the_isle | You're From The Isle If Anybody Asks

First Awareness

Those used to this by now probably knew what it meant when they felt their magic return for a moment. For the rest, suddenly their powers were back. Just for a few minutes, but a lot could be done in a few minutes. If the person even noticed their powers were back, that is.

Of course those on the shore might have seen the hazy indistinct shape through the barrier coming closer, might have seen the moment the hole in the barrier opened. Might have seen King Ben leading people down a gangplank through the barrier with crates of supplies....

Unions, Re And Otherwise

Once the supplies were unloaded, the barrier was sealed up again. King Ben seemed to be in charge during the unloading, Once the barrier was closed again, by the green magic streaming from the Queen's finger, it was Mal who seemed to be in charge.

"Alright, listen up. We have 2 hours and the clock is ticking. I'm not FG but we're keeping to a deadline anyway. If you want to come to Auradon or know someone you want us to bring back, you have 2 hours to convince us. You and everyone else, sharing the same 2 hours. Along with anyone who has a supply request for our next visit, or updates. Those of you bringing supplies to the school, time to get cracking. Two hours passes faster than midnight at the ball."

Those Who Left

(Please TL Here for boat and Auradon Shenanigans. TY)

Those What Remain

Once those going back to Auradon had left and the barrier was back in place, it was for those who remained on the Isle to sort the supplies and figure out how to get done everything that needed to be done with the people that remained.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"There's really only one building to speak of that we can access," he said. "But I'll take you there. I'm afraid there's little comfort to be had, though it's still preferable to being unsheltered. As for all this," 'this', being Ian's equipment, which he gestured to indicate, "I'd be more a hinderance than a help when it came to putting it together, but if all you need is an extra pair of hands and strong back, I can help get it to whatever room you claim as your own."

"A guide and help carrying would be wonderful. They warned me I'd be roughing it but somehow I expected there to at least be solid ground to roll the pallet on...."

"Once we get beyond the beach, the going should be a bit easier," he said. "The ground is still somewhat muddy, but firm enough not to pose the sort of problems sand does for such wheels."

He bent to pick up the heaviest-looking of the cases. "What do you intend to do with all this, if I might ask? You said you were a doctor, but these don't look like any healer's instruments I've ever seen."

"Ah... not that kind of doctor. I mean, I know some basic first aid of course. But I'm more a lab geek computer programmer tech guy. With admittedly amazing taste in both music and clothes. Not that I've had much chance to dabble in either since I arrived unless I brought it with me."

"I see," he said. "My apologies. In Eorzea, the term 'doctor' is used only for skilled healers. Those in positions such as your own are more often known as archons if not being referred to by their more specific titles. They're generally easy to identify, as they sport specific tattoos as a mark of their station."

The heavy case lifted, he indicated direction with a tilt of his head. "This way. There's only one way through the brambles, so you're unlikely to get lost, but take care not to walk too closely to the sides of the path, lest you catch your clothing or worse on them."

"Tattoos? Well, I do have a few of those myself, generally I'm the only one who knows what they mean. Aside from a few close friends, anyway." Ian started walking with the rest of their stuff.

Foulques made a sound of acknowledgement. "Mmm... I don't know if an archon's tattoos have any sort of symbolic meaning beyond marking their status," he said. "The more visible ones are a sort of odd glyph and are typically on their face or neck. They also sport a larger one resembling an eye elsewhere on their bodies, but that may or may not be visible, depending on their manner of dress. It always seemed to me an odd choice for marking great scholars, but it's persisted for centuries, so they must find some value in it."

"We've strayed a bit from the subject however," he said as he led the way down the path from the beach. "What is it you plan to do with all this equipment? It must be something of great importance for you to willingly stay here to accomplish it."

"There had apparently been a rudimentary network of sorts on the Isle before the crisis that brought us all here and sent those who had been maintaining it away. I am hoping to find it and not just reactivate it, but build upon it to connect to the network in Auradon. Which given the barrier is going to take some fine tuning. They didn't exactly teach magical harmonic radio frequencies in my Masters' program. But ideally by the time of the next Isle visit I will be able to activate the connection so that communication between those in Auradon and those on the Isle can communicate freely. Of course I was warned that electricity in general can be tricky here, and that the network may need to be rebuilt from the ground up if it was not originally crafted in such a way that we can access what I need from any of the currently open locations. That is why I needed to bring so much, there in't exactly a radio shack out here. Aaaaand.... we're going to pretend I didn't just admit how old I am with that. Moving on, I am hoping among other things to be able to build at least a small power generator to keep the school and the network both operating. If nothing else, the games I brought for my down time will require it."

He listened to the explanation, giving a brief amused huff at the comment about Ian's age. "If you admitted anything, it was lost on me," he said. "I believe I understand roughly what you intend, and should you accomplish it it would certainly be a boon to those here. We've spent months with no news from the mainland and no means to get a message to anyone there about event here, and as none of us knows how long the current situation will last, I'd rather not have that happen again."

"That said, I'd be worse than useless if I were to try to assist you. I do recommend talking to River Song, however; she's familiar with such things and may be of some help."

Ian nodded. "You'd be surprised how much help someone can be just by being there, even if they do not understand what is being done. Being someone to talk to or just another pair of hands. Don't sell yourself short. That said, if you can introduce me to River Song I can see if she is willing to help."

That was... more insightful than Ian had likely intended. It brought to mind Chell, and Chara, and Sun, and how they had all inserted themselves into his life in various ways. Ways that he still feared to put a name to, lest that make it something real. Something that could be taken away.

"Perhaps," he said. "Though much of my time and effort will likely be spent elsewhere, as it generally is now. We aren't in nearly so dire a position as we once were, but it still takes a great deal of work to keep people fed here."

There was a moment of debate before he continued. "There is someone who might be more free to keep you company, however, besides Ms. Song. Someone who might benefit from your expertise, if you're willing."

"I will admit the situation here made me worried about volunteering to come when I can't just go back to the dorm at night. Kind of the difference between helping at a soup kitchen and sleeping there. I'm not really the self sacrificing type. That would be Ben and Addison. But if I can help, I have to try." A deep breath. A sigh and head shake.

"Anyway, someone free to help me?"

"Now it's you who is selling themselves short," he said. "What you are doing is already more than most would willingly do to aid a group of ragged strangers, and that is not to be discounted. And even if you feel that your motives are perhaps less altruistic than those of your friends might be, it doesn't mean that one whit less good will be accomplished. What deeds are actually done, I've found, matters far more than the motivations behind them."

"But yes, he may be able to help you, and you, in turn, may be able to help him. He is... well I would call him a 'mammet', but I believe he would call himself an... 'animatronic'?" The last word was said a bit uncertainly; it was clearly not a word Foulques was especially familiar with. "Or perhaps a 'robot'? He's a creature of metal and gadgetry, though he thinks and feels no less than you or I. Parts of his 'programming', his mind, were damaged before his arrival here, and we haven't the means to restore them. You, however, with your knowledge and equipment, might. Should you be willing to make the attempt, of course."

"There was actually a whole philosophical debate back where I came from," Ian started but when Foulques stated talking about Sun again, they found themself listening more and more intently. By the end, Ian had stopped walking.

"Just to be one hundred percent certain that I am not jumping to a conclusion because of my own implicit biases, we are discussing a fully sentient and self aware AI in a mechanical body that has a gender identity wishes help with his programing?"

Foulques frowned thoughtfully. "While I don't know what an 'A-I' is, his body is certainly mechanical," he said. "And while I've never asked him directly how he considers himself, he certainly looks and sounds male, and hasn't expressed any objections when referred to as such. And he's both sentient and intelligent; he thoroughly trounced me in a game of chess, can speak and reason, and I've personally seen him laugh, cry, and spontaneously hug me. He is as capable of thought and emotion as you or I."

"And he does indeed wish help, assuming it's possible. We know somewhat the results of what was done, but precisely how it was done and if it can be undone remain to be seen. Frankly I'm sometimes amazed he's not in even worse condition, given how abominably his former masters treated him."

"Wow... just... wow. I would be happy to meet him and help him if I can, if that is what he truly wants," Ian said with a nod.

Foulques nods. "I'll be certain to introduce you then," he said. "He recharges in the same room that Chara and I sleep in, so arranging for the two of you to meet should be no issue, provided you don't meet by chance. And seeing you helping him may well be beneficial to Chara as well. They are... deeply mistrustful of anyone they perceive as a human, as I'm certain you saw."

"Wait... the kid in the striped shirt? Is... named Chara. And... distrusts humans..." Ian suddenly looked a little pale and leaned against a wall, trying to get their bearings.

Edited Date: 2025-04-19 10:30 am (UTC)

Foulques frowned at Ian's reaction, setting down his own load as he turned to face them. "Yes," he said. "Do you have some issue with them, beyond them beyond them simply being an unruly child?" His tone suggested that if Ian had a problem with Chara based on such minimal information, they might well have a 'problem' with him too. The mere prospect of dealing with an unruly child couldn't be daunting enough to warrant such a reaction, so it had to be something else.

"I... got some of this... with Lea telling me all the people he knew and then there was Leia..." A deep breath. "A lot of you bear more than a strong resemblance to characters in what I had thought was fictional media back home. And there is a game back home, a computer game, called Undetale. About a child in a striped shirt who fell down into a world below ground full of monsters... and that child wasn't the first child to fall down that mountain. The first child... was a child called Chara, who... had every reason in the world to hate humans," said softly. "And if this Chara is that Chara... things could be on the verge of going very very badly here, depending on canon point.... ah... depending on when in their story they are from.
presuming their story matches what I have experienced."

His frown deepened, though it was more thoughtful than angry. "I can assure you that all of us are quite real," he said. "But that does match what I know of Chara's world and their story. The last thing they recalled before their arrival here was eating some poisonous flowers and their adopted brother Asreal being attacked by a group of humans who happened upon them."

"But whatever may have happened in this game of yours, rest assured that I will not allow Chara to come to harm, nor will I allow them to harm anyone else out of fear or anger." He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, then added a bit more quietly, "They will not fall prey to the same sort of madness that I did. And the dark visions we saw will not come to pass. I swear on what little remains of my honor, I will not allow it."

"That.... is a really rough moment for them to have arrived from... but actually not the worst possible moment. Still there are some things you may need to know if you are their caretaker here..." Ian considered, trying to figure what to say. "I'd offer to talk to them but... human."

"The fact that it isn't the worst already says a great deal," he said with a bit of a sigh. "But tell me, what do you think I should know?"

"Keeping them away from knives is the most urgent. Let's get my stuff settled somewhere then we'll talk. I have a feeling one or both of us is going to want to be sitting down for this."

He nodded, picking up the load he'd been carrying before so they could continue. "They did try to take one while helping Chell and I with preparing dinner once," he said as they started off again, "but I made my displeasure with their actions and subsequent attempts to lie about it quite clear. Until I am satisfied that they are sufficiently responsible, they will not be permitted to wield any weapon."

"As for getting you settled, there's a room not far from ours that should be as suitable as any. Not that I'd call any room in this building suitable for much, but needs must."