middleofsomewhere | No Place Like Home: Outside

No Place Like Home: Outside

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: OUTSIDE

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I don't know enough about this place to know if that did any good, but," Koumyou takes his hand back from charging the spell with contact, and tucks the marker back up his sleeve. "It surely must be better than nothing? I hope?"

But, now he tries again, "We need to find your drone, before someone else does."

"It helped," he said. "It's messing with the signal, if nothing else." He manages a smile for Koumyou, though a tired one, and turns his attention back to the big screen.

"Okay," he says, with a nod. "Let's find Sir Beepers."

Lifting his hands like a conductor, he begins the process of doing just that.

Koumyou winds an arm around his waist from the side, offering support, and watches his gestures with quiet interest.

If he wasn't so wrung out, Devero might have tried to explain what he was doing. As it is, he just focuses on the screen, registering Sir Beepers to his cloud so he can take advantage of public equipment out there triangulate its position.

The two beacons representing Devero's two emIDs disappear off the map, which still takes up most of the e-center screen. After a moment, a new dot pops up-- way outside of town, in the forest.

"Looks like whoever picked up the bike did not pick up my drone," he says with a sigh.

"So we're in for a long march, I take it?" Koumyou gives his waist a squeeze, "I'd offer to go get it by myself but I'd probably get lost."

"Yeah," he says, leaning against Koumyou's bony shoulder. "I don't think trying to get another bike to fly out there would be a good idea--"

He stops and sits up again, then grins slowly. "You know," he says, "we could let Babysitter do the walking for us."

"We're giving up on staying under the radar, then?" Koumyou asks, but with a smile. "I'm game."

"I--" Devero starts, then stops and rubs his face wearily. "I don't know. I don't know what to do. Part of me thinks I should just go over to Admin and present myself, but then I'd have to deal with her right away, and I don't--"

He's starting to get panicky again. He buries his face in his hands and tries to breathe.

"Hey, hey, come here," Koumyou moves in front of him, and tries to tug him down. "Hold onto me."

After he's either pulled Devero down against himself, or given up, he continues calmly, "We're not presenting you to anyone or anything, we're getting your drone, and we're doing whatever else we decide we want to do, and if anyone comes for you who you're not glad to see, I'll be right there to step in their way. I'll keep you safe, remember?"

He wraps his arms around Devero one way or another, and adds, "We're family."

Devero slides off the couch and into Koumyou's arms, gripping either side of the bamboo breastplate and hiding his face against Koumyou's shoulder-- and the sutra.

"We're family," he repeats, and sinks into Koumyou's embrace.

"I just... I don't want to disrupt things here more than all of this already has," he says softly. "I don't want to cause any trouble."

"If anyone nasty comes for you, they can either back off when I get in their way, or they can choose to try me."

Koumyou gives him a little squeeze.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Devero admits after a moment. "They're not ready for you." Devero knows what his man is like.

"Their karma is not your responsibility," Koumyou tells him gently, "and neither is my karma. I haven't gone looking for any of them, but if they show up and try me, that's on them. They don't know what I am, but they will know I am unafraid and unwilling to budge. The next move will be theirs."

He turns his head and gives Devero's loose curly hair a smooch.

"You know that Sanzos don't protect what we protect with sermons and a stern finger-wagging. I will give them the chance to back off, it's more than they deserve."

Oh, hell with the double-speak, they both know who he's talking about. "Than she deserves."

"Don't," Devero says sharply, lifting his head and glancing tellingly in the direction of his front door. "Just don't, Koumyou, please."

He doesn't even want to think about her. He's managed to avoid her so far, but by now she has to know something strange is going on and that his emID's involved-- that he's involved.

Is she looking for him? Could she be on her way here, even now? He shivers and pulls out of Koumyou's arms, heaving to his feet.

He looks up at the map, clasping his hands behind his back as he stares at the beacon marking his drone's position. He wants Beepers back, he does, but does he want Beepers back more than he wants to risk running into Valdana out there? Can he in good conscience go gallivanting around Techstead with his unexplainably dangerous fiance and put her life at risk? Or worse, Guards just trying to do their jobs and protect the town?

He slumps as he sighs. "Let's just walk," he says heavily. "We can go straight into the woods from the back garden here and skirt the town and then straight out until we're back on the platform. It'll be a long walk, but that's safest."

"You're really that worried about her life?" Koumyou asks quietly, heading toward the door out. "You know, the longer you're in a coma, the more likely she is to find a new person to break and grind under her heel to feed her own ego. Someone else could end up just as bad as you were when we met. Or worse."

Why does the prospect of Madame taking another sub hurt? Devero can hear Koumyou moving behind him, but he feels rooted to this spot. He lowers his face into his hands for a moment and tries to wrestle his thoughts into anything resembling a logical shape, but he can't stop thinking about-- what if--

He breaks suddenly, turning on one heel and hurrying away from the big screen. He passes Koumyou on his way to the spiral staircase, starting up it two stairs at a time.

"Dev?" Koumyou calls out tentatively, climbing the staircase just behind him. "Did I set off a landmine? I'm sorry."

"No," he calls back, voice strained. "I just need to check something--!" The stairs end at a wide landing with several doors leading off of it; Devero's almost running as he charges through the middle one and into his bedroom.

The furniture in here is just as basic as everywhere else in the apartment, but there are more obvious personal touches. The linens on the neatly made bed are plush and boldly patterned; a desk in the corner has a scattering of knick-knacks on the surface. The big screen on the opposite wall from the bed has a sculptured frame of wrought iron around it.

He ignores it all, heading for the spacious closet. Inside he drops to his knees in front of an in-built chest of drawers and presses his thumb to the bottom-most one. It unlocks with a click and he slides it open.

Inside the drawer is an elegant cushion, taking up the whole space. Sitting in the middle of that cushion?

A heavy leather collar with chrome fittings.

He's not sure how he feels about finding it here. He exhales hard at the sight of it, though.

Koumyou gazes down at it, too, over Devero's broad shoulder. He's seen it before, on the world where illusions had been meant to trap them in poisonous smog until they suffocated. The illusion had tried the carrot first; Babysitter, little Kouryuu. When that hadn't worked, it had tried the stick instead.

Valdana, who he had dismembered. Ukoku, who had turned her into a wet stain before starting in on some of his own tricks.

Koumyou wants to destroy that fucking collar, so he turns away to keep the impulse at bay, folding his arms into his opposite sleeves.

He can remember what Devero had said in that illusion, too.

Koumyou, don't. Just like downstairs earlier. And then, You don't have to go that far, I'm not worth it!

"You're worth more," Koumyou tells him softly, repeating the words he remembers saying in that dark illusion, "You're worth everything. For you, and for my son, I would rip the world apart."

And he adds, just as quietly, his back still to Devero, "She's a cancerous tumor, and I'm the surgeon who can permanently remove it. She can't manipulate and bribe her way out of it with me, not if she comes to us and doesn't back off.

"Even if it pisses you off, even if you don't like me as much afterwards... if she pushes, I will kill her. And I'm only restraining myself to those parameters for your comfort, or I would go find her right now and turn her into a grease stain before she could even lay eyes on you again. I'm damn near shaking with how badly I would like to do that."

Devero stands slowly, eyes riveted down on his collar as he does. With a convulsive movement, he kicks the drawer closed, the bang! making him flinch. He turns and steps up to Koumyou, wrapping his arms around his Sanzo.

"Thank you for restraining yourself," he says roughly, lowering his face to Koumyou's hair.

"You can't just kill people here, no matter what they've done. There's a judicial process. She needs to be tried, not-- not murdered. I should--"

Should what, Devero? Stroll over to garrison and report her while simultaneously lying comatose in hospital? When he doesn't know how long this situation is even going to last?

He grunts and lets his arms fall, turning away to rub wearily at his eyes once more.

Koumyou leans back slightly when Dev has his arms around him, but straightens up that little bit when he moves off.

"The system that wasn't supposed to give someone like her power? The system probably riddled with her 'friends'?" Koumyou asks, softly.

"I want to make this world safe for you in case you ever do end up stuck back here for real. Prosecute her reputation after she vanishes into thin air and can't wriggle off the hook. But a tumor is a tumor and it needs to be removed."

A system absolutely riddled with her friends. Koumyou's point hits home, visible in the way Devero's shoulders go up around his ears.

And he can't help but find himself thinking-- if he lets Koumyou remove her... what happens to Techstead? What happens to the work they're doing here without her maneuvering for resources and administrative support?

Koumyou's thinking small. That's understandable. What investment does he have in Techstead, in the rest of this world? But Devero has to think bigger, has been primed by his upbringing (and his Madame) to put the work and the community first.

He has to keep Koumyou away from Valdana. But how?

Shaking his head, he brushes past Koumyou and out into the bedroom. He throws himself onto the bed facedown and groans into the covers. "I don't know what to do," he says, and hopes Koumyou just takes it to mean about getting his drone back.

Koumyou follows him back into the room, and to the bed, turning halfway to perch on the edge of it while still able to see Devero. "Talk to me?"

"About Beepers," he mumbles into the comforter. "I don't want there to be any more trouble."

Koumyou reaches out to rub his back with one hand.

"If that's what you're worried about, we should go ahead and go get it. Before anything happens to it."

It's funny how he's the one who keeps pushing for the rescue, here, when he doesn't even get along with the little bot. But it's Devero's pet, it needs help, so of course a Sanzo priest will walk right through potential danger if he sees fit to achieve the goal he's set his mind to.

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

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject