voidtreckerexpress | Train Memory Investigations (Backdated to month of Quicksand and Onward)

Entry tags:

Train Memory Investigations (Backdated to month of Quicksand and Onward)

Who: Elidibus, Seto Kaiba, Faux, Esteban, Tidus, Emet-Selch, Ryo, Wash, Naoya, Thantos, Trunks, Zetta, Kitty Pryde, Devero, Leia, Clef, Gremlin (Najaran), Zagreus, Zelda, John Conner + Open

[ If I missed anyone that signed up, lmk

wewillwewill ]
Where: Games Carriage, upper floor
When: Midway Quicksand, beginning of Rabbit
What: It's time to learn what happened to the Train's Memories and Former Crew (leading into Rabbit month event)
Warnings: Nothing Immediate: Train Memories and Investigation, potential minor spoilers for various canon as people use their personal methods to look into things. More will be added as needed.

THE CALL

A couple of days before the evacuation of Osiga's system, there's an ICP call made to all carriages from Seto Kaiba and Elidibus.

Seto Kaiba speaks first:

 The invitation to learn. Seto Kaiba and Elidibus will be coordinating the efforts of tech and energy/magic respectively. All information gathered and turned in will be available to everyone. 

Greetings. Those of you who've been on board a little while know that the train has a certain mission, to find the crew it had before us. They were all lost in the destruction of its original system. We haven't made progress on that because the train isn't able to recall certain memories. A group of us have asked the train if we can investigate, and we're going to try to find out what's missing and why.

[ Elidibus is also heard on this invitation. ]

Seto Kaiba will coordinate the efforts that use technology to access the data. I, Elidibus, will serve as a contact for efforts that manipulate or read the energy directly, whether magic or sensory gifts. If you have any questions, pray come to one of us. All the data collected and turned in will be available for everyone to read.

People can join in when and as they please, a set-up already put together in the upper games carriage. Giant block pieces have been moved aside, most of them gone (for the time being). In their place along the wall opposite the game consoles are screens - holographic, connected to the carriage's ICP panel to project the data the train's given them permission to look at.

There are also extra headsets, where people can access the space of this data through virtual reality - for those more inclined towards magic, particular abilities, and emotions. Even those not really in tune to anything will be able to navigate some portion of this data. And as for what there is to learn...

THROUGH QUICKSAND: THE BEGINNING

➀ What volunteers to the project learn, is…

for those familiar with programming - is that they can access the data logs fairly easily, with the train's help. The worry of an untranslated language doesn't come to fruition, though they're still working with a complex machine. Some time spent looking through files will help them understand what they're looking at.

With enough time spent navigating and getting an idea of what it is they're working with, they can find records of air temperature, movement of passengers, records of ICP use, purchases.

➁ For those working with energies, they will be able to - with time, and perhaps even guidance - sense the tethers connected to the train. Their own, the people around them; one's experience with sensing connections or energy in general will give them a helping hand in recognising how to 'look' at these threads.

But even those not experienced may be able to feel them out. With time, and trying. Thinking about those they already know on the train will start to make those golden strands become visible, and more time spent on this will make them even more so.

Still, it's hard work, not easy to accomplish in a day or two.

Elidibus will have shared with everyone that through his previous investigations, he has been unable to decipher the traumatised energy - aether, as he calls it, the train's life force - from Beetroot 12 to Apple 1. This is the time between when the last crew disappeared, and when the Voidtrecker Express began picking up people under its new settings.

➂ While this project starts soon before evacuation, it is something that those looking for a distraction after the heavy mission can come back to, to throw themselves into.

Fortunately, there are people who know to come and check on such people.

GOING INTO RABBIT: PROGRESS...

They've lost passengers, even Senku who was part of the original group, but still, as always - the Voidtreckers must proceed.

➀ For the programmers, it's likely they've already tried to get into the logs of the past passengers. This is where it gets the trickiest, some data corrupted, but not always unsalvageable. They span through some old months, and sound mostly like any journal entries. Never always in the same tone, and some written as if speaking to the train.

Searching through past transmissions, someone will be able to uncover a transmission from system #1015 on Beetroot 5. Earlier transmissions, earlier data of void missions.

➁ For those working with energy, magic, or just pure blindly searching, there's different types of progress to be made. Some may become better at sensing the tethers of certain passengers, of figuring out where they are. Those better at such energy-seeking abilities will even be able to see through the eyes of another passenger - but, luckily, they won't know what they're thinking, or feeling.

People will also be able to navigate the different logs in this way, if they would like to try - they will be able to see through the eyes of those who wrote the entries, and know how they were feeling.

➂ But for everyone, it will be exhausting, and participants will find themselves having one dream or another.

[ OOC: Remember there are OOC details here about what can be found! If you're not sure if your character can contribute or if their skills will be able to work with what's being done, feel free to ask for help - the VR gear gives a kind of access to be 'inside' the train's data.

If your character would have any specific interests too, you can ask the mod for more details. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

So, it's not the first time he's doing this. It's not even much of a surprise for Esteban to find himself back into this situation, if he's to be honest, feeling like he's trying to get back to his father's office after being scolded away. It's... a bit his own damn fault. And a bit of him trying to make things right.

He hovers, the VR headset tucked into his hands, as he wonders what he can truly do to help, trying to come up with the words-- emotions, empathy, things-- he wants to say to the train, and where he would like to go from here. He's not sure. He's not sure at all.

Just that he has to try.

His head perks up at the notion, soon spotting that he wasn't as alone as he thought he was, and a smile is quick to settle at the corners of his eyes.

"Oh! Hello! Here t' help?" he asks, because if there's one thing he can try, it's to help someone else figure out how to go about this as well.

"Sure am!" Devero's got his electronics toolkit slung over his shoulder and the wrap-around visor that is his tactical Interface pushed up on his forehead. He bobs his head at Esteban, then nods at the headset in his hands. "You tried that out yet? Is it working all right?"

"Yeah, it's fine--" or it was fine last he checked. He's not really a technology kind of guy personally. "-- but I'm not too sure what t' look for." He has some vague ideas, but he's really more of an asset to other people than he is capable of doing anything on his own, particularly in this case.

"Anythin' I can help you with?" He'll try his best to be useful at the very least. "Else, we can go on an adventure t'gether!" he cheers, brightening at the prospect and winking easily at the newcomer.

At least with another person around, he's less likely to lose himself into the process. Probably. Tethering is still an odd prospect in his mind, and he's not even sure that's what they're doing, but he'd rather be safe than sorry.

"Honestly, I'm not either," Devero admits, setting his kit down and pulling his visor over his eyes. His hands move, a little like sign language and a little like an orchestral conductor as he networks his equipment to that set up for this task here in the games room.

"Unless something's changed, I think we've done what we can with the tech set-up," he says, "so I guess it's an adventure, then! I haven't actually been into the system yet. Have you?"

The hand gesture attracts the half-elf's attention, until he realizes that there's no true meaning to them. He shrugs easily enough, not entirely certain this time around, as he tries to explain it to his new companion. Hun-- he doesn't actually know his name, now that he thinks about it-- oops!

"Yes an' no. I've made two contacts with the train so far, but both were really diff'rent." One had been entirely through emotions. The second had been an incredibly odd mix of programming and mental manipulations that Esteban wasn't entirely sure how they'd worked, only that he'd needed Kaiba's help to get what they'd been searching for. Still. Every road has to lead somewhere, right? He'd pursue what he can with his new friend as well.

Speaking of.

"I'm Esteban, by the way!" There's a cheeky grin before he slips the headset over his own eyes again. "It's nice to meetcha!"

"It's almost time," Kaiba affirms softly. He's hooked into the main monitor overseeing the VR output, glimmers of mystery laid out before him. With enough cooks in the kitchen, they can smoke out the truth. At least...that's how he hopes it'll go.

"Are you sure you're up for this again? I don't want to see you hurt."

"I'm sure." There's a brief pause, before Esteban turns to Kaiba, his smile a little gentler than his usual sunshine grins, but no less meaningful. "I'm certain," he repeats, letting his companion see his determination.

"There's lots of things I wanna talk to the train about," he explains a bit. "An'... I think-- I think we're alike. Me and it. Them." He's not sure what pronouns to use here, but he can't give up on it. He's messed up before, and he can recognize that. But the way it had called out to the lost tethers, mind shattering and emotions whirling through them--

Esteban can't give up on it.

"But let's get whatever you need first, mmkay?" he asks, brightening once more, even as his nose pinches in mischief. "B'fore I do somethin' that makes it mad again." He's not overly confident that he's going to stay out of trouble after all.

"So what d'you want me to go get first?" There's data that Kaiba and Senku wanted, right? Does he need Esteban to access any of it?

Kaiba nods quietly---though he worries, he'll respect the decision. Esteban has a unique talent to offer the team, and he'll respect that effort by making the most of it.

"The main thing we're looking for is anything about the invasion that destroyed System 1015. That was when the train lost most of its original crew. It happened on Beetroot 12---I don't know how long ago that was. But if you find any other clues about memories, or how to control our flight path..."

Well, that's on the wish list. "The train won't rest, and we probably won't be free to choose to go, until we 'find them'. If that's even possible."

"Alright, so 'f I just link with it--" You know what? He should probably just do it and report from within the train's consciousness. They know from experience that they can still talk to one another during these sorts of dives after all, and Esteban is already walking in blind. If he can shed a little light on how the train shares these things, it might help.

He takes another deep breath, grounds himself in the present moment for a moment more, before he grins. "I'm ready. I'll connect to the train an' tell you what I sense, mmkay? We can check things out together from there."

Open, constant communications are the key, in Esteban's opinion, and he settles on a beanbag chair, shifting until he's comfortable before slipping the headset over his head.

"Beetroot 12. Got it." It's a goal he can reach for, and things should get easier once he's reached that point. And, with any luck, he can ask Kaiba for more precise instructions once he knows how the train is going to be sharing these with him. The headset snaps down, Esteban leans back, and gives a thumbs up to his companion, ready for the connection to begin.

Seto's still worried, but he nods after one last check around the room. This is happening. They're going to find Something. And he's going to support Esteban through this mess, somehow.

"Visual component initialized. Go for it."

Visual components almost makes Esteban snicker, but he's determined to show things will go fine this time around, so he stays quiet instead. His lips still quirk up lightly, but he lowers the visor over his eyes and focuses inwards instead, trying to find that odd mental space where he'd been last time they'd been trying this out.

It doesn't feel... quite the same, if he's to be honest. The components are enabled, but they are slow to load onto the screen (though at least this time around, Esteban knows what a loading screen is. Thanks Allen!) and at first, there is... nothing. Nothing at all even though he turns his head this and that way, searching for something, searching for anything at all really.

Okay.

"We know they went on a mission, yeah?" He asks aloud to his companion, using the voice that shatters the silence to keep track of things. He blinks in slight surprise when that pops something up onto the screen, a small case within easy reach. Thank the guardian he doesn't even have-- UI is his bane. If he can interact with the object, all the better in his opinion, and he reaches out for it, first physically, before noticing this did absolutely nothing.

Hun.

He settles down again, shuffling in the beanbag chair, and has to resist the temptation to run his hands through the hair at the back of his head. That'll just dislodge the headset, so he'd rather not. He settles for scratching the tip of his nose instead, letting a slow cycle of breath through his lungs. Focusing mentally-- and this feels odd after all, to move in his thoughts, but not his body-- he reaches out to the case, picking it up delicately.

It's a simple wooden case, the kind that he'd be carrying if he'd been tasked with moving letters between two cities. The latch is not secured, and with a flick, he can see inside, to a bunch of letters, each with a different date stamped on the upper right corner. 'Quicksand' is at the front, followed by 'Poi', then 'Orchestra', the month Esteban had joined in on. Had it only been so few days?

"You can see this too, right?" he asks after a moment to Kaiba, raising an eyebrow underneath the helmet. Can Kaiba help guide him through this mess or is he on his own? He has to know this first, before they go any further-- but it seems to him as if the train is... adapting? To this way of communicating with them?

"I think... we can just ask?" He wonders aloud, checking through the letters in the box, but coming up deceptively all the way to Apple... and nothing beyond.

"Mm. I can see the month names."

Seto's moved to crouch on the floor beside Esteban's beanbag chair. He still has access to the laptop if he needs it, but he's watching closely for signs of distress and will shut it down if he suspects the man is in danger. Maybe they should've relaxed first...

He frowns as the month names end in a disappointing blank. "I joined at the start of Egret...all the other month names align. But I'm not seeing anything new. Or...old, I suppose."

His eyes sweep the space. "If there is another case, it might be hidden. Locked behind some kind of passcode or procedure...do you see anything like that?"

Egret? That's... That's a pretty long time. Esteban wants to ask a bit more about it to his companion, but Kaiba is moving on before he can find the words he wants to say, and he's too clumsy at these kinds of things anyways.

"Right..." His eyes sweep across the space that he's in, but there really isn't anything that he can spot right away-- nothing but him, and the case, filled with letters.

He shifts it over to stare at the top. It's pretty unremarkable at first, but as he twists it this way and that way, he does find a number, etched above the latch and slightly off-centered. He pauses, unsure what to do with this, but there's nothing that he can see from his side that might influence anything around him right away.

"Hmmmmm, Kaiba? Think y' can do somethin' with that?"

Seto glances at the number there...hm. It's unfamiliar. He tries a few combinations to open the lock---then a few more---not much progress for a bit, then one seems to click.

"That might've been it. Do you see anything new? New calendar, a record, a big gaping hole in memory?"

Or anything else?

There's a hum from his seated companion, his head turning just as much as his vision is in whatever space the programming is conjuring for him, but there's nothing new that he can notice. Nothing, but for the number on the box that shifts, a sort of gentle blurring bubbling across his vision when he stares at it for too long. Esteban can't help but reach for his eyes-- and find the VR headset in his way before he can brush at them.

Oh, that is weird.

Blinking it away, he reaches for the latch again, finding the number stable-- and flicks it open. There's a strange nip, almost a resistance that startles him lightly, but a soft gasp is quickly replaced by a whispered curse.

There's letters in here too, but ink has been spilled across the inside, quickly blackening the paper. Several of the parchments seem to have tumbled over and soaked into the grimy blot, creating a mushy bottom layer atop which only a handful of the others remain. Esteban swipes them out of the box immediately, but even he can tell that there will be damage to them all-- several are entirely pitch-dark, but the paper isn't a soaked mess, and maybe they can manage to dry these somehow.

Beetroot-- Beetroot has dark splotches across its cream paper, but some of it has survived, might manage to shed some information for the snatches of clear parchment that remains. He does not waste time into breaking the seal and opening it.

A ping alerts Kaiba of received files, but they risk being in a rather pitiful state, if he's noticed what Esteban has managed to bring out of that box. The half-elf is also glancing through these, but the smudges makes it difficult to read much through it.

"Um... Alright, I have something..." his companion manages, but his voice trailing off is not the most encouraging sign. "But it's pretty garbled. I see bits and pieces, but nothin' much." He doesn't ask if Kaiba can do anything, because he's not sure that he can, and Esteban doesn't want to put pressure on him, even if accidentally.

THROUGH QUICKSAND:
In the beginning, Devero is here as tech support. He tinkers with the equipment, tweaking sensors and troubleshooting devices that don't want to interlink with the train's systems. Having an issue with your VR headset, or just getting started with the tech at all? He's your man.

He may even offer an early breakthrough: he knows how to make equipment detect and localize the electronic component of the signals sent by SCAs. Identifying those signals is perhaps the line they need to get into the train's record-keeping systems? He's not exactly a data scientist or advanced programmer, though, so he waves a hand at whoever's working nearest at him in that moment. "Hey, I think I've got something here. Take a look at this?"

MAKING PROGRESS:
He's not much use at recovering scrambled data, but once they find their way into the logs, he spends a lot of time poring over the information and working on organizing it. And he can get kind of intense when he focuses, so he might at some point reach over and take the visualization of a given file right out of your digital hands to look at it. Rude!

CONNECTING DOTS:
At some point, some time after the mission, he takes a break from reading recovered logs to sit himself against a wall and breathe himself down into a quiet, meditative state. Once there, he opens himself the way Koumyou and Trunks have taught him to the energies around him.

He's not trying to contribute here, not this neomage. He just wants to see if he can see what he's heard the other talking about, if he can utilize his burgeoning magical abilities to detect anything on the energy side of things.

He sits there quiet for a long time; his regular breathing and the occasional flicker open and closed of his eyes are the only signs that he's not just passed out against the wall.

All of a sudden, he rocks forward with a huge gasp, like he's coming up from under water. "They go to departed Voidtreckers!" he exclaims, eyes wide.

Huh?

Seto is exhausted from the attempt. He's been monitoring things, keeping the machines running smoothly with all these fluctuations, and pushing his limit generally. But even as tired as he is, he can recognize those words in that order.

He jumps to his feet and crouches beside Devero, eyes wide. "What goes?"

"The tethers!" he says. "The golden threads, they're our tethers! Most of them attach to us--" He gestures excitedly at himself. "--but some of them don't, some of them just-- they go off into the Void!" This time he swings a hand wildly until he thumps the wall behind him. "But Seto, they're still attached on this end!"

"...they are?"

Something like hope rises in Seto's chest. If the line's still being held, then that means there's a path. He grabs Devero's shoulder and gently reels him back before he gets too worked up.

"Then we still have a chance. There's a road map. We just have to make sure it doesn't get lost before we can follow it."

He's perking up slowly, but he's been so rooted in despair these last few months that it's a habit.

Devero twists towards Seto, grabbing his other hand in both of his own. "Yes," he says intently. "Yes! I don't-- I have no idea how we can do that, keep them from getting lost, but there's something left that we can use!"

The younger man's withdrawal over the past several weeks has not been lost on Devero, for all that he's been caught up in his own shit, and he knows why. He knows how important it is to him to be able to reconnect with the people he's lost.

And he knows how big this could be, that even departed passenngers are still tethered to the train somehow.

"Devero..."

Seto allows it. He leans forward just a little, breathing a deep sigh of relief. It's not over yet...far from it.

"We'll get there. Just---don't strain yourself, got it? I don't want to lose you in there."

"Right," Dev says. He releases Seto's hand and runs one of his own through his hair, disheveling it carelessly. "I was just trying to see what they see, I didn't expect to-- figure anything out."

Which means if he keeps going on the energy side of things, he could get lost.

He shifts his weight preparatory to standing, but only just starts to rise when the room tips around him. He sits back with a huff. "Help me up? I definitely need a break."

"Glad you did," Seto whispers. He feels strangely light. Just that knowledge isn't going to bring his friends and family back...but he at least has a chance in the fight now.

He then turns his attention back to Devero, who's understandably looking worse for the wear. Esteban definitely felt like this too---the train does a number on consciousness, doesn't it. He crouches next to the man. reaches around his back, and hauls him up by the waist. Lean on him now, it's fine.

"Time for you to sit and eat," he suggests, hauling Devero to a more comfortable spot. "It'll pass."

[ All of this is beyond Thanatos. He can follow the fated threads and their pull between some people, but that doesn't carry over to what effort is happening here.

No, Thanatos is here to bring refreshments for those doing the hard work and take away empty plates and cups. Someone has helped him provide food that won't make a mess of their work or weigh them down. He'll also nudge the exhausted to give into his brother's domain a little and take a nap. (Please enter Hypnos's domain, so you don't end up in his. No, he does not trust you to take care of yourself.)

Come get served and waited on by Death Incarnate. ]

It's been a very long day.

It's been a very long several months, if he's going to be honest with himself, but today has been particularly bad. He'd volunteered to help with the effort to connect with the train; he's not necessarily a programmer, but he'd figured he knows enough about general AI structure to be able to provide some insight.

Two things became very clear as the day wore on: that his AI knowledge was extremely world specific, and that it wasn't his - it was the Director's. Diving into the Director's memories has always taken it out of him, though he can usually keep it fairly well under control.

Usually.

He knows he's done when he can feel the headache building behind his eyes and can hear the southern drawl creeping into his voice - not his accent, not his words, because they're not his memories. Still, he hasn't left yet - he's leaning against the wall with his hand over his eyes as Athena leans against his ankles.

He's fine. Really, he's fine. Look how fine he is.

That does not look fine, and while he's not one foot in Charon's boat, Wash isn't in any condition to continue as he is. So, Thanatos pours a glass of water and holds it out to Wash.

"Sit down and drink." There is no room for debate in Thanatos's voice.

For a moment, Wash doesn't move. He debates looking through Athena's eyes to see who this is, but even that is going to require more focus than he's currently capable of pulling together.

Well, he can't stay here forever, can he.

He drops his hand and opens his eyes, blinking once or twice. "Hey, Paperwork," he says, taking the glass. It's a greeting, and a concession to just how jumbled his brain is right now: he can barely hold on to his own name, let alone search for someone else's, but he sure as hell remembers this guy volunteering to do paperwork. That kind of thing sticks with you.

Thanatos doesn't move from his spot. He simply crosses his arms and stares down Wash, unblinking and with lips pressed into a thin line. Mort peeks out from his spot in Thanatos's hood. He's judging too, even if he doesn't look it.

"Taking the glass is not enough. Sit down and drink," Thanatos repeats. "You cannot continue in this state." Wash may not have been on the train when Thanatos threatened sending healers on reckless people, but that doesn't absolve him from that threat.

Okay, Paperwork and the Rodent aren't impressed. He can't blame them - he's not exactly impressed with himself right now-

They're Pinky and the Brain, his own brain supplies rather unhelpfully, and he at least has the presence of mind to keep a straight face at the thought. He cannot think of them like that. He does not want to have to explain it-

Which all leaves him a step or two behind the actual conversation happening, and it takes a mental nudge from Athena to get him back on track. "Oh, I'm not planning on continuing," he finally says, a bit flat. "Just- gimme a minute."

"Sit. Down. Drink," Thanatos says with a noticeable pause between words. He would say that he feels like he's talking to Cerberus, but that would be an insult to Cerberus.

Wash has one tag before Thanatos makes him sit down on the ground right there and then. No chair is required to sit, and Wash will be in worse condition if he collapses where he stands. Sitting would at least reduce the fall distance.

Mort also squeaks his disapproval. He'll FITE Wash if he has to. It'll be for his own good.

"Jesus, Paperwork, let me live." It's grumbled, but he's already got his back to the wall, so it'll be easy enough to slide down, especially once Athena gives him a little room.

Wait- "Also, move." He doesn't think either of them will enjoy it if Wash accidentally kicks him in the ankles on the way down. Might as well avoid collateral damage.

"That's what I'm trying to have you do." He's not letting him die, quite the opposite.

Thanatos floats back a little give Wash more room. However, sitting down is just one part of Thanatos's instructions. He remains with folded arms, and oh, it's clear he isn't satisfied yet.

"And my name is Thanatos. Not Paperwork. Not Jesus. Thanatos."

Paperwork is really not a metaphor person, is he.

Still, Wash sits and settles, crossing his legs and meeting Paperwork's gaze. Look. He's sitting. What else does this guy want-

Oh, wait, the water. He breaks eye contact to start drinking it, idly letting his brain click pieces back into place. Thanatos. Greek god of- something. Not one of the big ones. Red team. Not his Red team, but a Red team. Volunteered to do the paperwork, hence the nickname. Not-

And then he fucking chokes, and takes the next minute or so to clear the water out of his windpipe and remember how to breathe. So much for trying to help him live. "I think, if you were Jesus," he finally manages, somehow with some level of sass despite everything, "we'd be having a very different conversation."

No. No, he is not, and he's even less of one when he doesn't catch the reference.

Thanatos gives a frustrated sigh. Blood and darkness. This man is bound and determined to make every step difficult.

"... I'm getting Ryo." This doesn't need Ryo's power. Thanatos doesn't have to worry about Ryo potentially over exerting himself with this, and Ryo will know how to handle someone who can drown himself with a small glass of liquid. "If you're too addled to drink water, you need more professional help."

Mort agrees. And if Ryo can't help, then Lagos can yell at Wash some. Lagos is good at that.

Who the fuck is Ryo?

It takes Wash a minute to put things in context - to shake off the vague recollection that there might be two Ryos (with different spelling? maybe? that's too much for him to sort through right now) - and remember seeing that name on the shift rotation in the medical car. Right. It's always good to know who your medics are, and evidently this Ryo is one of them.

The next thought that surfaces is that he doesn't need medical attention for water going down the wrong pipe. "Or you can just not surprise me while I'm drinking water," he says flatly. "I'm fine. If I was in trouble, Athena would've gone to get help by now."

Seated next to him, Athena meows loudly. You bet your ass she would.

Thanatos narrows his eyes. "I did nothing of the sort. I have been talking to you right here unless you are suffering memory loss on top of everything." He didn't even shift near him! Wash startling from that would have been reasonable.

"Stay here while I fetch Ryo. Athena, keep him here." If she has any power to do so. Athena is clearly not as smart as her namesake as she should have put an end to Wash's antics much earlier if she had. And a cat. Really? Athena's animal is an owl.

Death Incarnate turns to leave, planning to enter the nearest door before shifting away as to not give Wash an actual surprise and cause him to choke again.

Memory loss is the exact opposite of his problems right now. Thanks, Thanatos.

Though he's starting to realize that either Thanatos has no context for the whole Jesus thing, or no sense of humor, or both. Not quickly enough to get a word in edgewise, as Thanatos gives him his orders - and makes the mistake of giving Athena orders - and leaves. Athena stares after him in that vaguely possessed way that only cats can manage. Excuse him? He's giving her orders? Who the fuck is this guy?

Wash just sighs and looks down at her. So, they're not staying here, right?

Athena cuts the eerie stare and looks back up at him, giving a soft mrah in return. Fuck no, they're not staying.

He gets to his feet, and pauses - he can't just disappear if a medic is coming. Medics get funny about their patients bailing, and he doesn't need to be on this Ryo person's bad side, especially if their bad side is anything like Dr. Grey's. He fishes train-assigned notebook and a pen out of his hoodie pocket, writes Thanatos a quick note, and leaves it behind as he and Athena head out. He needs a chance to put his thoughts together, and he needs a nap. Time to go.

(He does take the glass of water with him, though. He's pretty sure he can get it all down the right pipe when he's not interrupted.)

---------

~~Pap~~ Thanatos-

Heading back to my room for a nap. Upper 1D if your medic wants to check. Thanks for the water.

You know telling a cat to do something makes them not want to do it, right?

Wash

Thanatos comes back with Ryo only to find the place void of any other person. "... He was just here--" Then he spots the piece of paper. Thanatos reads the note, and his frown deepens. He crumples up the paper. Mort squeaks, angry. He's going to FITE them. Some companion that cat is!

"Ryo, I am passing on the care of Washington to anyone else who will take him. He is in Upper 1D according to this. I am not bothering with another reckless mortal and his guardian cat who doesn't do her job or isn't like her namesake. If he wants to fall to my realm for his stupidity, then that's his fate."

No. Just no. He's not dealing with this and will remember this should they have to interact in a mission.

Edited (fixed a word for clarity) 2022-06-05 05:06 (UTC)

Ryo had gone to the kitchen for more food and drink - because if there's one thing everybody working needs regardless of energy or duties, it's sustenance - when Thanatos had come to get him, describing someone who was so far gone he couldn't manage to drink water. He drops what he's doing and follows Thanatos back, only to find the person in question missing and a note in his place - a note that only serves to upset Thanatos and Mort.

He wouldn't think someone too injured to drink water would be able to leave a cogent note, but he doesn't know anything about this Washington person and hasn't seen that note yet. He holds his hand out, gesturing for Thanatos to give him the note. "I'll go take care of him. Can you manage things here for a bit?"

Giving Ryo the crumpled up paper, Thanatos nods. Meanwhile, Mort is busy squeaking additional observations to Lagos about how Wash hadn't been able to walk well and spoke weird and couldn't drink water right. He also adds his own disapproval of Athena and how Lagos and Mort do much better jobs than her.

Thanatos makes no attempt at stopping Mort's ranting about Wash and Athena.

Edited 2022-06-10 22:52 (UTC)

Lagos leans into the gossip, listening and taking mental notes. Don't worry, he'll pass this all on to Ryo. And wow, if cat Athena is that bad, maybe they should introduce her to Caissa and show her how a real cat acts.

"Thank you." For managing things and for handing over the note. He smooths out the paper and reads it. It's a simple enough note, though the mention of cats being contrary brings a hint of a smile on his face - which he tries to hide from Thanatos, as Thanatos is very evidently upset at that same cat. "I'll be back soon."

It's a good twenty minutes at least before he gets back - the transgates make traversing the train easy enough, but it was still a matter of getting the door open, doing a thorough job checking Washington over, and...honestly, petting the cat.

(He'd been impressed that the cat opened the door from the inside to let him in, and it had been very fluffy. He couldn't help himself.)

He finds Thanatos and stops, not sure if Thanatos wants an update on the person he'd essentially disowned. He goes for neutral ground instead: "Did I miss anything?"

Lagos warbles conspiratorially to Mort in the meantime. Cat Athena definitely isn't as good as Caissa, but she did let Ryo pet her. That's one point in her favor. Only one.

Thankfully, no one else seems to have stumbled their way out of Thanatos's good graces. He provides what's needed, and when he suggests they rest, they do so without question or choking on their water.

"Nothing much. Just taking these back to the kitchen," he says as he collects some empty dishes. Thanatos doesn't want to know how Wash is doing. He's not his problem anymore.

The companions' talk doesn't go completely unnoticed by Thanatos. There's a small disappointed squeak from Mort that Lagos gave fake Athena that one point. Some people can act nice while also planning one's downfall, and if that fake Athena even tries to get near Thanatos, he will fight her. He's not afraid of how much bigger she is.

Thanatos puts a hand atop Mort's head but doesn't say anything. He's usually trusting of animals, so for one to get on his bad side like this is rare.

"Okay." He doesn't push, instead falling into step with Thanatos, helping gather the empty dishes. If Thanatos doesn't inquire, then he's not going to push.

Lagos just gives a little shrug with wings that still don't quite work. Look, the cat made Ryo happy, and that's not always easy to come by around here. He has to give her that point, at least for now.

Of course, if that cat tries anything, Lagos is going to stab her, but he's pretty sure Mort already knows that. They will be united against that stupid cat.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Train Memory Investigations (Backdated to month of Quicksand and Onward)

Esteban Drake | Blind/Tech approach | OTA

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(Giving Kaiba a chance to react if there's anything he wants to add before the full search starts)

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Kind of headcanon-ing the train interface at this point. Could be proven false later

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Devero || Both approaches || OTA

connecting the dots

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Thanatos | the "please don't die" approach | OTA

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