Memory Cave

[voidtreckermods]

After the passengers see a glimpse of a life that is not their own they appear in a cave. It is light, a strange moss glowing on the walls and ceiling illuminates the cave nicely and it is large enough for them to pace around in without trouble.

They are not alone. In the cave with them is another voidtrecker. Maybe someone they know well, maybe someone they have only seen in the aisles of the train. But they are together in this cave together.

The cave has no exit, at least not yet. They know that it will, eventually. When the time is right.

But for that time to come, they first must talk...

(OOC: For reference: memories!)

Comments

Misa | Joss

[voidtreckermods]

[dredefulchilde]

Another one.

Joscelin blinks, taken aback by the sudden vision and the even more alarming location shift. "Misa?" he asks, and realizes she's right in front of him.

He can't quite shake the vision he'd just seen. It was warm, domestic. Happy.

"What did you see?"

Senku | Eva

[voidtreckermods]

[10billionpercent]

[Something is definitely strange. Senku had been actually relaxing, sitting still and looking up at the sky as he contemplated life’s mysteries when it happened again. He was seeing strange images, people he didn’t know, and honestly, whatever they were referencing at the time, he was just completely lost. That was a rare feat in itself.

Hypothesis one: He’d finally lost his mind and was hallucinating. This could be due to many factors, not the least of which the fact he’d tasted both the strange lava and the rocks on the island. Or, he could outright have finally fractured his psyche. He’d ask the mentalist, but he wasn’t around.

Hypothesis two: He was seeing something through the eyes of someone else. While fantastical, this actually seemed to be a far more distinct possibility. What particularly gave this some weight was the strange feeling he felt, things like the urge to punch someone he didn’t know (not an unfamiliar feeling sometimes), a sense of rivalry again with a stranger, and being contrary for the point of being contrary something that was so illogical it definitely didn’t come from him.

Senku has settled on the second hypothesis by the time he finds himself in what is actually a small cave, placing himself face to face with someone he’s met now.]

Ah, that’s why I know your voice. It’s fallen into place.

[That was honestly bugging him. He turned his attention to looking at the cave walls, ceiling. He felt compelled to ask about the memory, but that was incredibly strange. Why would he want to do something like that? He started walking around the cave, looking at the wall and poking at it with his fingers anyway, even though he doesn’t think anything’s going to happen if he does that.]

Another kidnapping then.

[His tone is a bit flat, sarcastic.]

One more time, with feeling!

[10billionpercent]

[ This time, it wasn't a point of view thing, Senku could see himself standing there, messing around with the refrigerator as people were leaving to give him space. He could sense that Eva's presence was behind him, but his eyes widened in alarm. Why this? They were they looking at this?

It was not a good memory. The mood was sombre, the conversation stilted. He could see all the tension in his own body even if the words they spoke were nonsense, it didn't make the situation any better. Tsukasa had even called him out for inane conversation, but it was just overwhelmingly sad. He didn't know if Eva could feel how hard it had been for him to keep it together and he wasn't a particularly demonstrative person anyway.

This was the kind of thing he didn't want to relive or dwell on, and in fact he did his best to avoid thinking about these moments when he did check on Tsukasa going forward. When Tsukasa stopped answering him, he saw himself hide his face, hide tears and compose himself. Their relationship was certainly a complex one, but all the same he never wanted the man to be dying.

The way he was beside her, his body language was closed off, arms crossed as they watched, but still the other man's final moments moved him into shedding a tear.

The memory ended when he left the cave, as expected, but it also changed to Eva, surrounded by two small children who were begging her to stay. Senku now glanced in the direction he felt Eva's presence, but it was but a moment because he couldn't take his eyes off of this scene either.

He flinched slightly at the children crying, he didn't particularly delight in children who were upset and dealing with what he was getting a sense was a real tragedy here. He felt bad for them. They sounded frightened and he wanted to do something, but he couldn't.

As Eva ahead of him had the children whisked off and set out to find what was the body of presumably someone she cared about, the memory came to an end, leaving her in that wintery tragic scene.

With the memories concluded, they found themselves in the cave again.

This time, Senku seemed a lot less active, he wasn't looking for a way out - no they already knew they wouldn't find one - but he sat down before dragging his arm along his cheek to get rid of a stubborn tear track from sadness and grief he certainly still felt. The trick was not to dwell on things like that.

Watching the memory again was the opposite of pressing down whatever feelings he had on the subject and letting it go to deal with other things. There were always other distractions.

He was disappointed that his memory was so private, as well, because no one was supposed to know he'd been crying. It wasn't just a matter of being a private person, which he somewhat was, but now he was a leader and he needed to be the one to push everyone on, no matter how tired he was.

Senku looked at Eva. A quick glance only and then looked away. ]

Sorry. [ He mumbled. The best he could offer was his condolences. Or perhaps, he was more sorry that he'd had to witness this memory. Or share his own. It was hard to say why that, exactly, came out of his mouth. ]

Willow | Curufin

[voidtreckermods]

[runicfeathers]

Her first reaction to the cave is to panic. Pure panic races through Willow as she looks around, frantically trying to find an exit to no avail, not even noticing who is in there with her as she's close to hyperventilating. Caves are not something she's well-equipped to handle at the moment, not when she had been underground when she was pulled away from her lover, not when these things were now a considerable trauma. And it doesn't help that Nova is nowhere to be found, heard, or even seen; let alone make a connection to, which makes everything considerably worse.

"WH-what's going on?!" Panic is clear in her voice, tears ready to burst forth like a waterfall.

Then, the memory flashes in her mind. In her panic, she finds something rather calming in it, peaceful almost. It reminds her of her brother and her father, when she was much younger and a lot more innocent & naive to the world around her.

Whatever Curufin may have felt, if anything, would be a whirl of emotions if he'd felt them at any point of the day.


[OOC: If you're not up for the bond, then I'm 100% ok with opting out of that! I can go one way or the other with this aspect of it.]

Edge | Glimmer

[voidtreckermods]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Oh."

Edge blinked, then shut each eye in sequence, trying to figure out just what was real and what was -- memory, he supposed.

"I'm going to be honest and say I'm very relieved I wasn't having weird daydreams about being a girl."

Memory 3 hell yeah

[queenofsparkles]

With how nice the first two memories were, Glimmer couldn't have expected the third to be so horrific.

Her own memory is nothing, now. Horde Prime is gone; even if watching him toy with her and Catra still makes her sick to her stomach, and she stands stiff and pale and on edge in his presence. This time, though, she's able to hear the faint screech of claws as Catra's claws drag through the table, and her lip only quivers faintly.

The second memory isn't one she's expecting, and almost immediately her hands fly to her face, covering her mouth as her eyes widen in horror. His poor parents... she's crying by the time the memory of Edge finishes the fight, and when the memory fades out and she and Edge find themselves in that same stupid cave again, she wastes no time in rushing over to the other monarch to wrap her arms tightly around him and buries her face in his chest to hold back her sob. "I'm so sorry, Edge...!"

Persephone | Colden

[voidtreckermods]

M2

[wherewoof]

He'd been in the middle of hiking when the memory came over him. Yet again, he had no idea why this was happening to him, but he wasn't filled with dread this time, at least. Actually, he felt a little lightweight, happy, as the memory unfolded. He knew he couldn't be daydreaming because he'd never played a game of chess in his life, and he definitely wouldn't daydream about it.

When the memory faded and he found himself in the cave and not where he'd last been, his guard came up again, and he was prepared to defend himself in case this was some sort of trap. It didn't feel like a trap though, and there was a little smile on his face for a moment before it, too, faded. Then, looking around, he realized he wasn't the only one in the cave, and he hesitated, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"Uh, hi?"

M3

[wherewoof]

The previous memory share had in no way prepared him for this one. This was different, and not just that it was a different memory, of course, but that it played out differently. He wasn't seeing it through Persephone's eyes, he was seeing it like an observer. Somehow, that made it worse, or maybe it was bad enough on its own.

He felt uneasy as he watched the scene unfold, maybe a little anxious. And then, quite quickly, those feelings turned to dread and sorrow. He'd never lost anyone himself, but he didn't have to imagine what it was like; he was seeing it right in front of him. Though he wouldn't admit to it, tears stung his eyes, threatening to spill. He might have put on a brave face a lot of the time, but he cared about people more than he let on. This...this was heartbreaking.

Then that memory faded, and he saw himself, a little younger, from a few years ago, when he'd thought his whole world was ending. He'd never forget that night, no matter how hard he tried. It felt trivial compared to what he'd witnessed just before it, even if it had changed his life forever.

Finally, after both memories had faded, he reached up to scrub at his face, pretending that he hadn't been crying a little. Clearing his throat, he realized they were back in the same cave as before.

"What...what happened to them?" That probably wasn't the best question to lead off with. "I'm sorry," he added, quietly. For her loss, not for his question. Well, maybe a little for his question.

Kaiba | Della

[voidtreckermods]

[blue_ice]

[ Kaiba's just woken up, crawling out of his tent to get dressed and start the day when he apparently blacks out again.

Again, he's a duck. A...mother duck, apparently, returning to those same three boys. He's trembling with emotion as he approaches, holding these beloved kids for the first time. They're so big now. And just as clever as he'd hoped.

Finally, reunion. A long-ago wound finally starting to heal, and it feels so good.

And then Kaiba returns to himself, his breathing ragged and eyes tight, as if suppressing something. He reaches for something on the center of his chest and looks down...right, he's still wearing the white and orange pajamas. But boy does he wish his locket was there.

As he thinks that, the familiar card-shaped picture frame appears around his neck, and he clutches it. Only then does he look...and there's Della across from him. He sputters in disbelief. ]

...why is this happening?

{ He finally lifts his head to look at her, confused. ]

Gyousou | Inigo

[voidtreckermods]

M2

[eyeslikeblood]

Perhaps Inigo thought he was being circumspect, making his excuses and avoiding Gyousou for the first day on the island. It had made things awkward, but after the vision, Gyousou was more than willing to allow any amount of awkwardness from Inigo. Especially after talk began to spread, and he came to believe that he might have seen something real, something from the warrior's past, without his knowledge or consent.

Unfortunately for the younger man, the wait had also given the king more time to think. By the morning of the second day, he had decided on a course of action, and had sought him out. "We need--" he managed, before the campsite falls away around him, and he's a child, spinning and laughing with a woman so graceful and full of life she might as well be an immortal. A world tinted with the excitement of youth, everything brighter and happier than an adult could even conceive of. And then, spinning, the world shifts again. Resolves into stone and glowing moss, a daunting sight-- but the fear he expects doesn't come. It's distant, the unpleasant memories associated with the drip of water onto ancient stone, their fangs removed.

It leaves him looking at Inigo, his eyes still damp with tears shed from a simple fall in a meadow, into a mother's arms. He clears his throat.

"-- We need to talk."

Ronan | Tidus

[voidtreckermods]

[aluciner]

The first thing Ronan does is attempt to change the dream.

It's instinctual, mostly, the way that he tries to build a doorway out of this situation and can't. Opening his eyes, Ronan looks at Tidus. The dream whispers that the way out will appear when the time is right, and that's so infuriatingly unspecific that it could only be from a dream. He's got a pretty good idea of what they're supposed to be doing, though.

"What'd you see?" He steels himself for the answer: it could be anything. "This time, not the first time."

He'd rather not talk about the first thing he saw, if they don't have to. It's going to involve talking about why he didn't like it and he's avoided talking through Niall Lynch's death for this long. Sometimes, if he closes his eyes, he still sees it and it doesn't go away.

Thea | Xue Yang

[voidtreckermods]

[xue_yang]

As if experiencing some sort of strange dream while he is awake isn't jarring enough, finding himself suddenly in a cave is enough to really set him edge. He looks around, clearly annoyed by this sudden development. But then his eyes land on a second person in the cave and his eyes narrow.

"Did you do this?"

Because he has had enough of people jerking him around and making him do things he doesn't want to do or messing with his mind. He's definitely had enough of people being inside his head and if she did this then he will tear her limbs apart and leave her in this cave.

His hands clench, realizing he doesn't have a weapon but knowing he could find a way. He always does.

Fingon | Noctis (OU)

[voidtreckermods]

[utulien_aure]

And what is this new nonsense?

[Fingon presses against the walls, looking for a way out- or, at least, an explanation.]

This train has an interesting interpretation of the term relaxation.

S'reee | Rose

[voidtreckermods]

Re: S'reee | Rose

[singerofspells]

[S'reee doesn't have the visionary talent but seeing that... well, the second time in as many days that she has something that felt like a human's memory. And now she was out of the ocean and in a cave. She briefly sang the spell to get herself off the cave floor, and noticed the human.]

Do you have any idea what that was?

Noctis (AU) | Kumoko

[voidtreckermods]

M2

[kumoko]

[In theory, the spider knows of snowball fights. In her imagination, they were just like the one she'd seen the day before. All big ice castles and gingerbread houses and...

Like hell! What had she eaten last night, to get such a weird image? What was this, a crossover between two beloved powerhouse franchises? Were they about to descend into Christmas Town?

Well, if there's one thing she's good at, it's compartmentalising. The vision goes firmly in the 'dealing with it later' box, and she goes back to her day job as a friendly neighbourhood clothes sales-spider. Her first day's pretty good. Lots of people, lots of food. Sun, sea, sky... she's living the dream!



OH, NEVER MIND, SHE'S TRIPPING OUT AGAIN.

WHAT'S HAPPENING.

A really cool fight is what's happening. She follows the hero's thoughts with breathless excitement, nodding along or wincing internally at each development. By the time the creature - something big and metal? She caught flashes of memories of a huge, armoured thing - falls, she's firmly on Team Iris. That was great. Could she do the same, without her sight? She wants to try it, now. Surely her spider body would stand her in good stead, her omnidirectional hearing, the air currents, her webs? But this guy had taken it on with memory alone.

And then she's in a cave, and she's crouched, instantly wary. Is she back? Is this-- no, it's not the labyrinth. And in front of her, a human guy. She squints. A human guy who... could be the hero from her vision? He's got something going on with his eyes.]

Hey. [She starts to think of what she's going to type, when, 1. she realises her tablet isn't in here with her, and 2. her thought bounces between them like a voice.

Oh?

Ohhhhh?

Telepathy? Are they on a vision quest? She skitters closer, legs scratching quietly over the rock.]

Are you Noct?

Little One | Mami

[voidtreckermods]

[magicurls]

[ Mami is off climbing the ruins again, having stopped for a sip of water when she feels her consciousness pulled elsewhere.

And then she's on a field she's familiar with, fresh off a bloody fight...and heading up to meet a...sister? Who also took part in this training. And it's as normal as someone from Mami's time going to school.

Mami has the odd thought that the cake recipe doesn't look too bad, and then she's somewhere else, face to face with the girl she met by the water yesterday. Mami's still wearing her purple train uniform, slightly smudged from all that climbing. ]

...it happened again. Are these your memories?

Ifrit | Zetta

[voidtreckermods]

[oripyrothy]

"Uggggh," Ifrit groans, rubbing her temple, sitting up. Weird cave, random memory again... "Why wasn't I a book that time? Why was I so old but also like a kid? What the heck is an Overlord anyway?"

She's mostly talking to herself here, not even having looked around the cave yet. Although even if she did, there's decent odds she'd overlook the book in the cave with her until it did something.

Ifrit checks herself over for a moment. Still in her usual outfit - black shirt, white dress over it, and a black choker with a (possibly familiar now) brown feather dangling from it.

"Well, at least I'm fine. And still me." She didn't know what she'd do if she transformed into a boy like in her memory. Or a book.

Khardeen | Sonya

[voidtreckermods]

Re: Khardeen | Sonya

[sell_tickets]

Khary blinked a few times at the memory. Clearly a memory. Clearly not his. And yet... he remembered when his child was born. The feelings... other than the location of the soreness - even pregnant his wife was **** strong when she was riled - the feelings were the same. He swallowed hard, missing home.

But then he realized he wasn't alone. Seeing her, he offered a deep bow even as he checked that his triple layered skin tight magical shield was in place.

"Lady," he said. He didn't know who she was. Or where they were. But she was an unescorted female and he planned to invoke the right of Protocol that allowed him to stand as Escort until she was returned safely to where she was meant to be. Even if she went hissy cat over it at him...

Samata | Uta

[voidtreckermods]

[les_magique]

Samata stood still for a moment, thinking this was a strange continuation of the vision. She had been about to eat lunch when it had hit, after all, and expected to return to the train dining car after it was done. Not this...wherever she was.

After a moment she decided that wasn't happening and she was, in fact, actually here. The dim light of the cavern was technically enough to see, but she found it annoying and she had a new spell to play with so why not? She muttered a quick incantation and made a tugging gesture and a ball of light appeared, hovering a few inches over her hand and lighting up the area around her like a torch.

That was when she saw she wasn't alone. It was...he looked like another passenger. Not one she had ever talked to. She was sure she even knew his name, but something about him looked more familiar than just a passing facing.

"...Hello?"