002 ♃ Be careful what you wish for...

[seekinganswers]

Characters: Sheba and anyone who wants some last-minute pre-event CR!
Setting: Daytime - Floor 08, Floor 09, Floor 10 || Nighttime - Floor 11
Format: Starting with brackets but I will follow you!
Summary: Sheba's continuing her exploration of the Tower little by little, but a fair amount of dilly-dallying leaves her pretty far from the safety of her dorm room by the time night falls.
Warnings: Sheba has no particular concern for the privacy of others at the moment, so if you run across her chances are she'll probably try to read your mind at least once.

[FLOOR 08]
[Sheba was really starting to question her choices.

If you'd asked her what she was planning on doing today, her answer would not have involved wandering lost in a maze. In spite of her best intentions, though, that's exactly what she was doing. She'd come up to this floor just after breakfast and she wasn't sure how much time had passed since then, but it sure felt like a lot.

With a sigh, she stopped walking and leaned against a wall to gather her thoughts.

Come on, Sheba, it's just a maze. You've found your way out of more confusing places than this before... remember Air's Rock?

...

This isn't helping.

[Sigh.]

[FLOOR 09]
[It had taken some doing, but she'd finally gotten out of that maze and was making her way through the Tower again.

As she came up on the ninth floor, her footsteps slowed until she came to a stop. She looked curiously from the lights by the staircase to the darkness that seemed to have fallen over the rest of the floor.]

That's strange... why is it so dark?

[Perhaps it wasn't the most intelligent decision, but the whole point of her venturing out of her room today was to get acquainted with the various floors in the Tower. She couldn't do that if she just stayed on the staircases. She took a breath and stepped away from the stairs, continuing further into the room and hunching her shoulders, then crouching. It was getting darker and darker, and the room seemed to be getting smaller and smaller...

When she was forced to get to her hands and knees to keep going, she started to think that this wouldn't be a floor she'd want to hide out on if anything happened. She came to an abrupt stop after a few moments, though, looking around with a slightly guarded expression.]

What...?

[She could have sworn she'd heard something... She frowned. No, when she wasn't moving, it was quiet. She crawled forward a little bit more and--

What was that?!

She'd seen something. She knew she had! But now there wasn't anything... She scowled. If this tower was trying to scare her, she wasn't going to let it! The space got smaller and smaller, and she had to resort to inching forward a little at a time on her stomach. The sounds and sights just kept coming more and more frequently - but she could never pinpoint where they were coming from, what they were...

Finally, she came to the edge, but before she could get a good look around she felt something around her ankle.]

?!

[And then, all at once, she was yanked back so hard that it nearly took her breath away. By the time she could scream, she was about halfway across the room; the next thing she knew, she'd slammed into the suitcase and slumped forward.

When she lifted her head, there was nothing there but the same eerie darkness she'd looked out at minutes before.]

Wh-wh... what...

[She was trembling. What was that? What had just happened? Why...]

[FlOOR 10]
[Sheba was still shaking as she climbed the last stair and stepped out onto the tenth floor. Thankfully, she could see in all directions here - this part of the tower seemed well-lit and... well, altogether, it just didn't seem like the kind of place where someone would be dragged away kicking and screaming.

No, this place seemed a lot safer...

She looked up at the enclosed bits of water, her arms wrapped around herself, and watched the creatures that were swimming back and forth. It took her a moment to realize that there wasn't any glass - how was the water staying up? Why wasn't this whole floor flooded? This seemed like something that could be accomplished with Psynergy, but she hadn't seen any other Adepts here, not really...

Her thoughts were cut off when a sea creature she didn't recognize leaped out from one block of water and landed in another one.]

Oh, wow..!

[Her eyes were wide. Even on her journey through Weyard, she hadn't seen anything like this before.]

[FlOOR 11]
[Between the maze, that... floor she didn't really want to think about, and the aquarium, Sheba had stayed out pretty late. The sun had gone down a good hour or so before she finally came upon the eleventh floor, which might have concerned her if she was familiar enough with the Tower to know that nighttime was when the monsters thrived. But she wasn't.

Instead, she was just blown away by what she'd found. A ceiling, but no walls? Waterfalls? Upside-down rainbows? The sight of a regular rainbow had been rare enough in her part of Weyard, given that there wasn't exactly a lot of water in the air around Lalivero to reflect light to begin with.

Cautiously, she made her way to the edge of the room and looked down over the side of the tower. Oh... they really were high up. She vaguely wondered what would happen if she jumped out from here - she'd survived falls from much higher up, before. But the first one she hadn't even been conscious of, and the second had been mostly luck and... Felix.

She'd managed not to dwell on thoughts of him or the rest of their traveling group for the last few days, and while she really wished she could keep from thinking about them, it just wasn't meant to be. Because almost in the same instant that she got to her feet to come away from the edge, she heard a voice.

"Sheba!"]

Who's there?!

[She whirled towards the sound of the voice, her heart pounding. Was her mind playing tricks on her, or had she heard...? She narrowed her eyes to focus on a faint figure a good distance away. It looked almost like mist, but maybe that was because of the waterfalls.

Maybe Felix was here? It had been his voice she'd heard, hadn't it? She took a few hopeful steps in its direction, then paused when she heard another voice.

"Sheba!"]

Jenna...?!

[She allowed herself to hope. Maybe she'd have questioned just one or the other, but Felix and Jenna together--! It would have made sense. They'd both been there on Mars Lighthouse with her, right before she'd appeared here. Now, if only--

"Sheba!"]

Piers!

[They were here - they were here! Feeling more hopeful than she'd felt since coming here, she took off at a run, her eyes locked on the hazy figures on the other side of the room. Three voices, three figures - it had to be them, it had to, she had so many things to tell them, she was so glad they'd managed to survive, she--

...wasn't getting any closer to them, it seemed. Were they... walking away?]

No! Wait! Don't go - don't leave me alone!

[The figures seemed to vanish. Sheba let out a sharp cry and put on a burst of speed, desperate to catch up. But there was nothing; she fell to her knees and gasped to catch her breath.]

No... no, don't go...

["Sheba..."

Felix's voice again, and this time it was much closer. She looked up.

The ... things around her almost looked human, but not quite. They didn't seem solid or real, and they didn't look like her friends. But there were lots of them, and they pretty much had her surrounded.

She felt weak...

Was it because of the run, the despair of finding out that it wasn't really them, or were these Phantoms doing something to her? Sheba didn't know.

And she didn't really want to stick around to find out. She had to get out of here. But, as she realized, an expression of alarm crossing her face - she'd left her staff in her room today. And try as she might, she couldn't summon up a windstorm to blow these strange mist-creatures away.

She'd have to run for it... she'd have to... she was just so tired. Her gaze shifted from one Phantom to another, looking for an opening. She had no idea what would happen if she tried to run right through one, but that wasn't really something she wanted to find out, either.]

Comments

[harepiece]

[he caught that plural there, captain.] There were multiple lighthouses like that? [he's hoping all of them are absolutely, ridiculously gigantic!]

So the boats that you're used to aren't like... [he mimics a rowing motion, like someone holding an oar.]

How big was it? The ship! If it takes more than one person to sail, it must have been a decent size, right?

[seekinganswers]

Yes! Four of them... one for each of the four elements. They were scattered across Weyard.

[She looks thoughtful for a second or two.] Well, boats that are rowed were the most common where I'm from. The ship my friends and I used... it was special.

But it was really big! We all fit comfortably on it. More than comfortably. Lemurian ships are the best ones for sea voyages...

[harepiece]

Is Weyard the name of your country or your entire world? [it's exciting, either way! he wonders briefly if she got to see all of them, or just the one she had mentioned.]

And what about Lemurian? Lemuria? Is that the name of another country? They must be very impressive if they can create ships like that! I've only heard of the kinds you can row and the ones with masts and wheels. It seems like it'd be a challenge to control something like that, but a fun one!

[seekinganswers]

It's the name of our world. There are seven continents on Weyard: Angara, Gondowan, Indra, Osenia, Hesperia, Atteka, and Tundaria. Gondowan was where I grew up.

There are other places that weren't really a part of any of the continents, too. The Mars Lighthouse was far to the north. Everyone just called that part of Weyard the Northern Reaches. Then there were other islands scattered around... the Apojii Islands near the end of the world, Izumo, Lemuria...

Lemuria is the name of a hidden island civilization in the middle of the ocean. It's what's left of one of the ancient civilizations that had the ability to build things like the Elemental Lighthouses. They're pretty reclusive, though; they don't like outsiders, and it's hard to find them because of the fog and terrible currents surrounding their island. Most people who try to get in die in the attempt, and the Lemurians themselves are forbidden from leaving.

[That never stopped Piers, though, and the memory brought a small, wistful smile to her lips.]

I'm not really sure how they managed to create them, but the ships themselves require a small Black Orb to be able to go anywhere, and only people who can use Psynergy can use them. They're useless to anyone else...

It was a challenge, but it was really fun! [She was smiling, but her eyes were a little sad.] And that's not all. Towards the end of our journey, we had something added to it that allowed us to make it fly. That was where I came in!

[harepiece]

Near the end of the world? [he parrots it back with an obvious curiosity. the way she phrased it, he's assuming there's like some tangible aspect of the literal end of the world where she lives... that sounds pretty dangerous! or like sablier, which isn't exactly a great alternative.

and then, because he's clearly on a roll with picking out the weirdest parts of her information to focus on:] How do the Lemurians feel about being unable to leave? Do any of them care?

[at least the boating part seems straightforward enough... even though it's essentially mentally boiling down to him as like "crazy isolated islanders make giant magic boats".

...but wait!!] You can make things fly?

[seekinganswers]

Yes, at the edge of Gaia Falls, where Weyard's oceans empty into the void.

[The world is flat. No one will ever be able to convince her otherwise.]

Well... some of them do care. One of my good friends was--... is a Lemurian. He left the island and the Sea of Time on his king's orders. But most of them don't really think very well of the rest of the world. They're a lot more advanced than we are, so it's not really hard to see why, but most of them were... sort of lethargic. They have naturally long lifespans, so while a seventy-year-old is an elder to us, to them, that's barely even reaching adulthood. It's almost like time is frozen there, and they're so used to it that there's not a lot of curiosity.

[At his next question, she grinned impishly and held out a hand to him.] I sure can! Would you like to try flying, Oz? [Thank goodness she still had the Hover Jade. After using it for so long, she would have felt almost empty without it.]

1/2

[harepiece]

[well that sounds uncomfortably familiar.] The void? [so many questions, so little time!

he looks a little down about the state of the Lemurians, even if it does make sense. immortals can be pretty unpleasant people to hang around...] At least your friend was able to take a look around, right? Maybe he can bring knowledge of his travels back to his home one day and start changing the minds of the people there.

2/2

[harepiece]

[and then his hands FLY UP TO HIS FACE SO FAST]

What? Really?! Right here, right now? Actually flying—?

[seekinganswers]

A deep, empty space below the edge of the world. No one who's fallen off the side has ever been seen in Weyard again... it's a very dangerous place. The town of Prox and the settlement on the Apojii Islands are both very close to the edge... it's a little worrying.

[Then she smiled.] That's the plan! At first, Piers' mission was to chart out a map of Weyard so they could compare it to their older maps. Everyone would be able to see how the world was changing... but after we returned there with him, the king told him to keep helping us with our mission. It was a relief! It would have been really sad to see him stay behind...

[Her smile turned into a wide grin and she nodded.] Yes! Right here and right now. I lifted an entire ship into the air, I think I can handle the two of us!

[harepiece]

Does anyone know anything about that space? Anything at all? [he may have a slightly personal interest in it...

but he doesn't want to linger on it too long, and he gives a bright smile.] That's pretty lucky for you all. Hopefully you can see some real change from that.

[an enthusiastic clap!!] Absolutely yes, then! Let's go!

[seekinganswers]

No... [She shook her head.] All we know is that the people who fall into it don't return... [She wanted to ask why he seemed so interested, but... he also doesn't seem to want to keep talking about it. Hm... maybe it'd be something to discuss with him later.

For now, they could both use something a little more lighthearted to think about.]

Take my hand! [She withdrew the Hover Jade from the sash at her waist and held it in her free hand, concentrating. Jupiter Lighthouse had been lit and maybe, maybe she had the blood of the Anemos running through her veins. Slowly, she started to rise from the floor; if Oz was to take her hand, he would rise with her.

It would almost feel like currents of air were cushioning and supporting them, but that was impossible, wasn't it? Nahhh.]

[harepiece]

[any hint of somberness in his expression fades after that; it's a topic for another time, and he's filing away questions and information to ask later.

in the meantime he'll be eagerly reaching for her hand. he's not sure what he had expected, but... flying is flying, and it's pretty spectacular! being in the air is always fun as long as the threat of plummeting down gracelessly afterward stays nonexistent.]

This is fantastic! [and then, ever curious:] How are you doing it?

[seekinganswers]

I'm doing it by using Psynergy!

[She smiled, using her free hand to brush away a few strands of hair from her face.]

It's the same power that allowed me to blast those things from before, just used in a different way. I need this... [She showed him the Hover Jade.] ...to be able to use it properly, though. It helps focus my Psynergy into the form it needs to take to fly.

Anyone who's an Adept can use it, but I find it a little easier because my powers naturally have to do with the wind. Not to mention, it takes a good amount of Psynergy to use continuously, and while I'm not physically the strongest of my friends, I can generally use Psynergy for longer periods at a time than they can.

[harepiece]

[he's doing a weird arm movement that makes it look like he's trying to swim through the air with the hand she isn't holding. it's fun all right no judging!!

when she presents the hover jade he leans forward a little, memorizing its shape.]

So is that just like some type of energy? You can focus that and use it to do these things? ["these things" is punctuated by a spirited wave of their joined hands.] Ah, that's amazing! Really amazing! I wish we had things like this in my world, it would make so many things more convenient. [imagine the number of cats he could drop on Gilbert from an aerial attack point!]

[seekinganswers]

[No judgments, Oz. The first time she did this, she flapped her arms like she was a bird.]

Yes. It's elemental energy - Psynergy. [She smiled.] At least, that's what it's called by people who know that it comes from Alchemy. Some people in Weyard just call it "magic" because they don't know what it is - and in other parts of Weyard, someone who can use Psynergy might be regarded as a god or a goddess, because most people have never seen anything like it before.

I think it's possible that Psynergy exists in some from in all worlds - it might just be known by a different name, is all. Who knows? Given time, you might be able to learn to do things like this too!

[harepiece]

I'm not sure about that, we don't really have things like magic. Not like this, at least. [all they have is crazy sealing spells and weird Abyss-related things and nothing cool like flying!!]

But that must be interesting for you! Knowing what you do, I mean, if it's not exactly common knowledge where you come from. [a thoughtful pause] So if your magic is related to elements, is this something wind-related, then?

[seekinganswers]

If it's not like this, what is it like? [Because she did pick up on that; he probably would have phrased it differently if there weren't any powers that were out of the ordinary in his world.]

Yes! That's right. Wow, you pick up on these things a lot faster than some people on Weyard did! [She giggled. And that was with their prior knowledge of Psynergy, even. Props to you, Oz.] The powers I use all have to do with the wind in some way, because I'm a Jupiter Adept. I didn't know that's what I was at first, though. Not until I met... not until I met my friends.

There aren't too many of us, not in Weyard. Venus Adepts and Mars Adepts are a lot more common, and Lemuria's a whole island of Mercury Adepts... [She shrugged.] Everyone has the same basic powers, but they develop them in their own unique ways. It's pretty interesting to see, I think.

[harepiece]

[he laughs at that, not looking entirely humble.] Well, it made sense! —Are you from those planets, then? Mars and Venus and Jupiter? [HIS EYES ARE SO WIDE what is with this place and its space travel??

and then, since apparently he's playing a round of "let's cycle through expressions quickly", it's back to smiling.]

Ah, but... Where I'm from, most things that happen that aren't natural are caused by the Abyss. We have some things that might be considered magic to others, like protective charms! [power seals, more like, but that is a whooole different can of worms.] Most of those things are rooted in the Abyss. No one really understands how it works, though.

[seekinganswers]

Planets...? [At that, Sheba looked a little confused. Then she shook her head.] No. I've never heard of a planet called Mars, or Venus, or Jupiter. But... [Her voice trailed off. "Anemos" - if that was where she came from, well, it wasn't a planet. But Anemos was said to have become the moon. So what did that make her?

...then again, maybe someone had just decided to pitch her off a mountain and had thrown her so hard that she'd gone all the way to Lalivero. She shook her head again, then moved on to what Oz had been talking about.]

Protective charms? That's interesting! [Some of the temples in Weyard were said to have charms of some kind, but Sheba had never seen them. And then of course there was always the occasional peddler who claimed to be selling magical charms that would protect the wearer from harm, but they almost always turned out to be fake. A real protective charm would be amazing to see! Her shoulders slumped a little when he finished speaking, though.] This "Abyss" sounds like it's a really mysterious place... It's a shame people don't know more about it. If they understood what makes it tick, maybe they'd be able to harness its power to do fantastic things...

[Then again, maybe that was the whole reason the Abyss shouldn't be understood. Power in the wrong hands could be deadly.]

[harepiece]

Oh, really? How strange! What are they where you come from, in that case? [the idea that the same name can be shared for different places or things is a pretty interesting concept!]

Isn't it? Some people dedicate their entire lives to unraveling its mysteries. [but he seems to be thinking something along the lines of the Abyss being dangerous in the wrong hands, since he quickly follows that up with:] I think it's probably best left on its own, though. There's a reason everything is the way it is, I think, and tampering with that is dangerous.

[seekinganswers]

They're just the names of different kinds of Psynergies, tied to the elements... [But apparently they were planets where he was from - that made her furrow her brow. The sharing of names...] ...do you think our worlds have had contact with each other?

... [And then she nodded slowly. She could understand that line of thinking - it was the same kind of thinking she'd had until she met Felix. It was the same kind of thinking most people in Weyard had, actually. And from the sound of it, it was a good attitude to have towards the Abyss.] Some things can be more dangerous than others. The Abyss sounds like one of them.

[harepiece]

That might be the case. I'm learning that the universe— universes, actually, are quite vast. It isn't impossible!

[and he doesn't seem to find the idea too large or ridiculous, apparently, since he's talking about it as one might discuss happening to come across someone who lives in a neighboring city.]

It's definitely a force to contend with. They say that the Abyss is at the beginning and end of all things, so it's probably best not to understand it too deeply. [he makes a soft "hmm" noise, before trying to flatten himself into a super hero-esque flying posture. #priorities]

[seekinganswers]

If that's so, then maybe... [Maybe if they do figure out a way home, they can still keep in touch. But that hinges on having a home to return to.]

The beginning and the end...? [She mulled that over for a moment before she realized what Oz was doing, and then she giggled, doing the same.] If you hold yourself steady, I can make us fly forward!

[harepiece]

Then maybe? [he echoes, looking at her curiously. he's already got an idea of what she might be thinking, but asking never hurts.

he also glosses right over her not-quite-question, since talking about the Abyss, while not unpleasant on its own, can usually lend itself to unpleasant topics. instead, he throws his free hand into the air excitedly, possibly attempting to drag hers up wit his.]

Yes! I mean, yes, I can definitely hold myself steady!

[seekinganswers]

Maybe it would be possible for us to keep in touch, if we ever find our way home!

[She giggled, then, and allowed him to pull her hand up into the air.]

Then... here we go! [It was the same basic theory as guiding the ship, really. Just easier, because this time it was two people and not an entire, hulking ship. Soon enough, the two of them began to move forward, slowly at first and then with increasing speed.] Tell me if you want to go faster or slower!