[ open ] Welcome to Chile, Cadets.

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Characters: ALL.
Location: Valparaíso Shatterdome, Chile.
Date/Time: February 15th-28th.
Summary: The first shipment of recruits into the new Jaeger Academy program arrive. Some are staggered throughout the month, but they all have the same basic greeting. Here you are, there's where you sleep, here's what you wear, get going.
Additional Notes: See here for additional information. For information on the current weather, check out this link.

The Shatterdome didn't look futuristic, swatches of metal and concrete transforming a portion of the harbor into five enormous bays. Nevermind that only two were currently in use. The stark greys stand out against the colorful face of the city, a hulking monolith that's been carved into the face of the city that had once upon a century been termed the Jewel of the Pacific.

Note: Players are welcome to start their own interactions outside of the three main prompted scenarios. Go wild!

Comments

[chosethewar]

Aside from a few family snapshots he kept in his wallet, Tom hadn't had much of anything worthy of turning over. He had a spare change of clothing that he traded for a cadet uniform, some toiletries and handed over his cell phone without even a fuss. Tom wasn't sure if they wanted their personal items because it helped to strip them of their civilian mentality or to make sure no one was surreptitiously spying on them but he didn't care either way.

He was anxious to get started and thus surrendered his personal affects with a tight lipped smile before heading down the hall towards the barracks set aside for the adult cadets.

Tom scanned the room for an open bunk and once he spied one nearest the door, he wandered over to it. The lack of even the most basic of personal belongings meant that it was easy to stow his kit away and once he'd done so, he settled onto the bunk to watch the other cadets stroll in. The quiet young man was studying each and every one of them, visibly accessing them for habits, quirks and other miscellaneous data. After all, these were the competition, correct? Who knew how many of them would make it through the Academy. Best to learn what he could about them now before people drifted into like-minded peer groups and loose alliances.

[reengineered]

Lucy didn't really have anything other than a phone and her clothes when she came in, and she was happy enough to hand them over. Now with just her uniform and necessities, along with a small notepad and pen, she felt ready to take on the whole program fearlessly. Alright, maybe not fearlessly. Maybe part of her was still concerned about her viability in some small way, but she knew that she could push through if they really, truly gave her a shot.

Practically speed-walking for the barracks, Lucy tried to seek a bunk as close to the door as she could, wanting to be at the front of the hustle and bustle more than anything. If it meant she got roughed up a little more, so be it. It meant she'd always be seen, even if she wasn't heard.

Of course, there was someone already at the bunk she'd have wanted, so he got a little bit of an alarmed look as she stepped sideways and took the next one over.

[chosethewar]

Tom wouldn't say it out loud but his reasoning for choosing one of the bunks closest to the door was so that he'd have easy access to the exits if something untoward happened. There had been little chance of a Kaiju attacking in Bozeman but the young Tom Haynes had still felt the overwhelming urge to be near the window leading outside. Being unable to evacuate the professional complex had been how his father had died and it made Tom aware of the ability to get and out of a room easily ever since.

The startled look on the pretty girl's face when she made an abortive attempt to claim the bunk he was seated on surprised him a little. "You okay? Didn't mean to startle you, miss."

He asked solicitously enough with a slightly puzzled look.

[reengineered]

Miss? Was he kidding? Calling her that was almost insulting. She was a cadet now, in line to become a Jaeger pilot sooner or later, if she had her way. That comment seemed all wrong, though the delivery was harmless. Lucy took her place on the other bunk, straightening the sheets and looking it over. It gave her a moment to stew, to try not to get off on the wrong foot, but it really didn't work.

Instead of cooling off, she heated up a bit. Furiously, she scribbled her name on the paper and walked over to hand it to him.

Cadet Lucy Blackwater. Who are you?

[chosethewar]

Tom didn't miss the flash of temper but wasn't sure what he'd said to offend her. Was he to apologize for having been raised with manners now? His mother had drilled them into him as a child and now they were habit more than anything else. He'd guessed she was a cadet by the fact that she was here in the cadets berth which was why he hadn't chosen to call her ma'am instead.

When presented with the paper he read it carefully and didn't miss the emphasis on the word cadet. "I'm Tom," It was said mildly. "Yanno, I kinda already guessed you were a cadet based on the fact that you're here. Uniforms are kinda a dead give away."

[reengineered]

Well, frankly she hasn't been called "miss" or anything like it since she was a child. Her family wasn't affluent but they were close enough to upper class that she'd heard it said a few too many times. Not offended, then, but... mildly annoyed. She came here to become a cadet, not to be called anything less. And now he's being a smart aleck, which really rubs her the wrong way.

So she signed a little something at him to express her frustration, a sarcastic introduction.

Hi Tom. Nice to meet you. I'm not "miss" anything.

No family, nothing to go back to if she were to flunk out. No way was she going to start off on this bad of a foot with someone, right? So she shrugged and tugged at her collar. Everyone's got the same thing.

[chosethewar]

"Pleasure to meet you as well Cadet Blackwater." Okay, here he was trying to be civil but if she was going to be nasty to him, why should he let that sort of challenge go unmet?

Feigning a pleasant smile, Tom leaned back on the bed.

"Tell me, Cadet Blackwater. Are you this crabby with everyone or is it my sparkling personality? Because I must say I've been nothing but civil with you in the short time we've been acquainted. I'm certainly not going to apologize for being polite or using the manners my mother instilled in me as a child. But as you've made your point abundantly clear I'll be sure to address you properly from here on out."

He was the picture of sincerity but there was definitely a hint of rebuke in his words.

[reengineered]

Looking him over, she decided she wasn't all that impressed. He was some average guy, looked normal, sounded normal, and wasn't flinching at her combativeness. Maybe she was made of sarcasm for the moment, but she had come here to earn respect, to be more than some lonely, isolated little girl. If she kept acting like this, all she'd do was isolate herself more. She had to learn to work with people if she was ever going to Drift with anyone.

Swallowing her pride wasn't fun.

I don't like being called "miss". It reminds me of home. It was written carefully this time, and handed over to him properly. There wasn't a hint of apology there, but no smile, either. Just a neutral expression.

[chosethewar]

He certainly looked normal but he was here which meant he was just as intent on attaining the same goals as Lucy. They were both here to learn how to fight monsters.

"Look, I don't want to want to fight with you. What say we start off again? I won't call you 'miss' you won't scowl as me, huh?"

Tom didn't had any trouble swallowing his pride. Mainly because the last thing he wanted to do was cause a ruckus on his first day of training. Not to mention they would have to work together for God only knew how long. He couldn't afford to get kicked out the Jaeger Academy, he literally had nothing left for him back in the States. No home, no possessions, nothing to tie him down and no family to worry over his fate.

[reengineered]

With a shrug, she gestured as though to say she was fine with it, even if she still looked a bit prickly. She didn't want to fight, either. She wanted respect and she wanted to be anything but the little girl she once was. Nothing was left for her either, and there was no point in dwelling on it or trying to fight it.

So she extended a hand toward him and waited to see if he'd take it. They could shake on a truce.

[chosethewar]

Tom accepted the proffered hand without hesitation and squeezed Lucy's hand in the time-honored tradition of a handshake. The dark haired man's grip was firm but he didn't try and macho bullshit like trying to squeeze too tight or shake too vigorously.

"Right, well now that we're off on the correct foot again. You can call me Tom, by the way. Cadet Haynes gets a little wordy. Though not as much as your name I suppose."

[reengineered]

Nodding, she pulled her hand back and almost moved to sign something, but thought better of it. Instead, she reached for her notepad again and scribbled hastily: Nice to meet you. You took the bed I wanted.

But she handed it over with a faint smile, one that spoke volumes about her own current awkwardness and nervousness.