middleofsomewhere | No Place Like Home: The Return

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No Place Like Home: The Return

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: THE RETURN

a silence broken...

It's been a very difficult few days. Rocking and rolling into the void and out again. Watching their friends out of the window as they wander from world to world. Meanwhile those lost on worlds continue to wander unable to return to the train at all.

"All attempts at returning those who left have failed. This voidcraft cannot do it alone. It is lucky that unlike those that have left before them, I can still sense them.

But I cannot bring them back alone. This is perhaps too advanced for Voidtreckers, but you have done the improbable before. You say you wish to help. This is how you help."

Their SCA's light up with a message. Or rather, a series of instructions:

In the unlikely event a tether gets stranded on a liminal space platform or between their own world and the platform space, you should, in the first instance, contact the Void technicians who monitor their non-travelling self. However, in the case they cannot be reached or there is a mass displacement of tether, an anchoring procedure can be carried out.

Ideally, this will involve two fully tethered individuals to retrieve the lost tether. One should be a stationary anchor. They should be outside of their void craft, if possible, and in physical contact with it. The second should be a roaming anchor reaching to draw the tethers back. In situations of mass tether displacement the stationary anchor can hold mutiple roaming anchors but it is recommended to not exceed five. In this situation, it is recommended that anchors rotate between stationary and roaming.

To start an anchoring of this kind, those anchoring should activate their anchoring program. Those staying station should reach out to the tethers of those they plan to steady. This might cause some emotional upheaval, and they will need to stay steady, especially if connecting to more than one roaming tether. Roaming anchors then must hold the person they search for in their thoughts and move towards them. It is recommended that the lost tethers activate their emergency beacon to facilitate being found and returning but this is not a necessity.

Once the roaming anchor has found the lost tethers they must keep hold of them and guide them back towards their craft, the stationary tethers must draw them back, pulling them through.

There is an additional note at the end, in different font.

It is as Anan told you. Your minds should visualise it. Be strong Voidtreckers.

... a short-lived dream

The doors open and anyone who wishes to try this can leave onto the platform. It is empty, devoid of the figures they had seen before; and, beyond the fog, devoid of anything. But searching requires their SCAs, not a path, and as people get into teams, they can activate their anchors and begin.

For those who will roam, their minds become filled, visualising light, void, voices and chaos; their bodies feel less stable, like they might unravel if not careful. But for those who will stay, when they touch the Voidtrecker Express, they will feel more stable, grounded. The fog shifts, but the world moves around them without pulling them in.

Thinking of the person they wish to keep stable, a mental and emotional link will be established, and they will feel each other as the roaming anchor sets off to find their missing crew.

Outside the train...
For those that had left - either by choice or by strange happenings - they have found themselves back at their anchor point during Poi 26, regardless of where they were before. For those unfortunate enough not to have a world to return to, or those who were stuck between in the first place, they will find themselves alone, in a fog filled space where no matter how far they walk, nothing greets them.

All those in fog or back in their world receive the same message from their SCAs.

Hold fast. Press your evacuation button. Your friends come.

RETURNERS: FLEETING HAPPINESS

But it's likely before the message arrived, that something wrong has been noticed by those outside the void. More than the bizarre ability to travel between existences, an inability to move far from where they appear. Back at their anchor points, they may notice - in time - colours sometimes flash across the sky, streaking through clouds or making trails in a night sky. At first not much, something to be easily dismissed but it builds. People talk, wonder at what is happening.

For the colours aren't the only thing. Across worlds, in cities, kingdoms, villages, underworlds and space stations, people are dreaming. Bright colours, vivid dreams. Prophets spring from nowhere, people claim to know the future or to have seen the past. Some talk of places and worlds they could not have seen.

Perhaps at first it can be explained away, there are always such people. But more people talk, from urchin children to commanders, people dream and the colours dance.

ANCHORERS: A STEADY HAND

While the stationeries will feel grounded, they aren't blind to what's happening to their roamer. It's as if they're both linked, intimately, meshing together, and they will need to work to keep their feelings separate; hearing each other's thoughts, their feelings. Images of what the other thinks and memories shared between them.

And then there is the search for their teammates, amongst the multiple of realities. Existences move past the roamer, threatening to lose them in the mess, but they must persevere, keep their thoughts on the individual, their stationary anchor to help them. Until finally, they appear - in a world they perhaps know, don't, the kaleidoscope colours of the void faint above their heads.

Speak to each other, keep each other focused, certain, and find who you came to save.

BOTH: HOLDING ON

Searching for individuals, the anchorers will find themselves at a character's anchor point; if they haven't moved far from here or another world, it will be easy to locate them. Now is the time to convince them to come back, and then the eventual work of doing so.

It can be in agreement, or force. Taking a hold of the person, the anchorer can pull them into the mass of chaos. Just like when they helped the guests return to their worlds from the false Diagad, all parties become battered by images, voices. Voices like sirens; 'Just stay,' the voices encourage. 'Just let go and drift into the chaos. It will be easier.'

But they must be strong, move towards their anchor and towards the craft. The crossing doesn't take too long, perhaps ten minutes each way, and once they get to the craft the person they are rescuing glows gold and vanishes. The anchors will know instinctively that they are safe on the train.

And indeed, the rescued will find themselves within the luggage carriage - exhausted, but safe.

TRAIN: AN INEVITABLE RETURN

Exhaustion is something all parties will experience, once everyone is returned to the train and the adrenaline wears off. Those who anchored will be hit with a total exhaustion, leaving them unable to do much more than eat and sleep for a few days. Those rescued won't be as bad, but if they decide to join in with the efforts, they'll too face the soul-tiring experience that other anchorers are.

There's likely to be efforts, to help soothe people over this time. And as people return to their life on the train, they will see the marks of the last few days for those who stayed behind. Broken ceramics, books out of order in the library; the ICPs in the standard coach, storage, sports and games carriages broken, and some damage to furniture.

But for the scars brought on by this event, surely, they will heal - eventually.

OOC NOTES

OOC post. Ask questions here. New second part OOC post here.

First phase of the event took place during Poi 22 to 25; the second phase takes place during Poi 26 to 28 (20-25th February).

VISITING WORLDS: While during Poi 26, it will be possible to go back to wherever they were, or other spaces. However, they will have increasing difficulty doing this, and will feel themselves getting more lost if they try world hopping too much over the next 3 (void) days. It's like something is trying to pull them back, or pull them, but into nowhere.

SCAs: The SCA's comms will not be active at this time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Mnn." It's a negative sound, accompanied by the shake of his head, but: "I was protecting when people anchored. But I saw how everyone was feeling after it - they were really worn out, hard to move or do anything. I dunno what you plan to be doing, but d'you mind helping me hand out a few things? Some of the stuff we have's good for the exhaustion."

But there's a pause, some consideration that seems to come across his face, a realisation as his knitted brow weakens to something slightly embarrassed.

"Uh- if you don't mind? Sorry - I saw you at the meeting, so I figured you might be checking on people?"

Despite really knowing nothing about her. It wasn't like the standard healing was required. ...probably.

She had heard as much from the instructions earlier, but it was always nice to have it confirmed by an actual person she could see in front of her. Lioriley nodded in understanding, quickly writing something down in the journal she had tucked under her arm. She hadn't even gotten the chance to explain what she was doing, but she figured that could come later — aiding him likely wouldn't take too long if they both worked at it.

"I am keeping a detailed record of those aboard the train, the duties they have undertaken, and their current state of being. As well as whoever may be rescued and brought aboard later. But if you require assistance, all you need do is direct me and I will do so."

Her list makes him curious, wondering what kind of duties she means, their state of being? -- but Tidus pauses on that thought as she gives mention to his request, gaze going back over to the interior of the locker. Maybe it wasn't worth asking her about, or not asking again, and he looks over to the carriage's ICP - one of the ones not broken - before regarding her again.

"You want me to tell you who I know's here and who got kicked off? I can show you with the roster." He points a thumb in its direction.

She could go into detail, but Tidus was giving her that vibe Evander used to give her — that action first, talk later sort of mindset.

"I have looked over the roster extensively." She noted, though not as if she was rejecting the idea; simply stating it as a fact. "But, I would not mind your input, presuming you are well acquainted with those aboard the train and could attest more so to its accuracy and narrow down those who might remain." yes. she's saying yes. Maybe a little confused herself as to the sudden shift to her request instead, but choosing not to address it for now.

Edited 2022-02-22 21:33 (UTC)

Tidus realises, oh, she has a way of speaking, doesn't she? Mainly with the use of accuracy in regards to the roster (or her memory?), that makes him wonder if she thinks it could be wrong. But also, it's probably just some fancy way with words, a momentary thought that's put aside as he considers his own path.

"Mmm - let me look at the roster," he decides, fairly easily enough, and takes a step in its direction. "Unless you printed out pictures with a list? It'll be easier so I don't forget anyone."

Well, of the people he does know about, both on and off - he doesn't have the most trustworthy people. But Tidus does allow for her to answer if she does happen to have a print out, before he'll move for the ICP if not. You know, in case she just happens to carry around that kind of thing.

She might have been new to the train, but she was not new to strangeness and deception. All that had been suggested by other passengers since her arrival — and from her own time spent reading and researching what she could aboard the train — told her that, perhaps, the train was keeping things from them. Maybe the roster was not up to date given the train's current state of being and the oddness of whatever had happened in the void. Whatever the case, it would be nice to have a bit more accuracy.

The word printed earned a pause, her brows raised curiously, head cocked like a curious dog might upon hearing a strange sound. She shook her head. "I have no pictures, but I have written a list." She said, slender fingers promptly flitting to another page that had an almost excessive amount of script on it; looping and perfectly aligned, with notes beside names. Question marks besides those in gold, check marks with those she had met face to face and could attest to their existence, circles around people she knew had gone for certain because she had said goodbye to them herself. Few those latter were, unfortunately.

She extended the open journal to him, pausing for a moment and then looking up. "Forgive me for my rudeness. I should have asked for your name first." both so she knew it because she genuinely didn't want to be rude...and so she could add him to the list.

Tidus isn't looking for any look, for confusion, but in that brief instance Lioriley displays it with his question, Tidus knows why. Had expected it, really. You shouldn't judge a book but its cover, but with a few words already with Lioriley, Tidus was happy to place her in no machine times.

But, you know - he could've been wrong! Still, he does stick in place as she holds out her journal, takes it, and blinking at what he sees...reads. Loopy, and not in the way his own language is; reminds him of Inigo's, actually. ...very, very all...connected. It's a distraction that takes him a few seconds, enough for her to ask his name, and he lets out a small "oh-", half-way looking between her and her book.

"No worries, I'm Tidus! I'mmm... here, in your book." He holds it back out, a thumb near his name. "Romeo, Madoka - they're both on the train. Trunks isn't, Thanatos, Taiki..."

He pauses, then decides, without turning his back entirely on her; walking, while still including her in his vision. "I'll tell you who I know about, but double-check with the roster. If you tell me names, I'll tell you what I know."

Because it might take him a few seconds longer to load the roster, and they don't need to dally when she has her book. But having faces to names - that'll still help. He knows a lot of people, but not everyone.

"Tidus." Repeated, for the record, her hand moving swiftly for her pen so she could check off his name in one quick flick of her wrist. No need to take the book from him either for that. "I am Lioriley." Her own name was listed on the off chance someone found the journal and she was otherwise incapacitated or some such unlikely scenario. She pointed accordingly to assure he could find it quickly of needed.

"I know few aboard the vessel. But there are some I am certain of myself - Zagreus and Otoha, they have gone. Ryo, too, if I recall correctly. Do you know of our Miss Spider, by chance?"

Tidus has his face turned to the ICP's screen, flicking into life as he inserts in the ticket. A half-turn that comes to face Lioriley, but then a nod following.

"Web's is here. --Spider," he adds as a pause. Can't help a nickname that's stuck forever. "Otoha's not gonna be too happy, I bet. He had a big job to do back home."

It's an aside, one of the unfortunates about everything to do with the train: going back and coming here again, being taken in the first place. But the roster comes up, and Tidus sees the passenger list as in his known language, set in its alphabet.

"Okay, here we go! Masumi Sera... I haven't seen her again, pretty sure she went home. Margulis, Malekith...? Not really sure about them." Has he seen them? Those aren't people he really knows. ...actually, he doesn't know a lot about these people here.

"Oh, Mordin. He's around. He's the reddish-white guy with the long head."

More quick ticks upon the pages — those she could reach without dislodging the journal from Tidus's hands anyway — while the rest were noted mentally to be checked off later.

"So I heard." She had spoken to Otoha about his friend leaving, about his duties, and had even seen him off when he was on the platform. Doubtful anyone could have stopped him from trying to return home, even if they had known this would be the outcome.

A beat. "Malekith is here." His name was already noted. One of the first, too.

Another nod. She had met Mordin early on. "You truly do know quite a good many people. I suspect you have been here a while, then?"

He would have handed back her journal, given as he decided to take to the ICP and given Lioriley his name. No reason for him to keep holding when she knew her own list, and their alphabets were different. Made it less distracting if he didn't have two lists to peer at.

"Mmm - about a year now? Something like that." He's counted before, a few times, but time has become so meaningless that he always forgets the next time it's relevant. "The two Wangjis not gold, they went home. Oh, I know Sizhui's here - he's a Lan too. Jingyi got chucked off the train." Shared, with a less than impressed tone.

"There only one of them in your book?"

He's checking the roster himself, just in case. The Lans - they often get doubles, and he knows their status more from seeing and witnessing (seeing Sizhui around, and witnessing Jingyi getting knocked off the train).

She quirked a brow, trying to follow the confusing set of names that had, when she looked, seemed similar enough she had written them all down but had also...noted the similarities.

"I have multiples, on the off chance that was not a mistake. I must have assumed too much, then?" Now that was interesting. How did something like that even happen? She had a lot of questions - but politely kept them to herself so she did not overwhelm him.

"No- uh, there's two... no, three Wangjis? How many Sizhuis do you have? Uhhh... --whatever you wrote, that's okay!"

He's got to find their names on this list to confirm, but if she copied the roster exactly, then that's fine, that's good! Tidus chuckles awkwardly.

"We've had a few of the family. Wei Wuxian too! He's from the same world. But there's only... oh, yeah! Only two right now."

Confusing but they could work around that. Lioriley nodded and made a few notes on a blank page before returning to the ever-growing list.

"I see. That is...good to know. I will be sure to update my records accordingly." Along with their whereabouts and if she could find them at all.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No Place Like Home: The Return

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