Episode 3, Chapter 1: This Perfect Place

"Gooood morning, to all Residents and Servants!" Jess was awoken by a loud, accented voice echoing from seemingly everywhere. "It's 10, so everybody who isn't already up has to get up! Stretch those muscles! Don't get sad when there's so much to do!" He laughed. "Of course, every morning starts by announcing newcomers and departures. No departures as usual - though there have been attempts! Hahah." He cleared his throat, and Jess stumbled out of the building they had found themselves in, sitting on the stairs leading into the courtyard. In the center was a giant tree, and everyone was gathered around it, with the loud voice from before sitting on top of the tree. He, like many of the people closest to the tree, were wearing light grey suits, bright sky blue trim across their torsos.

"What's going on…?" Jess mumbled quietly, making their way down the stairs.

"And as for newcomers… We have a new Resident and a new Servant!" He chirped. A hushed whispering rippled throughout the crowd. "I know, it's a surprise to be sure - with most of you, you have to work hard to curry favor with the Resort Head, but this one… ah, they were a special request from The Admin himself to make this one a Servant."

He put one hand to his lapel, the other hand raising a finger and lifting his arm upward as Jess began to float. "Everyone, say hello!"

"Hello!" The entire group said in unison, waving their hands as they all turned around. Jess gulped, shivering. Creepy.

In the crowd, Jess spotted Lukas, wearing a turquoise jumpsuit. His goggles and jacket were gone, and his skin looked… oddly gray. His pupils, once black, were now a lighter gray. "L-Lukas!"

"Ah… of course, they're a new Servant." The man in the tree said, putting Jess down. "They don't know that every Resident here is referred to by their number. Keeps things simple, you see - if two residents share a name, it's much easier to call them by their numbers so there's no confusion."

"I.. okay." Jess shrugged. The people in the crowd dispersed as the man in the tree jumped down, landing effortlessly on the ground. "And you are…?"

"The name's Romeo!" He sprang upright, slicking his hair back with a big grin. "I'm in charge of training new Servants and making sure they can fulfill their assigned roles. As for you… You're the greenhorn among us, so naaaaturally, I have to help you learn the ropes! It's a painless process, really - it's more showing you how to activate your powers while in the Resort-"

"Resort? Is that what this is?" Jess asked, interrupting him. Romeo blinked, tilting his head slightly.

"...Yes? My, you really are new to this." Romeo shook his head. "No matter! You're standing in the central courtyard of the Moonbeam Resort; where the Admin sends people that… eh, irritate him. However, he thinks everyone has a shot at redemption! So instead of some boring prison or some no-nonsense array of cells… it's a resort, where Residents - those jumpsuit-wearing fellows that wander around here - can do what they want, so long as they're actively working to better themselves. Then, once the Admin deems them ready, he personally releases them back into the world. Easy to understand, right?"

Jess nodded slowly. "I… I guess? The Residents are here to 'get better,' and then they can go home."

"Precisely!" Romeo nodded. "Like I said - this is painless." He put a hand on his lapel again. "Now, to use your Servant abilities… you need only put your hand on your suspenders. Normal residents such as myself or my partner, we have to put a hand to our lapels, but your Source was installed right on your suspenders."

"Handy…?" They put a hand on their suspender, a small ball of light appearing in their hand. "Wh?"

"Throw the ball." Romeo grinned. Jess complied, and the ball exploded into a shower of light as it hit the tree's leaves. "You learn quickly!"

"So… where are my fri-?" Jess took a surprised step back as Romeo's finger hit their lips.

"Aahh-bap-bap-bap-ba, shush. Befriending Residents is a huge no-no, so when your companions were processed, we took the liberty of making them forget-"

"You MADE THEM FORGET ABOUT ME?!"

"Let me finish! They've merely forgotten about your friendship; and it's temporary. Once they're ready to return, the Admin will gladly allow them to re-remember your friendship."

Jess sighed. "Great. So they won't remember what I've done for them."

"Well, why would you say it like that? Surely they've done things for you as well?" Romeo looked confused, meandering towards one of the side doors - Jess following close behind him. "While we were processing that 3120 boy, my partner was quick to note just how fidgety he was - and he responded by saying that he was worried about you. You tend to lash out-"

"I do not!" Jess snapped. "Lukas was probably just worried because he needs his hand held whenever he's afraid otherwise he gets all panicky!"

"Case in point." Romeo sighed. "Here. Allow me to give you a brief tour… if you'd like one."

"Please. If I'm gonna be here a while, I might as well know what's what." Jess rolled their eyes as Romeo began to point things out.

"That lime room is the lounge - not much more than chairs and tables, but a place for Residents to converse amongst themselves. Social interactions, we've found, help benefit Residents in their healing journeys. That -" he pointed at a yellow room across the way. "- over there is the library. Some residents enjoy reading - and one of The Admin's human friends was kind enough to donate nearly his entire library of work to our library." He pointed in front of them. "That blue room is the entryway, where newcomers are processed… and departures are logged."

"Departures?"

"Oh, the usual. Escapees, sneaks, the… occasional legitimate departure." Romeo shrugged. "Residents are allowed to walk out whenever they please, but they usually only attempt it once."

"What happens when they do it again?"

"Oh, they don't." Romeo turned around, pointing. "That red room… you won't be going in there for a while."

"Why not?"

"Beyond there is the… well. It's where the real troublemakers go. Nasty things are on the other side of that door… and every Servant has a chance of being on patrol there. Every week, we draw straws - Shortest two get Patrol duty, and we have to report to Redd."

"Redd?"

"The head of the guards in there. Used to be the Resort Head… if you believe the rumours." He shrugged. "Not like I know. The only Resort Head I know of is our girl Sonar - and she's the best of the best. That's how she came to be the Resort Head."

Romeo quite suddenly placed a firm hand on Jess' back, making them jump in surprise. "That, however, should do it for now. You'll start receiving assignments in a few days… if things go according to plan."

"According to plan?" Jess asked.

Romeo shook his head. "You're new. Sometimes the greenhorn Servants don't… really make the cut right off the bat. Worst-case, you'd get knocked down to Resident status for another few months. It's all about how you behave."

Jess shook their head softly as Romeo nodded reassuringly, leaving them to wander around.