Event: Healing Waters

[voidtreckermods]

"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!)

Comments

[mtsilver_conquor]

All he does is make a sad chirp -agreement? Who really knows, but could be taken as that, sure-, even as he allows himself to be pet. Though gripping wet fur is far harder than it seems, given the amount of water it holds.

That said, all he really needs Kaiba to do is stand up. Preferably get out of the water, but like. For what he has planned?

He won't be picky. Well, unless Kaiba tries to pick him up; then it's just a clefairy deadweight.

[blue_ice]

"Fine. Let's go find Eva before you get any more lost."

With that he rises from the spring, stretching to the sky briefly before reaching for his towel. That was good on his back.

[mtsilver_conquor]

As soon as Kaiba has his towel, the clefairy unleashes the mother of all full-body shakes, all four legs firmly planted into the ground, vestigial wings lose and limp as they go with the motions. The shake is kind that longhaired dogs would do. The kind that is a near literal fuckton of water.

Everything in range is now drenched. Not only that, there is a very, very satisfied 'feeaaahhhri' - and one smug clefairy now only moderately damp with deep, intelligent eyes.

Sapient? No. Intelligent and a fairy(-type) who's been around humans most of his life? Yes.

[blue_ice]

All right, time to pick up Princess and---

"AARGH!"

Kaiba, his poor towel, and the immediate area are absolutely drenched in water. His hair just barely stays out of his eyes when dry, but when wet...well, it comes down to his nose. He angrily swipes his hair back, clutches his drenched towel over himself, and narrows his eyes.

He bends quickly and tries to scoop up Princess, ready to seek his owner. "You're a terror, do you know that?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

The only answer is a show of teeth in what could easily be called a shit-eating grin. Or maybe that's just a yawn. Who knows.

That said, Princess very much takes the bending down to scoop him up as permission to literally jump up onto Kaiba's shoulder and back. Because you know, everyone likes suddenly having to deal with a seven-and-a-half kilogram clefairy wanting a free shoulder ride.

[blue_ice]

"Nng---fine. Have it your way."

Kaiba hisses as he returns to the changing room with his belongings. He can bear the weight, it just takes some getting used to. Then he angrily dries with a fresh towel and throws a yukata on, but thanks to Princess he has to leave one sleeve off, dangling from the tie around his waist.

While there he also grabs a notebook, a pen, and some string out of his bag, and starts to write. He holds the sign loosely in his hand, quickly pulling it over Princess's ears when they get close to their target. There's Eva. Seto doesn't say anything to start, he just stops in front of her and points at the sign.

It reads: 'I drench innocent bathers with my fur-shaking and then have the cheek to claim them as free rides. I'm not sorry.'

[mtsilver_conquor]

With a smugly please 'kle~!', Princess settles for the ride.

Finding Eva is not that hard, though Seto will get an eyeful. At least there's a towel around her hips.

"Hm?" There's a blink at the disgruntled fairy (who tolerates the sign for like another second before he's trying to get it off! Rude human!)- and then Eva's face splits into a wide, amused grin as shoulders shake with laughter.

"Let me guess," she manages between laughter. "The sad, soaked pippi act?"

[blue_ice]

"Another old trick, huh?"

Kaiba very carefully keeps his expression neutral, eyes at about her browline if he looks at her at all. He takes the shredded sign back, lifts Princess, and passes him over.

"Are you at least enjoying yourself, Eva?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

"After a fashion, yeah," Eva says with a nod as she takes the pokemon from her brother and allows herself to become the perch.

"I am- and honestly, Kaiba, I won't be offended if you stare or look. It's just a body."

She's probably missing a lot of subtext here.

[blue_ice]

"How are you so....mmm"

Kaiba exhales sharply, and this time his eyes are more focused. He keeps his head lifted, but it's hard to avoid noticing the marks. A good brother doesn't ask about the old ones, but...

He steps closer and reaches for her hand.

"How much pain were you pushing through when you jumped in front of that monster for me?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

She lets him take the right one -there is, if he notices it, a shimmery web of faint scar tissue on the left forearm- and grins; easy-going and light-hearted.

"Not enough to incapacitate me. Besides." The grin sharpens as her gaze turns serious. "Legends always rise again."

She knows he won't get the context, that it's ok for her to get hurt because not only is she a Traitor, she's a Living Legend. "I'll be fine, really."

[blue_ice]

"You'd better be. We don't want to lose you," is all he says to that. squeezing her hand before he lets it go. Then, awkwardly, he tugs his loose sleeve back on.

"...I was going to stop in one last spring, since someone interrupted my last soak." A pointed look at Princess. "Any you'd recommend?

[mtsilver_conquor]

"You won't. I promise you that much." She's a plaything of the Fox.

There is the smuggest smile from Princess; He's thoroughly unrepentant and would do it again!

"Depends on how hot you want. There seems to be a good variety at least."

[blue_ice]

"I'll look for something that's not hot enough to be a shock to the system, then."

Kaiba lingers near some, feeling the steam and trying to get a sense for it that way.

"Is the rest of your team having a good time too?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Start with something a little colder than you want and work up."

There seems to be enough around that's possible, at least.

"Yeah. Dancer's off in the forest. I'll find her later. Lele's an AI."

Who's basically robot-mon, so... you know.

[blue_ice]

"Mm...think I found one."

What luck. He sits on the rocks, contemplating a quick shower and dip, but seems to get caught up in his head.

"You trust them so much. Even when they cause a little trouble. It's...impressive."

Again, a pointed look at Princess.

[mtsilver_conquor]

"To be fair, I also know all of Princess's tricks," Eva deadpans while Princess huffs, seemingly settled on his perch. "That said, I trust them yes, but at the same time... I wouldn't trust them around people like this if they were newly caught. Well, Dancer and Princess anyway."

Lele is a robot. Lele was made to obey.

[blue_ice]

"Mm. Lele's not in danger of breaking programming, huh."

Always a concern with AI. Seto laughs, looks at Eva a moment...then looks around the area with an odd expression. Hm...maybe this was the best way to avoid another Princess incident in his second attempt.

"I'm going in. Stay if you want."

He's quick to duck into the shower, and from there he takes the last few steps to the spring with all the bravado he can muster. Some of the tension releases when he's safely covered by the water, at least.

"Take two, let's go."

Do we want to wrap for points?

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Not at all." Not with how much she sunk into the thing, not with how much the reputation of the company itself is at stake. One screw up in AI programming and boom. Bankrupt, if not jailed outright.

"Sure, I'll be in in a bit. Need to 'ball a 'mon first." If she hears the unhappy hiss-sulk from Princess, she ignores it. There's being a cute mascot and then there's being a pest and she'll run the energy off later.

/sure, wrap!

[blue_ice]

Seto finds himself laughing at Princess's misfortune, and that helps him to relax some. By the time Eva returns, he's relaxed enough to enjoy the afternoon with her.

...gentle ribbing aside, but he'll live. Everything is fine.