{ THE DARK COVE } UPDATED SEE PAGE 1

[Pixie Nyxie]

Nevada woke slowly. It could be attested that because of her lazy demenor it took the girl longer to waken but...She was comfortable in her death sleep.

However when she was prompted to wake, her eyes fluttered open...assualted with lights and sounds, she groaned and covered them.

"I just want to sleep five more minutes mom." She breathed out, it hurt. Like ice in her lungs. Pain could only be felt when they were alive right? So she must be alive...and awake. One of those options seemed highly unlikely.

Machines beeped and hummed as she tested her fingers...toes...wiggled her whole body into movement. "Mmmm A nice hot bath sounds so nice after this..." The girl smiled even as the memories came flooding back.

Fighting, Death, her life, Her sister. She was searching for her twin, where was Alaska? Where was she? Hunters.

Hunters of the dark, Halloween. Monsters.

Nevada's head ached from all the memories as she pushed herself up...and sat in her pod. Where did she go from here?  

[Eight]

Her lucky day, huh? They'd told her there was someone waking up, a girl. But it was still boring as hell waiting for someone to wake up. When she finally did decide to join the world of the living, Candace was ready. She was standing just outside the pod when it opened, helping it along with a warm smile. "Mornin', princess. A hot bath does sound amazing, but you've got some other things to take care of first." Candace greeted cheerfully, propping open the door of the pod and offering out both arms for the girl to grasp onto.

"My name's Candace. Here, grab my arms and I'll help you out so you don't fall."  

[Pixie Nyxie]

Nevada didn't even bat a eyelash at the girl who was near what Nevada thought of as...Promethesus like sleeping quarters or something. She blinked though, slowly and her smile considerably warmed by several degrees as she looked at the arms that were held out for her.

"Oh well if you don't mind darling, I won't either." And with that, Nevada grasped onto them and slowly, like turtle slow, pulled herself up. Legs swung out of the pod and lightly hit the ground as she chuckled. "Feeling in my legs will return right? I've never had a nap so long my body was still asleep while my brain isn't. It's a damn shame when your body can't catch up." She wobbled a little and then....

Flopped into Candace and draped herself along the other girl's body. "Sorry but you're really warm..." While she was a smaller girl then Candace, probably around 5'6ish, somehow and someway the younger girl had made it so that she was koala hugging the other one.

"So things I need to do...like work. Is it hard?" Nevada smiled...Work oh work why you ruin her laziness.  

[Eight]

"Oh, totally. It'll just take some waking up." And depending on how long this girl had been in her pod it was possible she'd had her sleep ******** up multiple times by attacks and such on the island. Candace wasn't going to tell her that, though. "Don't worry, it happens to all of us. I've seen people fall flat on their face coming out so I figured I'd help you do that doesn't happen." When the girl flopped onto her she grunted and stepped back on one foot to keep her balance. Okay, she had to admit, had this been a year ago Candace would have collapsed with her. This was a nice little testament to how much she'd improved in so many different things since coming here.

No time to think of that, she had a new trainee to welcome. Right. And just the one so no little seminar with H...damn..that meant she wouldn't be given an excuse to see him. "Thanks. I usually get told I'm hot, but I'll take that compliment anyway~." She teased with a grin, holding her up and letting her just...cling..

..Ooookay. Candace hadn't expected the girl would cling to her. She tried not to frown, simply keeping an arm around the girl and stepping away from the pod to escort her out of the room. "Sometimes...most of the time, yes. Very hard, very tiring. Long hours, little pay. It'll kind of depend on where you're put here, too. Welcome to Deus Ex Machina, my dear. I'll give you the explanation you'd normally be getting from someone else while I take you to the Cove to pick up your partner, okay?"  

[Pixie Nyxie]

"Ah, I gotcha! I suppose it would be easier if I get myself up, I'll miss the warmth and softness though." Nevada stretched before turning so that she could walk to the side of Candace instead of holding on to her. Though she kept her arm around the other girls waist companionably. Nevada was not shy and well...She liked to have some sort of contact with others.

Especially after so long. Was it so long? Or had she only been asleep for a day?

"Warm, Hot, Cozy. Human heat is always nice no matter the tempature. But you're quite beautiful too." The girl yawned as she said it, "Excuse me..." She said as one more came out and then sighed.

"Hunters. I remember they found me and offered me here." She chuckled at Candace though, "Sometimes, most of the time...just yes? Ah, I suppose being a hunter would be. And here I thought I would get plenty of time for napping or something. Or books. Although I didn't realize we got paid..." At the mention of a cove though, the smaller girl frowned.

"I didn't realize we got partners either, I must really have forgotten when I first came here...I just remember fighting. I hate to ask because I don't know if you know but...is there a girl named Alaska Burns here?" Maybe her partner would be her twin? What though...were the odds of her twin joining the hunters? "Ah and you mentioned where I would be put?"

Like a section? or a certain job title? hmmm....  

[Eight]

The yawning didn't bother Candace. She chuckled and gave the girl's shoulder a squeeze. "Don't worry about it. Don't worry, you'll get time for napping, and studying, and reading. We'll get into pay and leave time and all that later, there's more important things you need to know~. Like the Hunter thing, yes." Leading Nevada down the hall, Candace knew where to take her. "A partner just for you. Here, meet mine. Her name is Atropos.." Candace held out one of her hands and circled the ring on her finger with her thumb, giving Nevada a small smile. "Ah, the fighting. Yeah, that was interesting. Doctor H gives...a better explanation, a very um..enlightening one? It's something. Very blunt and hands on. That pod you just came out of is usually used for piloting golems. I guess one way, a really bad way that I hope you never tell anyone I used, is to compare it to the movie Avatar. Again, this is a really stupid way to put it, please don't tell anyone I said this. It's just the easiest way to put it to someone new without actually showing you. You'll see it in action soon enough, I'm sure."

Alaska Burns? That was a person? Candace blinked. "Um, I don't know...I can find out for you, if you'd like. Very distinct name, shouldn't be too hard to find. And yes! A division, there are five of them. Sun, Moon, Life, Death and finally Mist. I'm in Mist." She gestured to the back of her coat, lifting it a bit to show the girl the swirling gold Mist emblem that covered the entire lower half of the back of her coat. Releasing it, Candace drummed her fingers along the girl's shoulder. "Each division specializes in a certain duty. For example, Sun is the front light fighters with Moon being front line defenses as well as the division that usually does buildings and repairs and are on field medics. You'll get put into one of them after we pick up your weapon. I can't go into the cove with you but I can show you where it is."  

[Pixie Nyxie]

"Oh that's good! Well I look forward to this then. I suppose it won't be too much different then my life before..." At least she hoped it wouldn't. the creatures and the...well who knew.

"Your partner?" She looked down at the hand that was held out and studied the ring. "So your partner is a ring?" This place was odd indeed. Well..maybe it was a MAGIC ring. "Not so much intresting as painful but...sacrifices were made and then death and I'm here now so..." The girl shrugged and blinked.

"Golems? Oh...Oh okay I see what your saying. So the pods are used usually for us being in a different body?" the girl rubbed her forehead and did what she always did concerning things she didn't quite get....she went with the flow and automatically accepted it.

"Right, She's my sister. Twin in fact. My name is Nevada as I have so rudely noticed that you introduced myself and I just ranted off about someone else. Um, let's try this again. hello, My name is Nevada Grace Burns. It's a pretty shitty name that I think my parents thought was funny at the time." She smiled again and looked down at the coat with gold lining that looked like mist rising up.

"It's very pretty." Her finger tapped the jacket, "So Sun, Moon, Death and Life. Then Mist. Sun specilizes in offense, Moon defense. And right now we're heading to the cove to pick out a weapon who will be my partner and I'll be placed in a certain division." Nevada blew out a breath and then laughed, "Well here I thought I could just slide into it. It's kinda of different then being smacked right into it." She paused...

"After the cove...do I come to find you again?"  

[Eight]

Candace couldn't help the smugly proud grin that came about from the girl's observation of Atropos. "Oh, she's much more than a ring, girly. She's two rings." Releasing the girl, Candace showed off her other hand to show the matching ring on her finger. A pair of glowing rings with gems that almost resembled eyes. "I'll show you what she really is later. She isn't exactly handy to travel with, especially indoors." Did the girl really get it? It was hard to tell. That had been a very quickly done explanation, and a poor one at that. She'd give her a more thorough one later.

Her grin fell at the mention of a twin. Oh, dear. That was kind of a big deal. "Remind me to introduce you to Gale later..." If her twin wasn't around then Gale could related to her feelings. "I'll see about finding out if your sister is around or not, okay? It shouldn't be too hard..and don't be silly, I think Nevada is a fine name. You're not the only person with a name after a state around here, and trust me there are worse names out there. Hell, some of them are on this island. It's nice to meet you, Nevada~." Alaska and Nevada..interesting. It shouldn't be hard to find out. How many 'Alaska Burns' in the world could possibly exist? If she wasn't on the island then she could definitely try and see if she was still state-side at least for Nevada's peace of mind.

"I'll wait for you outside and then take you to get your division assignment. Take all the time you need."  

[Pixie Nyxie]

"It's a she?" Nevada's eyes widen, her curiousity beginning to heighten more. Her gaze fell on the second one that was held out and she couldn't help the feeling that Candace was...holding back on what the rings actually were.

Wel wel wel...Nevada turned her puzzlement to amusement again and couldn't WAIT until she met her partner.

"Gale, yes. I think I will remember that then." She cocked her head and wondered why Gale would be important, perhaps he was someone Nevada reminded Candace of?

"Your being so helpful to a stranger...Is it always like this around the island?" A raised eyebrow and teasing light, "Had I known...I would've tried to wake myself sooner..."

"Ah..." She stared at the stairs that descended down and took a breath. "Alright Candace. I'll be back...eventually." Stairs were long and she might need to take breaks...or something. "I'll meet you upside soon." A quick wave and she disappeared into the underground.  

[ramenli]

There was nothing but dullness, and that was fine. Normal. Then suddenly she was being forced away. That was not a normal feeling for her, normally she woke on time, on her own, nice warm air still on her skin, the scent of incense and spices lingering in the air.

But no, there was a hiss, the air surrounding her stale, almost painful in how boring it was, unfamiliar noises hitting her ears as her eyes were assaulted with light. She did not jump up, trying to adjust as she opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings, how completely foreign it all seemed. It looked like something out of a science fiction moving (not her favorite unless it had a really good actor in it). Weird shaped pods, glowing symbols, and the realization that she seemed to be in one.

As she adjusted the memories began to come back. Packing up and leaving home to meet someone. Going to fight...the shadows. The things that had taken the innocence of her younger brother, changed him. Being put into some sort of test to be a hunter, trying to keep safe, running. Fighting? Shadows. And finally it was her turn, darkness closing in as she labored for breath, clutching at her side.

Nothingness.

And now here she was, in some sort of bizarre room, just trying to make sense of it all. The confusion shook her deep down, but she was trying not to let it show as she tried to go back to the basics to make sense of it all. Her name was Taani.  

[chiickadee]

Ami was tiredly writing in her journal the time. Pod duty was always boring. Incredibly boring. You just sat there and watched a bunch of sleeping bodies. At the same time it was unsettling. All of these weaponless hunters now- it wasn't exactly the cheeriest time to arrive at Deus Ex Machina.

Still, one never picked their time of arrival. The telltale hiss of a pod opening. Ami snapped her journal shut and set it in her pocket, pen put back on the table. Time to be "welcoming" and all that jazz.

She moved to the blinking pod, waving away some of the mist that had formed as the pod opened. The girl didn't seem very responsive. Just a clutched side, heavy breathing. At least she wasn't kicking and screaming- they'd had one that did that and it was absolutely impossible to get him to sit down and listen so they could explain.

"Hello there," Ami said, voice monotonous and cold. She took a deep breath and faked a cheery smile. "Welcome to Deus Ex Machina Academy, we call it Deus Ex for short. My name is Ami, and you undoubtedly have a few questions."  

[ramenli]

Taani tried really hard not to wince at the girl that appeared. The first thing she noticed about her was her smile, this girl was a really, really bad actress. She sincerely hoped that she never saw her in a film, it would be torture to sit through.

The second thing she noticed was her actual looks. Pale skin, light hair. A foreigner. She started looking at her with more interest. Sure, she had seen foreigners before, tourists mainly, but up close and interacting with one? And with such an accent too. The clothing...maybe that was just foreign fashion. Her recruiter had been Indian as well, but thinking about it...no, there were foreigners in those weird bits of memories that she had. Huh.

"Namaste," She leaned forward slightly in an approximation of a bow, her voice with a light lilt of a British accent. "My name is Taani. Is your hair naturally that color?" There were priorities after all.  

[chiickadee]

Ami held out her hand and said, "C'mon, let's get you out of there. You're bound to be a bit sore, apologies." The girl sure did ask a strange first question. Most just blathered about WHERE IS THIS and WHAT'S GOING ON. "Ah, yes. It is. Nice to meet you Taani."

She continued to say, "Before you inevitably ask, Deus Ex is a training facility, located on an island somewhere in what you would know as the Bermuda Triangle." Her eyes flicked to the pod behind the girl. "The place you were in before- think of it as ... a trial. You passed, and now you're here, to fight."

Ami paused to make sure the girl was getting all this. She hated explaining things once even. Twice would just be a death sentence.  

[ramenli]

She wasn't really used to holding hands, but it wasn't exactly uncommon. She just never had someone to hold hands with. That required friends that she was fairly close to. She was rather grateful for the hand as she started to move, muscles feeling odd as she just worked to keep fairly steady on her feet. She needed, wanted, poise, and without it she was being shaken again, trying to hid it.

Ami cut straight to the chase, not giving her time to ask the follow-up questions that she wanted to know before she was launching in to a quick explanation. A training center in an unfortunate place. The memories, flashes really, all part of a trial in order to even be here. Of course she had passed, she always did well on examinations. "So what about the ones that did not pass?" She looked around at all of the other pods, wondering if they all held others like her.

"What do we do now? Just jump straight into training? How long does it last?" It was going to be miserable if it was like some sort of boot camp and they had a few weeks of just strenuous drills before they got to go out onto the field. Taani was not truly a fighter, but to protect others from being harassed as her brother had been she would do what she could.  

[chiickadee]

Ami could've chuckled at the naive question if she hadn't been impacted so heavily by the most recent missions events. "You know, I've never bothered to ask. Probably subject to more trials, or eliminated.." Ami didn't know, but she simple assumed that explanation would suffice. Ami always assumed it was enough.

Her next question was much more common among new trainees. "Not quite," Ami responded. It was an astute assumption, and Ami coukd appreciate the logic, but it was wrong. "You're here for life. We fight monsters, the shadows that have most likely haunted you, et cetera et cetera." She waved a hand.

"I know it is a lot to take in, but you're going to have to trust me for the moment when I say that I'm not going to walk you through all this here in te labs. I don't have time for that." Rather, Ami didn't have time for anyone.

Taani was beginning to get her land legs, so Ami slowly eased off her. "However I can tell you what you need to do now. You'll get a talk from our life techs- they will explain things more in depth to you. Second, you'll visit the weapons cove, and recieve your partner." Ami bit her lip. It was rather awkward to explain that when she had no example. "That is a far more personal experience that I can't brgin to explain. Just know you'll have a weapon. You'll fight the shadows. Considering our nature, I have a feeling you're looking forward to it."

She picked at her nails and said, "I'd suggest the weapons cove first. It's much better to have a headworm to lead you through things. It would probably make you feel safer. Just ask one of the life techs where it is on your way out- I can't leave the pod room since I'm on duty." Rather, Ami didn't want to be responsible for another person. She really wasn't cut out for this welcoming entourage. "Welcome to Deus Ex."