Event: In Pursuit of Knowledge

[voidtreckermods]

The day after the Voidtrecker speaks to the voidtreckers they arrive at the voidhub.

"Approaching Voidbase now. Prepare for docking."

There is no shaking, not leaving the void: instead those who risk looking out of the windows will see a large structure ahead of them. The void turns to metal around them as they enter the structure, and for a moment, there is nothing outside the train but darkness.

"Welcome Voidtreckers." A voice speaks over the ICPs. Not the voice of the train, this is a male voice, sentient. "The filtration process takes a few moments, so please be patient. Meanwhile, I am sending some information about our void base over to your SCA's."

They will receive a small pamphlet on their SCA's explaining about the void base, that it was set up as a research base and has been expanded to provide living quarters for some of those rescued from system #78961112094711. It explains that they had made the decision to invite the voidtreckers there to further unravel the mystery surrounding them. They would be quartered in ministry sleeping areas, and have free access to the ministry part of the base. Anyone who wished to visit the citizens of system #78961112094711 could do with good reason.

It's not too long before the filtration process is completed, and the doors of the Voidtrecker Express open. They are greeted by a group of ministry workers. Among which are Lia Nine, Ten Nank, and Anan- who isn't strictly a void ministry worker, but is there to greet them nonetheless.

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IN PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE

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22-29 RABBIT ~ VOIDBASE INFO ~ OOC INFO ~ NETWORK
SCA EXPERIMENTS ~ COMBAT TRAINING ~ REACHING OUT ~ ARCHIVE RESEARCH

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SETTLING IN

They are shown to their sleeping quarters first. They are in small suites, which match their room assignments on the train. They will be given time to unpack and rest, and told that their SCA's have been programmed to allow them access to the general ministry parts of the base.

Their time here is their own, And though the ministry hopes that they will help out with the various experiments and research programs they have going on, they do not need to. If they wish to take the time to rest and enjoy the amenities, they can.

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1. MULTIMEDIA. There are a few types of lounging rooms, chairs and cushions, tables for sitting at. Slim televisions sitting on walls, a few tables - that can be lowered or raised - joined with screens that can be more privately watched. Shows and movies are available in some rooms, gaming equipment in others. There is also a more quiet room for lounging in, with access to e-books and screen readers for them, audio options also available.

Relax, or get into a multiplayer game -- games that break friendships are available in the void.

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2. FITNESS AND SWIM. For those looking for more activity in their 'rest', there's the fitness gym and swimming pool. In separate rooms but nearby, the fitness gym is larger than the train's gym, and more well-equipped. Muscle training, speed; there will be a Ministry worker to show how to use the variety of equipment, so that nobody has an accident.

The same will be for the swimming pool, with a shallow and deep end. Balls, floating pads and more can be grabbed. It's a swimming pool - what's not to love?

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3. TRAINING. Beside the pool and fitness gym is the combat gym, where they will find small groups already exercising in a variety of fighting styles. Voidtreckers will be left alone to train if they wish, but any who take interest in partners will be allowed to join in with the ministry training. Magic, energy, weaponry; some of them use special batons, Ministry-issued, and the Ministry workers will show how to use them. If a Voidtrecker becomes well-trained in how to use one by the end of their stay, they can be given one to use on void missions.

The Ministry fighters will also introduce them to a special training tool, the hard- and holographic courses and 'dummies'. Quite a few fighting styles can be set to a holographic opponent, or even one made to mimic a voidtrecker after fighting them - they're surprisingly quick to adapt. The hard-light partner can listen and read sign-language, and will change on command. Want them to move faster, focus on attack, dodging? Now they will.

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4. GREEN THUMBS, OPEN AIR. The last room in the relaxation area is a curious one, reading simply 'GARDENS AND SIMULATION' on its front. Opening it will lead to a simple and long corridor, five more doors on each side. Four devoted to gardening, labelled Hydroponics, Hot Houses, Ice Houses, and Land. Entering, each space will be larger than should be possible. But it is, with each an indoor type growing space except for land, which mimics a farming field. There's a sky above, a wind in the air; sometimes, it might be raining when you enter.

It might be a shocking experience for some, the first time round.

The last six rooms simulation rooms are less specific, but with plenty more options. Rooms of prayers, beaches, cities, open valleys; with some time spent learning the menu, people can recreate a realistic area. The rooms can be set to private, but some people may leave the spaces they've created - on purpose, at random, or on accident - free for others to wander into. Sharing is caring, and there's only six of these rooms, you know.

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TESTING AND EXPERIMENTING

Anyone who wishes to take part in the experiments will be given their options, and led to the appropriate rooms. Health checks, tether scans, combat training; each one is voluntarily, and Voidtreckers will be be granted their results.

There is much to discover, as well to ensure the health and safety of the Voidtreckers. And what can they learn about the Voidtrecker Express, the lost tethers, and the anomaly known as the World Eaters? Time may finally tell...

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1. SCA EXPERIMENTS. For those who wish to help out with the SCA and health experiments- be that through taking part in experiments or helping conduct them- they will be shown to the labs. There are a few different labs, doing different things.

The scientists are generally friendly, if very no nonsense. They will answer questions and explain their research, and are open to listening to new ideas and theories. All ideas are on the table. This situation is unprecedented, there are no easy answers.

They will put any voidtreckers to work who wish to help- be it washing beakers or recording data. They will teach as they go- as long as someone is willing to listen and learn, it won't matter if they have no experience in science.

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2. REACHING OUT TO THE VOID. At the top of the void base is an area with a clear domed roof, allowing in the light of the void. Here voidtreckers can attempt to reach out, to strengthen their connection with the train and through it try and find those that have left the train.

It's a slow learning curve. Their first few hours of attempts will be meditation that goes no where. but eventually most should be able to tap into their connection with the train and the other passengers.

Reaching out further is harder, often feeling as if they are falling through the void. It's exhausting, not quite so much as anchoring, but similar. It's easy to get lost in the void, though the room has ministry workers who are highly trained and will be able to help anyone who needs it.

They do say it might be easier to go in pairs, to meditate together and help guide each other, using each others tethers as a touch point. Anything is worth a try.

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3. ARCHIVES. For those who prefer old-fashioned research, there is plenty to sink their teeth into here. Books, articles, message boards. Everything needs cross-referenced and checked and verified. What is a rumour? What is true?

It's a buzz of activity at all hours, though there are quieter areas for those who need silence to concentrate. For those less skilled at research, there are always notes to copy up neat.

OOC NOTES

~ Questions.
~ This event runs until the 26th June (Day 29)
~ There will be a concluding post on the 25th to wrap up the memory restoration.

Comments

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

She nodded. "And it kept making fake versions of Xemnas show up... I don't want him to hurt anyone or make me hurt anyone. But I want to keep both of you... so... it... would be worth it, right?"

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

Fake Xemnases... Not that he can't take them. He comes up beside her again. "You don't need this by yourself, Xion. If bad things like that happen, we'll just face them together. Like any fight."

He considers something for a moment. "You know, we actually fought him together once. Kicked his butt enough to throw him off balance." Even if he had responded by snatching up Kairi like a horrendously bad loser.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

"I didn't want to accidentally hurt either of you..." she said softly.

"We... fought him and won...?" she asked, in disbelief.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

He nods. "Just one battle. But I think it's still a big deal." Especially since it allowed them to take their sigils back. "That's how I know it will be okay if we work together. We can stop him from hurting anyone."

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

"Except... I'm not your Xion," she said quietly, looking down again.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

"That doesn't matter!" he says all too quickly. Partly because the attempt to separate them hurts too much. He clutches her hand tightly. "You're still Xion. And our bond is still real. Still here. It doesn't matter what world or time we're in. It's like we said before, as long as we remember... we're together. And we're still strong."

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

"But... I'm not the one who helped you beat him," she said, looking at him, tears in her eyes. "That Xion might be strong but I'm still just... me." And scared. So scared. And he'd be able to sense that through their bond.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

He does and it hurts his heart so much. "That's what I'm saying. You don't have to be strong by yourself. Together, we're strong. We all give each other strength. So whatever you're afraid of. If we face it together, it doesn't stand a chance. You don't need to let people experiment on you to protect us. You just need to believe in us. All of us." He tries to meet her eyes. "Believe in our bond. You can feel it, right?"

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

She had so much she wanted to say, to ask... but... One thing he said just drove home for her that she was never going to be good enough for this Roxas, for what he expected of her.

"I... can't feel..." she whispered. Her Roxas would know that, wouldn't he? Axel knew it. Taiki knew it. And now... this Roxas knew it. And would be disappointed. Would he... would he leave? Because she had never gone back to Sora, never became what he thought she should be?

A tear rolled down her face as these thoughts circled in her brain. Her shoulders shook.

Was Roxas going to leave because she hadn't done what she had supposed to do? She tried... She did try! But if he left... would... would Axel follow him? Would she be all alone? Or... Or would she have to give up this her, and go back, give up everything to become the Xion they all thought she should be by now?

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

"Do you really believe that?" He reaches toward her so he can smooth the tear from her face. "If you couldn't feel, you wouldn't be this upset. You wouldn't be able to cry. Those hurt... that comes from the heart. It's how you know it's there. Sora taught me that."

He's still pretty inexperienced with affection, but he does at least have one mostly solid shared memory to work with. One of Sora's most powerful ones. He tentatively puts his arms around her shoulders to try to draw her closer. The gesture is all sorts of awkward and unknown, like a kid trying to hug someone for the first time.

"You might not be a Nobody like Axel or even me. But you can definitely feel. I can feel how much you feel."

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

She didn't know what to do physically when he pulled at her like that. She didn't fight it or help, because she wasn't sure what she should be doing, what he expected or wanted from her. Wasn't sure if knowing would change anything if it was something she couldn't do.

"We've... always been able to hurt. Hurting, being scared... those aren't feelings. Anything can do that," she whispered. "Even... Even a nothing like me..." Well like she had been.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

He's kind of gripping a bit now, unsure whether he's helping or making things worse and getting a bit panicky. "That's the point, Xion! Those things are feelings. Xemnas just wanted us to believe they weren't real. You can't be scared of losing someone if you don't feel anything about them. Why would it matter then?"

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

She closed her eyes. "Axel would have known if we had feelings," she whispered, clinging to that. That was something Axel wouldn't have lied about, and wouldn't have been wrong about. Xemnas having lied? She bought that 100%. But Axel having been wrong?! Nope. Not buying it. There had to be some other answer....

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

Roxas shakes his head, even if she can't see it. "He didn't understand at the time either. He also believed Xemnas. Everyone did. Axel only understood after... " After he came back as a Somebody. After many thought it was too late.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

"But Axel remembered what feelings were like. He couldn't have been wrong!" she protested, stubbornly.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

"Axel isn't perfect. He makes mistakes just like us. He just sometimes tries to pretend they're not mistakes. And it's hard when someone you trust is telling you what you feel isn't real." Though did Axel trust Xemnas or was it just easier to do the things they did when you convinced yourself you had no heart?

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

Excuse the look of utter bafflement on her face when Roxas said that Axel makes mistakes. Then she remembered their argument. Maybe... Maybe Roxas was the one who was wrong? That... made more sense. Roxas was like her. Well, not wrong as often as her, but they both had a lot to learn from Axel still, she knew. "I... don't think Axel is like us..." she mumbled.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

Well, Roxas wasn't expecting that extreme a reaction. But then again, his trusting self had taken a number of hard hits that Xion had thankfully (???) missed out on.

"He's not. Because he had a Somebody. Which is... who he is now I guess. But he can still make mistakes." Especially when it came to Roxas... "He's made some big ones actually. Aside from the feelings and heart stuff. Which wasn't his fault for believing Xemnas."

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

"He's Axel..." she protested. Axel couldn't possibly make big mistakes.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

What is even going on? Was he ever this idolizing? Probably. He still sometimes thinks Axel can fix just about anything and knows everything there is to know. But he also knows Axel can also let his emotions get the best of him in some truly explosive ways.

"He's not perfect, Xion. People mess up a lot when they're scared." Not that he'd know anything about that, right?

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

"I mess up all the time..." she said softly, looking down again.

Then again, she was scared all the time too.

But Axel? Axel scared? AXEL? she just couldn't see it.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

Roxas tried to follow her gaze down and offer a reassuring smile. "See? It's the same. It's feelings. I mess up a lot too." And she's the only one he'd openly admit that to.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

"Messing up... is feelings?" Now she was confused all over again.

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[terribletwos]

"Messing up is almost always about feelings. They're usually why people mess up. Because they're scared or angry or sad or so happy they're not paying attention."

Re: Xion - Partial OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

She looked so confused. She didn't even have the words to explain her confusion. She was just... confused.