(2023-03-11) Spaghetti in a Whirlwind

Details

Author:	Luridel
Summary:	Gwenivene Whittle, telemancer extraordinaire, drops by Valiance Keep to talk to Jocoza and Cressidha about portals and mail. The Kirin Tor is not responsible for any damage, mutation, aging, petrification, or additional cargo that may occur due to use of their mailing system. ~1900 words.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: Season 9

Jocoza waves. "Hi Cressidha! How've you been holding up?"

[Cressidha]: Well, thank you.

[Cressidha]: How are you?

Cressidha does seem fine. Maybe even well-rested.

[Jocoza]: I'm alright. It was really good to hear that the whole Nexus situation is, well, if not fixed… helped?

[Cressidha]: Stalled, I suppose.

[Jocoza]: Stalled, that's a good word, yes. Though I think you and I still need to take precautions.

Cressidha frowns at the mailbox thoughtfully.

[Jocoza]: Expecting mail?

[Cressidha]: No.

For a moment, the sky darkens with shadow, then the whoosh of wings as a dragon swoops down and lands with a heavy thud nearby! Oh look, a sudden Gwen is upon said dragon.

[Cressidha]: But I— oh!

Jocoza jumps first, and then jumps again when she sees Gwen atop the dragon. "GWEN!!!"

[Gwenivene]: Oh, thank grapenuts! There you are!

[Cressidha]: Miss Whittle!

[Jocoza]: Gwen, I haven't seen you in months! How are… Kirin Tor things?

Cressidha smiles and tries to stand up a little straighter. It doesn't work. She is already standing at maximum straightness.

Gwenivene pats the dragon and gives her neck a hugs. "Thank you, Amethysztra. See you soon?" She slides offand the netherwing takes flight again, leaving the mages alone.

Gwenivene looks…harried. Bags under her eyes, maybe a bit skinnier than last anyone saw her.

[Gwenivene]: Kirin Tor things are…uh…busy?

Jocoza looks over Gwen carefully and frowns. "Do you need a hot chocolate?" she turns to Cressidha. "We could get hot chocolate."

[Cressidha]: I got your letter. It was incredibly effective.

[Cressidha]: Ah, yes, would you like to go inside?

[Gwenivene]: Hot chocolate sounds amaaaazing.

[Gwenivene]: And I'm so glad the letter helped!

[Gwenivene]: We've seen the results in Dalaran! Well done!

Cressidha looks visibly relieved. "Good. I'm glad to hear that."

Cressidha holds the door for Jo and Gwen.

Gwenivene smiles at Cressidha.

Jocoza stops by the bar to order hot chocolate. The very patient bartender nods.

[Jocoza]: I guess you've been working on portals then, Gwen? Do you know what the hold up is?

Cressidha follows Jo upstairs.

[Gwenivene]: Well…sort of….and yes…and that's kinda what I'm here about.

[Gwenivene]: Um…mind if I sit? I'm kinda tired…

Cressidha levitates over an extra chair.

[Cressidha]: Please, go right ahead.

Gwenivene flops into a chair with a sigh.

Cressidha also takes a seat. Chairs for everyone, and Jo doesn't need to crane her neck quite as much. Success.

[Jocoza]: You figured out how to portal from another world. Surely this is not so complicated.

Gwenivene removes her hat. Out from under its shadow, it becomes even more clear just how exhausted she looks.

[Cressidha]: Well, actually… I wouldn't be surprised if it were just as much if not more so.

[Gwenivene]: Cressidha's right. The Outland problem was mostly a matter of avoiding detection and making something stable enough for such long-range travel. But this….

[Jocoza]: Malygos really did a number on it, then. *Jo sighs*

[Gwenivene]: …this is something else entirely. It's mayhem. It's like…imagine the ley lines are metaphysically thrashing around like spaghetti in a whirlwind.

[Gwenivene]: That's not literally what's happening, but it's a decent metaphor.

Jocoza winces. "That does sound difficult to pin down. Metaphysically."

[Gwenivene]: Exactly. They're so chaotic that trying to navigate them safely is nearly impossible.

[Gwenivene]: At least, it was.

Cressidha sighs. "Spaghetti in a whirlwind," she agrees.

Gwenivene smiles over at Cressidha.

Cressidha smiles back.

[Gwenivene]: Whatever you did in the Nexus, it helped. A little. I mean…a lot…but…less than we'd hoped.

[Cressidha]: The interdimensional refabricator was meant to be a temporary measure, I believe…

[Gwenivene]: It's working for now, but on a limited scale. Portals, though…um…

[Gwenivene]: Okay, so…we can open portals, and teeechnically we can go through them, buuuuuut…

[Jocoza]: I did notice you came down by dragon…

[Gwenivene]: Yeah…

[Gwenivene]: See, it's the whole coming-out-the-other-side part that's problematic.

[Cressidha]: Oh, dear.

[Gwenivene]: We're finding that passing through the spaghetti-in-a-whirlwind is…uh…causing some issues.

Jocoza blinks. "Have you lost people?"

Gwenivene winces, her eyes tearing up for a moment. "Several…"

[Cressidha]: Oh…

Cressidha sets a hand on the table, looking sympathetically at Gwen.

[Gwenivene]: Our first test subject…um…came through seemingly aged by about…a hundred and fifty years.

[Cressidha]: Oh.

[Gwenivene]: The second one only aged fifty. But…he remembered it. Lost…in that endlessness…for fifty years. He was completely insane.

Cressidha winces.

[Jocoza]: Oh gosh. I'm sorry, Gwen. *Jo looks like she might want to hug her*

[Gwenivene]: The third…well…we managed to get him through with no temporal fluctuation.

Gwenivene grimaces.

[Gwenivene]: But…he still died…

[Gwenivene]: Took the team a while to figure it out. Um…all his organs were…backward.

[Cressidha]: Oh, Light.

Gwenivene murmurs, "We stopped after that."

[Jocoza]: What needs to be done to help, then? Something else in the Nexus?

[Gwenivene]: Maybe. Yeah. I mean, that's where the trouble is. Malygos has to be stopped or this will only get worse.

[Gwenivene]: But…um…there is at least a little bit of good news?

Cressidha mutters something about untangling spaghetti under her breath.

[Gwenivene]: As you know, the Kirin Tor manages the postal system, and that system functions on telemantic principals. So…since portals are technically possible now, the Citadel has decided to reopen the post.

[Cressidha]: Ah. Well. That's certainly something.

[Gwenivene]: Just with the understanding that the Kirin Tor is not responsible for any damage, mutation, aging, petrification, or additional cargo that may occur due to use.

Jocoza straightens and looks at Gwen. The barmaid comes upstairs at that moment and brings them three hot chocolates.

[Jocoza]: That's excellent news though. We have no idea how Elo and the others are doing right now.

[Gwenivene]: Oh, and do not under ANY circumstances send anything living through the post.

Cressidha says, "Thank you," and takes her hot chocolate.

[Cressidha]: Understood.

[Jocoza]: Oh, for sure, I never have. *Jo takes hers and smiles thanks at the barmaid*

Gwenivene smiles gratefully to the barmaid as she accepts the hot chocolate. "Thanks sooo much."

Gwenivene sips the cocoa immediately, burning her tongue a little…but keeps sipping anyway.

[Jocoza]: Have you had any news from the south, Gwen? Or from the Howling Fjord?

[Gwenivene]: Oh! Well, a little. I happen to know that White Squad took down a san'layn, just like Blue Squad did!

[Gwenivene]: And as a result, the Kirin Tor had me contact Elohad to ask Cobalt Company to deal with a san'layn problem down south.

[Jocoza]: What? Really? How are they everywhere?

[Badkujo]: Sorry. Didn’t realize there was a meeting here. I’m just looking for an engineering trainer. Don’t mind me.

[Gwenivene]: It's okay!

[Gwenivene]: We're not really sure. But they're sneaky, as White Squad learned!

[Cressidha]: Do you know the name of the one White Squad fought?

Gwenivene taps her chin. "That one waaas…Prince Valanar, if memory serves."

[Gwenivene]: Oh wait, White Squad?

[Gwenivene]: Sorry…sorry….getting squads mixed up in my brain.

[Gwenivene]: It's been…rough lately.

Jocoza smiles. "Yes, Valanar we handled here. He was impersonating someone in the Keep."

[Gwenivene]: White Squad faced a Prince Keleseth.

[Cressidha]: Ah. I see.

[Jocoza]: I hope they all made it through okay?

[Gwenivene]: I'm not sure who it was down south, or even if it was dealt with. I was just the messenger.

[Gwenivene]: But now that the post is open, maybe you can find out?

[Gwenivene]: If…your letter doesn't mutate and grow wings and fly away or something…

[Cressidha]: Ah.

[Jocoza]: We can always send duplicates. Triplicates.

Gwenivene sighs. "We're doing our best to stabilize it. But we have our hands full just trying to-…um…actually, not sure if I'm allowed to talk about it."

[Cressidha]: That's all right.

[Cressidha]: Thank you, miss Whittle. I'm certain you're all working tirelessly.

Cressidha sips her hot chocolate.

Gwenivene yawns and nods. "Are tirelessly and sleeplessly the same thing?"

[Jocoza]: Close enough. *Jo looks at her sympathetically* I do hope you get time for some rest soon.

[Cressidha]: Indeed.

Gwenivene smiles a bit weakly.

[Gwenivene]: Well…I better get back to Dalaran.

Cressidha looks rather sympathetic.

[Cressidha]: Of course. Thank you for coming to visit. And for your letter, truly, it made a world of difference.

[Gwenivene]: It was reeeeally great seeing you both.

Gwenivene opens her arms, brow lifting expectantly.

[Jocoza]: It's so good to see you. To see you're doing okay.

Cressidha blinks and looks at Jo. This is probably a Jo hug invitation, right? Not her? Right?

Jocoza goes in for the hug.

Cressidha sets her hot chocolate down on the table and smiles at the two of them.

Gwenivene kneels down to embrace her teacher. "I miss you so much."

Cressidha does not say 'awww'. She doesn't. She definitely does not say 'aww'.

[Jocoza]: I miss you too. I hope we get to see more of this place soon. *Jo gives her a big hug.*

Gwenivene stands and turns to Cress, arms opening again.

Cressidha blinks. Oh, goodness. She stands to give Gwen a hug too.

Jocoza steps back and looks over at Cressidha.

Gwenivene embraces Cressidha, squeezing tight.

Cressidha says with a serious expression, "I wish you good luck untangling the spaghetti, miss Whittle."

[Gwenivene]: I'm so happy I was able to help you. You're an inspiration. I'm so lucky to be your friend.

Jocoza looks on admiringly at her two mage colleagues.

Cressidha 's expression, mid hug, is probably visible to Jo but not Gwen for a moment - she looks absolutely shocked.

Cressidha pulls back with a big smile.

[Cressidha]: Thank you. Truly.

Gwenivene steps back, beaming at them both, for a moment looking energized again.

Jocoza just beams at the two of them.

[Gwenivene]: I hope to see you soon!

Cressidha might be blushing a little. Hard to tell.

[Cressidha]: Yes, of course.

[Jocoza]: And you will let us know if there's anything we can do about fixing the portals. *Jo nods*

Cressidha sits down with her hot chocolate.

[Gwenivene]: Abso-tazma-lutely.

[Gwenivene]: Take care of yourselves!

Gwenivene heads out to wait for Amethysztra.

Jocoza waves after her, a happy smile still lingering on her face.

[Cressidha]: Light be with you.

[Cressidha]: Goodness.

[Jocoza]: That's happy news. I can write to Elo and Tadget.

[Jocoza]: Oh, and Ben! See how things are going for White Squad.

[Cressidha]: Oh, yes.

[Jocoza]: I'm so glad all that you risked made a difference. *Jo smiles up at Cressidha and takes a sip of hot chocolate*

Cressidha looks down, smiling into her hot chocolate. "I hadn't realized she considered me a friend."

[Jocoza]: Gwen? But the two of you were working together on getting that Nexus open, weren't you?

[Cressidha]: Well, ah, technically. I mentioned to someone that it would be useful to have her eyes on the problem.

[Cressidha]: I didn't… realize it would be possible for me to get in touch with her myself, given the situation with the mail.

[Cressidha]: But I suppose the Kirin Tor sent Dalaran the data we had from Coldarra, and she wrote to me.

[Jocoza]: I'm glad she did. She's an excellent telemancer. And you're brilliant as well.

Cressidha smiles. "Indeed. I suppose you've already sent the newsletter out for this week, but I can let the rest of the squad know tomorrow."

[Jocoza]: Thanks! I'll mention it in next week's for sure. I bet everyone will have somebody they've been wishing they can contact.

Cressidha nods. "Absolutely."