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

[leadscrows]

[ Before she was off the train -- and she was one of the last ones off, so thorough was her examination and subsequent transformation -- she had already assumed the guise of the troubled maid, shaking slightly at all the new sights and sounds.

Aly's mind was already whirring -- she needed to find pen and paper immediately, to write everything down and make sense of it. A giant iron carriage? No, the train, she'd have to remember that and do more research on trains in her spare time.

However, the face that Cirno sees is one of a panicky maid, properly dressed and hair pulled under a cap. ]

Please, m'lady, send me back! [ She's almost begging when her name is called, Aly Homewood. She knows that's not her real name, but for some reason she can't figure out what that is... oh well, not important right now. ] My young mistresses, they'll be so worried...and oh, the Lady Sarai so recently disgraced, it'll be a sight if I'm not there to calm them.

[unflinchable]

[Arthur had been on the platform looking for anyone else that he might know, he was told that chances were probably small, but they did exist. Some worlds were more popular targets than others. He didn't know who he wanted to find on the platform, but someone would be better than no one. Maybe. But there was no one.]

[Except for one girl speaking of 'm'ladies' and 'mistresses' and 'Ladies' which made him think that maybe, just maybe she was from the same place as him, or at least some place similar. So he approaches her carefully, the last thing he wanted was a frantic, crying woman yelling at him for one reason or anther. He had enough of that while dealing with Merlin.]

My Lady, you cannot calm your Lady if you are not calm yourself, please, take a deep breath and the situation will be explained to you.

[leadscrows]

[ She sniffles again, meeting his eyes briefly before she -- no, Aly reminds herself, before Aly Homewood -- drops the gaze, realizing that this must be a person of great importance in his homeworld. Wherever that was. Aly bobs a curtsey out of courtesty and pulls a handkerchief from her sleeve, dabbing at her eyes. ]

Oh thank you, M'lord, you're too kind. I've been so worried, what with my ladies' tendencies to run off if I'm not about...and Lady Dovasary lost every one of her hairpins the last time I was distracted! [ A small sniffle, and the tears have all but stopped with a large sigh and shudder. ] I'd never thought to run away, I'm a good maid, I promise you.

[unflinchable]

[finally someone with manners]

I am sure you are a wonderful maid and that your ladies will manage for a bit without you. Which kingdom are you from?

[leadscrows]

[ She shakes her head. ]

I'm originally from Tortall, but... m'lord, the slavers...they were so crude! Droppin' me off in the Copper Isles, forcing me into slavery. I'm just glad that I ended up with the Balitangs, they're so kind to me...

[unflinchable]

[Arthur doesn't remember the names of the kingdoms or any of the noble families, so he just nods like these are normal places for him to hear about.]

[His eyes harden at the mention of slavers]

Slavers. I will get you back to your land and drive out the slavers, that I promise you.

[leadscrows]

M'lord, you're too kind. [ She's mumbling, a sign of embarrassment and thanks. ] I've never met such a kind soul before.

[unflinchable]

[Arthur should be having deja vu, from that time he met Sophia in the forest, helped her, and she tried to sacrifice him to a lake, but he isn't. He'll save that for Merlin]

Any good man would offer the same.

[leadscrows]

[ Don't worry, she doesn't want to kill him yet. He's being useful. ]

I'm terribly sorry, m'lord, my name is Aly Homewood. [ Bobbing another curtsey. ] I have no idea where I've been taken captive to, and there was that strange metal thing that moved, it's all too much for me to understand.

[unflinchable]

[Yet.]

I am Arthur Pendragon, this place is known as Rakuen and is not on any map those here have seen. Many believe it to be another world entirely, but that it runs on technology [such a foreign sounding word] rather than magic, same goes for the metal box.

[leadscrows]

I've never seen such a thing...not the metal box, or all these things they talk about, the Exa-clan...

[unflinchable]

The metal boxes are unfamiliar to myself as well, I know very little about them except for the fact they brought us here but cannot bring us back.

Exaclan is the battle system, but surely a lady as yourself will not be forced to participate if she does not wish to do so.

[leadscrows]

That's unfortunate... [ Sniffle sniffle oh dear ]

There was so much fighting at home. My ladies, they were both great warriors. I was never allowed to participate, being a slave first...oh, but the lady knights at home were so grand. I loved to watch them pass on royal parades and such.