The Shimmer Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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theshimmer2020-07-18 12:17 am
shimmermods) wrote in theshimmer2020-07-18 12:17 am
Welcome.
WELCOME
The Shimmer is beautiful.
There are a lot of things that may or may not have been expected upon your arrival here – the walls of concrete and steel, the others that were brought here with you, the others that weren't brought here with you but have been a constant source of information and instruction and blatant, brazen surveillance – but the fact remains that this world does not seem, inherently, to be an unkind one. Foreign in some ways, perhaps familiar in others; either way, it's a world teeming with life, and with people, and perhaps most jarringly it's a world with beauty, and nothing you've seen otherwise is quite as repulsively and grotesquely beautiful as the Shimmer.
It defies desription, really; the boundaries of it are barely visible during the day, just a thin iridescent sheen encompassing the trees and thick-growing vegetation of the mountains, sweeping ever-closer and closer still to the boundaries of the compound you've been living in but are greatly unlikely to have come to call home. It cascades heavily down the face of the mountain, nestling into the tops of trees before it swallows them whole, arcing up into the sky so far that it hurts your eyes to try to find the crest. It seems almost ravenous in its grace; whatever it touches, it seems to consume.
At night, it's a different matter; it glows and dances in defiance of the bright lights of the compound, glistening bright like the Northern lights - a bit too low to the ground, a bit too far south, a bit too warm this time of year, but the effect is breathtaking. All the colors of the borealis seem to blink lazily at you as they twist in and out of view, sparkling scattershot among the remnants of a town about two miles off that has long since gone dark with abandonment and disuse.
Your mission begins tomorrow.
Your mission begins tomorrow and maybe you're ready for it, maybe you aren't; maybe you're trying not to think about it too much. But the fact of the matter is that there's a rooftop observation deck, open-air and about five stories off the ground, and it's granting you an optimal view of the surroundings and the Shimmer and that darkened town not too far off, and there are no other buildings around for miles. The air is balmy and humid, a little too warm to be pleasant but lacking the roiling heat of the day, a light breeze rendering the entire thing an acceptable respite from the training grounds within the building itself. The only sound this high up and this close to the Shimmer are those made by the people who are here with you – some you know, some you don't. Some are more recent arrivals than others; some have been here for just as long as you. You've all had information taken down about you, the results of which have been provided to you on a small device you found in your room, so perhaps it feels as though you know these people already.
Either way, the night is young, the sun having dipped below the horizon less than half an hour ago, leaving you with perimeter lights that are too bright and the ever-present, watchful glow of the Shimmer; there are tables set up around the balcony for you to use, to eat or socialize or just...sit. You haven't been deprived by any means, but the food that's been provided out here for you tonight is noticeably better than usual; perhaps they know it's the last time you'll eat well for a while. Perhaps it's an apology. Perhaps it's nothing to look into too deeply.
Feel free to stay out here for as long as you like; enjoy each other's company. Or don't let yourself enjoy it too much; it's up to you.
However you choose to do it, perhaps it's best to make sure you have no regrets.
There are a lot of things that may or may not have been expected upon your arrival here – the walls of concrete and steel, the others that were brought here with you, the others that weren't brought here with you but have been a constant source of information and instruction and blatant, brazen surveillance – but the fact remains that this world does not seem, inherently, to be an unkind one. Foreign in some ways, perhaps familiar in others; either way, it's a world teeming with life, and with people, and perhaps most jarringly it's a world with beauty, and nothing you've seen otherwise is quite as repulsively and grotesquely beautiful as the Shimmer.
It defies desription, really; the boundaries of it are barely visible during the day, just a thin iridescent sheen encompassing the trees and thick-growing vegetation of the mountains, sweeping ever-closer and closer still to the boundaries of the compound you've been living in but are greatly unlikely to have come to call home. It cascades heavily down the face of the mountain, nestling into the tops of trees before it swallows them whole, arcing up into the sky so far that it hurts your eyes to try to find the crest. It seems almost ravenous in its grace; whatever it touches, it seems to consume.
At night, it's a different matter; it glows and dances in defiance of the bright lights of the compound, glistening bright like the Northern lights - a bit too low to the ground, a bit too far south, a bit too warm this time of year, but the effect is breathtaking. All the colors of the borealis seem to blink lazily at you as they twist in and out of view, sparkling scattershot among the remnants of a town about two miles off that has long since gone dark with abandonment and disuse.
Your mission begins tomorrow.
Your mission begins tomorrow and maybe you're ready for it, maybe you aren't; maybe you're trying not to think about it too much. But the fact of the matter is that there's a rooftop observation deck, open-air and about five stories off the ground, and it's granting you an optimal view of the surroundings and the Shimmer and that darkened town not too far off, and there are no other buildings around for miles. The air is balmy and humid, a little too warm to be pleasant but lacking the roiling heat of the day, a light breeze rendering the entire thing an acceptable respite from the training grounds within the building itself. The only sound this high up and this close to the Shimmer are those made by the people who are here with you – some you know, some you don't. Some are more recent arrivals than others; some have been here for just as long as you. You've all had information taken down about you, the results of which have been provided to you on a small device you found in your room, so perhaps it feels as though you know these people already.
Either way, the night is young, the sun having dipped below the horizon less than half an hour ago, leaving you with perimeter lights that are too bright and the ever-present, watchful glow of the Shimmer; there are tables set up around the balcony for you to use, to eat or socialize or just...sit. You haven't been deprived by any means, but the food that's been provided out here for you tonight is noticeably better than usual; perhaps they know it's the last time you'll eat well for a while. Perhaps it's an apology. Perhaps it's nothing to look into too deeply.
Feel free to stay out here for as long as you like; enjoy each other's company. Or don't let yourself enjoy it too much; it's up to you.
However you choose to do it, perhaps it's best to make sure you have no regrets.
no subject
I'll admit, I did not expect you to reach that line of hypothesizing.
[Of course he's run several possible truths through his mind, and Lancer happened to pick that one out without him specifically mentioning it. Good.]
It is in fact remarkably similar to the unrecognizable words.
no subject
...Man, thanks for the colossal amount of faith there.
[ After that little show of being comically put out, he'll move right along. ]
Would you look at that? I can't say that's a coincidence. Though, it doesn't sound like it's necessarily a good thing either.
no subject
[It still sounds so condescending, though...]
As for the writing, it is difficult to say at this time. I certainly have no memory of entering the Shimmer, and this is not my own handwriting. It is entirely possible that someone who knows of me was one who entered and made it out.
[But why write his name? Was it...Akasha? She would be the type to dangle this sort of thing over his head.]
no subject
Thanks, you're a pal.
[ That towed the line between sarcastic and not because he could sense some condescension there. But, it's fine; nothing like friendly banter between allies. ]
Hmm...yeah, I guess it's hard to know for sure, but that sounds like it'd be the most likely possibly here. Though it makes you wonder if the organization knew this and decided to keep their mouths shut because they were secretly a bunch of assholes.
no subject
[Their silence in general is just...really strange.]
no subject
[ Even if he still didn't like it, he thought it plainly didn't make sense. ]
Well, maybe you could attempt asking them about it before we beat it even if they're not likely to feel like giving charitable answers...unless you've already tried that with no results.
no subject
I intend to, should the opportunity arise. They obviously want me to have it, and there must be a reason for it.
no subject
[ It could only last so long. ]
So, I've got a good question for ya:
You got a fun side deep down beyond that frown and serious look or is that just how you always are?
no subject
...
He does nothing to rectify it and just gives him an even less impressed look.]
I have been told that my definition of fun does not match up to others'.
no subject
That doesn't surprise me. Though really, I'm just teasin'.
What's the harm in some lighthearted joking around before tomorrow comes?
no subject
[By being a stick in the mud, apparently.]
no subject
Man, you really are an uptight dude. Remind me when this is over to find you some good drinks so you can loosen up a little.
no subject
[He agreed surprisingly easily?? Wow. Apparently he's not too much of a stick in the mud to enjoy a drink or two.]
But it depends on what you consider a good drink.
no subject
I'll remember you said that.
[ He'll look thoughtful for like. A split second. ]
Don't worry about it, I wouldn't pick something too hard for ya. You don't look like the type of guy who'd be able to handle that sort of thing anyway.
no subject
[He hangs out in taverns with his partner a lot...]
no subject
You look like a typical bookish guy who can't hold his liquor worth a damn.
[ Said kind of bluntly. But, he'll concede a little there—there could be more to him than it seemed. ]
Though, I'll admit I don't know much about you. Alright, I'll take back what I said just a moment ago—in that case, I'll make sure to slide you something that'll pack a punch.
no subject
[Because wow??? But at least Lancer is blunt...if that's even a good thing.]
And I look forward to whatever you challenge me with. Who knows, I may even be in dire need of a strong drink after all of this.