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the outer gate
"Open up, and let them in."
The Moira is no more.
With the damage done to the ship due to the timeslip, all that remains is a burning wreckage and parts to be taken—if the crew can find anything in the pieces. Recovery and headcounts are the main objective for the first several hours of being planetside, and once things have settled just enough, Captain Ira calls for a meeting and addresses those who are able in person to explain the situation. He draws a rough map of the area and explains where he believes they are - according to the terrain - and where they must go. For anyone who’s listening, he describes things like an “Outer Gate”, an “Inner Gate” and “gate sectors”. Believing this to be the best course of action, all crew are asked to explore and gather what they think they’ll need to make the long journey towards the central point of the Hub. Because the MIDs are no longer working due to the lack of a network, the Captains distribute a newer tech called the TAB. It serves the same functions as the MID but is lighter, slimmer, and has the ability to stick to any surface.
WELCOME TO THE MIDWAY HUB
Now that the smoke from the crash has cleared, and injured crew have been tended to, the Captains get everyone ready for departure by explaining what they know of the Hub. Almost stone-like, the creators built a domed workspace in the largest solid space on the planet they could find. Gates are the only way inside, and anyone who catches a glimpse of the compound will see that parts of the dome are cracked. Yet, everything still appears to be relatively intact. The Midway Hub’s terrain is very rocky and difficult to walk on at times. Below the surface is a honeycomb of intermittently dense and brittle stone that makes travel difficult due to the unpredictable nature of what lies beneath the crew’s feet. Those who can develop the tech from what’s left of the debris might be able to create something to determine which route is the safest. Ships and small crafts can be used to fly, but landing is a problem—rocks jut up in sharp peaks and the clearer spots can't handle their weight. Vegetation is sparse, consisting of twisted dark gray thistles that have sprung up from cracks in the rock and burn when in direct contact with skin, and what could be considered small animals here can be seen scurrying away the closer crew get to them.
☄ WEEK ONE
Crew are asked to hook cryo beds together and to use any appropriate vehicles that can be made or fashioned to fit the terrain to carry injured crew on the journey to the center of the Hub. Supplies are gathered, and the Captains, as well as any crew who want to, give the Moira a proper sendoff, heads bowed as they say goodbye to what’s been their home. Traveling starts out slowly, a line of a hundred-plus crew members making their way slowly forward. Stops are frequent, but camping for rest only occurs at night. Crew are assigned watch shifts, fires are built, injured tended to, and those who are able are asked to explore nearby caves and hunt for food.
Something akin to deer, though striped and only to be found in pairs, can be stumbled across at night. Throngs of dark purple mammels begin to follow the Moirans on their trip as well. They are friendly, curious, and eat the thistle. Meet the intelligent, watchful predators that aren’t easily scared away and follow the crew from a distance as if waiting to pounce. The thistle can be eaten, but only if cooked first, and those who sample the chewy plant raw will experience a burning sensation in their throat that doesn’t go away until the cooked version is consumed. During the first week, water can’t be found.
Anyone who does hunt, gather, or explore should make sure to that their TABS are on and it’s suggested that nobody goes alone.
Nearing the end of the first week, an Ingress can be spotted close by that crew can explore. If anyone dares to go inside, they will find the texture of the ground and surrounding walls to be rather soft. If inspected closely, crew will discover that what they originally thought to be rock is actually a living organism that’s fed off the energy of the Ingress it’s attached itself to. It’s not harmful and squishy to the touch. If pressed hard enough, it secretes a turquoise liquid with the consistency of water that might make a good substitute for that very thing. ☄ WEEK TWO
When crew finally pass through the sector gates, a strange sensation encompasses them, and a depowering of sorts goes into effect. The creators put in security measures meant to put all visitors on equal footing as well as to protect themselves from harm. All crew will essentially have the strength and abilities of the average human. An unforeseen issue, this causes Captain Thán to slip into a coma as he is no longer able to continue to recover at a steady pace, and with the loss of the former Captain’s abilities, crew can no longer be brought back if they die. For the first time, all Moirans are subject to permanent death.
During this week of travel, broken ingress machines and parts will be found scattered among the rocks, and new crew will come through. Unfortunately, these Ingresses aren’t in good shape, and anyone coming through will be in varying states of distress—some physical and some mental. New individuals will either have suffered an age slip, growing older or younger than their original body, some form of body transformation (perhaps that shiny thing they were wearing is now part of them somehow), or an extreme weakness they had never been subjected to before arriving on the Midway Hub. The new people will be offered to join their group, once found, and seasoned crew will be asked to explain to them where they are going and what they know.
The rest of the week will be a mix of greeting the new arrivals and continuing to travel to the center of the Hub. The closer they get, the less frequently they’ll see animals, and more caves will begin to pop up. ☄ WEEK THREE
Entering the third week of travel, settlements and houses begin to crop up and are prime areas for exploration and general supplies. Those who go inside may find items that have been left behind and evidence showing that those of varying species and cultures lived in the homes. Some appeared to have been scientists while others were explorers, but all living quarters are deserted. Crew who are less lucky in their search might come away with no fresh supplies, and others might walk into traps or safeguards left behind by previous tenants; these come in many forms, from mild paralysis to temporary unconsciousness. As there are more residences, there are also more caves. The entrances vary in size, and light sources will be needed to explore. Once inside, crew can find purple underwater streams, which can be consumed, and glowing surfaces. When crew drink the water, it temporarily restores powers, a few minutes tops, and then, extreme lethargy settles in for a couple of hours.
Further into the cave systems, crew will come across these lovely creatures that are attracted to sound and track through scent. They are highly dangerous and attack simply to feed. Killing them, though, is surprisingly simple as they are just as vulnerable and weak as everyone else. They are vicious in demeanor but only as strong as an average human.
The closer to the Inner Gate crew get, the less homes, wildlife, and more caves there will be. ☄ WEEK FOUR
The Captains, aware that the crew is exhausted, stop and make camp for the first few days. Someone mentions that it’s the holidays where they’re from, and the Captains do their best to throw a party. Set up at the base of a cave, tents are built and fires roar. Soft music is played in the form of guitar, thank you Ira, and Cúrre brings out some legumes that taste like cherries when roasted. There isn’t much in the way of decorations, but crew are encouraged to dig through their pac-discs and contribute to the festivities.
After a brief respite, crew learn that the entrances to Gate A and Gate B are inside one of the caves but any signs or markings have long since worn away or been destroyed. Groups are split, TABS are synced, and crew explore carefully until an entrance is found. Crew discover Gate A first, and all crew are contacted to gather there. The Captains will remain at the cave entrance until all crew are accounted for, and then, they’ll enter through the gate together.
( ooc; For questions, go here. Please comment to activity check to receive new ranks (if applicable)! )
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hohnkai) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thisavrou_log2016-12-02 06:54 pm
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He doesn't want to ever, ever let this go.
He can go home. He's not sure what kind of home is waiting for them all, but he'll go there with Mettaton, mom, and Frisk and he'll be able to stay. He'll have a place that isn't just a dead prince or a long forgotten memory in monster history.]
It's real... for so long I t-thought... it's really real.
[Asriel opens his mouth to say something else, but a soft laugh comes out instead. And it continues, his laugh getting louder. He can't stop it or the tears dripping down his face, and each time he tries there's a fresh burst of high-pitched laughter.
He can go home.]
Thank you... thank you for showing me, thank you!
[He'll never be able to pay Mettaton back for what he's just done - especially not since he tried to attack him. But he's so, so grateful for what he's done.]
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Still, it was worth it.]
Of course, darling. You know, just because you cannot see something does not mean it doesn't exist. But in this case, I'm glad I could give you the push needed for you to understand.
Sorry that I had to say such terrible things to you.
[Some of it was anger...but some of it came from the right place. Finally, he'd done something right with his friendships.]
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[Mettaton could have been has harsh as he wanted if it meant having this.]
You found it. You found what I've been looking for ever since I was put in this ship. I can't... I don't think I can ever repay you for this.
[He doesn't want to let go, but the fur ruffling gets him to sink down towards Mettaton in an awkward but genuine hug. He slides off of him a little as he clings to him.]
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[Mettaton doesn't mind the hugging. After all, he's very contact-oriented. It makes him feel better to have someone so close, and God had he missed Asriel. Three weeks was a long time to swear off talking to a friend.]
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[Though he's been a lousy friend in the last several minutes. That thought doesn't dampen his spirits too much though, not when he can finally feel whole again.
He'll offer to help him up in a moment. Right now he just kind of wants to be selfish and hang onto his friend. Fighting aside, three weeks without Mettaton was just too long.]
Um... could you stay a little longer?
[He doesn't know what Mettaton's been up in the past few weeks, and he could still be busy. But he hopes Mettaton will stick around.]
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[Mettaton actually looks uncomfortable at the thought. Not because he didn't want to stay, but because staying meant that he would have the opportunity to spill his feelings on someone.
He didn't want to do that. Especially not when Asriel finally had something to be happy about. He would not take that away from the boy.
And he didn't want to subject Asriel to his unstable mind, either. The mind that screams to him that everything will be okay and that it isn't okay at the same time, to the point that he wishes he could sleep like everyone else, because then there would be respite.
Still. He can't really move right now, so...]
For a little while, sweetie. There's a lot to be done though. So I can't stay long. I'm very sorry.
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[Asriel sounds somewhat disappointed, but they're together right now. He rests his head on Mettaton's chest, feeling lighter than he has in... ever, he thinks.]
'm sorry I attacked you. You were trying to help me and I was acting like Fl... [Asriel stops himself.] ... a real jerk.
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[That's it. Don't agonize. Don't overdo it. Stop there.]
It isn't right that I have not been talking to you either. I shouldn't have been so distant.
[Stop, Mettaton.]
I'm the biggest jerk.
[Goddamn it.]
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[Asriel missed Mettaton, for sure. But whatever reasons Mettaton had, Asriel wasn't going to hold it against him. They all were torn up by recent events - Frisk was avoiding him, Mettaton was distant, and Asriel...
Almost decided that none of them were worth holding onto and made himself disappear. But that was wrong.]
And if you were a jerk, then I was a super jerk. I - I can't believe... I can't believe I almost said goodbye to you, mom, and Frisk. Y-you're all so important to me, you mean more to me than anything on this stupid ship or any planet we've ever been to.
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[Mettaton uses what energy he has to tug the small boss monster close to him in a firm hug. He couldn't say anything without screwing it up but he could still do this. He could still offer a hug.]
I'm just happy I didn't have to say goodbye. I don't want to say goodbye to any more friends, but...I know it is difficult. I promise you, I do understand how hopeless things can feel. To the point where you try to wrestle back control from your own circumstances, make it all run on your terms again even if it means making bad decisions.
[And this time, he bites his tongue because he does want someone to listen to him, but it shouldn't be Asriel right now.]
I will always forgive you.
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Maybe deep down, Asriel was worried about the reasons why Mettaton spent weeks away fro him. He rationalized it as him being busy, but knowing that he's seen his timeline and everything he did or was...
Hearing that he was forgiven lifts another weight off of him, even if Mettaton didn't know it was there. Tears threaten to form, but he blinks them back.]
I don't wanna say goodbye either - not ever. I... ever since I arrived on this ship, I always thought I was gonna have to stay behind, you know? And in the beginning, I was okay with that. Because even if everyone else went home, I could stay behind and still be me.
[He won't be isolated forever in the Underground. He'd have a second chance to say goodbye to his family. It was more than what he felt he deserved, but it was an ending that was better than what was waiting for him.]
But I... I really don't want that anymore. I don't like it here. I just wanna go home and see the surface and go to your shows and see dad again-
The closer we got, the more scared I got. Because I didn't want to stay. But I didn't want to go home and turn back into a flower, and lose everything I had here too. I'm so tired of it - of being scared, of different timelines, and I'm just tired of all of it.
[Asriel closes his eyes, looking away.]
I'll never be able to be the old Asriel again. Not after everything that's happened, but... I want to start over again. With all of you.
[On the surface. With his SOUL.]
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[Mettaton tries to summon up every happy thought, even though the longer he speaks, the more it hurts because he knows, truthfully, that he won't ever feel the same, and that it'll be hard to reconcile his feelings for Papyrus, and reconcile the discomforting notion that he won't be able to share the same relationship with Asriel and Frisk that he had here. Toriel had no reason to think highly of him, after all.
Still. Even as his voice wavers, he continues:]
I'll give you free tickets to my shows, like I said, and you can spend time with Undyne too. Anything you want, whichever monster you ever wanted to talk to you can! And the humans have started to come around to us, accept that we want to coexist and we mean no harm.
It'll be okay...and we'll be friends, so you'll never need to say goodbye to your family. Or to me...
[His grip on Asriel tightens as he speaks, but not uncomfortably. He'd replicate the sound Asriel made if he could...but it's not something he can do. He's just a ghost in a machine. All he can do is smile and say pretty words.]
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[It still doesn't sound real - and lately, Asriel's been a little afraid of seeing this world where monsters could be free and happy being reset back to nothing. He hates feeling like that. Deep down, he knows Frisk will do the right thing.
But why was Frisk afraid too...?
They've had this conversation before. There was an odd sense of fakeness to it - like they were just trying to convince themselves that this was what was waiting for them at the end of their journey. That all their pain would vanish the moment they go home. Of course, it never works like that.]
Mettaton... you know you're still gonna be part of our family no matter what happens, right? You're pretty much stuck with us now.
... I know going home isn't going to make everything that happened here suddenly go away. I think you understand how I feel about this place better than anything else. So... if things aren't okay, you've always got me to talk to. Okay?
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He couldn't. He couldn't impose it on Asriel, that was the whole point of these three weeks. It would all have been for naught if he talks about himself and his insecurities.]
...I know. And I appreciate that you would listen to me, really I do.
And...I am happy to be stuck with you, as you say. You have a very lovely family and I'm privileged to be considered a member of it. You've all given me something that I did not deserve but which I cherish.
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I'm glad you're a part of it.
[He does deserve it - Mettaton doesn't deserve to be alone. He's got family back home, if Asriel remembers right but...
Right now, it's just the Dreemurrs.]
Do you need help getting up? Or... do you want to?
[Asriel doesn't really want to get up, but he probably shouldn't just lay on top of Mettaton all day.]
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Mm, sweetheart, I don't think you could lift me if you tried. That being said...I'm a bit spent when it comes to energy--oh, not my battery of course, that's fine. I just sort of...overdid it with my magic.
[He gives a soft, unamused laugh.]
So if you don't mind, I think I need to sit here a moment, until I can move more reliably. That's the hazard of being a robot made to run on electrical magic and the will of my own SOUL.
[A pause.]
Would you like to talk about what you've been doing for the past few weeks? I admit that I find myself curious.
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Mm, all right. I'll stay here with you.
[And he'll settle back down next to Mettaton, thinking about where he's been and what he's done these past few weeks. It's honestly all felt like a blur. All he can remember is spending most if it in a deep, twisting sense of dread, misery and fear. He's been hungry, he's been thirsty, he's walked far enough without resting that the paw pads on the bottom of his feet are a little scratched up. But he's mostly spent all of it in a daze, moving forward mindlessly while wishing he could've successfully disappeared.]
... I found some caves.
[Yeah, let's just start with that.]
I tried to go in one, but... I couldn't bring myself to do it.
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It's probably for the best that you didn't. There's a chance of something dangerous being in there. Even the bravest person shouldn't go alone.
[What if Asriel had ended up lost? Or hurt?? Ugh, Mettaton didn't even want to think about such a thing.]
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[It's kind of morbid, but really he doesn't think he's wrong. It was tempting though. The cave offered some kind of similarity to the Underground, and for a boy who didn't think he should exist, it would've been the perfect place to let himself disappear. It was the fate he'd have once they all went home anyway, right? So why wait.
A shudder passes through him. He doesn't have to think about that anymore.]
Um... what about you? What did you do the past few weeks?
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I've been doing my best to help get food for everyone. The first week was a bit of a problem, of course, until I found a way to charge off of the cryo tubes without causing any harm to whoever was inside them.
[His fingers pause momentarily.]
...I've missed you. Very much. It was all lonely work, and all this travel is not my idea of a good time.
[The least he could have allowed himself was a travel companion, but...it was complicated.]
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Asriel resumes laying his head on Mettaton, and he's free to continue to the hair ruffling.]
I would've helped you...
[It wasn't that simple. He knows it's not. And with how he's behaved the past few weeks, he wouldn't have been the kind of travel companion that Mettaton needed. It wasn't like Asriel couldn't have reached out either, but instead he tried to isolate himself in his despair too.]
I missed you too. All this traveling and finding food and stuff felt a lot longer without you here.
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It means he can't run anymore. It means...the inevitability is that he will have to come clean with Asriel, because they're friends. And friends tell each other these things.]
Sweetie, I know. Oh, I know you would have helped me if you could, but look at what happened when I wasn't there. You had such a hard time, and with the way I've been, I could not have helped you through it any easier.
...I would have made it much worse, Asriel. My mind is in a very dangerous, very unsafe place right now.
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Asriel's mind was also in a dangerous and unsafe place, and he hopes that's not what Mettaton means.]
Is there anything I can do now?
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It's probably for the better that he's not completely suicidal. But skating the edge of such thoughts isn't much better. Mettaton's suffered very dire blows to his psyche, and it seems as if the timeslip had just brought it all together, amplified it, and made it impossible for him to deal with alone.
The robot shifts uncomfortably, wanting to run away from this again.]
I can't ask it of you. I can't ask you for your ear in this anymore. I should know better than anyone else at this point, right? You've experienced enough, and your problems should not be overridden by mine again.
I won't allow it.
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[He's not sure how he can stress enough how much Mettaton has saved him with their FIGHT, but there's no way Asriel is okay with Mettaton helping him with his problems only to watch him suffer in return.]
... I can handle a lot. You've seen it, right? What I've been through. It's only been because of you that I can finally feel less... weighed down.
I've never been that great at problem solving- [ha ha] -but there's no way I'd let you do all that for me and not listen in return.
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...I don't have a proper EX icon for this? Hell hath frozen.
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