voidtreckernet | Day Twenty One: Engine Room to All Carriages

[Waver dropped into the chair he'd been ineffectually beating up, trying to take this argument apart and examine it piece by piece while also in a state of moderate panic.]

Right...right, I suppose if this train essentially uses some variant on Second Magic, then traveling to differing points in time isn't so great a logical leap. Do one impossible thing, easy enough to do another. [He was muttering to himself as he worked it out, sounding like he half believed it and half needed to convince himself. Nervously, he started fidgeting with a pendant mostly hidden under his collar.]

...We have to figure out what the hell that means--what we need to do to get a message out. I can't let them think I abandoned them, and I know I can't be the only one to feel like that. And then we have to figure out how to get this damn train what it wants so we can leave.

I can't say I've heard of 'second magic', but I find it helps to remind myself that nothing here is particularly familiar. The rules of reality...simply don't line up, not entirely, [she determines with a small shrug.] ...Oddly the most familiar thing so far has been how the train travels- there was a subway quite like it where I came from, travelling between connected dimensions.

[At any rate, she's going to start making her coffee as she speaks.] I suspect someone will be calling to compare notes across the train's passengers soon enough. With how many are on board, we're bound to have determined something about how the train operates...beyond that however, [Yuume adds, filling a kettle,] Knowing it's possible at all is good enough a start to getting a system of communication made. I know that ah...Seto, [she settles on, not quite certain on how to address the distant relative in conversation yet,] Has at least worked with technology breaking through dimensions. It's the same thing that became the subway at home, so between him and anyone else with similar experience, we should hopefully find something.

[She does wince a little bit.] ...Viewing it as what it wants might not be best though. A computer can have a condition for 'completion' of a program, but for something meant to run indefinitely, we're not likely supposed to be within that bracket...we'll need to find some way to determine how the system itself works, from a perspective other than it's own I suspect. Otherwise we'll probably end up going in circles...

It's the principle of travel between parallel universes where I'm from. Only one person's capable of it, so a train like this is something beyond logical comprehension by the logic of my world. But since it's so easily achieved here, time travel is no less insane.

[He started tapping his left foot in an overabundance of nervous energy, frowning.]

At that point, it sounds like we're bordering on considering how to hack the train and altering its parameters. And if there isn't any other way to break out of whatever infinite loop it's stuck in, we may have to.

Oh! [Oh boy.] I can certainly see why then... I'm beginning to feel like I have an unfair advantage with the subway experience at this point...

[It just seemed so normal, that the idea of something stretching even farther across time and space felt like a natural step upward...

In any case.] Mnh. I definitely don't recommend that, personally. Not without someone who has direct experience with the technology- for all that I asked if it would be acceptable to do internal work if it became necessary, the train's immediate reply was that it would 'not be appropriate'. Chances are that if we try anything without enough information, we'll find ourselves facing unexpected consequences on both ends. [By which she means, the train may not even intend to harm anything when harm inevitably comes to them as a result.]

[Waver answered with a vaguely thoughtful hum, thinking that over.]

No, it'd be pretty stupid to go poking about in something we don't understand. And that's even if we knew where to start. But we can't keep going on like this from mission to mission forever, least of all with so much at stake. I don't want to rely on the suggested concept of time travel being dangled in front of us when the current situation seems closer to 'we're stuck here until the train says so, which is never'.

Naturally not, that would be absurd. [She might seem to be taking this casually, but she's far from of the mind that they should roll over and let it all be.] Working on communications is at least something we can start with, but finding out some way to get more information on 'Void Technology'- preferably someone with that knowledge- is definitely something we need to keep on our minds...

I can bet that that one will be the most troublesome for now though. We're limited by whatever planets and worlds the train stops at- and I suspect it's avoiding anything with awareness of the technology given this...'renegade' status, [she hums, frowning.] ...I can't say I can fault it for that, but it's still an obstacle in our path...

...with any luck breaking the communications barrier can solve two problems at once in that regard.

You're right--we're a train full of amateurs, essentially. We need someone who has the faintest clue how this is supposed to work, but locating them even if we do find a world where they exist will be tricky.

...If we can just get messages out--just that alone would set me and a lot of people at ease, I bet.

I think it would put most of the train at ease, truthfully... ...I don't know if we're blind grabs, or if it's deliberation bringing us here, but at the least if we could get some sort of word out, it would be one less question on everyone's minds.

[The kettle is starting to steam.] Ah, that's quick-

Do you want a cup of anything? I filled the kettle to the top. [She'd offer coffee, but she suspects that's not the best option for any nerves right now. Much as it's her go-to.]

I don't care if it's random or not, it's pretty clear we didn't agree to it and that just pisses me right off. [If nothing else he was a hell of a lot calmer, at least outwardly.] ...Tea would be nice, if you don't mind.

Sorry--in all that, I didn't introduce myself. Just call me 'Professor' for now.

To be quite fair I didn't either, [she remarks, setting up two mugs.] Any preference on the tea..? I'm not sure what teas we have but it's hopefully more than one...

...Professor? [Oh- She can't help but laugh a bit at that.] ...It's like being back on campus, hah... ...Yuume Souryuu is my own name. The train has me registered incorrectly, but I don't expect it to understand apprentice systems in the end. Is it alright to ask what you teach then, 'Professor'?

Surprise me, I'm more of a coffee person. Don't have much of a preference.

[He shrugged, fingers tapping on the silver handle of his cane.]

I'm a teacher of alchemy and modern magecraft theory back home in London. Nice to meet you, Yuume.

'Modern magecraft'... [She locates the tea after a bit, ultimately picking something that should hopefully be calming.] It certainly sounds intriguing...

At home, magic is considered anything not quite pinned down in regard to the laws of energy exchange...a sort of science in itself, but one that's yet to be defined. It's normally inaccessible to anything other than the Shadows however, so I suspect it's going to remain undefined for a long, long time.

It's good to meet you as well, [she ultimately adds with a nod, filling the mug.] I study history, myself- arguably archaeology with how far back it stretches, but I find when interviewing beings that have lived since those times, 'history' is the preferred word.

[She's had at least one 'Magician' get touchy about being considered so old they're part of archaeological study. (It's hardly her fault there's nothing written from those eras...)]

Oh, magecraft's pretty well rooted in science. Even the base capability to utilize it is largely genetic and related to the nervous system, and the rest is more exact science than the vague mysticism of your average fantasy.

[But he raised an eyebrow at the last remark, interested rather than skeptical.]

...I'm sorry, interviewing what?

The nervous system? Fascinating... [...she wants to ask more about that but she should probably also focus on the present moment before she gets lost in matters...]

...Ah- yes, shadows are rather unique to my world- or at least, mine and those similar. I have one relative on board, and there are others from what are at the least mostly similar timelines and realms, to the point where I was able to handle a consult on one such person's state of their soul, [she rambles on, not quite realizing how alarming that in itself might sound.] The 'shadow' is in essence an extension of the human soul- it wasn't there at the start of human history, and not all 'shadows' are even connected to humans, but many are. The theory goes that the two are protecting each other somehow in a pseudo-symbotic relationship...

Ah, I'm digressing though- Shadows. Think of them as...spirits, in a sense. Mythical beasts, deities, even the forms of heroes or typical animals, they can take all of those forms, and exist within their own realm, parallel to my own. When I refer to shadows in general, it's those inhabitants that I speak of- though the name itself comes due to those bound to human souls. They manifest the connection through the shadow at one's feet.

It wasn't a possibility until quite recently, but we've come upon an age where the two realms are close enough that more and more people are realizing those connections- from there, came work that made entering their own realm possible.

...which created quite a shift in studies relating to history suffice to say, as quite a few of those beings have been around since...well, the start of the world itself in some cases. ...Though interviewing anything that old doesn't tend to go well, given still existing language barriers...

Holy shit.

[That successfully distracted him from a problem they had no immediate way to fix, Waver staring at her for a moment while he began to switch gears from miserable to stunned fascination.]

Your world has...essentially Master-Servant contracts? Just--that's just a normal thing?

[[OOC - Me whenever references to other series hit like `oh god what have i missed this time`]]

Eh? [Well, here's your tea at least??]

I...suppose? You'll have to explain what 'Master-Servant' contracts are for me to confirm however...

I don't think I'd describe it quite with those words either, since the two are quite desperately linked... ...though assuming the spirit in this case would equate to the 'servant', that does represent the somewhat replaceable end...it's one of the aspects of my work actually, as losing one's shadow locks them into a rather permanent 'out of time' state until a shadow capable of filling the void can be found. On the other hand, you simply can't connect a severed shadow to a different person...

The terminology isn't as black and white as it sounds, it's complicated. But the bit about shadows is new, so it's clearly not a perfect reflection of the concept. In my own world, under highly specific conditions, a mage can summon a hero of the past to fight as their contracted familiar of sorts. They share an empathic link, with the Master serving as the magical power source for the Servant to exist in the living world. If a Master dies, so too will their Servant, but the reverse doesn't automatically apply.

Heroic Spirits have existed since the beginning of human history; for as long as there have been legends and heroes. But it's not as if every single mage can summon one; only seven Servants can exist in the world at a single time. [~~laughs in apocrypha, extra, and fgo~~] So it isn't a matter of realms connecting, or of such figures being automatically connected to people.

Mnnnh...a 'hero'... ...It certainly sounds a bit like the shadow bond in reverse...every human-being is born connected to a shadow. Whether that shadow is able to be 'woken up' so to speak, and enter the human plane, typically depends on a variety of conditions. First of course, the realms need to be close, much as they are now. Second, without a synthetic trigger, it typically takes a near-death circumstance.

Generally, if the human side is killed, the shadow isn't- they're simply left unconnected to the human plane. That said, it's possible to sever and trap them within that end of existence- those are called 'renegades', and are unfortunately left to sort matters in whatever way they can. I've actually visited restaurants with a 'renegade' on the waitstaff... [How far the mighty can fall...ahh....]

In any case, shadows are what inspired tales of certain beasts and heroes, rather than heroes and beasts becoming shadows- the last time the two realms were so close together would have been perhaps around 3000 BCE- on average, the pattern seems to move in 5000 year intervals, though this is admittedly the first time it's remained so constant. I suspect it's because of the state of the human plane itself; it wasn't split into four dimensions until the current century.

[There's a lot to unpack there, and it might be best to throw out the entire suitcase.] Only seven servants though... [IF THEY ONLY KNEW...] ...hahaaaa...and here there are probably almost as many shadows active as a full quarter of the population...

I've seen heroes do weirder shit than waiting tables, at least.

[He laughed quietly at that, the sound hollow and a little halfhearted.]

That many, huh...? That's...pretty impressive.

Mnh. It's very much part of daily life- I once took a subway...ah, a normal, non-dimensional one I should note- to another city on a shadow resembling a train. I believe their partner acts as the conductor so to speak.

[Mnnnh. Something about that laugh though...] Considering the focus on 'heroes', and the small number however, I suspect the system from your own home is a little more tightly focused on some sort of goal however...

[Oof.]

It's a whole long and depressing story, and kind of a big contributing factor why my world's in so much trouble. There's a broken magical ritual that someone has to stop, and the only people who care enough to try need my help to do it.

[Shrugging in an attempt to brush off the gravity of the situation, Waver simply took a drink.]

...There weren't a lot of Masters that survived the last conflict. I was one of them, so a situation like you're describing holds a lot of interest for me.

[Ahhhhhh....that makes sense, she tells herself, getting her instant coffee mixed up as she nods. A situation of small numbers against many others, with a key piece missing...it's no wonder then, that the other is so tense.]

I'm sorry that the status of my own world won't likely contribute much then. I'd be happy to talk more about it of course, but it seems with any points of clarity it'll only diverge farther...

It's only a matter of my own curiosity, that's all. You mentioned beasts and heroes specifically, but who? Don't tell me there's a world where Cu Chulainn is waiting tables or something.

[waver has clearly not read hollow ataraxia]

I can't speak for Cu Chulainn, [she laughs warmly,] but my apprentice- a former client I'm sad to say- was once connected to the Sun God Ra.

[The laugh fades however, the smile becoming rather bittersweet.] ...Shirou was unfortunately...a victim of what's called 'soul death', however. Ra was killed defending him, from which point the boy was time-locked. The replacement found within the realms was Sekhmet, however; if the myths are similar in your world, perhaps you know of the one where she was Ra's eye? I suspect that's what allowed the compatibility.

In terms of others...ah! I was able to meet with Beatrice Portinari once~ [she gushes, beaming quite happily.] She was wonderful to talk to! Her official title as a shadow was 'Beatrice, the Lady Eternal', which was fairly interesting...

...Actually Beatrice herself was rather interesting in that she had a human life at one point, which is what made me think of her in regard to your question- most shadows obviously can't say they've had such things, but I expect that most with such direct connections to human lives did. I would have to look farther into that from home however, since as I said, most shadows don't fall into such categories. Instead they're what you would associate with mythical peoples, or gods, or animals...having a concrete name is rather rare.

Hm...so it's more 'concepts' in a sense. Besides that, it'd be unheard of to summon a divine spirit as a Servant. Demigods, sure--anything higher than that is far beyond the scale of the ritual.

[laughs harder in grand servants]

Gilgamesh, for example. Probably the strongest Servant one could summon, both by virtue of being part divine and because his is the oldest legend in human history. The older and more well-known a hero is, the stronger their potential--so he's close to the upper limit if not the limit itself.

[Beat.]

Kind of a prick, too.

Day Twenty One: Engine Room to All Carriages

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me googling the difference between history and archaeology like 'oh ok'

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i'm sorry for this waver u-u

no i'm sorry for imminent nasubabble

ITS OK I GET PLENTY OF BABBLE JUST PLAYING FGO RIP

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i almost used the round table cards but decided that'd be TOO MUCH sob

[laughs in saberfaces]

stares distantly at the sabercrowd....

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