caveofsapphires | smaller patch of fading sky [ open ]

WHO: EVERYONE. All PCs thus far will be in this log, through active tagging or implication.
WHAT: THRILLS. SPILLS. Hiking trip toward the Diamond City.
WHERE: The Overworld.
WHEN: Forward-dated to May 1st (Tuesday) through May 7th (Monday).
WARNINGS: May contain violence or other mentions of physical harm. This is not summer camp.
NOTES: More information can be found on the OOC post here. Please read it!

Gathered in the morning haze, Sleepers were brought to the mouth of the Cave with plenty of supplies and equipment. Compasses that would point them toward the City. Backpacks full of clothes and food, medical kits, tents and even weapons. Stun rifles and knives — to fight off any unwanted company, they said. ("Watch out for their bite," Ryan had commented. "Those fuckers are downright feral.") The straight and narrow path would get them there in six days if they kept a good clip. They were sent off just like that. Refusals to leave were met with a wall of guard force officers blocking the entrance back into the cave city. No way to go but forward, unless someone was particularly stalwart about remaining.

From the exterminator's station near the mouth, leaving the Cave was as simple as a short hike upward into the fresh air of the Overworld. Dust and an uncomfortable sort of heat pervaded the atmosphere, light winds stirring up the sand and teasing the meager bits of vegetation that had grown. No matter what direction you looked... it was all wasteland, cracked ground and desolate emptiness. Jutting up from scarred ground were boulders and small spires made entirely of glass and patches of stone; instead of reflecting the harsh sunlight, they seemed to absorb it and only add to the muted loneliness of the atmosphere. As far as the eye could see, there was no life to be found.

With no other option, the Sleepers eventually made their way onward.

At the touch on her arm, Mal started, barely avoiding glaring over her shoulder at the girl behind her. As it was, she pulled away, but under the pretense of leaning forward to listen.

It was only then that she heard it, just barely, and cursed herself for not paying close enough attention before. The whisper of water. In a desert.

"I hear it," she said, and glanced at Elena. "Water is fine, of course, but given our luck thus far it'll probably be a torrent."

"You probably don't want to risk it," Elena agreed, letting her arm drop back to her side, a little surprised at the girl's reaction. She'd just been trying to warn her...

Shaking that off, Elena took a few steps and kneeled so she could look down into the dark crevasse. No end in sight. That was definitely not reassuring. She calculated vaguely, if she had her superspeed at full-strength, whether she could make it.

"Even without the water, I don't know if anyone could make it down and up." Elena sighed, shifting back onto her haunches. "This is just great."

Sighing, Mal frowned into the abyss as if it had personally offended her. "Well, what are our other options?" she said. "I don't see any way around. Unless you know something I don't, we can't just leap across, and I don't plan to stay here, so . . . "

She let the sentence trail off into nothing. This was simply absurd. She refused to accept it.

smaller patch of fading sky [ open ]

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