Under the Sea: Conclusion and aftermath

[voidtreckermods]

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.

Comments

[loveandduty]

"Okay... it's great that you like them a lot, but you didn't answer the question of why aren't you spending time with them now?" The other seemed to like them and all, but she couldn't quite figure out why when they have the time aren't they with them.

[kumoko]

[ She likes her huge pack of Oranges, thanks. She rarely ever has to actually talk to them, just eat with them and let them talk at her about whatever their current hobby is. They're cute!

Red, though... ]

No thanks. Everyone on Red seems really high maintenance.

[loveandduty]

It was enough as the ball hits the floor at least. To be fair Minako figured she probably wouldn't be able to win overall.

"That was a great move." She said as she went to get the ball.

[marriedanidiot]

"Really!" She laughs. "I think Feanaro got so annoyed with them he was cooking those who got too close in his sheer fury."

[loveandduty]

She moved to hit the ball, for now she was just going to make it easy for the other.

"Hopefully. I've seen at least one other who could play anyway."

[marriedanidiot]

"Oh, I can see how that would work, yes! But Feanaro would be hurt if I wore things not from his hands. I'll keep to using them in my art, I think."

[marriedanidiot]

"True true! Well, we will both learn, eh?"

[loveandduty]

"Oh, thats pretty cool. Didn't know spiders could but...actually thinking about it they can make their own homes so... making clothes wouldn't be that far fetched."

[marriedanidiot]

[ The power of the Mom ]

Kumoko. [ She says gently ] You know I only want you to stay well, yes? I'm not angry, darling.

[kumoko]

[ SHE SHOULD NEVER HAVE LET THEM NAME HER, THIS IS SO STRESSFUL ]

I've eaten loads of poisonous things before.

[loveandduty]

"Hmmm" She didn't know the area at all, but the other seemed rather excited that someone was from Tokyo, so she at least figured they were from there at least. So close enough. For all she knew there were even more areas of Tokyo in other worlds.

The ball was soon over toward the other as Minako watched. "Good to know there are others here who know of Tokyo art least"

[stealsyourheart]

"Tall as I can get it... whoop!" Down it comes. "Okay, that base needs to be bigger, clearly!"

[stealsyourheart]

"Right? I like most ice creams, but sometimes, you just want a simple old-fashioned chocolate."

[unfavorableinstigation]

"On the beach?" Nita asked, walking alongside Alice at a pace of the girl's choosing. Why rush?

"Not long, no. Not even an hour, this time."

She'd had to live with being in whaleshape for days, back home, when she'd first started losing it. The Song of the Twelve took place deep underwater, after all, where it was hard to keep track of time...

[mynameisallen]

"Okay... But how can one tell what the right height would be?"

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"So do I! But if not, we'll deal with it when the time comes. If nothing else, we're none of us weak and helpless." Not even the kids, somehow! Well, okay, ONE person was weak and helpless, in Edge's opinion, but let's not go there here and now.

[mynameisallen]

"That... is a very strange way cupid could look. Why is it?" Because that just seemed a little too weird for his liking anyway.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"I'm trying, at least. You ever think there's a million things here you'll never understand about other people and their worlds? Or do you get a lot more perspective with your longevity?" She really did have an eternal air about her. But maybe she was just like that, too.

Re: Beach Day

[mynameisallen]

"You can do what you like, I don't mind honestly." He figured he'd let the other do whatever, mostly because he himself was still unsure of what he wanted to do.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Well, most spiders aren't smart. I'll show you the scarf she made me sometime, it's a real work of art!"

Figured! He wore it all the time, and no sooner did he take it off for the beach then he needed to show it off.

[mynameisallen]

"I mean on the train there isn't much for me to do training-wise, so I've done that less often." He still however trains regardless.

"but people show me this thing called video games which I had seen before but never bothered with."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Exactly!" Oblivious to any sign that she might not be 100% serious, Zetta nudged forward slightly like he was trying to nod. "They made it so Switches can just undock, for Magog's sake! Take the damn console and go play in your room! You don't need to hog the TV when SOME of us have freaking pure consoles to use!"

[stealsyourheart]

"That cute face hides a multitude of sins." He laughs. "And he loves scritches, c'mere, just here, see?"

[blitzcheer]

"We have those, where I'm from!" He puts his hands out like he's holding a handheld (...or does it look like he's holding a controller).

"Like this? Or you can get some that go over your eyes, but I haven't played those ones in forever. I played the portables to waste time."

He had to spend his days off from training and blitzing doing doing something easy.

[mynameisallen]

Allen glanced over for a brief moment. She hadn't said anything and he was honestly a little worried as to why. Maybe what he said had her thinking, maybe it was something else. But instead what he saw was enough to cause a moment of panic from the other.

"Ah! I'm sorry, please don't cry..." It was like whenever he made Lenalee cry and usually then there would be others around to point out that exact fact. But here it was different. They weren't here and it was someone else he had made upset with very little way of knowing how to actually not do that.

Why he kept making people sad was always a question that was passing by the young mans head. He had moved so he was sitting in front of her, on his knees to simply check that she really was okay, even though the look on his fact was that he worry and panic over what might happen next.

"Well true... It's not okay, but at the same time not much I can do about the past either. As I said I'm just going to keep walking... Sorry again for upsetting you, that really, really really had not been my intention."