middleofsomewhere | 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Tshering

"Oh," Zelda gasps as she steps out, enthralled by the shift of lights even as the sun beats down on her head. That's not hard to fix; she conjures a simple violetwrap to pull over her head and her white sundress, then goes off to get the best view she can of the environment.

Probably unsurprisingly, the one she finds is atop a mushroom. Come watch her sweep up her skirts to scramble up it properly, or wave hello as you're walking by later.

The Endless River

The first few are easy: to Ruto, Darunia, Rauru, Nabooru. I have been delayed, she tells them, snatched up on a journey between worlds, with no clear way back. But by the White Goddess, I swear I will find my way back to Hyrule.... She sends more to Impa: You are the only mother I have ever known, and in this strange place I hold your memory and teachings all the dearer. No matter where this journey takes me, I will do my utmost to make you proud and to see you again.

Some more, to a few who have departed. Nita: I do not have your nose for a mystery, but I will try to do what I can. And I will look after Clef and your sister, should they let me. Nerdanel: Did you find your children? I have prayed every day since your departure that you did. After a moment's hesitation, Gerome: I hope you found your mother again, in the end.

She has, perhaps, two others to consider. Link is on the train now, though perhaps his past self would appreciate....hmmm. She will have to think on it more. But the last?

The last stone she cups in her hand, turning it over and over while she thinks of what to say. Is she angry? Ashamed? Grieving? All of the above, perhaps, one emotion bleeding into another, as they have done for years and may do for years more. So much she hasn't settled with a dead man.

A breath. Two. Well, this is her one chance.

Hello, Father. Do you remember me still?

Della's not one to merely wave and walk on. With a grin, she begins climbing upward, intending to join her friend.

"Wow, you got the best view right away, didn't you?"

"I always did like heights," Zelda admits with a smile, and reaches over to offer a hand up.

"And once you're atop it, this mushroom is much more comfortable than most trees. It'd be easy to stay here all day, just watching the sky."

Della takes it, pulling herself up. "Maybe that's why we're here! Every once in a while, the train drops us off on some pretty chill worlds."

"I will give it that," she agrees, setting back and looking out at the world around them.

"Particularly this time. The colors here are remarkable, aren't they? They remind me of stained glass windows."

Once on top, Della whistles as the view, and takes a seat. "Man, we really need to start remembering to bring a camera to these kinds of worlds..."

"I don't think that would have occurred to me."

A funny thing to admit, perhaps. But even now, after months on the train and growing used to the strange technology around her, it's not the first thing she thinks to turn to.

"Though perhaps someone has one tucked away somewhere. Or some earlier traveler made a film- they are similar to cameras, aren't they?"

After a bit more time observing, Zelda glances at Della again.

"Would it be rude of me to ask if you intend to send any messages?"

Della smiles. She supposes she should have seen the question coming.

"I do. I mean, really, there are so many people I want tow rite to... but... first and foremost, my boys."

"Ah- of course." Zelda looks apologetic, though she supposes the children in question must have already been on Della's mind. "It must be difficult, being away from them."

She looks out toward the river, watching the light refracting through the ripples.

"I suppose I'm still trying to figure out what to say, myself. And to whom. I never expected to be away from Hyrule at all, never mind for so long...."

"I don't think any of us expected us to be away this long." Della sighed a little, thinking of her time on the moon.

"But... they wouldn't want us to give up. We're allowed to feel bad, to be upset... but only if we don't let it stop us."

She sighed. "I don't think I left anyone from home in immeasurable peril. The worst danger in Hyrule is passed, people can rebuild at their leisure, I shouldn't worry so much, and yet...."

A small laugh. "Well, you're not wrong," she agreed. "There's no way to go except onward, and it is better to walk there than to be dragged."

Della looked over at Zelda. Since Zelda had already asked this, it seemed fair to turn it around.

"Are you going to be sending messages to anyone?"

"Oh, yes. I've missed a rather important meeting by about eight months; Impa must be terribly worried. Perhaps she thinks I've finally run off to become a minstrel, as I used to threaten when I was eight."

It's a joke, but from the troubled look on her face it's clear that there's something more bothering the young woman.

"One heart to another across any distance, though... do you think it's any distance? There's one I've been turning over, but...."

Now that was curious! She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head a bit, wondering what Zelda meant. "Turning over? What do you mean?"

Zelda bit her lip.

"...I believe I mentioned once that my father died when I was young?"

Ah. That explained it.

"... It's a good idea. To write to him, I mean."

"I don't know what to say."

She looked down.

"We had been arguing for weeks before he was killed. I was so angry at him... and guilty too. I thought I could have saved him."

"Well, you don't have to say those things." Della gently suggested. "Instead... why not write about the good memories instead? How you learned from him? Carry those with you, even outside of the letter. That's what any parent would want."

She was a parent herself, after all.

"I suppose I shall just have to find them again," Zelda nodded, thinking it over.

"Wherever I may have buried them. Thank you, Della. You've given me a place to start."

Della smiled. "Of course. What are friends for?"

The Endless River

Zelda | OTA

tshering

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject