middleofsomewhere | The Mountain Top: Grasshopper 25

The Mountain Top: Grasshopper 25

After the strangeness of their second day on the island for some, with memories and conversations in a cave, the third day goes calmly.

At least until mid afternoon. As the day winds on into evening all of those who have been sharing memories with others will feel a pull.

A pull to climb the mountain in the north. It is a good feeling, that mountain is where you need to be. A sense of belonging, friendship, camaraderie. You don't need to be alone, just climb the mountain.

For those that climb they will find worn wooden benches spaced around the lip of the caldera in concentric circles, the centre set up like an amphitheatre. The Jema syrup spills from crevices around the edges, running down from the peak in well-worn grooves and channels.

The sun sets slowly on Jema’grethy, slowly sinking into the ocean over a period of a couple of hours. During that time pairs of Voidtreckers will feel drawn towards the syrup, to touch the surface.

When they do they will receive a memory and find themselves back in that cave once more. For those watching it is as if they are in a trance, lasting a few moments.

People feel moved at different times and so there are always people aware, sat around the mountain top. It might be that there are other friends they wish to speak to about what they see. It might be that they wish to sit silently and avoid everything, if only their friends will allow it.

But it is a place to be together nonetheless.

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/Did you find the person that first memory was from, or was that the 'young man' you mentioned?/

This was all so confusing! Maybe that was why not many were talking about it.

In addition to memories being private, of course.

"Hello sir!" He smiled and nodded, looking around. "Yes! This is so pretty! I like it here so much because everywhere I look makes me so happy!"

Cliffs, trees, flowers, ocean. The sky is silver-purple not blue but it is just as beautiful as any blue sky he has ever seen!

"Miss Nita?" Romeo blinked at her, she's not a grown up he knows very well but she's nice and she's safe so he nods.

He could do with a hug.

“That was the young man’s. Gerome- tall, dark-haired, wears a mask.”

It’s entirely uncomfortable being privy to the secrets of someone you’ve barely spoken to, but what else is there to do but try to keep them?

“This one was on the moon... there were a few others there, as well.The young man’s name was Kit, and there was a woman named Irina.”

"I can agree with that assessment."

He was still thinking about other, not so happy aspects of things - but then, he always did.

"And to that end, I am doing my best to store photographs of the locale. Was there anything in particular you wanted to have to show later?"

Because they DID have a printer on the train, and Webmind could access it more-or-less wirelessly while on it.

And so, he shall have one.

Nita didn't speak, at least not immediately, but eventually she had to ask:

"Was it a memory?"

Most everyone was here for the memories, even if Nita hadn't seen hers yet.

/He's a friend of Inigo's, as well; I've met him./

They weren't friends themselves, necessarily, but Nita liked him so far.

/That would have been - well, it was called the Invitational, but it's more of a pan-planet wizardry competition. We were on the moon for the final round, watching the contestants. Kit's my partner-/

And boyfriend.

/And Irina's the planetary for Earth. She takes care of- a lot of things that effect wizardry planetwide, and that effect the planet for all life on it./

She drops the mention of kernel, a term Zelda had no reason to recognize.

"He was in one of the memories, yes." She hasn't spoken to Inigo much, but she has to note, "It's an interesting contrast in personalities."

She had figured about the boyfriend thing.

"It's some sort of game, then?"

/You can say that again!/

But they were lucky to have each other as friends, that was for sure.

/And sort of? People have to come up with new wizardries, and those tend to be used to help save lives - so it is serious in a way, but also fun at the same time./

Provided you did alright in a competitive setting!

/Kit and I were working as mentors in that event, rather than participating - our Ordeal had been too long ago, or something./

She isn't fully sure herself what excuse the Powers had used, especially since (from her perspective) it's been a few months since then.

Before

This was just cruel. Why did he have to climb to the top of the mountain? He didn't even have the cache of items he built up with him, nothing more than the knife and axe at his hip, and a pack full of light plants.

Senku had not been underselling his physical abilities to those he'd made comments to. The walk's not that far, but it's kind of steep and at an incline and before long he's breathing hard, but his face is determined. Taking his time is a waste of it, it would be better to get to the top at the very least.

Then he could find a bench and promptly collapse on it to catch his breath.

Once he'd accomplished that, he opened his pack which was not empty but it was filled instead with flora that was light and easy to work with, like the stems of plants. He took out his knife and split it apart and began then twisting and weaving it in together to make himself some sturdy stone age rope, since the other rope would disappear he was told and he wanted to keep his tools in functioning order, also it gave his hands and mind something to focus on.

After

It was less about the memory he'd seen, but the one he'd shared that shook him a little bit. He came back to awareness when his escape was assured from the cave with a bit of a gasp, and a realization that he'd had a tear slide down his cheek.

He was quick to wipe it away and lean back to look up at the sky in reflection.

This was a reminder that he couldn't lose sight of that particular goal. He would ensure that he got the answer they needed to fix Tsukasa. It was a small comfort that Nita had told him time wouldn't pass without him.

"Do you got a camera sir?" He grinned at him and looked around, he can't even think of what he would want pictures of. Everything!

"It's just all so pretty!"

He isn't fully crying anymore, he mostly feels numb. He knows he should find Elfnein, this is the sort of thing he's meant to talk about with her. But for now Nita's hug is warm and safe and he sits quietly.

He nods at her question. "I think everyone is seeing bad things."

He's not the only sad person here, after all.

Lea had been sitting on one of the benches watching the sunset, but looked up when Taiki addressed him, smiling slightly. "Hey, Taiki," he said. "What's up?"

Morning

Despite the strange happenings, somewhat awkward at that, this short island stop still hasn't really been the worst that he could have expected. Granted that there's clearly some less-than-pleasant magic business going around, which is indeed making him a tad more cautious, it doesn't seem to last very long as it happens.

Besides all of that, it's been a delightful break. Some fresh air, hot springs, the beach, even the ruins. The opportunity to stretch their legs and not feel so cramped. It's a strange balance between tension and much needed relaxation, and Aziraphale does at least try to focus on the later part.

During the beginning of the day, he's around the spa areas again, the hot springs, beach, the ruins, often accompanied, but sometimes caught in some short moments alone. He may ask other passengers about their experiences with these strange mental links, but never prying too far. It's all just a bit odd for everyone, isn't it?

By the end of the day, something tells him the top of the mountain would be a nice place to go on a hike together with a certain
demon.

Closed, for Crowley

As he comes to, it takes him a few seconds to realize he's looking at his own hand, still emerged in that blue and pink syrup. As awareness returns, he quickly jerks his hand back and stands, taking a look around.

No time seems to even have passed. They're still on the top of the mountain, and several people seem to be stuck in a trance themselves, others apparently having awakened from their own. He looks at his hand with a displeased frown, before turning to check on Crowley.

He hesitates at first. "Did you...?"

Edited 2020-08-19 21:04 (UTC)

"My face itself is a camera," Webmind explained, letting the emoticon-projection fade so Romeo could see the camera behind it.

"It would certainly be difficult to lose it!"

And he can understand Romeo having difficulty picking just one thing to appreciate, too.

"'From mountain to shining sea,' as it were?"

"Today? Or in general?"

The question is asked softly; there's no doubt Romeo's was sad, but given the ones Nita herself has had up until now - trivialities and constants from home, dangerous situations but not depressing ones - it's a definite shift.

"We'll do our best to help them, won't we, Romeo? I don't think we'll be on this island much longer..."

For better, or for worse.

before

Kaiba knew very well that climbing the mountain wasn't among his usual list of daily activities. It was almost time to return to the train, but here he was...with something calling him. Probably linked to the bizarre memory bleed of the last few days.

For better or worse, he was seeing this through to the end. He eyed the center of their little stage, looking around at familiar and less familiar faces, wondering.

after

Eventually, he stood side by side with Della and moved in, falling into a trance once more. Inside, they drifted ever closer, and what they shared was difficult to put into words.

When he came to, he pressed the heel of his hand into his eyes, gently grasping Della with his free hand as he steadied himself. No reason for that, of course. But as he walked back to his bench, he felt...lighter, somehow. Content.

One last nod at Della, and then he moved to check on his ~~friends~~ allies, one hand set on his temple as he adjusted to a strange new feeling.

"...I think I've had enough voices in my head for the week. You?" More of a joke than a serious complaint this time, but there was a twinge of truth there.

Ah yes, Kaiba recognizes this particular whale. He's currently swimming...hm, he's out pretty deep. No wonder he's found her.

"...Nita?"

Crowley's attention is off in the stars when Aziraphale first turns to him, but he blinks and snaps to, jumping a bit in his seat. He had been in the cave again, another horrible memory having beed forced into his head, and this time accompanied by one of his own.

It was his own memory that stung worse. Seeing Alice's past was certainly horrible, but compared to all of the cruelty he's experienced at the hands of humans over millennia on Earth, it was another grain of sand on the beach. The awful experience of losing Aziraphale again, however, well... if it weren't for the glasses his eyes were normally masked by, they'd probably look very wet.

"Hm? Oh, yes, ngh... I'm fine."

In the second or three that it takes for Crowley to respond, Aziraphale watches him with worry piled on top of everything else regarding what had just happened. To think he ever let himself believe that this would simply be a normal, well earned rest-

He very nearly jumps as well, but at least finds some relief in getting a response.

"It, hum." He hesitates, looking at his hand again, still covered in the syrup. Wrinkling his nose, he attempts to wipe it off on an empty spot on the bench, although the movement is mostly nervous and uncomfortable. "It happened again. Didn't it?"

/Hello again, Kaiba./

Nita has a whale of a smile for him.

/How are you faring? I know this place has been weird, but the landscape itself is nice./

To put both mildly; this place was calm, which was at times hard to balance with the whole 'exchanging people's memories' deal.

Crowley hesitates to answer again, but this time it's not that he wasn't paying attention, just still trying to settle himself. He clears his throat, nodding in response.

"Yeah. Third time's a charm." he sighs. "Are you alright?"

He stares as Aziraphale tries to wipe syrup off of his hand, his expression confused for a moment, then he snaps his fingers, ridding the angel of the mess via miracle.

Rid of that infernal syrup, he blinks, flexing his fingers. "Thank you." He mutters, before pausing to take a deep, settling breath through his nose.

"Yes." He responds plainly. "But perhaps we should get back to the train." He suggests after another moment, in place of asking any question, or of offering any explanations. There's more to this than what they've seen, and he does not enjoy these casual invasions of his psyche.

"I've had a few mornings to relax. It could be worse, barring the memory problems."

He draws closer, some concern evident on his face. "You're recovered now?"

Nita sighs.

/Yeah, those I could do without. Did get to see some more of what past Voidtreckers got up to, though./

So it wasn't all bad.

But Nita's back to pleased - and a touch amused - at Kaiba's next question.

/Yep! Apologies given and accepted - though the impression I got was that it wasn't needed? Still not sure what to make of that. But yeah - wouldn't be doing this if wizardry and I were still on the out-and-out!/

She's happy enough to speak lightly about it; even that should speak volumes.

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The Mountain Top: Grasshopper 25

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Aziraphale | OTA

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morning

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