Welcome to Gaia! ::

Before just shook his head, "First time I ever heard of something like this happening. Maybe the Life labs got things like this recorded but it got lost from the fifty million times things go wrong?" he shrugged. There were plenty of willing hunters to "babysit" these not-hunters, Before didn't need to volunteer. Besides, this was a better chance to catch up with Tori.

"C'mon, let's get some grub. Don't wanna end up resorting to MREs 'cuz everyone ate all the good stuff," he smirked wryly, standing up and offering a hand to the Lifer.

Now Tori was really more curious about it all and wanted to know more, Aklin totally want to have his hunter do some pranks on these fresh not-hunters. But then she didn't know if she wanted to babysit. "That is true," Tori agreed as there was plenty of things that have went wrong in the life labs. She would have to think about this sometime later especally when her weapon stops chattering about pranks.

"Alright," she agreed not really too hungry as she wasn't too sure if she was just a little unsure about the food, but she couldn't be too choosey since no one was leaving and really wanted some tea that was back in her room. "The MRE's aren't that bad," Tori answered since the novlity of them had yet to wear off. Tori still just had to smile as she took the hand Before had offered.

As Mimsy had not really gained any parenting or guardianship skills from a Mimsy in a mirror, the question was actually incredibly difficult. She thought about it for a while, worked her way through from start to finish as if it were an equation, and finally settled on an answer.

"No." She shook her head, but with her head still on his shoulder, it kind of just seemed like she had residual Cheshire catlike effects. "Help implies doubt in her capability. I said that she could handle it. She can. Let her. Express pride and gratitude when she returns. Offer affection. Return to standard application of love."

Yeah, solved it!

Smiling bigger and shaking her head at the face Before made in attemps not to laugh out loud. "Thank you," Tori replied for the help up despite that she was taller than he was.

"You heard me, Before. MRE's aren't that bad. They are nothing like what I had in the past. Ok they might not taste the same as those foods but I still like them none the less," she told him out flatly as she like things that were different well despite all of the bad s**t that happens. "Well we lived thought it all at least so far," she added. "Anyways I can't cook and they are the next best thing than eating anything a life tech gives you,"

Maebe was on the prowl. This was unfortunate, for most of the fresh new faces, as she was just so terrible intimidating in that little pastel blue short skirt and white barely-tank top. But she wasn't impressed enough to let her eyes rest on anyone for long, which was probably just their luck. She was looking for something special.

And in Cee, she found it.

Heels, black leggings, tight fitting clothes, and perfectly manicured nails. Maebe stopped moving for a minute, and tried to decide if she was looking at another person, or nega-Maebe. Her eyes narrowed for just a minute, and then her entire face relaxed.

She walked up to the woman, barely giving the girl she was talking with a passing glance of disinterest before returning her apathetic gaze to her.

"Mmmm." She hummed between pink, softly puckered lips that refused to smile just yet. Not yet. "Hi. What's your name, little girl?"

The lack of a smile did not make that sound any less lecherous, but the fact that it had come from what amounted to a high school cheerleader might have.

Good answer.

Cee's smile was appropriately responded to, as the corners of Maebe's lips lifted into a careful, but no less playful, expression. "Your daddy, and me." She corrected, reaching up to run her finger down the edge of the fabric around the girls neck. Her perfectly manicured nail raked along the edge. "Welcome, Cee. I'm Maebe. And I don't babysit." It was important to her that was made clear from the get go. "But I wouldn't mind showing you around. Only because you look fun."

And it was true. If Maebe was going to do something as work related as tour guide, she made sure to pick someone who wasn't going to make it a chore. Cee might not get the full Deus experience, but she'd certainly learn a few key things. The important things.

"Not dead," Davey tells Marcus, though that's obvious by now. "Remote portal guarding mission. Very long, very boring. No one but the Bitchblade for company for almost two years." He points at his temple. The dogtags around his neck jangle, Azrael's tag-form no doubt trying to stab Davey again over the hated nickname. "Being dead might feel pretty similar."

Everything Marcus says is true. No alarms, no calls to the infirmary, and Moon Division hasn't been called anywhere except to this general meeting. Davey wonders how much would be different if not for ALICE's plan. If a significant portion of Hunters had died in their sleep, as the Queens had planned, there'd certainly be a bigger uproar right now. He keeps that to himself, though, and wonders just how much their leaders are aware of. Or if any of them were part of the dream.

"You'll have to catch me up on the New Year's dream," he tells Gale. From what Stormy was saying, it sounded very different, but it made him curious. He's missed too much, being away. It's hard to defend something when you don't know what attacks have already made it through, or how.

H finally appears and Davey's gut churns at the sight of him. Now there's someone he hasn't missed.

~Don't look,~ Azrael sighs. Davey's not sure why he sounds so resigned.

'It's a bit hard not to when he's front and-' centre, Davey can't even finish the thought as his eyes slide to the group following H in.

~Too late.~

Azrael's nest in his head turns murky like a swamp, his distaste obvious. Davey ignores him because he's too busy staring at a familiar face. He notices the scars, how could he not, but they don't really register because Joy. Here.

He makes a strangled noise in his throat when she steps up on the podium. He tunes in to hear H announcing, "...We've had a few premature wake-ups. They are unbonded and fragile. It is possibly whatever extra energy allowed this will run its course in a few hours, but may last for weeks as well."

Premature... so she was in the pods, just like he thought. Only days or weeks until she goes back in, though. He clenches his jaw to hold back an outburst. It isn't fair. When he told her he'd find her, he hadn't meant just for a few days before putting her back to sleep in those death-traps. He almost doesn't want to see her, if he's just going to lose her again so quickly. But no, he should be grateful for any time. He wants to meet her, properly, as themselves.

As soon as H dismisses everyone, Davey is on his feet. He jumps to the next bleacher row down, pauses and turns back to Marcus, Gale and the others. "I have to..." He points in the general direction of the podium and takes off again.

But when he hits the floor and approaches the podium, he starts to slow. What will she think of his missing arm? He's gotten used to it, accepted it, like he and his replica had spoken about. But it's still a shock to others on the first meeting. It's something that leads to foots in mouths, to averted eyes, to pitying gazes. He doesn't want her to see him as something less, after being so strong in Wonderland.

When he gathers his courage and looks up, she's introducing herself to others in the group of prematurely-awoken Hunter candidates. She has her back to him and his walk is near soundless when he wants it to be, so he gets pretty close before worrying that she'll notice him.

Clearing his throat, he speaks up. "That didn't take as long as I thought it would."

He has a small smile ready for Joy when she finally turns around. He's not wearing anything Joy would be familiar with. White singlet, brown pants, a sleeveless white coat with a pushed-back hood and a strange gold design. His hair is shorter, choppier, but otherwise the same shade. Three metal tags rest against his chest, though she might have expected those from the memory she saw. Bandages wrapped here and there, most especially around his left shoulder - which is where that arm ends. [x]

"Told you I'd find you."

At Doctor H's words, combined with the arrival of all the new(ish) trainees (sort of), Gale felt it was only time to perform at least some of his duties. He didn't particularly trust the Doctor, but there wasn't really anything to be done about this...mishap, or whatever it was. And perhaps they could at least learn something new today after all; so he pushed himself to his feet, and gave Davey a small smile before leaning over Stormy and pressing a quick kiss to the top of her head.

"I'll meet you later for lunch?" he said, and squeezed her hand before climbing down the bleachers and searching out the first newly awakened trainee that he saw - a young woman, perhaps around his own age, maybe a year or two older, whose pale blonde hair seemed oddly familiar.

"Hey," said Gale, and gently tapped her shoulder. "My name's Gale - welcome to Deus."