OoM: taking Natalie to see Earth

[cupisempty]

"Welcome to San Clemente," Jake says after he's led Natalie through Milliways' front door. To be specific, he's led her to an open plaza in the middle of a train station. It's late afternoon, and this part of the urban-centre is awash with colour - pale orange from the sun lighting up the ever-present clouds, all the colours of the rainbow on various TV screens, and the flashing blues and greens of timetables and train numbers. The crowd, too, is colourful, even if most of them are wearing jackets; their masks, too, show personality and fashion. Most of the young women and girls are wearing masks with whiskers and cats' noses painted on.

"We'll be going to Los Angeles, which means we gotta take a train from the other side," Jake explains, glancing at her to see how she is coping.

There are a lot people. And colour. And noise. And it tends to be a bit of a shock to the system every time he leaves Camp Pendleton, let alone come in from somewhere off-planet. And he's not sure if this is a date or not, or if she'd object to him taking her hand, so he forces his hand to remain by his side.