meadowlarklogs | EVENT #008 AFTERMATH LOG

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EVENT #008 AFTERMATH LOG

WHO: The Displaced!
WHERE: Lots of places—potentially? Mostly New Amsterdam as the focus.
WHEN: March 4, 2512
WHAT: Unlocking of the gates and the game's fast travel network.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Uninvited visions.

> EVENT #008 AFTERMATH LOG

The vision itself is almost instantaneous once the last of the four gates activates, hitting the Displaced no matter where they are. It doesn't matter where that individual Displaced is: if they're in New Amsterdam, at one of the gates, or sleeping, they'll see the same vision. A flash of seven colors (red, blue, black, gold, orange, red, and white) followed by an image of a nomadic people heading up a long, stone bridge that appears to be naturally occurring. At the end of the bridge is an open, lit-up triangle that acts as a gateway, inviting them inside. Then there is another flash, followed by the nomads walking through the gate and ending up in a different, new location. And then another.

Any understanding of this vision isn't immediate. The answers won't be apparent until later, when there is an innate understanding of what they've learned and what they've unlocked for themselves. The world has opened up to the Displaced, and in some ways, it's there for them to access and even take for themselves if they so choose.

After the vision ends, any of the Displaced located at the four ruins will immediately begin to glow in all blue before they fade out of view and find themselves crammed into a new location. The relocation is immediate, and if anyone checks a map via their neural implant to see where they are geolocation wise, they'll be able to tell that they're underneath New Amsterdam. For anyone who's been in the underground cave system of New Amsterdam, they may think their surroundings are familiar, if not the same. After all, this area has been locked away for a very long time.

One more thing is apparent: they've landed on another form of gate that needs to be unlocked. After the numerous trials and puzzles the Displaced have faced, what's one more?

◉ The puzzle to solve is right beneath the feet of the Displaced on a bronze-colored mechanism. At the center of the mechanism are multiple overlapping triangles, and on the outside, there are five separated triangles that sit individually.

◉ Solving the puzzle involves connecting a daisychain of Displaced and having five key focal points step on the triangles at once.

◉ Once the puzzle unlocks, there will be another understanding: that what they saw in the vision belongs to them. Any of the Displaced outside of the caves will know what it means.

◉ With that work done, it's time to explore. The underground cave system of New Amsterdam is half-inhabited by the sprawling megacity, and half-uninhabited and untouched. This part of the cave system was locked away for centuries, and just like the other ruins, there are some relics and lost items from the past. The eras vary: some are early medieval burial sites with items like brittle, forgotten swords and shields, while others are crosses and manuscripts that refer to this location as the center of the Holy Roman Empire.

◉ The manuscripts are a mix of imagery from Catholicism and the same, omnipresent geometric imagery.

◉ The way out of the cave system involves touching a hand to a handprint alongside what appears to be a door. This print will only appear to the Displaced, so they will be able to move in and away from this location largely unobserved.

> ON THE JOB FROM 9 TO 5

Now that the gates trip is done and the Displaced have new answers—if potentially unhelpful ones, depending on their perspective—it's time to return to their lives. Surprisingly, New Amsterdam has no festivals going on, as if it's time to now be hungover from a February that involved nonstop partying. The city has been cleaned up and everyone's returning to their jobs as if the city around them is not in a constant state of revelry.

◉ Ah, it's time to return to work! No one is required to lose their jobs, but it might take a bit of groveling for the Displaced to return to where they were working before. (With the exception of the Red Wings bar. Poor Mister Doctor Stephen Strange.) El will have sent along any excuses to any bosses who might need an explanation. Ze's used to this gig by now.

◉ What about those cities left behind? No one planned on abandoning those gates at that exact moment. They will remain open to the Displaced. Anyone who had a hotel room in New Oslo or even kept stuff stored at New Beijing will find that they can just teleport back via this new fast travel system.

◉ Though for anyone who's been dealing with tampered food, maybe it's time to go take a break. You know where's a good place to do it? The Displaced-run Red Wings bar. Ah, poor Mister Doctor Strange, at least the people coming in out of nowhere are all Displaced looking for proper food and a drink. It's time to mingle, share notes, and see what's what. Might as well get to seeing where there's overlap—and what to do next.

◉ Or it's time to explore! The world is finally open and available to one and all. Well, to one Displaced and all.

◉ The information on these gates and what they do won't immediately be available to El and Gaby. It's up to the Displaced if they decide to share with their NPC friends. (Of course, if it's mentioned via the Morningstar network, then they'll know!)

> FINAL OOC NOTES

This is meant primarily as a laid back, return to life log for the Displaced after their exciting trips around the world (and trips-to-be, most likely). Any questions about the aftermath should be directed to our aftermath questions thread!

Our CR meme will be posted on February 14th (Happy Valentine's Day!), and our arrival log for all newbies will be going up on February 15th.

Thanks again for making this a great event!

> NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He's said as much before, partially. Ginia remembers saying she wouldn't touch him, and well, look at what that promise was worth.]

You don't need to explain things.

[Ginia isn't sure if that's the right thing to say. It feels dismissive and it's not what she wants to do right now. Her hands wring together, trying to piece it all together. She's so exhausted, ready to pass out for a few days. Might even, if she's lucky.]

I overstepped. I shouldn't have put you in that position. I'm sorry.

[Closer, maybe. It still feels off, though everything feels like a mess. Maybe it'll make more sense after rest, after a chance to decompress.]

Let's go back to the apartment. We could use rest.

[ Ephemera exhales again. He wants to say it's fine, he just get caught on things sometimes, except that's not quite right. Because it was fine earlier. In the ruins, after they both fought down the rage poison, and later, when they held hands and lit the room up in blue. They're both tired, stepping around fraught emotion. Old memories blending back into the present. That's the trouble with the empathy bond, really. It gives away too much. ]

Yeah. Okay.

[ He hesitates. He's not up for going out to a restaurant, but — ]

We can order some food. If you want.

Food could be good.

[It honestly feels like she'll pass out mid-bite, but food that definitely won't set off any rage-inducing side effects is welcome. It's a way to ease back into the normal. As if any of their life is normal.]

We could throw on a movie or something too.

[But it could be normal, or at least they could pretend a little bit longer. Go through the motions and worry later where they really stand with each other. Figure out the details. Or not. They've gotten this far on piecemeal information, still built up a connection despite everything. Maybe it's okay to keep going like that.

Ginia checks the time. It'll still be light out when they leave, but maybe they have a bit of a walk back anyway. They're smart, know how to stay out of sight. They'll make it work. She tilts her head toward where they came from. Now to figure out where the exit is.]

I bet there's a place that does noodles for takeout. I could go for stir-fry noodles and dumplings.

[ Okay. That's better. Ephemera gives her a hesitant smile. Everything feels strange right now, either muted or entirely too sharp, and he recognizes the emotional rawness of a deep drop. Because it really is over now, the madness of earlier, and something must give.

It'd be good to eat some decent food. Something more than granola bars, anyway. ]

I've been told I have awful taste in movies. Noodles and dumplings sound about right, though.

I'm thinking an action film. Explosions, car chases, dramatic gun fights in improbable locations, cheesy one-liners everyone quotes endlessly.

[Something a little mindless, maybe even for background noise more than anything. Right now, it's an easy topic to seize on, something lighter than everything else they've talked about.]

What are you into?

[ He huffs at that. ]

Pretty much that.

[ The more ridiculous the better. Explosions that don't make sense, dramatic gunfights, everyone sexy and covered in artful grime. Too far removed from reality to ever pass for the real thing. ]

Yeah. I haven't watched dumb movies in a while. We should do that.

[ Crash on the couch. Sleep it off and come back sane in the morning. ]

[Ginia pulls up a list of action movies from one of the streaming sites she uses, skimming over the selections. It's an interesting thing with action movies, finding ones that don't hit a bit too close.]

Looks like some of our current options include shapeshifting ice monsters on a research vessel trapped in the Arctic, giant robot ants destroying cities, and cyberninjas traveling through time to stop rogue time assassins from changing history.

[There's a pause as she looks over the description for the last movie again.]

Actually, I might want to watch the last one when I have more energy. How about dino assassins fighting giant robots on Mars?

[ Ephemera huffs, covering his mouth to hide his smile. Then he just shakes his head and grins as he signs. ]

Dino assassins it is. This I have to see.

[Ginia shares the info page of the movie with Ephemera. Apparently it's based off some old novel series about a reptilian air force pilot that spun into some low budget movies that became a cult classic, were eventually reboot with a more budget, and has since spiraled into its own franchise.

Essentially, the perfect candidate for some mindless, over-the-top ridiculous actions.

For kicks, she sends over the other movies too.]

We could make movies a regular thing. Invite some people over, have some food and drinks.

[Like normal people do. Trying to reach out and connect with others, even if its over bad movies.]

[ He parses through the info, shaking his head a little. It sounds perfect, if he's being honest. Too removed from reality to ever catch on a memory and the sort of ridiculous that begs to be laughed at. And it's good to laugh with other people, to share food and company and just be.

Movie night. Why not? ]

We could try that.

[ See how it goes. Something light, in the face of all this other shit. Ephemera nods slowly. ]

It'd be good. Something to break the tension.

We could start small. One or two other people.

[They already have some mutual acquaintances: Dr. Caroline, Gene, even Trevor. It could be nice. Could be worth it.

Ginia really doesn't want to get hung up on things, but her mind keeps spiraling back to an earlier part of their conversation.

You want to know any of them? Actually know them?

Is there anyone in her life she truly knows? You can spend seventeen years in hell surrounded by others and not know anything, but that's because none of them had a chance to really be anyone.

Maybe Ty. Ty is straight-forward, honest. Great with kids and their parents, Ginia figures it's part of being a pediatrician. But Ty's easy to talk with. Likeable.

Cecelia's a good boss and watches out for her people, but Ginia is pretty sure they aren't friends. That's a partnership, and who really knows Cecelia? She's a mystery of her own making.

A handful of other people she knows about their likes and dislikes. Personal information. Been invited to parties or outings. Strangely, a few keep inviting her even after she's turned down previous offers.]

I never learned how to make friends growing up. I was always the quiet one.

[There's a self-deprecating smile with her joke. But it's true enough. Wasn't space to make friends in the compound. She can't remember any of her life before.]

I guess that didn't change as an adult.

[ He nods, mulling it over. Gene might go for it. Trevor, too, once they explain what a movie is. But then she signs again, offering up more. Ephemera runs a hand through his hair, considering that. Might be a peace offering. She's giving him something instead of clamming up.

Both of them have their secrets, their reasons. But here they are. ]

It took me a while. I was always good at talking to people, but knowing how to say things that mattered, that was harder.

[ He huffs a little, shaking his head. ]

I didn't have many friends when I was younger. I got along with people just fine, but none of them stuck around.

[ That surprises people more often than not. But there's a difference between getting along with people and actually knowing them. ]

You can be quiet and make friends.

[ They met, didn't they? ]

[Ginia understands better than most how one can get along with people but not have lasting friends. For a different reason, but it doesn't strike her as unusual in any way. Ephemera strikes her as the kind of person good at keeping things light and conversation going when he's in the mood for it, but could just as easily disappear after.

Maybe it says something they clicked. Maybe it's all the similarities they have, but it's maybe more than that too.

She's quiet again, mulling on his words as they work through the cave system. Listening for any sounds above or ahead, following where air blows through a little more. Caves follow a natural logic and flow. They can be modified, but they aren't built like the maze in the pyramid were.

Her hands twitch and shift, grasping and letting go of signs. There are a lot of questions she wants to ask, but they all veer too close to a truth she's not ready to broach.]

What changed for you? You seem to be making friends just fine here.

[ That's a question with a telling answer. Ephemera is exhales, mulling it over in his head. Trying to find the right words. In the end he sticks with the simple answer. ]

I found my squad.

[ His family. ]

I don't know. It was different with them. Easier.

[ It's signed carefully, a little slower than before. They're on the edge of a pain-point, though it hasn't come over yet. And he suppose he owes her the truth, at least in a small way. ]

[That's the big difference between them, their squads. Their families. Ginia doesn't know if she can really call the other eight her family. But who else will ever know her better in the world? Who else will understand what she's been through?

Maybe no one, and that scares her. Maybe you only ever get one shot at a family and she had her chance.

Her team is still alive, but they're as good as lost. He's right things were different. The loss is still felt.

Her hand drifts toward his. Stops before reaching his hand and moves to squeeze his arm instead. It's all she can offer.]

[ This time he doesn't flinch. He sees it coming and he makes the decision not to jerk away. He thinks of Hunter and the others, and how it had felt to know they were at his side. Protecting him, laughing with him. Always there until one day, suddenly, they weren't.

Breathe, little brother.

He breathes. ]

I'll tell you about them. Not tonight.

[ It hurts too much tonight. Ephemera shakes his head. Tries to smile for her. ]

You would have liked them. They were — they were good. And I loved them.

[It's not a promise she'll necessarily hold to him, but Ginia would like to know more about his family. The people he loved.]

Whenever you want to.

[His choice. It can't be anything but.

Ginia sighs, wrestling with her words, with the reality. It's not a matter of balance, but to some degree, it feels like she should do the same. If nothing else, so someone can remember them as she does.]

I'll tell you about my team. One day.

[Not tonight. Too raw.]

We weren't good people. I don't know if you'd like them. But I still love them.

One day, [ Ephemera agrees, and bumps his arm against hers. The symmetry feels appropriate. Truth for truth. ] They were your people, though.

[ No matter how it went down. ]

It matters, in the end. I am who I am because of them.

[ He glances at her. ]

I think maybe you are, too.

[She is. She so is, in the worst ways it feels. But it wasn't their fault entirely. No one could change how they were raised in the compound.]

Do you think people can change who they are? At their core?

[It's a sudden question. Maybe too close, too telling. She's already said her family weren't good people, included herself in that category. He knows her skills, her efficiency. It says everything about her and Ginia wonders if despite everything she's tried to do, there's no space for anything else.]

[ That's a hell of a question. Ephemera breathes out. Wonders. With what they've talked about, what she's said about her squad, there's a obvious conclusion to make. And maybe he should ask. Maybe he should push further, dig the truth out and survive whatever aftermath comes.

He doesn't. The moment feels too raw still. ]

I don't know. I think some people can.

[ He's not one of them. He tried once, but it didn't take. And now there's nothing left but the inevitable end. ]

I like to think some people can.

[She asked him in the desert if he'd found redemption and he said he hadn't. That maybe she still could. Or maybe things could be different now. Maybe some people can change. Maybe some can't.

Ginia wonders why it's so easy to insist he can while denying herself the same. Maybe it's easier because she knows her crimes. She doesn't know what he's done. And maybe one day she should ask. Should see if there's anything else she should know, but that means she'll have to lay her crimes bare and there are so, so, many.

Her hand falls back onto his arm. Leans a little on him as they walk and she doesn't say anything else.

It's easy to see where the entrance is, as the air changes and the light bleeds in more. Easier to map out a route back to their apartment too.]

Strange to say, but it's a little good to be back here.

Yeah.

[ That had been one of the things that hit him when he was younger and coming off missions; the fact that life just kept on happening without him. That had seemed abjectly unfair to him, the fact that the universe went on largely unchanged despite all the things he'd seen and survived.

He leans against her a little at the entrance. Just for the proximity, for the sake of doing it. ]

Looks like it'll be home for a while.

Guess so.

[Ginia has never had a sense of home. There were always places to stay or sleep that were safer than other places, people she liked, but never anything she felt that strongly about to call a home. And here, her sleeping spaces split between two apartments and a handful of abandoned locations, she's not really sure that feeling holds.

But she likes the city. Has a place to sleep and she trusts no one will mess with her there. Likes Ephemera's company.

So maybe it's a start.]

What do you say we call a taxi or something and have them drop us off a block away from the apartment?

[ The safer decision would be to walk it themselves, avoid getting recognized by a driver. But he's tired, and that wins out in the end. Ephemera nods slowly. ]

Yeah. Let's do that.

[They're dirty, carrying stuffed bags that might draw attention, but sometimes people have a way of not asking questions if it means it might get them into trouble. Why look for trouble, huh? There's a reliable attitude of indifference in most people, sad as it is.

And when they do call up a ride as they get to a part of the city that's a little more city, their driver only gives them a slight glance in the mirror as they get into the car.

It's not even a long drive back, but Ginia sags a bit against Ephemera's shoulder. Sitting down is great. It's almost a miracle she doesn't fall asleep in the back seat or doesn't fall over when they get out of the car and resume walking the short distance.

She's so tired, when they enter the apartment, the trashed living room only earns a tired huff. Ginia sets her bag down, gently scoots their cleaning robot out of the way, and rights the couch. The broken window is a tomorrow problem.]

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