EVENT ★ THE FRACKING FIELDS

[futurologists]

THE EARTHQUAKE One day, early in the morning before the mechanical rooster at Amos Zephyr's farm even crows, there's a sudden rumble in the distance. Perdition's Rest shakes and the ground roils, knocking things off shelves and startling the mechanical horses in their pen. Look out the window and you'll see Qorral locals blearily stepping out into the street, murmuring anxiously amongst themselves: Earthquake. Ever since the argecite mines started to dry up, the Qorral colonists have been turning to fracking in order to pull all available argecite out of the planet as quickly as possible. The technique has caused more and more earthquakes to shake the planet, though the fracking fields are far enough away from the town that damage is minimal. However, the fields and mines aren't as lucky. The mayor rushes out into the street, his assistant and Sheriff Holladay flanking him, and asks for any willing heroes and adventurers (that means you!) to venture out to the fracking fields and assess the damages. Though the tunnels aren't being actively mined, there were likely miners and other workmen inside, so there will be rescue needed as well. Get your provisions ready and hop on the train: you're going to work. THE FRACKING FIELDS The fracking fields are a wide open swath of land peppered with looming, iron machines going on for miles. These machines are the Qorral's final attempt at scraping the last remnants of argecite from the planet before abandoning the colony and moving on for good. This destructive practice is causing obvious instability to the planet, but they don't seem to care. This is what their species does: seeks out argecite, mines it, and moves on. The fields are dry and dead, with no plants around -- and now, after the earthquake, there are sinkholes. The iron machines are falling into the sinkholes, slowly being swallowed by the planet, with desperate workers trying to pull them back out. They could use the help -- but be sure not to fall in yourself. Grotesque alien birds circle overhead, searching for the dead or the dying, workers caught in the collapsing earth. Save them before they're swallowed by the earth or swallowed by carrion birds -- and if you're too late, the locals would be happy to have their loved ones returned to them intact. Also found in the fields is the Argecite Refinery, a massive factory filled with machinery meant for the refining of the crystal before it is to be shipped back to the Qorral home planet. The outside of the factory is surrounded by a 610cm (20 ft) tall electric perimeter fence, whose energy shorts out sporadically after the earthquake cracked the service box. If you're quick enough to make it through one of the gaps in electricity, don't relax quite yet -- there are malfunctioning guard drones throughout the facility, the earthquake rattling their sensors and making it impossible for them to tell friend from foe. The drones resemble dogs, though they are capable of folding their legs in for aerodynamic superiority when they take flight. They are equipped with energy lasers to destroy, sticky glue to slow trespassers, and a thin blade in the tail to poison attackers. The poison is quick-acting, causing hallucinations and fever, but it is not deadly. Inside the factory, the machinery has collapsed in on itself from the earthquake; electricity sparks from damaged wires, dangerously nearby spilled oil drums or pools of standing water. Fire can start at any second. There are factory workers here that need rescuing, but also a variety of inanimate objects, including barrels of argecite, machinery parts, files, computers, etc. Anything that isn't bolted down needs to be moved outside of the factory before it explodes. Of course, no one is really keeping track of what's inside... THE MINES The Qorral have been digging in the mines since arriving on this planet 30 years ago, but recent efforts have shifted to fracking after the argecite veins slowly became depleted. The mines are still maintained by a skeleton crew of workers, making sure there is no build-up of dangerously flammable gas and patrolling the tunnels to look out for cave-ins -- which, after the earthquake, have happened in spades. The tunnels are winding and deep, turning in on each other and ending in dead ends or sudden, steep drop-offs into the dark. There are workers trapped within, and some at Perdition's Rest have said that their thrill-seeking relatives -- typically teenagers -- have gone missing. It's possible that they have found themselves trapped in the mine, so it may be a good idea to look out for them as well. And even deeper in the mine, there is a writhing, pale danger: sand worms, blind and hungry, wait in the dark. The earthquake has begun to drive them further up the tunnel, their tooth-lined maws open as they slither through toward the surface. Those focusing on the fields above may find a straggling sand worm or two, thrashing wildly in pain from the unfamiliar heat of the sun. This will definitely put a damper in the rescue and recovery efforts, so take them out as quickly as you can -- with as little damage to the fracking equipment, please. OOC NOTES Please direct all questions pertaining to the mission to the dossier page to keep questions and responses in one place for easy player reference. General game questions should be directed to the FAQ. If you haven't already, make sure you check out the Bounty Board for side missions! Remember you can also request bounty missions or submit player plots at any time.

Comments

[winces]

[ lucina... remember the last time you tried to lie for the sake of timelines...

fortunately, olivia is as gullible as she is a terrible liar, and while there is a small, nagging part of her that wonders over lucina's hesitation (a small reaction from her empathy powers, as she will later note) for the moment her focus remains almost entirely on lucina's words, and not how stiffly they might have been said. ]

Oh, I'm glad... I'm so glad... [ here she becomes overwhelmed again, and she has to take a moment to actually take a few breaths, wipe again at the tears that have caught on her lashes.

she hastens to move past her relief and happiness, though, knowing what lucina asks about is far more pressing than something she can indulge in much later. ]

Timelines are messy business, darling, [ ha ha ha ha ha not that... you'd know anything about that, would you, lucina. ] But I was told by a senior recruit that when we are finally returned to our worlds, we will have done so the exact moment we had left. So it would have been like it had never happened at all.

[tolight]

[ Look it worked for 2 years, she can do better this time.

And she knows despite the guilt she feels, Olivia's relief makes all of this incredibly worth it. She watches with softer eyes, the sadness behind her smile dissolving away as she squeezes her mother's hand.

It was worth it.

She tries not to look too guilty ( again ) when Olivia brings up the topic of timelines — though the piece of news she receives is comforting. ] So — [ And for the first time today she feels like she can truly relax. If her mother's here where Lucina can protect her, for the day when they all return home — and it'll be like nothing happened, well.

There isn't a better outcome than this, surely. Lucina lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. ] That's relieving to hear. Thank you.

... Is there... anything else you wanted to know, mother?

[winces]

[ it's strange, she realizes, now that things have begun to settle down, and the adrenaline and the rush of emotions have begin to ebb. it's strange to hear that — mother — from a full-grown woman, probably not that much older than she is right now. it's strange, too, to have these lingering feelings of maternal love for someone she, as herself, has never actually met before, but they're here nonetheless, blossoming at the sight of her.

it will probably take quite a bit of getting used to, but at the moment olivia is just so happy and relieved that she doesn't really care how long it will take.

her daughter is here. how can she feel anything less than blessed? ]

What about you, Lucina?

[ she scoots a little closer, letting their knees bump and their hands intertwine. ]

You haven't told me at all about you.

[tolight]

Me? [ This is... not where she was expecting the conversation to go, at all. It's hard to keep the surprise off her face, eyes wide and blinking ( the mark of the exalt still there ), mentally recovering from the question.

It's been... a long time since someone has asked about her. Perhaps it's because everyone already knew her; Chrom's daughter, the leader of the resistance, a shoulder to lean on — but this is a new territory, where only a few realize the threat Grima had over the rest of the world. She's equal parts awkward yet touched, this kind of a curiosity — curiosity about her — a foreign thing to experience.

She takes a deep breath, then lets it out with a smile. ] I ... don't know what I should say. [ She admits, almost sheepishly, eyes wandering to their knees. Briefly she considers moving away, but that thought is ignored the moment it comes up. Younger or otherwise, Olivia is still her mother. ] What would you like to know?

[winces]

[ it's a hesitation that olivia can only empathize with, even without her new powers. she's always made it a bit of a habit to deflect, after all, and so she very hardly gets the chance to discuss herself. and when she does, she, too, flounders for something significant to say.

though she would never wish her social awkwardness on her children, she cannot help but find the similarity rather heart-warming. ]

Oh, anything, really. Have you continued with the sword? Do you and your brother still stay up at night, sharing stories? I seem to recall a favorite between you two, where you'd take turns voicing the giant oaf character. How are your studies? Do you have many friends? Any special friends?

[tolight]

[ Oh.

It takes significant effort to keep her face neutral yet again, remembering the years she spent as "Marth" and quelled the urge to call out to her father. She's started on this path now, so she can't stop — this will probably backfire on her terribly at some point, but she wasn't expecting "5 minutes later" to be that point. So.

Time to continue the charade. ] ... I have. Father gifted me with the Falchion on my birthday. [ This is sort of true, only it was not really a birthday but his father's death day, and it was quite a few years ago. ] We haven't ... had time to share stories recently, though father did recently chide us for not being able to vanquish a giant bug. [ She smiles softly, remembering how Inigo brought up it was the first time they've acted like siblings after such a long time. ]

Inigo often spends times with Owain — Aunt Lissa's son — and Brady — Maribelle's son, though we spend much of our time with all of the children of the Shepherds. We... grew up together, all of us. [ To put it loosely. ] But ... er, no special friends. [ Is that a blush on Lucina's cheek? It sure is. Mom, please stop asking embarrassing questions like this. ] Though I believe Inigo is rather found of the idea of finding dates. [ Even if it's unsuccessful half the time, oops. ]

[winces]

[ she laughs lightly, clearly delighting in all of these stories. one hand leaves lucina's to curl over her mouth, delicately hiding her little bubbles of laughter behind it. ]

Oh, Inigo... Poor thing — I remember he was stricken so terribly with shyness. [ her cheeks color a bit in sheepishness. ] He must have gotten that from me, sadly... But I'm not surprised to hear he has gotten over it, and indulging in romance. If he's spending time with Maribelle's son, it's really to be expected.

[ olivia don't blame maribelle for your terrible parenting... but she does naturally assume that it's all the troubadour's fault... oops. ]

I'm.. glad for your gift. I know Chrom would have wanted you to have it when you were old enough, that he would have loved to give it to you himself if—

[ her voice cuts off rather suddenly. it's so strange, to feel such a surge of emotions for a memory she hadn't actually experienced yet. ]

I'm so happy you grew up surrounded by love.

[tolight]

Brady— [ And this is the first chuckle from Lucina, quiet yet unrestrained because it's funny, the idea of Brady trying to hit on all these girls. ] Oh, er... [ Only she sobers up almost immediately, realizing that Olivia has no idea why Lucina's laughing the way she is. ] That is... it wasn't Brady.

It was you, if I remember correctly. [ And while the laughter's gone her eyes are still soft, squeezing the hand in her's. ] You always told him — us [ And if that's a bit of a tense mix up she figures it's fine, they are... technically different people after all. It's a strange thing to wrap someone's mind around. ] to smile, and be friendly. He took your words to heart. [ A lot more than Lucina did.

As for everything else — Lucina feels her heart constrict tightly, wave after wave of guilt and loneliness. Her expression falters as she turns away, staring at the ground in front of her. Despite how things turned out, Lucina will always want the life that... the other Lucina ( or is she the other Lucina, now? ) will have.

You deserved more from me than a sword and a world of troubles. ] ... Thank you, mother. [ She looks back at Olivia, face back to the neutral mask. ] I wish you could have seen it. [ And Lucina continues to dig a hole surrounded by lies. ]

1/2

[winces]

M-Me?

[ olivia's cheeks turn a bright, bright red in her shock and embarrassment. but actually... now that she thinks about it... it would be something she'd encourage, wouldn't it? after all, hadn't maribelle's very own tactics worked for her, in a way? ]

Oh gosh, how embarrassing... [ she covers her face with a hand, muffling her laugh there. ] I hope it hasn't gotten him into too much trouble... [ she can only imagine, given the trouble she and maribelle had gotten into... ]

2/2

[winces]

[ —but. olivia isn't so caught up in her own thoughts not to notice the sudden shift in the other's demeanor. in fact, she feels it too — like a pebble falling into a still pond, its disturbance causing ripples that expand all throughout. that familiar feeling of guilt, of loneliness. ]

...Lucina?

[ her hand falls back down over the young woman's — her daughter. ]

Darling, what's wrong?

[tolight]

[ Well... Lucina figures it may not be a bad idea to just, not mention the number of rejections ( of varying degrees of severity ) that Inigo has received. Yet another count to the number of lies in that's been said, but this one, compared to the others, feels that much more necessary.

Mostly because suddenly things are getting too serious and approaching the very topics that Lucina wanted to avoid from the beginning. Her heart rate picks up a little, looking away for a moment as tries to gather her words, struggling when none come.

So she speaks the truth: ] ... Mother, I ... [ A pause, then a small shake of her head, complete with a smile. ] I suppose I simply miss home. [ And it's true — she does. Her home in her timeline, back when she used to pretend to be the leader of the Shepherds because she didn't have to be one. Some part of her desperately craves that normalcy that comes with a life surrounded by love, misses the few years when it had been a norm, not a luxury. Her friends, her family, the companions she shared every laughter and tear with.

But all of that's omitted, because ... well, it's the truth, isn't it? Regardless of the interpretation it receives. ]

[winces]

[ the unfortunate thing about empathy is this: even with all of the emotions on full display, the empath is still only granted a portion of the full picture. and so without any context, without any meaning, olivia is really only left to guess at the reactions... and fill in the blanks on her own.

and so when lucina admits to being homesick, she understands. that guilt and that loneliness — olivia had felt it too, for that very reason, and so it doesn't strike her as something odd, something untrue.

she smiles at the young woman before her, leaning toward to press a delicate kiss above her brow. it had been a reflex, really — a remnant of a memory she had indulged in when she was queen of ylisse, and a mother to two children.

rather shyly, she pulls back, cheeks bright red. it must seem weird... to be mothered now by someone only a few years older than her. olivia will have to be careful to toe that very delicate line. ]

...It will be alright, Lucina. I promise you'll see it again one day.

[tolight]

[ The kiss is surprising.

She can't remember the last time she has received this kind of affection from her mother. Not even in present day Ylisse, after their reunion. Hugs, certainly, casual pats on the back and her mother petting her hair in the occasional quiet moments around camp ( usually, Olivia would insist ), but a kiss is... new. Lucina freezes, unsure how to react, eyes wide and unblinking.

It takes her a surprising amount of effort to bite back the tears, from the action and the words.

Lucina has to look away again, but this time she stares at the horizon; it's peaceful here, despite the fact that the planet is dying. The hands holding Olivia's tighten, seeking comfort as a child would from a mother — no matter what their ages are, that relationship will never change. ]

... Of course. [ That time for her is already long gone, the chances of her being able to see "home" no more. But she nods anyway. ] You will too, mother.

[ It takes her a moment and a lot of bravery, but she turns again to meet eyes with Olivia, the earlier sadness slowly disappearing. She needs to stay strong for Olivia. ] Thank you.