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

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"I've barely even begun to tell the story, too. Sounds like we both come from pretty incredible places."

Edge had a lot he absolutely refused to process or even consider about the war and its consequences. But even without talking about it, finding kinship in someone else like this was quite a relief. Even on his own world, the other monarchs didn't understand; they were decent people as a rule, but each coming from another perspective.

"If I'm being honest, I like being on the train for the sake of doing the sort of heroics we've been doing."

[queenofsparkles]

She smiles at him, and the warmth of that solidarity is enough to make her finally start to relax a little. None of the rest of the Best Friends Squad were royalty; and even among the other princesses, the only person who really understood her was... in such a different position to her that it didn't really count. It was nice, having someone else who really got it.

Though that joy fades a little when Edge keeps talking.

"I like being a hero to people, yeah, but... it feels wrong having to be kidnapped to do it," she admits. "Like-- back home, we were going to travel the universe and start bringing magic back to the planets that got hurt by Prime. I didn't need to be taken here against my will to keep helping people."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Not exactly an option." Travel the universe. What a huge place, and what a goal. Going to the moon had been wild enough, and now that path was closed -- the moon being gone, now.

"There's still helping people. There's training, and rebuilding the kingdom, and forging trade and treaties with the others, and all of those peacetime activities. But..." He rubbed one hand over his face, eyes scrunched shut. "We were always in danger. Monsters, especially from the Tower of Bab-il, always threatened. I was trained from youth to be not just a king, but a ninja as well. So it's not that -- it's not that I miss helping people, because I was still doing that. But out here I get to fight. Don't misunderstand, I'd gladly lay my swords down forever if it meant Eblan would be safe and secure, but ... it is anyway, and here I am still getting to put my ninjutsu to use." That hand slid up his face again, fingers rubbing against his forehead as he waved his other hand. "It's..."

Fingersnap, and he pointed to her. Comparison found! "Like if you no longer had use for your magic, now that your world was safe. You'd be happy everyone was well and safe, but wouldn't you miss it a great deal?"

[queenofsparkles]

Oh that is a good comparison, and Glimmer visibly winces at the thought of not being able to use her magic. Not again; she's been without it way too many times already. "Well, you're not wrong..."

She groans, and leans against the wall. "Am I a bad person for wanting to go out and keep fighting things? I can't stand just sitting around and doing nothing, I was so bad at it! And I've spent my entire life in a war! Peace is going to be so hard to get used to..."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"I'm the wrong person to ask," Edge said, rubbing at the back of his head, "since I feel exactly the same way. My seneschal really wants me to focus more on the boring stuff, but he's so much better at it than I am! I can lead the people and tend to their spirits, so what if I can't interpret a request for money that takes an hour to read and three to understand?"

[queenofsparkles]

"I have Bow and Adora," she says, and there's a soft, fond smile there. "They're both amazing at strategy stuff. Bow's dads are historians so he's really good with all that kind of paperwork stuff, and Adora used to be a Horde soldier so she's great at battle strategies."

She looks at the ceiling and hums. "We have Catra now, too. I guess she's got a lot of the same skills as Adora, but she's... meaner, about them."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Sounds like all the rulers on your world are on the same page, too." If a global crisis did anything good, it might be that. "That'll take a lot of the strain off!"

[queenofsparkles]

"Oh, none of them are rulers. Adora and Catra were foot soldiers, Bow's... I guess technically a civilian? He has a proper title now, though, master archer," she intones, waving one hand through the air like she's showing off a banner. "And also tech master," she adds brightly.

She draws a runic circle in the air, and pushes it away with her hand so it flashes blue-white, and creates standing (crudely drawn) images of the four other elemental princesses - Mermista, Perfuma, Frosta and Scorpia, as well as She-Ra. "Adora's technically a princess, since she's also She-Ra, but she doesn't exactly have her own kingdom. We're all part of the Princess Alliance."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Just as quickly as he got confused, Edge pushed away all that confusion and barreled on. "Well, whatever the case, having people like that you can trust and respect in whatever dealings you have is really important."

[queenofsparkles]

That was indeed a hell of a lot of information, not that Glimmer fully realises with how second-nature all of it is to her. Even the surprise magic circle. She pulls her hand back and lets the image fade in another gentle flash of sparkles, and giggles softly. "Yeah, it definitely does."

She glances down as she ponders her next question. "Do you... still have the rest of your friends to help you? I know that one of them went somewhere else..."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Uh." Edge flushed a little and half-turned, waving one hand all trying to be casual-like. "Cecil ascended to the throne of Baron, and Rosa became Queen. Kain went off who knows where, probably trying to figure himself out. Of the ones who weren't there at the end, but who helped Cecil along the way... Yang became King of Fabul, Edward stepped up to the throne of Damcyan finally, and that old bastard Cid is back in Baron working on the next model airship most likely."

[queenofsparkles]

Is that why you wear a mask, Edge, because you're a horrible actor? Because Glimmer's definitely eyeing off the bits of blush she can see around that mask with a sly smile. She won't press it but she sees it.

The comment about Cid makes her laugh, though. "He doesn't sound like he could have been too bad, if he helped you guys out with all that."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Smile all you want, Glimmer, the story doesn't really have a happy ending.

"Cantankerous old fool should've stayed in bed, nearly killing himself just to upgrade our airships," Edge grumbled, the exact sort of grumble a guy like him adopted when refusing to acknowledge respect.