voidtreckermods: (train)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] middleofsomewhere2020-05-13 04:34 am

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.
najaran: (Naja Moon Says)

*Najaran? LOL

[personal profile] najaran 2020-05-15 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
"Sure," she said with a tired but happy smile.
Edited 2020-05-15 02:50 (UTC)
so_dark_a_road: (these are my brass knuckles)

Oops, sorry. Let's just retcon it to say "Najaran."

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-05-15 08:58 am (UTC)(link)
Curufin grinned and started towing the crab he had just killed.

"Careful with that head-bumping move," he said, still with a grin. "You don't want to give yourself brain-damage while giving the crab brain-damage."
najaran: (Eh heh heh... you noticed?)

ROFL. Okay. :D

[personal profile] najaran 2020-05-16 01:38 am (UTC)(link)
"I was tryin to bite it and forgot about the helmet," she mumbled.
so_dark_a_road: (the softer side of armageddon)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-05-16 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
"Really? You were going to bite it?? Dunno as these things would taste good raw." He chuckled.
najaran: (Sweat bead head scritch)

[personal profile] najaran 2020-05-16 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
"Hey, it helped with that Yak..." she mumbled, somewhat out of it. "LEt's get s'more."
so_dark_a_road: (flickers of light)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-05-18 10:39 am (UTC)(link)
"What Yak?" he asked in puzzlement.

"Yes! Let's get some more crabs. The more the better. Glorfindel will be happy to make us some crab cakes. He's an excellent cook."

He swiveled around in the water, searching the sandy bottom for other large crustaceans. "There's one! Let's get it!" He swam rapidly and waved his arms to distract the crab so it wouldn't notice Najaran sneaking up on it.
najaran: (OH YUMMY!)

[personal profile] najaran 2020-05-19 12:31 pm (UTC)(link)
"A'er Bisteam," she explained. Which explained nothing at all. But her head popped up. Even in as bad a shape as she is, he had her full attention as she licked her lips. "Crab cakes?" That sounded yummy.

Adrenaline, and her obsession with food, lent her strength to go after the crab he pointed out. Of course the only Card in easy reach was one she didn't quite dare use. But she was inventive. She found a bit of furniture belonging to the underwater people. Hopefully they wouldn't mind her borrowing it. She slammed it down across the crab's back. Which, you know, might have been more effective... if they weren't underwater...
so_dark_a_road: (#205 -- 1d -- &&&)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-05-20 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
"What's A'er Bisteam?" he asked. But then he noticed that she was enthused by the idea of crab cakes. "Yes, all Glorfindel would need to make them is crab, some flour, and maybe some onions and spices. It shouldn't be hard to do, and these crabs are so enormous that it won't take many to feed the whole train! So, you like seafood?"

He grinned when she slammed the crab with that piece of furniture. "Furniture as weapon! A new martial art. You can teach it at Fight Club."

He swam closer to see if the crab was really knocked unconscious or dead. Mistake. The crab reached out with its pincers and grabbed him by the helmet. "Help!"
najaran: (Card Flick)

[personal profile] najaran 2020-05-29 06:40 pm (UTC)(link)
All the things she'd been trying to formulate how to reply to were lost when he cried for help. No time to get around behind the thing. No time to find another improvised weapon. But...

Thunderbeak would fry everyone down here, not just the crab, none of the others were good for underwater. She had no underwater cards with her. But she did have a trick up her sleeve.

No time to think, even if she could. No time to remember just how many people have told her she isn't allowed to use spell cards anymore... this is what she had them for.

She ripped off her glove and grabbed the card she had against her wrist out. She lung it towards them. "Come to me my spell card, WIND CUTTER!"

There was a reason Najaran was forbidden spell cards. Someone as strong as her requires tight control. She... lacks that control. The waves of force of air blasted through the water, hitting the crab with devastating power. They also hit the underwater buildings around them. And the edge... would catch Curufin....

The card reappeared in her hand and her eyes went a bit wide.

"Whoops...."
so_dark_a_road: (#143 -- %%)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-05-29 07:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Curufn was smacked by the wave of force as the wind tore through the water. Luckily it swept the crab away, its pincers and legs flailing with frustration as it went. The wind bashed Curufin against a wall, which luckily was reinforced sand and not stone.

He was stunned all the same, and he slid down to the wall's foot and stared upwards into the deep blue above him. For a moment, he dreamed, drifting back into the distant past. Where am I? he wondered. Oh no! Is this the Helcaraxë? Am I at the bottom of a frozen sea? Did our stolen ships sink in a storm?
najaran: (Tear-filled NO!)

[personal profile] najaran 2020-05-29 07:09 pm (UTC)(link)
She tucked the card back away and rushed to him. "Are you okay?" she asked, panicked. Please don't let him be dead!
so_dark_a_road: (#70 -- ###)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-05-29 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Curufin heard Najaran's voice and saw her face as she bent over him. He focused his eyes with an effort.

"Oh, it's you, Najaran. I thought for a moment that you were one of the sea-Maia spirits come to collect my body or my soul." He reached up and searched for the back of his head to see if he was wounded, but of course his fingers found only the surface of his helmet.
najaran: (But Why?)

[personal profile] najaran 2020-05-31 08:06 am (UTC)(link)
"...I think your head is as swimy as mine..." she said, frowning in concern.
so_dark_a_road: (Elves step up)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-05-31 08:31 pm (UTC)(link)
He had to chuckle at that. "If our heads are swimy, I hope they don't just swim off and leave us here!" His own attempt at humor brought him to greater clarity, and he looked at Najaran's face and saw the concern in it.

"Don't worry, Najaran. I'm all right."

He was still a little dizzy, but he levered himself away from the sand wall and gingerly tested his ability to balance and to float.
najaran: (Pensive Chat)

[personal profile] najaran 2020-05-31 10:03 pm (UTC)(link)
She nodded a bit, "Okay, good," she said, hand in not such great shape now that it was no longer in the protection of the glove. She seemed to have missed the joke.