middleofsomewhere | Event: Healing Waters

"Good morning passengers, it is day twenty three of the month of Grasshopper. All passengers of the Voidtrecker Express require rest. Next stop Jema’grethy Island. All passengers prepare to disembark."

It is a very strange morning message that rings through the train on the morning of day twenty three but as the passengers of the Voidtrecker Express wake their screens glow with the colour of the void and a holographic screen pops up for them to read.

World #2554098133741: A world once inhabited by an ancient civilisation and now preserved as a historical site, nature reserve and well-being retreat. It is famous for its relaxing hot springs, calming atmosphere and beautiful beaches.

It is a popular void-traveller destination, particularly among void missionaries as a place to rest and recuperate after difficult missions.

The Voidtrecker Express will spend three days here, arriving today and leaving on day twenty six of the month of Grasshopper. The dressing carriage is open for your convenience.

It is time for a holiday it seems!

Preparation

For those who go to explore the dressing carriage they will find a variety of beachwear and wetsuits. One cupboard has a pile of tents and groundsheets in all four team colours.

One cabinet is exclusively filled with beach towels, in a kaleidoscope of colours, designs and patterns. Another is filled with different shapes and sizes of plain towel dressing gowns. There is even a cabinet with buckets, spades and small rock-pooling nets.

It seems they are in for quite an adventure.

Arrival

"Shortly arriving on World #2554098133741. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

The train lurches and rattles as it leaves the void they will get a glimpse of silver-purple sky and a beautiful ocean below.

However some passengers might be a little more than distracted, one staring at that table for a second too long, another seeming lost in thought for a couple of seconds, a longer than normal pause in a sentence. They see a vision, a glimpse of a life that is not their own. Not all at once, but here and there as the train descends to the island.

But then it is gone and things are back to normal. Just in time, as they come to land.

Jema’grethy Island

The train has landed on a grassy ridge, overlooking a beautiful beach of white sand and the ocean beyond. It is warm, but not too hot, a cool ocean breeze cutting through the heat making it pleasant. Behind them is a grassy plain, changing to forest in the distance. There is the sound of birdsong in the purple sky. To the west the land is more craggy, the silhouette of a fortress in the distance. In a word, it is idylic. A sense of peace permeates the island.

A little more worrying is the volcano-like structure in the north. But even a quick glance will show it is not a typical volcano. There is no smoke and the liquid slowly running down it in rivulets is pink and blue.

Exploring the passengers will find beautiful beaches, ragged cliffs to walk and caves to explore. Where it is more craggy the beaches are made of pebbles- perfect for rock pooling.

The place has no people, but it is clearly maintained. The eastern beaches have racks of shallow boats, both canoes and one- or two-person sailing dinghies. There is also a small building in which scuba gear is stored, along with several waterproofed manuals and instructional literature.

Ruins of ancient houses are scattered across the island, but the main settlement is built into a rocky section in the north-west that has been secured with ropes and stairways cut into the cliffs, perfect for scrambles and hikes.

There are no living quarters, but there are sheltered sections with basic toilet facilities marked as camping grounds in five different sections of the island - by the hot springs, within the ruined fortress, beside the harbour, on the eastern beaches, and on the northern face of the mountain.

Hot Springs

To the west are the hot springs. They have both outdoor and indoor areas; the indoor areas being wooden loghouse saunas, changing rooms and storage sheds, whilst the outdoor areas are a tiered series of pools spilling down the side of the mountain and shaded by brightly flowering trees. The waters are hot, mineral-rich and soothing.

Perfect for overly stressed, world weary Void heroes...

(OOC: More setting information is here, please feel free to go wild with the setting and have a fun and relaxing time. You can use this post as a catch all for your holiday or make your own posts on

middleofsomewhere. More information about how the memory event is structured is here!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Kaiba is quick to set the book down...but not quick enough. He sucks in a breath, desperately trying to keep a straight face.

"...in that case, have you ever romanced an android?"

Glorfindel's eyebrows both went up. "The only one I've really met, of the three on the Train, is Webmind, and he's not really my type, no."

"Are you reading for research or pleasure?" he asked.

"...curiosity," he admits, reluctantly showing the cover. Copper Hearts.

"It was recommended as a beach book...and then there was a philosophical debate about life's purpose, and then it dove into the...more typical aspects."

He sighs. "The only beach book I need is a physics textbook."

"There is nothing to recommend it, then? No advise on how to have fun on the beach?" Glorfindel wasn't sure what kind of beach book was needed. He usually didn't bring one, as they were too precious to risk getting wet.

"Why would you want a physics textbook on a beach?" he asked.

"Advice for date ideas, maybe," he snorted, setting it aside. Something flicked in his expression before he pressed on.

"That's the kind of reading I enjoy. Education on more practical matters."

"Does your world separate the sciences into hard and soft, like the humans of my world do?" Glorfindel asked.

"As if removing the emotional component will make things easier to understand?"

"Yes. Hard science deals with quantifiable fact, soft, with human activity and relationships."

He runs a finger over the book. "Emotion's never been a focus for me. Too messy when there's high-pressure work to be done."

Glorfindel nodded. Then, "May I ask what motivates you to do all that high pressure work?"

Kaiba is quiet for a moment as he thinks of a suitable explanation.

"I've always been motivated to be the best. Mediocrity is unacceptable in my position. I'll do anything that's needed to get the best possible result."

He rolls his shoulder. "Doesn't leave much time for a break. But here I am, with a romance novel."

Glorfindel grinned. "I too am taking advantage of the time that we are spending here," and by here he meant on the Train, "to explore some alternatives to how I had been spending my time. But...my world recently underwent a change, from war to peace, so," he smiled, "they don't really have a need for a warrior, any more. So, what am I to do with my time going forward?"

"Reading a romance novel to widen your horizons seems an excellent way to spend your time, to me."

Event: Healing Waters

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