middleofsomewhere | Under the Sea: Mission start

After fleeing the strange shapes in the sky the voidtreckers are perhaps not looking forward to yet another mission and indeed the first few days of Fiddlesticks go by without any strange dreams, no warning that another mission might be nigh. Yet on the morning of day five their SCA's will glow with the colours of the void and a holographic message will appear.

Preperations

The dressing room is open once again, though the clothes this time are simple in choice. A wet suit for each void trecker as well as a pair of flippers, a helmet and a breathing pack. It at least has instructions and there will be a little bit of time for them to figure out how to use them. Apart from that there are some waterproof packs for supplies to be packed in.

They will have a couple of hours to get ready for their mission.

Arrival: Blue and Red

"We are now approaching world #7625000129523. Drop order is Red and Blue, Purple then Orange. Red and Blue team to doors. Arrival in world #7625000129523 in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

The train shudders and lurches as they exit the void, the view from the window goes from the ever shifting void to a beautiful deep blue sky. They fly through the air and swoop down to land on a sandy beach. The doors open allowing those who are taking part in the Blue and Red missions to debark. The doors close and the train swoops up into the air.

The beach stretches from one side to the other, in the distance as the beach turns into sloping green hills they can see a village. Beyond that there is a jungle. Any red team who check their SCA will see four points, the rock pools.

The villagers have noticed the huge train sweeping down onto their island and so contact is made quickly. They will be quite accepting of the help and explain the situation. They will help any of red team to the rockpools if asked.

Red

The rockpools are built up and indeed made so the water will reach a persons waist if they stand in them. The water is cold but not overly so. When the water shoots up anyone in them will shoot up also.

They will find themselves in a vortex of water, with anyone else who enters that rockpool. The water itself seems to be fighting them, tendrils of water reaching out of the whirlpool to try and drag them further into the chaos. It takes a whole lot of willpower to stay in the centre, the water can be fought with weapons, even with fists. They feel as if they are falling or flying, perhaps both. Surrounded by the pure chaos of the ocean.

Blue

Hopefully they spend the day helping with preparations because when night falls the monsters emerge from the sea. Terrifying twisted creatures. The villagers only have simple weapons but will tell them that fire is helpful against these water creatures.

Hold off the monsters and keep the people safe.

Purple

The doors close and the train flies off into the sky, flying over the island to the other side where it lands on a rocky bay, near tall towering cliffs.

"Purple team to doors." The doors open, allowing the purple team to disembark before flying off once again.

In the cliff face there is a large cave entrance, over the entrance there are symbols, translated by their SCA's. Clear mind, clear heart. Come those who seek to serve.

There are six people stood by the entrance, looking quite surprised at the new arrivals. One, a woman with silver hair recovers enough to speak first. "Ah. Void warriors. We are honoured by your help."

Once introductions are made the spiritual leaders will happily accept the escort and their adventure can begin.

Orange

They fly up and out across the ocean, a longer flight than before but eventually they descend and there is a slight juddering before they land, floating on the ocean.

"Orange team disembark, please use luggage or dressing carriage doors only."

They will step out onto an inflated platform that streches around the train. Down below are the depths of the water and their SCA's show them at the point of Bui. It is below them so all they need to is dive.

The dive takes a while, and depends on their swimming ability but hopefully with a bit of teamwork they arrive at the silent city of Bui.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Something about it feels sincere in a way that feels very different from the casual remarks she's gotten before. Persephone flushes, tucking back her hair.

"Thank you. I'm--thanks. He really isn't that bad, he's been a wonderful friend. We just disagree sometimes."

"You're welcome, miss. And... well, I suppose if it's only the occasional disagreement that is alright. Friendship does matter. Oh ah, I beg your pardon, I've not introduced myself, my name is Alice Pleasance Liddell, it's a pleasure to meet you, miss."

"Oh--I'm sorry as well. It's lovely to meet you Alice. I'm Persephone." And a lack of anything to add to that feels odd but she's still, almost two months into her time on the train, waffling over revealing her divinity straight out.

"Persephone?" the name sounded familiar but Alice couldn't place where. "That's a very lovely name, Miss Persephone! It's very nice to meet you properly."

"It's lovely to meet you as well, Alice." She clasps her hands behind her, then looks to the doors where she can just see a sliver of the ocean.

"We'd better get you all ready to go under. Unless you're to stay behind. There's no harm in staying behind."

"I..." Alice swallowed. "I know how to swim... just... I've never... all the equipment I'm supposed to wear, I've never worn such things. I've never worn any of this," she started pulling and tugging on her fingers, shifting from one foot then the other.

"I... they asked us to go under." But she does not wish to, she truly does not wish to.

Oh--oh there's no way she's going to force this poor little girl into anything. Persephone kneels and reaches out to touch her hands, stilling them if she lets her.

"There is no reason for you to force yourself to go because some dumb train dragged you into this."

Alice's hands are stopped by Persephone's, the bright pink color very noticeable against her pale peach.

She looked down at her feet and gave a small nod, suddenly sniffling, her eyes burning.

"But... what if it's the way to get home?"

"Going on these missions is no way to get home. I've been on two so far and neither has gotten me anywhere but back on the train with a few bruises for my trouble."

Gently clasping her hands in her own, she shakes her head, "You stay here. We have plenty of people to go exploring."

Hearing that these silly missions would do nothing... Alice felt the little bit of hope she was clinging onto shatter around her feet so only the smallest: "o-oh," was able to come out.

Her eyes started to burn and then she couldn't stop her tears from falling on both their hands, as she bowed her head.

Oh no--oh. Persephone feels her own tears well up in sympathy. It was frustrating enough for an adult to realize there was no way to freedom. A child? Around her ears, curls of green leaves grow, dark with spots of deep blue flowers.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to upset you--I don't want you to hurt yourself for nothing. The train shouldn't have snatched you up, you're not..." She tries to grasp for the thing to say, the right thing. Distracting her seems like it would be condescending. She's a mortal, yes, but they're people too. And the younger you are, the less people take you seriously.

"I just wanted you to have the truth. I would want that."

"No no, it isn't... y-your fault." She shook her head. "I do want the truth. It's just... the-the truth is very... it's not very comforting."

"Oh--no, it's not the slightest bit comforting. It's cruel."

Persephone clasps her hands tight and look away for a moment, before turning back.

"I'm horribly homesick myself. The closest thing I have to it is a greenhouse full of plants. And even I got so frustrated with everything that I almost tore it all out one day. It's not fair to any of us, least of all you. "

"Where is home for you, Miss Persephone? I'm from Oxford, England. It's beautiful green hills, and a university! The oldest university in England! It's so terribly grand!... I miss it. It was a sleepy city, I think. Nothing very grand happened there, the university was the most exciting thing for anyone, I suppose." She looked out at all the clothes.

"Not like this train. This whole train could fit into one of the hallways of the university, that's how vast parts of it are."

It sounds like somewhere lovely, some strange place she's never heard of, like most of the homes of her friends.

"Home proper for me is Sicily. Mountains and orchards and vines, fields of grain in the summer. Bluest sky you've ever seen. But I'd left for university myself." She sighs, "Mine isn't quite as vast as yours sounds, but I miss the library--and even my coursework. I was good at it, unlike this." She gestures at the dressing room in particular and the train in general.

Under the Sea: Mission start

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