middleofsomewhere | Onward: Orange

On the second night those still on the train may be woken by rough seas, the train lurching and rolling in the waves.

If they manage to sleep through the choppy waters they might instead be woken by the voice over the ICPs. "Orange team to doors. Orange team to doors."

Those that head the instruction and exit out of the luggage carriage or dressing room doors will be met with a strange sight.

The sea is glowing. Or at least part of the sea. Underneath them, from where Bui lies there is a light that shines upwards through the dark water, rippling over the water, breaking into specks of light in the waves.

It seems it is time for another investigation.

Night Dive

The water is even colder at night, the water eerie as they make the dive down to the city. The whole city is lit up, light reflecting off shells and coral.

The light seems to be coming from the far palace. Outside the palace there is a sigil, in the shape of a shell, glowing brightly. It had not been there before, nothing to suggest there had been anything special about that patch of ground. Yet it glows now.

Crabs

The city of Bui, until now, has been peaceful, eerily empty even. But as they investigate they will find a different problem. Some of the giant crabs have found their way to the city. Not overwhelming numbers, but enough to be a problem, especially as their aim seems to be attacking the sleeping citizens.

On the Train

For those who remain on the train dawn brings it's own problems. Dawn breaks into darkness, the sun barely penetrating. Shadows are deep and the temperature cooler. It is not too dark to see, more like an endless twilight.

The seas remain rough and choppy, like a storm is brewing.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A yawn. "First I was gonna see if we can bring one of the people to the train an see if they wake up, but then I thought maybe not being in the water might kill them, then I saw the crabs an thought... dinner," she admitted, letting herself float a bit, not sure who was talking to her.

Nita stopped moving for a second, thinking.

/That's... not a bad plan, actually. Maybe if we put one of the SCAs on them and bring them up, they'll be safe? They help moderate the effects of the environment,/ she added.

/It's why the combined cold water and depths have such an effect on you, right now./

She was in Najaran's range of vision, though perhaps seeing a whale wouldn't make the teen think she was awake.

/Lemme help you get this crab to the surface for now, though, okay? Then we'll decide./

Because there were a lot of other crabs down here tonight, and not nearly enough time.

"Not worth it if it means they're going to pull em out while people still need help," she said, stubbornly. "And fine. But... where are you? Under the huge behemoth?"

/Strictly speaking, I am the 'huge behemoth' right now, so watch what you say,/ Nita snarked, the whalesong echoing strangely on her own skin.

/That, and speaking as someone who's literally tried to give up her own power to save someone, on the Lone Power's own terms, sometimes trying to be the hero really is being stupid. I hated the evac as much as anyone else! But sometimes putting yourself at risk helps no one, not even yourself./

With that, she moved to maneuver the crab up, swimming to the surface to deposit the corpse on the flotation platform.

"There're whales on the train?" she mumbled. But the whale took the crab, so she went down to try and get another one. Or ten.

Nita really wished she could shake people while in whale form, sometimes.

But there wasn't time for that now.

It would be twenty minutes before Nita returned, knowing she was buying time on a max-ed out credit card by using whaleshape again, but it was easier to move the heavy crabs that way than as a human.

/Najaran? You still around here?/

She'd go looking, if she wasn't immediately answered.

Najaran had managed to take out two more crabs, mostly by being too out if it to have the sense not to take on two at once and winding up smashing them into each other. She was clinging to both, sprawled out in the water, thinking that she'd feel better after a slight nap....

That SCA - along with changes of clothes for the two of them - had been placed in one of the provided backpacks and left strategically back in the Luggage car.

There were still crabs to move, unfortunately, or else Nita would have shifted human and brought the equipment down with her.

/O-kay, no sleeping now. Mind helping me lift these?/ she asked hopefully.

Working together might help Najaran stay focused, even a little.

Naja shook herself awake. Ish. and nodded, starting to push the crabs onto the whale's back. "Hold on, I'll see of I can' get ush more." Crab stew. Even in as bad a shape as she was in the thought spurred her on and she was getting hungry.

/I'll handle that, this time,/ Nita assured, voice as hushed as a whale's could get in this storm and still be heard.

/You've had your turn, but you can get the round after mine, alright?/

"But if you're getting more, who's gonna carry 'um?"

/We'll do it together, silly!/

Nita smiles as best she can as a whale - that is, without showing teeth.

/It'll be fine./

"I think ish easier for me to jus stay down, rather dan up an down an up an down..." she mumbled, speech starting to slur more. "Going up hurtsh."

/That happens when you do it too fast. Here,/ Nita replied, this time cutting the proverbial knot and heading under Najaran herself to push her up.

/Think you're hitting the point of 'diminishing returns' Najaran; a break'll do you better than continuing to push yourself will./

"But... they need our help...." she was surprised when the whale went under her, but then started to pass out on top of her. "And.... we... need... more... fooooood....." Yeah she was gone again.

"And they will still be there to need our help when you wake up." - Nita did NOT say, as she gently lifted Najaran to the ocean's surface.

Reversing her transformation and hauling the teen to the train was arguably easier with her asleep, though still a trial in this weather.

"Wonder if next month's overstock is going to be seafood?" Nita muttered to herself, seeking out that pack she'd left.

Najaran's whole response to being set down inside the violently rocking train was to roll with the rocking and mumble something about being too sore from training to get up. She was asleep and even if she wasn't, she wouldn't have noticed her own unintentional pun.

The one good thing about this, Nita mused, was that putting the SCA back on Najaran was not likely to wake her up.

Not least because the train didn't seem to be in the mood to teleport anyone again, but that did help.

Escorting the dead crabs to the kitchen became her next mission... which she collapsed during.

Someone help these two, please!

Onward: Orange

Re: Night Dive/ Crabs

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Is Naja's SCA somewhere findable? If so, may I say Nita's grabbed it?

It was in her bag on her bunk with her clothes. And sure.

o7 Thanks. We can say the door was open or something...

Do we know how long it'll take her to feel better once she's wearing it?

Have to ask, I think. It's not quite healing magic.

Re: Have to ask, I think. It's not quite healing magic.

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Hmm - thread wrap?

Sure! TY for the thread