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Who: Anyone and everyone
When: March 6-16
Where: Namalos
What: A reprieve, for now

The light spreading through the battered interior of Avagi station comes with a sense of displacement. No longer a journey they can choose, residents will find themselves traveling somewhere—being sent, it seems, by an echoing voice that can be heard on the edge of consciousness. Whoever is directing you, and whatever their intent, one thing is clear.

There is something—someone—they want you to find.

The silver glow vanishes. Reality returns... if not as smoothly as before. The space around you seems to lurch and stutter, and you feel yourself stumbling against a wall—pressed, for a moment, under a vast and dispassionate regard. And then, this barrier dissolves. As they return to reality, Avagians will find themselves somewhere completely new: far from both the storms and the light that displaced them.

No light. No portals. Around you, you may see your friends and allies—but nowhere is there any sign of a way back.

Namalos

This land is deceptively beautiful—and just as deadly. The thick forest spreads in all directions, filled with bioluminescent foliage that prevents true darkness from ever descending, but it holds few comforts. The temperature ranges from stiflingly hot during the day to frigid at night, and while there is little fauna to be found, the many insects that make a home here are hungry, aggressive—and often venomous. Even the more edible of the available plants come with a bitter taste and little nutrition.

The wilderness may seem endless, but refuge can be found in half a day's walk to the north, where larger life signs may be detected—an oasis of sorts, in the form of a clearing large enough to hold a small city. They are not alone.

Despite its untamed surroundings, the settlement of Namalos appears extremely civilized—even mundane. Unlike many worlds the travelers have encountered, it has a spaceport. Small crafts appear above the sky, descending below to trade with the locals. Perhaps because of this connection to other planets, Namalans appear to have no single native species, ranging from humanoid to tentacled to oddly reptilian.

Although surprised by guests appearing from the land, not the sky, the Namalans will cautiously welcome the new arrivals, offering them temporary quarters in the outer ring of the city where interstellar travelers sometimes rest before embarking on a return trip. There are local scientists who will offer to look for any traces of portal energy in an attempt to see if a portal can be opened again. Still, getting back isn't the only goal some Avagians might have, and those who spend some effort searching may turn up unsettling facts.

Exploration

Life on Namalos is far more organized than any of Avagi's residents are likely to have experienced before. Despite the different species that call the world home, all locals depart their houses at the same time each morning and return at the same time in the afternoon. Traffic flows freely on pedestrian paths and roads, with no lights or overt signage, but no vehicles collide—as if all beings know their place. In the afternoon, children will appear in front of houses at the same time, play games, and return indoors for dinner like clockwork. If stopped, Namalans will politely answer questions asked of them before returning to routine.

Within the city itself, the Avagians may note some places of interest:

The Central Authority: The government building of Namalos is large and ostentatious, but extremely quiet within, with little noise but the soft sounds of data processing—and there is a great deal of that. No courts can be found, but this bureaucratic machine generates an enormous amount of paperwork.
The Spaceport: This facility, located just outside the largest ring of the city, appears to facilitate trade with other worlds in this solar system—and possibly beyond. Passengers on the ships that come and go appear to be interested in commerce, not leisure visits, but will have no unkind words to say about the Namalans. Rarely will they venture into the city itself, and only for a short time if they do.
The Wellness Center: This large complex near the city's inner ring serves as a place of self-improvement for all who wish to pursue it, free of charge. Physical fitness classes that consist of rhythmic, dance-like routines exist in place of standard gym workouts, and spaces for meditation and quiet chanting in an ancient local language are available to soothe the mind. Other spaces are marked for classes on rhetoric and group facilitation, but these are scheduled by appointment only.
The Locked Building: The lack of crime or violence on Namalos means locked doors are rare, and Avagians may go where they please—with the exception of one utterly plain, undecorated building in the central ring of the city. Located in the shadow of the Central Authority, it is guarded every hour by pairs of Namalans who are no less pleasant for their refusal to let anyone pass.

While some amount of leniency is shown to visitors, the Namalans find disruptions to their routine extremely grating. As strangers disrupt their streets and lives, Namalans grow cold to the prospect of indefinite guests. Those staying in the city for longer than three days will be asked to pay back the hospitality of their hosts, and assigned a task with which to do so. For children, this will consist of school attendance, but adult jobs can vary from stamping papers to mining ore. All complaints about the suitability of an assignment will be thoroughly disregarded, and little sympathy will be provided by your temporary coworkers to those unable to keep pace.

While technically free to travel through the city, Avagians will find that no matter where they go, nearby Namalans keep watch. Their gazes are neither malevolent nor friendly, and can only be deterred through distance—though somehow, outside of the temporary quarters, they will find at least one local always in sight.

Even more curiously, the longer they remain, and the more time they spend personally interacting with Namalans, the more absorbing they may find the local rhythms. Wake up, work, dine, sleep without deviation. They may even find themselves slipping out of awareness for brief intervals... but in such a peaceful place, is this really a bad thing?

[OOC: For more information, or to note particular disruptions your character might cause, please check out the OOC post here!]

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[ He huffs in frustration. ] So it would seem.

[ His attention snaps to her when she mentions Charles and his condition. For a moment he wonders if she's lying, trying to cause some specific reaction in him. But no, if she hasn't been here very long she probably wouldn't even know about the timeline skipping. He curses softly and shakes his head. ]

That's unfortunate.

[ He says referring to Charles, to the planet, to everything. ]

We should find somebody to talk to about getting back. To Avagi or even Earth, if our luck has finally decided to change.

It's something... [Unfortunate isn't the exact work she's looking for. But it's certainly less than ideal. Being stuck here. Charles being younger and more convinced that Raven needed protecting, that she wasn't a middle-aged adult. Who'd been handling herself for quite some time without his or anyone else's assistance.]

There's something off about the people here. They're always- [She cants her head toward the Namalan standing in his eye line. He can see for himself. There's always one watching.] They're allowing us to stay here, but there's something going on here, I'm not sure what it is.

I hope we can get back, yes. Every moment here I feel like my skin wants to crawl right off my body. [She doesn't have any real love for the Earth, truthfully, but anything is better than here or being stuck on a battered and falling apart space station.]

How generous.

[ He drawls as he steps further into the neighborhood and away from the forest. The observer doesn't move, but does track them with their eyes. ]

I think your instincts are good. The sooner we leave the better. Where is everyone? We need to coordinate.

[ A thought occurs. ]

Are they providing lodging? Is it bugged?

[ He's so focused he doesn't even make an inappropriate joke about her skin. ]

They're in the town, here and there. More keep trickling in. They're keeping us in the houses on the outskirts of town. If they're bugged I didn't see anything when I searched, but I also don't know what I'm looking for. [The technology on the Avagi is so far beyond anything she knows that there's no telling what these Namalans might be capable of too.

The fact that he doesn't make a joke or come on about her skin clues her in on just how serious he is taking what she's telling him on their current situation.]

I can do a sweep when I get there. [ He flexes his hand. The weakness isn't muscular. It's his powers. ] Have you noticed any limitations on your abilities? I wonder if there's some sort of dampener here.

[ Again his mind bumps up against the vast missing... something. He looks at her, feeling a rush of relief that she's here. Somebody he can trust implicitly, that he doesn't have to explain himself to, that understands even when she doesn't agree. And shame at his selfishness. She shouldn't have to be trapped here, too. ]

[She considers that, but ultimately shake her head.] No, I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary. I had some trouble in the forest, but that was only because I was hot and dehydrated.

Are you feeling... 'limited'? You have just come back from the dead. I imagine that would take a lot out of a person. [And how's that possible anyway? She can't deny she's glad for it. To have him back. For all their differences, she needs him here with her. An ally in this very strange and unfamiliar fight.] We should get inside. You can check for devices and we can get out of the street and the constant prying eyes.

And you can take a shower, you smell like shit.

[ He frowns. ]

I'm not the Messiah, Raven. I'm fairly certain I wasn't actually dead, and I haven't been resurrected. Regardless of how it may appear.

[ He had heard of such things supposedly happening to other residents, but hadn't put much thought into it. The idea that he died and came back to life is so absurd it doesn't merit consideration.

He perks up at the mention of a shower. ]

That might take a few hours. I haven't had a shower to myself in months. [ He scratches his cheek, which is covered in a few day's worth of whiskers. ] Should probably shave, too.

[Raven bristles a bit, eyes narrowing.] Then what happened, Erik? Tell me. [She's been told he was dead, what is she supposed to have thought?

Still feeling a bit bristly, she gestures for him to follow, starting to walk toward the houses before looking to see that he's following.] You should keep the scruff. It suits you. [Raven may be upset with him now but that doesn't mean she doesn't notice these kinds of things.]

[ He huffs in frustration. ] I don't know. Obviously something. I just arrived in this forest a few hours ago and before that you weren't here. Or... where I was.

[ He shakes his head again, and feels his arms for puncture wounds. Maybe somebody dosed him with something. Not that it would be easy to tell such things with all the bug bites.

The compliment takes him by surprise, and it shows when he looks at her, blinking a moment as he tries to figure out if she's mocking him again. And then smiles a bit. ]

Does it suit you? I wouldn't want to chafe your thighs.

[She's not about to let this go. Maybe he didn't die, but regardless of that whatever did happen, it wasn't something good! Raven isn't about to let this go. She's suffered enough losses without losing him too. For as much as he grates at her sometimes, most of the time, she wants him around.

Walking, she lets out a surprised scoffing laugh at his words. Raven glances over her shoulder at him, a glimmer in her yellow eyes. Really, no matter how upset she gets with him-- she can't ever escape how easily his flirtation works on her. It's nearly Pavlovian. Damn him.] You're creative. I'm sure you can work your way around it.

[ She doesn't smack him, which is what he expected, and probably deserves. Instead, she laughs. And gives him a look that any other time would have spurred him on to greater, more sordid, heights. He does smile but feels a bit awkward. He's going to have to have a talk with Clara. And Raven.

Better to get this over quickly. ]

The physical challenges would be easy to overcome if it weren't for other challenges. Of the, ah, other people variety.

[ He ducks under a limb and hops over a fallen tree and tries to keep up with her. ]

[Maybe she wasn't going to smack him before, but she looks about ready to punch him now, the glimmer yellow eyes turning deadly before looking away from him. She is walking a bit faster now.] Erik. [There's a snarl in her voice now. She's angry that he's teasing her like that if he's no intention of following through. And also perhaps angry too on this 'other person's' behalf that he's flirting with her at all.

She knew that feeling, well. Leaving with him in Cuba, only to watch as he bedded nearly every other member of the Brotherhood. At first it had hurt her, but Raven had become used to it quickly enough. And followed by example to save herself.] Are you going to give me a name?

[ He pales a little, under the sweat and grime and overgrown whiskers, at her tone. ]

Look, it's... complicated.

[ He winces as he says it, and hurries to keep up with her. He has no idea where they're going and is still considerably disoriented. But he knows that comment is likely to irritate her further. ]

She said a while ago that I'm never going to be her boyfriend, but she wanted us to be monogamous. Which I agreed to. But it wasn't much of an issue, as far as I was concerned. There wasn't anybody else on the station I was particularly interested in. [ He tries to say it like it's true. It was, at the time. or at least, he was not yet admitting to himself how close he was getting to Diana, let alone tell anybody else.

He swallows, his mouth dry. ]

But now that you're here, as well, that might. Have changed.

[ He didn't want to assume, but they had parted on good terms. ]

Oh. And it's Clara. Clara Oswald. I don't know if you've encountered her yet. About this tall. [ He holds out his hand a little below shoulder-height. She's so tiny. ] Big blue eyes, sort of wavy dark hair. Quite... [ he moves his hands in the universal gesture for "stacked" ] Shapely? Dimples. British. Very bossy.

[ Yes, he has a type. ]

It's always complicated when you're involved, Erik. [She feels like he's tossed her into a pinball machine. He's being monogamous, but maybe not now? Raven sighs, grateful when they reach one of the houses and they can get inside and away from the prying eyes. Erik will have to look for any devices, but whether he's in any state to be doing that now is hard to say. Raven shuts the door behind him when he finally stumbles in.]

Well, she sounds lovely. [Her voice is clipped, not sure what she's supposed to say about this entire situation, still not fully recovered from the thought that he'd been dead.]

[ Erik is out of breath and lightheaded and still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Raven is here, and apparently Charles is as well. Some version of him, anyway. ]

The children are going to have questions.

[ He says to himself more than her. It's like drinking out of a firehose. He focuses on her. ]

You're not making it any easier, you know. I've been here for months. A lot has happened. And... I'm missing a lot of it.

[ He didn't even know how much. How much time had passed? He was just carrying oats. ]

Who's house is this?

[Questions. Most of those questions she's sure she could give two fucks about answering, she's really nothing to prove to any of the younger mutants. The only question she's not prepared to answer is the one that follows Kurt around everywhere he goes.

She heads to the kitchen a moment to get Erik a glass of water, since he looks about ready to pass out. And then she's back, handing it back over to him.] Me? Making it easier? Are you saying I should have tried to fall through a dimensional portal sooner? It was kind of hard to plan.

[She keeps a keen eye on him. Clearly he's not quite with it as she's sure she's already explained this too him moments before. Rolling her eyes, she answers.] It belongs to me and my new Namalan lover. [Raven knows it's being a bit cruel to pick on him on his current state, but she can't seem to help herself.] It's one of the extra houses they've given us to stay in. It's just me in here so far. I assume more are coming.

[ He follows her into the kitchen and takes the water with a murmur of gratitude. He's careful to not quaff the whole glass in one go. He wasn't sure how dehydrated he was, but witnessing the ravages of hyponatremia and refeeding syndrome as a young man had left its mark.

His eyes roll at the mention fo her supposed lover, but lets it pass without comment for once. ]

Alright. [ He braces his hands on the counter and tries to think. ] Every other time we've gone planetside there's been a portal. We just need to find the portal to go back. [ His lips tighten. ] Although if we can find a supplier for the Life Support crystals while we're here, that would be ideal. I don't suppose anybody has a sample or a photograph of the box or anything even remotely useful like that. [ He rubs a hand over his hair, which curls around his fingers. ]

I really need a shower. And to cut my hair.

[Clearly she's not been on the Avagi long enough to know anything because everything he's saying sounds like nonsense.] I've really no idea what you're talking about to be of any help. The box? Crystals? [Raven looks baffled.] So we'll have to ask the others.

[Which she really doesn't want to do. She's much preferred keeping to herself.] But as far as the shower goes. It's down that hall. Hang a right. [She points it out.]

[ He rubs his face. ] Right. Nihlus is a good one to ask. Diana. Clara. Widowmaker. The four of them combined generally know everything going on with the station if you ask the right questions.

[ He teeters on the edge of inviting her to join him but remembers himself in time.

Old habits die hard. The smirk that was forming fades as a heavier matter asserts itself. ]

What are we going to tell them about Charles? What are we going to tell Charles about Charles?

I'll keep the names in mind. [Raven is honestly a bit shocked that he doesn't offer to have her join him, despite what he's just told her. She's more than aware that he's not exactly accustomed to monogamous behavior.

Then he mentions Charles and all of Raven's thoughts focus on that matter instead. She looks away a moment, out the window.] I have no idea. I was able to brush off the subject when I saw him last. But he knows I'm from the future.

Eventually the younger ones will ask him questions or... he'll read someone's thoughts. And then I just don't know. [She wants to never tell him, but is well aware that's not going to work for long.]

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I JUST REMEMBERED HE DOESN'T REMEMBER THE LIFE SUPPORT STUFF GDI

oops!