On the platform: Meet the new characters

[utopiamods]

Rakuen is warm in the noon sun, not humid enough to be uncomfortable but bright enough to make the transition from train to platform momentarily disorienting. The group greeting you is rather large, but also rather uneven - on one side, ten students in black and green; on the other, six in red and white. Whilst the green group are all fairly average, all teenagers other than the tiny, frail woman leading them, the red group are a tad more varied. One of their girls is tiny, the size of a small child, and her wings are beating patterns in the warm air. At the other side of the group, a warlike man looms over his comrades.

When they notice the arrivals, one out of each group steps forward. A young man wearing shades steps forward first.

"Excuse me." A second boy, a few years older and more serious looking steps forward from the red group. He explains that they're all prefects of Rakuen, from the two battle schools on the island. Fortitude - the boy in the sunglasses and the others dressed in green - and Conquest. They all arrived just like you did, weeks or months before this.

"I know you have many questions but first please come to the person who calls your name."

He looks down on his list to double check "For Conquest, Nanami Kiryuu, Hukaru Hitachiin, Madotsuki and Aria."

"If I call your name," the green-clad boy had stepped forward again, "it means you're with Fortitude, a.k.a the slightly more awesome school. Brittany Pierce, Jules de Ferrier, Izumi and Furiae."

Comments

[brittspierce]

Britt steps out of the train and looks around her with wide eyes. She's not scared, she's not wondering how she could here or how it could be possible. She's actually quite happy and excited. Looking around again she's kind of glad that she's not in her cheerleader uniform. She would stick out quite a bit...not that that had even been a problem for her before.

When her name is called she bounds up to the boy with a huge grin on her face. No she's not excited at all. What on earth would give you that impression.

"Fortitude? It already sounds awesome."

A pause just for more looking around, "I had a dream like this once. Where a train took me somewhere magical...except in my dream there were unicorns Is this place magic?"

[fracturedsoul]

Dirk raises his eyebrows at the girl's reaction. That's certainly a new one.

"Not really. The fighting each other with removable soul weapons shit sure seems like magic, but it's actually predicated on some super-advanced virtual reality computer software. Sorry to disappoint."

[brittspierce]

Well, that would be because you've never had anyone quite like Brittany around here before. Aren't you glad you do now?

And she's just going to stare at you, her mouth open ever so slightly. Sorry, she didn't understand a word that you just said you're going to have to keep things simple if you want to get through to Britt. But you'll learn that pretty quickly. "Right...so it seems like magic but it's not magic? Okay, I can go with that...so what happens now?"

[fracturedsoul]

Hey, it's better than all the people who scream and demand to be sent home right off the bat.

"Right now is what we call a rest day. There's no fighting or harem ownership bullshit for today. You get to spend the next twenty-four hours becoming acquainted with the city and the Exaclan game rules. Once we lead you back to Fortitude, there'll be a tour."

[brittspierce]

That's true! But don't hold your breath you might still get that from one of the others arriving today.

Rest day, she like the sound of that already. She nods her head a few times as he speaks. Mhmm, she totally understands all of that, "Oh, so this is like a game? That's cool I like games and I'm good at them too...sometimes. What game is it like because I am not good at Monopoly or Scrabble. Hungry Hippos on the other hand I'm amazing at."

What? Don't look at her like that...

[fracturedsoul]

"It's like Hungry Hungry Hippos," Dirk begins, "If the hippos are the ones playing the game and everyone else is those little marble things they're supposed to snatch up. And also instead of eating the goods, they pull weapons out of 'em and duel like this is some trippy 90's anime series."

So not like Hungry Hungry Hippos at all.

He gestures to her schoolbag. "You got yourself a manual, and I recommend getting acquainted with it by tomorrow."

[brittspierce]

A pause with a blank expression before a bright smile forms on her face, "Okay, good! That sounds like lots of fun and if it's like Hungry Hungry Hippos I will definitely be an expert at it. I can tell this place is going to be awesome already!" She's now looking around at the other people on the platform, her head tilted to one side. There's so many different types of people around here! She's looking forward to getting to know them all.

Making new friends is always a good thing.

Oh you didn't want her to take the manual out right now? Too bad, she's already got it in her hands and flicks through it quickly, "...But there's hardly any pictures."

[fracturedsoul]

He's actually impressed that she's got her manual out so soon. Most people don't bother.

"That's the spirit. Normally I'm not one for enforcing the rules, but there are some pretty serious consequences if you don't comply around here." With a shrug, he went on, "I'm almost sad that you're so excited for this, because I'm pretty sure we've figured out the way out of this place."

[brittspierce]

But he had said to read it hadn't he? She wants to be prepared! Although she's not the best reader in the world but she'll manage.

"Okay well, I'll make sure I read up on it all then! It might take me a while to get through it all though..." Sad? No, she doesn't want anyone to be sad! She tilts her head to the side and shrugs a shoulder, "I like it here already but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to go home either. Most of my friends aren't here or my family."

[fracturedsoul]

Hey, not everyone is as good a listener as her! He likes her already.

"You are ridiculously agreeable, anyone ever tell you that?"

[brittspierce]

Yay! And she likes him too. He's all helpful and she loves his hair.

There's a bit of a pause before she answers and she looks up from the journal in her hands and back at him with a shake of her head, "No, that's the first time I've been called that...is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

[fracturedsoul]

He loves his hair too. They'll get along juuuust fine.

"It's a thing," he says simply, and cracks half a smile.

[straightupzorra]

Santana had been walking around making sure that the Prefects did their job. Well, it used to be her job but someone had to take over after they were gone. It's then, after she checks up on Dirk and sees if he has any food for her (which may be the real reason she's checking up on him), that she sees Brittany.

Or, to be more precise, she hears him. The comment about Fortitude has her turning her head, it's such a familiar voice and one she wants to hear more of, even if she's spouting pride for the opposing school. But it's the comment about dreams and magic that really has her.

"Brittany!" It's within that moment that Santana pulls Brittany into her arms and hugs her hard, "You're here again. In Fortitude?"

[brittspierce]

Brittany's just trying to take all of this in. If it's not magic then what is it? It has to be magic...well, that's how she's going to think of it anyway because magic is awesome. All that technical stuff is just going over her head so her immediate reaction is just to ignore it and daydream a little instead.

Then she hears a very, very familiar voice and before she knows it she's being pulled into a hug. She laughs a little and wraps her arms back around Santana in a close hug, "S! You're here too? This day just got even better!"

A pause, "Again? Have I been here before? I don't remember that...maybe my memory's just getting worse. And yeah, Fortitude!"

[straightupzorra]

Santana knew that Brittany wouldn't remember being here, 99 times out of 100 people don't, and Britt wasn't going to be any different. The only bad part is that this time she's in Fortitude instead of Conquest. But then again, Santana could just bring her into the Prefect dorms, it's not like anyone could punish her for it.

She doesn't let go just yet, "I've been here for a long time, B. You probably saw me earlier but I haven't seen you in months. Don't worry about not remembering being here before," she frowns a bit, "I'm in Conquest, we're in opposite schools."

[brittspierce]

No, she definitely doesn't remember...but if you told her she'd been here before Santana then she's probably going to believe you. Because you would never lie to her about something like this. And Britt was definitely willing to do anything to see her friend! B and S could never be separated for too long.

"Yeah, I did see you earlier! We are at Senior Prom and my dinosaur theme was the best ever." Britt keeps her arms wrapped around Santana too and that's probably a good thing because you're going to see a pout if you pull away. "We're in opposite schools? But...how did that happen? I don't want to be in a different school from you."

[straightupzorra]

It's funny that you think Santana would ever want to pull away, "Senior Prom? That hasn't happened for me yet. I'm sure your dinosaur theme was awesome though. Who did we go with?" Santana smiles lightly at the thought of going to prom with Brittany but she can't bring herself to outright ask if they went together.

"It doesn't matter what school you're in, you can stay with me in the prefect dorms, no one will give you any shit over it, and if they do you let me know and I'll set the record straight," she leans in conspiratorially, "I'm kind of in charge around here."

[brittspierce]

She never wants to pull away? Good. That's good. "Yeah, it was so much fun! We all performed at it too! All the Glee Club was there...although Rachel, Finn, Blaine, Kurt, Puck and Becky were very, very late. Oh and Blaine wasn't very happy because I banned hair gel but really hair gel wasn't even invented at the time of the dinosaurs. We both went together of course." Yes, they went together but to the best of her knowledge they only went as friends.

Britt laughs a little at Santana's comment, "You're in charge? I mean of course you are, I'm not surprised! I'm so happy you're here."

[straightupzorra]

She wants to ask about Puck and Becky going together but first she throws her head back and laughs, "You banned hair gel? Oh my god I wish I could see Blaine without hair gel. Did he throw a fit? Tell me Kurt wore a dress or something. Who won prom King and Queen?" She's still smiling and laughing, but underneath that she's super upset that she missed prom, or at least that prom hasn't happened to her yet. It sounds like a blast.

"Well someone needs to run the place. I'm the Head Prefect of Conquest meaning there are two people above me, the Headmistress, Day, and the Mayor, Dunleavy. Day is the Weapon to my Player, meaning that I'm pretty much in charge of her, and Lee goes crazy when she hears music so she's easy to manipulate."

[brittspierce]

Yes, that was a little strange, even Britt thought so..that is until she found it cute even if they did look strange with those cardboard crowns on. She giggles at the images, "Yeah, he looked like a caveman he had a proper afro. I think he looked better that way but he didn't agree. No Kurt didn't wear a dress this time...but he did have a top hat on! Finn and Rachel won but you were nominated for Queen and I was nominated for King! Oh and there was a Prom Miracle! You were singing with Quinn and she just got up out of her wheelchair!" Yes, so many stories to tell you Santana.

Britt laughs again whispering into Santana's ear, "I still don't get all of that...but I still have to read the manual. So it won't be long until you're running this whole place then, huh? I wouldn't mind having you to boss me around."