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

[adregem]

[ He smiles quietly in the soft, billowing steam of the hot springs. ] Of course.

[ Roland reaches over behind him without pivoting his torso, grabbing a wooden pail with a wide bottom. The water is scooped up and splashed over his head and hair. Surprisingly shiny for such a bare bones guy... ]

So, any hot spring stories to share, Della? Camaraderie is what it's all about when you're in places like this, after all.

[sos_pilot]

"Not really." Della admitted, closing her eyes and leaning back. "Most of these things can be found in Japan... but when we were there, we were usually fighting off youkai or trying to find treasure hidden by ancient samurai."

[adregem]

He leans back himself, and is probably the most serene he's ever looked since meeting the daring duck on the train. He closes his eyes and just listens to the sound of the water, the words being shared with him. A guy could get used to this.

"All work and no play, huh? I can relate to that. So did you find the treasure every time? Who were you with on these crazy adventures?"

[sos_pilot]

"My brother Donald, and our Uncle Scrooge - Scrooge is the whole reason we go adventuring in the first place!" A pleased smile - she does love her family.

"He's the one who takes the lead and tells us where to go."

[adregem]

"That right? He sounds like quite the character. How many are you in your merry crew, anyway?" He feels that love roll off of her, just with the way she talks about them.

[sos_pilot]

"It used to be just the three of us - but now my kids are along for the ride, and so's their best friend. She's the daughter of our housekeeper, and practically worships the ground Scrooge walks on, so of course she gets to come."

[adregem]

"Well now, your kids huh?" His expression turns soft. Mothers and their sons and daughters always tugged at him differently, for his own reasons. "How old are they?"

[sos_pilot]

"Ten years old." Della said with a bit of pride. "Triplet boys, my pride and joys!"

[adregem]

He usually wouldn't offer this information up, but Roland trusts Della and anyway, what's one parent to another just sharing information?

"Just about the same age as mine." He looks wistful, and sounds like it too. "I can't imagine how handling triplets might be, though." A beat passes. "Or how rewarding."

One was all he could afford his family, as President...But he didn't want to linger on that right now.

[sos_pilot]

So he's a parent too? No more thinking of him as "kiddo." Humans really did have babyfaces. Although at the mention of raising them, she does glance aside, silent for half a moment - after all, her own selfishness had made sure she didn't raise them for those first ten years.

She then cleared her throat, moving along. "They're the best kids anyone could ever ask for. Huey's a natural genius, Dewey is the bravest guy around, and Louie's heart is bigger than he'll ever admit."

[adregem]

Roland chuckles for a moment, now having gotten used to the reactions most people try to hide from him whenever the topic of his being a father comes up. His own teammates back home were none the wiser, and who would be anyway? Roland's physical form looked no older than twenty.

To that, all he has to say is, "You should check out the passenger roster on my name, it'll explain a lot." By a lot, he means he's actually of middle age, but that's for her to discover on her own.

He sinks a little deeper into the water, hiding most of his chest from view. Roland studies Della's face, not really too keen on prying where he shouldn't, but it was a feeling of knowing that look all too well. A semblance of guilt, regret; something he understands better than anyone, especially as a father who didn't have enough time for his only kid either, but what could he do?.

He shakes his head, dismissing the thought. "Off the bat I'm going to tell you that those are three of the best names I've ever heard for triplets. Huey, Dewey, and Louie." He smiles easily. "Who's the eldest? Or better yet, who's the troublemaker that gives you more white hairs than you can count? Heh."

[sos_pilot]

"Actually, those weren't the names I had picked out for them." And she was a little annoyed those weren't chosen. Jet, Turbo, and Rebel were totally awesome names! "My brother Donald chose Llweyn, Hubert, and Dewford. Louie, Huey and Dewey are their nicknames... and preferred names, no big surprise."

Donald was such a dork. But she was quick to answer the follow-up question so Roland wouldn't ask why her brother named them instead of her.

"Lately, it's Louie that's been a handful. Kid's obsessed with making a quick buck, and unfortunately his methods kept getting him and the rest of the family in trouble." A small sigh. Disciplining him had been rough on her heart, but also necessary. "He's learning to be better, though... it took for his own head to be in danger for him to learn some humility."

[adregem]

"Their full names...are a little bit of a mouthful, I'll admit. Thankfully Louie, Huey, and Dewey stick." He gets a bit more comfortable, happy to talk honestly about something as simple as family without hurrying, without the rush of a next mission.

"Really? Whatever happened to good 'ol lemonade stands?" He laughs quietly, under his breath. "But I'm glad to hear that. Sometimes that's what it has to come to - letting them discover where their actions will take them, good or bad. At least they've got your feistiness to keep them grounded." Literally? Maybe!

[sos_pilot]

Della couldn't help but smile at that - she'd like to think her kids all had a trace of her, difficult as it was to find at at times.

"It's a team effort at this rate. They've got me, my brother, and our Uncle Scrooge to help them become the best they can be."

[adregem]

He smiles steadily, happy to hear such fondness from Della talk about her family that way. He throws a wistful look, wondering about another life, somewhere far away. How it could be if Will had that too. Would the kids he met here - Tidus, Inigo - would they like his son? Would they treat him kindly, so Will wouldn't be so alone...?

"They're lucky kids, all three of them. Plus, they probably get really late bedtimes with all the adventuring they get to do with your family." He combs through long hair with nimble fingers. "What...made you decide to let them go to such dangerous places? With monsters and demons and ghouls? Didn't that scare you?"

[sos_pilot]

"They would have gone on them if I let them or not." Della replied with a wry smirk. "It's in the blood... we seek out danger! So of course we're gunna worry, but as long as we're together, we'll all make it out. Treasure and adventure are important on every outing, but we always make sure that safety and lives come first."

Well, usually, Nine out of ten.

"That said, wherever we go, I always make sure to take note of all possible exit routes so I can get us out of there ASAP if need be."

[adregem]

It makes sense, but Roland has always been overtly cautious about things like this, and granted Della's triplets were probably in outstanding health...

"I see." He manages to answer. One knee is raised up against his chest. Don't worry - swim trunks are there to the rescue! No towels here! "It's good you're there to watch over them, at least. They really are some darned lucky kids. I would have liked to join that squad if I was still their age."

[sos_pilot]

Given how half of Della's world goes pants-less, she probably wouldn't have minded.

"Hey, if we can find a way for you to visit my world, you can come along on our next outing!" She saw no reason why not. "My kids take their friend Webby along each and every time! She's become part of the family in her own way - she's the granddaughter of our housekeeper."

[adregem]

He smiles fondly as the steam billows gently into the air, slightly obscuring his vision of her from where he sits. She has a big heart, if Webby's involvement in family antics was any indication. Roland likes that about Della.

"Heh. Why not? Maybe I can spot exits this time, and you can enjoy your adventure with your kids? Your uncle and brother?" He chuckles, then hesitates to add something. In the end, his sentiment wins out. "Maybe my son can come along, too. He loves daring tales like that. It's all he ever wants to read about."

It's all he can do at the children's ward, after all.

[sos_pilot]

Della beamed, glad she had someone she could talk to about being a parent - especially since they both had sons, and even their kids sounded alike. It seemed Gladstone Gander wasn't the only one full of luck.

"We'll make it a big old family outing for all of us! It'd be twice as much fun, and we can show you guys all the ropes."

[adregem]

That tugs at his heartstrings, if only at how nice it could be if it happened. He smiles as such, imagining it - a brand new adventure, but for his son, the very first one of his life. If only...

"Yeah, yeah that sounds really good. Thanks, Della." He washes his hair again, feeling the hot water run through his back. "And hey, you and your entire family will always be welcome in my part of town too. No daring adventures there, but if you need a place to relax, I think I can provide. Heh."

[sos_pilot]

"I suppose we could manage." Della jokes lightly, closing her eyes as the relaxing waters make it more "difficult" to have a lengthy conversation. "A couple of them might like the break... my son Louie and my brother Donald might volunteer for it first and foremost."

[adregem]

He gets that feeling. The water obviously had something in it, soothing as it was. It's the most lax he's felt in a long time. Not even Evermore or the second world had this kind of luxury.

"Well, they can come first and the rest of you daring adventurers can follow. Won't be hard to find, anyway. Just look for the White House. Heh." Roland chuckles quietly, his leg that rested against his chest now falling back down, causing a bit of a wave which he throws an apologetic look for.

[sos_pilot]

"Sure, look for a nice white house..." Della was so deep into the relaxation zone she didn't register why a White House would be important, nor the wave.

At this rate, she could drown happy, the way she was sinking.

[adregem]

Roland holds in a chuckle, and decides to be a little bit playful here. Since Della was so lost in her soak, he grabs a bucketful of the warm water and slowly swims over to her side, and it's not a big hot spring so it takes him just a few seconds.

"Hey, Della?" he says, quietly. The bucket floats next to him.