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

[xue_yang]

The Beach

Xue Yang hadn't been sure he even wanted to come out but a need for food drove him from where he had been resting comfortably. He has already shed the goo covered and uncomfortable gear they had been given and managed to get most of the squid remains out of his hair.

He opted to not get any of the weird clothing from the train, instead perfectly content to be covered up in his normal attire. He has no intention of going in the water after everything they just went through.

So instead he has obtained some food and found a quiet area to just sit, eat and observe the rest of the festivities.

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel wandered by, wearing his yellow swim briefs, hair flowing in the breeze. "Not interested in swimming?" he asked with a smile.

"I hear you really helped out with the jellyfish."

[xue_yang]

"I don't particularly care for the water." He hasn't been around much water in his life. Or at least, never gotten to see the draw of wallowing around in it. Can he even swim? Hard to say..

"Word travels fast. Someone was kind enough to give me a sword so I could have a little fun." Or dumb enough depending on who you ask. Things could have gone quite differently if Xue Yang had felt the desire.

[laurefindil]

"I'm sure the whirlpool didn't improve your opinion," Glorfindel said with a chuckle.

"The advantages of working with a Team," he agreed.

He looked at the food on display. "I like the crabs much better as an entrée."

[xue_yang]

"They were fun to play with for awhile. It was amusing to poke out their eyes and watch them attack each other because they couldn't tell they were fighting their associates."

Xue Yang has a twisted sense of fun. But mostly it was all he could do given the weapon he had at the time.

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel shook his head. It was efficient, yes, perhaps even amusing as the other said, but he would not call it fun, personally. "We discovered on the second day that if you flipped them on their backs that they were helpless and could not right themselves. A couple of others would follow behind and cut the claws off or sever the joint muscles."

[xue_yang]

"So you went around..flipping crabs?" Xue Yang stares at him as if he is crazy. His method was definitely more fun. He would have grown very tired of playing the crab flipping game.

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel shook his head. "Not all of them. You had to hit them just right to get them to flip over. If they hit a rock or the cave wall, they might be able to flip back over, you see. Some we just killed. But it got them out of our way faster, and that was a long enough walk as it was." Taking longer to kill them might have been more fun for Xue Yang, but the skill it took to flip them over and not have them get back up...okay, Glorfindel did find that fun.

"The giant squid didn't help."

[xue_yang]

"Giant squid? Was he as much fun as our giant jellyfish? Because he was a delight." That word is dripping with sarcasm as Xue Yang recalls being covered head to toe in less then flattering jellyfish belly goo. It had taken quite a few rinses to get that feeling out of his hair. In hindsight..keeping the helmet on would have been a good idea.

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin has been dancing in the outfit that Tony gave him as a gift, black jeans, black leather laceup boots, and a black denim jacket. To which he has added a brightly colored t-shirt from the train's collection of weird beach clothing.

He gets hungry or thirsty periodically and goes to get food or water. And now he is walking at a distance from the dancers and the feasting, looking for a place to sit down.

"Xue Yang!" he greets the other man. "Can I sit beside you?"

[xue_yang]

"Do as you wish. The beach isn't mine to control." At least this one he doesn't mind the company of. He is still casually eating the food he had obtained from the tables and waves a crab piece at the empty space besides him to indicate the man should go ahead. and join him.

[so_dark_a_road]

"No, but if you don't wish for my company, you can always tell me to take a hike." He's joking. He grins and sits down.

"So, how did the mission go for you?"

[xue_yang]

"It was satisfying. Being able to kill things lets out a little of the pent up energy." He also temporarily has a sword that he just happened to keep instead of giving back yet. Once the owner asks for it..he might return it.

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin chuckles. "Killing things does have that effect, doesn't it? I can relate to that. So, are you feeling more relaxed now?"

[xue_yang]

"I suppose I'm satisfied for the time being. But it means we will be stuck back on that train for the next few weeks, does it not?"

Which means plenty of time to get stir crazy.

[so_dark_a_road]

"Yes, it does. We have missions every month or two, and in between, we do our best to defray the boredom."

Curufin gets stir crazy too, but he has various ways of dealing with it.

Meanwhile, since he's already eaten his dinner, it's time for dessert. He pulls a package of candy out of one of his jean jacket pockets and holds it up. "Say, do you like candy? I bought some from the train store before I came out here to dance. Want some?"

[xue_yang]

Xue Yang stares at that bag of candy in his hand. To say he likes candy is a bit of an understatement. It's not so much the taste as the sentimentality of it that draws him to it. Though he has discovered that the sweet tooth of his enjoys trying anything and everything sugary.

"I do happen to like candy." He holds out his hand, clearly indicating that he will not turn it down.

[blitzcheer]

The idea of getting into the water should be bewildering to most, but Tidus couldn't help himself in the end, stripping down into swimming trunks, but then later--by the time to goes to get more food--adding a short-sleeved shirt from one of the villagers.

It's how he's dressed when he spots Xue Yang, decides to go over to see how he is. He's his roommate, but Tidus hasn't really spoken to the guy--he's never in his cabin for long for chatting to either of his cabinmates, really. So he takes the time now, picking up his voice as he gets near him and offering a nod should he look up.

"Hey, how you doing? You go with Red Team?"

[xue_yang]

Xue Yang looks up and notices one of his roommates is approaching. He spends very little time in the bed car as well and even less time chatting with those unfortunate to live in the same spot as him. But he at least recognizes them when they are nearby.

"I did. It was quite the first experience with one of these worlds. the sea creatures are surprisingly hardy here." Killing a large sea creature that enjoyed dumping copious amounts of body goo on him was entertaining to say the least.

"I'm afraid I didn't really have time to pay attention to any of the other team's exploits." Which means he doesn't have any idea who you went with or what you did.

[blitzcheer]

Truthfully, if it wasn't for everyone getting clothing suited to their team colours, Tidus wouldn't have been able to make the guess for Red for the guy--and even that didn't really speak for what he end up doing, until he confirms it himself.

But Tidus gives a small shrug as Xue Yang goes on, getting his gist. "Sounds like everyone got stuck fighting oversized seafood. Don't know about Orange, but Purple got caverns full of crab, and the island got swarmed by them, squids, and some weird thing with a shark head and a bear's body. That sound the same for you?"

That's not including the final monster, but that was a thing of its own.

[xue_yang]

"Similar. I mostly dealt with crabs. And a very large jellyfish that didn't know what it meant to give up." It died a very disgusting death though. He didn't care much about freeing the lights but he did enjoy letting off some pent up energy.

"Even with as many fighters as we had, it took everything that everyone had to take it down."

[blitzcheer]

"Wow," Tidus lets out, impressed at the picture of Red Team's strength Xue Yang weaves of that. And their hardiness, too. "Good thing we had you guys there! So? You'll be sticking with Red Team and hoping you more jobs like that?"

There's an ease of which he asks it, an intrigue, adding with a wave of his free hand, "It sounds like you got into it!"

The guy didn't look that beat up anyway, and he seemed pleased by the accomplishments of the team.

[xue_yang]

"Red team seems to get all of the excitement so I believe I'll stick with it. If it gives us an excuse to get off the train and let off some aggression, I don't see why I shouldn't take part."

Xue Yang was still standing (mostly) when it was over so he feels his contribution was quite large. Though he will admit that he couldn't have done it on his own.

"I was given a sword by one of the others. I'm pretty good with those so striking deciding blows wasn't difficult." He's smirking, the sword still in his possession until it's owner decides to request it back.

[blitzcheer]

Tidus can't blame the guy for wanting to blow off some steam, and if it was against mutant crabs and jellyfish, why not? It wasn't like most of them from the train weren't glad to get out, and even Tidus preferred a fight over idling (though, more breaks would have been nice...).

But his interest grows, and with it, he decides to sit, closer to where he is already than taking any direct seat next to Xue Yang. Asking as he comes down, his bowl being placed on his lap, "So, what were you back in your world? A warrior? You enjoy a fight, that's for sure."

Kinda like he wouldn't mind doing it for a living--but is that weird to say? He sounds invested in a good battle anyway, similar to the Ronso tribe and their pride in strength... but no, that's not exactly right, either. It's more like how he's seen some people on the train, and the difference between someone who fights because they want to, or have to.

It's been peculiar.

[xue_yang]

"I suppose you could call me a warrior. We were called cultivators on our world. Most cultivators use their powers to fight the dead..and when necessary, each other."

For him..he uses the dead to fight for him. He does enjoy fighting himself when the opponent is interesting, but it's also fun to sick fierce corpses on them and watch them attempt to survive.