NERV Hawaii: Episode Two - Getting Their Feet Wet

Darkling: You maybe thought you could sleep in this saturday morning, however at seven a.m. alarms went off as normal, startling anyone awake who wasn't already.
 Kaimana: Kaimana gave a groan and swatted an arm around, hoping to silence the alarm.
 Leon: Well, so much for sleeping in. Guess the morning schedule will be constant like the last place. Leon soon enough gets himself up and ready shortly after the alarm. Time for breakfast then, and probably chores or tests afterwards... Hard to say which would be worse at this point though.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella is awake, looking over her room with a smile. Though far from finished she's put up wallpaper of sorts in much of the room, even managing to reach hard to reach places. In this case the wallpaper consists of various drawings, some of them outright creepy looking, others of just utterly ordinary stuff, taped to the wall.
 Darkling: Of course the alarm came from some unseen speakers, so Kaimana's swats achieved very little.
 Stella Lacroix: After surveying her work she's off to go downstairs.
 Kaimana: That fact eventually caught up with the sleepy girl, prompting her to cover her head with a pillow.
 Darkling: Downstairs was a familair scene from the past week. Elle was drinking coffee and staring at her phone. Astrid was at the table in her own world and eating breakfast, though today it looked like waffles.
 Darkling: PAM hovered behind the counter. "Good morning!" The automaton greeted. "What would you like for breakfast?" This was a change, a choice instead ofa spread.
 Leon: "Good morning." Leon offers in greeting as he reaches the kitchen and dining room, pausing in front of PAM as it offered its question. "We get to choose today? What are the options then?"
 Stella Lacroix: Stella, for whatever reason, appears more lively and upbeat than usual. Though she's still lacking a bit. "Good morning. Can we eat your soul?"
 Darkling: "Automotons do not have souls, and if we did they would taste metalic and oily. Not very nutricious." PAM comments to Stella. "As for options, I can prepare a variety eggs, pancakes, waffles, crepes, oatmeal, cereals, fruits, sandwiches, french toast, broiche, and other delicacies."(edited)
 Leon: "Hmm... Are you sure souls aren't very nutricious? I'd wager good ones might be tasty, but I'll settle for waffles then. Astrid looks like she's enjoying hers in any case."
 Kaimana: It her frustration Kaimana rolls over and chucks her pillow at the noisey ceiling. Moments later the pillow returns, hitting her right in the face. "Hff."
 Darkling: "Waffles for the gentleman it is. I cannot however explain the nutrition the average soul contains. Such a thing is not measurable by my sensors."(edited)
 Stella Lacroix: "Belgian waffles and a brioche. Thank you for the enlightenment, PAM"
 Darkling: "Very well madam." The automaton begins to work away at their breakfast, all four arms multitasking.
 Darkling: That LED strip in Kaimana's room seems to glow brighter and the alarm a little louder.
 Kaimana: "Gah, geez, alright already! Just shut up." She was defeated getting up and dragging herself out of dead with a dirty look for the ceiling.(edited)
 Leon: "So then Miss Frost, what's on the agenda today for us?" Leon asks as he takes a seat at the table.(edited)
 Kaimana: It isn't long before Kaimana finally appears, her long black hair a mess hanging all over the place. More than a bit of her swarthy skin was on display, dressed in only the tanktop (which reads Skandal Istka) and panties she no doubt slept in.
 Darkling: "Mm." Elle takes a sip of her coffee and sets her phone down for a moment. "Today we're heading in for a tour of the facility, a checkup on all of you, a meet and greet with people you'll be working with, and some minor testing."
 Darkling: She then sees Kaimana. "Look what the cat dragged out of bed.."
 Leon: "People we'll be working with?"
 Darkling: "I'll explain when we et there. I want you to be able to enjoy your breakfast without an information overload."
 Kaimana: Kai grumbles something not entirely English and sits down.
 Darkling: She picks up a pastry off the counter and nibbles at it.(edited)
 Stella Lacroix: "Fair." Stella remarks quietly. "Is the facility far from here?"
 Darkling: "Roughly thirty five miles."
 Leon: "Right then." Leon says before looking to Kaimana. "Morning, or did you just sleepwalk over to the table?"
 Darkling: A plate plops down in front of both Stella and Leon, their chosen dishes finished with fixings on the side. Syrup, whipped cream, custard and fresh fruit.
 Darkling: PAM then hovers over towards Kaimana. "Can I prepare anything for the lady? Perhaps a nice booster smoothie to get you going?"
 Stella Lacroix: Contrary to her usually delicate and sparing eating habits, Stella pigs out on the breakfast today.
 Kaimana: "Smoothie," she manages to repeat before continuing. "Pancakes, eggs, bacon..."
 Darkling: The bot hovers back to the counter and begins working on the requested feast.(edited)
 Darkling: "And don't worry, you'll have tomorrow to do whatever you want. We can even go to the beach together if you wish." Elle suddenly adds.
 Kaimana: "Now you're talkin' sense."
 Stella Lacroix: Stella looks at Elle like she just suggested they all go out slaughtering kittens together.(edited)
 Darkling: "I'll let the three of you talk it out and decide though. Just let me know by dinner tonight so I can make the appropriate plans."
 Leon: "Right then." Leon says before getting a start on his breakfast.
 Darkling: After a bit of time there's a slam on the table in front of Kaiamana. Seems PAM took your order to heart. There's a giant gallon glass full of your breakfast choices all blended together into a massive smoothie.
 Darkling: "Anything else?" The bot asks.
 Darkling: You can hear Astrid gag from across the table.
 Kaimana: "...uh." Kaimana stares for a long moment. "Pancakes...not in a glass."
 Darkling: "Pancakes coming up!" PAM whirs away.
 Leon: "Huh, that's something."
 Darkling: Elle is snickering so hard she has to put her coffee down. "PAM is smarter than most bots, but sometimes she still makes the best mistakes."
 Stella Lacroix: Stella stares in awe at the bizarre smoothie.
 Darkling: Soon enough a plate of pancakes is in front of Kaimana with the same assortment of sides the others got.
 Kaimana: "Whats that, you want a sip?" A wicked grin crossed Kai's face as she offered the glass to Stella.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella takes the glass and turns it around a few times in her hands. She starts chugging it for a few seconds, then puts it down on the table. Her expression is rather bland.
 Kaimana: "Well...shit. Impressive. I still want to go to the beach tomorrow though."(edited)
 Darkling: Astrid gags again.
 Darkling: "Well." Elle says standing and grabbing her phone. "You have half an hour before we have to leave. Meet me in the basement when you are ready."
 Stella Lacroix: "Please excuse me a few moments." Stella gets up, heading off in the direction of the nearest bathroom.
 Stella Lacroix: Gagging intensifies!
 Leon: "Well, she's got guts, that's for sure."
 Darkling: Down in the basement Elle waited patiently for the kids to arrive. Once they all had, someone looking a little worse for wear after breakfast, she walked over to a small terminal on the wall.
 Darkling: "I know you guys probably found this and had no idea what it was for, or had your own crazy ideas." She takes a card out of her pocket and swipes it, punches in some numbers and then presses her palm to the terminal.
 Darkling: "This is our transport access to NERV headquarters on the island. And yes, there is a headquarters here and many other places in the world besides the giant one in Japan."
 Stella Lacroix: "I never saw it before today." Says the girl who barely leaves her room.
 Darkling: After a moment there is a beep, a green light flashes on the terminal and the ground shudders.
 Darkling: Then a seam i nthe wall splits open as the wall swings away revealing another room behind it. "Follow me please." Elle says walking in, Astrid hot on her heels.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella trudges along.
 Leon: Leon follows along as well.
 Kaimana: Kaimana follows last, "Well this seems weird."
 Leon: "Can't quite say a hidden room is unexpected though."
 Darkling: The room is actually a large hallway. The walls are sterile white and shiny from the overhead lighting. Once they are all a dozen feet in the wall closes behind them with a groan and they are left walking down the hall.
 Stella Lacroix: "Was it anything like this when you had to move balls with your mind?"(edited)
 Kaimana: "No hidden doors, they just kept it all in the basement."
 Darkling: After walking a good five minutes you all turn a corner and enter another room that resembles a subway terminal, minus all the dirt, grime and crowds.
 Darkling: A sleek looking white traincar is waiting for you with open doors.
 Darkling: "This is our transport to the headquarters. Hope you don't get motion sick." Elle says as Astrid rushes on ahead and inside.
 Kaimana: "Yep, nothing like this at all."
 Leon: "Well, we still have the after-train basements to see though."(edited)
 Stella Lacroix: Stella heads inside as well. That smoothie seems like an even worse idea now.
 Darkling: Inside there is about a dozen empty seats, Astrid is already buckled into one, the buckles latchign across her chest. She swings her feet happily.
 Darkling: "Make sure you are secure," Elle says boarding as well. "This thing is fast, you don't want to get tossed around."
 Kaimana: Kai plops down and buckles herself in. "NERV can afford all this, but not a house with beach access?"
 Leon: "Noted" Leon says as he takes his seat and buckles in.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella finds a spot to sit, keeping her distance from the others. She buckles in and closes her eyes.
 Darkling: "Oh, they have lots of beach houses, you just aren't living in one of them." Elle smirks as she sits down and buckles up as well."
 Darkling: Elle brings somethign up on her phone, and as she is punching things on it the traincar starts to hum and buzz.
 Darkling: A moment later you all feel like you're strapped to a rocket boosted rollercoaster as the train blasts through it's tunnel
 Stella Lacroix: Stella's eyes go from closed to as wide as saucers. She looks a bit queasy.
 Darkling: It takes roughly 5 minutes to travel the distance to their destination, the train gradually slowing down and allowing the kids some room to move around in their seats.
 Kaimana: "How you holding up?" Kai calls over to Stella.
 Stella Lacroix: "So far I have retained my dignity." She remains rather still even after the train slows.
 Leon: Fast. That about sums it up. "That was... different. Is this what a rollercoaster feels like?"
 Darkling: After a moment you feel like the train must have stopped. There is a beep and little signs light up that you can take your seatbelt off, just like in an airplane.
 Darkling: Elle and Astrid are already up and moving. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Astrid says reassuringly. "It's not the worst thing to come."
 Kaimana: "Faaantastic." Kai unbuckles and hops up, waiting for the other two before following.
 Leon: "That's very reassuring." Leon says as he unbuckles and gets up to follow the others.(edited)
 Darkling: Off the train you enter a similar looking terminal as was below your house, and follow Elle down another hallway.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella moves along, taking a bit of time before she walks properly.
 Darkling: At the end of a hallway Elle stops and waits for everyone to gather by her. "Alright, beyond this door is NERV. It will be busy and lots of people are trying to work, so stay close to me and don't wander off."
 Darkling: She hands each of you a lanyard with what appears to be an ID badge attached, your pictures, name and information listed on them.
 Darkling: "This is your access to the facilities. You swipe it in a terminal, and if you have access it'll go green. If you don't it'll go red and security just might pay you a visit."
 Leon: "I see. Sounds very ogranized."
 Stella Lacroix: Stella looks at hers for a while, particularly the picture. Seems a bit critical of it.
 Darkling: "Make sure you wear them at all times here. Don't lose it either." She seems to be mentally preparing herself as she fixes and adjusts her clothing and hair. "Alright, let's do this."
 Darkling: She swipes her card i nthe terminal by the door, and after a moment it beeps and flashes a red light.
 Darkling: "Son of a bitch!"
 Darkling: "Language." Astrid says from beside her.
 Darkling: She tries again, and this time it appears to work, the light turning green.
 Stella Lacroix: "Will security be coming?"
 Darkling: "No.." She huggs. "Probably not." She pushes the door open into the hallway beyond.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella follows along.
 Darkling: Sure enough she wasn't lying, there were people everywhere walking around, buyt maybe not as much as she implied there would be.
 Darkling: She leads you down a few turns before coming to a main foyer looking area with a set of elevators.
 Leon: A bit beyond his usual personal bubble, but he'd let it go. "I kinda have to agree, considering how long we've been living under NERV and how little we've been told about our testing."
 Darkling: The elevator doors open into a bigger lobby area. "Welcome to NERV." Elle says and if you're paying attention she rolls her eyes too. "Come on, follow me and I'll tell you what I can."
 Darkling: She leads you out into the lobby. This floor is a little less sterile than the hallway below, dressed up with plants and artwork. But if you looked under it all it was still all sheer white walls and floors, and that same LED strip was along the top of all the w alls just like your house.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella heads out of the elevator, noting the LED as she goes along. "All this white is a little disorienting."
 Darkling: As you head down a hallway and past several working people Elle talks. "So, you know you've been selected from a small group of other people your age, obviously. You were living with them, and you're going to school with them."
 Kaimana: "Must still be a use for them too then."
 Darkling: "NERV can make a use for anybody." Elle says, almost distastefully.
 Darkling: "Either way, you were our selected candidates and are going to be training here for a very important role in the company." She takes another corner and stops at the second door down it, tapping lightly on the door before entering and ushering her followers in as well."
 Stella Lacroix: "That doesn't sound too bad." Stella says in blissful ignorance.
 Kaimana: "Not sure I'm the cubical type."
 Darkling: You enter what appears to be health care office. There's a few people in nurses outfits working at setting something up. A short, well rounded woman approaches them. "Ah hello my children!" She cries, arms open for a hug towards her first victim, Stella.
 Leon: "Right, you mentioned a medical checkup, didn't you?"
 Kaimana: Kai lets go of Stella so that she can retreat from the scene. Sorry Stella.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella looks at the woman like a deer in the headlights for a few seconds. She eventually recovers enough to move in for a hug. Might as well get it over with in a hurry.
 Darkling: Leon and Kai aren't spared warm squishy hugs either. "I'm glad you're here. Your health is most important!" The womans says. "Ah wait, excuse my manners. I am Doctor Lacey Smith, head of the medicine department here at NERV Hawaii."
 Darkling: "She'll be running your checkups, and keeping tabs on your health during your stay with us." Elle adds.
 Stella Lacroix: "Stella Lacroix, just like it says on the nametag. A pleasure to meet you."
 Darkling: Pleasantries aside, Dr Smith gets everyone into little cubicles behind a curtain that allows enough light through to show a shadowy figure through it. Each of the kids is poked and prodded by a nurse for vitals, given an immuno-booster shot, and then a lollipop.
 Darkling: "You all seem quite healthy, though I'll have to await the test results to be sure." Dr Smith says once the ordeal is over.
 Stella Lacroix: "That wasn't so bad." Stella says as she looks over the lollipop. "And we even got emergency rations for it."
 Kaimana: "How many shots are we going to need? Really?" She muttered this behind her lollipop.
 Darkling: "As many are necessary. Life here is stressful, and your body can use all the extra strength I can give it, even if that's in the form of sugar." She chuckles.
 Leon: "I'm assuming we're done for today, anyways. Unless the candy is meant to lower our guards." Leon says through a mouthful of lollipop.
 Darkling: "You're done here. We'll have our results back and studied for your next visit."
 Darkling: "Right." Elle states. "Let's move then!" And she heads to the door.
 Kaimana: "Drugged candy? Now that would be low."
 Stella Lacroix: "It's probably fine." Stella says. She hasn't tasted hers at all, though.
 Darkling: Astrid has amazingly already chewed through hers and is holding an empty paper stick.
 Darkling: "Come on kids." Elle calls. "I'll explain more as we walk."
 Stella Lacroix: Stella moves along with a nod.
 Kaimana: Stella and Leon soon have familiar brown arms latched onto them again.
 Darkling: "So, you'll be working as a team here, and receiving a multitude of training that will seem, odd, to say the least." She heads back to the elevator and pushes 15.
 Leon: "Sounds mysterious. Are we starting training today?"
 Darkling: "You will be." The elevator arrives at the selected floor and she usher everyone out into a similar looking floor as the last and down another hallway.
 Darkling: "Our next stop is with one of your trainers, our Head of Security, Roberta. I'll give you a warning before hand, if she tries to hug you, it will hurt and you'll probably wake back upstairs in the medbay."
 Kaimana: "Right, no hugs."
 Stella Lacroix: "I took point last time. Someone else's turn now."
 Kaimana: "Leon totally has this one."
 Darkling: Elle stops at another doorway. "We will also likely have a guest. I understand the Brigadier General is visiting the base today and made it known she wanted to see your progress."
 Leon: "Sure, what's a back worth anyways? The Brigadier General?"
 Darkling: "To which I reminded her that you had not started training and there was no progress to see, but try explaining that to someone with a lead rod shoved firmly up their.." She trails off.
 Darkling: "Oh, Brigadier General Jackson. You have met her before."
 Darkling: She takes a deep breathe and opens the door. Beyond is a huge open room, likely the size of a football field, full of an array of obstacles, fitness equipment, a boxing ring, racks of weapons, and other assorted things.
 Leon: "Jackson? Ah, Miss Boss Lady."
 Stella Lacroix: "I remember her a little."
 Darkling: Nearby you see two women talking. One you recognize as the General, the other is a much bigger woman that looks like she could make rocks cry if she wanted to. Square broad shoulders, muscled arms the size of Kai's waist, short buzzed hair, and a scowl that made her look constipated.
 Kaimana: "Maybe we should come back later."
 Erika Jackson: "There they are."  Erika clapped her hands together.
 Darkling: "Egslent." The bigger woman says. "Kome in!"
 Darkling: If you're familair with accents, you'd place hers of Russian descent.
 Leon: "Right, hello there Miss Boss Lady, and Maam." Leon says as he enters the room as asked.
 Darkling: "They're all yours." Elle says and steps off to the side.
 Kaimana: Kai lets go of Stella and Leon, wonder what exactly was planned for them now.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella walks inside after Leon and nods.
 Darkling: "So, you are here for trainink ya? We begin wit simpul egsercises! You may vant to change." She points to some lockers on a wall closeby that have your names on them.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella goes off to her locker and looks inside to see what sort of attire there is to change into. And then looks for a place to change. Was NERV doing all of this to make them star in fitness videos? Was that their important role?
 Darkling: There appeared to be a single changing room that was also a bathroom.
 Darkling: Inside the locker was a skintight jumpsuit fitting to each person.
 Kaimana: "What the hell is this? Did someone leave their fetishwear in our lockers?"
 Darkling: "Dat is state of art cloth. Brethe, stretch, no sweat. Feel nice on skin. Make arse look triple gud."
 Stella Lacroix: Stella lofts a brow, but goes off to change anyway. When she returns she's looking rather awkward about it.

 Leon: "Huh... well technically she didn't say we had to change... though I imagine that's subject to change upon being mentioned."
 Kaimana: "Guess that means no underwear." She groans and heads into the bathroom, coming back out in short order. "Hrm, I think I like my wetsuit more."(edited)
 Darkling: "Shall we begin?" Roberta asks.
 Stella Lacroix: "Ready to begin."
 Leon: Going last, Leon goes and gets changed after the other two finish. "Yeah, might as well..."
 Darkling: "Gud, gud. Am Roberta. Head of sekurity. Am in charge of busting skulls, and am gud at it. Better than mine english, trust me on dat."
 Darkling: She grins and punchs a fist into her other palm. "I whip you into shape for NERV. You be crushink skulls  too soon."
 Erika Jackson: "Her word is Law, kids.  Best listen up.  You'll need to learn as much as you can."
 Stella Lacroix: Stella cracks a little smile, imagining herself crushing Satoshi's skull.
 Darkling: "Alright. First up..."
 Darkling: Roberta starts by getting everyone to stretch and loosen up before running them through a basic arobics workout for twenty minutes. After than she gets them to do laps around the room for another half an hour.
 Kaimana: Well Kaimana doesn't feel like she's dying just yet, so thats something. Being a sporty sort of girl had its merits, even if she was a little out of shape.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella starts off well enough, but eventually the laps get to her. By the end she's gone sluggish, breathing heavily and looking ready to tip over.
 Leon: He's never been into physical fitness personally, but exercise has never been anything he's really hated either. As they near the end of the hour though the lack of regular exercise begins to show.
 Darkling: Afterwards she does give you a five minute break, and shows you where the water fountain is.
 Darkling: Once that break is over though she gets you onto an obstacle course of inflatables, up and down, crawling around, and at the end a nice slide down onto a giant inflatable pad.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella drinks a good bit of water.  Still on the sluggish side, but at least this was more fun and helped contribute to a second wind.
 Erika Jackson: Erika watched them move, hands behind her back, a stoic expression on her face.
 Kaimana: Now she was starting to get tired. She could surf all day but this was different.
 Leon: And now an obstacle course, albeit it was nice to get that short break. Still though, they just loved extremes here it seemed. From lots of testing and little exercise to lots of exercise and little testing.
 Darkling: After the obstacle course Roberta gave everyone another moment to breathe and announced they would be getting a lunch break. Soon after a few staff entered the room setting up a folding table and a few platters of selected healthy foods for them.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella happily chows down while she can, for the moment forgetting about that awful smoothie. "If this is frequent I could see myself cracking skulls eventually."
 Leon: "Yeah, I mean if we end up doing this regularly, it can only get easier." Leon says as he sits and begins his lunch.
 Kaimana: "If you really want to get buff surfing is great exercise. Check it." She flexed for Stella and Leon. She was too young to be ripped like their instructor of course but she could rival a boy's football team.
 Erika Jackson: "Surfing is good, for your downtime.  In fact, I encourage you all to take up physical hobbies.  But your training will be far beyond any of that."
 Stella Lacroix: Stella slumps a little. Maybe this was the nightmare Astrid spoke of.
 Darkling: After a fifteen minute lunch break Roberta gets everyone back at it. This time at least it isn't running around and climbing over things. She starts by getting everyone to demonstrate their familiarity with simple weaponry. padded plastic staves, some simple bows, and splastic sword and shields.
 Kaimana: Kaimana stands off to the side, eyeballing the weapons but not touching any. "I've never really gotten into a fight or anything before. I'm a pacifist."
 Leon: Weapon practice sounded a bit more interesting, at the very least. "Well... I've been practicing with a bow for the last month or so, but I can't say I'd really know how to use any of the other ones here aside from instinct."
 Stella Lacroix: Stella looks over the weapons  for a while, giving each of them a try. While she seems unfamiliar with using them well, she seems a bit more comfortable with the staves. "Not something I have a lot of experience with either."
 Darkling: "You will learn." Roberta says to them all, but specifically to Kai. "Passifist or naut." She tosses one of the staves to the girl.
 Kaimana: She catches it easily enough, gives it a twirl but not much else.
 Darkling: "If you will not fight, then..." She swings a staff of her own at Kai, catching her in the thigh hard.
 Kaimana: "Gah! What the hell?!" She hopped back, rubbing her leg where she'd been hit.
 Darkling: She swings again at the girl, right across her chest, missing by inches. You get the feeling it was an intentional miss to make you flinch but none the less startling.
 Darkling: "Wut if was thug on street wit knive?"
 Stella Lacroix: Stella seems caught off guard by that as well, adjusting her stance and looking ready to jump back.
 Leon: Considering she definitely wasn't going to pull any punches Leon grabs a practice stafff and prepares himself to at least be ready to try and defend himself.(edited)
 Kaimana: Kai her her staff up too, but it wasn't going to do her a lot of good. "I don't know, its not a problem I've had before. Never had a problem with being assaulted before either."
 Darkling: "You will be." She swings the staff again, it coming to an abrupt stop beside Kai's temple.
 Darkling: "An you wuld be ded." She frowns.
 Stella Lacroix: "Violence can happen at any time." Stella says with a quiet yet almost angry sounding tone.
 Darkling: Roberta holds Kai's gaze, her stare harsh and fiery.
 Kaimana: Kai held the Russian's as well with pure defiance, a brave girl if nothing else. "Are you expecting us to fight people?"
 Darkling: "If they attack you, da."
 Darkling: She breaks her gaze to look at the Brigadier General.
 Erika Jackson: Erika raised an eyebrow.
 Darkling: She gives a shrug and loweres the staff. "Is enough kombat for now. Ve shall move to next task."
 Kaimana: Kaimana looked relieved, rubbing at her thigh.
 Darkling: "Dis way childrens." Robert leads them to the door exiting the room they are in back towards the hallway.

 Stella Lacroix: Stella puts away the staff before she follows. This definitely put a new spin on things.
 Kaimana: Kai put the staff back with the others and fell into line.
 Leon: Leon as well places the staff away and follows after the others.
 Darkling: She opened the door for them and motioned for the children to head out.
 Darkling: Once all three of them are outside the door closes and you hear an audible click.
 Darkling: The hallway behind you has been blocked off by an assortment of large cases, and the way you came from the elevator has a few cases stack in a staggered pattern. Beyond those you see what appears to be a stationary cannon.
 Darkling: Part of the wall along the hallway beside the door slides open to reveal a window, Elle, Astrid, the Brigadier General and Roberta looking at you from behind it.
 Darkling: "Dis test your teamwork. Get to end of hallway. Gud luck."
 Darkling: With that, the cannon opens fire, blasting a torrent of high pressured water right at the children.
 Leon: Is that a can- Shoot! Leon quickly dives for some kind of cover as the cannon fires.
 Kaimana: "Fuck!" Kaimana dives for cover.
 Erika Jackson: "All of you will have to be able to trust each other. And work together."(edited)
 Stella Lacroix: Stella makes a dash for cover as well. She peeks at the cannon. "Alright. Let's see if there's any pattern to this thing."
 Kaimana: Kaimana examines the case she's hiding behing.
 Leon: "Assuming we don't have a time limit and it's automated, yeah that sounds good. We'll want to see if we can spot any blind spots to it as well."(edited)
 Erika Jackson: " Unfortunately, you have a weak link! you can't trust Kaimana to have your back! She will not fight for you!"(edited)
 Kaimana: "Oh c'mon, its a fucking water cannon not a person."
 Leon: "While yes, considering all they've invested in us I doubt they'd seriously injure us, it doesn't mean they are beyond making things painful though."
 Stella Lacroix: "Prove her wrong and sacrifice yourself to the water cannon so we can slip by."

 Darkling: ~~~~~~~~~~~
 Darkling: At the end of the hallway you could hear water pressure building up a moment before the canon starting blasting towards you with the force of a fire hose.
 Darkling: As everyone managed to hide behind crates, no one is pummeled to their backsides, but everyone is instantly sprayed by the cold water.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella ducks back behind the nearest cover. "So when it stops we make a run for it?"
 Kaimana: "What if it doesn't stop?"
 Stella Lacroix: "There's still the sacrificial option."
 Leon: "Then I imagine we'll have to come up with a different plan."
 Darkling: The water doesn't appear to be letting up, and through the wet window you can see Jackson and Roberta silently judging you all. Elle looks a little less judgemental and more concerned at least, while Astrid is peering wide eyed.
 Leon: "Okay... anyone have something to throw? To see if the thing adjusts for motion."
 Kaimana: "Not since they made us change into these...outfits."
 Stella Lacroix: "We can wave at it. Stick an arm out, see what happens."
 Kaimana: Kaimana gets down on hands and knees to examine the cover she's hidden behind, wondering if its bolted down.
 Darkling: The crate doesn't appear to be bolted down, but it is heavy enough the water cannon isn't budging it at all.
 Kaimana: "So much for that," she mutters.
 Stella Lacroix: She raises her hand and then lowers it.
 Darkling: Sure enough the water canon swivels for the target.
 Stella Lacroix: "There we go. Motion sensitive."
 Kaimana: "So...someone needs to draw its attention while the other two move up? Gonna suck if the timing is off."
 Leon: "Seems so, considering we were't given much to work with. The cases might be openable, but likely would get blasted before we could get one open."
 Stella Lacroix: "I think that's about all we can do for now."
 Kaimana: "Pretty heavy too, not much we can do with them."
 Darkling: A voice comes over a speaker in the room. "Kome now, do at least somting." Roverta 'encourages.'
 Leon: "Well, that sounds like the time limit. Who thinks themself the fastest then?"
 Kaimana: "Me, maybe."
 Kaimana: Kaimana did a couple of stretches behind her crate. "I guess I'm the distraction then?"
 Leon: "Well, it's the best role for the fastest runner, yeah."
 Stella Lacroix: "Mhm. And we should probably all spread out as much as we can."
 Kaimana: "Fuck it." Kaimana pops up and jumps over the case she'd been hiding behind, making a mad sprint for the next closest one.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella isn't far behind, at least initially, though it quickly becomes clear she's no Kaimana when it comes to running.
 Leon: No time to think then, as Leon bolts over his case the moment he notices Kai leap over hers.
 Darkling: She makes it over the case quick enough but not far from it before the water plows into her knocking her off her feet and skidding back into the case.
 Darkling: Once she's knock down the cannon adjusts f or new targets, taking Stella out as well, pushing her back across the floor.
 Darkling: Leon does manage to make it to another crate under cover however.
 Kaimana: A soaking wet Kaimana scrambles back behind her cover. "Well...that sucked."
 Stella Lacroix: "Ow!" After getting knocked down Stella shoots a glare at the cannon, making a crawl for cover afterwards.
 Leon: "Yeah... we'll take turns then. We'll be soaking wet and potentially bruised, but we'll inch forward, maybe. I'll go first this time then."
 Leon: "Just say when."
 Kaimana: Kai wipes off her face and takes a few moments to center herself. "Ready when Stella is."
 Stella Lacroix: "Ready."
 Leon: "Right, going then." Leon says as he hops over and sprints for the next case.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella joins in on the run for the next instance of cover.
 Darkling: The instant he is up water blasts into Leon, sending him skidding backwards. While Stella is able to run past him he's pushed back past Kaimana even.
 Kaimana: Kaimana reaches out to grab him and pull him over to join her behind her crate.
 Leon: "Ugh... Well, this isn't working as well as I hoped." Leon says after Kai manages to pull him into cover before getting blasted too far back.
 Leon: "I feel like we're missing something, unless the lesson they are trying to hammer into us is this."
 Stella Lacroix: "Persistence and cooperation I guess."
 Kaimana: "Pretty sure there are better team-building exercises out there, y'know?"
 Darkling: The floor has gotten nice and slippery now with a layer of water that has built up on the tile.
 Stella Lacroix: "Anyway I guess it's my turn to take point now?"
 Kaimana: "So it can hose you all the way back here? Nah, sit tight."
 Kaimana: Kaimana furrowed her brow and chewed on the thumbnail.
 Leon: "Hmm... maybe we should risk seeing if there's something in one of these cases we could use?"
 Kaimana: "I mean I guess we could try but I really doubt it."
 Leon: "I'm not holding my breath either, but I'm not really seeing another option beside that or run as fast as we can."
 Kaimana: The native girl huffs. "Stay here." A moment later she's up, pushing herself off the crate and making a diving slide for the nearest cover.(edited)
 Darkling: Sliding across the ground works, though it isn't exactly the most pleasant feeling thing. The water blasts into your side and sends you spinnin into the wall behind the next crate.
 Kaimana: "Nope," she grunts, laying still for a few momets.
 Darkling: "Perhaps," Roberta's voice comes on over the speakers. "I can offer you some motivation."
 Stella Lacroix: "Motivation?"
 Darkling: A moment later you hear the thuming of music fill the hallway over the rush of water. "Baby don't hurt me.. don't hurt me, no more.."
 Leon: "Sure, why not? It isn't like not getting blasted wasn't motivation enough."

 Kaimana: Well, might as well try Leon's idea next. She takes a look at the case she's hiding behind, wondering how to open it.
 Stella Lacroix: "Please tell me there's something in the Geneva Convention against this."
 Darkling: Looks like the case opens from the top, the lid itself just snapping into place like a puzzle piece.
 Darkling: You can see Roberta through the window just loving this. She's got a whole dance routine planned it seems.
 Kaimana: Mindful of not wanting to get hosed again Kaimana pulls the lid off and tries to peek inside.
 Darkling: You pull the hard plastic lid off. Sand. It is full of sand.
 Leon: As Kai moves to carefully open hers, Leon does the same with his.
 Kaimana: "Yeah, yeah that kinda figures." She sits back down.
 Darkling: You're nearly blasted with water as you pull the lid off Leon, only to reveal a crate full of sand.
 Stella Lacroix: "You know, since these crates seem like they can take a hosing without budging we could always  just make sure there's a crate behind us when we move on. Keeps us from getting blasted too far back."
 Kaimana: "Hmm." Taking the plastic lid in both hands she pops up facing the canon, lid out to act as a shield.
 Darkling: Water hits the lid, saving you from being thrown backwards, but it is pushing you backwards across the wet tiles.
 Kaimana: "Shitshit, Leon! Come push me!"
 Leon: "Right, on my way." He says as he heads over to help her in their battle against the water.
 Darkling: The two of them together have managed to stop the backwards progress and are holding steady against the water cannon.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella sighs and moves in to join the other two and hopefully advance.
 Darkling: As Stella stands the water shifts to her, blasting her face first into the floor and skidding her back to the other two who lurch forward from the sudden drop in pressure.
 Stella Lacroix: She makes a muffled sound when the water impacts her face, seeing stars.
 Kaimana: "Hey! You okay?" Kai looks concerned, wanting to reach out to grab Stella but...
 Leon: Ouch, that looked like it hurt. "You alright? That didn't look very pleasent."
 Kaimana: "Dick move guys."
 Stella Lacroix: "Oww... oww."  Stella staggers to her feet and keeps low as she tries getting in closer to the others.
 Darkling: Another blast of water, this time back at the shielded pair.
 Kaimana: "To the side Leon, toward Stella." She starts to inch sideways so the poor Goth girl doesn't have as far to go.
 Leon: "Right." He follows her lead, inching sideways in step.
 Darkling: Stella manages to make quicker progress towards them as the water and music continue to blast through the hall.
 Kaimana: As they pick up their last friend Kai looks over her shoulder at Leon and in a quieter tone asks, "Do you think they really brought us here expecting us to hurt other people?"
 Stella Lacroix: Stella wobbles a bit, rubbing at her face. "Why is it ringing in here? Did they make it ring, too?"
 Leon: "Well, I can't say I would have thought that before today, but... What they've had us do today definitely makes it seem like they want us ready for fighting." He says quietly to Kai.
 Kaimana: She frowns but nods, looking forward. "Stella, you need to get behind Leon and push. Here we go! One, two and three!"
 Stella Lacroix: Stella does so, moving in behind Leon and pushing, putting her meager weight into it.
 Leon: On the count of three Leon also gives it his all into pushing against the steady stream.
 Darkling: With all three of them pushing and the container lid blocking the water, they make progress up the hallway. It is only a matter of time before they manage to reach the cannon and the stream of water is shut off.
 Darkling: The music stops and the doorway to the gym they were in opens up, Roberta, Jackson, Elle and Astrid coming out. Roberta was slow clapping for them.
 Kaimana: Kaimana doesn't look all that thrilled with the victory, more like a wet cat that knows its declawed.
 Darkling: The person manning the water cannon looks a little ashamed of himself, but keeps quiet.
 Stella Lacroix: She gives the cannon operator a look of puppy dog eyes. Her hair is pretty soaked, too, making her look more miserable. And her makeup is running!
 Kaimana: "Before you do anything else with us I want to say something."
 Leon: A slow clap. Hopefully there is a better reward than just that. Leon turns to face Roberta, Miss Boss Lady, and the rest as they come out to see the three.
 Darkling: "Please. do." Roberta says.
 Kaimana: "You guys really like your secrets so I still don't know what all this is about..." She motions to the hallway, the canon and even their gym clothes. "But if you're going to ask us to hurt people then you can send me right back to the orphanage. That's all."(edited)
 Darkling: "Hmpf." Roberta snorts. "Kid got spunk."
 Darkling: Elle for her part is keeping quiet behind her superior.
 Stella Lacroix: "So what's next on our journey?" Stella asks.
 Darkling: "Spunk isn't good enough." Jackson says with arms folded across her chest. "You have no idea what you're in for kid, bu we've never once said you have to hurt anyone. We're trying to teach you teamwork and self defense. So you're stuck with us until we say otherwise."
 Kaimana: There's a frown on her face but she doesn't say any more. Her main concern had been addressed. Assiming she could trust the word of such a secretive and manipulative woman.
 Leon: "Right, then I'll echo Stella's question. What exactly are you going to have us do next?"
 Darkling: "Clean up, dry off, get some rest. We're done here for the day." She walks defiantly past them, the cannon and turns down a corner.
 Darkling: Roberta pipes up. "Look, she is, hard woman. You figure out how to beat cannon. Be proud."
 Stella Lacroix: "You've got my sympathies if they put you through all this as well." Stella remarks to Astrid.
 Darkling: Astrid looks meek and sympathetic back to Stella.
 Kaimana: "Pretty sure I've earned my surfing privileges now."(edited)
 Leon: "Certainly already wet enough to surf, in any case."
 Stella Lacroix: "I hope you do get to surf, Kaimana. Personally I'd be happy getting more of an idea of what the purpose of all this is."
 Kaimana: "How's your head?" Kai turns and approaches Stella.
 Stella Lacroix: "Sore."
 Darkling: ~~~~
 Darkling: After a short breather to get everyone dried and into their own clothes, the three of you are sitting in a large empty looking cafeteria.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella seems to be sporting the beginnings of a black eye now. She's busy looking at herself in the mirror, her expression ambivalent.
 Kaimana: Kaimana comes up behind Stella quietly, "Oof, mind if I take a look at that?"
 Leon: "Feeling alright? I think you took the worst of it out of all of us." Leon asks as he approaches Stella and Kai.(edited)
 Darkling: "I'm sorry" Astrid says. "I should have told you they aren't nice here."
 Darkling: Elle hasn't returned. She said something about giving them a piece of her mind before leaving you in this room.
 Stella Lacroix: "Oh. go ahead. Smarts a bit, but I'll live. All things considered they're better than what I initially expected." She mutters the last a bit more quietly.
 Kaimana: Kai takes Stella's chin gently with one hand, her other carefull sweeping the girl's long hair back. "Mmh," she said as she got closer, "That'll be a shiner."
 Stella Lacroix: "Yeah, I figured. What I thought was that we'd all end up in a lab getting weird experiments done, or they were going to train us to be super assassins." She seems in relatively good spirits. Might have almost laughed, but doesn't quite get there.

 Stella Lacroix: "I see through your trick to suck my eye out of its socket. I'll be fine."
 Kaimana: A pat on the cheek for Stella and Kaimana lets it drop. "Remember that when it gets all puffy. It'll be too late then."
 Kaimana: The swarthy girl turns to Astrid. "If you're feeling talkative, anything else you want to share?"
 Darkling: "I didn't know what they would do, at least."
 Darkling: She swings her  feet under the seat of the chair. "They do different things to me."
 Darkling: This is probably the most lucid you've seen her so far.
 Leon: "Well, I can't imagine them doing to you what they just did to us... I guess they're grooming us for different things."
 Stella Lacroix: "They don't hurt you, do they?"
 Kaimana: Brow knit Kaimana walks over to Astrid. She put a hand on the table so she could lean in, nodding at Stella's words. "You can tell us. We're all friends."
 Darkling: Her face scrunches up like she's either in pain or trying to poop.
 Darkling: Or possibly passing a stone.
 Darkling: "No. They say I can't tell. The things we do are too important."
 Leon: "Sounds about right for them."
 Kaimana: Kai sighs and stands up straight, patting Astrid on the head affectionately.
 Stella Lacroix: "We're going to do important stuff eventually as well, right?"
 Darkling: "We all play our part." That wasn't Astrid but Elle speaking as she somehow managed to sneak up on you in the big empty room.
 Darkling: "We're clear to go home, and I let them know you are getting a full excursion day tomorrow for whatever your heart desires. You can even bring a friend form one of the other houses too if you want."
 Stella Lacroix: "I'll think about it." She says while dreading the beach.
 Leon: "Sounds fun."
 Darkling: "Let's head home, I know you all want out of here."
 Kaimana: "Sounds good."
 Stella Lacroix: Stella nods. Her room sounds pretty nice about now.
 Leon: "Yeah, sounds good."
 Darkling: Home you go. Back down through the base, a short ride on the supertrain, and you're home in the basement of your house.
 Stella Lacroix: "Home sweet home."
 Darkling: "I have to file a report about today." Elle states. "I will be in my office if you need me." She looks as if to say more, and instead heads off up the stairs.
 Darkling: Astrid walks over to the pool table and rolls one of the balls across it.
 Kaimana: Kai huffs and stretches out her limbs, sporting a few new bruises between the water canon and the Russian.
 Leon: "Well... looks like we get free time for the rest of the day, and then for tomorrow as well. Or so she said."
 Stella Lacroix: "I'll see if I can prepare myself for it mentally."
 Kaimana: "I can help you with the sunscreen. You might need...a lot, Astrid."
 Darkling: She smiles from the pool table. "Thank you. I have never been to the beach before., if that is where you  choose to go."
 Leon: "I'm fairly certain that's where we'll be going, I'm not even sure where else around here there would be to go to."
 Kaimana: "Well, I mean, there are a lot of places to see here on Maui."
 Darkling: Another ball rolls across the table.
 Kaimana: "We should totally stop at Tasaka Guri-Guri while we're out too."(edited)
 Leon: "Tasaka Guri-Guri?"
 Kaimana: "Its a small shop, sells a frozen treat kinda like ice cream or shebert. Delicious."
 Stella Lacroix: "Might be worth a try. And it should help cope with the cancer ball."
 Leon: "Should be one of the highlights then. That and trying surfing I suppose."
 Kaimana: "Surfing is life, bruh." She grins and gives Leon the Shaka.
 Stella Lacroix: "Well, I hope you enjoy it."
 Leon: "You know, I've been meaning to ask, but what does that gesture mean, exactly?"
 Kaimana: "The short version is just, y'know, hang loose." She does it again. "It's how we convey the Aloha Spirit. Friendship, understanding, compassion, and solidarity, or it can communicate greetings and gratitude."
 Leon: "The Aloha Spirit huh? Well to friendship then, and hopefully understanding what they plan on doing with us." Leon says as he does the Shaka.
 Stella Lacroix: Stella's expression goes a little flat when Leon makes the gesture. A moment later she raises her fist, expression unchanged, and... makes the metal horns gesture instead.
 Kaimana: "Not feelin' the Spirit?"
 Darkling: Astrid amusingly puts up horns gestures with both her hands.
 Stella Lacroix: "Your people have their ways, my people have mine."
 Kaimana: "Who are your people, Stella?"
 Stella Lacroix: She looks distinctly unhappy for a moment. "Maybe another time. All that stuff they had us doing has me in need of rest." She makes horns at Astrid before she wanders off toward her room. "Hold down the fort."
 Kaimana: Kai rests her hands on her hips as she watches Stella go, looking between Leon and Astrid for some hint.
 Leon: Leon shrugs. "I assume she may have actually liked where she was living before NERV forced her here."
 Darkling: Astrid shrugs, horn hands on the sides of her head now like a bull.
 Kaimana: "Guess I'll leave her be. I have a board to wax!" Again. "You uh...you two wanna help? I can tell you about surfing."
 Darkling: Astrid simply nods.
 Leon: "Sure, can't hurt to actually learn something about surfing before I actually try it."
 Kaimana: "We'll have ya goofy footin' a gnarly pounder in no time."
 Leon: ... Just going to assume that's a good thing. "Sounds good."
 Kaimana: "Radical."
 Darkling: ==============END============