EVENT #11.4 / ARRIVAL LOG #029

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: The Aerie as it ends in an anime-like fashion, New Tokyo, and New Amsterdam
WHEN: August 23, 2512 onward.
WHAT: Event ending, arrivals, and a lot of changes.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion and loss of autonomy, religious themes.

> EVENT #011.4 / ARRIVAL #029

As suddenly as they all vanished, the people who remained in the Aerie begin to return. These people have not died: instead, they seem to return peacefully after an extremely unusual experience. As the gods are freed, the Aerie begins to take on a different form, radically altered by this decision. The very fabric of reality unravels. It's not that the city continues to grow more and more dilapidated by the moment—instead, the Aerie ceases to exist, dragging everyone who remains within into a joint, out of body experience.

At once, everyone's memories return in full. As they float in what is an open space, they'll recall who they were once before, right alongside their alternate life in the Aerie. Even if they can't see them, they'll begin to feel the others there: not just that they exist, but their emotions: wonder, surprise, irritation, anger, fear, guilt. Somehow, they recognize that they're connected to the billions of living souls there alongside them.

What once seemed like a wide, open space comes to be recognized as a large, vast ocean. They float in the deepest depths of the ocean, and they begin to see sea life swirl around them. Whales. Sharks. The glint of a dying star? There are constellations in the distance, too far to reach. It's hard to say where they are, and impossible to communicate to ask, to try to reach one of the billions of other souls there. When they open their mouths to try, they only make an unintelligible sound. Have they, too, been transformed into those creatures? It seems, at least for a moment, like they're communicating via echolocation.

The constellations begin to burn brighter and brighter. As they touch the people there, they're able to see more clearly around them. There are hundreds upon thousands of animals, all with bright golden eyes. They push through the water quickly, and the gold in their eyes fully illuminates the space around them.

Once that illumination meets a critical mass, everyone begins to experience a different joint vision. From the very start, the experience itself is excruciating: they feel an object, vaguely comprehended, but perceived to be spear-like in nature, slicing into them, tearing them asunder. The misery results in a complete and total division of self: splintered and incomplete, scattered into trillions of tiny pieces.

An indefinite amount of time later, there is a stirring. Everyone feels frigid and cold. The chill is excruciating, but different from what it was before. And then, as if a physical feeling can become an emotion, that chill becomes anger. And then that rage starts searching, wandering—

Until it adapts and connects with the ocean around it. The gold in the eyes of the sharks and whales begins to dim. A feeling of grief and eventually peace washes over everyone who remains.

And then everyone begins to shift in their beds, awakening as if returning from a terrible nightmare. Of course, given that they recall all of it, it's likely not much of a nightmare. At least not in a literal sense. When they wake to check in on the world, they'll find it in much the same shape—with the changes being far less obvious at first.

> 30 SECONDS FROM TOKYO

At first, you'll hear the buzz of a motor, as well as smell the splash of ocean water not so far away. You'll find that you're on a boat, passing swiftly over the Pacific Ocean to come into contact with a large, man-made structure in the distance. While you're drugged, you find that you're unable to move much. An IV protrudes from your arm, keeping you sedate. When one of the guards on the boat turns to check on you, they'll find your eyes open. "Sit tight and don't move. We have to be welcomed inside." Even if you're naturally defiant, you find yourself forced to comply.

Eventually, the boat pulls onto a dock that extends from the city itself to welcome your arrival. The mechanisms are complicated and hidden. Unlike a drawbridge in our modern times, the dock extends swiftly and completely, welcoming the boat next to it. After the boat seems to anchor itself into place, the guards present begin to move each of the passengers one by one off the boat. You'll notice others like you: dressed in white, long-sleeved scrubs, with recently shaved heads, and a pair of white tennis shoes. Or most of them are.

There are two exceptions: Eames and Aeryn, who have their hair still, but are just as drugged and kept under. They went through a similar arrival process before the Aerie stole them away, and arrived back after the Aerie ended in a similar manner to Max. Their return to society is just less personalized due to the circumstances.

Eventually, you're taken through the city—a wonder in and of itself, as it's a complex system of elevators spanning both vertically and horizontally through the large, metallic structure—and eventually through the back door of a business.

"All right, listen up everyone. There are people coming to get you. We've got this place for the day, so sit tight." At this, everyone's forced to do as they're commanded. Even if you don't want to sit, you have no choice. "We'll direct the people to bring you water, but that's all. Ask them to show you the glow. And—from me to you?" The guard sounds … tired all of a sudden. Her voice is strained as she adds: "Try not to fuck more shit up."

At once, the guards start to filter out through the back door. As much as everyone left behind can't go anywhere, they sure can talk.

As this process begins, a message is sent to all of the Displaced in New Amsterdam via a private broadcasting channel, one that's meant to only reach a limited number of people. It seems Jimmy's found a way to hack it for his own use, but trying to trace this back to him will prove impossible:

Sorry everyone. Couldn't do an official drop off. I barely scrounged up the people I did to get them to town. They're sitting tight at a bakery called Sweet Omakase in New Tokyo. Just go in and tell the people up front that you're there to pick up a package.

Oh, I forgot to mention: I'll be reaching out to a few of you soon. So … yeah.

JH

As for that compliance drug?

◉ Though entirely capable of independent action and thought, new characters will find themselves completely, unquestioningly compliant to any verbal statement which could be taken as a command or request.

> NEW AMSTERDAM

Though the Displaced can make the choice to keep the newcomers in New Tokyo for longer than a few hours, it's generally not recommended. Morningstar in New Tokyo is in just as much disarray as the rest of the world, and El doesn't want to disrupt their recovery in these trying times. As such, it'll be necessary to take them on a secure route back to the New Tokyo gate, bring them to New Amsterdam, and start to get them ready for their new lives. Of course, they may see a little bit of New Tokyo along the way, but not much given the urgency. (The link is provided for brevity purposes—please see the "New Tokyo" section for a summary of the city itself!)

The abbreviated trip between New Tokyo and New Amsterdam will bring the newcomers back to a city that's been through … a lot. That means it's probably a good time to have a quick catch up, right?

> LAST TIME ON NAMSTERDAM!
Although a year isn't very long for even a human being, the Displaced have managed to make their mark in this unusual world. Having first been released out into the world in mid-June 2511, they started touching the world around them. Whether it was fighting a giant monster or curing people from the sickness caused by inhaling smoke from that giant monster's parts (as well as any tiny little monsters it brought with it) or taking on the UNA when they tried to wipe out an entire chapter of a rebel organization, the mysterious Blue-glowing people were there.

After over a year of interventions left and right, the Displaced finally came forward as a united group—one that's uniquely tied to a business they opened. No one knows they're from another world. They don't even know what the Displaced's powers are, though they've certainly seen them do fantastical things. One thing became apparent: while the Displaced were spotted in other cities around the globe, their influence has been most felt in New Amsterdam. And even if the world's governing body doesn't like it, the people of New Amsterdam have claimed the Displaced as their own.

Most recently, the entire world found itself dragged into another reality called the Aerie. The Displaced had gone through this before on a smaller scale, but this brought everyone present on the planet Earth to this other world. The Aerie was a miracle world: in order to prevent the death of humanity as everyone knew it, a group of heroes chosen by a handful of gods chained said gods and harnessed their power to create a safe haven for all of humanity. As a result of their actions, these people created a major class disparity in order to maintain the secrets of how they created the Aerie. Since billions of people were saved in the process, the Aerie ended up having an overpopulation problem. The answer? A battle royale for anyone who's committed a crime, held monthly.

Well, as these things go, about two hundred years into this horrible experiment, the Aerie started experiencing some challenges. Rebel groups and bombs and more! Eventually the gods were set free, and with it, the Aerie vanished into nothing.

Though the Aerie (and its smaller-scale predecessor, Zerzura) was undoubtedly brought into being by divine intervention, it doesn't help that the Displaced claimed that their powers seemed to be caused by interacting with gods. Troubling much? So, some of the world is divided, with New Amsterdam being the only pro-Displaced left after the Aerie. Of course, it's a touch more complicated than that.

And it doesn't all fall in the laps of the Displaced. After all, they didn't choose to have this happen to them.

An important thing to note is that New Amsterdam is a very, very green city. We don't mean recycling. As if powered by weird god magic, plants grow a-plenty in the city, leaving numerous trees and thousands upon thousands of credits in plumbing issues. Animals came into the city thanks to the absence of humans to start settling in. It's a beautiful city, one that seems as if it's actively fighting against being reclaimed by nature.

With the worldwide trauma, current singing events are currently on hiatus. This likely won't be permanent, but it's not as if anyone is looking to become a pop star at this exact moment.

But that's where New Amsterdam is currently, anyway.

> SUMMER PROBLEMS
Ah, water rationing. That's right: one of the tried and true traditions in New Amsterdam summers is water rationing. During the hot summer months, the city puts out water rationing warnings, and the city also answers the intense and extreme heat by making it so that businesses are open throughout the evening, with everyone sleeping during the daytime. However, the Aerie shot a lot of that preparation in the foot, so the city won't be able to reverse the clock.

Expect a lot of hot, miserable, and extremely humid days ahead. Thanks to the nearly tropical nature of the city at this point, humidity is a natural side effect of it all. The temperatures will be reaching from around 105 F to 115 F during the daytime. The evenings cool off, but certainly not by much, as they dip to only around 90 F to 95 F when the sun goes down.

Oh, and water rationing is most definitely in effect.

> RED WINGS
In February 2512, the bar known as Red Wings first opened. Positioned adjacent to the New Amsterdam stadium, where a wide variety of sporting events occur year round, it's the only business in New Amsterdam that's currently run entirely by the Displaced. However, a few other businesses are set to open in the near and distant future, all tailored to cater to the city that most of the Displaced call home.

On the inside, Red Wings is very, very red. There is a neon sign that's been recently repaired of the Great Lakes state (Michigan). In terms of being a watering hole, the bartenders are all Displaced and all very sympathetic to any newcomers headed their way. Need some free food or a chance to play pool to clear your head? Red Wings is the place to do that. There are tables throughout the bar. There used to be booths, but most of them got shredded during a recent monster attack and … well, tables are easier to replace.

It's likely that all of the newcomers will be brought to Red Wings first for a full meal before being taken to the safehouse across town.

And while there are blank projection screens around the bar showing news broadcasts of what just went down, none of the newcomers will be able to see any of them.

> MURAL
Throughout the past year, multiple murals have gone up around New Amsterdam by a Banksy-like figure. This figure is known to the people of New Amsterdam as Legion, and they tend to commemorate both the Displaced and their ties to the gods. In the Aerie, it was revealed that Legion was a wealthy woman by the name of Nirvana. Upon returning from the Aerie, another new mural goes up in New Amsterdam.

Legion's new mural explodes in color in the large corporate buildings that connect in New Amsterdam's financial district. It depicts the whole story of the Aerie from beginning to end: the conception, the Quarries, the attacks on both the Quarry and the Volary, and then the return. The imagery is woven together like a full story, each picture moving seamlessly into the next. Below are the colors of the gods, painted in vibrant colors that can be seen for miles.

There's specific imagery woven in as well, including the birds that represent the different groups of people, the eclipse and different phases of the moon to signify the timing.

It seems to say never forget.

> HELPING OUT
All around the world, returning members of Morningstar, PRESERVE, and even the cultists who once followed the leader, Ball (though the cultists are only working in New Amsterdam), all spur into action to try to help. Everyone may be traumatized, but they also likely prescribe to the notion of wanting to keep busy. Recalling the Aerie won't be pleasant, and the world needs help. New Amsterdam already has a head start thanks to the resource acquisition and work by a small group of Displaced, but now everyone is back to work.

The work in question? Feed everyone, first and foremost. Countless people are without fresh food. Working in conjunction with both the Red Wings employees and the cultists, PRESERVE will be putting up food banks all around the city. Marcos Diaz's food bank is likely to be fully stocked as a result of this, should he want to get that running again.

Other work that needs to be done involves plumbing, as the plants seem to have very much taken on a life of their own. They're absorbing most of the available water in the city, and have even made the water level decrease in the river (just a bit, though). Water rationing is even more important right now, but it may prove to be a futile effort if the plants aren't held back. Time to get moving. Anyone who wants to be an impromptu apprentice to a plumber is likely going to be welcomed onto the job. They need all hands on deck.

Finally, there are just the people who need help. Roaming bands of former UNA soldiers caused problems even before the mass return. Now they're meeting up and moving as if they're a gang of their own to return order to the land. However, these people are truly traumatized, and it's as if they're calling upon an old order that they can't quite recognize. The problem is that they're extremely dangerous. Though their weapons are mostly makeshift ones, they can fight with them. Along with these roaming bands, there are the catatonic and the confused people, all who could use some assistance to get back on track.

Sadly, the hospitals are not ready to be staffed by typical personnel. If anyone wants to take the lead on this and commandeer those medical centers, they can feel free to! Again, all help is appreciated, even if it might involve some slightly illegal choices.

> SPIRITUAL RECLAMATION
One thing that was significant in Meadowlark's world before the Aerie was a complete lack of religious or spiritual devotion, at least on a major scale. Smaller sects like the tiny cult in New Amsterdam were exceptions that ultimately proved the rule. After all, they didn't even have any written doctrine about their belief systems.

Things begin to change. Some of those changes are obvious, while others are less so—at first.

The first sign of this is in various preachers who take up spots on street corners to preach about the end of the world. With a muddled and confused ideology, these people build little podiums for themselves to speak about the end times: the Aerie was proof that humanity is only buying itself time before an inevitable end—and eventually, the gods will punish them for what they did. While the initial preachers will not have a clear messaging system, this will change in the coming weeks. In fact, it'll seem as if they're all deriving their ideology from the same place—even while located in different megacities.

Quietly, tiny religious communities begin to spring up. With real estate already in shambles before the Aerie, much of the construction has come to a halt in order for people to begin to psychologically heal. As a result, various warehouses throughout the megacities begin to be converted into spiritual centers. At first, these locales will be innocuous in nature, but in time, there will be a clear set of imagery connected to them. Some of that imagery will link back to the Aerie (with a lot of birds, as well as ties to either the Cardinals or the gods), or to the sacred geometry imagery that's been connected to the Displaced for some time.

These spiritual centers may simply be people squatting illegally, but it's not as if any of the various local police departments have the resources to stomp them out. It seems that the UN also views this religious devotion as harmless, at least compared to the other problems that could arise.

> NATURE'S RECLAMATION
Plants and a handful of animals have been at it for a while, but the world is definitely in the process of experiencing a second coming of … fauna? Some are springing up unexpectedly outside of walls, while others are inside of the walls themselves in many megacities. Did you know that pigeons were an uncommon sight in 2512? Well, were is an appropriate word for it. They're no longer uncommon. And what about that river in New Amsterdam? Never one to be a place for fishing, it's now filled to the brim with freshwater fish.

Want to go fishing? New Amsterdam will eventually require a license for it, but it's still early days. There aren't any fishing poles around to purchase, but someone can probably fashion one themselves if they have the know-how.

There will also be more wild insects. Pest control was a thing of the past for this world, but with all these new creatures showing up all over, that's going to be a concern once again. Unless, of course, it's prevented.

> SAFEHOUSE

Not long after their arrival, the new Displaced will be brought across the city to an abandoned hover-bike garage in a neighborhood that's clearly seen better days.

Located under said hover-bike garage, access to the safehouse is a hatch in the floor beside a rusted set of metal shelves that used to hold tools and supplies. The immediate area is similarly abandoned: full of rundown and dilapidated warehouses and forgotten businesses, where numerous people squat in hopes of having some stability because they can't afford a place themselves. The inside of this safehouse looks better than the outside, as it was beginning to be transformed into a training center by Ian Fowler. Once everyone is brought into the safehouse down below, they'll find no one waiting for them. Though Gaby, a Morningstar agent, is typically around, she's absent at this time. Any newbies will need to be filled in by their fellow Displaced, though they can also contact El through zeir inbox, if needed.

The safehouse is a large space with multiple rooms for storage, with the largest of the rooms filled with rows of basic cots set up to sleep a large number of people. Basic, but outfitted with everything necessary for daily life. A few doors lead to back rooms for storage, medical care, and a large communal bathroom, and past the long rows of cots there is a communal kitchen, fully stocked, and an eating area. Privacy is mostly nonexistent in the safehouse, with any past efforts that were made to change that destroyed by numerous attacks along the way.

◉ New characters will be asked to pick their beds, and be provided with a change of (second-hand, mismatched and somewhat threadbare) clothes and basic toiletries.

◉ There is a mini-bar set up in the kitchen. The quality of the alcohol inside is akin to what someone might get from the well at a bar, though it's running low because it hasn't been restocked since before the previous set of arrivals.

◉ While the kitchen has a lot of dried foods to cook, as well as canned and preserved vegetables, most of what's left in the fridge will need to be tossed. In addition, anyone looking for a jolt of caffeine from coffee or tea will find themselves sorely lacking. The only tea present is herbal in nature, and caffeine appears to be pretty much nonexistent in most of the beverages lying around.

◉ Along those same lines, newcomers will find that this is a world that is steeped in sustainable choices. Paper is a thing of the past. Ever used a bidet regularly? This world gives everyone a crash course in exactly what that feels like if they haven't done that before.

◉ Everyone will receive a modest stipend of credits from Morningstar to help them get by until they can find a job. This will be enough to cover their living expenses for about a month while they hang out in the safehouse, if they're careful with budgeting.

◉ The drugs making new characters compliant will remain in their systems for a few hours after their arrival at the safehouse before finally beginning to fade. They will be gone entirely after a night's rest. In the meantime, they may want to be careful of what others say to them.

◉ New characters will be given rudimentary access to the network upon arrival to the safehouse, but will not have their ID set up yet. They will be able to make posts and replies, but their messages will be anonymous—and they do not have inboxes yet.

◉ New characters also do not have access to the internet until their ID is setup. They only have limited access because they're present in the safehouse, but they can't surf the rest of the internet, check out Cooltalk, or watch the equivalent of Netflix until their ID is made.

◉ New characters cannot leave the safehouse at this time. The hatch is locked tight for them, making it impossible for them to get out for the next four days while they're locked inside. There won't be any immediately obvious ways to cut their way out through turning off the power, either. Time to sit tight.

◉ New characters will not be allowed to leave the safehouse until AUGUST 27, 2512 (JANUARY 23, 2020). These 4 days are for them to adjust, learn about the world they've arrived in from their fellows, and for El to speak with them and work on setting up their IDs.

> FINAL OOC NOTES

Welcome to Meadowlark, newbies! You're now free to post to the network and log comms. To reiterate, your characters will have no IDs or inboxes, nor be allowed to roam free once they enter the safehouse. Meaning: they'll have to sit tight until August 27, 2512 ICly.

All characters will appear as @anonymous on the network. While sitting tight in the safehouse, it's expected that they'll have gotten a good idea of their new situation from their fellow characters, and will have discussed their background and job potentials with El in order for their false IDs to be set up.

If you have any questions or ideas about how you'd like to get your character involved in the world, please head over to the plot engagement post and drop us a comment!

For questions pertaining to this log (and because we accidentally forgot to drop a questions header here, our bad!), please refer to our questions thread on the OOC post.

The January CR meme for the month is here.

Please check out our Event #011 Wrap Up Post for a rundown of all of the changes brought about through the AU, as well as any world changes that will be apparent moving forward.

As we announced on the wrap up post, AC will remain halved until at least June 2021. That said, for the month of January, we're making things check-in only because of the state of the world.

Finally, we'll be back to our standard planned calendar and AC (halved, just to be clear) on February 1, 2021. Reserves will open on January 23, 2021.

> NAVIGATION

Comments

[filloryfanatic]

Most people don't handle it well at all. They hate the idea, some tried to argue with the worshippers, but it doesn't work. They believe what they believe. I'm from a world with gods and dragons and magic and shit, so I kind of come at things a little differently.

[ Quentin's so entrenched with fantastical elements in his old life and this became a weird cyberpunk-fantasy blend for him so he's more at ease with things than most people. The simulation and Aerie still fucked him up, no question about that, but he's already more open-minded to gods and powers and all that. It made him a really easy and natural target to be the person who connected with the worshippers. They have a comfortable relationship and Quentin looks out for them whenever possible. ]

It turns out they were right. We are part god. Not by choice, but it's true all the same.

[ They all have a little Blue in them. So much became obvious after this one little reveal. The dreams or nightmares, the visions which were probably from Blue, the fact they glow. Their power derived from a god here. It doesn't make them gods, but it definitely doesn't make them humans either. He wonders if Amos is someone who finds that unsettling or uncomfortable. A lot of other people do.

His expression sombers and he nods sadly, remembering the monster attack. He spent most of it running around trying to rescue people and not die at the same time, since he has no fighting ability. ]

It was brutal. There were so many of them and so many kinds. There's a bestiary on the shared network Dean came up with if you're interested in looking up details of the kind of monsters we're talking about.

[ They might not be actively trying to murder the Displaced but they still exist somewhere in this world. And if they attack again, the Displaced is one of the lines of defense left. Quentin just assumes everyone will be there elbow to elbow like they did the last time. He wishes they could find that togetherness and team mindset again, in less dangerous times. ]

We were the only defense system that worked for them. Most of the city would probably be dead now if not for us.

[ Quentin folds his arms over his chest and then winces, shrugging. ]

Then again, it supposedly started because of us. That's the double-edged sword of being a Displaced. We sometimes end up fixing what we caused.

[baltimores]

[ There's at least something reassuring in that it sounds like there are other Displaced in his position in not wanting to be worshipped; something much less reassuring in that apparently there's no stopping it.

Amos raises his eyebrows when Quentin discloses those particular facts about his world, though, takes a quick glance around their current scene. ]

So you're kinda versed in this sort of thing, huh? Makes it easier to meet them on their own turf.

[ Which - yeah, he's never going to be the kind of person to do that. He might be leaning more towards open and curious now, but that's purely because he approached Quentin. Otherwise? Standoffish would be a pretty good descriptor; one that should be evident enough outside of this particular interaction.

He does have to frown at the whole part god thing, true as it may be. He will admit, that's a pretty good reason on its own for worshipping someone. The big problem is that it leaves out a hell of a lot of context. Like how Amos is the exact kind of person who shouldn't be worshipped. By anyone. Ever.

... But if people are worshipping Cardinals, knowing who they were and what they did, then there's probably no stopping them on that front. So that's even more frustrating.

It's probably worth asking to find out just how familiar Quentin is with all of this, though. ]

You're not used to it yourself though, are you? From your world. The whole actually being part god thing.

[ The more Amos dwells on it, the more he's pretty sure he hates it. Like someone really fucked up somewhere, dragging him into this.

The whole monster thing is way more interesting to him, if only because it sounds like there actually is something they can do about it, should they come up again. And actually being able to do something is way better, so he perks up more at that particular topic. ]

Thanks, I'll have to check that out. Sounds handy.

[ The bestiary. It doesn't sound like they're infectious. No weird protomolecule shit here, so it actually would be interesting to learn what's what, see what there might be to fight against should it come up again. He still doesn't know what his power is yet or if it'd be helpful in any way, but yeah, he could fight.

Nods at the whole fixing the things you fuck up thing. ]

Yeah, I'm familiar with that. [ None of the protomolecule activity had even started on Ilus until they'd brought it with them. ] Still, like you said, it's not our choice to be part god, right? So not like anyone here wanted to bring on a monster attack.

[ ... Probably, he doesn't know everyone here. He shrugs, like it's obvious. ]

So fighting back and saving people sounds like the right thing to do. Best of a bad situation. Hard to be upset at that.

[filloryfanatic]

The post-apocalyptic cyberpunk setting I wasn't super used to, but the concept of superpowers, the multiverse, gods, monsters? Yeah. That's all pretty familiar. I used to be a magician, a real one. I miss magic a lot.

[ Quentin sometimes has a strange way of talking about things, such as pointing out the cyberpunk setting, and he talks about things like protagonists, the hero's journey, and tropes. It's what happens when the literary concepts are what you know best and then many of them become real. His knowledge of these things have actually come in handy there.

He's very chatty in comparison, albeit with some social anxiety that is always underneath. He cares a lot about people and what they think, and if they are okay. It makes being here complicated at times; caring a lot about the people means letting them down is devastating. The question about being part god makes him pause before responding. ]

My best friend Julia was made into a goddess. I was sort of made king of this other world because of a prophecy. This whole Chosen One thing is not new to me either. It doesn't really get less weird, you just get more used to it.

[ The last thing Quentin seems is a king though, it was something he dreamed about for fun, but in reality it's not really him. He dreamed about being the protag but came to see himself as the nerdy best friend and finding value in that. While Q suffered a lot through all of these ordeals, there is a part of him that's better at adapting than most people. He's already starting out at a ridiculous set of knowledge. This is simply more of it. ]

Well ... technically we kind of poked the bear in that case. We didn't mean to wake up the Gold god, but it didn't accidentally happen. The Antarctica trip led there. We just....

[ He pulls his gaze from the preacher over to Amos, flickering a smile both weary and a little melancholy. It's been a hard time since forever, but there's a lot weighing on everyone these days. Especially someone who takes everything hard. ]

We have a lot of impact on this world. No one asked to be seen as gods, but it's happening whether we want it to or not. And it's not fair but we have power and they don't. We have to take that seriously.

[ After a beat he rubs the back of his head, looking away. Sometimes he's so sure of himself but then he doubts himself.] Sorry, um, I get a little rambly sometimes.

[baltimores]

[ Okay, yeah, some of Quentin's phrasing is weird as hell, but Amos is pretty sure he's gotten the gist of it.

And - he can even nod in sympathy at how Quentin misses magic, because he recognizes that feeling. Not magic, he doesn't know shit about that, and it's really not that big of a deal, but... it'd be nice, sometimes, maybe, to actually be back in space. ]

I get that. Maybe not the whole magic thing, but I've spent most of my life in space. It's weird, not being able to go back up there. [ He sighs. ] Apparently here it's underdeveloped from what I'm used to, too.

[ It's like a small comfort of home rendered inaccessible. He'll deal perfectly fine without, but still. Knowing that part of his life may very well be over does suck on some level.

He starts, stops, starts again at the whole. King?? Chosen One?? Thing. He is having a hard time seeing Quentin as a king of any sort; maybe his friend Julia was more suited for her role, but...

Ah, fuck it, it's not his business. ]

I'd imagine this is easier for you to deal with, then. Maybe not easy. But easier.

[ Because he's gotta face it: Amos is definitely still out of his element on that front, and it's not like he's trying to hide it. Quentin is... he's a lot of things, Amos is getting the sense, and nice is probably one of them. Helpful. Maybe a little too chatty, but he knows how to deal with that. So it's not like it makes sense to be anything other than honest.

After all, he'd still approached him first. ]

Okay, sure. But sounds like you didn't know what you were doing. [ Which is something else entirely, but this is not the time nor place to get into that. ] You can be as careful as you want, but sometimes shit's just gonna go sideways. Especially if... If, you know, people are just getting powers. Even if nobody knows the first thing about who they are, what they'll do with them.

[ If they'll hurt people with them. Not that Amos is ever intending to do such a thing, but... he knows himself well enough to know it's a possibility. And if it's a possibility for him, then it probably is for other Displaced, too. He's in full agreement that things like this have to be taken seriously, but if there isn't a proper vetting system in place by whatever's causing them all to be here, then what are any of them even supposed to do with that?

Amos takes a second after Quentin looks away, clearly having lost steam. And then he lets a small grin spread on his face. ]

That's fine. I knew a guy who could be like that sometimes. Think I got used to it.

[filloryfanatic]

Oh in space? That's cool. They're more developed here than in my world since they have people actually living on the moon. You guys have more advancement?

[ His eyes brighten, very engaged right away. If there's one thing Quentin loves it's hearing about where everyone else comes from because it's never boring. Now that they know Blue grabbed them from the multiverse, it makes sense to him everyone's from interesting or unique places. Maybe Blue was drawn to powerful or different spirits. Maybe they're more qualified to take god parts into them. Either way, he really likes hearing about other people and where they come from.

Quentin can tell the pause might be due to the goddess and king thing, both weird, both confusing. He gets it and nods. ]

Yeah I do consider myself lucky on that front. At this point I'm so used to weird shit. It still sucks, but I worry more for people that are brand new to it.

[ Like Amos, not that he's trying to imply he's someone to be worried about. The guy is very impressive and he has a strong presence. He seems like he can handle anything. But it doesn't mean he should have to, only that he does. Quentin still hates everything they go through and it messes him up, but he thinks about how bad it was that first sequence of events with the Beast. How terrifying and new and against the worst odds it felt like. ]

You are right, it's a mixed bag. People are doing their best. I worry too much, it's a thing. Public opinion can switch on a dime. The UN is already lying in wait.

[ And then they're not the saviors of this place, which they've been indulged with lately. This person is talking about end of times so they'd be a part of that, if not outright worship. But there's the other side. The UN side. They would swoop in if they had an excuse. He smiles wryly at Amos saying he knows someone similar. ]

I'm glad you don't mind. What's his name?

[baltimores]

[ This keeps happening - Amos mentions living or working in space, and people get overly excited because it's not something they're used to. But it had been just day-to-day life for him, for a long time. Still, there was a time. When he was just a kid. And going up the well had seemed like some faraway dream. So maybe that's what it's like for Quentin, too.

He can understand that much, at least. Amos gives him a small nod, and something almost wistful creeps into his voice when he talks. ]

Yeah, only there's way more people living on Luna. Mars is its own thing. And there are a lot of people who live beyond that. One of my best friends is from Ganymede. I think we've been out there longer, so. More time to get things set up.

[ He's really not entirely sure what the whole situation is with the colonies out here, just that they seem really, really far behind. Like something that would've been ancient history for him, in his own universe.

There's a spark of recognition in Amos' eyes when Quentin talks about his own worries, though. That's. That really sounds familiar, in all of the best ways. That wistful feeling makes itself a little more known in him, makes him think he really, really did make the right call in approaching Quentin. ]

That's good. That you're worried for them, I mean. [ Them, not him. He's fine. The Aerie had been some shit on its own level - he's never been rewritten as a person before - but the rest of it, including ending up here to begin with? It's just another churn. ] There needs to be people like that.

[ And he'll never be one of them. But as long as there are other people who can take up that role... maybe that helps make it okay.

Amos makes a sound of acknowledgment about the UN. He's started picking up some rumblings of that, courtesy of his Aerie background. But there isn't really anything there for him to add - it's just one of those things. Maybe not better or worse than the whole being worshipped thing. Just the other side of the coin. It all sucks, really.

He's still got one ear tuned in to the preacher, the way the end of the times sounds like nonsense, but Quentin asking for a name snaps all of his attention back to him. He blinks, because it's so out of left field, because that... seems pointless. Not like he'll actually know the guy. But. Is there really any harm in sharing?

Amos quickly recovers, but. That fucking wistful feeling is still there. It's not Quentin's fault, it's his own shit to deal with, but it is getting kinda annoying. Still, he can come back to the moment, give Quentin proper eye contact as it makes itself more known in his voice, ]

Jim Holden. He's my captain back home. He's always trying to help everyone he can... He's a good man.

[ Probably one of the best people he's ever met, if Amos' tone is anything to go by. And he's pretty sure Holden hasn't found his way here because... well... he would've heard about it by now if he had. But shit, now that he's thinking about it, it would be really nice if he was here. And he's both grateful that he isn't here, and it's kind of just. Another gut punch as to how alone he really is in this world. And how much of a bad thing that really is. There's a flash of uncertainty in his expression, a reminder of just what is he actually doing here, how is he supposed to properly live in this world without his people. ]

[filloryfanatic]

That's super cool. Like we literally just put our first space rover thing on Mars, that's how behind we are in comparison. Only astronauts have ever been to the moon, not normal people.

[ If normal people could go up there Quentin wouldn't hesitate for a moment. He's not someone who would want to be an astronaut, but he likes exploring new things and new worlds. There was a time when he thought maybe once all the shit in their world calmed down, they could try out some of the other fountains and explore other planets. It was one of those pipe dream ideas. ]

If you ever get stir crazy, you can visit any city in this world in an instant using our gates. But not the moon. Yet.

[ He's going to get that moon gate. They all decided to pause the idea for now, which he was fine with, but he hasn't forgotten. Maybe to meet Henries, sure, although he's not sure how that would go. But when there's all these cities open to them, the more ground they can cover, the more places they can go, the easier they can have escapes or people can feel less boxed in.

That's always his first instinct in situations like this. Worrying about other people. Quentin's a team player in a literal sense, he hates being alone, he's incapable of an every-man-for-himself mentality. He smiles at Amos' reassurance it's good someone thinks that way. Sometimes he wonders if it's a more annoying mindset than helpful, not everyone wants to be worried about. ]

I couldn't stop even if I tried. [ He says honestly. ] The only way we're going to get through this is if we get through it together. That's not always a popular opinion but I think most people know in their hearts it's the truth.

[ It's fine if not, Quentin will just keep trying to say it to people until either it works or forever. He doesn't think people are willfully resistant to teamwork here, they all have different personalities and opinions. Sometimes it's better here, he's currently on the frustrated side after one too many network battles. Tempers have been a little high, unsurprisingly after a trauma like what they all experienced.

Quentin's first reaction is being glad to be compared to someone who is apparently a good guy. He is both an old man and a young one, mixed together into one brain, and the latter sometimes craves a reassurance the former doesn't care much for. It's a complex existence, having different lives in his head, and not just the Aerie. Sooner or later his head is going to be too full. He's watching Amos though and he's perceptive about people, after a lifetime of obsessively watching other people's expressions for things he should worry about. He doesn't know Amos but he can see something's going on with him. He doesn't know him well enough to push at that. ]

Well, I'm honored to remind you of him, then.

[ Quentin realizes something and smiles, offering his hand over. It's gloved; even in the heat he tries to keep the empathy bond in mind for other people. His emotions can be tough to deal with. ]

Hey, I'm Quentin Coldwater. I don't think I said that.

[baltimores]

[ He decides to skip over the history lesson - so Quentin's from sometime in what he'd consider the past too, alright, doesn't make much of a difference, join the club - but the possibility of just ending up on the moon without having to go through breaking through the atmosphere, gaining the necessary acceleration to get off the ground? That's actually interesting. ]

I heard about the gates. Not really going stir crazy here, but still, good to know. Luna here kinda sounds like it sucks, but being able to fast travel there would be new. Wouldn't mind that.

[ In other words, you've got his attention. Maybe not his enthusiasm, but it's definitely not something he's going to dismiss out of hand - although being able to just appear on the moon without being able to leave it and go deeper into space wouldn't accomplish much.

And meanwhile, Amos has absolutely no problems with it being every man for himself - or every man for a small handful of other people; that's fine, too - but Quentin does have a point about safety in numbers. He may not know all of the Displaced, almost certainly isn't going to like all of them, but there's a cold logic there he can't disagree with.

So he nods - though he agrees more with the idea than the sentiment. It'd be natural for him to completely dismiss the latter, which... trying to avoid that. Kinda necessary to avoid that. ]

If you can get everyone working together, sure. Anyone ever have any success doing that?

[ There's a healthy skepticism to his tone; the other problem with the sentiment is the realism - or lack thereof - surrounding it.

The whole thing is... very Holden. And while Amos doesn't know if Quentin's the type to command that level of respect from everyone - he's guessing no, not that that's a bad thing; Holden probably couldn't do it, either - it's still nice to see some of that familiarity. Know more people like him exist, even across universes.

He blinks down at Quentin's gloved hand; his own are covered, too, but it's nice that Quentin is the kind of guy who would take that precaution. Who knows for what reason, but Amos is just glad to see it.

It's oddly formal, especially with a preacher still going on about whatever nearby, but he takes his hand. Quentin seems decent enough. And it's safe. So. ]

Amos Burton.

[filloryfanatic]

We'd still need Henries to let us up there to make one, but once he does, I'm pretty sure it'll work. We have enough relics, it'd just be about setting up the right type of doorway.

[ Quentin does get why Henries may be hesitant. For one, the Moon is separate from them for a reason, and there's a lot of rich folks up there. For two, some of them have a grudge against Henries and it would be opening himself up to potential dangers. He has that light in his eyes talking about it, the enthusiastic mixed with strong determination. The more doors they open for themselves, the better.

He smiles wryly at Amos' skepticism because it's one he's heard many times here, and he's even in agreement on his frustrating days. It hasn't stopped him from pushing and trying to persuade people to a diplomatic solution. The problem is he doesn't command the type of respect that would get people listening to him. The people in the Displaced who do have that strong leadership drive often bump up against each other. ]

Yep, in emergencies. When we were ending the simulation and when the monsters attacked, we became a good team.

[ Quentin does know that it makes sense people can gel when they're trying to survive. Survival is a natural instinct and people will do just about anything to keep alive. The fact they worked together so well just means to him that they can do it again, if they chose to. He and his friends first started working together because they were trying to live, but eventually they became a real group. He has to believe that's possible here. ]

It's not just like we did okay as a team doing those, we did really well, like if people remembered how easy it was at the time, they might get their heads out of their ass for non-violent situations too.

[ Quentin knows that he may never get his wish. Every time he feels like they're stepping forward, something happens that pushes them backward. Like the Aerie. Now everyone's got an entire other life in their heads, and it makes them more unstable. Brains were not made for so much shoved into them. It's not that he's clueless about people, but he does lean more on optimism than realism. He's the only optimist in a friend group of skeptics. Someone has to be!

He shakes Amos' hand loosely, he's not the firm handshake type of person, there's a warmth to it that's a little more personal. ]

Nice to meet you, Amos. Even if it's over someone preaching about the end of times.

[ He flashes a quick grin and glances over to the preacher in question. Who seems to be on a roll now about how they all deserve the end coming. ]

[baltimores]

[ Amos isn't entirely familiar with all of the tech, mythology, whatever it is surrounding everything - he's pretty much kept it only to powers at this point, and even then, not like he's been in a rush for any of them - but the context is easy enough to follow. It's probably possible to set up a fast travel gate to Luna. So it'll probably happen.

Count Amos in for those probably having a grudge against Henries, though. He isn't terribly familiar with the guy, but what he does know hasn't exactly left a good impression. What he'd actually do, though, if he were to come face to face, he really isn't sure. So in the meantime, he just frowns. ]

What, nobody around here has a spaceship we can commandeer? Just do it ourselves?

[ His tone's dry, sarcastic. He'd been joking around about the whole idea with a pirate not too long ago. Still... Amos is pretty sure if they somehow were able to find something that could reach escape velocity, it'd be easy enough to get up to Luna on their own. He could do systems checks, make sure it was physically sound. It's been a while.

Not that he's in any particular rush. More a thought exercise than anything else.

He... kind of smirks, at the notion of what it takes to get everyone to get along. Like he's familiar with it. ]

Peacetime's different from wartime. Kind of seems like a victory on its own that everyone could cooperate during monster attacks. I dunno if anyone could push it much farther, but, [ he shrugs, ] I'm not the guy to make that call, anyway.

[ He'll team up if it's life or death - specifically, his life, or the lives of anyone he cares about - but otherwise... eh. Amos is much more likely to keep his circle small and not look beyond that. Anything else - keeping everyone on the same page, having a group as large as the Displaced actually wanting to have everyone's backs - doesn't seem possible. Or maybe it is for other people, just not him. At the very minimum, he has a healthy skepticism about it. Wouldn't pin any hopes on it, that's for sure.

Quentin's warmth does take him a little bit aback though. It really shouldn't - it's very clear what type of person he is - but still, Amos isn't used to being on the receiving end of that. Definitely not from someone he's just met.

Still, he can match Quentin's grin, because that was a good one; the whole scene is kind of ridiculous. Hell of a place to introduce yourself, really. ]

Well, end of times probably isn't happening anytime soon. So sure. Good a time as any to meet.

[filloryfanatic]

If we could, we would've already done that. The super-rich folks live up there so security would be different.

( Or so Quentin's been told. The people who got to spend their time on the moon said it was pretty fancy. Thus why he didn't know why anyone would come down the shit storm on Earth. Quentin is interested in going there just to go there too, to be honest. The gate will be great, but he might want to poke his head around. Especially the gambling dens. He could potentially buy his friends a better place if his card shark skills held up. )

My guess is he won't let us until he's reasonably confident we won't beat the shit out of him. So who knows how long that'll be. Maybe he just needs to put better security on first.

[ Quentin really doesn't blame him, flat out. There's a lot of dangerous people in their group. He's not actually one of them, without magic. Even his powers here aren't that lethal (yet). He's surprised Henries had some new people up there who didn't attack him instantly. Jason, of all people too. So maybe at some point. Maybe they'll have to make a deal first. He won't know, he's not one of the chosen ones to talk to him.

He's only mildly bitter about that.

He gets what Amos is saying, nodding his head along to show that. Peacetime is different from war. He's never gone to war personally, but they've gone through enough death and conflict to sort of wrap that up. Trial by fire. And this group has proven that with their back to the wall they can get shit done. ]

I just hope it doesn't take another monster attack for cooperation, you know? Hope springs eternal and all that. We're a pretty interesting group overall. You talk to enough people and you'll see that's true. We're not exactly normal people from normal worlds.

[ No it's full of leader-y people and protagonists and the occasional antagonist. People from futuristic worlds or magical ones. Quentin's yet to meet someone who is just a Joe Schmoe who has a 9-5 and never does anything special. No soccer moms, outside of Midge, who was still something special. She's back with her family now so he can't dwell on her.

He figures Amos is definitely interesting. Quentin's got a good instinct. Generally he just likes people and it makes him feel good when they seem open and receptive to his particular brand of energetic enthusiasm. ]

Dude, don't jinx us. I was legit right before this Aerie thing like huh I wonder how Zerzura was, it must've been weird, and then bam.

[ After a beat, he adds on. ]

That was the previous alternative universe people were stuck in.

[baltimores]

Probably a smart move on his part. [ Is Amos dangerous? Sure. Would he beat the shit out of Henries if he had the chance? Jury's still out on that one. At the moment, at least, he's non-committal. ] Kidnapping a bunch of strangers from other worlds and giving them superpowers isn't exactly a move someone with good survival instincts makes. Maybe he's learning.

[ His tone stays completely dry. He's pretty sure this isn't entirely all on Henries, but it's not like it makes much of a difference from where he's standing. At least a part of it is, so. Amos tilts his head slightly, looks up at the sky before back at Quentin. ​]

Willing to bet there's a way to get around security, though.

[ It's an offhand comment, but spoken like there's some degree of experience there. It's not like Amos is outright threatening anything, more just idly musing. No plans. Not even anything partially formed. A loose thought exercise intermingled with past actions, maybe; his face carefully neutral.

Slackens into something a little more casual, almost apologetic, at Quentin's remarks over normalcy and the lack thereof. ]

Maybe not anymore, no. [ It's still a blank statement. Really not a fan of the whole god thing. But he softens a little more in tone, ] Wasn't anything special back home, though. Not until I met Cap, really, and even then. Just worked as a mechanic. [ He idly frowns, scratches lightly at his chest. He should really be focused on getting back to something like that, at least. ] I was perfectly fine with that. Sometimes being special can be worse.

[ The way the protomolecule kept talking to Holden. He's happy he didn't have to go through anything like that. And definitely not stoked about having to deal with the god stuff now.

He gives a soft huff at the idea of jinxing anything. ]

Pretty sure whatever I say isn't gonna change things. Same with the loudmouth over there. [ The preacher. Still going at it. Amos is definitely not the kind of person that could carry on with something like that for so long. He gives Quentin a half-hearted shrug. ] Things don't really work like that.

[ A beat of his own, quietly amused. ]

Guess third time could be the charm for the next alternative universe, huh? Since apparently that's a regular thing around here.