middleofsomewhere | The Endless River

The Endless River

On the morning of day twenty one of the month of Kazoo there is a message on the ICP screens around the train. Their SCA's will light up the colour of the Void and show the following information.

World #398050 is a void nexus known locally as Tshering. As a void nexus this world has strong links with the void and the connection through worlds. World #398050 is home to the Endless River. Legends speak of this river being powerful enough to send thoughts from one heart to another across any distance. All that is needed is for you to know who it is you wish to reach.

On-board

The dressing carriage is open, filled with clothing best suited to a pleasant spring day. Light, airy and in a rainbow of joyful colours and florals. One closet is entirely filled with wide-brimmed hats bedecked with ribbons, feathers and ornaments. A stack of picnic baskets and containers filled with an alarming variety of passenger-suitable foodstuffs and flasked drinks sits in one corner, next to rolls of thick, weatherproof blankets in the four team colours.

The large box marked Do Not Use Yet, filled with small, empty jute bags, is hopefully still sat in the Luggage carriage, ready for passengers to grab handfuls of its contents as directed by the announcement.

Upon landing (after an appropriate countdown), the train remains on the surface, its carriages partially curved to form a gathering site for the day. Welcome to Tshering, the eighth void nexus!

A Day for Picnics

Tshering, system #398050, is a strange place, only habitable by grace of the passengers' SCAs. The sky is shot through with colours, a cascade of sunsets, and through it, the void shimmering through it in seams like a child's painting of the milky way. Still, there's a beauty to the chaotic mash of colours that soaks through its landscape, and in the shelter of the forests of towering funghi that dot its surface, the Void can go unseen by its visitors.

The temperature seems mild, suitable for the provided clothing, and if there are weather patterns around the world they've taken the day off. The funghi are sturdy enough that what air flow there is doesn't disturb their stalks, and carved grooves and holds in some of the larger examples indicate that climbing them to sit atop their glowing crowns is eminently possible, and, in fact, encouraged.

the Endless River

The Endless River is a font of pure chaos, flowing from a multitude of small rivulets across the area to a central reservoir, from which it pours directly upwards, away from Tshering's surface and out of sight, beyond the world's atmosphere.

Anything bagged and placed within the Endless River will also flow upwards and soon be out of sight, passing, presumably, into the Void. Scattered across the surface of Tshering are small, glittering pebbles, as described in the announcement.

The stones are pleasantly cool to the touch, and all passengers need to do is feel. Messages can be in any form that the Voidtreckers wish. Perhaps words, perhaps feelings, perhaps an image from their mind into the stone. Perhaps a mixture. Once they begin their message the stone will glow slightly and continue to glow as they secure it in the bag and cast it into the river. They will feel, almost instinctively, that they need to focus as they do so, thinking of the person they wish to reach all the while.

There are plenty of bags and many more stones; passengers will not be limited in their sendings.

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Dressing car
This is his first time dealing with another planet and to say he feels unprepared would be putting it mildly. Even though he gets the feeling that this world is more of a relaxation then a threat, it doesn't mean he wants to be caught unprepared.

And so he stands there with a basket in hand and staring into the closet of clothing. He really has no desire to wear anything that is inside. His own robes would have been comfortable enough but sadly he is still stuck in the train given attire.

He waits until someone else arrives so that he can make sure he proceeds in the correct manner. Not wanting to do anything that would make him end up in the luggage car. He was told what happens if someone refuses to board the train...

Picnic
He sets the basket down on the ground and starts to spread out the blue blanket that he had obtained from the dressing car. The weather is pleasant and he is considering going on top of the strange plants later and doing some meditation. But for now he will simply enjoy the picnic that he brought along.

He settles down onto the blanket and starts to remove things from the basket, spreading them around in front of him. When everything has been removed, he sets the basket aside and looks up as someone approaches.

Although more apt to eat alone, it seems the other person did not think to bring their own basket...or perhaps they lost it.

"If you are hungry, please sit. I will not eat all this."

Meditation
And so he finished his meal and has taken up residence on the top of the plant. Meditation is important and this is a nice day for it. He closes his eyes and concentrates, trying to block out all the sounds of other Void travelers around him. He lets out a slow breath as he begins his meditation.

Endless River
He holds the little bag in his hand and stares down the river as he thinks about who he wants to send his thoughts or feelings to. It is obvious...he wants his brother to know that he is alright and that he shouldn't worry for him.

He looks down at the little glowing stone in his hand and then places it into the bag. Carefully he sets it into the water and watches as it glides down the river.

"Do you believe what they say?" Will his wish and thoughts be carried to his brother and his home world?

"I do, yes," Eva says softly, not yet having sent a stone up the river.

"Faith can be one of the most powerful things in the multiverse, but also.." She looks back at the river and huffs a little with a wry smirk. "But, I also get the feeling that this place would have been tested extensively, so..."

There's a shrug at the end.

He listens to what she says and then looks at the river with all the little bags traveling down it. He has already seen enough strange things on this train to know that a lot more is possible then he ever expected. He would like to believe that his brother will get the message and not worry.

"Are we able to send others?" If his brother did go into seclusion then he should inform others of his location. And if what Wei Ying said was true and the versions here are not the ones he knows...he would like to send word to him and Sizhui as well. It turns out he has more messages to send then he expected.

"If this really does work then it is important to contact more people..."

Eva hums thoughtfully for a second as she considers the question and what she's seen by the river so far, then nods. "I think so. It seems silly we'd only be allowed one message."

One message isn't nearly enough in her mind.

He nods and considers what he might send to the others. He doesn't have that many people he cares about back home, and those that he does care about would be able to help spread the word. He isn't one to do much communicating but seeing how this is based in feelings that also makes it a bit more complicated. He doesn't want to let too much out.

"Then it would be best for me to send more messages before our time is up."

"Take your time; Knowing the train, we've got at least a day here, so there's no need to rush it."

Though, she'd rather it be a few days, but. Well. It what it is. "Either way, do you have enough bags?"

He shakes his head, "I only took the one." He didn't realize he was going to need to have more and he didn't want to take more then he was supposed to have. He didn't realize that he was going to be able to send more then one and now he is left unprepared.

"I will have to find more."

Further down the river bank the other Wangji, the one being a host to a cat youkai, is also meditating, putting his thoughts, messages, and wishes into the stones, securing it in a bag before he tosses the bag off into the river side. There's a splash until it disappears down the stream into the multiverse.

Hearing the question, "Do you mean if the stones work in carrying the messages across? I think so, I believed it works."

He considers it as he watches the other version of himself adding the bag to the water. He has much to consider and now he is seeing people putting more and more into the water. Perhaps he also should add more bags...send messages to more people. If it doesn't work then there is no harm in doing it. If it does work...well then they would know he is thinking of them.

He remembers what Wei Ying said. That there could be many of them out there. The possibility that this Wei Ying is not the one he knows also crosses his mind. If that is the case then he should also send a message to his own so that he will not worry if he finds out he is missing.

"It would be good if it does."

"Mn. Who are you thinking of sending your stones to? I send it to uncle, gege, to Sizhui, the disciples." A family of Lans back home. "But since I learn the train doesn't stop to planets like this often, I send messages to everyone I could think of."

He tucks his hands behind his back as he gaze at the river. "I told everyone that I'll come back home someday. Wei Ying too. That we're all fine, everything is fine."

"The same." Those are the people he should also send stones to of course. they are the same person after all. He settles down on the ground, collecting the stones so that he can begin the process. Clearly he has a lot more he has to do before they are told to get back on the train. he has already sent a message to his brother, so now he will have to do the rest.

His uncle, Sizhui and Wei Ying...that is who needs to know where he is so that they do not have to worry.

Not quite the same since the youkai cat is his own entity, just sharing a house with his landlord.

With a nod, "It's good to let them know that you're okay. I think, the train...pick us up and they probably noticed that we're missing. I'm not certain if time in our world or yours continue, but if it does, a message will help ease their worries." He already cast his stones to everyone, so it's matter for the other to do the same.

"But I think it works."

He focuses for a moment, closing his eyes as he puts his thoughts and feelings into the next stone. Deciding to do his uncle next since it will be the easiest one to convey. His uncle prefers very straightforward answers and not to focus on so much of the feelings.

Once done he opens his eyes and prepares that one, setting it into the water.

"This way they can know to pass my responsibilities onto someone else."

One of his biggest concerns since being on the train is that he has burdened them with things he should be taking care of.

With his stones already vanished into the multiverse, it most likely they'll get their messages in a dream.

"I think...if gege and I are missing in my world, it most likely Uncle will take over or it will be Sizhui. Sizhui is very smart and can lead, but needs more time and experience." He speaks of his son very fondly, the boy he raised when Wei Ying is gone.

"And you are certain that you are both from the same world?" Because it bothers him that he can't be sure with the people from his own. He wants to believe that they are but Wei Ying had placed that little seed of doubt in him.

Which prompts him to do that stone neck. He hesitates as he looks at it, not wanting too much that has always been left unsaid to somehow make it into the stone. that would only complicate things and if Lan Wangji isn't there to try and explain them...or if the one that is here gets it after all...it would make things difficult.

He closes his eyes and tries to keep his thoughts simple and sincere. Telling the Wei Ying of his world that he is fine and will return in time. It is hard to keep certain things in check but he does what he can before finishing and placing that stone in the water as well.

Perhaps they should have heart to heart talks more, but then again Lan Wangji himself isn't a good conversationalist. It's a wonder why he's lucky that Wei Ying loves him.

"Hm? You mean Wei Ying and I? We talk everyday and compare memories. Wei Ying sometimes ask to be certain that he isn't loosing any. That's how we're sure of each other."

Once the stones drifts off down the stream into the eternity of the multiverse. "I'm going to the picnic. We can share tea if you like." To show his company is appreciated.

He has a few other stones that he should send now that he is considering it. Since he doesn't now how much time they have to do so, he figures he should make sure and complete this task before moving on.

"I have a few others I need to send." He has to make sure that everything will be taken care of. But he turns and circles his arms to bow to the other version of himself in thanks for the advice and the offer of tea.

"Perhaps at a later time."

Lan Wangji cups his hands and makes a bow back. The man needs more time for himself to think and meditate.

With an understanding nod, "Perhaps later." The picnic area can be easily found where everyone is gathered in groups, so it won't be hard to find his way back.

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The Endless River

Lan Wangji // The Untamed

Endless River

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sorry for the delay- I lost this notif :(

Its okay! Notifs can be dumb

they can be :(

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endless river

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