[OPEN] Well. That Didn't Go Quite As Planned

[moneytwin]

Who: EVERYONE
Where: The Temple of Beginnings
When: Immediately After The End.
Rating: PG-13, may vary by thread
What: You fall, you pick yourself back up and you move on. Or at least, you try.


Fished Out Of Water
One minute, you are witnessing the fabric of an entire world implode as it is literally ripped apart by powers unknown. The next, that tell-tale twist somewhere beneath your sternum, before you are bodily YANKED away from Akvos, away from the ocean and the Queen and the King and the Princess.

And land back on (mostly) solid, dry ground.

Welcome back to the Temple of Beginnings. Don't worry, there's no hurry for you to get back up just yet.


Hey, Howya Doin'?
Once you do get back up, now is the time to be taking stock of the situation - yours, your friends, and even those new merfolk neighbours (who may need a hand getting their fins back into the water). There is also the missing members of the Circle to consider: people who disappeared on the journey to Akvos, and those who never made it back..

(There's also that small matter with a certain 'witchess-san' that may be a cause for concern to some more than others.)

Whatever the case, it's a lot to process right now. Take the time you have, because you don't know if it'll be enough for what you need.

---

[[ OOC: Here's an open post for threads reacting to the end of the Akvos world hop. Feel free to use the above prompts, and/or make your own! ]]

Comments

B - network

[infailtration]

I'm here, I made it. I haven't seen Wash for awhile but with how he's been avoiding us that doesn't necessarily mean much. Has anyone else seen him?

And are you okay?

[brodakota]

Good. I was worried for a bit there. Anyone else I've talked to says they haven't heard from him, but Shiro's doing a sweep and he'll keep me posted.

But aside from coughing up about a lungful of water, I'm okay.

[infailtration]

Okay... if he's gone I hope he somehow got shuffled home and not just lost with Akvos. Is that a thing that can happen? I don't know whether to hope they're just displaced or......

I'm glad you're okay, North.

[brodakota]

I think so, or at least, based on what Shiro said, it sounds right.

[They can only hope at this point really.]

Same here, York. Thanks for responding.

[infailtration]

Better than the alternatives.

[ York is quiet for a moment, scrubbing at his face, trying not to think about it. He's not in a great place at the moment, and is still wet and there's the rattle of water in his lungs when he breathes, and... he just wants to feel safe, for a minute. ]

Yeah... I'm headed back to our room, I think, are you there?

[brodakota]

Yeah, I am. Kinda got to my bed and didn't leave.

[He's tired and waterlogged and quite content to not move for a bit.]

[infailtration]

I'll be there in a few minutes, then. Gonna grab us some food that isn't raw fish first.

[ He makes a soggy detour to the kitchens and scrounges up some decent sandwiches, too tired and disheartened to come up with anything more involved honestly... then heads back to the room he shares with North, phasing through the door since his hands are full with two sandwiches and two mugs of coffee. It all gets set down on North's nightstand, then he's going to change out of his soggy clothes and into something dry. It'll be nice to be dry again. ]

Don't wait for me if you're hungry, go ahead.

[ He's maybe a little less chatty than usual. ]

[brodakota]

Thank you. I don't think I want to look at fish again for a very long time.

[Give him something cooked please. But sandwiches will do in a pinch and he will gladly start eating.]

You doing okay?

[infailtration]

Yeah, I'm looking forward to something actually hot for dinner.

[ Bread is cooked! The meat in it is cooked! But he feels the same way, honestly. While North starts eating he peels off his soggy clothing and towels himself before dressing again. ]

...that's a loaded question. Not really, but who is after seeing a world destroyed? Not the kind of thing you get used to, apparently. I'm just glad we made it out before it... whatever happened to it. I'm not clear on that either.

[brodakota]

Mm.

[North replies, his attention more on the sandwich at the moment than anything else.]

Yeah, no kidding. I feel like they've been a little quiet on those details.

Not sure if I want to know though.

[infailtration]

We probably don't, but might need to. What if they got displaced to other worlds, like how some came along with us back to the Temple?

[ He threw his lot in with the Princess and some part of him still wants to do right by her. What if she's just lost somewhere? ]

I just want to know for sure if they're dead. Not the details or anything.

[brodakota]

If they did get displaced, hopefully they found a world that would help them.

[Given...merfolk and all that. But it's a nicer thought that just a complete wipe.]

Would it be worth asking Astoria, do you think?

[infailtration]

Yeah, I'd hope so. And a world that can, not some horrible desert planet or whatever.

[ He pulls on a fresh shirt and considers the question, finally shrugging. ]

It's worth a try but somehow I doubt she'd answer right now.

[brodakota]

Yeah. Have you ever tried?

Talking to her, I mean.

[infailtration]

Only when I first arrived, and I was pretty out of it. So no, I guess not. Have you? Is there anything you'd ask about besides Akvos?

[brodakota]

Not yet. I guess I've been kind of intimidated, and busy, with everything.

...

I guess I'd want to know, why me? It's not like I'm anyone special.

[infailtration]

Well that depends entirely on who she's asking about you.

[ The grin is small and fleeting but genuine, as York sits on his own bed. He doesn't reach for his own food yet, this feels important. ]

You could probably ask why about any of us. Because even the most powerful superhero you could think of wouldn't be like that here, so. She must see something else. Or maybe it's totally random... does it make a difference if we can't go home?

[brodakota]

I'd be hoping for a stellar reference, if that's the case.

[Considering York is his one confirmed companion here.]

But you make a good point. I'm kind of hoping it's a bit more than just random though. I mean, with all these worlds, there's gotta be a reason we can't.

[Not that there's much waiting for him otherwise.]

[infailtration]

Absolutely glowing. Everybody's important to someone and you're top of my list.

[ There it is again though -- the reminder that this might be it for both of them. York hesitates, then reaches for his sandwich. Food that isn't fish has suddenly lost a bit of its appeal. ]

Maybe there's something special about all of us that we just can't see or feel. Something in tune with this place, or one of the worlds lined up. Maybe we can make a difference here.

[ Maybe he just really needs to believe that, even if they failed this time. ]

We saved some of them, right? And the Circle's saved other worlds.

[brodakota]

[North just smiles at that. Honestly, what would he do without York?]

Yeah. By all accounts, this was maybe the first failure? Or at least why it hits so hard. But some were saved. And maybe we just need to try harder next time.

[It's a little hard to find that optimism, but he's trying. Even if it doesn't quite reach his expression.]

Eat your sandwich.