On the platform: Meet the neulings

[utopiamods]

As you all crowd onto the platform, which is drenched with sunlight though the air is cool you are met by six girls and eight boys. One of the boys seems to be a blue Hedgehog; but the rest all seem human. All twelve are in uniforms that would match if not for the colour differences - skirts and trousers, waistcoats, and light summer shirts that seem totally inappropriate for the chill. Some seem irritable while others look excited. Each has a beret with a crest pinned to the front - eight depicting a shield on green, the other seven a sword on red.

At the first lull in the chatter, a frail looking girl with a shield on her cap steps forward.

"Excuse me, may I have your attention please!"

She explains that the eleven of them are the current prefects of Rakuen, representing the two schools on the island. Nanami (she gestures to herself), Lelouch, Yuri, Sonic, Jade, Sora, John and Rebecca of Fortitude; and Santana, Flynn, Kevin, Gino, Suzaku, Golbez and Cirno of Conquest.

The introductions are over fast and the girl named Santana seems impatient, "So come over when your name is called so we can all get inside." They all move to stand in two groups some distance away from each other; two girls step forward and begin to read names from a clipboard.

Cirno, the Conquest Prefect starts, "Welcome to Rakuen! I'm Cirno and when I call your name, Come over to me."

The Fortitude prefect, Rebecca, follows after, "So uh...hi. My name's Becca, I'm one of the prefects at Fortitude. Uhm...so yeah, you can ask me anything if you need to, but mostly everything's covered in the rulebooks you got. You should read 'em. I'll take you to the dorms. So c'mere when I call your names...."

Comments

[greenspaces]

It's okay, I'm sure she didn't mean to scare you...is it okay if I hug you?

[ Also getting down to make sure she's alright. Looking back at Terezi, though. ]

It's really rude to lick people without permission! Look, she's really scared!

[pencilpremonition]

[is it okay, she asks]

[how about this]

[CLING]

[greenspaces]

[ Jade can deal with that! Hugging back. Jadehugs are really comforting. ]

[dr4gonst4ff]

But... [OH HEY ANOTHER HUMAN.

...She smells slightly familiar. Okay, she'll behave herself.]

I was only investigating out of curiosity. I haven't seen a human in a very long time, so... [She sniffs quietly.] Am I in the Inner City? Is that why I can't smell any trolls around here? [It smells a lot different from the Inner City, that's for sure.]

[greenspaces]

This is Rakuen, so probably not. It's completely different than anyplace you saw at home! I think all of the trolls have disappeared now...I haven't seen them in a long time, but some of them were here.

[dr4gonst4ff]

[She wrinkles her nose.] What does 'disappeared' mean? Aren't there any trolls around here? Are they dead? [It hasn't clicked they're talking about any particular trolls.]

[greenspaces]

No, they're not dead. They were here, now they're gone again! Rakuen is really mysterious. I don't remember them, except for Karkat...but there were some, I think. Maybe?

[ Oh, the woes of missing memories: she doesn't remember any of the trolls except Karkat. And that includes Terezi! ]

Who are you?

[dr4gonst4ff]

Huh? You know Karkles? [Karkles met a human and didn't tell her about it? That ass!]

Terezi Pyrope, I'm from the Outer City! But that must be obvious since I'm a troll, right? But.. how did the trolls all just disappear? [This sounds like a case worthy of investigation!]

[greenspaces]

Yes! But he was the Karkat from my world, I think.

[ She looks confused. ] I don't know what the Outer City is, I'm sorry...humans have disappeared too, though. It's something that happens when Rakuen lets us go home. But it happens really randomly, no one knows why.

[dr4gonst4ff]

From your world? What's that mean, exactly?

But there are still humans around here! Why are there no trolls, then? [She tilts her head.] Hmmm?

[greenspaces]

Rakuen doesn't take people from the same universes. So there's probably a Karkat in both of ours!

Because there were only a few. And they had to go home. [ Shrug. ] I don't really know why.

[dr4gonst4ff]

[She's just... tilting her head. Like an owl. She'll be leaning upside-down if you keep making seemingly random remarks.] Different universes? That is weird. [You've confused the poor girl. This Terezi doesn't quite grasp the concept of a world beyond her city, let alone other universes.]

So there isn't a population of trolls here? Only travellers? Or are you going to make more weird explanations?

[greenspaces]

I'm sorry, I think the universe thing is kind of getting in the way of my explanation... [ She frowns. ]

Right now you're the only one.

[pencilpremonition]

[Becca calms down as quick as she can, though it still takes a couple of minutes. Finally she lets go and wipes her eyes (and the spit off her cheek), then slowly gets back to her feet.]

L-let's go...