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

Usually Inigo would be first in line to answer any and all questions about cuddle piles. Those are his speciality. His desire. It's why he's talking about it even now, despite most of Inigo's brain functions having shut down already.

But exactly that last fact makes it hard to process that anything is being asked here at all. Sorry, guys, you'll have to sort out these questions among yourselves. Inigo is way too busy trying to not fall asleep already while he's being carried by the two of them, because then he'd turn into true dead weight.

Come for him whenever you want to learn how to hold your breath forever, Esteban.

But for now is leading, especially considering how much more quiet Inigo got. It doesn't worry Tidus (though, he does spare a few glances his way), waiting until each of them have gotten through, but not completely letting Inigo go once they're across.

And with him still propped up, Tidus speaks again, walking with them to the next set of doors to let to the double sleepers.

"Just at night. You can still hang over to sleep any other time, but when the time gets late, everyone gets sent to bed. You experienced it? You don't realise it unless you're really trying to stay up. I think I had it happen to me...once? I don't try staying up."

He's not that kind of guy. There's no sky!! Night time is boring on a train!!

The half-elf briefly, briefly goes to rub the back of his head, but this causes a shift in Inigo's balance, and he's quick to halt the gesture before he can complete it, readjusting his hold. He winces lightly in apology, but they're still stable enough at least.

"I know 'cause I don't... usually like fallin' asleep in the cabin." Too many people. It makes Esteban's skin crawl, and the room is so small that he can't bear it for long. Stepping in and out of it is fine, but trying to fall asleep within it just gets him shifty and upset, so he's stopped trying, since.

"B'sides. Fire spinnin's best done at night. Daylight spinnin's fine, but 't loses the wow factor." He's more of a night owl than a morning bird, by extension.

"'lmost there, Sleepyhead. Y'gonna be fine?" If sleepyhead sticks because Esteban can't help but tease Inigo when he's half-fainted, he is going to hate that nickname so much. "Inigo?" he repeats, just to reassure himself that no, this is not going to be Inigo's permanent nickname, thanks.

(Inigo is very, very lucky that Sleeping Beauty does not exist in Esteban's world.)

The talk about the nighttime activites is mostly lost on Inigo, but he's at least still somewhat aware. Not aware enough to actually knows how far away or close by they might be relative to the doors of their double room, but at least aware enough to know that his name is being called out here.

And that means he should.. reply. Right? Maybe? Or try to..

.. wait, what were the other two talking about..?

"I'm fine," he mumbles. It's mostly just his default response, and he happens to be lucky that it's exactly what Esteban was asking him. "Just.. wanna sleep. I think."

And he's right about that. Inigo is physically fine, just terribly sleepy and exhausted.

"I'll be.. right up.. to help.." .. for a moment it seems like he might not continue that sentence, like he's fully fallen asleep, but he manages to continue. "To help you guys.. pull others.. back.."

Fire spinning's better at night? Sounds like an excuse, but when it comes after, I don't like my cabin, Tidus is going to argue or point out how bad of an excuse a night on the train is, compared to a real night.

But they can fuss over Inigo instead. They're now in the right sleeper, Tidus nodding to the stairs leading up with an, "Up there," and he's willing to let go of Inigo so Esteban can help on his way. It's too small for them to walk all three, so he'll be at their backs, there in case either of them have a bad stumble.

"Sleep first, then you can!"

Of course it's upstairs. The half-elf is really, really glad they took shortcuts, and managed it so far together, because he doesn't think Inigo can make it up with his own strength, really, and that's a hassle and a half of a staircase. Alright. Deep breath.

"C'mon. I'll carry you th' rest of the way," he promises Inigo as he shifts under his arm, pulling him slowly to hitch his friend onto his back in a piggyback ride. He's very careful to settle the weight properly, so that he can brace against the stairs as he climbs in case it gets to be too much for him. He should be able to make it, but--

"Get the door?" he asks Tidus instead, nodding towards the steps. That's gonna be a stretch. Deep breath again, and Esteban is ready, bracing Inigo's arm around a shoulder and holding him up as best he can.

It's saying a lot that there's no reaction from Inigo, even as he's suddenly hoisted up on someone's back like that. Usually he would have been pleased, or - let's be real - flustered and surprised at something like this suddenly happening to him. ~~Finally getting the manhandling he's been wanting for so logn!!~~

But as-is, Inigo just allows it to happen without much of a reaction coming from him. Even though it can't be easy for Esteban. Inigo is too tired to pay any real attention to clinging onto the other beyond a very faint attempt, which means the half-elf will definitely carry most of the weight.

Inigo doesn't even say anything more. Not to what Tidus says, nor to Esteban's action.

He just hums sleepily.

Carrying Inigo? Probably the best idea now, and when he has the room to slip forward (a bit of a squeeze, given the tight halls), Tidus will go to the door first with a hum. Ticket pulled out from his arms band, materialising in his hand, and he presses it to the door to make it slide open.

It's a crowded room; the same kind of tight space of any double room, if Esteban's ever seen them. Tidus walks in first along the narrow floor space they have, the bed tucked into the corner, covered in nicer sheets than the basic team colours available. There's an upper bed pulled down above, a giant wyvern plush's head poking out, as well as an otter above in. The cubbyholes behind Tidus's back are filled with trinkets: a few magazines, pots of flowers, a picture frame - none of which Esteban is likely to pay any immediate attention to, but there.

(There's also an animal cage, with a jerboa inside it, set on a table by the window, curtains pulled to.)

"Can you get him off?" Tidus asks, willing to help to guide Inigo down if Esteban needs the help. They can flop him onto the bed - he'll be alright. It's comfy.

The room is... crowded.

With all three of them-- well, two and a half-- standing, this is really not in Esteban's cup of tea, and it itches something fierce between his shoulders. (Anywhere he can't stretch his wings get him shifty-- something he'd never considered before he'd been on a train like this, the rooms so small, the space so little. He always, always misses the wide saltgrass plains, misses the sea of them shifting in the wind.)

He has to shake his head lightly to brush his thoughts aside, then huff as his first reaction is to want to stare to distract himself. He's nosy, but not that kind of nosy, and Tidus' and Inigo's privacy is their own. Esteban is just passing by.

That said-- Tidus asked him a question aaaaaand... Yeah, no, he didn't think this through, did he? He shuffles, unsure, before nodding-- they'll need to get Inigo standing for at least a few seconds, and he can't adjust him like that.

"Gimme a hand? I think he's 'sleep." Or at least, he has been out of it enough that the difference is too minimal to really notice. Maneuvering Inigo back to the bed is at least going to take Tidus' help, and Esteban is careful to face away from it, and make it at least easy to let him flop back onto the mattress. Then, as gently as he can, he lets Inigo shift down, mindful not to move too fast.

Thankfully slowly moving Inigo off the other's back isn't too hard when Inigo wasn't holding on to Esteban really tightly in the first place - so there's no grip to untangle at all. It's just about angling Esteban's back towards the bed, and if Tidus guides him along, then Inigo will definitely end up flopping down on there.

.. apparently he truly is asleep this time, since he doesn't make a sound. He doesn't even seem to startle in any way. Inigo's eyes are firmly shut, and the only movement he makes after being dropped onto the bed is to curl up.

He's definitly out like a light.

It's easier with where Tidus is; he grabs at Inigo from behind as Esteban starts to let him go, and the drop isn't too far, not the bed so hard as to really disturb Inigo. Even without the advantage they have on their side: that Inigo is completely out of it.

So he lays, curls, and Tidus watches him for a moment; sets a hand on Inigo's shoulder before he straightens himself enough to look at Esteban.

"Let's go. He's fast out."

There wasn't any reason to stay - not when they had plenty more people to find, and bring back aboard.

Esteban merely nods, relief soothing the tightness of his ribs. Inigo was just one of them; there's Taiki and Amaya and many more that they need to get to, but Inigo is back, and that's one small victory, a tiny piece of sunshine in the fog of the last few days. He considers telling Tidus to rest a bit more, but, well. He doesn't think the sportsman would listen to him anyways.

They'll get Taiki. And then Esteban is going to kick them into a cuddle pile so they all rest up if he has to.

"Watch over him for us, kay?" he asks both little sprites as he lowers them down from his shoulders, amazed that they hadn't fallen through the entire ordeal. He brings them down to the bed, before straightening, a grin lifting the edges of his lips.

"C'mon Sunshine! Let's go get Taiki!" Next goal established, Esteban steps out and away from the too small room, ready to face the next challenge.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No Place Like Home: The Return

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crawls back to life we'll finish this at some point ^__^;;

CLINGS FIERCELY TO YOUR ANKLE... we're not letting you go!! ever!!

we can wrap up soon!! new threeeads...

\o/~ New threaaaads~

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no subject

no subject

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We made it!~

No Place Like Home: The Return

no subject

no subject

*crawls back to life* we'll finish this at some point ^__^;;

CLINGS FIERCELY TO YOUR ANKLE... we're not letting you go!! ever!!

we can wrap up soon!! new threeeads...

\o/~ New threaaaads~

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

We made it!~

crawls back to life we'll finish this at some point ^__^;;