voidtreckermods: (train)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] middleofsomewhere2020-05-21 05:22 am

Under the Sea: Conclusion and aftermath

Ritual

The jellyfish is no more and as red team take stock of their injuries, or collapse from exhaustion the lights zip around them, singing their song of joy. They gather around the light that had been inside the jellyfish and now that it has been released it is obvious this light is different. Stronger. They surround it and the song gets even louder as they begin to move towards the plinth.

In the caverns where the purple and orange team are there is a stillness. For those in orange team still in the cavern they can only hope that the instructions they gave out had been followed. Luckily for them they have been, Purple team have done a remarkable job of defeating the crabs and cleaning the temple. The priests gather around the shell on the alter, arms linked together in prayer as they seek to re-sanctify their temple. As their prayer begins they will invite the voidtreckers to join them, though no one is forced into taking part in the ritual. They suggest that they use their strange wrist jewellery to open communication with their friends in Bui.

The monster on the beach is defeated and though the fight is still raging against the crabs, a beacon has been built and lit. The islanders who are not fighting gather around it, linking arms, drawing any voidtreckers who don't object to joining them into the circle.

The song begins hesitantly, almost as if everyone has forgotten the words and only half remembers the tune. The SCA translates, the prayer is simple, a blessing on the land and its people, deliverance from the darkness and hope for the future.

The light from the jellyfish reaches the plinth and is set upon it. The song heightens and the light shoots upwards, blinding in its brilliance.

Through the dark storm clouds a light streams towards the island, most of it towards the beacon on the island though there is a break away light that goes towards the train, where some of orange team have set up a second beacon. It swirls around those on the train roof, singing a song of happiness and bounces back towards the island.

The light reaches the main beacon and hits it with a strength that lights up the whole sky. The light splits more solidly into two and speeds off over the ocean. Light pours into the underground caverns, not caring about the ocean and rock in the way, the light pools into the shells, the caverns glow warmly.

Outside the storm calms, clouds roll back, the sun shines. The sea stills. The wind stops. The sun is rising, a beautiful dawn. Any monsters left scuttle away, vanishing into the ocean, away from Bui.

Those with any powers that they couldn't reach before find them returned in a rush. Those who can sense life find this world teeming with it. A song that dances between every plant and creature.

Some of red may have evacuated to the train but those who stayed to see the ritual through, the world around them seems to melt away and they find themselves back next to the rock pools. Among their number there are some confused looking islanders who intrinsically draw closer to those who helped free the lights.

Orange and Purple

Down underwater there's noise and a babble of voices as the citizens of Bui wake up. There's a shimmering around the city now, like a shield though they can pass through easily. Parents scramble to locate their children and all check on loved ones and friends.

The familiar voice of train announcements is heard through Orange team's SCAs. Orange return to the VoidTrecker Express. Once everyone is on board it flies low over the ocean, skimming the waves.

In the underwater temple the priests finish sealing the ritual and then it is time to begin the return trek. There are no monsters this time and after a few hours, as they emerge onto the first of the sandbanks they will find the VoidTrecker Express is waiting for them.

Red and Blue

The monsters gone, those of the island gather everyone from the rock pools and for a few hours everyone sleeps.

At about noon the islanders begin to stir, begin putting things to rights. Wood is moved from the strategic points to more communal campfires on the beach. Any dead monsters that haven't been gathered for food have been washed out to sea, disappeared into the depths. They begin to prepare food and won't turn away any helpers. Though those who have been fighting are encouraged to rest.

The islanders bring blankets and start to gather. Everyone is exhausted but the children, in the way of children find the energy to play in the sea and the sand.

Beach Day

Early afternoon the train lands on the beach and everyone gets a holographic message to their SCA.

Mission successful. Well done Voidtreckers. Enjoy the rest of your day. You will find suitable clothing in the dressing room. A new recipe has been added to the kitchen information points.

The dressing room is indeed open once more, this time it holds swimsuits of every style, shorts, t shirts, wraps and beach skirts. Sun hats and sunglasses can also be found. It's a bit of a mush mash but they should be able to cobble together something other than their uniform wet suits.

Time to laze around on the beach or for those who still have energy swim or play. A few hours later a ripple across the water brings some of those from Bui and they swim or lounge on rocks to talk.

Food and stories

Food is cooked and shared, the islanders will happily try the voidtreckers' offerings and share their own. As the sun begins to set they gather around the fires. Stories and songs are shared and there's even some dancing for the brave.

Voidtreckers can choose whether to sleep in their own beds or spend one last night on the island before the train flies off into the sunrise and into the void.
sizedoesntmatter: (067)

[personal profile] sizedoesntmatter 2020-05-28 02:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm not sure." he said moved back, sinking into thr water a little bit but still keeping his head above the water for the time being.

"I think it would honestly. I mean... if you always have tough missions everytime and no time to relax it's not going to end well. I guess the train probably thinks what it has might be enough, but after a while that might stop working." He just didn't know what it might or might not think. he was taking a guess really.

"Though was this the first break everyone has gotten?"
sizedoesntmatter: (120)

[personal profile] sizedoesntmatter 2020-05-28 02:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"You're welcome. Sometimes it's just easier to show rather than try and talk." He was at least still fine as he soon turned around and looked out at the ocean.

"And you have to think not long ago the weather was much worse."
xue_yang: (Smirky)

[personal profile] xue_yang 2020-05-28 02:12 pm (UTC)(link)
"Whenever there is a struggle for power there is a battle. Everyone wants to be on top." And Xue Yang prefers the bottom but also enjoys serving the ones that want power and watching the chaos it causes. Of course for him, he's been the dog of two such sects which means he gets sent out to do a lot of the dirty work that the higher ups can't get their hands dirty with.

"And no one likes what they don't understand. So anyone who goes against the natural state of things is considered an enemy." He would fall into that category if so many didn't find his practices rather useful.
cassiefuckingcage: (Looking to My Left)

[personal profile] cassiefuckingcage 2020-05-28 02:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"There are old stories that say that Hell or Hades or any of the old names for it are underground," Cassie says. "And that Heaven is in the sky, where the good people go.

"I mean, they're not, but I guess it's not really that weird if there's a place where that's true."
so_dark_a_road: (in the unmeasured night #3)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-05-28 02:42 pm (UTC)(link)
A last gift from a friend or loved one is a treasure, Curufin would agree with that.

He nods. "If you derived some of your strength from a difficult childhood, then I salute you. It can be a long journey to find the sources of strength, and you are long since launched on that journey. But tell me, if you will, who gave you the candy? If the train lets us keep any items from home, they are important items. You may have cherished this one?"
cassiefuckingcage: (You're Gettin' One in the Noots)

[personal profile] cassiefuckingcage 2020-05-28 02:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"My last big mission was a fistfight against the god of the unrighteous dead, so you tell me."

Cassie's silent for a moment before she finally joins in. There's something infectious about it when Glorfindel does it, especially after days of hard fighting.

She's still grinning when she grabs both her tonfas with the long ends braced against her forearm.

"You start in this position. It lets you use your forearms to block, like this. Then you can catch them with a jab, or swivel the handle and strike."

She demonstrates the proper technique for this against the air.

"It's a little tricky to master, but that's what most of the techniques come down to."
Edited 2020-05-28 14:50 (UTC)
unfavorableinstigation: Nita looking right, holding a book. (I'm In The Book)

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2020-05-28 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Nita briefly paused her swimming in concern - but then, maybe this was normal dismount-procedure for Prinnies?

She focused next on poking Zetta, intending to have a word with a small current or two to steer him back to the beach, then on getting herself transformed and clambering up said beach to fetch her clothes.
blitzcheer: (just ???? faces everywhere)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2020-05-28 02:50 pm (UTC)(link)
"How does it work, anyway? When someone dies, do they just...go straight to the planet they're supposed to go to? Do you send them there?"

This is bewildering.
cassiefuckingcage: (Gun Drawn)

[personal profile] cassiefuckingcage 2020-05-28 02:55 pm (UTC)(link)
"Normally I think it just happens," Cassie says.

There's a long pause.

"I guess a sorcerer can steal your soul, though. There used to be a guy named Quan Chi who did that to a lot of my mom and dad's friends after they all died, even the good ones. Turned them into revenants who served the Netherrealm against their will. Some of them got better. I think they could probably fill you in on more details of what the afterlife is like."

Her expression sours a little.

"My Uncle Jax doesn't like talking about it."
blitzcheer: (ummmooo)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2020-05-28 03:07 pm (UTC)(link)
"You wanna learn some ball games with me?" He shrugs with the offer. "That's what I've been reading up and doing. That, training and watching movies..."

...when he lists it like that, he gives a huff of laughter.

"Man, I'm gonna need more hobbies."
cassiefuckingcage: (Confidence)

[personal profile] cassiefuckingcage 2020-05-28 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
The angle on the return is a good one. Cassie can't just rise up and spike it. So instead she volleys it softly over, hoping it falls in front of her.
usestwohands: (✘ I'm only silly some of the time)

[personal profile] usestwohands 2020-05-28 03:22 pm (UTC)(link)
With no thumbs or means by which to catch and toss the ball, Guenhwyvar works out quickly how to find the angle the ball is tossed to Drizzt, who found it increasingly hard to catch it. At length, he was he who called for a break, because it seemed as though his dearest friend was intentionally making this difficult, combined with his feet in the sand.

He found seating there, among the dunes, laughing. "It is a simple thing, a ball, but it is entertaining."

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2020-05-28 03:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Nita was laughing, too, though if Guen presses her advantage she'll be getting pets now instead of ball time.

"No kidding," she replied. "Doesn't need to be anything extravagant to be just fun, y'know?"

It came down to friendship, usually. That, or adrenaline.
blitzcheer: (woah dude it's an icon wowie!!!)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2020-05-28 04:00 pm (UTC)(link)
'You, you!!' continues the kid unperturbed, while another comes beside them and thinks to ask the more direct question, 'How do you do that?' with delightful awe.

"How do you do that?" Tidus joins in, if more perplexed-sounding in comparison as the elf gets even...glowier? Is that a word? It is now.
blitzcheer: (2many icons bro)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2020-05-28 04:14 pm (UTC)(link)
He can't help but huff a small laugh, an attempt to accept the weirdness of it. After all--

"The more I hear about other worlds, the crazier it gets!" His whole world being turned upside down, and in a far different way than Sin ever did. "I never thought about different planets, other life--the idea never crossed my mind. There was just where I was. But now... now I'm here. It's like it shouldn't be real."

As reflective as it sounds, is, he says it lightly, not giving any credibility about how real or not there is. Though that does make the corner of his mouth twitch, and he shares wryly:

"There's a guy on the train who thinks we're part of his magic hallucination."
blitzcheer: (and she dances)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2020-05-28 04:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Tidus needs a moment to think about it.

"I guess I get it," he says eventually. Maybe not so much the last part, but people wanting control, power--that's universal. "Where I'm from, our dead turn into fiends if you don't Send them, but everyone has to deal with a fiend problem. They're everywhere. But where you're from...so it's a special job? And I guess you work for different people."

Was that it?
maxwellsdaemon: (Default)

[personal profile] maxwellsdaemon 2020-05-28 05:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sure." Duo nodded, perfectly fine with her thinking it over. He thought his option was the best of both world. She could stay safe and, if the shit hit the fan, they could choose to go down together or not.

He let his hands drop from her shoulders and his smile faded into a look of concern. Now that he's stopped being angry and he'd said what he wanted to, there was another very important thing he needed to know. "How're you holding up?" Though, really, he wanted to know how bad she's been... He was trying very hard not to feel guilty for not being there.
maxwellsdaemon: (Default)

[personal profile] maxwellsdaemon 2020-05-28 05:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"Dude, seriously? Remember your geography. We're on a beach. I'm the sultan!" Duo laughed and then laughed louder when a little cocktail umbrella was produced from out of nowhere.

"Perfect! A suitable offering for the Kingdom Of Awesome." Duo reached for the umbrella and poked it into the top of his tallest tower.
maxwellsdaemon: (Default)

[personal profile] maxwellsdaemon 2020-05-28 05:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"Too too, huh?" Duo had to agree, he felt exactly the same. He'd never really been too fond of seafood as it was. Maybe fish was okay, but he didn't think he would be eating anything that came from the sea for a hell of a long time. Crabs especially.

"They were everywhere." Duo chuckled and lifted his hands to pillow them behind his head. "Should have been with us, Ali! We had to fight a giant jellyfish! But to get there we had everything from crabs to tentacles."
maxwellsdaemon: (Default)

[personal profile] maxwellsdaemon 2020-05-28 05:48 pm (UTC)(link)
"Really? That's how that works?" Duo considered this, head cocked to the side, and slowly nodded his acceptance of this new information. It made a hell of a lot more sense to him. "Guess cartoons lied to me, who knew?" He grinned. Usually when a cupid showed up on tv it was a matter of shooting his arrow and you falling for the first person you see or something.
faithfulsupport: (I've got something to add)

[personal profile] faithfulsupport 2020-05-28 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
There was a small smile when Tidus said he'd join them at cards. Splendid, he was looking forward to seeing how well he'd fit in with Tony, Noct and the two other members of the Crownsguard playing. Any which way it went it would be interesting to see it happen.

With the laugh, Ignis turned his green eyes on the man. "Forgive me if I find that hard to imagine."

That was tough to believe with Tidus' cheerful spirit.
pleple: (Default)

[personal profile] pleple 2020-05-28 05:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"And get some more variety in our lives..." Although perhaps knowing those they help better wouldn't be bad?
pleple: (Doesn't make side to)

[personal profile] pleple 2020-05-28 06:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's good to have someone else who... understands." At least she could use it for the good of people here.
pleple: (Doesn't make side to)

[personal profile] pleple 2020-05-28 06:05 pm (UTC)(link)
"One of them is... s-spending time with someone in particular." That's actually the top goal here.
blitzcheer: (ummmooo)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2020-05-28 07:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"What?" Tidus cracks up an eyebrow. "That I'd have an old woman for a neighbour? Or you saying I don't look like I was a brat as a kid?"

Which gets a scoff as he says it.