luministi_logs | A cave conclusion

Entry tags:

A cave conclusion

Characters: Jamie McCrimmon, Xion, and...other.
Location: The planet Fremercury, in a cave
Time: A little bit after this.
Summary: A final showdown to stop the shenanigans on Fremercury--sans the Doctor.
Warnings: Nothing warnable? Important stuff will happen in here, though.

[The cave system, its passages glowing a soft light green, is on the cool side, the temperature dropping the deeper into the caves one goes. And the caves go on a ways, with tunnels breaking off here and there into multi-pronged forks, but there is still one tunnel that remains the widest and seems the most worn if one studies the ground. The other pathways lead off into smaller yet interconnected caves. Everything is connected in some way to the central branch, the one tunnel the Jamie and Xion are in now. Thankfully, the bioluminescent rocks give off more and more light; there's even a faint humming coming from all around them, the sound welcoming and warm.

The humming, however, has an alternate purpose, one that will not be obvious to the two wanderers. It acts as an alarm system of sorts via echolocation. If anything disrupts the humming in any way, those who live in the caves will know about it.

And right now, something stirs down deep in the belly of the caves. They are not used to such intrusions, not here. Never here...

But thankfully, they are prepared for such events. For now though? They listen, and they wait.]

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[Jamie slowly makes his way down the central branch, a careful sort of creeping that allows him to keep an eye out for trouble. So far there's none to be seen. There's only the two of them...and that humming. He's not sure what to make of it, and flicks a glance over his shoulder, back to his fellow companion.]

Hey, what do ye think that humming's all about?

I don't really know. I haven't known any cave to hum before. [a pause.] To be fair... I haven't been in a lot of caves before...

[Xion is sticking to the widest tunnel now, too. Initially, she poked her head down the smaller ones, but it's pretty clear -- at least, to her -- that this is the way they want to go. She's pretty sure this is the way they want to go anyway...]

[it's good they stay to the widest main tunnel. even as they speak, scouts are being dispatched up through the minor tunnels, intent on following them and gauging what exactly they want before engaging.]

I've been in a few, but not ones that make quite so much noise. [He shrugs, and continues down the hallway.]

Wonder how far these things go, anyway?

Well... We'll find out, sooner or later.

[... a pause]

I'm betting on "later."

[Nope.]

[A scout gets a bit jumpy--this is his first time with this sort of security detail--and bursts out of a side tunnel nearest Jamie and Xion. The scout is at least eight feet tall, skinny and lanky, and has six digits on each hand and foot, as well as huge ears. He's also particularly hairy. These hairs aren't merely for decoration, however. They're sensitive enough to pick up the vibrations from the humming in their surroundings as well as anywhere else they go outside the caves.

Soon, the rest of the scouts, twenty in all, stream out moments later to surround Jamie and Xion, their long, curved weapons trained on them.]

[At the appearance of the beastie with the weapon, Jamie whirls about, hand going to his waist where his dirk is kept. But one good look at the weapon and he decides it's better to try and take that out of the equation, and he starts to move towards the scout.

It's only the appearance of the rest of the scouts that stops him from going 'Creag An Tuire' and leaping into a fight. That many beasties are longer odds than he cares to face, even with Xion's help, so he stops, rather abruptly. Slowly, he raises his hands in the air, and the expression on his face is a resigned one. Here we go again.]

[She was already tense from the situation, so at the arrival of... of things, of some kind of people Xion has never seen before, and the sight of their weapons, she instinctively calls out to the Keyblade. She isn't focusing too hard, so instead of getting just Aubade, like she normally does, Oathkeeper and Oblivion come to her hands in a white flash and a flare of black-purple smoke, respectively. But as soon as her mind clamps back down on her battle instincts, she realizes this was a mistake.

This is probably what we're looking for, she berates herself. Or... who we're looking for. Fighting them isn't an option! Not to mention the appearance of the Keyblades is probably going to startle them just as much as they startled her.

But she already drew them, and making them disappear again would probably surprise them more. The only thing she can do now is to let go and drop them. They clatter on the cave floor as if they're made of metal. Now with her hands empty, she mimics Jamie's gesture.

Oops?]

[The over-eager scout approaches them, not looking too happy that they had made a threat to attack--but another, a female scout, quickly walks forward, stopping the other with a rough shove from behind.]

They have given up; do not attack them further than you already have done. [Her voice is light and airy, but despite that, it's very clear is not happy with her fellow scout's actions.]

The others were right behind me! [He straightens, his gaze going from her to Jamie and Xion, then back. His voice is similar to hers, though tonally, he sounds upset and embarrassed.] And these things pulled weapons on us. Why shouldn't I defend myself?

Because you do not have the right, now shut your mouth and go back to your station!

[Neither them realize that their conversation is being translated for Jamie and Xion via that rectangular object also intruding on their civilization. No one before has been able to understand them, why would this time be any different?]

[Jamie pulls a face - and then grouses at the over-eager scout, blissfully unaware that he's not supposed to understand them.]

Aye, well, speak for yourself. If you'd not come at us with that weapon of yours we'd not have thought we'd needed to do so.

[Xion isn't grousing, but she sure sounds almost indignant.]

We were just preparing to defend ourselves!

[All scouts stop what they are doing and stare at the two newcomers for a long moment, before they burst into confused whispers amongst themselves. The only one who doesn't is the female scout who apparently is in charge.]

You...understand us. You shouldn't; no one has before. [Her eyes narrow] But you speak our language...

[Suddenly, she turns to the others and lets out a sound akin to someone whistling with their teeth, but higher pitched.]

Take the prisoners to the elder--and do not engage them in conversation! They may only try to coerce you or taunt you.

[It takes a moment for the scouts to recover themselves, but then they close in and start to herd Jamie and Xion down the long, glowing tunnel. The scouts throw them curious looks every now and then like they're tempted to talk to them or interrupt them in some way, but they don't.]

[Jamie flicks a look over at Xion at the orders from the female scout, but then suddenly the rest of them close in, and there'd be no mistaking what they'd want even if he couldn't understand them.]

All right, all right, I'm going! Watch where you're pointing those things, aye?

[As they walk away, Oathkeeper and Oblivion dissipate into white light and black smoke behind them.

Xion stays quiet, but she watches the scouts and the cave around them curiously. The elder... She wonders what they're like. Well. At least this is taking them straight to the top, and fairly easily, too. She can only hope things will continue going so well.]

[One of the scouts mutters something about how they wouldn't have to use their weapons at all if there weren't intruders and it isn't their fault if their legs are so much longer, but this scout is soon silenced with a glare from the head female scout. From there, the rest of the journey down far the main tunnel is a quiet one.

That is, until the head scout nods and two others step forward and instantly knock Jamie and Xion out and sling them over unceremoniously over their shoulders the rest of the way.

It's probably for the best that they were knocked out anyway. The trip down is long and winding and shows the path down to the Fuilry city. Many of the homes are carved out of the rock, but there are underground plants and rivers that cut through and run along natural paths and divide plazas from the city blocks. The place is eerily beautiful in its own way.

Towards the center of the city is where the scouts carry Jamie and Xion. There stands a grand building made of the stone leftover from construction of the homes. It is there amongst glowing blue and yellow mosses that the leaders of their people govern and at the head of them all is the elder.

Jamie and Xion are deposited in a closed room with a few of the scout guards and the elder where the latter will wait until the intruders awake.]

[And eventually, Jamie does, wincing a bit as he sits up and brings a hand to his head.]

Ooh, my head...

[But he remembers he wasn't alone, and immediately starts to look around for Xion, moving over to her side as soon as he spots her.]

Xion? Are ye alright?

[Xion is slower to waken, being smaller and lighter and so takes knocks to the head fairly unwell. When she stirs, her brow furrows and her mouth frowns.]

Nng...

[At the sound of Jamie's voice, she looks up, blinking quickly in the moss-light.]

Yeah... I think so... You?

[A wizened, stooped figure steps forward, a stern expression on her old, wrinkled face. The scouts remain where they are but visibly tense.]

I see it is true, then. The Intruders speak our language... [A deep frown works its way into her face as she peers at them, her eyes scrutinizing every inch of their appearance.] Why have you come here to our lands?

Aye, I'm...

[But his reassurances are cut off as the wizened figure steps forward.]

Your lands? Do ye mean these caves?

[Xion has no doubt that this person means the caves -- Where else would they mean, after all? So she decides to answer the question asked of them.]

We've come investigating the connection between people going missing on the surface and the strange statues. We don't mean anybody any harm. We were just wanting to find out what's going on and find a way to fix everything without anyone else getting hurt.

Edited 2012-06-27 08:48 (UTC)

[The elder shakes her head] No, Intruder. Our lands are all that you walk on, even those outside these caves.

[The elder then turns her attentions to Xion, but as she does, her expression changes to something a bit more...cryptic] You profess to wishing my people and these lands no harm when your very presence here defiles it. This world is meant for but a few, yet now, so many ruin the land and tranquil quiet that our ancestors once knew.

[She turns her head, nodding it at one of the scouts, who in turn salutes and disappears into a nearby passageway] Our endeavours are long and great, but one day, we will return the land to how it once was.

Oh, so you mean to say that all those people up on the surface are trespassing? So why stay down here, then? How are they supposed to know that there's a problem if they don't know ye even exist?

[Because there doesn't seem to be much mention of anyone like these creatures up top except as wild rumours. His eyes narrow thoughtfully, as something occurs to him]

Or is it they did know and drove ye down here at one point?

It's true, though. We don't mean any harm. We didn't know that being here would cause problems...

[Xion watches the scout leave with some concern. What was all that about?]

What... are you planning to do?

[The elder glances at Jamie, her eyes peering into his unblinkingly.] Yes, they are the Intruders. Only our ancestors truly know what happened that day, but ask any of the Fuilry, and they will tell you we were indeed driven down here when the others came and transformed our lands into what you see today. Our people have always been the caretakers of this world and the memorialists of those who have passed on, though not all species knew of this simple fact.

[As she speaks, the scout returns with a strange device that definitely doesn't look like it's anything this society of people created. It's old and heavy, if the scout's strained muscles and panting are any indication as he deposits the device at the feet of the elder, then backs away to resume his original place.] My ancestor discovered this device after she and a handful of her contemporaries finally emerged from hiding. They had no idea what it was then, not until one of them activated the machine...

[It was then that the elder turned and pointed a thin hand up to the top of the chamber where a statue stood overlooking everything. Even in the light of the chamber, there's no mistaking the look of surprise on the Fuilry statue's face.] ...and then they wondered no longer.

For centuries since, we've tried to co-exist with those Intruders who originally ruined our lands. They knew not what they did, and we soon discovered they cared not either. Use of this device was forbidden for so long, but the Intruders grew far too numerous. We had to act to keep the lands intact and prevent them from being overrun. It is only thanks to a small, understanding few that the Intruders began to make their own memorials to those they've lost.

And to those who didn't listen, we'd take a few of their number in vain hope the Intruders would understand we wanted them all gone.

[Jamie looks at the device rather quizzically, trying to figure out what it's for...but then the elder points up to the statue.]

So you've used this thing to...to turn people into statues? To try and frighten them into leaving?

[Turning people into statues...? But -- ]

Can the people get turned back to normal...?!

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A cave conclusion

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