slows the bike, leads it into the garage underneath the raised storm-door, and then kills the motor. The windchill has him shaking out his hands with a hiss.]

Fuck, it's so fucking cold! [He wraps arms around himself, shivering as his body begins to acclimate to the warmer interior climate.] Would kill for a hot shower right now.

[Not the time for that, since he's left Prompto and Hideki for approximately two hours now. Counter's running out. And he has to get Abel somewhere he can begin to wind down, adjust, ride out the compliant drugs in his system.] You doing okay?

[adsero]

[Abel is somewhat okay.]

[His legs are just frozen around the bike, and getting off is proving to be more embarrassing than getting on. But he manages without falling over, he just looks like a drunk giraffe. It's probably a little funny to watch.]

[He straightens up, also rubbing his lower arms to try to get warm, locking eyes with Cain at the mention of a hot shower. His face is pink from the wind, obviously, not at all from the idea of him and Cain getting warm together, sharing a quiet, private moment of connection again--]

I'm cold too. [It's a lame answer, and the most obvious one.] Where are we? [Abel looks around at the garage and the rest of the vehicles, all lined up in neat rows and ready for... something. Is this a barracks of some kind?]

[blyat]

[Climbing off the bike seat stiffly, Cain stretches out his limbs to encourage warmth to circulate into them. He almost reaches out to steady Abel, but the movement is aborted when it seems like he'll be able to manage without tipping over. Cute. A sinister little whisper at the back of his mind, but he's cautious of that now -- acting on impulses, wanting to grab or touch Abel, handsy as they once were with greedy frequency.

Cain leads them further inside the building as he realizes there's so much he hasn't told Abel. The adjustment period won't be quick, but he's prepared to share everything he can.]

We're in... it's a megacity called New Tokyo. All of us are here, the displaced. [As the term seems to have been coined.] Got conscripted to help with relief efforts after this big snowstorm hit. Usually we're across the ocean, over in another megacity called New Amsterdam. That's where we live. Won't be able to get back for a while, though.

[Quiet, he steps into one of the hallways, navigating a path toward the dormitories.]

This is the headquarters of these guys called PRESERVE. They're housing us for now. Didn't think new arrivals would get dumped here too, but I guess whoever's doing this to us is keeping a close eye.

[adsero]

They knew where to put us so you would find us in time...

[Abel still can't believe that they were dropped in the middle of a snowstorm and still managed to be rescued before anybody started panicking. It feels too convenient. Especially if Cain just happened to be all the way over here, fresh from New Amsterdam-- which he imagined couldn't be too far from the original one.]

They weren't rough like you'd expect, one of them took my vitals before telling me to walk. Like they wanted to make sure I wasn't going to flatline halfway to the building. [He frowns, trying to work out why they would be kidnapped, then released back into the wild like rehabilitated animals.]

So, how can I help with these relief efforts? [He wants to do something besides sitting around with his thoughts.]

[blyat]

Yeah, sounds like they care about their little human experiments.

[There's a bitter edge in his voice. Maybe it wouldn't have been there, before he was absorbed into that strange facility, before he watched Markus and Fitz get irradiated in front of him. Initially, Cain viewed this hostage situation more positively, if not with the reluctance that came from being separated both from Abel and home. Now... he's not sure what to think, and it almost feels like their days are numbered.

But Abel's here now. A small, selfish wish granted. As he leads them down the corridor and around the next corner, he flags Prompto with a quick message -- @prom.argentum: heads up. coming back with someone from my world. hes important. dont do anything to freak him out, ok?

And then, to answer Abel's question,] You can help by resting up first. Give it a day or two. They're not expecting any of you guys to lift a finger, but... [He knows how maddening it would be to sit on your hands. He won't demand that of Abel.] I'll go with you, if you want. Later.

[Cain's assigned dormitory room comes into view, and he pushes open the door without pause.]

[adsero]

...What do you mean 'experiments'? [Abel's arms start to itch. He hasn't looked at them, he's been in heavy clothes trying to keep warm. Why is his hair shorter? Why did he look at Cain so quickly when Cain told him to? He's starting to spiral through these things again, wonder what exactly is going on, but maybe he should just resolve himself to not really know what's going on for today at least. Cain might be right, maybe he should just give it a day or two. Get himself together.]

[And then they're walking through a door, and Abel follows having dropped the question for now.]

[mercurio]

[prompto takes a moment to really question what cain means by don't do anything to freak him out, ok? he's about to refute, to say that he is totally capable of behaving like a normal, educated human being and doesn't need being told how to or not to be-- except that at the precise moment when the door opens, he's managed to catch his foot on the blankets of the top bunk and is quite beautifully hanging from the edge of the bunk, trying his darnest not to fall off entirely by gripping at the sheets and the metal railing with his hands.]

Ah!

Hello!

[hideki's not here right now, opting for a long, "energizing" shower, whatever that means.]

[please help this bruise-faced prompto survive without breaking his head]

[blyat]

[... It's not the worst thing he could have walked in on, although Cain lets out a thin sigh of exasperation at the sight of his roommate dangling over the top of the bunk. Arms cross at his chest. He goes on watching in the decision to let Prompto hang in despair for a few moments.]

Prompto, this is Abel.

[He uses the code name, not with any intention to hide who Abel is, but... it's Abel's prerogative to share his real name if he chooses, isn't it? Not Cain's right. Abel would likely never introduce him as Alexei.]

We got assigned together here because we're babysitting a rich brat who decided to tag along. Long story. Didn't really get a choice in that. [A gesture to the two lower bunks that remain pushed together. Hidek's sheets are messy (he never makes his own bed, of course not) and there are a few empty containers of what once must have been alcoholic beverages.] You can stay in here with us, or... if you don't want to, there's other rooms.

[The latter half of that sentence is a quieter, hesitant suggestion, not one he wants. But he won't chain Abel to him in the midst of this. Everything is still so tentative. He's noticeably more subdued around Abel than he has been the days prior to this, but hopefully Prompto knows better than to comment on that change, at the moment.]

[adsero]

Oh my God!

[Abel, unlike Cain, is not content to watch Prompto hang in despair. He could push Prompto back up on the bed, but frankly, that's not his wheelhouse so he goes for freeing the foot.]

[He takes in the sheets and the discarded garbage while trying to make sure this poor teenager (?) doesn't fall on his face. This does appear to be a small and pathetic frat party, Cain didn't live like this when he and Abel shared quarters-- he was actually quite neat. As much as Abel doesn't want to be around someone who lives like this now, it sounds like he and Cain are a package deal. He could go sleep in a room by himself or, worse, with more strangers but it's vastly worse than a rich brat who apparently loves... juice-box sized wine coolers by the ten pack?]

No, this is fine, I'm alright staying here if ah, you both are alright with it. [Maybe he could clean up some of the mess while he's taking it easy. Abel looks tired and a little fragile, but he still offers Prompto a courteous smile.] It nice to meet you of course, but I wouldn't want to immediately intrude if you have your hands full dealing with ah... all of this. [He gestures to the mess in the lower bunk.]

[mercurio]

[the help is much appreciated, and it's enough for prompto actually disentangle this feet and manage to maneuver himself feet-first onto the floor. he tries shoving the duvet back on the top bunk haphazardly, an attempt at a good first impression.]

Thanks, dude.

[a glare is directed at cain for the lack of action towards rescuing him from falling on his head.]

[his attention gets directed back at abel, though, and thankfully prompto's too oblivious about visual cues to notice anything different about cain (he will, later) or why abel is "important." instead, he's moving his arms about and trying to keep abel from touching hideki's things.]

[even if they are, in fact, trash.]

Wait! You don't have to do anything! [because it looks like he wants to clean??] You can stay here free of charge!

[although, back to cain...] Will he really be comfortable with Hideki here? You know how picky he can be.

[blyat]

[Taking the glare in stride, Cain crosses into the room and hauls down his bag from the other side of the pushed-together top bunks.]

He'll deal with it unless he wants me to leave too.

[Spoken firmly, there's a sharp edge underlaid the tone. He's not going to brook any argument from a guy he hardly knows. And he's not in the mood to play along with Hideki's party-personality (though he won't outwardly sabotage anything). Cain hefts up his bag -- full of clean, packed clothes -- and offers it out to Abel.] If you wanna change out of that shit, you can wear whatever's in here. Or they've got more clothes in a cache with the supplies.

[PRESERVE has done well to take care of them, at least, he's certain that goodwill extends to the new arrivals. Black eyes slide back to Prompto.]

Hideki's probably not gonna share the lower bunk, unless you want to cozy in with him.

[adsero]

[Abel backs off from the small trash heap, blinking in a mix of confusion and contrition. Even if he doesn't have to do anything he's already looking to do something to stay away from his thoughts. But Prompto is probably right to wave him off of dealing with someone else's mess, especially if it's not all empty bottles and actual garbage.] A-alright, if you insist...

[He looks back at Cain nervously. Prompto may have a point if this Hideki is difficult and doesn't want Abel there, Abel doesn't want to cause a problem. But that seems to be a short-lived conversation when Cain insists that Abel's going to stay there whether Hideki likes it or not. He's grateful. The last thing Abel wants right now is to be alone.]

[Abel takes the offered bag. It's a lot faster than trying to find where these supplies are and sorting through to find something, and he does want out of the clothes the people in the truck put him in. Something that belongs to Cain is much better.]

Alright, I'll just go change in that bathroom back there. [He gestures awkwardly out the door. It seems like Prompto and Cain have to work this out and Abel isn't sure he can handle being the center of the discussion right now.] I'll be back in a few minutes. [And he heads for the door with Cain's bag in his arms.]

[mercurio]

Cool with me.

[prompto shrugs- and it's clear that cain is usually the one calling the shots between the two, prompto not too unhappy about just going along with whatever the dark-haired man dictates.]

[before he can even reply, abel is already taking steps towards moving out of the room to change.]

You can use the showers, too. There's plenty of hot water but it goes a bit icy the later it gets, so you might wanna take advantage of it now. Specially if you've just come in from the outside.

[it's friendly enough--and prompto honestly has no reason not to be like so.]

[his attention back to cain once the other blond leaves, he blinks a couple of times and then crosses his arms.]

Friend from home? [he mirrors cain, leaning against a wall lol] Important friend from home?

maybe skip abel's turn this round?

[blyat]

[He nods Abel off without saying anything. There are bathroom supplies included in the bag as well as in the shower stalls themselves, courtesy of PRESERVE, so if Abel does want to shower he'll have what he needs. Once he's gone, Cain's dark eyes fall on Prompto and his lip curls.]

Partner. We were in the military together.

[Straightening from the wall, he crosses to the beds and begins to haul himself up to the top bunk, where he intends to stretch out and wait for Abel.]

I was a Fighter. He was my Navigator.

[Was, because as far as he knows, his military career has ended.]