002: Nightmares...

[notmutantbutmiracle]

Who: Wanda Maximoff and others
Broadcast: Yes - Fleetwide (with additional filtered, private messages)
Action: SS Starstruck and Dust Planet
When: Over the past two weeks

[Week One After Nebula Incident]

[After the whole attack and nebula misadventure, Wanda began noticing a few strange occurrences. There were the obvious, random technology and lighting malfunctions on the Starstruck, but those did not take too long to fix and restore to relative normalcy. It was more personal oddities that were beginning to concern her. The first of which was the near constant headache that started to arise not too long after the ship passed through the nebula. At first, it had been nothing more than a dull, but still noticeable ache; however, it seemed to be slowly growing with intensity, and, while it would originally come and go, it also seemed to be becoming more constant. The periods in-between decreasing with each new wave of pain.]

[And then, there were the nightmares... She'd only had three so far, but they were the most troubling. They each started the same, but they were increasing in duration and in detail. She decided to keep the specifics to herself for now, but she had to know how others in the fleet were fairing and perhaps if anyone was experiencing something similar.]

[When the video feed clicks on, Wanda clearly looks somewhat disheveled. The nights of restless sleep brought on by the nightmares had clearly taken their toll on her. She looked tired, frustrated, and also a little bit scared. She does her best to appear calm, however, and speak in a level tone as she addresses the fleet.]

This is Wanda Maximoff on the SS Starstruck.

Has anyone in the fleet been having any headaches after our trip through the nebula? Or perhaps some kind of nightmares? If so, how long have they been lasting for you? If anyone has any advice on how to... numb these effects, please let me know.

[Week Two]

[She had hoped it would all pass: the headaches and the nightmares, though now she wasn't so sure these were mere nightmares she was having. Unfortunately, they only seemed to be getting worse and worse with each passing day. What had started as periodic waves of dull annoyance, had now become full migraines that left her almost reeling for a minutes at a time. Nothing she had done in attempt to quell the pain had lasted for very long, if it even worked at all. In addition, the "nightmares" were becoming much more frequent. It seemed like almost every time she closed her eyes now, she fell into them. What was worse was that they were affecting her surroundings as she slept.]

[Wanda's friends and shipmates will likely have noticed that they have not heard or seen much of her over the week. It seemed like she was trying to distance herself more and more from those around her. Anyone who does see her will be able to tell that she is not looking well. The effects of her lack of restful sleep are apparent in her face and her posture. She looks tired, and even more apparent... she looks scared. Thus, anyone who attempts to engage her will find her to be rather evasive, trying to wrap up their talk as quickly as possible for heading off somewhere. In fact, her shipmates may have noticed her entering rooms on occasion, only to flee when she notices someone else in the room with her. Any visitors to her sleeping quarters will see damage to the walls, ceiling and various fixtures. Items Wanda has collected from previous planetary visits are strewn about on the floor, and some are heavily damaged. It's also likely that Wanda's shipmates will have heard some screaming and banging coming from her room or the cargo hold.]

[The past three days...]

[If Wanda's communication with her friends and her presence on the ship had been dwindling the previous week, it was now completely gone. Anyone who cares to look for her on the Starstruck will not find her. Digging a little deeper, one would be able to find that one of the Starstruck's shuttle logs details a trip in which the shuttle departed for the nearby planet, only to quickly return to the ship on auto-pilot.]

[Wanda's friends and shipmates will find a short, text message from her on their communicators. It reads:]

Do not come looking for me.

[Those who do venture planet-side looking for her in town will not find her there. However, the townspeople have begun talk of strange, supernatural occurrences up in nearby desert mesas. It seems that those journey by have heard what sounds like screams or wails coming from them. Anyone who has tried to investigate has been attacked by red, etheric swirls of light, knocking travelers off their feet or transportation. No serious injury has been done to anyone yet, but it's clear that it's scaring the townspeople.]

Comments

Week One

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Open to anyone who wants to contact Wanda over the Network or in-person action aboard the Starstruck.]

[ video ]

[timelapsed]

I'm pretty sure after... all of that.... nightmares are probably going to be pretty common. We were almost vaporized by an unknown enemy fleet, then left stranded in space without power. That kind of shit's scary, it could mess with anybody.

[ She's got nothin' for the headaches, though. ]

Re: [ video ]

[notmutantbutmiracle]

So you've been having them too then?

[Wanda looks a little relieved at the prospect that other fleet members seem to have been affected similarly.]

[ video ]

[timelapsed]

Yeah, here and there. All that chaos in the attack was one of the most intense moments of my life, and drifting through that nebula afterwards, with no engine or lights or anything, I wasn't sure if we'd make it out all right.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda nods her head. She'd been in combat before, fighting off an army of Ultron bodies with the Avengers. However, it was a completely different experience when you are confined to a ship. Makes everything more nerve-racking.]

It seems all the ships managed to make it through more or less. It makes me wonder what our enemy's real objective was. If they had wanted to destroy the fleet, why did they not follow us through the nebula to make sure the job was done?

Week Two

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Private Messages via Network to Wanda or in-person action aboard the Starstruck.]

[lord_wizard]

[It took him longer than it probably should have to notice. It was a little like the Starstruck was suddenly haunted, and Wanda was their personal poltergeist. At first it's easy to miss amid his own troubles - the faint ache at the base of his skull and the sleeplessness that has less to do with trouble sleep but an abundant amount of energy. He isn't on board the ship much, or distracted by his own thoughts when he is.

It's hard, however, to not notice the screaming.

Felix isn't a generally confrontation personal when it came to the wounds of others, but after another nightly disturbance, he manages to corner her somewhere on the ship.

Something was wrong, and he was determined to find out what.]

You've been scarce lately.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda doesn't look Felix directly in the eye. She looks irritated, sounds like it to, but, at the same time, she tries to be somewhat cordial.]

Keeping tabs on me now are you?

[lord_wizard]

[That kind of tone of voice rolls right off his back, considering all his years at court. It wouldn't be the first time he's offended someone not realized it until later, although their contact has been minimal since the attack.]

I wouldn't call having a modicum of awareness for the comings and goings of the people I live with 'keeping tabs'. Just an observation.

[cpt_ressentiment]

[ Yosuke's own glitches seemed to play on his energy - he would have periods of hyper energy, unable to sit still and itching to get up and do anything at all; and he would have periods of not only lower energy, but... just plain passing out. On the spot. Man, talk about embarrassing...! But he couldn't make heads or tails of it, no matter how annoying it was, so while he could, he ignored it. Besides, he's more worried about everyone else...

He's seen Wanda, and she looks more than a little bit worse for wear, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better for her. It bothers him. But she really seems to not want to talk about it, so he leaves her alone - though he makes sure to throw in something about how he's totally here for her if she needs anything. He'd thought that, hopefully, things would turn around for her. Eventually.

He was not expecting screaming and banging.

It's late (he thinks, hard to tell in space sometimes), and he's too wired to sleep, and the noise prompts him to dart out of his room to find hers. He doesn't care that he's in pajama pants and a Tshirt, he cares only that there's weird noises going on, and they're coming from Wanda's room. His friend's room. He doesn't hesitate - too worried for that. He knocks. ]

H-Hey, Wanda! What's going on? ... Is everything okay?

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[There's no intelligent response. Not at first. Instead, comes the sound of something being slowly wrenched apart, followed quickly by the sound of fabric tearing. There's also a soft, low moan. The sound of someone in pain.]

[cpt_ressentiment]

[ That's... not good. ]

Wanda... [ One last moment of hesitation, and then: ] I'm coming in!

[ And he opens the door - just a bit, at first, enough to poke his head in and look inside. ]

Past Three Days

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Open to any of Wanda's friends looking for her on the dust planet, or to anyone investigating the ghost rumors spreading in town.]

Searching on the planet:

[tothefly]

[Natasha may not know all that much about Wanda, but she knows that the woman's behavior over the last couple weeks has been anything but normal. Typos in text messages growing more prevalent, erratic conversations, the occasional way in a video or in person she'll catch the young woman clutching at a temple...something's wrong. Something really bad. And after the events of August, she's especially worried when she sees the text from Wanda on her comm.]

[So here she is, on the mesas, with camping gear and a pack just in case. She's heard the stories back in town, came armed just in case, but she's beginning to form a theory about these occurrences. A theory she hopes she's wrong about, as she rides out, searching.]

Mesas

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[During the day, there is no sign of the so-called "red spirits" supposedly haunting the mesas. There is also nothing that sounds like a scream or a cry to be heard either. If Wanda is here, she seems to have done a decent job of covering her tracks of any noticeable markers. A life on the streets with her brother, she's clearly picked up on a thing or two when it comes to finding places to tuck herself away in.]

[However, when night falls, that's when things go awry. The first noticeable detail is the sound of a scream, something sounding like a mix of pain and terror. A swirling cascade of crimson light flows through the various holes, cracks, and caverns of the landscape. As the light passes over some bits of rock formation, fragments may even break of. Some shards go flying in odd directions, while others crumble in midair as if being ground into dust by a large, invisible hand.]

Mesas

[tothefly]

[A day of searching brings Natasha no closer to finding anything out here. Still, something in her--experience, instinct, whatever it is in her core whispering--tells her that she should stay. Maybe she can learn something from whatever's happening out here. Maybe she'll die horrifically, another part suggests, but curiosity is enough to overcome it.

Both parts are, perhaps, rewarded when a scream wakes her from a light doze. Leaving her hobbled horse and pack, taking her weapons, Natasha takes off at a quiet run towards the sounds of rock shattering, the faint red light on the horizon. She doesn't make a sound, not yet, just moves as quickly and quietly as she can, creeping towards the commotion and straining to catch a glimpse of the source without getting crushed.]

text;

[unbearablynaive]

[Knowing the people he does, that's an open invitation to come looking for her. Still.]

I will respect your privacy, if that is what you wish. However, should you need or want anything, simply name the time and place.

Text

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda's response is a little erratic, looking like she was having trouble hitting the keys to type out her message.]

Vjsiom? I- I m sprry. My pwers, myhead itsll hrts. I dpnt knw wgat tp do.

Text

[unbearablynaive]

[Ah, suddenly her message clears up for him - she doesn't want to put anyone else in danger.]

I'm sorry to hear that. I may be able to help. Do you feel that the power level is the same but your control is less stable, or that the power level itself is fluctuating?

Searching the land!

[heresyandlace]

[there is a man out in the desert today, following rumor and spreading fear. because--as one who has been the source of many a ghost story himself over the years--he has his suspicions about their source in this case. he has a hunch that these myths have a face, and that this face is trying to hide.

so, naturally, he's trying to find it. besides... distance from the ships and crowds might do his own headaches and nightmares some good. he isn't dressed for the climate, he brings no supplies, and he doesn't carry a weapon. all he's got is immortal confidence, and an overabundance of curiosity.

and he keeps his senses open--all of them. he searches far and wide for hot-spots of high energy, and he lets his own aura bleed out as well. he is sure that sooner or later, one anomaly will eventually detect the other. he'll just have to be patient.]

Re: Searching the land!

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[During the day, it is unlikely that he will be able to detect or notice anything peculiar about the landscape surrounding the nearby mesas. Just as the townspeople liked to say in their stories, the specters or spirits or whatever was in the hills only appear at night. However, a close examination of some pathways may show a certain type of boot print that frankly wouldn't be coming from any sort of shoe that locals of the planet would be wearing. Unfortunately, after a certain point, the boot tracks end. The owner clearly has taken precautions to try and hide any sort of physical clue as to their location. A childhood on the streets has taught her some tricks on how to conceal one's presence.]

[Sure enough, when night falls strange events begin to occur. First, the sound of low moan or wail is carried on the wind. Then a shriek! A sound of terror and pain. Then the softly luminescent tendrils of crimson energy begin to stretch their way through the various rock formations. It is hard to determine their origin point, but they clearly are coming from somewhere central within the mesa's geography. They do not seem aggressive at first, but, as another scream pierces the quiet of the night, the tendrils become static before lash out widely. They tear at the surrounding environment, knocking rocks free and even ripping some plant-life out of the ground. Boulders are lifted off the ground, only to be broken into pieces as if crushed in a great fist.]

sorry for the delay, gosh

[heresyandlace]

[it's only once he really sees the destruction firsthand that he summons up any caution at all--and when he does, it's a pretty swift change. he goes from wandering heedlessly into the desert toward certain danger, to padding along with more attention, keeping his senses keen as he begins to circle toward the center of the mesa instead of marching straight toward its heart.

and he doesn't call out or announce his presence in any way, just yet. for now, he's still observing.]

searching the land.

[redactions]

[ Wanda's message reaches him just as he observes a group of townspeople discussing what they should do about something quick and red that's been hurting them. Seeing things, they say. Awful things. But no one is dead (yet), and everyone seems fine, if shaken. ]

[ This is how it always starts, and the idea that Wanda's missing and uncommunicative when this is going on pulls him in its direction. He was going, anyway, he only ever needed a here there be monsters to be drawn to it. Birds of a feather. ]

[ None of the townspeople will lend him an animal, so he's taken supplies and walked out to the part where no one's going to, and everyone is trying to leave. ]

Re: searching the land.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[During the day, it's unlikely that Jim will notice any obvious clues as to the direction that Wanda set off in, or where she might be located exactly. However, an observant eyes might notice some small clues that provide a vague trail that she probably wandered in. In some cases, Wanda has clearly tried to cover her tracks, and done a fairly good job at it. However, someone with Jim's training might have an easier time of picking up on the bits of evidence that she left behind in her wake.]

[At night, that's when the strange, spectral occurrences the townspeople have been talking about begin. First, the quiet of the night is broken by the sound of a low moan or wail carried across the wind. Then a shriek, a cacophonous eruption of both pain and terror, echos throughout the mesa. That's when the ethereal tendrils of scarlet red energy begin to appear. They worm their way throughout the mesa's landscape, not completely enveloping the geography but certainly spreading rapidly. When another shriek splinters the night air, the tendrils begin to lash out. They break rubble free from the rock faces, carving out chunks of boulder and grounding them into fine powder in mid air. Various plant-life is ripped from the ground and torn apart. When they spectral red lights settle, a new scream sets them off again.]

[redactions]

[ It's a vague trail, distorted, and deliberately chaotic. Jim waits until nightfall, content to chip carefully at his rations and water bottle: he'll have to make the trek back to the town to refuel, and already it's getting annoying keeping his body temperature lower by staying in the shade. He's lucky his arm's not overheating. ]

[ It's not so vague anymore when night falls. The scream shakes the ground and he's sure it could break apart the sky: there's red everywhere, like angry fingers across a chalkboard, and he grits his teeth, draws his sidearm, and follows them along, dodging or smashing anything they throw at him. ]