The Endless River

[voidtreckermods]

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.

Comments

Guri | Star Wars: Expanded Universe

[marvelous_murderbot]

A - Climbing

The idea of climbing the giant...whatever they were...called to her almost instantly. It spoke to the sense of finding a challenge that was always her siren song. To find her limits, to see what she could do at her finest. And so she practically attacked the climbing process, wearing the jumpsuit Kumoko had made for her.

She didn't bother with climbing equipment, scaling hand to hand, pulling herself up with inhuman strength. And then taking a running leap from one to another, climbing higher in this way.

It was, rarely, something she genuinely enjoyed.

B - Down at the River

She stayed as inconspicuous as she could. She felt at once fascinated by the concept, but also forever apart from it.

She had nobody. No friends, no family. No ties to leave behind. Who would she want to speak to? The Republican Intelligence officers she'd offered to help? Dash Rendar, who had convinced her of it, a mercenary? Her creator, who had helped her erase her command codes but had sold her to Xizor in the first place?

No. There was nobody for her. She was, as ever, alone. But she could watch others, take small joys in seeing them smile fondly. Humans had such complex and varied relationships - this wonderful mixture of memory and preference and fate and seeming random chance. Ties of family, of love, friendships so closely bonded that they had become a sort of family. It was beautiful to watch. There was grace in them, in these moments, she felt.

Perhaps some spark of the divine, though she hadn't decided if she believed in a God yet.

But she herself would sit far back, idly turning one of the pebbles over between her fingers. Varying between fascination and a sad sort of longing that she could not experience it herself.

B

[averyusefultray]

The messages to family came readily enough. She could have spoken of the mission, but then she realized she didn't need to. Not when she trusted them.

But she should speak to someone about business.

Except this all sounds ridiculous.

She spots Guri with the pebbles. "I'm trying to imagine how strange this must seem at the other end."

[marvelous_murderbot]

She thought about that, for a moment, before replying.

"I suppose it depends who you are speaking to. I have fought a Jedi - seen their impossible speed and abilities. And the kindness and patience of an angel from religious lore - by my standard, this would not seem terribly strange."

"So I think it depends on what they know of the...strange wonders of the universe."

[averyusefultray]

"The Jedi were the easy ones." Well... easy is one word for it. Most of what she had to say had less to do with the situation and more to do with things she wanted to make sure they knew. "The rest of the crew will look to them for guidance."

"It would be irresponsible to not inform someone at High Command though." And she doesn't know if Kanan will be able to go interpret.

[marvelous_murderbot]

"But would it be more irresponsible to send them a message that may only concern them and prompt rescue attempts, using up resources."

She takes a moment, thinking it through.

"Still, our priority must be your peace of mind - and I suspect only by attending to your duties, even here, will you find it."

A - Climbing

[sciencegirl]

Down at the bottom of one of the mushrooms, Entrapta is happily taking performance notes on everyone engaging in mushroom parkour. While people are experiencing their own joy she's indulging in her usual observation one.

It's been a while since she's seen Guri, so she chirps up a happy little- "Hi Guri!" when she recognizes one particular person. She waves one of her hands wildly in the process, you know, in case she doesn't notice.

Re: A - Climbing

[marvelous_murderbot]

She waves back - in the middle of one of her jumps - before altering her direction after landing, pushing off of the edge with her legs and using the momentum to swing around the stalk of a thinner, shorter one nearby. Which brings her into what could be termed 'landing distance' of Entrapta.

Why? Because it'd be rude to make her continue speak loudly.

"Hello, Entrapta. You are well after the mission?"

[sciencegirl]

"Oh, yeah. I took some rubbings of the glyphs from the city walls with me for future study. I'll probably consider going to a priest for it. I know one, I used to room with him before he moved in with his boyfriend."

A whole conversation is happening and Guri has barely managed a hello.

"How did you do? I didn't see much of the fighting but I bet you did great."

[marvelous_murderbot]

It's Entrapta. You insert necessary pebbles into the stream of conversation and, sometimes, it bends where it needs to go. But it happens, regardless, with the same inevitability of flowing water.

"That's good, I hope you learn something. And I performed well. There was too much of it, however."

She'd killed so many demons. And she hated every moment of it.

A

[irrationally]

Honestly, considering the amount of jumping around and climbing across large objects Alice has done back in Wonderland - mushrooms included, actually! - she could probably do what Guri is doing right now too.

But she's choosing not to. This is supposed to be a break, after all, and running and climbing around most definitely doesn't sound like a break to Alice.

.. Although she can still hear someone running directly across the mushroom she's sitting under, and that's why she calls out.

"Please don't make this entire thing come down right on top of the people underneath."

[marvelous_murderbot]

A mass of blonde hair appears over the edge of the mushroom, cascading down, following by Guri's face.

"Oh, hello Alice," she says. A complex, turning cartwheel follows, so she is hanging off the edge, facing towards her.

"I promise I won't. Despite my metallic frame, I weight only a little more than a standard human woman. And these are very sturdy, as you can see."

She makes the ten foot drop back down to ground level look all too easy, however.

[irrationally]

It says something about how used Alice is at this point to Guri's.. Guri-ness that she doesn't even bat an eye at the whole cartwheel thing. She isn't even concerned. Guri has shown herself more than capable, and Alice is assuming she's a little more sturdy than the average human to begin with, thanks to her very specific nature.

"Well, you never know when one of these mushrooms may be rotten. Or have a weak spot."

In other words: it's not that she distrusts Guri (though she's glad to know it was her rather than some random rambunctious stranger stomping on top of these things), it's more just that she doesn't trust this world.

There's a pause, and then Alice adds: "Or when a bite from one side may make you grow small, and one from the other side may make you grow big."

[marvelous_murderbot]

"You have a good point there - especially if others have been through here before me."

She tilts her head at that last, however.

"In that case, I am very glad I have not had the urge to consume any. What strange properties."

B

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Ninjas have potent powers of observation. Edge in particular possessed a potent sense of occasional idiocy. When these two utmost powers combined, it resulted in Edge both noticing Guri and failing to process that she was trying not to be noticed.

"You look like you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders. I can't call that good!" He tossed pebbles between his hands as he walked over, just a little way to fidget.

[marvelous_murderbot]

In perfect fairness, she had two kinds of trying not to be noticed. This was the first sort, which was a passive sort of unobtrusive. Not hiding, per se, just hoping for lesser notice. The other sort, which she hadn't had occasion to use since coming on the train, was actively hiding herself. They would likely have much in common, there.

Though she despised what those abilities had been used for, in the past, without her consciously being able to have a say in them.

She looked at him, slowly.

"Just thinking," she replied. "And watching, a little."

[onehandsomeslickninja]

"Well, care to share your insights on what you see? It's a heck of a view... at least until I look away from you." Winking, Edge dropped down to the ground next to her, folding his legs.

A

[sos_pilot]

Sheesh. Was there any point in trying to run after or attempting to catch up? Della couldn't help but laugh, enjoying seeing Guri this way.

"What is this, a race?"

[marvelous_murderbot]

She leaned over the edge of her current mushroom, looking down to where Della was.

"I was unaware you were there, Della, I apologize!"

She started to work her way down, via a series of jumps.

"And it's seeking a challenge. Frankly, they are an easier climb than expected."

The last said with a vague note of disappointment.

[sos_pilot]

Guri, you're too cute for words. "I'm starting to think this world was meant for us to run around and get our energy out and about! But they sure weren't expecting you!"

Wildcard with B?

[light_of_willpower]

They hadn't really spoken since the mission--other than her yelling at him angrily, and him being apologetic while pointing out why he did what he did. Which was hardly a pleasant conversation. Necessary, but not pleasant.

He wasn't sure how this one would go either, but he felt it was needed. Approaching her, but staying far enough at first so he wasn't intruding. "Hi" Um...now what. "I wondered if I could talk to you?"

Works!

[marvelous_murderbot]

She knew, inwardly, that he'd been right. She had difficulty understanding why his transporting her from the battle against her will was so upsetting. She wasn't a controlled droid anymore, and his actions were logical under the circumstances.

Why, then, did she immediately feel like turning away when he approached?

"Oh," she responded, voice carefully neutral. "What do you wish to speak about?"

Re: Works!

[light_of_willpower]

"Because I want to apologize again, and also share something about me that might give you new context. I'm also hoping to learn more about you too, while we talk." He was carefully neutral himself, ready in case she said she didn't want to talk. Trunks was usually a pretty respectful person unless given a reason not to be.

B, how about a roomie who's a god?

[controlsthedie]

Thanatos see Guri off on her own with a stone in her hands. They haven't had much time to connect, though Thanatos always made sure to be courteous and helpful when needed. (Same to their newest cabinmate.) So, when he sees Guri seeming a little lost, he comes over to check on her.

"Did you grab one of the small bags from the train? You'll need one to send a message."

Works for me!

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Hmm? Oh, no," she replied.

"There is nobody I'd want to send a message to. I am merely observing."

Said with almost suspicious neutrality.

[controlsthedie]

"No one at all?" There are all types of people, and Guri does seem reticent compared to others on the train. Still, Thanatos has a hard time believing there is no one who would want to hear from her.

"Some would pity you, and others would be envious."