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Attilan.
It's big, and you can't beat it for real estate expansion opportunities. The neighbors were quiet because there were no neighbors. In this regard it was almost ideal. Unless you were aquatic in which case the mountains were the least thrilling place to be.
Returning home, and in more than a sense could not be more out of place Triton returned. There was a bag over his shoulder and an apparatus around him at least letting him survive the trip back. Adjusting the laden bag over his shoulder he noted to the large canine with him, "The Sea of Tranquility has no sea in it. How they get away calling it that I don't even know." He sighed. "Disappointing." His eyes blinked two sets of eyelids before finding a place to set the bag down and gave the pup a pat.
Attilan, a city full of mysteries. A place forgotten by time.
A place forgotten totally by Vesper. Or really, by Astraea daughter of Cynas, the genetic councilor. Same person. Different person.
She wouldn't know Attilan if it were a snake and bit her. Attilan has bit, as a matter of fact. One outer pylon is currently experiencing something of an energy surge. This would be the incandescent figure banging about the circuitry in a futile effort to get out of the labyrinth.
Unfortunately for her the erstwhile travels over the mundane network of Asia have not been kind. Bounced and scrambled signals projected her here and there. Knocked around by spliced routes and rewired matrices, she's come home in the worst possible way: as a mistaken prisoner.
How does Karnak know that her brother is returning? Well, it might be the fact that Lockjaw's departure alerted her to that fact. Or, it might be a coincidence that brings her here, as she was told about a power surge in one of the circuits in the outer pylon, and thus she could fix it in her unique fashion. Possibly even the shade of affection for her older brother, though she would likely deny that if pressed, as she denies anything of that sort.
Regardless of the reason why, the end result is that she's standing about ten feet from Lockjaw when he brings Triton back home, and she nods slightly, "Brother. It's good to see you again." Her eyes flicker towards the pillar, trying to avoid being distracted as there's something odd about the pylon that seems to be bothering her.
The Council sent the royal family to investigate the world outside of Attilan, but investigating means that there must be return trips to actually report. That's what Crystal's been doing for the last two days, meeting with members of the council to share her impressions and opinions on the world outside. It's no surprise to anyone that her reports are generally favorable, even if she'll admit to the occasional complication.
When she's finished reporting, though, she's ready to wander the city, reminding herself what their home is like.
Triton might be smiling. It was hard to tell with the mask on as he declined to let his re-breather be drawn on in eyeliner to allow him the felicity of appearing to 'smile'. Seeing Karnak walk up the tension in his spine shifted and one arm went out, "In all the world I find the person I missed the most. You look well, sister. I wish it was on better tidings, but something is still better than nothing at all."
Large eyes squint at Karnak, then in the direction Karnak was facing and his head tilted just faintly. "You're seeing something I'm not?" A finger raised to his ear as it popped from the pressure change to adjust and without any preamble arched a brow to her, the pylon, and Karnak again.
Could anyone blame a girl for sitting back against the smooth-sided wall of the energy pylon and sighing? Escaping a maze is hard work. Her efforts to extract herself from the inner circuitry run her in circles and rectangles. It's only a little break. A few minutes to recollect herself and think of where a switch might be for the path not traveled, right? Vesper shakes herself free of the malaise and sighs, as much as a being composed presently of organized energy can sigh. The line hums irritably when she prods at it. Any reading spikes and falls back on the general system.
«Which way is out?» It's a hopeless endeavour right now. Whatever Attilan builds to channel its electrical supply is equally good at keeping her gridded for the moment. She might vaguely hear someone outside. Another swing around the switch. Nope, still stuck in that rectangle.
Karnak nods, "Hello brother. Yes, there's a surge in the circuitry here." She gestures to the pylon, and frowns, "For some reason, it seems… familiar." Her head tilts a bit, and she seems to be watching the energy flow and the circuits containing it at an almost subatomic level, visualizing the trapped energy and where one could release it into the open.
Crystal rounds a corner to find unexpected family, her tired expression warming into a smile. "Triton!" she exclaims brightly. "What a pleasant surprise!" It's not that Karnak isn't…Well, she isn't pleasant, but she's at least less of a surprise. Crystal's seen Karnak far more recently. "You look well. And Karnak, of course. Is everything all right?" she asks when she notices where their attention lies, looking to the pylon herself.
Triton swiveled his attention from the pylon to Crystal and the bag was set down. "Crystal, you have been dearly missed." He could be smiling under the mask. The intent was there even if the capability was not. At the question if everything was alright a webbed hand waved, "Eeeeh strange reading from the energy pylon, turns out the sea is still missing from the Sea of Tranquility, and the Pacific ocean leans on the brink of destruction… I'm sure it's all fine. I have the impression we were about to look either way. How have you been?" Optimistic wasn't he?
Vesper hears the vibrations through the noisy chatter flowing around and through her. Sound is different and gives her an idea. She knocks herself against the insides of the circuitry to make sparks or some kind of noise. Her efforts are not a precise art by any standard. As she absorbs a good chunk of the direct current, she expends most of it trying to produce a crackling bang. Instead the whole circuit temperature jumps and possibly starts to melt or fracture, depending on what the surrounding material is composed of. Karnak may have the chance to see many more failures in the system. A plethora of new avenues might give her the way out. Even a little hole is better than no hole. If they don't get to her first she'll ooze her way out.
Karnak hrms, "Ah, I believe I understand." Understand what, she doesn't say… until her hand lashes out towards the pylon, impacting the circuitry in just the proper spot to send the energy surge loose and free. And hopefully fix the power regulation within the pylon itself. Because when in doubt, punch.
"That good, huh?" Crystal chuckles to Triton, amusement crinkling the corners of her eyes. "Grim and grimmer, the two of you." Before she can tease any further, though, there are cracks and bangs from within the pylon. Her smile disappears as her brows rise. "Well, Nexus certainly isn't going to appreciate that."
|ROLL| Karnak +rolls 1d20 for: 6
Triton arched an eyebrow and glanced up at the pylon making all manner of sounds that it really shouldn't. There was a slight hesitation, "Aaaaand I'm certain that will be fine too." There was a muted chuckle that was muffled by the mask, "Touche, Crystal. To be fair I don't thi-" Oh there was a punching. "Sister, I'd hate to see how you type." He looked to Crystal and then back to Karnak curious. "I was going to say I don't think it's as bad as it was but it's become… interesting."
Energy visibly streams around the punched sight. Cracks register where Karnak improves on Attilan architecture and design. Engineers may be alarmed to see the oozing corona arcing off the woman's arm and hitting the ground in a burnt patch. It's not soot. The ground is thinly glassed. Vesper wills herself to get up rather than bouncing off to the next conductive surface. Briefly her translucent shape solidifies enough to be seen in a faded glow. It shifts darker to purple as she instinctively drops to the ultraviolet spectrum, but visible with her obscured nimbus. "«Ow.»"
Karnak doesn't wince at the energy arcing into her arm, though she looks at Vesper's nimbus with a wry expression. "I suspected it was you. How long were you trapped in there?" She glances at her arm with mild annoyance, then shrugs a bit, glancing at Crystal, "Considering Nexus' attitude towards me, I suspect that will likely never change."
Crystal's brows rise when she sees the energy move out of the pylon, a brief, wry smile flickering. "Careful," she chuckles. "There are delicate electronics here. Karnak can't be punching everything all the time. Can she?" Although given the sidelong look she directs toward her cousin, it seems like there's a suggested answer to that question.
Triton watched and waited as Vesper was slowly pulling herself together and was being addressed in the familiar by the family. Offhandedly he answered Crystal, always helpful, "I assure you, she really really can." In regards to his sister punching all the things. Crystal got a nod as Karnak greeted the most curious woman. "Are you alright? Can we offer you a coat? Rubber socks?"
Vesper looks like a glowing presence akin to a classic saint or angel wearing a chic elemental scarf. And she is distinctly purple to the point of deep royal blue. Her arms cross somewhat protectively in front of her. A turn puts her away from the bewildering surroundings to more familiar faces and one that is entirely outside her scope. Those glowing eyes blink. Answers are audible but quiet. "«Hello. I am not sure how long. The sun was up.»" A few hours, a few days. "«Forgive me, mademoiselle Karnak. I didn't know I would injure you.»" Her accent is French. The consolation is how quiet she gets. "«It's well. I have clothes, see? What… is this?»" Well, the outline of clothes is present.
Karnak looks over towards Vesper, "This… is Attilan. Our home. And yours, really, if you wished it to be such." She nods slightly, "You have been getting better with your powers. I didn't think you were capable of such a feat."
Crystal doesn't seem to have recognized Vesper yet - the change in skin tone and the unexpected locale are enough to have thrown her off for the moment. She frowns slightly, though, when she sees that Karnak seems to recognize the girl and as she pieces the conversation together, looking a little bit closer. "Vesper?"
Triton blinked both sets of eyelids. Well this was a bit unexpected then. "Oh well welcome back, if you have not seen it yet you are in for a treat. And my apologize I did not wish to presume." He looked to the others for the minute contextual clues but let them greet her. His attention went to the pylon again with some consideration. Well it seemed alright. At least the stress of the system surge seems to have been ablated.
"Oui," and Vesper nods for good measure. Poor pylon is not in any good condition. She is less worse for wear though they can see right through her at the moment. Opacity takes work and a lot of trial-and-error. "Vesper. Though Nexus says I had a different name here. Have." With the low fade out of volume, her unease broadcasts itself in an audible wavering of light around her. A smile is going to be very slow showing up. To Triton, she gives a right proper wave. "Vesper, sister of Nexus Oculai. You were interrupted. I am sorry for that, too."
Karnak nods, "It's quite alright… I suspect that was going to be less damaging than if you left the pylon without assistance." She gives Triton a look, "Vesper is one of us that was, well, lost, until she recently underwent Terrigenesis herself." She doesn't exactly mention the how, as she prefers not to dwell on such things.
Crystal's brows rise as Vesper explains, though she nods after a moment. "That does explain a few things," she muses. "Well. In that case, welcome to Attilan, and do be careful of your brother if you're going to rattle around inside the systems," she adds, amused. "I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone angrier than Nexus gets if someone dares to hurt his baby. It makes sense, though." She tilts her head, nodding once in confirmation to herself. "The bloodline is carefully curated. The gifts being similar. Yes."
Triton shook his head taking the apology in stride. Webbed hands unfolded in a peaceable gesture of 'welcome' by way of body language in most cultures. "Quite alright. I think given the circumstances, it was most appropriate. Good to meet you. I am Triton, brother of… well.." He gestured to Karnak, "Her." His attention drift back to Crystal expressing the note of similarities between Vesper's genetic expressions and those of her Brother. He looked to Karnak and arched an eyebrow that had no fewer than five questions unspoken to her. Later. They could wait for now.
No bandying about of her bloodline here. Nope. The petite geneticist is not quite shrinking away from Crystal towards Karnak, but she goes doe in the headlights. "Yes, madame." Careful choice of words there. She tips her head down and rubs her upper arm in a moment of rattled anxiety. So this is Attilan and her introduction was rattling around the outer fringes of the Core. "He is likely to have known for a time. He hears my signal clearly." Let's just lift Triton's eyebrows to the ionosphere.
Karnak looks towards Triton wryly, then glances back to Vesper, "Yes, well, the important thing is that you are here, and you made it safely. Pylons can be repaired, after all." She doesn't sound too concerned about Nexus's feelings… but then, does she ever sound concerned about anyone's feelings?
"Does he?" Crystal smiles swiftly, seemingly pleased by this revelation. "Well that's wonderful." There's certainly more she'd like to understand about just how Vesper came to these straits, but she doesn't seem inclined to push it at the moment. "There are certainly times I feel as though being able to contact family with a thought would be far more convenient. How…did you make it here?" she asks, looking around as if she's likely to see some sort of tracks.
Triton asked drily, but not without amusement, "Is Nexus aware of this?" He didn't strike the aquanaut as being informed. Finally he approached the pylon having a pointy ear to the discussion. "It seems a rather convenient skill. It might keep the volume down." Likely not for those that enjoyed things like emphasis and a good entrance.
Vesper would idly comb through her hair but her hand sort of discorporates through the nebulous mass. It reforms on the other side. "I crossed over from…" How does she explain the whereabouts or decisions? "Delhi. Then up to Kathmandu. I seem to have rebounded badly through the mountains where the distortions happened. Perhaps passing over the intended mark I came here. It was rather noisy." She has to carefully consider Karnak's amusement around Triton's equal mirth. Maybe it's safe. A trap looks less likely. "How did you get here? A plane doesn't seem so likely. This is rather high up, isn't it?" Oh child, you know nothing.
Karnak actually looks amused, "We have a very good dog, Vesper." Apparently the outside world has caused her to lighten up, or (more likely) she's just putting on an air to set the newcomer at some sort of ease.
"Lockjaw," Crystal clarifies with a wry smile of her own. "Just how that came to be is a bit complicated, but it does make other things simpler. Teleportation," she adds in summary. "I came back to speak with the Council about what I've found outside so far. What brought you two back?" she asks, looking to Karnak and Triton.
Triton nodded in agreement regarding the state of the pylon. "Well on the other side of things we have provided Nexus with a topic of conversation and a cure for any boredom that may befall him. So there's that." The discussion of Lockjaw though? He assured Vesper, "You'll have to meet him. Crystal I told you what brought me here. Pacific waters, brink of doom, and I missed the food." Well at least he was calm about it. "Incidentally, if you have not seen Hawaii? It is recommended. Little island, big volcano, charming people really. Karnak have you eaten yet?"
"Is he bored regularly?" Vesper asks, uncertain. Her eyes brighten almost into the real spectrum with better humour. Nexus may be buried in a basement cursing at them all if he's not coding something. Whatever they do in Attilan, she is not exactly sure. "Hawaii is a beautiful place, is it? How good that you were able to travel there. With a… Lockjaw." The name sounds funny. She's a Francophone, it would be. "Lockjaw the dog?"
Karnak glances over at Triton, "I have not eaten yet, no… we can definitely get some dinner." She pauses, and looks over towards Vesper and Crystal, "Did you wish to join us, then? I'm sure my brother has much to tell me, that he could tell all of you as well." Because we all know how verbose Karnak is about such things.
"I suppose I assumed it must be something more serious," Crystal chuckles to Triton. "Though I'm glad to see you all the same. And that would be the complicated part," she smiles ruefully to Vesper. "Lockjaw is part of our family, actually. But terrigenesis treated him a bit differently than some of us. He seems to be all right with his lot in life, though." At Karnak's invitation, she pauses for a moment, considering. "I think I've a bit of time. It would be nice to eat something I didn't have to cook for once."
Triton picked up his duffel and slung it back over his shoulder. There was a chuckle, and for the life of him he did still sound a bit underwater. "Crystal, you have no idea how hard it is for me to keep bread do you/" Because underwater was a great place for pastry. As for the latest episode of 'people behaving poorly? That could wait until they were doing something other than standing in the middle of the path. He looked back to his more stoic sister and the smile hit his eyed even though he was a bit limited with expression, "Excellent." There was an understanding and a fondness that remained across his prolonged absences.
Chewing nails or cuticles isn't polite. It's the very thing Vesper wants to do and she puts her hands back down. "Do you have a kitchen? I could put together food." As a beam of ultraviolet energy? No. As herself, yes. She takes in a deep breath. It takes her about half a minute to kick the energy frequency into the right direction to reassume her skin and bone form. Muscles are in their right place. No longer the barely visible shades, she looks almost like any other person. Except those eyes of a blasted electric blue and the tips of her hair still partly energy, partly physical. That's not something she mastered very well yet. "How do you live without bread?"