Discord
10-21-2022, 09:55 PM
You do your best to put what happened out of your mind.
Everything's fine now, anyway.
And it's none of our business even if we really want to know what happened.
Let's talk with Laurel
...And DON'T think about it
"So...
space has got to have a lot of data.
All the transmissions and visuals and- ...more than anybody could parse.
How do you avoid getting overloaded with all of it?
All the stimuli,
and the implications that come with everything you've found?"
"Oh, it's... a lot to deal with, honestly.
It can get incredibly overwhelming!
The sheer scale of the cosmos...
and all that we do know is most likely just barely scratching the surface.
It's enough to make your head spin.
But... for me.
I journal a lot, obsessively even.
Writing these things down helps me parse my thoughts... even if they do end up looking like a mess."
"Journal?"
You glance over, hoping they'll pull it out for you to see.
"Yes!
I write things down, doodle in the margins..."
They do no such thing, but catch your line of sight.
"...for my eyes only, however."
You lean your head down.
"...Please?"
"Talking about my findings alone is a huge deal!
To show someone my private, unfiltered notes...
...as interested as I am in your whole catalyst thing as well,
it would require a lot more trust than 'we just met and have interest in each others' situations.'
Surely you understand?"
Your eye shifts upward as you think over it.
"Not really."
"...you have a lot to learn, then.
I'm sure that everyone here is around for their own reasons,
and I don't think people will give up that information so willingly, not when such strange and mysterious things are afoot...
At the very least,
I know that I would only be able to share my ultimate secrets with someone I trusted entirely.
You, while extremely interesting to me, are still a stranger."
"...I guess."
You feel a little strange over someone having apparently taken an 'extreme interest' in you.
You aren't sure how to process that.
Your eye skims over the crowd ahead of you,
listening to the idle chatter popping up from scattered groups.
Seeing individuals of all different sorts,
probably from many different places,
all congregating together;
Here.
"...This is a lot of people.
Is this whole thing really important?
Earlier I was thinking it was a fringe science... thing,
but now... seeing all these people;
it feels really important, all these people traveling here.
What do you think?"
"It's definitely fringe as far as interests go,
but as I said... people have their reasons for being here.
Getting the chance to commune with the extranatural...
there's a plethora of reasons for why people might be intrigued by it.
So... important?
I think so,
and potentially enough to affect the world at large,
but I do agree that fringe is a solid word for it as well.
...underappreciated opportunity also works, as a descriptor."
"Underappreciated?
So this isn't common?"
"Definitely not.
Most people don't go looking to talk to fairies and the like.
...not like most people even believe this stuff to begin with..."
You tap at the side of your screen, deep in thought.
"...What about... here?
What's it like here?"
"Define here."
"The...
...here?"
You try to think back and remember what this place is called.
"...Morbit...?"
Your face displays a ?.
"Oh!
Hm.
That's a very broad question..."
Their beak scrunches up, ever so slightly.
"...place could use some work, if you ask me.
There's some good things, for certain,
but... can't help but wonder if the grass is greener on the other side.
...and by the other side, I mean literally anywhere else.
Off planet, in other dimensional planes, you name it... surely there has to be something better than this."
...Concerning
"What's wrong with here?"
"I mean... I guess you wouldn't know much at all, would you...
People are people and what people are is crabby-
and hard to get along with,
and there's so many of them that always try to tell you what to do or think.
It feels like there isn't a single shred of respect for those trying to actually accomplish things that matter..."
They start to huff.
"And don't get me started on things like transportation,
or funding,
or-
well, no,
some people agree with me on things like that being terrible.
But then there's things that everyone seems to think is great, like marriage!
They all say stuff like that until they're the ones with divorce papers getting handed across the table-"
They finally start to get a grip,
taking a deep, somewhat-slimy inhale.
"...I doubt that extranatural beings have to deal with any of this,
and for that, I do envy them."
You are unaware of the animated . . . displaying on your screen.
"...you'll learn with time."
"OK."
You tilt your head in thought.
"I'll try to keep... all that in mind.
...Where are you from?"
"Wonder,
specifically the city of Etchings.
Bit far away from here."
"...What's your Favorite part of this world?"
"...hm.
Hard question."
That gets them thinking, their beak scrunching up again.
"...looking at the dust patterns in the sky, and wondering.
It's...
it's infuriating sometimes, but there are-
...it's hard to explain.
...perhaps it's just the fact that I've been doing it for so long."
"...dust... patterns?"
"Space dust.
You'll see it."
You look up into the sky and squint.
The sky is completely devoid of any sort of... dust.
Only storm clouds.
"...at night.
You'll see it at night."
"Oh."
"...but you will see it!"
"What's it look like?"
"Swirls and clusters of all kinds of colors, though most nights they appear quite dull...
seeing the stars between them feels like a little treat,
considering they can be hard to make out through all that cloudiness."
You finally turn your head away from the sky.
"...sad that you can only see them at night."
"Trust me,
it just makes you appreciate them more."
That idea in particular hits you, for some reason,
and you find yourself lost in a train of thought.
Moments later, though,
Murmur speaks up.
"Alright, all,
we are now approaching the xenial proper -
just through here!"
In front of your large group stands a fifteen-foot stone wall indented into the cliff face.
It's smooth, with an elaborate, textured pattern to it.
You can't make out what the pattern is supposed to be, though, it only looks like geometric shapes.
The group begins to naturally huddle, everyone stopping.
The moment you're within about twenty feet of the indented wall,
your red ball leaves your palm,
floating upwards of its own volition.
...You don't particularly mind its leaving.
It levitates over to the stone wall,
sinks into it,
and fills the indented pattern in with the same red-orange tint it has;
the one it got from You, you realize.
The stone vibrates and buzzes,
then suddenly animates itself as if it were leaves in wind,
twisting itself away from its previous position,
threading into the adjacent parts of the rock instead;
creating a , extensive opening where it used to be.
Inside, you think you spot dim lights.
Candles, maybe?
But it's too dark to see much.
The process soon completes,
and the ball reappears in your hand.
"...Oh, it is brilliant to witness the opening up close!"
Murmur's beaming,
you can tell simply from the timbre of her voice.
They seem to get self-conscious soon after, though,
clearing their throat.
"...Well, don't mind me; right this way!
There are chairs set up inside the first proper room there, not far beyond the entrance.
Please, make yourselves comfortable."
You notice that she's visibly counting those in the group with her claws,
one-by-one as they start trailing inside.
"...There, erm...
may not be enough seats for everyone, but please be polite and...
feel free to stand,
...if you feel you're able!
The initial proceedings should not be too long."
You walk through into the newly-opened passage,
side-by-side with Laurel,
but-
Murmur steps next to you,
catching your attention.
"...Vess?
May-
...could I have a word first, before we start?"
Her voice is as gentle as ever,
which only serves to grow the pit in your stomach.
"We can speak privately,
here in the entryway."
Your body locks up.
Everything's fine now, anyway.
And it's none of our business even if we really want to know what happened.
Let's talk with Laurel
...And DON'T think about it
"So...
space has got to have a lot of data.
All the transmissions and visuals and- ...more than anybody could parse.
How do you avoid getting overloaded with all of it?
All the stimuli,
and the implications that come with everything you've found?"
"Oh, it's... a lot to deal with, honestly.
It can get incredibly overwhelming!
The sheer scale of the cosmos...
and all that we do know is most likely just barely scratching the surface.
It's enough to make your head spin.
But... for me.
I journal a lot, obsessively even.
Writing these things down helps me parse my thoughts... even if they do end up looking like a mess."
"Journal?"
You glance over, hoping they'll pull it out for you to see.
"Yes!
I write things down, doodle in the margins..."
They do no such thing, but catch your line of sight.
"...for my eyes only, however."
You lean your head down.
"...Please?"
"Talking about my findings alone is a huge deal!
To show someone my private, unfiltered notes...
...as interested as I am in your whole catalyst thing as well,
it would require a lot more trust than 'we just met and have interest in each others' situations.'
Surely you understand?"
Your eye shifts upward as you think over it.
"Not really."
"...you have a lot to learn, then.
I'm sure that everyone here is around for their own reasons,
and I don't think people will give up that information so willingly, not when such strange and mysterious things are afoot...
At the very least,
I know that I would only be able to share my ultimate secrets with someone I trusted entirely.
You, while extremely interesting to me, are still a stranger."
"...I guess."
You feel a little strange over someone having apparently taken an 'extreme interest' in you.
You aren't sure how to process that.
Your eye skims over the crowd ahead of you,
listening to the idle chatter popping up from scattered groups.
Seeing individuals of all different sorts,
probably from many different places,
all congregating together;
Here.
"...This is a lot of people.
Is this whole thing really important?
Earlier I was thinking it was a fringe science... thing,
but now... seeing all these people;
it feels really important, all these people traveling here.
What do you think?"
"It's definitely fringe as far as interests go,
but as I said... people have their reasons for being here.
Getting the chance to commune with the extranatural...
there's a plethora of reasons for why people might be intrigued by it.
So... important?
I think so,
and potentially enough to affect the world at large,
but I do agree that fringe is a solid word for it as well.
...underappreciated opportunity also works, as a descriptor."
"Underappreciated?
So this isn't common?"
"Definitely not.
Most people don't go looking to talk to fairies and the like.
...not like most people even believe this stuff to begin with..."
You tap at the side of your screen, deep in thought.
"...What about... here?
What's it like here?"
"Define here."
"The...
...here?"
You try to think back and remember what this place is called.
"...Morbit...?"
Your face displays a ?.
"Oh!
Hm.
That's a very broad question..."
Their beak scrunches up, ever so slightly.
"...place could use some work, if you ask me.
There's some good things, for certain,
but... can't help but wonder if the grass is greener on the other side.
...and by the other side, I mean literally anywhere else.
Off planet, in other dimensional planes, you name it... surely there has to be something better than this."
...Concerning
"What's wrong with here?"
"I mean... I guess you wouldn't know much at all, would you...
People are people and what people are is crabby-
and hard to get along with,
and there's so many of them that always try to tell you what to do or think.
It feels like there isn't a single shred of respect for those trying to actually accomplish things that matter..."
They start to huff.
"And don't get me started on things like transportation,
or funding,
or-
well, no,
some people agree with me on things like that being terrible.
But then there's things that everyone seems to think is great, like marriage!
They all say stuff like that until they're the ones with divorce papers getting handed across the table-"
They finally start to get a grip,
taking a deep, somewhat-slimy inhale.
"...I doubt that extranatural beings have to deal with any of this,
and for that, I do envy them."
You are unaware of the animated . . . displaying on your screen.
"...you'll learn with time."
"OK."
You tilt your head in thought.
"I'll try to keep... all that in mind.
...Where are you from?"
"Wonder,
specifically the city of Etchings.
Bit far away from here."
"...What's your Favorite part of this world?"
"...hm.
Hard question."
That gets them thinking, their beak scrunching up again.
"...looking at the dust patterns in the sky, and wondering.
It's...
it's infuriating sometimes, but there are-
...it's hard to explain.
...perhaps it's just the fact that I've been doing it for so long."
"...dust... patterns?"
"Space dust.
You'll see it."
You look up into the sky and squint.
The sky is completely devoid of any sort of... dust.
Only storm clouds.
"...at night.
You'll see it at night."
"Oh."
"...but you will see it!"
"What's it look like?"
"Swirls and clusters of all kinds of colors, though most nights they appear quite dull...
seeing the stars between them feels like a little treat,
considering they can be hard to make out through all that cloudiness."
You finally turn your head away from the sky.
"...sad that you can only see them at night."
"Trust me,
it just makes you appreciate them more."
That idea in particular hits you, for some reason,
and you find yourself lost in a train of thought.
Moments later, though,
Murmur speaks up.
"Alright, all,
we are now approaching the xenial proper -
just through here!"
In front of your large group stands a fifteen-foot stone wall indented into the cliff face.
It's smooth, with an elaborate, textured pattern to it.
You can't make out what the pattern is supposed to be, though, it only looks like geometric shapes.
The group begins to naturally huddle, everyone stopping.
The moment you're within about twenty feet of the indented wall,
your red ball leaves your palm,
floating upwards of its own volition.
...You don't particularly mind its leaving.
It levitates over to the stone wall,
sinks into it,
and fills the indented pattern in with the same red-orange tint it has;
the one it got from You, you realize.
The stone vibrates and buzzes,
then suddenly animates itself as if it were leaves in wind,
twisting itself away from its previous position,
threading into the adjacent parts of the rock instead;
creating a , extensive opening where it used to be.
Inside, you think you spot dim lights.
Candles, maybe?
But it's too dark to see much.
The process soon completes,
and the ball reappears in your hand.
"...Oh, it is brilliant to witness the opening up close!"
Murmur's beaming,
you can tell simply from the timbre of her voice.
They seem to get self-conscious soon after, though,
clearing their throat.
"...Well, don't mind me; right this way!
There are chairs set up inside the first proper room there, not far beyond the entrance.
Please, make yourselves comfortable."
You notice that she's visibly counting those in the group with her claws,
one-by-one as they start trailing inside.
"...There, erm...
may not be enough seats for everyone, but please be polite and...
feel free to stand,
...if you feel you're able!
The initial proceedings should not be too long."
You walk through into the newly-opened passage,
side-by-side with Laurel,
but-
Murmur steps next to you,
catching your attention.
"...Vess?
May-
...could I have a word first, before we start?"
Her voice is as gentle as ever,
which only serves to grow the pit in your stomach.
"We can speak privately,
here in the entryway."
Your body locks up.
