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

[keepscalm]

[Fair enough.

He narrows his eyes, scrutinizing her.] ...and what circumstances arose in your world that demanded your formation, dare I ask? [He'll buy the alternate world thing for now -- the universe is a strange place, and with magic being a factor, who can say what exists and what doesn't -- but he's a bit suspicious of anyone that claims to know him that well.]

[countryofassholes]

The fall of London and the relocation of power of Britain's loyalists to British America. [Stated in a very blase voice. Like the fact that England could possibly lose to France is just a very commonplace fact.

... which in her world, it is.]

[keepscalm]

[Alright there's a lot of questions about that to ask, he should really pick the most import--] The fall of where? [Or maybe he'll just go with the most obvious one that's already been answered. That sounds like a plan too.] That's not-- that's impossible. And even if it were possible, there is no bloody chance in hell that I'd relocate my people to that arsemonger!

[Look who forgot that he raised someone. Oops.]

[countryofassholes]

London. Napoleon's armies conquered it in 1862 forcing Queen Elizabeth III to flee to the recently subdued colonies with my first boss, Sir Ricardo von Britannia. She named him her successor on her deathbed.

[keepscalm]

...

[Stare.]

Napoleon. [His voice is so flat that it could put paper to shame.]

[greenspaces]

[ The grip on his hand tightens. So he hasn't been silent because he's judging her; he's been quiet because he really can't speak?

Wow, now she feels like an idiot, and perhaps a little insensitive as well. ]

I didn't know.

[countryofassholes]

[What, you mean you aren't a doormat in your world? Weird.]

Yep!

[greenspaces]

Oh.

[ She nods again, as if she's completely used to suddenly waking up in different places, on different worlds. ]

What are we doing here? Are there monsters?

[heroiccia]

[He stares, and stares and staaaaaaaarrrrrrress~. He's trying really, really hard to remember your name even though it was just called. Feel free to catch his staring eyes.]

wow i've never gotten to use this icon before

[keepscalm]

[Stare.

Give him a second. One, two...

On three, he absolutely explodes into laughter, starting with an extremely undignified snort that he muffles behind his hand. It's a while before he can manage words at all, never mind making them coherent.] Oh god-- you can't-- aha, that's--

[He clearly thinks this is the best joke he has ever heard. He eventually gives up on trying to remark to continue laughing.]

[knightime]

[He glances at her. He didn't mean to make her feel bad. He thought it was obvious, but...

He quickly (or tries) types something into the PDA. Spelling mistakes be damned.]

skay
msot of everyone here wsnt expectng it either
apprntly
i guess mst vrsions of me cn speek????????????///
also were pretndig tht this is al spelld correcly
fr the sake of my coolkid rep

Happy to help! ... however short lived it might be!

[countryofassholes]

[At England's explosion of laughter, Britannia gains this slightly confused look because- what's so funny? Seriously, she's just explaining history and if anything, she wouldn't think being conquered is anything to really laugh about.

So she'll give him a minute.

... and another minute... okay, now she's getting impatient.] England?

[keepscalm]

[He waves a hand at her dismissively, and then holds up his index finger in a universal gesture of "hold on". The laughter tapers to chuckles after a couple of seconds, peppered by heavily-drawn breaths.]

Oh lord-- you can't be serious. France couldn't even hold onto the colonies that were weaker than him at that point, much less conquer the only one with an empire larger than his. [...that explanation was interrupted by a laugh or two here and there, but not uncontrollably so.

And yeah, the implication in that statement is that his empire was the largest in the world. But he hasn't really made the connection yet that that may not be the case in Britannia's world.]

[countryofassholes]

[At England's insinuation that's she's lying or wrong, that she doesn't even know basic history much less her own origin story is, as always, insulting. It's like she's talking to Ukraine all over again.]

It's true, he won the Battle of Trafalgar which allowed him to invade the British Isles. [And so begins the arm crossing and the defensiveness.]

[greenspaces]

[ She nods, looking at the PDA and then quickly back to her borrowed shoes. Jade still feels pretty shitty about not realizing. Slipping out of the shoes, she stands barefoot on the pavement. ]

I won't tell. You can have your shoes back, though.

[ She drops his hand, stepping away. Obviously, he hates her. She left him to die. ]

[keepscalm]

[He really almost wants to laugh again. But he knows that look. He's pretty sure it was the one he was wearing when she first introduced herself.

His amusement fades, and his face goes pale. Oh god.]

You are serious.

[countryofassholes]

My sense of humor isn't that bad, you know. [Despite her light tone, she is most definitely annoyed. It's in her eyes and the way her stance is rather rigid despite her attempt to look casual.] Is it really so unbelievable?

[knightime]

[He's going through a series of nervous ticks. A hand goes through his hair; he tugs at one of his sleeves a bit; he shoves his hands in his pockets and stares down at the shoes before typing into the PDA. His typing is a little frantic though. He doesn't know what he's done wrong this time. He was trying to keep conversation light, but apparently it didn't work.]

did
...
did i fuck up somewhere???
i mean
ive done a shitton of shitty things
yeah
would reintroducing myself fix it???
we can pretend i can talk
if thats the problem
uhm
...
are you mad???
because i couldnt save you??????

[greenspaces]

[ Tears drip down her cheeks, and she shakes her head. No, no, she couldn't ever be mad at Dave. He tried so hard to save her -- and the last conversation they had still rings in her ears, and she still has nightmares about it. About his promise, I'll save you Jade, and then the meteor and then nothing. No people, no land, nothing but sand and desert and loneliness.

For a minute she's trapped back in the wasteland, staring at the names she dug into the rock. Dave Rose John Dave Rose John Dave dave daveevdave dave dave dave dave and the tears fall faster. ]

I-- I killed you, you asked for help and I wouldn't tell you anything. But then John never got me into the game, and the meteor hit and I couldn't talk to you...but you cried, I saw it in the clouds. And I'm so sorry. I'm really, really sorry.

Hey darling~!

[knightime]

[Oh dear god, this place is stealing Disney princesses and throwing them into their fucked up fighting games. Why would you even.

He approaches her though. She's running around with no shoes on in a dress and crown. He automatically points down at her feet which could mean a multitude of things.]

[adorned]

[She blinks at him, then down at her feet, then at him again.]

What's wrong?

[knightime]

[Oh god. Oh god he made her cry. Fuck his coolkid rep (not that he had one here) and people being around. He is losing his shit and it will be lost for quite awhile. Because Jade is crying and she's apologizing about killing him except she didn't kill him (for some reason that gives him a bit of a headache, but he doesn't care at the moment).

And, oh god. How does he make her stop crying. He doesn't even know why she's apologizing since he's alive and he never died or anything. Maybe...hopefully Jade doesn't mind a very awkward hug from him. Because that's what he's doing. And maybe he's shaking a bit, although whether that's from pent up feelings or being cold is questionable. He just wanted her to stop crying.

God he'd say sorry, but he can't say sorry and fuck if anyone actually knows how to sign at this place.]

[knightime]

[He points at her feet then at his. Can you see the difference? He sure can.]

[adorned]

[She can! And then she blinks again, and stares...]

What are those things on your feet?

[greenspaces]

[ She doesn't stop crying for him; Jade hasn't had enough moisture in her body for months to accurately cry. The tears dry fast and her eyes sting as they attempt to use water that isn't actually there, but that doesn't stop her from hugging him tight again as soon as he wraps his arms around him. Who cares, if he's awkward? She's awkward too, all angles and malnourishment and slender, fragile body.

Jade's outburst has lead to a coughing fit, and she holds onto him as she hacks, body shivering with the effort. ]