middleofsomewhere | Fighting Headstrong in our Final Hour: Ongoing

It's no more than a day of fighting and traipsing through an ever changing environment, but it feels like it is longer.

Eventually though the skies flash in bright vibrant colours and a voice booms from the skies.

SO YOU RETURN I SEE. WHY WHY NOW? WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE?

Laughter as lightning crackles across the sky and anyone who feels they want to answer will find themselves in what seems to be an amphitheater. On the stage is a pillar of colours.

DID YOU MISS ME?

The endless see of Void seems to take an age to move through, and who truly knows when it was time themselves that they swam within. But eventually a scene begins to play around them.

Xela, a woman with silver spidery marks across her skin, is speaking. “Using the catastrophe system we will travel back to before the destruction of our world. We can’t get past the five hour limit. That’s not a safeguard but a craft issue. However we have managed to force the system to recognise the point of destruction as a catastrophe that we can avert. I have also found a way past the limit that prevents us retredding time we have already trodden.” She looks pale at that, Vian reaches out to touch her arm but she shakes it off.

“Obviously we don’t have time to figure out what those shapes were and stop them.” Vian takes over. “And so our focus is to evacuate everyone. That will mean getting to Enrara and tethering as many people as we can to as many craft as are in dock.” She looks across the room, meeting Kiel’s eyes, who nods reassuringly.

“We’ve also worked to take off the safeguards for tethering. It will allow us to tether without using a tethering station at all. Perhaps even remotely.”

An explosion of noise comes from the orange section of the room.

“Vian that is madness.”

“How could you...”

“Do you know how dangerous that is?”

“Listen to her!” Kiel growls.

Xela’s face is furious. “Vian, you...”
“There’s no tethering stations on Thistea.” Vian says softly and Xela stops in her tracks. The others fall quiet as well.

Vian continues. “I know it is dangerous. That is why some people will remain on board and others will go to Thistea and remote areas of Enrara to attempt to form focus points...”

She trails off, there are exclamations and a flurry of activity/ Those who have swam through time will realise they are here, solid, visible. In this scene from the past.

It's been a full day or so of getting charges set up, fighting against the difficulties both the void rift and the place where system #1015 used to be threw at them.

But eventually they are ready and all that is left to focus on is the connection between them.

Hopefully their practice and their efforts will pay off and they will be able to open the connection, hear each others voice inside their minds, perhaps clearly, perhaps muffled and echoed. But even a small connection works.

Because when the surge comes it rushes through them all, a blast of energy that moved into those working on orange, through to those working on red, a current that threatened to drown them all.

Minds are curious things and so despite being far apart from each other, over an entire void it is as if they are in the same place, in a ferocious storm that threatened to sweep them off their feet and far away from each other.

Hold on and don't let go, that is the thought that enters their minds. The link made physical, they must get to each other, hold on and let the energy pass through them safely.

Things are hectic for a moment- tense, focused, like diving through a storm in a chute, trying to get to the end. But then things seem to clear. Soldify-

Katsuya lands almost literally so- hands out for balance, half crouched like someone expecting to fall over. He has the look of someone breathless and excited- but most of all tense. There is little optimism here, even if he tries to keep his tone light.

"WH-OO- !" Comes the brief and breathy exclaimation, wide eyes taking in the scene. "Hoo! ...Alrigh'...w...we here? We make it?" He asks, briefly looking around to see that the others are indeed filling the abruptly fuller room.

"Cool!"

He looks back to the original Treckers, so to say. "That thing yer about t' do? ...Don' do that."

Someone else should probably take point here.

"Miss you? This is the first time I've seen you!" Came a snarky reply from Sonic. Whatever changes Chaos brings about doesn't seem to phase him that much.

"I'm sure the others aren't in that category, but we're here for your help."

[ Here is one person who is not intimidated by the lightning or the loud voice. Those are practically is normal state of being. In fact, he thunders his own reply, standing with his back straight and eyes trained on the pillar of colors. ]

NO! I HAVE NEVER MET YOU!

[ Oh, yes. It's that one. Chaos has probably heard this teenager shouting for them while protecting Kiyoiri from whatever illusions came their way. And now he's shouting again as if he's the one on the stage and not in the crowd seating. ]

BUT YOU CAN AID IN DEFEATING A COMMON FOE! SO LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY!

Wow, those who talk the loudest - or the fastest - really do have the least to say. Normally, Wash wouldn't mind sitting back for a minute or two to see how this trainwreck goes, but normally doesn't usually include 'the fate of the universe hanging in the balance' and 'convincing this extremely powerful weirdo to agree to the plan is necessary to success.'

(Well, it's included the former before. Wash's personal sliding scale of weird has been out of whack for years, and it's not going to recover anytime soon.)

So he steps in. For a moment, he considers using Thaumaturgy for old time's sake, but there's too much yelling as it is, and being in command - or just in charge of a group of lovable weirdos - for any amount of time means you learn in a hurry how to make your voice carry without screaming. "Like the deserts miss the rain, Theater Kid," he says, loud enough to be heard and almost too flippant for the situation at hand, but goddamn at least it's better than we're meeting now for the very first time!

"Also, we have a proposition for you. Pretty sure you still hate the shapes that took Diagad from you, so how about a little revenge on those assholes?" A beat. "Or a little altruism for the universe at large, if you'd rather look at it like that."

[ Thanatos (and Mort) set up the charges as instructed, thankful he spent so much time practicing with the suit. He hates how isolating it feels. It's not the same as being alone. It's closer to being locked away. However, Mort scampering around in his helmet helps keep Thanatos's mind from going elsewhere. The Void is dangerous enough, and he depends on his bonds to keep him grounded, both to others and to his role back home. He has an extra layer of protection... or so he tells himself.

Upon getting some kind of prompt, Thanatos closes his eyes and reaches out. He grits his teeth as the first connection turns into a flood of energy. He's had his senses attacked from multiple, overwhelm angles before. This. Is. Nothing. New. ]

Blood... and... darkness...

[ It's still a lot. ]

Jonouchi...

[Ryou glances at his friend as he realizes that they made it to the past, aware that just telling the former voidtreckers not to go through witb their plan probably won't be enough to stop them from doing this.]

Sorry about this. He's right though, you shouldn't do this. You'll only create a time paradox and erase your world from existence.

[That sure is a big claim!]

"It ain't gonna work. Simple as that."

Because he can't blame them. He'd risk the whole of the universe to save the people he loves. Even now he's not here because he cares all that much about everyone. He's just got a few people to look out for.

"And if you're armed, don't point 'em at us. Your train rigged us up with these SCAs and it'd be real complicated to have to wake up in a trunk right now. Just hear us out."

As he's saying it, he's holding it up and flashing it and hoping that they don't do something stupid at the whole 'no time to explain' bullshit happening to 'em.

Kairi currently was one of those who was keeping back and keeping an eye out. But at least she had at least one thing to say.

"And if I did say I missed you? But I have to ask have you been good since we last saw each other?"

Yes it wasn't getting to the point, but she had noticed at least that someone else had already said something about it and didn't feel the need to add more. So instead she was just going with a tiny bit playful.

"But as a couple of the folks here mentioned we may be needing your help. SO please listen to them, okay?"

"We understand what you are trying to do, but... they are right."

Yugi at least could understand that much at least. That want to help or save people. Yugi wondered if he had been in this situation himself would he have done it?

"Sorry that you have to hear it."

It is long, and yet Kiyoiri doesn't feel that it drags somehow. There is a certain energy and anticipation that carries each step- like any good movie, show, story, the journey there does not slog and plod along.

It simply moves.

Who knows, how long it has been since she made her offering and shared her stories to Chaos. But when the opportunity rises to come and speak at last, she practically 'hops' from where she was, to where she stands now- joined by the form Takechirou has chosen for the trek.

(The first hero for any child, for all children- 'Nursery Rhyme'.)

Kiyoiri lands- and gives a small curtsey. While unintended, her mystic code armor looks very much like a ballroom knight and princess all in one, which perhaps matches with the theme of such a stage. The girl takes in the sights, and then looks forward and smiles.

"....I did," she begins, but her smile is sad. "...I wish, that a visit was all we could have come for. I was honest, when I brought my gift- I didn't expect to see you again in this way.... ...And now, like changing tides, even if some old friends come, there are new friends here with me as well."

The smile is perhaps a bit amused as she says that- for after all, a few others in such a category have already shouted- and LOUDLY. But...ah. The others are more to the point.

The smile is sad indeed. "....They say the truth. ....We found the things that took Diagad- the things that will, and are, taking others in the same way. ....We need your help."

But perhaps more than that, it is Chaos' right to have a say in what happens to those things, as well.

Jake honestly has very little context for what's going on here. He'd picked up his gun, tried to stick to smaller fights, and joined in the noisemaking on the way here (with perhaps an encore performance of the Bird Song) but. Here they were. Arguing with something big and ominous.

He's quiet as he listens to the others' appeals, nodding along.

"Yeah. We don't know what's going to happen if we attack the big ol' mean purple world eaters, but we've gotta try something. And you look big and beefy enough to take 'em on!"

...flattery works, right?

[Despite all the training, piloting the suit still proved to be a challenge.

But he'd made it somehow! He'd managed to help! And so he's proud of himself for that much. So when it comes time to make a connection, he does his best to focus. The energy flows, and...

Nearby, someone says Blood and darkness, and Daia's focus is broken as he turns to Thanatos and blinks, a bit wide-eyed.]

W...what?

[Look, he's not against blood. He's a vampire. But he has no idea what's going on. So.... clarification, please?]

"I mean, unless you're not feeling...chaotic enough anymore. It's no problem if you aren't, it happens to lots of guys, but we were hoping..."

Cassie crosses her arms and shoots a sharp, narrow smirk in its direction.

YOU ARE ALL SO SMALL, HOW SHOULD I KNOW WHICH ONES I HAVE MET BEFORE. SOME OF YOU YES YES. THANK YOU FOR THE GIFTS. The colours shift and twist on the stage, almost seeming to turn to each one as they spoke or yelled or smirked in their direction.

SO THE BIG STRONG HEROES NEED MY HELP? AFTER LEAVING ME HERE. ALONE! ALAS ALONE ON THIS WORLD BUT SUCH BEAUTY I CREATED. DO YOU LIKE IT? DO YOU LOVE WHAT I'VE DONE WITH THE PLACE.

Laughter ripples through the lightning.

BUT WHAT WHAT OF THESE SHAPES. FIENDS! DESTROYERS. THEY TOOK EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING. YOU NEED HELP. OH HEROES. WELL.

WELL.

Edited 2022-09-27 04:38 (UTC)

There are weapons pointed at them, every person in a red hoodie in the room is on their feet and the weapons are pointed before Yondu even tells them not to. There is hesitation though, as they take in the uniforms, the SCA's.

Vian and Xela seem to be in shock as the words tumble out. Don't do it? As if these strangers knew their plan. Time paradox? Erase their world?

"Our world is already gone." It is Kiel who growls at them, stepping forward. Vian reaches out to stop him, physically shaking herself as she gets it together.

"I am Vian Tail, acting captain of the Voidtrecker Express. You have three minutes to explain who you are and how you got on our voidcraft."

She looks almost surprised at her own words. She's not the only one.

“Nozomi Yumehara, Cure Dream. Member of the Voidtrecker Express.” She spoke up. “The others will explain who they are, hopefully, but you’re making a big mistake.”

“What you’re planning? Is going to be worse. There’s another train coming. Another you. It’s gonna cause a time paradox that’s going to not only destroy you, but this universe.”

[Ryou slowly nods, his hands up at the sight of weapons being pointed at the group.]

My name's Ryou Bakura. We're from a future version of the Voidtrecker Express.

[Deep breath, trying to find the words.]

The paradox completely erased all trace of your system from existence. Aside from the train, it's like it never existed at all.

Chaos isn't exactly happy to see them, and honestly, Wash can't blame him. He was never particularly to see his jailers either, and solitary fucking sucked. And here they are asking for his help...

Well, it's not like they have another plan. It's this or nothing. "Love it," he says lightly, because if Chaos is going to make jokes then fuck it, why not. "Let me call Home and Garden and set up a tour."

He gives that a few moments to settle, and shrugs. "Yeah, turns out you have a very specific set of skills, and we think you could help. You brought a whole bunch of people here from all over, and you kept us here in your new Diagad. You want revenge? Do the same thing to the shapes." Another beat. Another moment or two for the proposal to sink in. "They took everything from you, so do the same to them. Take their freedom. You can build a new Diagad and use them to populate it, or you can just keep them in a fucking box and let them rot. Either way, you get the last laugh."

Katsuya nods- and his expression goes grim. There's no bringing humor into this anymore, and he almost looks out of breath as he speaks- like he's trying to get as much out as possible with the time they have. "Us? We worked w' yer ministry, after gettin' 'm to even realize this train was real. What yer abou' t' do? It doesn't just fail t' bring it back. Y' erase it. The train? No one knows it exists. Yer planet? No one knows it exists. Anyone who survived tha' lived there? No one knows they exist. An' if that ain't enough?"

He looks across the group, swallowing. "We didn't even agree t' get on that train to begin with. That's how far y' pushed this thing," he emphasizes. "Train couldn't even get help from anythin' that knew what the void WAS. Had to pull all of us in instead, all at random, no warnin', and then let us figure out the rest."

[Yondu ends up looking around for something plantlike. Not that he plans to do anything unnecessary or violent- it's his protective nature and that these kids are doing their best to explain their place. So he's trying to be helpfully protective.]

We're all Voidtreckers that happened after you. This don't work. You're not stoppin' it this way. You're not savin' it. Your minimal chance is a bad gamble. Even Osiga's dead now. I'm not tellin' ya to do nothin'. Just, y'know... somethin' that ain't this.

[But he's gotta ask.]

Is there some emergency contingency that if somethin' happens to y'all this train starts snatchin' people from Void inactive places?

Kiyoiri just beams. Radiate optimism and it'll probably come back. It fades again though- she doesn't doubt their loneliness. Ahh, but she should acknowledge Chaos' question, shouldn't she? Does she like it? Of course. "...It was very fun to make our way here," she answers honestly. "...Thank you for that chance."

And now...the rest. "We couldn't stay- that was why we said our goodbyes. We promised to meet again as time allowed, and not to hold the other back."

A swallow- the girl nods. "...They took everything. They want to take more. We need help- but this is your right too. To choose to help, to choose what to do to them. What they took, they decided wasn't enough- they have already ruined many others, some beyond more than memory."

Yugi listened to what the others said first because for him he didn't have much to say beyond what the others were already saying. But he at least admitted to himself that what if there could be another way. He would like to think that but wouldn't say it out loud.

He wanted to wait to see what was said next before speaking again.

Fighting Headstrong in our Final Hour: Ongoing

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ORANGE and RED

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Thanatos | Red

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Daia | Red

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