No Place Like Home: The Return

[voidtreckermods]

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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.

Comments

[blitzcheer]

"Oh, 'cause growing a tail's goin' to help me travel the void!"

There was an answer for Zelgadis, a hand taken and Tidus trying to upright himself, but making remarks out of...nowhere?

Though upon taking Tidus's hand, Zelgadis may become aware of a lot more - a figure in the distance of his mind, but near; that mischievous grin implied in one's mind, a playful half-elf. Someone there, and not.

...which explains nothing to poor Amelia, and doesn't stop Tidus from realising how he sounds. "Uhh- yeah! I'm your ride! You ready?"

[gathersnomoss]

"One moment." Zelgadis has the pack of all his train stuff, which should make the trip back. He's already tried bringing things from his world back, and discovered it doesn't make the trip. Zelgadis turned to Amelia. "As soon as we figure out this tether thing, I'll come back. I'm ready to be done traveling for a while."

She smiled, with a bit of a quirk to her lips that suggested 'I'll believe it when I see it'. What she said was, "Good luck, Mister Zelgadis. We'll all miss you here, and I'll let Miss Lina and Mister Gourry know I saw you and that you said hello."

"And that I said that I expect them to keep the world in one piece until I get back." Because he was too aware of what others were finding in their own worlds, and apparently looking for 'heroes' meant the train was causing havoc in a number of worlds.

"Right." Amelia ran forward and hugged Zelgadis. When she let go, Zelgadis turned to Tidus. "Right, now I'm ready. Now what?"

[crowneddragon]

There's a note in the back of Tidus' mind, a reminder to ask the stranger what his theories are on the tethers-- train, tethers, ministry; Esteban hasn't let go of the need to figure things out, not after all that they have seen. He's not smart though, and it might take him a while, but he is willing to get more people in the discussion, asking questions and curious as to how others perceive the train, how they understand it.

But for now, he's more than ready to pull at Tidus-- after their rather chaotic first attempt, they're getting a better grip of the line between them, both a limitation and an anchor-- and Esteban reaches his hand across to Tidus, guiding him back, his location steady, light nudges and memories set as signposts on their path.

[blitzcheer]

It seems they've got the time for a bit of mind to-and-to, Tidus acknowledging Esteban's request, then a thought about how Zelgadis is a magic user. I dunno. He uses magic?

There's a memory of a Zelgadis that looks different that accompanies the thought: of the man attempting an elemental wind spell to lift himself, but very slowly. We couldn't use a lot of magic on that mission.

Explanations come easy enough by one's thoughts; and, admittedly, Tidus isn't trying to pry on the goodbyes going on in front of him. Waiting for Zelgadis to turn back his attention, and reaching out a hand. "Right. We just--"

But he interrupts himself, a look in the direction the woman was, went? -- before he looks back to Zelgadis. "Wait - do you know about your body? Did it stick?"

He doesn't need to ask right now, and yet - he wants to, feels it important to, apparently. Recognising that he should explain to Esteban over their link: Zelgadis said he got cursed, and someone fixed it on the train. But the void you, and the body you leave behind -- he was worried the fix didn't carry over.

There's an apology in that explanation, for the delay.

[gathersnomoss]

"It stuck," Zelgadis said, grinning. The link wasn't quite there yet, or he'd get the weird memory of seeing Zelgadis (or his body) seemingly asleep in a guest room bed, and Amelia's explanation of exactly how alarmed she had been during the hour or so that the spell had taken.

"So what now?"

[crowneddragon]

There's a dusting of concern and relief, flowing through Tidus, the former at the curse and the latter at the removal of it. Esteban's curiosity has never felt so intense, hidden behind a veneer of civility, or at least an attempt at it, and Tidus may have caused the half-elf to add a note to his note to get to talk to Zel-- (and he does so love names that are easy to nickname) for the fun of it too.

And then there's a pull, a gentle tug-- lesson learned, no more yanking recklessly-- and a path that forms back; foggy and distant, but present. The memories Esteban shares with the blond have taken the shape of lampposts, if only looking a little quirky-- but they light the fog at regular intervals.

[blitzcheer]

Tidus makes a pleased sound, face brightening despite his earlier stumble in. A grin, and that's all he needs to know, giving a "Great!" just as he can feel that pull from elsewhere.

He holds out his hand, and even before Zelgadis takes it, he'll see the fog around Tidus, the visualisation of lampposts made real from Tidus's presence, with Esteban's guidance.

"We go back, and we try this again another day - with you back in your body!" It's a hope at the very least, the hows and all that far from Tidus's mind. One day, one day far, when Tidus is only focused on the now, but they can put a pin in it, come back to it later.

For the meantime, they had to keep Zelgadis - and everyone - safe.

[gathersnomoss]

With one last wave to Amelia, Zelgadis took Tidus's hand, noting the lampposts. "We just follow those back to the train?"

[crowneddragon]

There's a warmth that surrounds them, a tiny piece of someone there but distant; the knowledge that gets shared that he is waiting for them to come back, like a thread pulling them in the proper direction. Some of the bond spills over with direct contact; something bright waving for attention, and sending encouragement, followed by a warning. Hopefully Tidus has a better translation manual handy because Esteban's words don't make it that far to someone whom he hasn't interacted with before.

But it feels steady, and confident. A promise that they will be safe.

[blitzcheer]

"Yeah! Esteban's helping us- you'll see him when we get back!"

And already feel it, but seeing's a lot better. Tidus grips tight onto Zelgadis hand, not wanting to lose him as they start to walk; thoughts on the guy, but also on Esteban too, waiting for them. The world leaving the back of them in a fog, which in turn swirls with the rainbow of colours of the void. Existences around them, close and calling with the choral lullaby whispering in their ears; but there's someone waiting on them, leading them forward by some invisible force.

Zelgadis will feel - sense, it's the same thing - Tidus's emotions with this shared link. Some slight apprehension for the journey, but one he moves forward for, his desire to get him back - the both of them back - to where they need to be.

And this time, Tidus will be better about the lampposts. Walking, ignoring the tug of other worlds, of lives so close. There's only one he wants to go to - and hopefully, they'll get there with little trouble.

Back to the train.

[gathersnomoss]

Zelgadis does feel the world trying to pull him back. Images of people he's met -- some Tidus would recognize as the young woman and the city, and others (a redhead in a cloak, walking on a road with a tall blond man in armor and a sword, a blond woman in a pink dress pouring tea, a dark-haired woman kneeling at a shrine) not so much.

Zelgadis is pointedly ignoring them. Yes, he wants to go home now. No, he can't do so until he's sure he's going to end up in his body and has no ties to the train. He's keeping a grip on Tidus's hand.

[crowneddragon]

With the distance narrowing comes shifts of an unfamiliar voice, guiding them forth; Esteban doing his best as he chatters aimlessly through Tidus' mind. Something about sands and beaches and water shining under the full sun-- or maybe that's just an impression? It's difficult to make out words so much as a feeling, and the tangle of them is... wild.

There's hope and loss and affection and worry, all snarled up into a hold that remains gentle but steady through it all, guiding them back. The lampposts gleam with sunshine-yellow beams, and the patterns they draw on the barely-there flooring shift like the breaks over water. Ahead comes the warmth and scent of fire, of being cozy and wrapped up in a blanket after a long, cold day.

'Hello~ It's nice to meet you! Officially~ A brief pause. 'Sort of.' And the tickle of laughter hidden behind his thoughts.

'Still no trouble, Sunshine? We're going to be good?' There's a note of surprise as he asks, focusing back onto Zelgadis' guide once more, as if readjusting his hold onto the both of them. There's a bit of prying form the half-elf, though he keeps it from being invasive; just prodding to make sure there were no issues.

[blitzcheer]

Even if Esteban can't be seen, Zelgadis knows the one helping to guide them, the face that Tidus is focusing on much as he is Zelgadis's presence. Red hair, tanned skin, a grin as excitable as the body of the half-elf that owns it (not that Tidus knows he's a half-elf-- he's just Esteban, in his mind).

In his emotions, Esteban is their help back, as sure and steady as the lampposts that guide them; Zelgadis the guy he wants to get back, a familiar soul, even if they don't know each other well. But he wants him safe and sound all the same, and if any feeling of longing does come through to Tidus, there's reassurance that comes from him, wordlessly spoken:

You'll see them again.

"Yeah, we're good," is answered through the link, an exchange heard to all. The world of colour and the siren song attempting to entice Zelgadis lessening, as they see in the lessening distance Esteban. Him and with the train behind him, the last of the way until they're there.

They just have to keep pushing forward.