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.

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Honestly, it's such a good thing that these teens have Wei Wuxian to help them. After all, despite knowing Jiang Cheng fairly well, and being able to focus on him as an individual pretty well, it's not like Madoka has ever seen Lotus Pier. She doesn't know what Jiang Cheng's world is like at all, beyond what he has told her. Even as she feels her and Tidus moving, trying to seek out Jiang Cheng in the sea of presences, it's like she can feel Wei Wuxian at her back, guiding them right along as she just tries to think of Jiang Cheng, of every memory she has shared with him--

Right until she feels a sudden odd breeze, and she opens her eyes, realising that she is, in fact, standing right in front of Jiang Cheng.

As in - if she had appeared an inch further to the front, she literally would have bumped into the man.

Madoka's mouth drops open in surprise, just staring at the familiar man. Just glancing around her, realising that they really did make it over to his world.

"We.. We made it!"

One might wonder who she's saying it to. Or why she's saying 'we', actually. Because there's only the girl standing in front of Jiang Cheng right now. Wei Wuxian obviously not being visible, even though he will be able to feel the sensations of this place and this moment through her. And Tidus..

.. wait, where is Tidus?

It's a realisation Madoka seems to have too, and though she really wants to properly greet Jiang Cheng, this realisation has got her too worried for the moment to do so. Madoka manages to tear her gaze away long enough from the man to frantically look around, trying to spot the other teenager. Did he not make it?

It's stormy above their heads, and the waters below thrash as well.

--or, some part of the river does. Does the sound of waters parting below even immediately catch the attentions of any person, when a young girl has just appeared before them? But that noise is more than what might be a lively few fish, when more human(?) noises start to accompany them, a "Hey!" that sounds so offended, so young, before the slap of a wet hand grabbing onto wood can be heard.

"Where am I!?" follows that noise from below, which Wei Wuxian will know as being directed at him, but also ... being publicly shouted, too.

(Tidus is also currently having a thwapping fight with a lotus, refusing to move away from where it's knocking into the side of Tidus's cheek, and Tidus too flustered from his uncool arrival to immediately think about moving.

Your rescue squad has arrived, Jiang Cheng.)

For a moment Jiang Cheng is completely and utterly baffled, staring at the pair in front of him with wide eyes, not sure what he ought to do with himself.

There's Madoka at first, of course, and the soft feeling of relief he feels when he sees her is soon replaced by confusion when she says we. It's baffling enough that she's here, considering the only visitors Jiang Cheng has seen thus far have been people he's recognised from his own world, but the idea of someone else being here as well? He's looking around with a frown on his face before he realises what has happened.

Stepping forward towards the pier, he stares down into the water and can't help but stare, lost and bewildered, glancing between the two of them.

"... What are you doing?"

"Oh.."

That 'oh' is in response to Jiang Cheng - Madoka figuring that she probably ought to explain all of this to him, and she isn't quite sure how to start. Especially since she's a little worried that he might not want to come with them, given his dedication to his sect.

But then it's followed up with another--

".. Oh!"

As she realises just where her rescue partner is. The water sounds make it very obvious, and Madoka's jaw drops nearly to the ~~pier~~ floor as she spots Tidus, having fallen in upon arrival. She's already bending down to stretch out her hands in his direction, wanting to help him.

S-Surely Jiang Cheng's explanation can wait for a moment, right? They have to help Tidus first!

"Tidus, are you alright?!"

(Wei Wuxian is clearly getting some true popcorn-worthy theatre for free here, huh? Seeing all this tomfoolery. Being able to see both Tidus's and Jiang Cheng's reactions through Madoka's eyes.)

Whereas, from Tidus's side, Wei Wuxian gets to experience being wet and flailing. Or, more flailing than he's getting from anyone else.

"I didn't drop here on purpose!" It's a defensive reply from Tidus, as if there was some insinuation of Tidus being in Jiang Cheng's pier because he chose to be, and not being he has no sense of proper landing when appearing in another world. It's okay, this just happens all the time. But he'll take the offered hand from Madoka, if she can reach over the railing and just help him get a better grip to lift himself up.

"Hey, help me out!"

Jiang Cheng!!!

He's still completely baffled.

Beyond the suddenness of their appearance - it's as if they fell out of the air itself, which is vaguely terrifying in its own right - he doesn't understand why they've come, other than to deal with the strange colours in the sky and the sudden onset of odd thunderstorms. He hadn't imagined people from outside his world could come here, at least not if they weren't somehow related, but...

After a moment, forcing himself to shake his head, he moves over and offers his own hand to pull Tidus up, mostly because he's likely a little stronger than Madoka might be.

"... Why did you drop here?"

Truly the most amusing theatre, but belated as it is, Wei Wuxian sends back a sense of reassurance only slightly laced by amusement, and more deliberately laced with warmth... and sorrow. He knows his brother needs to be at Lotus Pier. He knows his brother cannot be there yet.

Be direct with him. Tell him I said I'm sorry. Oh, and that he can blame me for why you're both there, if you want.

Helpful commentary from the distant, watching stationary anchor to this multiparty group.

It's okay, Tidus. Madoka knows deep down that you're just in there because you're a water boy, and you just clearly can't resist any body of water when it's right in front of you like this.

It's okay. She won't judge.

Shenanigans aside, Madoka is way too preoccupied for a moment here with making sure to pull Tidus back up on dry ground. It's something she definitely can't do herself with her tiny arms, but with Jiang Cheng's help she will manage to pull Tidus out of the water, trying to pat down his wet clothes for a moment but realising that drying those off right now is basically an impossible mission..

.. so she instead turns towards the man they came here for. Madoka's eyebrows knit together into a frown, since she knows that this isn't good news for him, but..

Well, the voice in her head, Wei Wuxian's guidance at their back - it's telling her to be direct. So they should be, right?

"I.. don't know if you noticed yet." He probably did, she figures. Jiang Cheng is smart. "But something is off. The train.. it didn't properly return anyone home."

She may be a little uncertain here about bringing up Wei Wuxian's words themselves, which is why Madoka just leaves it at this, leaving the rest of the decision up to Tidus as to what to say here.

Rejoice, there's one Tidus - sopping wet, a sight to behold, regardless of how he (and Madoka) must appear to the people who don't usually walk around with either blond or pink hair. This might be some weird anchoring rescue session, but he feels dragged down by the weight of the water in his clothes. Ugh.

But this really isn't the time, is it? And he hears Wei Wuxian's directions, a small dismissive motion to that offer of blame. Nothing said, but felt; why blame Wuxian uselessly, than just to tell him what's going on directly, like he said?

"You're not in your body, right? You're still connected to the train - and we don't know what'll happen if you lose it. Nothing good."

That, Tidus is fairly sure of. It's not something he wants any of them to find out, nor the implications of being negative on lost tethers means for those they've lost plenty times before this. The people who've left the train unwillingly. He looks up to the sky, just because he can; just because it's outdoors, and he's felt like a caged rat for days.

But he looks back down and at Jiang Cheng, expression concerning, stern.

"We're sorry, but - we need to figure out another way to get you back."

It's not as if Jiang Cheng is surprised at the way the two of them appear - he's learned that the two of them together can often be a recipe for accidental disaster. It's not as though they intend to do it, not as if they meant to fall into his rivers, but here they are all the same.

He's about to turn and try and command someone to get Tidus some spare robes, something to dry him off, when he realises there's no point; his disciples are beginning to forget he's present, that their Sect Leader returned, that he awoke. It all lends weight to what they're saying to him.

"I had suspicions," he admits after a moment, crossing his arms over his chest.

He isn't happy, obviously he isn't, and he looks between the two of them before he breathes out. It's clear from the expression on his face just how pained he is at the idea of having to leave Lotus Pier once again - it hurts, somewhere deep in his stomach, a rotting thing that makes him feel ill - but even stubbornness cannot fight against people arriving, the colours of the sky, the storms.

He's been on the train long enough to think that, perhaps, he should know better than to hope.

"How did you get here?"

Madoka is really glad to have Tidus here with her in a moment like this. To not have come to Lotus Pier alone, even with Wei Wuxian in the back of their heads, guiding them. It feels a little easier to not have to explain all of it by herself, especially when they don't exactly come here bringing good news. And if there's anything she knows about Tidus - aside from the fact he loves eating and, once again proven right, water - it's that he's reliable. It feels easier with him here.

But even though it's easier, it's still not easy. A fact that's confirmed when Madoka looks and sees that look in Jiang Cheng's eyes - a look that threatens to break her heart. Jiang Cheng must have been so glad to go home to all the people he knows, the sect he's taking care of..

.. Madoka pauses for a moment, but then stops her attempts at trying to dry Tidus off, instead launching herself at Jiang Cheng and wrapping her arms around his waist to hug him. She knows a hug won't make any of this alright, but.. she just wants to do something to comfort him.

"We're anchoring.. like we did on Diagad, to help people get back home." Except now in reverse, helping people to get back on the train. "Mister Wei Wuxian helped guide us here.. He can see everything here right along with us."

Just so Jiang Cheng knows. His brother is watching along.

Neither of them miss the way Jiang Cheng's expression shifts; or, the way it does little to say so much. This isn't a happy thing, and the colours in the sky above - Tidus isn't sure if that was happening before they showed, or if that's something to do with anchoring. There's a sense of foreboding anyway, in what will happen if they don't do this.

He wishes he could promise the guy more, but it's a feeling he's careful with, an impulse he keeps control of. Nods when Madoka relays the information, adding onto the end of it:

"Right. He's going to be our help back." And with the touch to Tidus's hand, that connection to someone still a part of the void, Jiang Cheng may sense the other with them, if not visibly (or as noticeably) present as them. Someone far, but also somehow near.

Tidus starts to hold out his hand again, this time in an offer, though pauses before he extends it out completely.

"We can go as soon as you're ready. If you have stuff you wanna do - we'll wait."

The problem is that Jiang Cheng does not want to leave, even if this is just another game being played upon him by the train. He had promises that he had needed to keep, of course, and he knew that he had sworn to help Madoka, that he had wanted to stand by his brother's side... But his Sect needed him, required him to support them and guide them; it's his duty and his honour to do so. Having to abandon it once again, this time somewhat by choice, makes him feel as though he has eaten something sour.

It's likely something the others can feel, too, thanks to his empathy, not that he is paying much attention to his self-control at the moment.

"Of course he is," the scowl on his face appears once again, as it often does when his brother is involved. There's a part of him that's glad, but after their goodbye on the platform it feels awkward and painful to imagine Wei Wuxian sending them out here to get him. He doesn't like it, but that's obvious.

Looking around, he does not even seem to consider taking Tidus' hand before he sighs and motions back towards the main compound.

"I need to make sure nothing urgent needs done before I go." He doesn't even care if this version of his world isn't real, that whatever he does here might not matter. He doesn't care, not when it means something to me. "You can come and look around if you want."

Honestly, even if Jiang Cheng didn't have that empathy power, the emotion would be radiating off him all the same. Every single thing about him in this moment makes it very obvious. The way he speaks, the expression on his face, his very body language. He obviously doesn't like any of this, and it makes Madoka's heart ache.

Because Jiang Cheng deserves better than this. They all do. It's so sad that the train said it'd send people home, only for it to screw up, so now people have to leave their homes all over again..

Madoka slowly releases her hold on Jiang Cheng, feeling like it's probably not very welcome in this moment, and instead stares up at him with big, worried eyes.

"Y-Yeah, we'll come with you.."

She doesn't sound very enthusiastic about it, but it's mostly the worry. And the fact that she really hopes spending a bit longer here won't be a strain on their current anchored state, or on Wei Wuxian, who's keeping them here like this..

So she does cast a worried glance in Tidus's direction too, as if to ask him if it's okay for them to stay a little while more. To give Jiang Cheng a chance to wrap things up.

Who wants to leave their home? Homesickness; Tidus knows that well, and Jiang Cheng just reminds him all the more of the feeling, giving it up. The people and places you want to see, but can't.

Both he and Madoka know it well. Too well.

"Sure; take as much time as you need." They can give Jiang Cheng that much, and Tidus lowers his hand. A glance taken at Madoka (a very much dry Madoka), and he puts a hand on her shoulder in a small, friendly gesture.

"I think you can just think at us if you need us? Uh, this whole anchoring thing's a little weird... but if you want us to leave you to talk to people - we can look around together."

You know. Privacy! Jiang Cheng's an adult, and he doesn't need them following him all the time.

"Thank you." Jiang Cheng looks back toward the compound and frowns, somewhat frustrated with the situation.

Having to leave so soon is uncomfortable, to say the least, especially when he now has the knowledge that whatever he has done here so far might not mean anything. He doesn't know if this is really his world, if this is really real, and the idea of not being able to control what happens is grating.

Looking back at them before he turns away, he motions to the pier, to the compound, to the rooms.

"You can look wherever you like. If I'm not done in ten minutes you can come and get me."

It does seem like a good idea to give him some privacy - especially since Madoka can't imagine that it'll be easy for him to leave all of this behind once more. Jiang Cheng deserves to have that moment to himself if he wants to have it.

"Okay.. Please take care in the meantime," she says, giving a quick nod of her head.

Besides, it's not like Madoka minds Tidus as company in the slightest. She's more than happy to just hang around with him for a bit while they wait. Ten minutes should be fine. Hopefully that shouldn't put too much of a strain on anything here.

She glances at Tidus too though, speaking up to the boy as well, suddenly realising something they can do with the bit of time they have. ".. do you think mister Wei Wuxian would want to see anything here?"

Look, yes, that guy is in their heads, but it feels kind of weird to talk to him directly while he's not physically present - so it's easier to ask this way. It's a bit less awkward for the girl.

Nothing for me, he says down that connection line, with warmth and a sadness tied in that he doesn't explain, but allows to touch them, very lightly. The warmth is far more present, genuinely touched she's asking about it.

If either of you can take photographs, or moving pictures, I can give you ideas of places to do so. I know Jiang Cheng will benefit from having reminders he can see or hold, though I have no idea what you really have as far as 'having' means anything while we're all anchoring like this.

Tidus nods to Jiang Cheng with the last of what he shares, and then, listening to the other two--

Moving pictures? It's not with confusion Tidus thinks that, but shuffling through what he has in his mind, and the memory of a memoris comes up with the positive excitement. "Oh, hold on--"

He brings out a hand in a held position, and makes from it appear a small steel pole, or what looks like such. Buttons on its base, one of which he presses to make a screen appear, a hardlight that shows the pier floor and then higher as he raises it to better eye-level.

"Okay, it looks like it's working! It takes pictures and moving ones too." But I can't leave any here is a stray thought, as he aims the view of the screen around the pier, looking for a nice test picture to take.

"Where should we go?" --Actually... Madoka, do you want to take this?"

There's a reason for the change of mind, one that's been nagging the back of his head, but he won't voice it, holding the memoris to her. And thinking Wuxian's way: hey is there anywhere I can get changed here.

Being soaking wet is. Uncomfortable. So uncomfortable.

Thoughts directed toward Tidus, a set of visual instructions: left, down the walkway, onto the decking, left again, down that walkway, right, and a room there, one which should be available, because it's a room that belongs to Jiang Cheng most likely, and Jiang Cheng is not in his room.

Though to Madoka, it's a whole other comment, words rather than only impressions:

Start with the lotuses here, then the docks! Build a picture book for Jiang Cheng that he can look at whenever he's missing home.

It's a good thing Tidus has the memoris on him - because Madoka sure doesn't have anything on her right now that could take pictures. And despite the fact that she knows this, she's still patting herself down, as if she might mysteriously find a polaroid camera in her back pocket, or something along those lines.

The patting stops though when Tidus pulls out the device. It doesn't quite look like anything Madoka is used to from her own world, but the display is still relatively similar enough that she thinks she can figure it out when she looks at it.

Which means she nods when she glances over at Tidus.

"Sure." The girl takes it from him, mentally noting the instructions flowing into her mind. This is something she can do - and she completely agrees with Wei Wuxian that it might be good for Jiang Cheng to have this later, especially after so cruelly having been drawn to this world and then right back out again..

.. that only leaves one question though, right? One for the teen here with her, which is why she glances at him with worry in her eyes.

"Why should I do it though?" Mind you, this is not a complaint. Madoka would never dare complain about a task. It's not how she works.

No, instead-- "Is something wrong..?" With Tidus, that is.

Other than the fact that he's soaked, but look, Madoka herself would have put up with that, so she can't really think yet about how much it must be bothering him in this moment. Not everyone is as infinitely patient as her.

"I just need to do something quick." Tidus isn't really embarrassed to explain, but it's irrelevant to their main mission -- and to their side mission, of gathering reminders of home for Jiang Cheng. So his embarrassment is minimal, moreso than it could be, than the desire not to waste time. He points to the screen, to the symbols present.

"You can hold this, so don't worry about holding the bar. This will take a picture, this is the movie feature... Don't worry about practising, okay? You'll see a thumbnail appear here if you take a picture. Try one now."

Just to see that she understands, so Tidus can brb afk soon, and hurry back and join here!

Don't worry, Tidus. Unlike certain other people you have to deal with, Madoka actually understands modern technology - even when it's got an otherworldly spin. It means that his explanation is enough for her, and she demonstrates it by taking a picture right now, looking at the thumbnail that appears.

.. The picture looks right, she thinks.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of this."

While Tidus takes care of his.. something? Madoka is still a little confused as to that part, but too polite to insist on knowing what he's going to do. So she just gestures at him, telling him that it's okay to go while she takes the pictures for Jiang Cheng.

"Come meet me back here right after so we can go take him back together, okay..?"

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No Place Like Home: The Return

THE SQUAD

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gently sneaks in and out again

wow did anyone else see that rakel

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like a ghost in the night who is in fact just their anchor and not a ghost

hi not ghost

returns again because tidus is in a crisis--

when there's only one set of footsteps in the sand, that's where wwx carried tidus

keeping this golden retriever from suffering under the weight of pond water

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