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

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"He'd be an adult back home, and properly trained one way or the other. There's mischief and then there's malice!" He couldn't imagine any of Nerdanel's children being malific at all.

[marriedanidiot]

ha ha ha....sob

"And in mine he'd be still at home with his parents! Ai, but I don't really understand how you humans age in truth."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"That goes both ways, so we can be confused together." Edge could at least be cheery. Hearing someone admit to not understanding something was so very nice.

[marriedanidiot]

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

[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.

[marriedanidiot]

"Oh, there's always something new to be learnt!" She smiles. "That's the beauty about life! Just when you think you know everything, there's always something new to discover."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Oh sure, but more to the point, I worry that half the stuff I'll never understand, like the technology people use. And the stuff I can understand, I won't learn in time." Thoughts borne out of reasons he'd said he'd make a poor leader for this train.

[marriedanidiot]

"That's a valid fear." She agrees. "There's so many new things to learn! But consider - sooner or later, we will return to our own homes, where this does not exist. So unless you mean to learn enough to replicate it at home, coughFeanorcough the only pressure on us here is to learn enough to manage using them, which is plenty."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"You need to know a little more than that to lead effectively. I've said I don't know enough about some things to be an effective leader here, and people treat that as an immediate reason to ignore me, so I need to learn... but who knows where to begin?"

[marriedanidiot]

She hums. "Well, why don't you ask? My Feanaro is not the best teacher, I will admit, but Curufinwe is just as quick as his father, and far better at teaching."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"You can't ask about something you don't know if you don't know it! So I need to figure out what I don't know, and there's a heck of a lot of that." Especially when it came to technology. Edge had a knack for it, compared to most on his world, but still...

[marriedanidiot]

"True, which is why I said to start with Curufin, and not Feanaro!" She laughs. "My son has been in very similar situations to you - he'd understand."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"But you guys don't have things like the technology some people know, right?" Or are. Wasn't there one guy who was just sort of a robot person?

[marriedanidiot]

"No." She agrees. "Although we had our own inventions, but we took a different tack, I think. But my Atarinke has been exploring the worlds for a while, he says. He has had a chance to learn many things from places foreign to us - and he well remembers how hard it would have been, I am sure!"

Also, quite frankly, she loves her husband very much, but absolutely no one on Tirion would ever want to be taught by Mad Genius Feanaro, even putting aside his bloodied past, as he had something of a reputation as an absolutely terrible lecturer who would randomly switch topics as the thought occurred to him, and had no patience for slowing down enough for anyone to keep up with him until he had children of his own.

By contrast, Curufin was a saint.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Well that all sure sounded terrific.

"Hmm," he mused. "You know, maybe we need some sort of general exchange program. Someplace where everyone could contribute what they know and can do, a reference for people to refer to."

[marriedanidiot]

"I know young Rapunzel was considering something very like." She agrees. "She's another you could ask."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Oh, really? That'd help too! I'm sure I'm not the only one dealing with this." Just the only one getting called out for it, NOT THAT HE WAS BITTER.

[marriedanidiot]

"She's a lovely girl - and even less familiar with these things than you are, I think!"

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Who on this train isn't lovely? I'm so surrounded by beauty it makes my heart weep to be only just one person! Present company very much included, of course!" Edge flashed a grin and a thumbs-up.

[marriedanidiot]

"She is far too young for you." She laughs. "Even I can tell that, and I strugle with human ages."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Hey, you used the word lovely, not me!" Edge waved that off, wryly amused. "Besides, I'm dating Yuffie now anyway."

[marriedanidiot]

"She is!" She laughs. "I say that as a mother. And are you? Congratulations!"

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Why thank you! I'm very lucky for that." Note to self: see what Yuffie was wearing to the beach.

[marriedanidiot]

"She seems a very sweet girl." Nerdanel nods. "Although I have not spoken to her as of yet. She reminds me a little of my nieces. Very headstrong."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"She's not so bad." Since Edge knew precisely how to handle her. "So much energy, though. She's a marvel."