eastbound | audio | un: wisdom

I should certainly hope that we are leaving them all here. We are known to pick people or pets or ghosts, I believe few will be inclined to consider those brought here... unjustly condemned.

[ Not so much the ghosts, but releasing them to reality is hardly the way to help them. ]

Perhaps those with more knowledge on the matter can decide what can be done about the ghosts. They, perhaps, do not deserve being trapped in this place.

Nothing we can do.

[ Nacho's voice is low, quiet, sad. ]

Perhaps not. Or, perhaps, some here might be able to. I have been oftentimes amazed by what this group is capable of.

The guy downstairs says there isn't. Who do you think we have who might know how? If there is a way.

Edited 2023-08-12 03:50 (UTC)

Before coming to this place, I would not have thought there was a way, to be in a place like this. And yet, here we are. What I known not is greater than what I do know.

Those with magic gifts related to fighting, perhaps. Some would stand and face a dragon, after all. I would only speak with one, and that is far from what is needed here.

Or the whole of this place may be better served being... unmade.

That, my lady, would be rather far beyond my humble abilities to bring about.

Presently not in mine, either. In our group, who do you think could?

[ ... thoughtful hum. ]

I have not queried all on their abilities and how they have been curtailed here. Perhaps a joint effort, if that is the only solution.

Working alone hasn't been all that intelligent since we got here, so yes, it's likely to be the only solution. If I knew what was needed... if this was something to heal, but it's not. I don't think it is, at least. How does one heal a spirit, so they might leave?

... I am sorry. I am not one who has skills with healing, body or spirit. But I think it may be possible, as I once knew someone who could heal spirits. Even if it was not entirely by intent.

[ He's sympathetic to the motivation but Nacho does not like where this is going. ]

Yo, if the spirits are attached to the house, won't... un-making it... hurt them?

I don't know, this isn't my kind of magic. If it's even possibly on my world. They're dead. They're already locked in pain, aren't they? That's what it seems like, what it's sounds like. Are they asking to cling to that?

Very strong vote of minding our business and not setting free a powerful necromancer (or possibly three) that the Doxe exiled.

Not that this Doxe of his time sounds worthwhile either, but there's no reason to return a mad, fractured evil to a world it only resents.

Yeahhh I'm not going to pretend I get what's happening half the time, but even I know he totally deserves to be here. Or somewhere worse.

He has no reason why we should be doing anything aside from leaving, that's for certain.

Have you been okay here?

Aside from the crushing disappointment and general scariness of this place? I'm fine. We're all in the same stupid boat. We thought we were going home and instead, we're here.

[Long sigh!!!] Are you okay?

Light, walking through that gateway only to wake up sprawled on the ground in here was only slightly less disconcerting than waking up back on the world we just came from while thunder and lightning and a war were happening just over the next ridge.

Mm, I'm fine. Reflecting on what Manouk was saying, clearly, and it makes the rest of what people have mentioned about the other two make more sense. Three different sides of the same person. Bit of a headache, isn't it?

( Said with just a touch of her attempt at amusement right now, softening the blow of how much that's more than a headache. The man literally split himself in thirds. )

A huge headache. It's like one of those crazy stories from an anime. Bad guys always split themselves in those. Usually, they at least have ONE good side.

[Kamala is struggling to find sympathy for these guys while surrounded by victims.]

( Anime? Some specific type of story, apparently. )

I'm not going to strain myself trying to find the good in this lot. People have to choose to do good, not only be capable of it.

Oh yeah that's actually my whole belief system now. But! Stories don't count. They have tropes and stuff. It'd be so much easier if the people here would just follow the tropes.

Tropes?

Stuff that shows up in stories! Like how the lead girl is always super pretty and everyone loves her except for a hater or two. Evil stepparents. Stuff like that.

The ghosts? [ Nacho sounds very depressed. He's been thinking about this part for a while. ] Red-Eyes says there's not. Apparently they're tied to the house itself, not a person.

Edited 2023-08-09 21:43 (UTC)

... I don't suppose there's a way to just bring the house back with us.

[ Nacho laughs hollowly. ]

...That's outside my wheelhouse.

( With a touch of frustration (more than a touch) to her sigh, she admits: )

Mine as well, but someone knew how to do this at some point.

I think we gotta talk to 'em. The ghosts, I mean.

And then maybe we can find out if they're tied to something special-- a floorboard, some square of tile, something. Ain't that how all the ghostie movies go? Soul's attached to an object or something that keeps them from passing?

[ Also: ] Hi, Nynaeve. Scared the shit outta me hearin' you outta this watch, heh.

( wait, what kind of watch — )

I have no idea, the concept of a "movie" was related to people "viewing" each other's memories without consent and for entertainment.

( The disgust is audibly dripping from her voice at that. As one of those who hadn't slept the whole time on the dream train due to her position as "staff", had first run the gauntlet of nightmare steeds to catch said train and then tried to summon patience to deal with the most pedantic conductor she's ever met, even if he's the only one, her conceptual standards of what goes on in this world are...

... low. Not quite rock bottom. It's not actually run by any equivalent of the Dark One.

At least not yet. )

One way to learn, and you're right that it starts with asking.

( A note like approval in her voice: it's good sense, whatever the rest of it is about. Her voice gains a slight lean toward amusement after. )

I understand the feeling. When I was first here, I didn't truly understand what this thralled jewelry could do. Useful and disruptive magic. You'll want to learn how to make it quiet, so nothing comes through when you need the silence.

Can non-magic people make magic stuff go quiet? I'm preeeeetty sure I don't got the skill for this kinda thing...

Or talking to dead people. It's not like Tub Guy and Tub Lady were real chatterboxes when we tried the other day. [ And every time the ghosts did speak, they freaked the hell out of him! So. ]

Yes, it has nothing to do with your magic or lack thereof. That's all in the one thralling it. No magic's necessary to use them. Just to make them function again when they've run down.

( She breathes out in a sharper snort, grimacing to herself. )

If only the dead were all equally helpful as they are chatty when they are. Count it as a sort of kindness that the ones we saw in the bathing chambers weren't too aware of everything around them. The ones who end up that way can be... difficult.

Wh-- that wasn't even the first ghost you ever saw!?

[ Then again, she had been eerily calm about it while Marty lost his shit. Hm. ]

Ah... no. Not the first. Not the last, either. Unless I go home when we're leaving this house behind, like a delayed gateway effect.

[ Breathlessly, ] Whoa, this is heavy.

Can I ask you something? How, uh... how long have you been... here? Not here, like, this house, but... working with that magic lady, I guess. Karsa. How long've you been not-home?

( give her a moment, she has to think back and........................ )

Must be close to four months by now? Light, it's already been four months.

( not years, however. she knows that's not true for others of their group. )

[ Four months. Four months, and someone smart like Nynaeve hasn't figured out a way to go home yet?

It's upsetting for several reasons. ]

That's heavy.

[ He exhales quietly, but ultimately goes with a more optimistic: ] Thanks for answering, Nynaeve. I think I just needed--

It's tough trying to understand all this weird stuff, you know? I keep thinking that maybe I'm gonna wake up in my bed one of these days. But months, jeez...

Gotta make the best with what we got, right?

( she has patience, just enough, to wait as he's stumbling through words, cutting himself off, trailing off. it's enough for anyone to deal with, let along the youngest members of their group. pretending she hadn't been confused and irritated and scared, to herself at least, had been hard when on that train and bereft of even the ability to sleep for weeks on end. )

We do. Wishing otherwise for what we face changes nothing. Our efforts make the difference, Marty. Our decisions as we face what's here.

[ Efforts and decisions, Nynaeve says. Marty's quiet for a bit as he absorbs this, breathes it in, and then: ] Yeah. You're right.

I'm not gonna get anything done hopin' for miracles.

[ If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. ]

Thanks, Nynaeve. [ He tries to sound strong this time. Confident. ] I'm gonna go see if I can get those ghosts to talk to me again.

Talk to you later?

Mm. You know how to find me.

( good on him, talking to... ghosts. something that should be absurd. that still is, but's also factual, which is another kind of absurd.

good on him, facing that down. )

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a very timely reply...

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