middleofsomewhere | Under the Sea: Conclusion and aftermath

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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.

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Fine could be a lot better, but it's not like she can't function. So, it was just fine. Glemy had never let her be put under too much physical strain, but she needed to do her end of this to protect others.

Still, Ignis was an authority figure with a way to help. "Ah. That... might help, actually," she agreed with a small nod. Healing with magic and potions might never feel normal to her, but it was too convenient to turn down.

He nodded, glad she decided to let him help. But if the answer had been no, then it would've been respected.

"Alright."

Magic and healing were natural in the advisor's world but he did realize with more time on the train that it wasn't in everyone else's. Some people even seemed weary of it or gave him a look of disbelief when it worked. So he took out the potion and broke it over Ple Two's head and spoke softly after it was applied.

"There you go."

That's the kind of attitude she likes - but Ple Two was too practical to turn it down.

Still felt pretty silly.

"Whatever works."

He hid the smile and watched as the potion took effect. Still, Ignis always wondered what it felt like to the people who didn't have magic in their worlds. So after the green healing went away, he had to ask.

"Feeling any better?"

How to describe it other than... better than it was before? And weird.

Ple Two stepped back, stretching her arms a little, bruises fading. "Much better, now. Uh... thank you." Gotta have manners, especially with Ignis.

"You're quite welcome." the advisor replied easily. It really was no trouble to help and he had offered. The manners of course were definitely a mark in her favour though Ignis unlike Tony accepted people as they were.

Thinking of the other man, Ignis knew how to get around him if it came down to it.

And then a thing full of tentacles came at him and this time it reminded him of a Marlboro. He didn't try to hide a disgusted sort of face and resummoned his lance to push it off. "I'm not quite sure, but hopefully no one is allergic to seafood since we're going to be drowning in it for awhile."

Yes he just made a pun, but it's a test of sorts.

Get on Ignis's good side, stay on Tony's. He likes her, but he knows well that she's hardened, dangerous, a little... off kilter. Compare that to a normal, sweet girl like Madoka. It's natural to worry, isn't it?

Ple Two gets it - lets out a short laugh. "At least it's not drowning us any more," she shoots back.

Ok this one scored points in his book and Ignis nods with a smile. "That is quite true. And we'll soon find out if anyone is allergic to seafood." There of course is a definite reason he's talking about this.

He didn't yet know if Madoka had a chance to find out Ple Two's food preferences but he'd request a report once they had a chance to catch up.

Ple Two wasn't without a sense of humor - she's had plenty of time to work on it. "I don't think I'm allergic to anything. Wouldn't know about anyone else." Then again, her food preferences are typically 'yes please'.

That earned an inward smile. Good. At least Ignis wouldn't have to worry about accidentally putting in an ingredient that Ple Two was allergic to, which was always a concern whenever he cooked for anyone new.

A severed something or other came floating up to him and he pushed that back out to sea with his lance. "On another note, how do you feel about cats?"

This one was kind of important.

Lucky. All sorts of problems could crop up in cloning, but they'd picked someone who wouldn't accidentally be taken out of commission by an oyster.

"...I have no particularly strong opinions. I don't dislike them." ...most of her experience is the cat what turns into a man that Madoka found.

This was good too, hearing that she didn't dislike cats, not knowing if she knew of Maru or not at this point. Ignis had thought about getting one as well, but wasn't so sure of that move now with Maru being a thing. Still, it was a thought and one that the advisor was pretty sure that Ple Two would have to deal with.

He stopped and sighed, holding onto his lance as a fresh wave of something dead came towards him. "I suppose one may show up sooner or later..so I thought to inquire."

Madoka had, in fact, tracked Ple Two specifically - she knew how much Ple Two liked to protect her, and wanted to get that information out there. Thoughtful and responsible of her.

"Oh... yes, absolutely."

He nodded and sighed at the floating bits in the water.

"Alright."

Turning back to Ple Two he smiled, thinking about the conversation he had with his daughter regarding the one before him now. "Are you going to be joining everyone later at the festivities?"

That way he might get a chance to see Madoka and Ple Two together.

"I... plan to be there." To spend time with Madoka, and get a snack, and relax. Parties aren't exactly her thing - that wasn't hard to see any time they had anything of the sort - but she couldn't just avoid everyone.

"Good." This was accompanied by a nod and a small smile. "Celebrating is just as important as doing our job well." Which of course they had, and they always did.

"If you get the chance and if it's not too much trouble, might I request you bring some seashells back with you? They're for whatever project Tony is working on."

Edited 2020-05-25 04:51 (UTC)

Ple Two might not quite agree with that but relaxation served to recharge their bodies and minds.

"Ah. ...any kind?"

Relaxing wasn't the first thing on Ignis' mind either when a mission was accomplished. He was all for sleeping after getting everything loaded back onto the train, in preparation for getting back to the business of the train.

However, because he had a fiancee, a daughter, a king, and 2 fellow Crownsguard that were more like brothers aboard, he had to admittedly try to learn to slow down and do the celebration thing. Besides, his team was there and since he was the leader of it, it was a good idea to show them that he was there too and was just as happy as they were that a mission was over.

To Ple Two's question the advisor nodded. "Any size will work as from what I understand they will be refined ,so it doesn't quite matter."

"Just a matter of the material, then." That should be easy enough - she'll see if Madoka wants to collect seashells!

Perhaps he and Ple Two would be able to get along on a few angles as well.

"Correct." Ignis smiled with a nod. "As many as can be gathered..and they're plentiful here so that won't prove to be a problem."

He recalled that Madoka said that Ple Two was strong and she looked forward to learning many things about her. So he just smiled and turned his face out to the ocean. He hadn't been a parent very long and he already had to let his daughter go and do grown up things like be courted and go save her world and all of that.

The advisor was also looking forward to seeing Ple Two at the family dinners and meeting the king and the others. The Blue team was already a family in his own mind, but he thought giving this one more of a family of sorts too was important.

Edited 2020-05-28 02:15 (UTC)

So he needed...... a lot of calcium? Did someone need supplements that weren't being provided? Chemistry wasn't her strong suit...

Well it probably wouldn't harm anyone anyways. Ignis seemed level-headed enough to put a check on anything too crazy.

"I'll do what I can to help."

Ignis let a smile show. "I appreciate that." Really, he just wanted to help and he was more than sure Tony had some sort of use for all of the shells. Their eventual usage was something not revealed to him, but he would put a stop to madness if that's what would happen.

He still had so many questions but anything he would ask would border on personal. However there was one that could be broached without it being personal.

"Is your home anything like this?"

Even if he just wanted them for an art project... eh, that was fine too. He could be a pain in the ass sometimes but he mostly did good things for everyone.

"...it has beaches, I suppose?"

"Beaches.." Ignis echoed as his eyes looked at the never ending expanse of blue. Then he turned his eyes back to Ple Two. "I hope you don't have creatures coming onto the beaches such as we had here?"

He was simply trying in his own way to get to know this person his daughter had chosen and who was on his team.

"Just amphibious mobile suits." That looked pretty creature-like sometimes, actually. "...not that that's an everyday thing, you know."

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faithfulsupport - 2020-05-31 21:54 (UTC) - Expand

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