No Place Like Home: Outside

[voidtreckermods]

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NO PLACE LIKE HOME: OUTSIDE

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HOME SWEET HOME

You find yourself not on a wide station platform, in the clothes you last remember, holding what you were when you went through the glas door. There's no longer a train behind you, no sound of its whistle, with no other passengers around you in similar style of clothing to your own.

You're somewhere familiar, or just - the last place you remember being before your life became tethered to the Voidtrecker Express. A field, a city, a kingdom, or perhaps even a space station. You should be nowhere, yet you find yourself somewhere, despite all odds.

People - if there are people - don't at first notice you; but attract enough attention to yourself, and that will all change. Friends, family - are they near, a phonecall away? It's either everything you wanted or everything you imagined (for good or worse), and it could seem unbelievably real. But it is real - you're off the train, back somewhere you know.

Finally - the journey is over...

---

...If only.
You're moving away from where you arrived, for whatever reason. Who wouldn't? You may be far from home, have business elsewhere, or want to go sightseeing. It's time to return to - and live - your life, and that doesn't include sticking to one place.

But you'll find that when you reach a point, the world becomes...foggy. A fog that you hadn't seen in the distance before it appears, and when you walk through it, you'll find yourself in a place some have already found themselves in.

Because for some passengers, there was nowhere for them to return, and so the barriers lead only to fog, and then straight back onto the platform. The Voidtrecker Express may be stationed, or there may be a blanket of fog where it should be; sometimes, it can be caught trying to leave the station, only to come back a few minutes later. The doors are shut tight, and the windows are obscured, showing nothing inside.

Those who came from somewhere can go back, should they go through the turnstiles again. And if they want, they can take people along with them, too...

---

But sometimes, they go to a world no one knows. They go through the barriers into nothing, a black emptiness. Not space, for those that know space, and it doesn't seem to be the void either. But it is a void, devoid of anything at all. Just a darkness so complete they will not be able to see anything at all, they will only know their companion is there through touch and sound. How they are breathing, how they are living at all, is a mystery; one probably answered only by the SCA on their wrist.

Being there brings an unease deep down inside them. This place is not natural, not somewhere that they should exist in. Not a place that should exist at all. Luckily they are never there for more than a few moments before they return once more to the station, fog covering them like a safety blanket.

A DIFFERENT CORNER: LOCATIONS

In the first couple of days (whatever that means, when time doesn't match up between most places), the only way to move to another's tethered location is by them leading another there. But after that, individuals will show up in other locations when they reach close to the distance limit. Indeed as time goes on everything gets a lot less stable. They may know their five miles perfectly but still one step to another leads them back to the platform. Attempting to return to their world leads them somewhere else entirely.

And there's quite a few places to end up.

---

SETTLEMENTS

• Buddhist Temple, China ( Koumyou Sanzo | TL )
  
• Rebel Camp, Lothal ( Hera Syndulla | TL )
  
• Homestead, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA ( Nell Ingram TL )
  
• Capsule Corp ( Trunks | TL )
  
• School Grounds, College ( Idia Shroud | TL )
  
• City Ruins, beach ( Najaran | TL )
  
• Hakkei Palace, Tai ( Taiki | TL )
  
• Gusu Lan, mountain sect (China) ( Lan Jingyi | TL)
  
• Lotus Pier, riverside, China ( Jiang Cheng | TL )
  
• The Endless Abyss, Hell ( Shen Qingqiu | TL )
  
• Hyrule Castle Town ( Zelda | TL )
  
• Haven Palace ( TL )

COMMUNITIES

• Spaceport ( Yondu | TL)
  
• Mobile Station Base ( Kiyoiri )
  
• Arkwood, Town (Ryo | TL )
  
• Techstead, Town ( Devero | TL )
  
• Tatsumi Port Island ( Ken Amada )
  
• Mor Dhona / Town, Mountain, Lakes ( K'zeka Tai | TL )
  
• Hyrule Field & Lon Lon Ranch ( Link | TL )
  
• Ishigami Village, Japan ( Senku Ishigami | TL )
  
• Aether Paradise/Artificial Island/Natural Preserve ( Katsuya Jonouchi )
  
• Nautilus ( Spark/Clef TL Clef | TL Spark )
  
• The Underworld, Hades ( Zagreus and Thanatos | TL )
  
• Sanctuary ( TL )

CITIES & KINGDOMS

• Saillune City ( Zelgadis | TL )
  
• New Mantle, City ( Ruby Rose | TL )
  
• Brooklyn, New York City, USA in 2017 ( Jake Peralta | TL )
  
• Azabu-Juban District, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan ( Usagi Tsukino | TL )
  
• Hau'oli City ( Eva Iden'no | TL )
  
• Gauig City ( Little One/Buttercup | TL )
  
• Kyoto, Japan ( Masumi Sera | TL )
  
• Shinjuku, Japan ( Yosuke Otoha | TL )
  
• Kingdom, Evermore ( Roland Crane )
  
• Garlemad, Kingdom ( Zenos | TL )
  
• Kingdom of Knothole ( Mina Mongoose | TL )
  
• Domino City ( Yugi Muto | TL )
  
• Amnity Park ( Danny Fenton | TL )
  
• Garlemald ( TL )
  
• Lothal ( TL )
  
• Los Angeles ( TL )
  
• The First - Crystarium and Lakeland ( Elidibus | TL )

OOC NOTES

OOC post. Ask questions here.

LOCATION TOPLEVELS: Since it'll be easier for players to engage with settings presented by those offering them, when we see a toplevel for one of the above locations put up, we'll add it to the list! We've also included the OOC comments for settings to the side, so any questions can be left with the player, as well as extra details. Please always speak with the player first if you intend to do anything drastic to the setting!

A REMINDER: Time of log is Poi 22-25, but time within worlds can last up to a maximum of two weeks. Minimum is whatever you want it to be.

During Poi 22 and 23, characters will need to be led to a location to be able to access it. From Poi 24, people will show up in locations regardless of invitation.

The second half of the event will go up during 20th to 25th February (Poi 26-28). But as always, play around in here and do as you like!

If your character's setting isn't above, link us to it in the Questions post, along with your toplevel! We'll add it.

Comments

[subcircuits]

Paradoxically, having someone around as jumpy as he feels right now helps Devero, gives him something outside of his own head to focus on. (It's always been much easier for him to see to someone else's needs than tend his own.) He composes himself visibly and finds a smile for Idia-- although he's careful not to look directly at the skittish kid.

"No, no, it's all right," he assures him. "I-- I think I'd like to show you my world, actually." After all, Idia's one of the relatively few folks on the train who should be able to appreciate the technology of his home for what it is, rather than just for existing.

"And maybe you could help me find my drone? I, er. Lost him."

[flameinthedarkness]

Oh no! That's horrible! Idia's expression shifting to one of shock, "Sir Beepers?" Even if he hadn't been AI it was still an important drone and piece of tech for Devero, clearly he had to be found! The fact it was AI only made it much sadder that he was lost. Poor little drone, all lost without Devero.

"What happened? Did he stay when you came back?" Maybe Devero had found out the whole return to platform by mistake like Idia had, traveling far enough for it to bring them back to here. "Do you have a unique ID code for him we can track?"

[subcircuits]

Devero shifts his weight, looking nothing so much as sheepish all of a sudden. He grimaces. "He did, but not on purpose. He was hanging on to the e-bike I rented when I hit the fogbank." A gesture of his hand indicates that liminal-space fog surrounding the platform.

"Rust'n'ruin, I hope the bike didn't crash."

[flameinthedarkness]

"That doesn't sound like your fault... how were you supposed to know it would send you back here?" Idia mumbled out. It may also have something to do with the fact he had came crashing back to the platform from riding a broomstick, only for it to vanish from underneath him... His computer at least was able to follow him, he would had been in quite the state of panic if it hadn't.

"I suppose it depends if it's still capable of moving through the barrier without a person from the train on it... which may be an issue if so." That could mean it's beyond the radius of the circle they were limited to, meaning it, and maybe Sir Beepers, were out of their reach. "It may be better if it had crashed within the zone."

[subcircuits]

"I didn't know," he says. He raises trembling hands to his face and scrubs hard for a moment. "I was just trying to get to Charity. Showing up here was a surprise." A very welcome surprise, but still a surprise.

"I'd assume if it was able to come through the barrier on its own, it would have. The e-bike should have stopped right where I disappeared if the-- the Void magic didn't mess with it, anyway." But who knows?

He looks down at Idia('s shoulder) with a grimace. "I think the only way to find out is to go through...."

[flameinthedarkness]

Let's hope he's right and that momentum didn't carry it further. Maybe it had a kind of brake system that kicked in once a person was no longer controlling it... either way, it's new tech and Idia's curious to go and see it. And... well... if he can use an excuse to help Devero... why not, right?

"Ah, I can come with you, if you need the help." He is mostly using you, Devero, sorry about that, but maybe he can still help. Also, Devero really didn't look that happy about going back, and Idia guesses he can understand that in a way. To have a world so bad to not to go back to. Though... "Um... you, ah, you don't look like you want to go back," Normally Idia wouldn't ask, he doesn't care to know, however he wants to make sure it's a personal issue and not a danger to anyone going in. "Is it that bad? Or... something else... for you?" Idia playing with the edge of his hoodie sleeve as he asks, this a bit out of his comfort zone of asking about others, and needing some level of fidgeting to get through it.

[subcircuits]

Devero watches him sidelong, noting the way he fidgets and the hesitant way the question comes out. Idia reads so much as kid to him that Devero's well-tuned instinct to Protect Kid kicks in.

"It's personal," he says, hastening to reassure him. "There's someone in town I'm-- I'm on bad terms with. I'm nervous."

He probably doesn't need Idia's help, not with the technology of his own world (or so he assumes). But it occurs to him that the kid's presence could help substantially in a less tangible way. After all, Valdana's always perfectly civil with him around strangers, isn't she? Maybe he doesn't have to be so nervous about potentially running into her if he's got a companion....

He closes his eyes as he takes a deep breath and slowly releases it, then manages a smile for his nervous compatriot. "I'd appreciate your company," he tells him.

[flameinthedarkness]

Idia would not appreciate that... he sees himself already old and jaded despite still being a teen. He's had a lot of responsibility put on him for being so young that he's been forced to grow up fast, despite his attempts to run from it and hide within his favorite media. Enjoy the time you had while you could, that's how he tried to live. The train didn't help with that...

"Oh..." Idia can get that, he's well used to not getting along with many, and often trying to avoid all. "Is there a way to track them? We could make sure to avoid areas they're in." Come on Devero! There must be decent tracking systems in your world they could hack work with! "Or they may not even notice us since the whole... being ignored thing." It did make things easier.

"Um, ok then." Well that's sorted at least. Though Idia wonders as he shuffle closer to the exit point for Devero's world. "I was able to get data to stay on my computer from my world despite leaving it, I'm curious if I can do the same from your world." Who knows what kinda of media Devero's world had! Idia could grow his anime collection that way.

[subcircuits]

"Not that I have access to," he says with a subdued laugh. "You've got to have Medical or Guard clearance to even possibly be able to GPS someone's emID."

The being ignored thing, though, they can probably use that.

"--Oh," Devero says softly, stepping ahead of Idia and leading the way through the barrier. "I didn't even think to try that. I could download my cloud!"

If Idia's hoping for a cyberpunk wonderland, he's going to be disappointed. They emerge from the barrier in Techstead's community square. It's a lovely plaza, paved with close-fitting stone cobbles and shaded by lush trees in full autumn display. A stately building presides over the far end of the square with a fountain playing in front of it; other buildings are visible through the trees, with pathways leading off from the square in several directions.

The whole place looks terribly quaint.

[flameinthedarkness]

It's... well, yeah, Idia was expecting more, but in saying that, his homeland of the Island of Woe would look rather... untouched by technology at first glance too. But still, he had kind of hoped for something that looked like Ignihyde dorm, or the insides of STYX. However it doesn't mean it's not hidden, Idia giving a wave of his finger to his computer for it to start registering the signals and electronics around them.

While he's waiting, "Where did you think you left Sir Beepers?"

[subcircuits]

His computer will have a lot to pick up on. What their physical surroundings lack in high technology is made up for in their digital surroundings. The WorldNet lays open to Idia's computer, no network password required. Would it like to connect to PubFeedLocal, PubFeedRegional, or PubFeedGlobal first? And there are more network connections available: AdminVisitor, generating from the stately building at the far end of the square, a couple of other building and service networks-- and a myriad of public SocFeed, EntFeed, and EduFeeds absolutely packed full of content.

Devero turns on his heel a full 180 degrees and points across the landing field and into the distant forest beyond. "About 5 miles out that way," he says ruefully.

[flameinthedarkness]

Finally! A world with actual tech he can interact with! Why was that so difficult to ask for?! So many choices, but hey, he had time, right? Of course, first making sure his own security was up to scratch, and it always was, but better to be extra careful with dealing with unknown networks and systems, Idia’s fingers racing across a holographic keyboard that popped up in front of him. He was just visiting after all, better to leave no trace of him being here.

He’s so engrossed with his work it takes a moment to remember why they were here, and that Devero was answering him. “Eh?” Oh, he had… he had assumed they would be back at the spot had Devero had left from. Though, well… “Oh, I see.” Ughhhh, what a pain. Oh, “Is there any transport around?” Idia does not want to have to walk that far!