station72 | [hatch log] pull plug, enter multiverse

Entry tags:

[hatch log] pull plug, enter multiverse

CHARACTERS: All
WHERE: The Station + Concordia
WHEN: DAY :025 - :026
SUMMARY: Somewhere deep in Station 72, a hatch happens; new hosts arrive on Concordia.
WARNINGS: Will update as necessary.

YOU WAKE UP and in a very real sense you are born again. You’re not the same person you were the last time your eyes were open. You’ll never be that person again - well, except for you, Jessica Jones. You know how this part goes, don’t you?

You might not know it right away, though. What you do know is that you’re laying down in a place very different than you were before. The walls angle around you, claustrophobic, and they emit a gentle white light that’s faint enough not to hurt your freshly opened eyes. For a moment you feel fine even if you didn’t before you went under. Whatever injuries you might have had, whatever agony you may have been experiencing, whatever fear dogged your heels, they’re all gone. It’s quiet. When you’re conscious enough to take stock of anything beyond that, you realize that you’re wearing your own clothes and that there’s a faint pinch at the base of your skull - notable as the only discomfort you feel. Reach up, feel along the tube running from the base of your neck to the compartment’s back wall. It pulls free without much fuss.

Then it’s not so quiet anymore. There’s the sensation of something more, something louder, something both big and broad and something intimately near to you. There’s the realization that you aren’t alone, that you won’t ever be alone again. You belong here. This is as correct as the murmur of something like muffled voices in the back of your head is somehow familiar, or how the press of emotion that sweeps over you now doesn’t necessarily belong to you but doesn’t feel out of place either.

You can sit up - barely -, and shift out of the pod. There’s a ladder at your feet, and a little cubby just before it with anything you brought with you, as well as a set of crisp, loose-fitting white clothes; while your injuries are healed, whatever you’re wearing is in the exact state it was before. You can hear a sound in the back of your head, a faint buzzing, something like distant waves or the murmur of a party behind a door. Drop down the ladder to the floor of the Nesting Deck and you’ll find you’re not alone - and the those sounds in your head are louder. Other people’s thoughts swim up: some of them seem clear, most of them are a jumbled mess. Some of these people call to you - their voices are louder, their feelings more clear, they feel right. Further, there’s an awareness that there are others like you - not here, not close, but somewhere: an indelible tug at the back of your mind.

Welcome to Station 72. All new hosts will have one day aboard the Station before being whisked off to Concordia to join the others. Get to know the other new hosts, and ask the guardians of the Station - Prince and Cathaway -, any burning questions you might have. By the time the day has passed, Carata will arrive on the hangar to collect you.

MEANWHILE IN CONCORDIA Angel slips into a coma on :025 at almost at the exact same time that some Hosts become aware of missing pieces fitting into place. Those hosts with new brood members waking up on the station will feel somewhere more complete; you might want to let everyone know you’ll be getting new roommates soon.

Everyone might be putting themselves and their broods back together in the wake of the explosion that left the nest down one host and injected everyone with renewed motivation to either find the people responsible or make sure nothing like what happened at Royal Street ever happens again. Things are progressing on multiple fronts, but on DAY 26 there’s an option to put some of those efforts on the back burner...

     ON THE STATION, the new hosts are herded onto a sleek, black brick-shaped transport. Carata, a woman young enough to almost be called a girl, carefully makes sure everyone is seated and strapped in. She’s all gentle, easy smiles and cheerful responses to any questions posed to her. When everyone’s safely aboard, the ship’s landing platform descends through the floor of the hangar. It snaps into place in the airlock and for a moment there’s a beat of perfect stillness, a shiver of anticipation. Then the transport is flung through the shaft, ejected into the wild black of space. There’s a nauseating lurch in your belly as it bursts through the delicate shell of the multiverse and snaps into real space above the blue and yellow marble of the planet Opia. Somewhere, thousands of miles below in the city of Concordia, your brood is waiting for you.

     IN CONCORDIA
IN CONCORDIA, as dark falls, Nirad announces he’s going to fetch Carata and the new hosts from their landing. Anyone’s welcome to accompany him on the hour long drive to the stealth transport’s landing zone. The rented bus - manned by that same (now very stoic) android - takes everyone to the outskirts of the industrial block. They arrive at a different parking garage just as the stealth transport drops out of the sky, shivering into sight as it touches down. The hosts on the ship step down and then the stealth transport lifts back off the rooftop and wrinkles out of sight. It’s unclear how many more time they’ll be able to get away with this.

Get your meet and greets in and stretch your legs; you have a few minutes before everyone piles into the van and takes the long drive back to the Bearings Apartment block where the hosts have rented out the entirely of Level 13. New hosts will find there are rooms there that as of yet unclaimed, and they’re free to begin making this their home in whatever ways they please. Get familiar with your new comrades, explore the city, or maybe just take a well deserved breather. Officially speaking, nothing much happens until--

     EARLY ON DAY 27

A NEW WINDOW POPS UP IN YOUR EXTRANET PANEL...

((OOC Notes: This is the hatch log for all new and recently returning hosts; any threads on the Station should be closed to newly awakened hosts or Station-based NPCs; a top level for Cathaway and Prince will be going live shortly. Any threads on Concordia can be open to both new and old hosts! For anything happening beyond these calendar dates, feel free to create your own logs and posts.

If you have questions about the mission specifically, direct them to the most recent calendar post HERE. You can find a more detailed overview of the hatching process HERE; you might also want to take a glance at the MISSION CONCORDIA BRIEFING. For all other questions, please hit up either the FAQ or MOD CONTACT pages.))

NAVIGATION • SETTING • FAQ • MOD CONTACT • GLOSSARY

( CODE BY WHAMBAM )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ he'll be grabbing the tool that slipped from her hands. giorno eyes the ... mess ... that's on her table, not entirely sure what she's trying to do with it. ]

What are you doing?

[ giorno is still holding onto her tool, and if she tries to take it from him, she'll find that he's going to be annoying and make it difficult for her, because he can be a child. ]

[ Excuse you, Giorno, it is not a mess, it is a work space. Pidge glances up at him with a tight-lipped irritation of expression. She can feel his curiosity (and can feel that he's... right, somehow, that she's supposed to be close to him and that's just weird); despite that, she holds her hand out. ]

I'm trying to see if I can modify this projector so I can use it for something that's not gaming.

[ The irritation rolls off of her in waves. ]

Give me my screwdriver back!

[ She takes a swipe at it. ]

That's all very interesting, but don't you need some sort of permission?

[ before you break things is implied, he's not going to say it out loud but it's rolling out of him like waves of smugness. and speaking of smugness, swiping at him isn't making him feel like giving the screwdriver back, he just transfers it to his other hand deftly. ]

[ Oh god, it's like Lance, without any of Lance's redeeming qualities. ]

Why would I need permission? This is the recreation wing, isn't it?

[ Implied: that means I can do recreational things. Like take things apart. It helps her focus. Her irritation just blossoms into anger, in the meanwhile. She pushes to her feet and her not all that impressive height so she can glare. ]

Give it back!

Edited 2016-08-15 00:09 (UTC)

They may not have made it with this kind of recreation in mind.

- alright, alright. I'm sorry.

[ he's only slightly sorry. in fact the screwdriver disappears with a flick of his hand, because giorno giovanna is rather good at pickpocketing and hiding things that he takes - or, well. borrows.

he then presents pidge with two fists, tightly closed. ] I'll return it if you pick the right one.

[ hope you like playing games, pidgey. (spoilers: it's in neither, he's buying time for it to .... transform, but she still has to choose one.) ]

Edited 2016-08-15 00:15 (UTC)

[ Pidge does not, in fact, like playing games. Not these kind of games anyway. Not when she's already stressed out and irritated. ]

I'm not playing your stupid game.

[ She adjusts her glasses, still scowling. She's having a very hard time finding the humor in all of this, apparently. ]

It isn't yours to keep!

[ a tilt of the head. he had wanted to bring some levity to the situation, but since that's not working, the transformation stills - not that pidge would know - and the screwdriver comes from his sleeve, intact. ]

... no, it really isn't. [ and he means it, this time. he'll sit beside her, and behave. giogio you done fucked up.

he can still feel her irritation, though, and it's not like he's got anything else to do. there's only so many games and books to look at, and so much sightseeing to do, before giorno feels restless again. the two of them were there when he woke up; for some reason, that means they're connected. it shouldn't matter so much, but it does. ]

Can we start over? [ and his voice is gentler, this time. the smugness is gone, too. ]

[ Somehow, she can tell that he's trying to be more sincere. She takes the screwdriver back and tucks it into a pocket with another (albeit more muted) glare. Pidge takes a deep breath and settles back onto the ground, cross-legged and eyes Giorno. She's still not that happy, but she can make an effort. ]

I guess. We are stuck here together.

[ She starts trying to rearrange her work area with a shrug. ]

...I'm Pidge.

[ Not Katie. She can be Katie later. ]

Edited 2016-08-15 00:47 (UTC)

Giorno.

[ what can they talk about, in this situation. it occurs to giorno that he's way out of his league here. first of all, almost all of his friends are guys. trish isn't even in that category considering she was their mission, something to be transported from point a to point b. second of all, he's used to his friends stabbing each other or killing people, or making them do terrible shit for dares, especially amongst each other. third, all of them were criminals and to a certain degree, are comfortable in being as such, even if it's not what they wanted to be. only giorno can say that he himself wanted to be one.

she doesn't seem to be any of those things, just a girl who's incredibly frustrated about being away from home. and he can only relate to that sentiment in some level.

he allows himself to feel her unhappiness, if only because he wants to understand, to take things slowly. ]

What are your hobbies? [ that seems like a perfectly good way to start a conversation. and he's absolutely serious as he says it, too, as if he's going to file this in a paperwork somewhere for future reference. ] What do you like eating? What kind of music do you listen to?

We're gonna be together for a while. We should get to know each other, somehow. And not just with our link. [ it still feels weird to him, like everything in him is a dam somehow and if he's not careful he'll spill it out. ]

[ Pidge breathes out in a long, slow breath as she tries to get herself back under control. While chewing him out would probably feel good, it's probably not going to help her get anywhere. Not right now, anyway. Besides, she can almost hear him in her head and a part of her (a nagging, small part, at the back of her head) says she should get along with him. She hunches her shoulders as she keeps on cleaning up her workspace. ]

I read, I like to build things and take things apart. I like... inventing stuff, I guess. [ A pause. This is a bit easier then she thought it would be. ]

I like peanut butter and peanut butter cookies, but not actual peanuts. And at this point, I'll eat anything that's not green space goo.

[ Deep breath, Pidge. She glances up and eyeballs him. ]

This link thing is weird. [ Her tone is incredibly matter-of-fact. ]

I don't know what to think about it.

Peanut butter, and peanut butter cookies. I'll keep that in mind.

[ as for the link, giorno is uncomfortable with it, but it's not entirely unfamiliar to have it. he just shrugs. ]

I guess so. It's not uncommon from back in my world to have something that connects you to another person. [ stands are probably the most intimate expression of the self. ]

I'm happy that we can still be ourselves, despite everything else. I think denying us that would be cruel.

I had something like that I was - I am a paladin. The Green Lion's paladin.

[ She pauses, frowns, and scrubs at her face. He has no idea what that is, does he? ]

Long story. Sorry, that probably doesn't make any sense. It's just weird and I don't know what I'm supposed to do or how I'm supposed to fit! I already had a crew!

[ well, he doesn't, but he reads a lot and he'll tell her what he knows. ]

A paladin is a knight, right? Someone known for their heroism and chivalry. I think if you're a paladin, then you're someone a crew can lean on on hard times, regardless of whether you belong to it or not. Heroism and chivalry aren't necessarily confined to one group.

Then again, I'm not quite sure how it is with you. [ what is a green lion? that sounds like something from wizard of oz. ]

I also had a crew. Or, well, a group I just joined. [ a tilt of the head. ] They were already close to each other, so it was awkward to be there. It's more surprising to feel like I'm supposed to be part of something, here, rather than fighting to be recognized as a part of something.

[ this is a very condensed version of events, but it's the most that he can tell her. regardless of his standing in passione, he does care about them, so the sentiment is more or less the same for giorno. ]

I'm rambling. I'm sorry, Pidge. [ a slight smile. he gathers his knees underneath him, tucking his chin on them. ] You'll find that I do that a lot.

We're not... exactly like knights. Are we?

[ She has to think about that. Maybe they are. Were. She's not sure if her status as the Green Lion's paladin is present or past tense anymore and that bothers her. What bothers her even more is the idea that she's even farther away from finding her brother and father then she was a day or two ago. ]

We're also not exactly chivalrous. Except maybe Lance, when he wants to be...

[ Sigh. She actually misses Lance. ]

And - uh - don't worry about it. I know all about rambling. I tend to do it too!

[ She actually offers him a weak smile. See, they have something in common! ]

This is just overwhelming. Even for me. [ Or especially for her. She's not sure which. ]

You're not expected to have those virtues at the start. I think knights were supposed to grow into them, or something.

... well. That's how it is in most stories.

[ he smiles back at her. relieved, at least, that they're doing something other than play-fighting. ]

I feel the same. I miss everyone. [ there is a man he needs to kill. an empire that needs to be destroyed and rebuilt from the ground up. ] It feels wrong, somehow, to have the feeling replaced by others within this space.

But I imagine this is better than the alternative, which is being alone in the infinity of space. It's hard enough to get along with people on your own on a regular day, no?

[ There's a flash of anger, but it isn't directed at Giorno. Maybe it's more at herself or the situation she finds herself in. Her voice rises back into a snap. ]

At least if I was out in space, I'd still have a chance to find them!

[ It's not clear who 'they' are, but considering her emotional flux he can probably catch flashes of it - a boy who looks remarkably similar to her, an older man. Another group of teenagers in color-coded armor. A dark-skinned woman with pointed ears. ]

What am I supposed to do here? Just forget that they're still out there?

[ rather calmly, because giorno is used to people snapping at him, and at least he understands that this one isn't his fault - ]

Space is big. That's why I said 'infinity'. I admire your persistence, but there are certain things beyond our control. Who leaves and who stays, who you meet and who you miss .... in this part of the world, it isn't ours to decide.

There are plenty of things to do in remembering, in waiting. You are still yourself, after all. I'm not saying you should accept it, I'm saying that this, too, is an opportunity. If you never find the resolve to make it through here, then you won't be able to find that same resolve in order to protect them when that time comes.

[ he looks away. in exchange for the faces, pidge will see a place in her mind - venice, if she's seen it, though the image seems like it's been viewed from a lens. the sun is rising from the horizon, and yet it feels cold. the sensation of drowning is imminent .... and then it is gone, like someone had snapped the lid shut on some rather private memories, giorno filling the space with the time he'd woken up in the station instead. that feeling of dread, so familiar to both of them. it's a safer memory. ]

[ Pidge bristles. An opportunity? She'd finally been on track, she'd found a new crew - a surrogate family. She had a goal, a purpose, a clue as to where to start looking for her family and she's been torn away from all of it. And she should think of this as an opportunity?

She might reflect on it later. Right now she's an irritated, angry teenager. She doesn't yell again, but there's strain in her voice. The mysterious memory of... Venice? Lots of canals, that was Venice, right? That doesn't really help her mood. It tells her there's something going on, that he has something of his own in his past. Doesn't make her feel better. ]

I can't just wait. Who knows how long we're going to have to work for them? How long am I going to have to sit around while my friends and my family are just-?

[ She bites back her comments. She's stressing too much. This is why she came up here to take things apart. ]

Resolve doesn't have anything to do with it, OK?

But you'll have to. [ giorno says evenly. ] You must. We're here now; there's no changing this fact.

Otherwise, you're going to exhaust yourself being angry. And the thing that comes after anger isn't always the best thing to motivate yourself with.

Time and patience, and the resolution to bear through the wait - all of those things are part of waiting and achieving a goal, or a dream. You have to believe in this, because who else will?

[ giorno looks at the things that she was building, and looks onto them with a touch of concern. ]

Pidge. What makes you feel better? Let's do more of that. I'll help, if that's alright with you. Or just watch, that's alright too.

[ he can't leave her alone, not in this state; more than that, they're connected, they're part of the same brood. ]

I know that!

[ Her voice rises again, but the anger isn't directed. It's just... expressed. An outburst of frustration that she can't quite get a handle on yet. She pauses and takes a deep, slow breath to try and get her head on straight and then reaches up to adjust her glasses. ]

I know. [ Her voice is softer. ]

I just - I finally had an idea of what I was doing and what I had to do to get them back and now I'm... here.

[ She picks up the little holoprojector and starts going at it with the screwdriver again, patiently working at the battery casing. ]

I need to clear my head. That's all. [ It's surprisingly frank and open, but - well, thoughts are thoughts. She's trying to keep her own locked down, but they keep bleeding out. ]

You'll find it again. Even here.

[ equally gentle. he could argue and press the point, but he won't do it today. it's been stressful enough.

he stays beside her, though, quietly watching her fiddle with the projector again as he leans against the wall. he feels .... a bit tired. not with the conversation, it's never been a problem for giorno to talk and talk; but with keeping his thoughts clear, marking lines where his emotions are to bleed and where not to, which memories should come and which should stay hidden in the dark. it's exhausting to do it, he's not even sure how to even start with it at all. ]

We need teachers for this kind of thing, [ he murmurs. ] It's very distracting.

[ inconvenient. ]

[ Pidge can sense some of that. She's not really trying to pry into his head, but the bleed over is definitely real and definitely there. It doesn't help that she's dealing with some similar emotions and strain as she tries to keep her own thoughts on lockdown. Sounds easier than it is, when you've got a constant murmur at the back of your head and a weird sense of belonging that demands that you let your guard down. She doesn't talk for a few minutes, content to start disassembling the projector for her own nefarious purposes. ]

...yeah.

[ She agrees after a moment of silence. ]

I don't like having people in my head.

If you weren't born with it, I suppose it's odd. Not to mention intrusive.

[ he closes his eyes. ] The physical strain isn't ... terrible, but we've only been here for so long.

Somehow people live with it. That's the most impressive part of all of this.

[ it's not so different for him to never be alone. after all, Stands are always beside the person until their death. but Stands don't exactly talk, and hearing different murmurs at the back of his head is jarring. it's never gotten too overwhelming for him so far, but he can definitely hear his thoughts being drowned every now and then.

giorno wonders what will happen if someone gets injured badly, or if someone dies. they are all so tied together. but he figures he'll ask that to someone else, and not burden pidge with the idea. he has a morbid curiousity for such things, and now isn't the time to indulge. ]

[ A part of her doesn't want to think about it, but she's naturally inquisitive. If she's stuck with this, she's going to want to understand it eventually. She'll want to figure out how it works, why it works. If it helps her - if it helps all of them - survive, she'll find out as much as she can. She heaves a low sigh. ]

It just - I guess we're supposed to be sort of a hive mind. Like... ants or something.

[ She waves a hand, trying to figure out how to put it. Not that she totally understands it herself. ]

If we get closer, we'll become a better unit. I mean, I know how that's supposed to go, but this is kinda taking it to an extreme...

Ants have been in the planet longer than humans have.

[ just pointing that out. ]

But I do wonder about that, too. I have my own dreams and ambitions; everybody does. We are all waiting for the time we can go back home. We already know it's possible to travel between universes, it's only a matter of returning to the place we came from.

So long as we can travel in between worlds, we can always choose to be ourselves. But you have to choose between returning and having to deal with an enemy bigger than yourself ....

It's also a lot of work trying to maintain that kind of optimism. [ and here his normally confident aura falters. ]

Edited 2016-08-20 04:10 (UTC)

[hatch log] pull plug, enter multiverse

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