006 - Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives

[tabularasa_mods]

Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives New Imprints ▲ Comments The Ground Shakes
It begins unremarkably enough, with the light tremors of the ground so small they might easily go unnoticed, or else dismissed as the movement of some creature nearby. As time goes on, however, those little tremors begin to grow in both strength and duration, the length of time shortening between each one. To begin with only small, light, unsecured objects are rattled loose by the rumbling of the ground, but as the tremors grow in strength there is a growing danger of much larger things being moved.

The realm’s clear lack of understanding of how things work cannot be relied upon in such a situation. If the tremors have grown strong enough to throw all the books of Hammerhead to the ground and throw over all the clothes rails and capsule machines and furniture in the Academy, then what if they grow strong enough to move the heavy blanket of snow atop Mount Silver? What if they grow strong enough to damage the caverns within?

Then there is the question of how, or why, the realm has made the land shake. It must surely have picked up the idea of an earthquake from someone, right? An answer to the question is not immediately forthcoming, but should one stay low to the ground and listen, they might well hear the muffled, distorted sound of screaming.

Creature Chaos
As the rumbling and shaking continues, it is clear to see that the local wildlife has been disturbed, and they seem remarkably active. Critters can be seen running and flying to and fro, and any who go out to investigate may find themselves the center of attention. Brushboys may paint arrows on the ground in an effort to lead them somewhere, or bluurgobos might actively offer rides, or the flying cat-like creatures will excitedly circle someone before attempting to lead them somewhere. Going along with them will lead to one of two places:

1. The meaty, pulsating, cavernous tunnels of Mementos shudder and convulse in a way quite unlike before, and closer inspection will quickly reveal why. The flesh has been cut and torn, hacked apart, leaving gaping and bleeding wounds to spill over the subway tracks. Whichever critter has brought someone here excitedly gestures towards the wounds, and as it does a giant and painful shudder goes through the tunnels and shakes the earth. All those earthquakes… could this be the source?


2. The road to the Hammerlocke Citadel Ruins are as long as winding as ever, and precarious with the risk of an earthquake dislodging snow and rock from the mountainside. The animal that has taken the lead is on a mission, however, as unclear as that mission might be. On arriving, it turns its attention to a group of the spiky, bear-headed beasts that are lazing about as though the land is not currently shaking and quaking around them, and tries to draw their attention. Clearly, these bear heads are expected to do something, and they aren’t doing it.

First Words
Though the tremors have finally stopped, they have left a significant change to the World in their wake. Where the ground above was once flat and untouched, there now lay cracks and fissures that glow with a strange, but enchantingly warm light. There doesn’t seem to be a single area that has been left untouched by them - though the number of cracks are denser in some places than others, it’s difficult to find a place completely devoid of them. Could this be the world’s attempt at trying to heal itself?

If all of that wasn’t enough to warrant investigation, the sound of whispers that appear to be coming from they might do the trick. Upon closer inspection, however, it becomes apparent that the whispers aren’t coming from the lights, but from inside your own head. Focus a little more, and some of the voices may sound familiar…

back to top

Comments

viridi | kid icarus | ota

[forceofnature]

[a. why would anyone give her back telepathy?]

Hear me, gutless peons! Now that my vast and expansive repertoire of powers is slowly returning to my divine being, we're going to see some changes around here!

I hereby declare this world under the jurisdiction of the Forces of Nature! Today shall henceforth be known as Viridi Da --

What do you mean 'everyone got this'? What? That's not a thing; humans don't even have telepathy! You can't just give people telepathy willy-nilly; that's completely irresponsible. They're going to clog up my valuable mental head-space with their asinine mortal problems. ...You know. Like... 'oh no I'm going to die in under a hundred years and I'm grouchy about it' or 'does Sally really like me or does she just like my arbitrary piles of colored paper with numbers on them?' It's so banal they just prattle on and on and on and --

[who is she even talking to??]

[b. outside Mementos]

[Surrounded by a small crowd of bizarre native animals (and a flying chestnut), Viridi is peering into the flesh caves with distinct distaste.]

Oh, no. I'm not going back in that hole. ...I love all of you, but there's no way in h --

[She cuts off as she spots someone else.]

Oh good.

We all voted and decided; you should go in first.

B

[forwearemany]

(Legion already knows what awaits them below: soaked in blood from the wounds in the earth, they come bearing supplies to hopefully help in the "treatment" of this damage. Needle like objects, whatever they can use for thread, some form of glue. They have no idea what to do, but for now will treat the gashes as though one would treat any injury.

They pay Viridi no mind until she speaks, at which point they pause.)

Acknowledged. We will assist where you have failed.

(Throwing shade? Implying she is unfit to care for the nature of this world? What do you take them for? Of course they're doing that.

It is, in their eyes, the truth: she is an unfit god.)

[forceofnature]

[She rolls her eyes.]

OK, well, if you're breaking our extremely tenuous peace agreement first, I can be uncivil again, R2D2. Chew on that before you say anything you regret.

What exactly are you doing?

[The assorted animals chitter in mild concern.]

[forwearemany]

This units name is Legion.

(Even if she doesn't listen, they will still correct her.

They chatter.)

This world-Proteus-has been severely wounded. Attempting to treat this damage using methods for treating organics.

(Or in other words, stitching and gluing wounds together.)

[forceofnature]

I know what you call yourself. I use nicknames. It's a sign of affection.

[as somebody who exclusively uses derogatory nicknames for everyone except one person whenever possible to annoy people, this is an enormous lie]

That doesn't make any sense. A world isn't flesh and blood; these tunnels are a random transplant from somebody's nightmares or something.

The earthquakes will cause major terrain shifts, but that's a normal part of early world development. It's actually a good thing. It will create new land mass and relieve tectonic stress. ...Which is, you know, dumb because I'm pretty sure this place doesn't have tectonic plates yet, but whatever, it just picks things up without actually figuring out the mechanics.

[......................]

Unless...

Oh wow.

Did the Void see these tunnels and... decide to incorporate flesh into its body? Wow! Majorly bad decision!

[forwearemany]

We are aware of plate tectonics.

(They doubt the earthquakes are occurring for this reason.

Especially considering the wounds in the tunnels below.)

It was also screaming.

(Did no one else get close enough to the ground to hear that?

They have no idea if their efforts will do anything at all, but this world responds to their expectations. Perhaps performing actions that they expect to heal will assist it.


They turn to head into the tunnels.)

[forceofnature]

Definitely did not hear that.

[which makes sense, because Viridi rarely listens to anybody who isn't herself. she will tentatively follow, scooping up the winged chestnut and waving the other animals to 'come on'.]

This is a pretty pickle.

[The walls are... bleeding. Everywhere.]

You can't patch this all up yourself. ...I don't even know if sticking bandages on a flesh wall will do anything. You're sure you heard a voice? I wonder if this place is trying to develop a spirit of the land. In which case, you'd want to give it spiritual nourishment.

[Behind them, the animals are agitated again.]

[forwearemany]

Affirmative. Still, we will try.

(They were pretty sure they couldn't kill the History God either, but they did.

Just like Shepard-Commander proved the Geth wrong when she defeated Nazara. She betrayed them in the end, but the power of hope still shines in her example.

They thread the needle, and begin to work on stitching one of the larger wounds together. It's clear that while they know how this is supposed to work, they've never actually done it before.)

Request elaboration: how is spiritual nourishment provided?

(They will do both.)

B

[metachrosis]

[The plan was to do exactly that, together with his temporary cat-bird companion, but Espio - a twenty-something year old man with a chameleon tail and a horn in the middle of his forehead - still stops in his tracks and stares at Viridi when she addresses him.

Who the hell is she to tell him what to do? Yes, it was what he was going to do anyway, but even so!

...though it seems she’s likely just a random civilian in want of aid, so he shouldn’t get mad about it... after his initial bristling, he just sighs. Fine.]

Sure. Don’t know what you expect me to actually do in there. Pulsating meat tunnels aren’t my area of expertise.

[forceofnature]

Well.

The important thing is that you go in first so that if, say, this ends up being a pulsating meat tunnel that eats people, we'll know! ...Hypothetically. It's very unlikely.

[Viridi and her crowd of animals give Espio a thumbs-up from a safe distance. ...Actually, Viridi does. The animals just kind of try to push her forward.]

[metachrosis]

Don’t think the meat tunnel’s new here. We’d’ve heard if it ate people.

[Although... Espio flashes the brat a small grin.]

Or so you’d think. Maybe that’s where people go when they disappear? I’m sure there’s a few faces we don’t see anymore.

[forceofnature]

Oh, good. So you agree that you'll be checking it out first for the good of us all.

[Viridi is immune to weak attempts to annoy her, largely due to the fact that she is so very annoying already.]

You never know what happens to these places when new things come and fuse with them.

a

[begetblue]

[ All of that was telling Turing was that the vibe of the Leyline network would be different than the machine network they were used to. ]

Right now, I believe you are the one who is prattling on and on.

[forceofnature]

-- and so I said, you can't make a cake without cracking some eggs! Do you know, she was so mad that she went and pulled up all of my chrysanthemums. But joke's on her, I was rotating my gardens, anyway, so she just aerated my soil for me.

[...]

Wait, was someone else talking?

[begetblue]

I was! [ Now, it would not at all be unreasonable for someone to think Turing might be annoyed at being ignored. (It wasn't necessarily untrue, either.) Despite that... ]

How could they ruin the chrysanthemums like that? Even if the garden was being rotated or the soil did need aeration, the flowers didn't deserve to be uprooted in such a way!

[ Pulling up flowers? Especially out of anger? This would not stand. ]

[forceofnature]

I know!

I mean, if you're going to be mad at me, be mad at me! Destroying my gardens is just petty and destructive. Totally uncalled for. That's why I stole all her moisturizer the next time I saw her.

...Hm.

Maybe that's why Pandora and I still fight 5000 years later.

[begetblue]

That seems extremely likely if it's a general trend of behaviour between you two.

[ They were very sure they hadn't misheard that part about 5000 years. (That was one notable perk about having perfect recall.) Therefore, they asked the only question that seemed reasonable: ]

Is "5000 years" meant to be hyperbole?

[forceofnature]

It's her fault! She's just jealous of my dewy and supple skin. It's cause she doesn't have any.

[well that's alarming]

And not really. I might be a few millennia off. I don't know; I try not to think about her too often.

[begetblue]

[ Well, Turing didn't have skin either, so that didn't bother them too much. What stuck in their mind more, however, was that Pandora had no skin but had moisturizer anyway. What Viridi said next easily trumped that curiosity, though. ]

A few millennia?! [ A pause. ] You really meant it when you said you were a divine being...?

a

[bluecastleace]

What is “arbitrary piles of colored paper with numbers on them” even referring to?

[Hello.]

[forceofnature]

Money! The root of all evil! The source of corruption and the seed of mankind's self-destruction!

Repent of your capitalistic ways!

...Who is this, by the way?

[bluecastleace]

[Hm. He pitches his voice down a little, attempting to disguise it, but not too much - that would just give it away.]

Guess.

[forceofnature]

Hm.

It's not Kaiba, because money is all he ever thinks about, anyway. It's not the robot, because all it ever says is one word passive-aggressive responses. That leaves that one guy I beat at pinball and then some of those folks I talked to at the party.

[this is clearly bait]

[bluecastleace]

[It is clearly bait, and yet Iwaizumi’s pride cannot resist taking it.]

I was having an off day.

[forceofnature]

Are you sure it's not just that I'm a natural pinball genius? I think it's just that I'm a natural pinball genius.

Or, you know, genius in general.