middleofsomewhere | The Waking of Neran

The Waking of Neran

"Good morning Voidtreckers and passengers. Today is day twenty one of the month of Orchestra. We will be arriving in System #78961112094711 later today and the dressing carriage is open for your use."

It is indeed, with thick winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves in all sizes. There are also some bags suitable for carrying food, for anyone who wants to add to the festival food with more food!

They have the morning to prepare before another announcement.

"Shortly arriving in System #78961112094711. The weather is extremely cold, voidtreckers and passengers should wrap up warm and wear their SCA's at all times. Arriving in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."
The train shakes as they leave the void and they will see dark skies with glowing flecks of light falling down around them. It's only a glimpse before there is rock to both sides as they enter the landing area.

The Waking of Neran

... ARRIVAL TO OSIGA

THE VOIDTRECKER EXPRESS PULLS INTO AN OPEN HIGH-STACKED PARKING STATION, FILLED ALREADY BY A VARIETY OF VEHICLES. Darkness and the cold spills into where they pull in, lights and signs around to guide the Voidtreckers who exit the craft where they need to go, elevator and teleporting systems available to choose from.

For those turn their gaze to where the cold comes, they will see a view of the world: a landscape of mountains lit in burning bright blue. Like Christmas and city lights, they can be seen in the far distance, and the sky too glows with a shimmering, falling blue. It looks like a slow rain, while farther up, the twinkling of actual stars can be glimpsed.

This will be their view of the world for three Osiga days - 210 hours, give or take.

The lower floor widens into a train-like station, shuttles ready to take them into Osiga proper in short five minute rides. They just need to figure out they need to scan their SCAs at the turnstiles, which will beep with approval, and send a map to their SCA of the grotto.

With a handy dot to their hotel.

... THE IRUE GROTTO

HOTEL. THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOTEL IS STONY, A WALL OF UNEVEN ROCK WITH SLITS FOR WINDOWS CLIMBING UPWARD. It gives off a sparse, cold impression, but the interior is anything but. Inside the floors are smoother, a carpet in the middle of a lobby, and the walls are decorated with colourful paints and endless rugs and furs. There's seating, a roaring fire in one corner, and lighting set to a cosy mood.

There's stairs that can be taken, but also elevators. The bedrooms are much the same as the lobby, with paints and furs all around - the furs especially covering the beds, along with hand stitched quilts. In the centre is a fire pit, set with heatstones than wood or coal, and extras in a container by a wall with safety instructions of how to move them (with tongs and gloves).

Outside the rest of the grotto can be seen, a mish-mash of layers closer to a labyrinth. There's curtains for privacy, and also a screen to help blot out the sound.

FOOD & SIGHTS.

NOW, THE IRUE GROTTO CAN BE EXPLORED. The grotto is easy to get lost in, with stone stairs and archways doubling as bridges to lead to different levels, but always with something to see. Museums and art galleries fill most of the lower layers down, a few shops between of traditional trinkets and garments for those who come out interested in taking a piece of Osiga back with them. There are also day classes, with candle-making a big one on the first night.

Water runs through constructed streams, small but always in travel. They fall off into small waterfalls, eventually gathering into pools that always ensure drink is around. But there's also drinking spaces around, wall coves where servers mind the drinks, and people gather around on crouched seating. Privacy isn't a big deal in Osiga; visitors welcomed into conversation freely. The drinks favour the strong, spicy and sweet. Their traditional drinks are a fiery whisky and a sweet creamy milk drink flavoured by spices that taste very much like cinnamon and nutmeg. It is strongly alcoholic though there is a non alcoholic version as well. There are other drinks available of course from other planets but visitors are encouraged in a good natured way to try the good stuff.

And let's not forget the food. Most traditional Osigian dishes are spicy yet sweet, fatty, and largely meat. There are also food baskets all over, filled with wrapped snacks free for taking, or to add your own. Never let your neighbour go hungry. What will you find, dipping your hand in: a treat, or a mistake?

SORS PARKS, OPEN SKIES. THE FARTHER FROM THE HOTELS AND STATION VISITORS GO, THE MORE THE SKY BECOMES VISIBLE, AND WITH IT THE FALLING SNOW. Except this isn't snow, and those who venture out will figure this soon enough. There are sors parks up ahead, hard to miss for how they glow a brilliant blue, tall erratic sculptures shaped like an abstract mess. They're cold, even colder than the rest of the grotto, and near every entrance are wooden racks with coats and scarfs hanging from pegs, a bucket of heatstones to stick in pockets.

Keeping company is better than not. Anyone who goes in alone will find the chill uncomfortable to those who have someone else nearby, SCAs working stronger together. Paths somehow stay free from being covered in the icy mess, and every few yards are grit bins with small bags to put the contents in, instructions as to what to do.

And that's to throw them at the sculptures, into the air, and watch as the hardened ice disperses into a fizzle of lights. The sight is considered beautiful, and especially fun for kids and couples.

... ANAN & THE MINISTRY

It's maybe an hour or so after their arrival when a message comes through the comms on their SCA's.

boop beep boop beep / boop boop boop/ boop boop/ beep//
beep beep / boop beep//
beep beep beep boop/ boop boop boop/ beep beep/ boop beep beep / boop / beep boop beep/ beep/ boop beep boop beep/ boop beep boop/ beep/ beep boop beep/ beep beep beep//

"It didn't close the hack. I think your Voidtrecker Express likes me." Anan sounds almost triumphant. "Glad you all came. I'm at the drinking space next to the Irue Museam of Osigan Art."

For those that wish to go and meet her, they can.

... THE WAKING OF NERAN

NIGHT ONE: REMEMBERING. It's hard to tell when 'night' begins when the world is in darkness and there are more hours in the day then they are perhaps used to. But things begin to wind down a little, the art houses and museums close and the day activities are wrapped up.

People begin making their way to the main streets where the parade will go. Some people may have made candles throughout the day but there are also long candles for sale and 'fire' bearers carrying large torches to light the candles. The main lights are all turned off, plunging the streets into darkness lit only by the candles and the faint distant glow of sors.

The parade itself has large lit floats, literally floating above the ground, the lights are in intricate shapes. There are light dancers- people dressed completely in black to blend in to the night, with ribbons of light doing feats of acrobatics to music- instruments and volcaless voices weaving melodies.

After the parade passes by people move to the streams, where their floating candles that can be lit and sent on their way. There are designated areas for the tall candles to be placed- almost shrine like with areas to pray or think or sing- the helpful guides will assist anyone and are very open to the different ways people from various worlds and cultures may wish to remember their dead.

Afterwards people are encouraged to drink, eat, spend time with the living and swap stories of the dead. Dance and sing. It is upbeat, joyous and the tears are meant to be cathartic.

NIGHT TWO: PERSEVERING. After another day of activities- or resting and recovering from the excess of the night before the grotto again is ready in anticipation. The side of the grotto open to the sky is packed with people, ledges and railings packed with people. Even the buildings on this side of the grotto have opened their doors to allow people up on their roofs to watch the firework display.

Sparklers are sold, as are snacks and drinks and a voice comes through speakers throughout the space.

"NERAN! On this night you fight!" The crowd cheers. "Hear our dedication, return to us! For tonight is a night of COURAGE!"

The crowd cheers again and the fireworks begin. Loud and colourful, beautiful shapes, almost like dances in the sky. It's loud and it's busy but the atmosphere is great, throughout the night within the crowd there are marriage proposals, declarations of new jobs, decisions to travel the void. Bravery and courage abound- helped probably by the strong whisky that is flowing freely.

NIGHT THREE: UNITY. The festival continues, though it's a slightly later start on day three for many who are nursing hangovers, having a well earned sleep in preparation for the final night or just frantically trying to remember what declarations they had made the night before.

But the activities are still happening throughout the grotto- though the guides might advise any obvious voidtravellers that they may wish to nap before 'night' time, especially if they are not used to day/night cycles this long. The final night doesn't stop til sunrise after all and no one wants to miss the sun rising!

As the time comes for the party to start every square and every street is packed, music blares through speakers. Traditional Osigan music mixed with styles and music from other planets in the galexy. The traditional Osigan music has many layers, deep bass instruments that seem to make the ground itself rumble.

There is dancing, led by guides and locals. They are big circle dances, loud energetic and done in unity. There are callers who keep everyone in time and remind them of the steps but it is mostly an exercise in organised chaos.

But very fun organised chaos. There's extra chairs and benches set around for people who would rather watch or need a break from the endless swirl of dancers. There's plenty of water in large barrels for people to help themselves and other drinks are available to buy.

The party goes on for hours but eventually the music stops and there is an announcement that they have an hour left until sunrise. People begin moving out to find the best spots to watch. Up high on the cliffs people spread out rugs and blankets and settle, waiting.

The atmosphere is one of anticipation, people passing around drinks and snacks. Then there is a hush, a cry as for the first time in a month the first ray of light streaks across the sky.

Neran has awoken. The sun has returned once more.

OOC NOTES

OOC post. Ask questions here. The Ministry's testimony form is here

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It's not the first time he's seen Koumyou tear up. He doesn't judge him for it one bit, because he knows where it comes from. He knows the kind of life one has to lead where someone is desperate for someone to look out for them.

And even if they're not kids anymore, and no one helped them then, they got each other now. He just grins at him, even if it's a sad sort of grin.

"How about I fill ya in on any plans I got for workin' on this, an' you promise me you'll never give up on gettin' 'im back if somethin' happens, alright? Don't just say, 'it's what happens'. 'Cause we seen all kindsa things in our lives, even before this train." They both can fight celestial bodies if they want to. If Koumyou loses Devero at any point, he will make sure he gets him back.

It's a good thing to make him promise, because the temptation to just collapse in on himself for good would be terribly strong. To retreat back into muichimotsu with a vengeance.

He's promised Devero he'd find him, but maybe with Yondu and Buttercup around he wouldn't detour too far into empty despair for a while, first.

So Koumyou takes it quite seriously, reaching up to wipe at his eyes with the edge of a sleeve.

"Alright."

— HOTEL —

It’s all well and good to enjoy the amenities of the rooms - furs, quilts, stony floors and walls simply reminded Gen of home - but. What about the roof? What about the view?

During the day, he’s just attempting to discretely see how it was best to get up there - and Gen was no acrobat. Still, he’s surprisingly fit and wry for a scrawny little guy, isn’t he?

At night, though, he’ll be waiting for someone as he looked up at the stars. Gen’s not sure they’ll be sleeping up there - it might sadly be too cold - but. Perhaps - if it weren’t too overcast …

— FOOD & SIGHTS —

Gen would take a peek in the art galleries, of course. He did appreciate art, and perhaps one of the few good things about the train kidnapping him was getting to see the cultures of other places. It was fascinating! But …

It might be a good idea later to set up a makeshift fortune-telling booth. Look. He wanted to have a little fun - and he could make a little money to buy trinkets this way as well. Anyone interested in having their fortune told?

Mind you, if he’s not looking at the spectacles around him or making himself into one, he’ll be wandering around with some of those free snacks. Did you grab one yet? Are you hungry? Gen’s be happy to offer one.

— NIGHT THREE: UNITY —

Gen adored dancing. That’s all he’s really here for. If someone looked like they were interested in twirling around the dance floor for a moment - he’d take their hand with a grin.

“And to think - I almost missed the ice skating!” He’d wink.

Edited 2021-12-19 05:04 (UTC)

"Thank you. ...and I know I'm not the only person better off here, although some with more reservations." It's complicated.

"Living is the harder of the two." Thanatos has seen that to be the case, and in a way, he is experiencing it as well. Dying is easy. Staying alive is the challenge.

"Animal proteins were pretty rare in space colonies." Not a lotta room for that.

"...mmmaybe. But I won't stuff it all in my face all at once." She wasn't, uh, reckless like that.

"After everything I've survived, I think I can keep my courage up." It's practically delightful compared to that.

Devero picks up on that moment of... hesitance, from Koumyou, but as the priest has decided not to pursue, so too does Devero. This is a night for joy and celebration.

His eyes close in pleasure when Koumyou kisses him, but he opens them again to look down at the priest. "Fiancés," he says warmly. "We're fiancés now!"

"So... I'm your fiancés, and you're my fiancés?"

...He... might be fucking with Devero, this time. Got that little gleam in his eye.

Edited 2021-12-19 07:27 (UTC)

Lagos better not object to Mort's warning. Ryo approached Thanatos first.

"No, it has not," Thanatos says with a slight shake of his head. It was, however, one of the stories which he could escape and distance himself from reacting in worse ways.

She worries about that with her own world, but there's something she can say to others even if she's harder on herself.

"You didn't leave on purpose, and you're learning things here that might help there." Getting back... well that's the hard part isn't it?

"My concerns are more toward a single world than the many the Void Ministry concerns itself with," Thanatos says as Mort scrambles back to his shoulder and wiggles into his scarf.

"Though, that doesn't mean I'll abandon a world the train arrives at, but it doesn't help either."

Devero squints down at him, lips pursed as he tries to determine-- well, if he's being fucked with. "If you want fiancés, babe," he says drily, stressing the plural, "you're going to have to hitch up your britches and pop the question to Yondu."

Okay, that gets Koumyou to burst into laughter. Busted!

"I don't think we have that kind of relationship, Dev-chan!"

Devero puts his finger to his chin in very intense concentration, as if he needs to seriously evaluate the validity of the statement, then shrugs equivocally. "I guess you'll have to settle for having just one fiancé," he says blandly.

Koumyou does the same gesture in return.

"...I think I can handle that."

"That's all I need," Devero says softly. He steps in and hooks his arm around Koumyou's waist and looks over his shoulder.

"Want to go back under the alien kotatsu?" he asks. The fireworks are still mostly visible from the bench; Devero had just wanted them on their feet so he could kneel.

Curufin grins with delight as Ten-Nank switches to Sindarin. He can understand it perfectly well, as he has had long practice listening to Elves speaking it with different accents. Or even mortals.

"It sounds as though you have a vast search engine to help you locate a language. That could be very useful!"

He looks at the official with a bit of sympathy. "If you're willing to do more, I am. I certainly have the time, and I am definitely not shy of words. If you want a general understanding of the passengers of the Voidtrecker Express, I can tell you much. But what questions do you have about us that remain unanswered? If you have even one question, or one to start with, please ask it."

Thanatos is relieved that what he said hadn't brought Yondu down. He knows how the man died, and while he spoke of his world, the overlap is there.

Still, the god refuses the offered treat. "No, I don't need to eat."

Something about it reminds Thanatos of the offerings mortals burned for the Olympians, a disguised mass of fat and bones which tricked Zeus and the others by "looking" more appealing. Although, mortals need the meat more than gods, so it is just as well that the gods don't get the best parts of a sacrifice. (It's another example about how the gods do not care for the well being of the mortals, yet people spread the image that Death is the one who is greedy and selfish.)

"Oh." It makes sense, to a point - of course any lingering souls would be called to a memorial remembering them. That's not what's bothering him, though. There's a sense of wrongness, quiet but pervasive - not in his Sense, but in his heart. There are ghost stories on Tera - stories about lingering wills determined to finish tasks they'd set out to do before their deaths, or staying to watch over someone, or, terrifyingly, tethered to the earth by old forbidden magic that refused to fade - but they all made it clear that that was not where a soul was supposed to be. They were supposed to pass on, to peace or to punishment. This isn't Tera, and it's possible things are different here, but the fact that the souls of the dead are here is unsettling.

"I don't- I mean-" Words continue to fail him, but he still continues to try. "I- should they be here? Shouldn't they be..."

He trails off as one of them becomes clearer in his Sense, and instinct alone has him lifting a hand, only for one of the butterflies to alight in his palm. It's not just a butterfly, as far as he can tell - somehow, according to his Sense, one of the souls has attached itself to the insect. He looks up at Thanatos questioningly - is this normal? - before returning his gaze to the butterfly. "Are you...from here?" he asks, hesitant.

(It is, all told, not the smartest thing he's ever said. He's trying.)

"Yes, of course - it's cold out here!" And it is, but that doesn't mean it's worth lingering on. "But if all you can think about is how cold you are, then you'll never warm up. Were winters not cold where you're from?" He remembers Tidus telling him about living on a boat, but that doesn't mean he didn't have seasons.

He's still holding the blanket and fur in a bundle in his arms; he'll set them up once Tidus is sufficiently warmed up to sit down again.

"I have kept to the edges. I'm unsure how my presence would be received or how I should act." It's awkward as hell being Death Incarnate at this. Despite it being his job and having a true purpose as part of Life, he can't help but feel at fault. Here among the grieving, Thanatos can see why he's so hated. Yet, he doesn't feel right separating himself completely from it either.

"This isn't for me, but with the focus on light, I thought maybe the butterflies could help ease some of their pain." Does it?

"That depends on this world, and I am unfamiliar with their gods and who takes them to the Afterlife."

Thanatos remains rather passive. He doesn't feel the Fates' pull toward any of them. He's not to guide them anywhere. They aren't his. If they were a danger, he would cut them down like he does the shades and wretches in the Underworld with Zagreus. However, these are peaceful, and he won't spark a potential conflict between gods by claiming them. Where would Thanatos even take them?

"Souls and butterflies are linked in my world. The ones I create from my power aren't connected to anyone. Although, that one--" He motions to the one focusing on Ryo. "--has gained a passenger."

The confirmation helps more than he'd thought it would, and he nods. There really is a soul in this butterfly, resting in the palm of his hand, and it's...answering his question. Not in words, but he can still feel the answers. Yes, the soul is from Osiga - not far from here, in fact! They had a lovely little place with their family.

...that is a lot more information than he'd expected.

"Oh! Um- is your family here, then?"

Yes! They're not too far away, and all of them came out for the parade - even the littlest grandson, all bundled up! He's terribly cute, though it's past his bedtime, so he's probably exhausted by now, the dear.

Ryo smiles at that and glances up at Thanatos - is he hearing any of this, or does he just see Ryo asking questions of a soul-laden butterfly? - before looking back at the butterfly again. "So you got to see them tonight."

Oh, yes, their family had told wonderful stories - all the stories they'd passed down to their family while they were still alive, in fact! Even the one with the missing brush. Especially the one with the missing brush. That one's a good one!

The quieter the fireworks became, the less tension runs through Thanatos's body. He's able to withstand a lot more as he basked in these long, dark nights. However, the bright flashes are a little much for him, even with the sunglasses he wore.

"They block out the night sky."

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The Waking of Neran

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