On the platform: New characters and old ones that want to come and meet them!

[utopiamods]

As you all crowd onto the platform with your new and still bizarre mix of faces, expressions, clothing and wild theories, you are met by two girls. Both are in uniforms that would match if not for the colour differences - skirts, waistcoats, and light summer shirts that seem totally inappropriate for the thin layer of snow and ice coating the station platform. Both have a beret with a crest - one shows a sword, the other a shield.

At the first lull in the chatter, the shorter girl speaks up, her soft voice somehow cutting over you.

"Excuse me,"

She explains, in precise, quiet sentences, that they're prefects, representing the two schools in Rakuen. Nanami of Fortitude, she says, placing a hand on her own collarbone, and Santana of Conquest, here pointing to the taller girl she's leaning against. The girl nods, looking fairly bored.

"We will be sorting you now. When we say your name, please move quickly and quietly to whoever called you."

"Yeah," Santana interrupts, "Then we can go back to the dorms. It's not getting any warmer however many times they make us do this."

They separate, moving to stand several metres apart, and both pull a list from their waistcoat pocket. Alternating, they start to read out your names.

Comments

[babysage]

[Kotaro nods] I did! Did you? Do you know where we are? Have you seen my brother? He's really tall and wears a pointy red hat.

[duchy]

I've been here for a week now.

[Lithuania considers, though.]

I haven't seen him, I don't think, but there are a lot of people here.

[straightupzorra]

"A fairy, wonderful," and she thought she was the gayest person here, "Who works in a shop. You should talk to Recette, she'd love you."

[greenspaces]

[ She doesn't even think twice -- this is the boy she spent so long looking after, the boy who forget she was alive. Jade knows that she should be angry, because Rose and Dave didn't save her (couldn't save her, more like). But instead, as he examines her hands (which hurts, she winces), tears well up in her eyes.

As soon as he let her go, she wrapped her arms around him. ]

I'm sorry.

[straightupzorra]

Nope, not here. He's probably back wherever you're from.

[effortless]

There are shoes in the dormitories. [ for all she has a slight smile, there isn't an ounce of sympathy in her voice. ] You do not seem in any immediate danger... If you would wait here until everyone is gathered, I would appreciate it.

[greenspaces]

[ She nods. She's used to being forgotten at this point; the lack of sympathy doesn't bother her. And even though her toes are cold, she's pretty sure that she'll be okay. The lady has a point. ]

I don't mind. As long as there are shoes somewhere. [ She looks down at her feet. ] Where are we?

[babysage]

[Kotaro blinked at her, eyes quickly filling with tears] W...what do you mean? He has to be here, he wouldn't leave me!

[merde]

She looked surprised. "Recette is here?"

[knightime]

[He's not used to it. The only person who's really ever gave him hugs was his Sis, but she wasn't here. It takes him a moment to awkwardly hug back. This was Jade though. One of his closest friends. The one who thought he was so cool despite him being not as cool as he acted.

And she was here. And she looked like shit. And, he was going to fix that.

He let go and...wow okay, maybe he should have paid attention to what school she was in. Dave pointed to the crest on his school uniform in a questioning manner. He then pointed in the direction of the school and held out his hand in a friendly gesture. And now he was scared again. Would Jade get sick of him? He couldn't talk. Asking questions was harder. Sure he had his PDA, but he didn't want to keep staring at a screen when he could stare at her face to face.]

[babysage]

Where are we? Why did you come here? [Maybe this is like the Special Zone. He looks round] He has to be here somewhere!

[duchy]

I just woke up on a train. We're here to play a fighting game. I think if we win enough we get to go home.

[Lithuania may have just decided some of this on his own.]

If he's not here, he might show up next week? Or he might have gotten here last week. I don't think we're all at the platform right now...

so sorry for her

[straightupzorra]

Oh god so much cheer, she felt an overwhelming need to put him in his place, wipe that grin off his face and make him feel inadequate. Challenge Accepted.

"Look, Jones, I don't care if actually are America, I mean it would kinda make sense if you were. It's the land of super sizes and you're not so tiny yourself. But being a fucking continent, I mean that in who you are not the fact you're fat, won't have any pull around here. I'm the prefect and you'll do what I say."

[greenspaces]

[ She still thinks he's the coolest -- but he's the one she killed with her secrecy, the one she saw crying in the clouds. Maybe he hates her. Maybe he doesn't want to be friends with her-- but then he hugs her back and even though it's awkward, Jade takes it as a sign that things will be okay. The guilt still picks at the back of her mind, but she tries to ignore it.

When Dave points to the crest, she assumes he means what she got placed in. Good thing she was right! ] Oh, uh... [ What was it? She falters. ] Fortitude.

[ Another small hesitation, and she took his hand. ]

I think...I died. Before I came here. [ Her voice is soft, raspy from disuse. ]

[catpaw]

And Nekoko comes barreling in. She heard the word 'fairy' from across the area and was instantly pinged. "Heeeeeey hey! Did someone say fairy? I heard someone say fa--" and then she sees that Tear is floating. Jaw on the floor. "Wow! So we're really here. Good to know, good to know...! So how's the grub and the weather around these parts, my fellow sidhe?! And what's up with all the humans around!"

[straightupzorra]

Sorry kid, he's not here. If it makes you feel any better he probably didn't leave you, it's more like you were kidnapped. You get used to it.

[knightime]

[Fortitude. She was with him. That means he could see her whenever and he wouldn't have to jump through hoops to do it (he would though). He felt a little more relieved that she was in the same school as he was...

Until she said she died. And, oh god. Which Jade was this? Some doomed Jade he probably couldn't save because he fucked up the timeline most likely. She was Doomed because he couldn't stop it and it didn't sit well with him. He'd have to make it up somehow. Make up his mistakes for not being a proper Knight of Time.

For now though...

Dave shrugged his shoes off and nudged them towards her, glancing at her briefly before looking down at his feet. He can already feel his socks getting soaked from the snow and his feet were already protesting. He refused to let her refuse his shoes though. She could give them back when they got to the dorms.]

[babysage]

Kidnapped? [His eyes widen for a moment but then he calms down] That's okay then, my brother will find me soon and beat the people who kidnapped me into a pulp!

[straightupzorra]

Santana is equally as surprised, "You know Recette? Yeah she's the shop keeper here."

All of a sudden Nekoko appears out of nowhere. Guess who is annoyed! If you guessed Santana award yourself ten points, "Do you have a mental problem or something? There are more humans than other species around here."

[babysage]

A fighting game? [But wasn't fighting dangerous? He frowned, he didn't like the sound of that at all!

Going home though, he liked that, since it didn't look like Mimi was here either, and he would miss her!]

I hope he does... I don't think he came last week because he was with me...

[greenspaces]

[ She followed his gaze downward; the calluses on her feet were cracking, blood beginning to stain the ice. Still, she didn't seem to complain any. Instead, she carefully ripped a piece off of her ragged skirt and wrapped her feet up. ]

I don't want to bleed on your shoes....sorry.

[ That done, Jade slips her feet into the shoes. A small, shy smile crosses across her face. ]

Your feet are big.

Don't worry. :3

[heroiccia]

Is she really trying to tell the land and spirit of freedom to do as she says? She would be better off telling a tree to talk to a squirrel.

And those insults? "Haha! Of course I'm not fat kiddo!" Finally, someone who understands that he isn't overweight! If anything his smile gets even brighter and warmer thanks to her comments!

[knightime]

[He huffed a bit and made a bit of a face at the mention of his feet being big. It was obvious that he didn't actually mind though. Instead, he gently tugged her along so they can start heading to the dormitories so she could get some proper clothes and her own shoes. Maybe he'd run to the infirmary while he was at it to get her injuries properly dealt with.

Dave idly wondered if Jade was annoyed with him. All he's done is kind of mother hen as soon as she arrived. But, damn it. That small smile makes him so relieved. She looked better when she was happy.]

[effortless]

Rakuen. Ah, I will phrase this simply... It is a town in another world.

[heroiccia]

And now the little guy has America staring at him. It couldn't be...could it? There was no way with how small he is and everything. "Lithuania? Dude when did you get so tiny?" Seriously what happened to his Lithuanian bro!