[ CLOSED ] through open passageways

[gynvael]

Who: Geralt + Various
When: March
Where: Cadens; Horizon
What: Catch-all for things
Warnings: Adding as we go



(( placing starters in the comments below. find me at discontinued or at Noa#1979 to plot stuff! ))

Comments

[piqure]

[ it's how monsters came to exist in ours, and geralt says this so matter-of-factly, there's no illusion of it being some world-ending problem that would have needed to be addressed quickly.

it's been — interesting, learning about other's universes, to say the least. and its hard not to wonder at what a world like that is like. it seemed like geralt was — well, kind of in his element, here. were his world and this one similar already? magic and swords and castles?

there's a frown, at the thought of multitudes of portals though, as all the other questions are shoved to the sidelines as he instead shakes his head, adamant. ] No — no I don't think I'd want them to know about that either.

[ a quickly forming frown. ] — which means its likely going to be a question of when and not just if...

[ countless portals means countless possibilities. and what if they don't just pull Summoned from these things? what if it's more than that? thoughts seem to run in parallel with geralt's own, until they fumble, and he shoots him a quick glance.

there's another spike of nerves, heightened apprehension inevitable at the question. its fair, he reasons. they're sharing info, that's all and if there's talking universes (or spheres!) then it makes sense as a follow up where peter only meant it to be a passing comparison. ] Yeah, sort of. As - far as I understand it. [ but he isn't sure how to explain without the details and he's off, with a sigh, before he can think of a better way. ] It didn't last long, but it had started to bring everyone who knew — um — [ a beat of hesitation, heart racing. how could he possibly separate the weight of his mistakes with the outcome? partially, he wishes he hadn't brought it up. ] — well, me. Or versions of, of who I was, I guess, all over different multiverses. [ he still remembers the new york sky tearing through, like fabric, reality disjointed and spilling out more and more. he's the only one who remembers that, he reminds himself. he offers a shrug. ] So then we had to...undo that. I think it's back to normal now.

The point is — the point is all this portal and multiverse stuff seems to be really. Fragile? [ is the finishing conclusion. ending it strong. :/ ]

[gynvael]

[ When and not if. Effectively. The Free Cities makes it difficult to learn much about the Singularity. They've not studied it as Thorne does, and Geralt isn't the sort to go underhand and pretend he wants to do what's best for the city in order to be granted permission to examine its nature in-depth. It'll gain scrutiny, either way. For the time being, he's relied on the small handful of allies he's made in Thorne.

He looks over. There's more to it, what Peter isn't saying. Versions of who I was. A beat passes. How he understands their presence in this world intertwines so closely with Ciri, noting it out loud is impossible without acknowledging what Ciri can do. That she can bring them along, one sphere to another, like opening a portal from one end of the Continent to the next. But as far as he's aware, should he return home, he would have to take Jaskier and Ciri and Yennefer as they are here with him. He would not return to Ciri awaiting him to still find her. Peter seems to be suggesting otherwise, which opens up so many fucking questions, he isn't certain where to start.

Might be better to ask Stephen of it. Peter's clearly skirting details for a reason. Instead, Geralt circles back to a point Peter brought up five steps ago in the conversation. ]

Thorne is the only one who believes there's something to be fixed. They fear the Singularity's waning power is consuming worlds one by one to preserve itself. A tree, shedding its leaves. [ He steps over a scuttling lizard. ] The Free Cities simply wishes to dismantle the structure altogether. But none of them can access the Horizon as we can. What agenda they may have, I think all of them need us for our unique connection.

[piqure]

[ what he doesn't share is complicated. the sort of complicated he isn't sure how to voice to someone who's barely more than a stranger. peter's experience with the multiverse is so deeply intrenched in the personal, it would take far to long to parse out fact and sentiment and peter isn't even sure where those facts could even help. their perspectives are split between wildly different experiences, though if it makes a difference, peter didn't think there was anyone like him. until there were two.

so yeah, maybe dr strange would be a far better resource for the pragmatic.

it doesn't deter peter's speculation on this world, though, and with the tension of topic lessened, peter's shoulders ease up. happy to dive back in. the rock face indents, the cliff edge becoming closer. its easy to adjust his step along it, not missing a beat as he follows along pace and words both. tries to, at least. ] Wait so doesn't that imply the Singularity is — what? Sentient enough to want to preserve itself? [ his time in thorne had been short, but now that geralt mentions it — he does remember the consuming worlds part. which was the cause for major concern. ] And — and the more of us there are, the more factors come up. [ powers, opinions. doing the right thing versus the wrong thing, and for a kid with moral conviction, he isn't sure what's better yet, either.

it's what prompts him to ask, earnest: ] So — what do you think the next steps are? In all of this?

Big or small, I guess. [ and how can i help; so many holes of information to infill, to learn and know, but he's decided quick that he trusts geralt. because sam does, yes, and because peter senses that he probably can. ]

[gynvael]

Not necessarily. [ Sentient seems a step too far, though he may have a different understanding of the term than Peter. ] All living things try to preserve themselves.

[ This does suggest Geralt believes the Singularity is a product of nature, alive, but he hasn't any reason to believe otherwise. Like the monoliths, it was here from the beginning. Perhaps long before any of the humans or magic appeared on this earth. In his mind, the Singularity is living, but not conscious. Akin to a flowering bush or barnacles that instinctively understand what they need to do to survive. Connected and able to communicate with others of its kind but not in any intricate manner.

Somehow, the question comes unexpected. He pauses. Looks over his shoulder. ]

I asked Stephen to look into the matter from Thorne. Beyond that— [ He stops for a half second before continuing on the path. ] We protect our own. Same as ever. See what comes.

[ If Peter is used to large scale visions, he'll find little of that in Geralt. However large the problem, his goal remains the same: that the people important to him are safe. ]

What are your thoughts on it? [ He's only spoken to Peter in brief, but the boy's caught on quickly. Consider him curious what Peter might find a priority. ]

[piqure]

[ geralt had a point there. like a defense mechanism then. not sentient enough to maybe know if what its doing is good or bad or harming other places, but alive enough to want to…keep living? he thinks of death blooms that succulents get, that last-ditch effort of life, extreme until it dries up for good. this can't be....like that, can it?

peter isn’t sure why but thinking of it in those terms makes his skin crawl. just a little bit.

but instead, he nods, seemingly content to keep following geralt along for as long as the other will let him, internal monologuing aside. it feels kind of —easier, to talk about opinions on a place when the only thing around them was a couple of lizards, desert trees and rocks. peter considers the question with a hum, briefly thoughtful, though it doesn’t take a long time to answer at all: ]

I just — want to keep people safe. [ his own, very much so (desperately so), and the locals, who he’s pretty sure didn’t all sign up for much of this mess either. watch out for the little guy, you know? he still hopes he can. still hopes the bad luck of chaos didn't follow him in. jury is still out. ] And I want to figure out how to keep our worlds safe too, if they’re at risk.

But — you know, its weird when the threat isn’t some obvious thing you can fight, head on? I guess I anticipated that, when I first got here — [ threats that are obvious were more expected, maybe. although obvious didn't guarantee the implied clarity, not all of the time. not with quentin, not even with dr oswald, brief as it was and he can't think about the failures right now — ] And yeah, there’s the Singularity, and the magic stuff from it, but it’s not — I don’t know. It's like, we're here. So obviously something big is going to happen eventually. But when's eventually?

So, so I guess I’m on the same page as you. See what comes? Try and be ready for it.

[ as always, peter answers a simple question with one too many words and all coming from the heart as much as head. and so it goes. there’s another hum, of agreement, turning to glance over at geralt again with a few certain nods. ] Oh, yeah — Stephen’s definitely the right person to ask to do things like that. If anyone can find out what they’re keeping secret, it’s him.

[gynvael]

[ There is a difference Geralt hears in that sentiment, where he has said our own and Peter says people, worlds, unspecified. A whole. It reminds him a little of Sam. He doesn't comment on it, nor on Peter's tendency to answer questions—to say anything—with at least a dozen words in excess.

He turns down the sloping hill, starting to lead them back towards the city gates. Waits until Peter's finished talking, considers what the boy is really saying amidst it all. ]

Mm. [ He knows the feeling. It is easier. The simplicity of having something to kill. But whatever is going on here, the tensions that are stretched thin, it is in part the cause of humans in this world. No matter knows the truth of the Singularity—if any of them even do—Geralt can only see things sparking into war. And he has no interest in being tangled up in the wars of men. ] These territories already used some of us once for their own battles. I imagine what comes eventually will be of their doing.

[ Since then, what? They've held onto the pieces of the Singularity taken. Have any of the Summoned who went out that night Even been told what's being done with any of it? The events of the Dimming had not sat right with him then and it still doesn't. He expects it, for the nations to weaponize them. Why the fuck else would they be here? These are not commoners and peasants unknown that have been pulled into the sphere. But he doesn't like that more than a few went along with it for reasons that feel too much like choosing sides. ]

[piqure]

[ big picture strokes — worlds, people. the friendly neighborhood never thought the responsibilities - self imposed as they may have been - would extend to such far reaches; new york was big enough, but maybe his fate was sealed the day tony stark ended up sitting on his couch.

great power, and so forth and so it goes.

for geralt's precision, peter offers a tumble of words every time. maybe something about the hunter casts a suggestion of being a good listener. maybe there's a simplicity of perspective that ultimately puts them on the same page — look out for people, and figure out the rest when they need to.

peter's glance back to geralt is a quick thing, brows creased with concern at the mention of — ] Wait — there were fights? Already? I — guess I missed that. [ he doesn't like the sound or idea of it, at all. doesn't like that it was something he missed, and naively wonders if the people that had stayed here ended up okay. his stomach rolls at the thought, memories casting long shadows in the corners of his mind. ] Was it really bad?

[gynvael]

[ Right. That'd have been when Peter had vanished. How it works, fuck if he knows. It made a certain sense when folk disappeared and returned with no memory of having been in this world. As though they were pulled from the world once more. But what does it mean, when someone can vanish with their memories intact and return? ]

No one died. [ This time, goes unsaid. ] I wasn't there. Sam was.

[ Geralt had been healing at the time, for one; he has no intention of doing anything for the city for another. Sam went as a healer, though—a medic—and he knows it wasn't good. He knows he does not like the message it sends, that a sizeable portion of them participated willingly.

For all that he prefers to remain separated, he's aware that can't always be so. There's an us, a them—the Summoned—and many consider them as one, whether they truly are or not. Inextricably linked. He's been there too many times, the way people see what they want to see. How quickly it spirals out of control from a single spark. ]