tushanshu_logs | EVENT | LANDFALL

EVENT | LANDFALL | EVIDET

Characters: ALL!
Date: January 28th to February 11th
Location: Evidet
Situation: Tu Vishan has washed up near the coastal city of Khatronma.
Warnings/Rating: Add warnings as needed.

The suddenness of the looming cliffs takes even the kedan by surprise, in spite of a number of them trying to plot their course with as much knowledge of the ocean’s currents as they already had. Tu Vishan makes landfall without any of the grace shown in previous times, bumping into the cliffs before finally coming to rest on the reef and rocks at the low tide around Khatronma.

Most of Khatronma's shores consist of steep iced cliffs, and once it becomes clear there is no threat, the residents of Khatronma oblige by establishing scaffolding across from the walls of their city to the turtle’s back. A customs area is quickly set apart, and the residents of Keeliai welcomed -- with some slight confusion. The Khatronmans are just as surprised by the unexpected docking as the kedan.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A secluded area of outside the dome was a perfect place for two firebenders wanting to take the closest thing they could to a 'long walk on the beach' together. Wan openly held Zuko's hand as they headed away from the dome, both of them dressed warmly, but not overly so. Internal chi furnaces were a pretty great thing to have in the cold.

The walk was quiet for the first part of it, the two of them just enjoying each other's company. The silence was broken only by the crunch of their feet (Wan's green socks already well worn and nearly worn out at this point due to the lack of proper shoes) on the snow. He watched the water almost as much as he watched Zuko and it was because his attention was on the water that he noticed they were approaching a 'dip' in the land.

"Looks like there's an inlet a little further ahead. Might be a cove. If it is, we could camp there for a while, where the wind can't get us.

A long walk on the beach was just the thing he needed to get his mind off of... other matters. He was still worried about Katara and the situation surrounding her. But for now, with his hand holding Wan's, he put it out of his mind. Right now he just wanted to enjoy spending time with his boyfriend, no matter whatever else was going on. He caught Wan's gaze on several occasions, and looked back with a warm smile despite the cold.

As the approached the inlet, his attention was riveted in that direction as Wan pointed it out. "I didn't think there was a place like that out here. It'll be great to get out of the wind. We can start a fire."

Even if their cores were warm enough, it would be nice to warm their hands. Not to mention fires were great for cuddling.

Wan gave Zuko's hand a squeeze and started angling them in the direction of the inlet. He didn't try to hurry their speed or anything like that, but he wanted to get as close as they could so they could get a better look at the terrain. Make sure it was safe enough to climb over and around. For all they knew, the inlet didn't have a beach. It might have just had a sheer face. Or a-

"-a building," Wan finished his own thought aloud as they made it just around the bend that had been blocking the inlet from view. He squinted and put his free hand up to shade his eyes, "I think I see movement, too. There's people in there. And it doesn't look like they're fishermen..."

Grinning at Zuko, Wan tugged on his hand, "Let's check it out!"

Well. That was unexpected.

"Why would anyone put a building out here?"

But Zuko too could see the movement and the light through the windows. The tug at his hand meeting no resistance as he followed Wan. His eyes searching the landscape again as they went, looking for anything that might be of interest to anyone out here. Some reason that a building would be out here in the middle of the cliffs. But there wasn't anything as far as he could tell.

Wan shrugged, he didn't know the answer either. But maybe it had to do with the windbreak the cliffs caused or something?

Fortunately for the two of them, there was already a path made along the walls of the cliff protecting the inlet for whoever was in the building to walk along safely. The closer they got, however, the easier it was hear a thudding, bass-like noise overlaid by a high-pitched whine. After a while it was obvious it was coming from inside the building. Like it was a strange, unpleasant song being played over and over again across those speaker things Wan wasn't really familiar with. Only enough to recognize them for what they were. As they got to the door - which was open and based on the snow buildup probably hadn't been actively closed in weeks - the noise from the speakers were cut off and the sound of the people inside talking in frustrated tones to each other filtered out instead.

Wan paused at the door and looked over at Zuko, raising an eyebrow in silent question of 'think we should check it out and see if we can help?'.

Zuko looked back, looking just an uncertain as he was. However, he quickly grew tired of skulking at the door. They had to do -something- and the worst that could happen is that they'd get kicked out... right? Right. Hopefully.

So with that, the firebender stood tall and boldly walked inside. His eyes scanning around the room and the people in it.

"Uh... hi? I'm Zuko."

The researchers in the room stopped what they were doing and looked over at the two intruders. It was with curiosity and confusion. One of them stepped forward, raising a hand in a wave, "Hello? Is there something you need with us?"

Wan lifted his own hand to wave from behind Zuko, "Hi. We were just curious about what this place was."

"You don't know?" the researcher asked, even more confused before her eyes lit up with understanding, "You don't know! You're not from here! You're from the Great Turtle!"

Well... That wasn't exactly the reaction he was expecting, but Zuko would take it. They weren't being violently tossed out, so that was good. Though their reaction was still a bit baffling.

"Uh... Yeah. We are."

Sure, other people had been happy, even excited to see visitors from Tu Vishan, but they seemed really excited about it.

"So what do you here?"

"Wonderful! Excellent!" the woman clapped her hands excitedly. "Then you might be able to provide a new perspective for us!" The other researchers gathered themselves up behind her, all grinning just as eagerly at the two of them as their lead was while she explained.

"What we 'do' here," she laughed as she made airquotes over the 'do', "is research into something of a brain-wave radar. We've had the technology to locate underwater activity for some time and it has helped our people with finding some of the best fishing locations we can. However, it has also led to some great misunderstandings. Not all the life below the sea is unintelligent, you see. So we have been developing something of a radar that not only locates movement, but also detects the activity of a creature's brain. The more active the brain, the more likely it is to be intelligent.

"We are hoping that in time we'll be able to not only fish without accidentally harming intelligent lifeforms, but also study any that might be capable of communication with us. It is not perfected, but so far the results have been very promising. Until just recently."

One of her colleagues went over to the speakers and turned them on, back to the sound from earlier. A thumping pierced by a high-pitched whine. There was quite a bit of wincing from the group as a whole before it was turned back off. The leader took a deep breath and sighed, "As you can hear, our equipment has been subjected to something... well... scrambling it. Surely with as much as you must have traveled the world on the Great Turtle's back, you might have an idea of what could be causing this? All our equipment points beneath the waves so do not believe it's picking up on the brainwaves of the people of the city. But this is all very new to us, it might be. Have you any experience with anything of this sort?"

Wan, for his part, felt like his eyes were glazing over through most of that. He recognized many of the words used, but the context was mostly stuff he wasn't familiar with. Though... he might know someone who would have better luck understanding it all, now that he thought about it.

Zuko was just as confused as Wan was. A lot of this went over his head, and he scratches his own as the scientists tried to explain.

"Uh... Brains make waves? You can do that?"

... Yeah.

He too winced at the sound, but in reality, he wouldn't be able to tell when it was scrambled and when it wasn't. It was all just noise to him.

"Sorry, but I don't know anything about that. I haven't been on the turtle very long."

Zuko then looked helplessly over at Wan. He'd been on the turtle longer than him, but judging from the glazed look on his boyfriend's face, he might not be much help either.

Wan started to shake his head and the researcher's disappointment became obvious. They bristled a little and most of them turned their backs to ignore the two visitors. Wan felt bad almost instantly and blurted out, "I know someone who does, though!"

The lead researcher looked at him, eyeing him with obvious skepticism.

"I'll bring her tomorrow," he offered, with no idea if he could convince Aya to come at all. "She knows a lot about science and all this brain stuff. Really!"

The woman continued to eye him before shrugging and waving a dismissive hand, "Whoever it is can come, so long as she doesn't interfere with our research."

Wan's hand reached out to take Zuko's and he started backing out the door, "Great! We'll see you tomorrow!"

Zuko was visibly irritated with the sudden shunning of the researchers just because of their lack of knowledge. Especially when they just decided to ignore them and/or brush them off.

As Wan took his hand, he held it, but didn't move when Wan did. His feet remaining planted on the floor.

"What about the Great Turtle?"

The lead researcher let out an exasperated sigh and looked at Zuko askance, "What about the Great Turtle?"

With Zuko stalling, Wan stopped as well, not sure where he was going with this, but he wasn't going to insist they leave if Zuko wanted to stay.

"You said this started recently. Could the Great Turtle be causing the interference? Or... could your machines have harmed the Great Turtle? He has been acting weird lately."

Zuko glanced over to Wan for confirmation.

Wan shifted on his feet and stepped back inside, closer to Zuko as he gave that some thought and began to nod slowly.

The lead researcher, on the other hand, just looked absolutely horrified, "What? The Great Turtle's mind is far too... too vast and... we couldn't possibly be picking up his brain waves! Or even doing damage to him. Surely not!"

Zuko held his ground, his frown deepening.

"How do you know? Have you ever studied the Great Turtle or been in his head?"

Because he knows someone who has. Who's standing right there next to him.

'Oh course not! The Great Turtle is... he's beyond our understanding. There have been those that have tried to communicate with him but his mind has been... well... unreachable for us. He's just... he couldn't possibly be..."

Wan cringed a little, and offered, "Well, it's true that touching Tu Vishan's mind is... difficult... but... it could still be possible. Aya, the one who knows about this sort of stuff, she could probably tell if this is causing issues for Tu Vishan."

Zuko continued to stand like a scowling statue, but let Wan take over. He had made his point, and he was satisfied enough with the result. He would not let himself, or Wan especially, be dismissed so easily. Especially when there was a possible connection and Wan might actually be able to help, or apparently someone else who could.

He then nodded at Wan's suggestion. "Then we should find her."

"She should be at the hotel," Wan murmured to Zuko as he started to leave once more, the lead researcher giving them both a look that was a mix of worry appalled.

Wan waited until they were both further away from the building, half-way down the path before he spoke again, his voice hitching a little with hope, "Do you really think it might be Tu Vishan that's causing them problems?"

This time, Zuko left with Wan, leaving the scientist in her worry. At least, she would have something to think about now.

"I don't know," Zuko admitted once they were out of earshot. "But it seems a little coincidental, don't you think?"

"I don't know," Wan echoed back. "They said it was recent, but they didn't say it was when Tu Vishan came to... well, it's not really docking, but you know... It's worth getting Aya to talk to them, though. I want to believe Tu Vishan is still alive and still capable of being healed. Thinking of him as a floating corpse we're all living on... I just can't accept that."

She heard them before her visual receptors honed in on their approach. Specifically, she heard their voices mention her name.

Aya had been in the lobby of the hotel, as it turned out, doing some minor fine-tuning on a latest minor software update. She did not require a room there since she didn't sleep, but it was a convenient location to make the acquaintances of several foreigners. Those who had yet to locate alternate housing options. Though, to her knowledge, Wan and Zuko had...leading her to the logical assumption that they were, perhaps, there to see her.

"Who is it I am meant to converse with?" Getting up from her seated position, she turned to the two boys with a welcoming smile. "My apologies. I could not help but overhear a portion of your conversation. Are you looking for me?"

The trip back to Tu Vishan had been one of nervous worry for Wan and he was glad Aya was at the Hotel when they got there. He'd been concerned she wouldn't be easy to find.

"There's some people on the coast of the continent that could use some help," Wan started to explain, "They're studying brain waves."

Her construct eyebrows rose in both surprise and interest.

"May I ask why?"

"They said it was a way to uh... figure out if the fish and sea creatures they're fishing are intelligent enough to communicate with," Wan answered slowly to make sure he had the details right. "They're having problems with their equipment, though. Zuko and I found it while we were having a walk on the beach away from the city."

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