EVENT #23: CROSSROADS - IC LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event #23 - Crossroads

OOC Event Log

For the past few weeks, you've been stranded in a foreign territory or have had others stranded with you. Officials have assured everyone that the situation is temporary. They've been working hard to secure negotiations that would return everyone home...if that's what you want, of course. For anybody who wishes to stay in their new territory, authorities have promised that this is entirely possible. No one will be forced to go back if they don't want to.

The letter that arrives in the second week of February will say as much. It'll also emphasize that you must go to the exchange and that every Summoned has to be accounted for, or else the exchange may fall through. Even if you don't plan on returning - or you were never sent somewhere else to begin with - you'll still have to come.

The meeting will be held on neutral ground near the Singularity's now expanded crater but at a safe enough distance away. On FEBRUARY 18, portals will open to take you there.

While we will detail the incident leading up to characters fleeing, the majority of the event will be focused on characters surviving in their respective scenarios.

Remember: once you've chosen a SCENARIO for your character, they'll be rescued by the minor territory assigned to that scenario and will stay in that territory for the duration of March.

At the Exchange

The air of late winter is crisp even in the barren landscape around the crater. The Singularity stands tall and silent to the natives, but the Summoned will feel an electricity in the air. It might be magic seeping out from the cracked ground or it might be the tension that weaves the three mightiest nations closer together. The last time all three met here was for the Peace Summit three years ago. Now they meet again on the brink of war.

The territories have assured you that they anticipate everything to go smoothly. As you arrive, there is an attempt to cultivate a friendly atmosphere: Thorne has brought warm fur cloaks for anyone accidentally in the Free Cities who may be without, the Free Cities steps forward to announce compensation for any Summoned who were employed and could not attend to their job or business under the circumstances, and Solvunn declares it will be hosting an evening feast once all the Summoned have been returned to their rightful places. You even see Thornean mages and Free Cities officials chatting diplomatically, if superficially.

But as the exchange gets underway, the atmosphere begins to shift...and suddenly, nothing is as it seems.

Chaos Erupts

As a Summoned, you feel an electricity in the air. It might be magic seeping out from the cracked ground or it might be the tension that weaves the three mightiest nations.

Stillness falls across the gathering as each side waits for the other to make the first offering. An introduction that necessitates negotiation.

It never comes.

A flash from the north blinds you. Thunder drowns out all sound. The sharp scent of practiced magic rises into the air. Gunfire cracks in response. As explosions erupt around you, the facsimile of diplomacy tears like wet paper. Shouts are barely audible as soldiers, guards, and village elders rush forward.

You find yourself pulled between forces. Are they trying to hurt you, save you, or something else? A Thornean guard pushes you to the side. You can't tell if you were deliberately shoved into the line of fire or if it was an accident in the chaos. Someone else grabs you: a hooded Elder bearing the symbols of the Old Gods and urging you to come with them to safety. They can protect you from these dangerous nations, the Elder insists. The Gods have spoken.

As mayhem bleeds into the ground, the crater begins to shift and grow, reaching out to feed. The earth trembles. The soldiers, guards, and Elders notice too late as the crater expands far quicker than anyone could expect. It shatters stone, uproots trees, and swallows whole the natives who cannot withstand its powerful energy. They disintegrate in front of your eyes. Others cry out warnings and begin to flee - but they can't outrun the Singularity.

You are different. If you are one of the older Summoned, you'll remember being able to enter the Singularity's crater. In the past, it's dragged you into the Horizon...but not this time. Instead, you feel lulled by the crater's encroaching borders. You wonder if your best chance at surviving is to step into the crater where no native of Abraxas can reach you. Some of you might run toward it as a result of this conclusion. But, you may also have your doubts. If you try to flee with the rest, you'll find that you, too, cannot outrun the Singularity. As its reach extends across the entire swathe of neutral territory, you are inevitably sucked into its embrace and flung into a whirlwind.

On the Run

As you are teleported through a whirling vortex, you glimpse flashes of your domain in the Horizon. Indeed, for a few moments, it appears as though the domain itself has emerged and is now in the real world with you. Then you blink, and the sight vanishes, leaving you discombobulated.

Once you've gathered your wits, you realize you're nowhere near the original exchange site. If you attempt to use your powers, the effects are unintended: your fire spell causes rain to fall instead, or perhaps you accidentally summon a broomstick instead of your sword. It might last for a couple of hours or it might last for longer. The more powerful the ability, the longer it seems to take for it to start working correctly.

Regardless, you'll need to find each other somehow. Luckily, the Network is still working, so you can communicate with one another at a distance.

Northern Mountains

Though spring is on its way, the mountains are a tundra. Temperatures are frosty, but not as icy as they would've been a month ago. Maybe you've brought some warm clothes with you or the others have a spare cloak they've packed. You might've even brought a snack or some warming potions. Anything will help as you gather your bearings and try to determine where to go next.

If you were unlucky enough to have been one of the victims of Josselyn Creed's cult, you may recognize these ridges. Of course, everything rather looks the same when it's snowy and full of trees, but it's certainly possible to discern that you've been in these mountains before.

Characters in this scenario will go to NOCWICH.

Threats

◎ Revenant

A hoarfrost revenant has lived on these peaks for centuries. He cannot be killed. You can only run or chase him away, but he'll soon return. Take care not to stay in one place too long. A rattling chain and blue-flamed lantern announce his coming. His touch brings instant death, made clear by the frozen carcasses of animals left in his path.

With your arrival, he is now prowling in search of you...but if you encountered him before on these mountains, you'll notice that something's different this time: he does not attack. Instead, he will stand and watch - and if you, too, watch him for too long, you'll begin to grow warm. You'll then subsequently be overcome with the urge to remove your stifling layers of clothing despite the plummeting temperatures. Best hope someone not under his sway snaps you out of it.

◎ Whiteout

In the morning, you might be eager to get moving again. Perhaps you've been assigned foraging duties or you need to search for more firewood. As you leave your makeshift shelter, you realize the wind is whipping. Soon, a thick blizzard swirls around you, blanketing your surroundings in white. In the distance, you hear eerie howls...and you're not sure where you are anymore.

Be careful you don't trip and fall. With some concentration, you should still be able to find your way back home with the limited visibility...or, you might get lucky and somebody will come to your aid.

Resources

Though the mountains are dangerous, they also have what you need - if you know where to look. Snow hares can be hunted for food and any rations you might've had on your person can be shared among each other. Thick evergreen branches can be used for roofing. Alternatively, you can hunker down in a cave instead.

Most significantly, you can trek to an abandoned cabin containing some prechopped firewood that you can take, as well as an iron pot hanging over the cold hearth. Don't linger in the cabin too long, however. The more you stay, the more it feels like something is watching you. In the shadows, you spot two red eyes flickering in and out. You can't tell what this strange creature is, nor will it stop you from retrieving the few things you need, but eventually, the cabin's door will slowly open on its own, sending a clear message: it's time to leave.

Living Forest

Contrary to its name, the Living Forest is filled with seemingly dead trees. Like the Duskwoods, not much light penetrates, casting your surroundings in a dark gloom. Unlike the Duskwoods, it contains no giant mushrooms. Instead, the ground itself is covered in a thick moss, making every step you take feel as though you're walking upon a layer of marshmallows. Hidden in the moss itself are small vipers waiting to strike, each bite containing a venom that numbs the affected limb for several hours. Hazards are made all the more difficult to see due to the lack of light. While not pitch-black, the forest is gloomy and shrouded in a dark haze.

Those who've been to the Feywilds might not recognize where they are at first, but as you travel, you might notice something familiar: bright green and blue pear-shaped cocoons. Dozens of them hang from branches above you and will soon give birth to the aggressive spindled pear moths. As you study them, they begin to twitch, as if close to hatching. Maybe you shouldn't stay in this area too long...

Characters in this scenario will go to THE FEYWILDS.

Threats

◎ Strange Travelers

As you explore the murky woods, some of the trees shift oddly. You realize they aren't trees at all. Instead, they are figures on stilts, wandering in an endless circle. They do not speak. They are utterly silent.

One of them is holding a human-like infant. The child is also silent. While they won't actively threaten you, they have defended their territory with blinking mines stuck to trees and laid along the ground. The smooth steel and oddly modern lights imply a technology that far exceeds what should exist in Abraxas. Further, the mines don't seem to be powered by any magic at all.

Walk too close to a mine and you'll set it off, releasing a gas that knocks you unconscious. When you wake up, you'll have been dumped someplace far from where you were and must reorient yourself - if you can. Your belongings are untouched and you have no injuries beyond a few bruises or scrapes. It seems these Travelers aren't seeking to harm anyone unnecessarily, but they clearly want to be left alone.

◎ Flytraps

Massive Venus flytrap plants are one of the few plants that appear to flourish in these forests. The plant is difficult to spot in the dim light. Its vines will lash your ankles and trip you, then drag you toward its gaping maw. Its mouth is lined with sharp teeth and a corrosive spit that will burn your skin, eventually dissolving you into a paste. They're most prone to attack if you're carrying something that smells tasty: rations, freshly hunted meat, or foraged mushrooms.

Fortunately, the plants aren't too difficult to kill. A burst of magic or a few slashes from a sharp blade will release you. Still, in a situation such as this, even a twisted ankle or an infected cut could make a difference in your survival. Try to avoid the plants where possible.

Resources

As you explore the Living Forest, you might stumble across an abandoned garden that hasn't been harvested and is in full bloom as if it's spring. A variety of vegetables such as carrots, onions, and cabbages can be found, as well as some herbs for wounds and potions. The area shimmers with Seelie Magic. When you examine the crops closer, you realize that some of the garden is beginning to wilt and rot as the magic fades before your very eyes. A sign of what lies in the Feywilds, it would seem that all things Fey have left this realm altogether, leaving behind only remnants of their diminishing spells.

You can freely harvest the garden. None of the crops appear to be dangerous and the garden looks truly abandoned. However, you'll need to work quickly. The magic won't last until sunrise, so take what you can - you won't have the opportunity to return. Of course, don't overburden yourself, either, or attract predators with what you're carrying.

Open Ocean

Your arrival in the ocean will be more of a shock than the others as you splash into the water. Curiously, though it's still winter, the water isn't as cold as you might expect. It's almost unnaturally warm. As you struggle to stay afloat, the current begins to push you toward something floating in the distance: a large raft covered in moss. It resembles a small land mass, floating in the open sea, with a small curve like a hill or a hump...or the shell of a turtle.

It's possible a few of your fellow Summoned have already found refuge atop the creature's back or you might be among the first. Regardless, you'll want to help search for the others...and the island itself appears to be searching with you. Summoned who have been around a while might remember the Sea Giants who have come to your aid more than once. This may be yet another friendly Sea Giant - not quite the turtle some of you previously met, but perhaps a relative or a friend.

While the creature will try its best to keep you afloat, stormy winds and tall waves will still violently rock the living raft and may sweep away those who aren't careful. Make sure you hang on tight to the vines growing along the surface.

Characters in this scenario will go to THE NETHER.

Threats

◎ Leviathan Attack

Though leviathans are a predictable threat in the ocean, it doesn't make them any less dangerous. Appearing in all shapes and sizes, the one that rises from the water in the dead of night is difficult to discern: you glimpse massive teeth and glowing yellow eyes that, from a distance, resembles the blinking signal of a lighthouse. The leviathan will attack the creature who serves as your raft, who will struggle to defend itself.

You can help in any manner you wish. Attacking the leviathan or casting wards will aid the friendly turtle. While the leviathan is not easy to deter, it can be driven away if faced with enough aggression and will eventually leave in search of easier prey. Don't lose anyone overboard. Any Summoned who falls into the water while the leviathan is attacking will be swallowed up. Avoid its thrashing tail spikes, too.

◎ Aggressive Seabirds

More of a nuisance than a threat, seabirds are a constant menace, squawking day and night and attempting to steal rations, clothes, and other supplies that might be left unattended on the raft. These birds are quick and massive, swooping in and disappearing in an instant. They won't attack without provocation, but anyone trying to take back their belongings will find themselves assaulted by beating wings and sharp talons.

You can chase them off with rocks, sharp objects, or small spells. Supplies can also be warded, but with many people's magic working oddly, the wards might not last as long as they should or may backfire if struck too often by the birds. It may be a good idea to touch up the wards or assign someone to guard your things the old-fashioned way.

Resources

After a rough night, you'll awaken to discover that your raft has brought you to a small island. It's unclear where this island is from or whether anyone has ever mapped it, but nonetheless, the island exists. More importantly, it contains crabs and mussels that can be dug up. You can also find, inexplicably, some coconuts. Possibly bespelled by a Thornean mage who washed ashore in the past, these coconut trees have continued to flourish for decades, if not centuries.

You won't be able to spend long on the island. As the tide rises, more and more of the island begins to disappear. Soon, the water will swallow it up altogether and you'll be forced to board the creature's back again with your findings. Don't get greedy. If you linger too long, your efforts might be washed away with the tide.

Rescue

As your resources dwindle and your situation grows more dire, a glimmer will shine in the distance. You peer at it, curious and, perhaps, a bit anxious. Is it another threat? Is it a rescue? Or is it something else altogether?

Please wait for the WRAP-UP before proceeding to write your character being rescued. Full details will be provided on the Wrap-Up that will help inform what your character will be doing in March, including which NPCs your character will be seeing and the exact manner in which your character will be rescued.

---

Comments

the exchange - chaos erupts

[tedandroses]

AT THE EXCHANGE
Teddy hadn't been sure if the summons was a good sign or not. Political rubbing of elbows -- the surface friendliness over the underlying what can we get of it all -- always makes the hair on the back of their neck prickle. Even to break the silence of war.

It could be positive, the excuse to exchange -- whatever the Summoned are at this point to their nations. But if nothing else, it just felt gross: an awful lot like they were all, at best, proof of good faith, an asset exchange. And at worst -- well, who even knew. Hostage negotiations? Bartering chips? Some kind of ritual? Teddy's generally not inclined to assume the best. Not of governments in general; much less, these.

Having it so close to the Singularity's -- ever expanding -- crater with the insistence that all the Summoned be there didn't help that notion any.

But there wasn't shit to do about it, not without knowing more and more time. So in the week in-between they'd joked a little about summoning the Summoned to the Summons, and tried to keep their tendency to catastrophize and over-prepare to themself. There were a few exceptions to that -- a wry comment here or there to friends; a quieter, more open confession to Chris while they couldn't sleep -- but they'd mostly just followed instructions. Even stepping through the portal, Teddy'd faux-dramatized about all this travel being so taxing to nearby friends to try and keep things a little lighter.

Now, watching quietly, she wishes her ability to make people work together was any good with numbers like these. She's been using her skills over the months, while starting to learn new, different magic from Julia, and now Jack too. Teddy can feel the difference: the same way that with practice, at-first impossible intervals or hand positions on a fretboard became easier and then nothing. But there's no way she could get away with singing or interrupting to make a speech, and even if she did, her aptitude hasn't increased so much that it would ensure everything go smoothly if it's not going to.

Silence falls, and even in the heavier, slightly nicer cloak and boots he'd acquired in Thorne, Teddy feels a chill run down his spine. As everyone waits, seemingly on the edge of a held breath for who will speak or act first, he reaches the hand that isn't resting on the inside of Chris's arm to link a finger or two with the nearest friend from the (at-the-moment) Thorne Summoned.

And then the world explodes.

CHAOS ERUPTS
In the aftermath, Teddy remembers it half like a dream.
They follow their instinct to hit the ground, dragging at those they're trying to hold onto as soon as they hear gunfire. Maybe sooner even, in that crack of ozone and light. They shout to others, scrabbling to try and find their friends, to see if anyone's hurt, to protect.

The flashes of incendiary and muzzle and of Academic magic, the shouts and pleas and grabbing hands and smoke become a haze of indistinguishable noise. Pushing, shoving; people falling or being grabbed -- eventually, they're all separated by one thing or another. Even if Teddy has a general idea, they're too far to keep a hold on.

Someone, face hidden in the folds of a Solvunn Elder's cloak, shepherds him and a few others away from a Thorne guard, but the earth itself has begun roiling under them. As Teddy, in a very basic desire to trust someone, reaches toward the Elder, they stumble, pulled into the widening cracks of the crater.

The cloaked figure, reaching, disintegrates before Teddy's horrified eyes.

She tries to scrabble to her feet, to see if she can help -- to push the Abraxans away from the cracks, to grab hold of those around her. For a moment or two maybe she succeeds. But only a moment: it's like trying to surf with no board, and she's knocked backward herself, wind and earth whipping up around her, gravel thrown in her face.

In the chaos, they can almost see glimpses of their home between the whirlwind they find themselves in. No, their domain...? It becomes clearer, until it's there with him, in the eye of the storm: real as anything. People are still shouting outside the winds, the earth is still collapsing and rising all around -- but momentarily, her feet find purchase. Solid ground, in that strange mashup of West Virginia and Kentucky: the smell of early-spring plants, of rain on dirt path, ice-cold brook; the clear sight of her porch and its swing --

Then it's gone, and they're standing in what looks like a winter-bare, possibly dead, forest. Alone.

on the run

[tedandroses]

o1: LIVING FOREST
Then it's gone, and he's standing in what looks like a winter-bare, or possibly dead, forest. Alone.

"Chris?" they call, even though if he's anywhere -- anywhere -- near, at least in the same territory, he'll know immediately where Teddy is and that they're distressed. Then, looking around for anyone they'd caught a glimpse of near where they'd fallen, and on some crazy off chance limiting it to people who'd come from Thorne, "Eddie? Steve? Can anyone..."

Okay. Okay. She needs to shut the fuck up. She doesn't know if she's out of danger, for one thing. And if Teddy were taking a casual walk in the wood, she wouldn't be yelling, half out of respect and half out of precaution. Though, the lack of flustered birds fluttering or any kind of animals startling at her call is eerie. At least that she can see in the gloaming, itself strange with so little canopy --

Teddy concentrates on the people he's closest to and thinks, distinctly:
Where is everyone? Are you all right? I'm in a ...forest. I don't think I've ever seen anywhere like it.

They reach out to a small forking branch of a nearby tree and try, experimentally, to bring life back to it, focusing on the leaf node -- maybe they'd recognize the trees better if they could see the leaves? At first, their ability, one they've practiced many times, feels like it's working: then, suddenly, it sparks erratically and visibly, like static in a dark room. They jump away as it almost burns their fingers. A crinkle in the moss nearby alerts them to an unexpected recipient of the energy: a stem with a large ovoid bud at the end, growing bigger and thicker, the bud growing and swiveling almost alertly until it opens into a -- small, but toothy -- flytrap, a small vine uncurling in the direction of the path.

Well, that's not concerning, Teddy thinks wryly, even as part of her brain lights up in wow, look at that!. She cautiously backs slowly away, scanning the path for movement, for anything: trying to figure out what to do. Stay here? Start walking?

Above his head, something rustles, and Teddy looks up to blink at some large pod-like objects. Cocoons. Moth cocoons, his mind fills in, and just as rapidly and apropos of nothing, you should maybe not be directly under them. T

It takes them a moment to realize it's a vague fact from that other reality: the one where they were gods. Is -- are we back there? Or another one? No, that's -- A million thoughts bombard Teddy's mind. (What if I can't find anyone because we're in different realities? No, that's stupid. Well...is it though? There's not exactly any proof it couldn't work like that. Is this a shitty version of that reality? Why doesn't my magic work? Why is the forest de-- THE MOTHS, ROBERTS. Get out from under the moths.)

And okay, there really isn't anything else to do anyway. It's becoming increasingly clear that finding anyone else in this place is going to be a little bit of a job, and "one of you should stay still" isn't necessarily going to work. Especially if it gets even darker.

o2: STRANGE TRAVELLERS
It gets (unshockingly) even darker.

It gets darker, and Teddy's also now very aware that there are snakes in the moss, thanks to an unsuccessful bite (thanks, new boots!) and two (2) successful ones. To the same leg, of course, because why not, or, more accurately: once your leg is numb, it's incredibly hard to step as gracefully, or pull it away as quickly, as you might need to.

She's so annoyed by her numb leg (and tired, and hungry, though it's easier to shove those feelings down as useless when trying to figure out how to get anywhere in a forest) that she almost doesn't notice the things moving in the woods. At first they're just long, stalky shadows.

But, pausing for a moment to recenter, they hear them, first. A sort of rhythmic, soft percussion in the soil not far off. And then they see the shadows moving. A few minutes careful observation reveals a line. Tall and spindly until they're not, like some puppet version of a normal creature but made for Broadway; like something from an 80s Jim Henson movie definitely not intended for the age Teddy was when they watched it. They're not approaching, exactly, but it makes Teddy themself decide it's better to keep moving -- as carefully as possible -- down the dark path, one eye on them.

As the path winds, he's distracted by a light. It's unmistakably mechanical -- not just rhythmic, like a firefly maybe, but a kind of perfect shape and inorganic color along with the blinking that makes Teddy's brain think of a router, or a phone set to record, or something charging (or finished charging: you know, there should really be a standard for that, he muses) -- any of a number of things that should not be in the current surroundings, and he cautiously draws nearer to see what it's attached to).

It's metal, Teddy realizes, a little light on some kind of device, round and inscrutable almost like a fire alarm set into the tree. Absolutely something she'd accept as plausible at home, and more importantly -- pulling her in, intrigued, straight by the lapels -- it's absolutely out of place here. Fascinating. Not even the kinds of things she's seen from the Free Cities look quite like this -- As the gas vents into her face abruptly with a little, almost cheery pffft, Teddy says, "Oh."

They blink open their eyes in hazy, then groggy but adrenaline-shocked wakefulness, resting on one of a set of flat rocks in the middle of woods they have absolutely not been through. "Fuck."

another new home

[tedandroses]

[ooc: because the wrapup is so wide open, this is just a random starter pile, but feel free to do whatever you want with Teddy here!]
THE FEYWILDS
Eventually they had, one way or another, all found each other -- some after they'd begun to be found by Elizabeth. Teddy doesn't know her, but she seems to be very recognizable -- and very important -- to the Summoned who have been here quite a bit longer.

Teddy's just relieved to have someone who knows what they're doing, and to know everyone's safe. (And, also, to see faces she recognizes most vividly from memories that aren't even from this reality, who she greets relievedly with the kind of embraces they deserve.)

Their eyes almost fall out of their head, though, when they pass via the unique, shimmering portal into the city itself. Even abandoned and overgrown, the city is -- well, epic.

Though he falls asleep almost immediately upon even getting a place to sleep, uncharacteristically deeply so, Teddy blinks awake in the early pink of dawn. And then he remembers there are baths and, almost no one is going to be there yet, probably. On the way there he probably looks like a wondering child or a tourist, gazing at all the carved wood and twining flowers. Once it comes to stripping down and sinking into warm water, though, he does so with relish, half closing his eyes.

Teddy's eyes open when she hears footsteps, sinking a tiny bit lower in the water with an only slightly self-conscious grin - relaxing helps - and looking around for the source.

Unwinding had,, there's much to do around the city. Elizabeth had explained a little about what was going on; why it's so empty, that they could stay as long as they want.

Teddy's quick, despite being exhausted from the few days in the woods, to try to find things to do: people who are more injured, information to swap, new people to introduce himself to. ("We foraged for some of our food at home," Teddy offers when he hears about people going out to look for more supplies. "They might not be the same, but some of them might." Or where someone's taken on the job of clearing tripping hazards, "here, I bet I can get that spot under there--")

(It's a little hard to get Teddy to stop helping, occasionally, but she can usually be won over with good company, food, or a request for help with a thing that turns out to never actually happen because of one of the first two.)

There are ideas about a Summoned community floating about; there's news about gods to catch up with; everywhere it feels like Teddy has someone they're catching at the arm of to catch up and talk and fret and exclaim at the ideas of. A bubbly creativity that could only be better if a few more of their friends were here.

And sometimes, too, it feels impossibly luxurious to just have a few moments of absolute companionable silence: with strangers, with friends, by herself with no fear of tragedy for just that moment. Almost guilt-inducingly so. But she's existed with guilt as a weight for long enough that she knows how to put it down. For now.

[assembles]

[ Steve should have known to keep his gaze pointed up.

But frankly, how could he have seen it coming? Sam has been careful about when he uses his wings for a variety of reasons. They can only carry him for so long here, and using them at all puts a target on his back, as the Free Cities military might want to get their hands on them now more than ever.

Still, the idea that Sam would use them just to find him — well, he isn't ready for it.

He does pick up on large shadow that's cast from overhead and his first thought is that it's some kind of winged monster (maybe another rift has opened?) until he sees that familiar silhouette. He barely has time to react, though, as Sam smoothly lands and then jogs toward him, wings still on, to drag him into a hug.

Steve tenses up just briefly in shock before he relaxes, smiling to himself as he attempts to hug Sam back. It's a little awkward with the wingpack on, but he doesn't care.

He raises an eyebrow and quirks a smile. ]

Miss me?

[ He realizes that being back in Thorne had been rough for Sam, but maybe it was even harder on him than he thought. ]

[thedreamer]

While it's not his favorite of places — really, the TARDIS will only ever hold that spot — Thorne hadn't been completely terrible. No place is to the Doctor, though. Even the worst of circumstances hold some mystery, adventure, something to know, to see, to understand. Despite all that's happened in Thorne recently — or because of it, more like — he'd been ever so curious to learn all that he could there. It was certainly helped along by Julia being there. So much of their time together is spent in the Horizon, or the all too rare times they're able to meet in Nocwich.

But this, being in Thorne alongside each other, he'd appreciated as much as he could. He'd played dress up a bit himself, enjoying the change of scenery so to speak. Though he's more practically dressed for a sojourn in the forest. Sort of.

By her message, he's relieved at least that they're nearish to each other possibly, though now it's like a game of sorts. He doesn't see the light yet, but starts walking left because that seems like a good course to follow for now.

Oh, good, so am I! As forests go, it's not bad, really. Just missing you, of course. He's a moment delayed in being delighted that this way of communicating actually worked, and then, Oh it worked! Excellent. Okay now, please report to me, or - oh wait, wait, there you are. Of course! I see your light. Coming!

[falcony]

[ maybe it's a sign of the deeper implications of what thorne's reminded sam of. something a bit more selfish, something a bit less worried of the larger implications. maybe he should still be worried about what the free cities government is going to think, should maybe be taking into account the implications.

but also? he doesn't really care right now. there's a swell of relief to have everyone back together again, to have the means of communication and travel opened considering how often they have been limited and how the shake-up of the last few territories have hit at a core of what all of this has started to feel like for too long, and while sam knows that there are larger conversations that need to be had, while he knows what it means and that they need to start planning, he also just needs-

it's a good thing steve is adaptable, proud of him for figuring out how to hug around the wings, because sam wasn't really going to give him another option. ]

Don't get cocky, Rogers.

[ it's said with a grin, even if the grin is more tired than snarky. sam pulls away a little to really get a look at steve - though he knows there wouldn't be anything too big to notice, knows that beyond the fact his hair's grown out a bit, that his beard may be a different length, it's not like they haven't kept each other up to date. there's not going to be any big difference.

still - sam looks, and lets out a breath, a kind of sigh. ]

You need a haircut.