driftfleet | +2 nerdchildren

Entry tags:

+2 nerdchildren

Who: Sorey & Mikleo / OPEN
Broadcast: Fleet-wide
Action: Marsiva
When: Now!!

[ACTION]

[It's probably not normal for a lack of something to be the first thing one notices upon waking up, but Mikleo opens his eyes to the realization that there's a serious lack of... weight on his chest, one he'd become resigned to feeling ever since leaving Elysia. Malevolence was everywhere in the world, and only his contract with Sorey and Lailah had kept him from growing sick because of it, or worse.

Here, though, he feels not even an ounce of it. Which immediately brings to mind the question- where...?

Once he's up and on his feet and staring out the nearest window - witnessing the state of the sky, what in the world - it takes him a while to shake off the shock. He feels like his head's been invaded- thoughts, understanding forced into it, making his head hurt. This is space. He doesn't know why he knows this, but he does. Space, a fleet of ships traveling the universe like a fleet of whales in the ocean, prisoners for entertainment...

What does it even mean?

Sorey. I need to find him. Forcing himself away from the glass, he wanders the hallways, drawn to his Shepherd like a lost sheep. He has to be here. This feeling is unmistakable.]

[BROADCAST: VIDEO]

-ink this is how it works? Where’s the part I talk into? Try the top corner, it's flashing. Do you know why? -well because it’s communicating, isn’t it? Don't look at me. Oh! No no, it’s working now. ...yup. Okay! Geez…

Wow, this is so cool! Can everybody really hear me? -oh man, we can make recordings with this! You know, instead of having to lug around parchment all the time? We absolutely have to bring this back home.

Like people need more reasons to fear the Shepherd.

-ah, right! Introductions! I’m Sorey. I’m supposed to be an Engineer? I’m not totally clear on everything involved in that, so please be patient with me! Um, and since it sounds like we’re all in the same boat- I mean, this might’ve been asked before but does anybody know who we can talk to if we really, really need to get back? It’s kind of an emergency. This seems like a kidnapping but we’re not in a cell or anything, so it’s not as bad as it could’ve been, I suppose.

But definitely! Any clarification on how to get back would be really, really helpful.

You should probably stop talking like you're with someone, Sorey. People will think you're more weird than you already are.

Sorry, you’re right. It’s just really hard to pretend you’re not here when you look right at me like that...

[ACTION PART 2]

[Sorey and Mikleo can be found exploring the Marsiva. To those who can see Mikleo (have a look at his permission post please!), they'll both be there, talking animatedly. To those who can't, feel free to call Sorey out on, you know, talking animatedly to himself.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

That's definitely my endorsed method.

... Well, if "seraphim" are constructed from mana, that might be it. I'm a mage, after all. I've been able to see the flow of mana, and things made from it, ever since I was small.

[She lifts a hand, and a small green-tinged whirlwind appears in it, before dissipating.]

If that's the case, I probably just can't see you over the video.

I... see? [ With that uncertain tone of voice, only sort of.

Rowen always praised her for being able to memorize and parrot information easily, but understanding it...? She's trying to process that entire sentence with more simpler terms that she understands. Negative emotions with a literal form doesn't sound like it would be anything good. Sounds like it would be some sort of monster.

Now she's frightened. ]

That does sound kind of scary.

Yeah, that's. A thing that happens when you get here. I've got it too - [He feels at a spot just a bit behind his left ear -] right here. That's your augment! When you woke up, did you just... know about some things that you didn't before? That's the augment working.

But oh, don't try to take it out. It, uh... Right now, it's kind of connected to you, so it... wouldn't be very pretty if you did that.

[Not that he's seen anyone do it, but he's preeeetty sure that'd be the end result.]

Right now? That would be the whole fleet. But I do manage a better job at keeping it to myself.

[That's... jarring. He's only ever seen wind seraphim do that.]

I'm not familiar with the word, but if it's "magic", then perhaps it's similar enough. Humans are incapable of using powers that could be described as magic without a seraph's aid.

Then, everyone...?

[Mikleo pauses in his communicator examination to feel around in behind his own ear. If what this man is saying is true, then--]

He's right. I've got one as well.

[His perpetually firm grasp on calm is starting to fail. He's never been- altered like this. You can't just force human technology onto a seraph. They'd have to have enough resonance to even see him, but the tech itself can simulate it, and if no one else saw the augment then it's somehow already infused with his body, and- ugh, he feels kind of sick.]

You have an invisible friend?! That's so cool!

[But then he clears his throat and composes himself.]

Um... Anyway, I'm sorry but I don't think there's anyone they let us talk to about that. But let me know if you find anything? I've got some important business to take care of back home, too!

In your world. In mine, everyone can do it except the merfolk.

[There's a boy with glowing eyes squinting at the communicator... He's interested, if his pointy ears standing straight are anything to go by.]

Your friend must be a very powerful mage to stay invisible this long. As much as I favor that approach myself, there is little benefit to hiding on the smaller ships, as you are expected to live there.

As for going home: we are given empty promises by Atroma-- our gracious kidnappers-- but as of yet, attempts at escape have borne no fruit. I've tried all the teleportation and portal magics at my disposal as well as simply piloting a shuttle to the limit. Nothing has worked.

[SEE, MIKLEO? geez]

Oh no, it's okay Elize! There's no malevolence here, I promise. And even if there were, Mikleo and I would purify it. That's what we do back home.

So maybe that is it! A lot more of your people can use what sounds like our seraphic artes, so they're used to that sort of thing. Maybe your people are just born with a certain level of resonance?

Wow, that's interesting. What's your cultural history like? Have you always been able to use elemental artes? Have you ever had any religions structured around people who were more or less adept at it?

Mm, yeah, that's probably for the best. [still working on that. still feel weird ignoring his friends when they're standing right there] Do you get a lot of grief over it? Are you just talking to yourself to sort out your thoughts, or are you actually talking to someone who can answer?

... Uh.

[okay, deep breath.]

In order: Everyone can use magic, but not everyone learns how, so it's not an everyone thing. Ignoring the cultural history question. I first learned magic when I was little, but not 'always'. Our religions tend to end with our people killing the gods, so no, magic was never really a part of it, and we haven't had a big religion in about five hundred years, to what I remember.

Wh-what? [Sorey turns and seems to be grabbing hold of the air when he looks behind Mikleo's ear.] It is there...how did that happen? It must've been while we were out. [Now that is unnerving. Sorey can handle people doing things to him, but putting stuff into Mikleo? While he's passed out? Which he shouldn't be anyway?

That's far, far less okay.]

Clay, do these things...do anything? Besides make us know things we haven't learned.

He's really cool! [Geez, even kids are here? Hopefully this little guy is doing all right.] And I'll definitely let you know. Maybe if we both keep asking, eventually someone will show up with an explanation, right? It couldn't hurt.

[whoa] ...ah, he uh, he doesn't do it on purpose or anything. It's- are your eyes glowing? How're you doing that? Is it a mage thing? [you said some important things but like your eyes are glowing and it looks neato]

[Sorey nods, blowing out a breath and resting his hands on his hips. It's true that they know very, very little but the only way to remedy that is to seek out answers. It's something he and Mikleo are thankfully very, very accustomed to.] Let's go look for Rose. She might be here too- and she might know where the others are.

Lugging around parchment? Can't say I've heard that in a while.

[He tilts his head, glancing at the spot where he thinks the other voice is--]

Is your friend invisible? They've got no reason to worry. You know, beyond the usual "welcome to reality TV" spiel.

You may be right.

[Mikleo has his doubts about finding the other seraphim that way- Rose is just his squire, it's unlikely that they would be with her instead of Sorey. Even so, looking for their companions is a sensible suggestion.

And then he does what he'd grown accustomed to doing since the pact was made- he dissolves his body into small particles of light and fuses it with Sorey's, residing within him. It's easier to travel this way when they're out in public, since Sorey can keep them safe from corruption, and he looks less like a mad man by not talking to the invisible people all the time. Mikleo's not always a fan of doing it, especially with more and more of the continent being purified and blessed, but he won't question it when the situation fits. Right now, it does.

Immediately, however, he can tell that something is... different. Like entering an enclosure that's too small to fit in- it's stifling.]

[...THIS... IS REALLY WEIRD...]

...R-right. Currently, there's no danger.

[...Killing the gods...]

That's quite a while. We've studied religions that have died and been revived over the centuries, but never for that span of time.

[It's sort of the trend of humanity back home- sooner or later, the people turn back to the seraphim.]

[She shrugs.]

When a god demands a couple centuries of war, people don't tend to jump at the chance to make a different one.

[It's weird to be the ignored one, too, albeit familiar. Actually, that's why this place is getting to be so weird.]

We really need to work on your subtlety, Sorey.

Optimistic as ever. I guess like calls to like.

[Well, there is something to be said about the innocence of children.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 3 of 14

+2 nerdchildren

no subject

no subject

voice;

video;

voice;

no subject

video;

[Video]

no subject

video;

voice;

no subject

voice;

no subject

video;

[Video]

video;

no subject

video;

no subject

voice;

no subject

no subject

voice;

[Video]