I wanted to traverse the multiverse, but not like this…

Xshushthr K͡lestis; 20; No preference for pronouns; 6'7"

[technological-backbone]

[Ref made with Xamag's Fantroll Creator]

+ Lusus, who's a lungfish about 0.5m (39in) long and is entirely white in colour

[fountain-of-memes]

Reblog if your inbox is always open to:

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Anything and everything pertaining to your muse and how you depict them.

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr falls to the ground from quite a distance, looking around with confusion on their face. The floor beneath them has cracked quite heavily from the impact. Both legs are bent at very different angles, making it clear that one is going the wrong way. They try to move but quickly stop with a sharp breath followed by an exerted sigh. After getting their breathing under control, they slowly scoot over to the nearest wall, cursing and wincing all the way. Leaning against support brings them some relief, and they calm down slightly. They then proceed to pass out from the pain.

A while later, they regain consciousness and pull out a device that resembles an old Walkman. After pressing some buttons, they begin speaking into it.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 1. ₻" They pause to collect their thoughts. "₰ II found aa powerful source of maagiicaal energy thaat seemed liike iit could be liinked to aa connectiion between tiimeliines. IIt seems II waas aat leaast paartiiaally correct, aas iit haas traansported somewhere new. ₻" They try to move their leg again, getting only more pain for their troubles. The same for the fingers on their other hand as well as their back. They sigh deeply before continuing

"₰ The triip haas left me severely iinjured, so II won't be moviing from my current posiitiion for some tiime. Saaiid posiitiions aappeaars to be aan offiice breaakroom of sorts, though the ceiiliing aabove haas been removed iin faavour of extendiing the waalls so faar upwaards thaat theiir end caannot be seen. Whaatever thiis plaace iis, iit iis aappaarently very straange. II wiill haave to iinvestiigaate further once my left leg haas heaaled enough to waalk. ₻" They stop speaking for a while, head against the way, before closing off their recording. "₰ Thaat iis aall for now. End Log. ₻"

The device disappears from their hand, which falls limply to their side as they conserve the strength used to keep their arm aloft. They look around expectantly, thinking that surely someone would have to appear at some point. That wasn't an event that they were looking forward to, but they were mentally preparing for nonetheless.

[technological-backbone]

As OSHA does, it grows darker as if turning to night. Xshushthr immediately takes notice, their recording device in hand once again. They press record for the second time within the halls of their new location.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 2. ₻" A pause, as before. "₰ Despiite the aappeaaraance of beiing aan offiice buiildiing, thiis plaace aappeaars to haave some semblaance of aa ciircaadiiaan cycle. Thiis iis useful iinformaatiion. IIf some faamiiliiaariitiies remaaiin iin plaace here, perhaaps others do aalso. II shaall haave to begiin the testiing of maagiicks once II haave the energy. IIf those prove to work reliiaably then the siituaatiion wiith my leg, whiich II miight aadd haas not iimproved, maay become faar more eaasiily solvaable. ₻" They pause again to gather their thoughts. "₰ Thaat iis aall II haave to saay for now. End log. ₻"

Device no longer in hand, they let their arm return once again to its natural position. They go back to watching the room, waiting for someone to arrive without the expectation that they will.

[determined-spirits]

[Jane, having recently returned to this strange new place, has decided that exploring it is the best way to get familiar with it. On one of her expeditions, she opens an office door, to find someone on the ground.]

[Upon seeing Xshushthr, she does that "Oh." expressions with the straight mouth and wide eyes.]

Uh. Are you... alive?

[She squints.]

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr gives her a polite smile. Their general appearance bears a striking resemblance to someone she apparently used to know, who went by the name Mac.

"₰ Well, II don't know how thiis plaace defiines liife, but unless thiis iis some form of aafterliife then II would haave to saay thaat most liikely aam. ₻" They laugh quietly at their attempted lightheartedness before the laughter gives way to a blood-filled cough.

The ground beneath them is stained green, the same colour as a trail leading from the centre of a nearby crater to their current position. Their legs are still bending in different directions, their left hand looks severely damaged, and the curve of their back follows a very unusual and unhealthy-looking shape. Assuming that they are, in fact, related to Mac in some regard could only lead to the conclusion that they are very severely injured.

They seem to think of something and quickly pose a question to Jane. "₰ II don't suppose you could tell me the naame of the laanguaage we aare speaakiing riight now? ₻" Despite the apparent severely disabling state of their body, their voice carries only the faintest hint of the pain they must surely be in.

[determined-spirits]

I think it's, uh, English? is there anything I can do to help you? should I take you to a, uhh, what's the word... a clinic?

[technological-backbone]

Their eyes light up when Jane answers their question. "₰ AAh, so my hypothesiis waas correct! Wonderful news! ₻" They take a moment to consider the rest of what she said. "₰ AA cliiniic maay prove helpful, though giiven the duraabiiliity of the floor here II aam not certaaiin thaat you wiill be aable to traansport me eaasiily. IIf, iinsteaad, you could proviide me wiith aa baattery, preferaably one for runiic maagiic, thaat would work wonderfully aas well! Proviided you haave those here, of course. IIf not, aany source of maagiicaal energy wiill do, though personaal energy iis more preferaable. ₻"

[determined-spirits]

hm. my gem on my forehead

[She points towards it.]

generates a lot of magical energy but I don't think you can channel too much without something bad happening.

[technological-backbone]

They consider the option for some time, mentally running calculations and determining the risk. However, it doesn't take too long for them to reach a conclusion.

"₰ Well, giiven thaat II wiill not be chaannelliing the energy myself, II beliieve the riisk iis worth taakiing. Giive me aa moment to get thiings set up. ₻" Various strange-looking devices begin to appear around them, and they start connecting one to another with alien wires. Once they appear set up, they gesture to a collection of machines. "₰ Thiis iis aan aampliifyiing feedbaack loop, iit should lessen the aamount of energy siiphoned from your gem. AAre you reaady to begiin? ₻"

[determined-spirits]

uhh. sure. what do I do?

[She examined the equipment, unsure of what to make of it.]

[technological-backbone]

Their eyes light up with Jane's answer. "₰ Wonderful! Just staand where you aare, aand try not to fiight the siiphoniing! ₻" A tendril of invisible magic reaches out to touch the gem on her forehead, and she feels a powerful force pulling at the energy within it. The feedback loop, as Xshushthr had called it, began to light up as it amplified the energy it was receiving. Soon, Jane felt the tugging force suddenly cease as the machines' glow grew brighter.

"₰ AAnd now for the paaiinful paart, whiich iis aas fun aas iit iis unnecessaary. Thaat iis to saay, not aat aall! ₻" Before Jane has time to process those words, a loud crack can be heard as Xshushthr forcefully snaps their left leg bag into shape with a loud grunt of pain. They then clamp a machine around it, which lets off a warm green glow. More cracking, snapping, and wincing are heard, all three gradually decreasing in frequency until a stop. They then use the same machine on their hand, with the same resulting noises, before swapping its wires with what appears to be a larger version. They use the larger version on their back, again with the same noises.

All three injuries dealt with, they unplugged all the machines other than the feedback loop. "₰ Now comes the fun paart! Let's hope thiis plaace's duraabiiliity iisn't too laackiing! ₻" They sound excited as they stand up with more than a few winces. A new machine appears in their hands, which they plug into the feedback loop before pressing a button. The brightness of the flash and loudness of the boom are all that hint at the sheer amount of energy released, at least until the notable lack of wall opposite is taken into account. "₰ AAh, not neaarly aas duraable aas the testiing laabs baack home. II waas expectiing low duraabiiliity, but not thaat low. ₻"

They turn to Jane, a pained but genuine smile on their face. "₰ Well, thaat waas fun, waasn't iit! ₻" They extend an open hand towards her, offering a shake. "₰ Xshushthr K͡lestiis, pleaasure to meet you! ₻" Their name sounds like a nonsensical syllabic mess compared to the vast majority that anyone at OSHA will have heard, but it is at least comprehensible, which gives it a leg up on its more eldritch competition.

[determined-spirits]

uh, nice to meet you, Xshushthr, uh, I say this kindly, what the shit. was that

[She has like. a confused and shocked grimace on her face.]

[technological-backbone]

They take a few moments to think their words through before responding. "₰ Whiich paarts need explaaiiniing, aand whaat's your exiistiing knowledge on thiis subject? ₻" They get out what must be some sort of digital whiteboard and the associated pens, preparing to add visual aids to their explanation.

[determined-spirits]

how did that work, and, uhhhhh, database search comes back with nothing

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr inhales sharply, readying themself to begin a thorough explanation at speed.

"₰ Well, you see, thiis, ₻" she pauses to draw a simplified diagram of a machine before continuing with explanation and illustration in tandem, "₰ IIs aa siiphon. IIt's the energy iinput for the deviices. The siiphon connects to thiis converter, whiich feeds the converted energy iinto thiis aampliifiier. The aampliifiier then connects to aanother converter whiich connects to aanother aampliifiier whiich connects baack to the fiirst converter. Thiis creaates aa posiitiive feedbaack loop thaat iinfiiniitely scaales the iinputted energy, aallowiing for set ups wiith aarbiitraariily hiigh power requiirements. IIt's aa liittle bulky, but well worth the spaace aas iit meaans you'll never fiind yourself laackiing power. Usuaally iit would be coupled wiith aa diimiiniishiing feedbaack loop thaat would aabsorb aall the excess, but II diidn't haave the spaace to set thaat up from where II waas siittiing. Thaat diischaarge you saaw waas just the excess energy buiilt up iin the ciircuiit. Wiithout the diimiishiing feedbaack loop, the saafest waay to haandle the energy iis diischaargiing aall aat once. The other deviices II used haave been iinfused wiith naaturaal maagiic aand runiic maagiic, aand when giiven aan energy iinput iit outputs speciifiic energiies thaat speed up flesh growth aand enaable heaaliing. The only downsiide iis thaat you need to get broken paarts iinto the riight shaape unless you waant to lock them iin the wrong one. Smaall deviiaatiions iin shaape, liike my haand haad, caan be corrected naaturaally, but laarge deviiaatiions, liike my leg haad, requiire beiing snaapped baack iinto roughly the riight posiitiion. ₻"

They finally take a breath. The whiteboard is a clutter of diagrams, symbols, and equations. After fully catching their breath, they look back to Jane.

"₰ Diid you get aall thaat, or do II need to go aagaaiin? ₻"

[determined-spirits]

makes sense to me. need help with anything else?

[technological-backbone]

"₰ Thaat should be aall! Whaat aabout you, do you need help wiith aanythiing? II'd be more thaan haappy to return the faavour! ₻" They stand with a patient smile, giving one of their pockets a light pet.

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr falls to the ground from quite a distance, looking around with confusion on their face. The floor beneath them has cracked quite heavily from the impact. Both legs are bent at very different angles, making it clear that one is going the wrong way. They try to move but quickly stop with a sharp breath followed by an exerted sigh. After getting their breathing under control, they slowly scoot over to the nearest wall, cursing and wincing all the way. Leaning against support brings them some relief, and they calm down slightly. They then proceed to pass out from the pain.

A while later, they regain consciousness and pull out a device that resembles an old Walkman. After pressing some buttons, they begin speaking into it.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 1. ₻" They pause to collect their thoughts. "₰ II found aa powerful source of maagiicaal energy thaat seemed liike iit could be liinked to aa connectiion between tiimeliines. IIt seems II waas aat leaast paartiiaally correct, aas iit haas traansported somewhere new. ₻" They try to move their leg again, getting only more pain for their troubles. The same for the fingers on their other hand as well as their back. They sigh deeply before continuing

"₰ The triip haas left me severely iinjured, so II won't be moviing from my current posiitiion for some tiime. Saaiid posiitiions aappeaars to be aan offiice breaakroom of sorts, though the ceiiliing aabove haas been removed iin faavour of extendiing the waalls so faar upwaards thaat theiir end caannot be seen. Whaatever thiis plaace iis, iit iis aappaarently very straange. II wiill haave to iinvestiigaate further once my left leg haas heaaled enough to waalk. ₻" They stop speaking for a while, head against the way, before closing off their recording. "₰ Thaat iis aall for now. End Log. ₻"

The device disappears from their hand, which falls limply to their side as they conserve the strength used to keep their arm aloft. They look around expectantly, thinking that surely someone would have to appear at some point. That wasn't an event that they were looking forward to, but they were mentally preparing for nonetheless.

[technological-backbone]

As OSHA does, it grows darker as if turning to night. Xshushthr immediately takes notice, their recording device in hand once again. They press record for the second time within the halls of their new location.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 2. ₻" A pause, as before. "₰ Despiite the aappeaaraance of beiing aan offiice buiildiing, thiis plaace aappeaars to haave some semblaance of aa ciircaadiiaan cycle. Thiis iis useful iinformaatiion. IIf some faamiiliiaariitiies remaaiin iin plaace here, perhaaps others do aalso. II shaall haave to begiin the testiing of maagiicks once II haave the energy. IIf those prove to work reliiaably then the siituaatiion wiith my leg, whiich II miight aadd haas not iimproved, maay become faar more eaasiily solvaable. ₻" They pause again to gather their thoughts. "₰ Thaat iis aall II haave to saay for now. End log. ₻"

Device no longer in hand, they let their arm return once again to its natural position. They go back to watching the room, waiting for someone to arrive without the expectation that they will.

[determined-spirits]

[Jane, having recently returned to this strange new place, has decided that exploring it is the best way to get familiar with it. On one of her expeditions, she opens an office door, to find someone on the ground.]

[Upon seeing Xshushthr, she does that "Oh." expressions with the straight mouth and wide eyes.]

Uh. Are you... alive?

[She squints.]

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr gives her a polite smile. Their general appearance bears a striking resemblance to someone she apparently used to know, who went by the name Mac.

"₰ Well, II don't know how thiis plaace defiines liife, but unless thiis iis some form of aafterliife then II would haave to saay thaat most liikely aam. ₻" They laugh quietly at their attempted lightheartedness before the laughter gives way to a blood-filled cough.

The ground beneath them is stained green, the same colour as a trail leading from the centre of a nearby crater to their current position. Their legs are still bending in different directions, their left hand looks severely damaged, and the curve of their back follows a very unusual and unhealthy-looking shape. Assuming that they are, in fact, related to Mac in some regard could only lead to the conclusion that they are very severely injured.

They seem to think of something and quickly pose a question to Jane. "₰ II don't suppose you could tell me the naame of the laanguaage we aare speaakiing riight now? ₻" Despite the apparent severely disabling state of their body, their voice carries only the faintest hint of the pain they must surely be in.

[determined-spirits]

I think it's, uh, English? is there anything I can do to help you? should I take you to a, uhh, what's the word... a clinic?

[technological-backbone]

Their eyes light up when Jane answers their question. "₰ AAh, so my hypothesiis waas correct! Wonderful news! ₻" They take a moment to consider the rest of what she said. "₰ AA cliiniic maay prove helpful, though giiven the duraabiiliity of the floor here II aam not certaaiin thaat you wiill be aable to traansport me eaasiily. IIf, iinsteaad, you could proviide me wiith aa baattery, preferaably one for runiic maagiic, thaat would work wonderfully aas well! Proviided you haave those here, of course. IIf not, aany source of maagiicaal energy wiill do, though personaal energy iis more preferaable. ₻"

[determined-spirits]

hm. my gem on my forehead

[She points towards it.]

generates a lot of magical energy but I don't think you can channel too much without something bad happening.

[technological-backbone]

They consider the option for some time, mentally running calculations and determining the risk. However, it doesn't take too long for them to reach a conclusion.

"₰ Well, giiven thaat II wiill not be chaannelliing the energy myself, II beliieve the riisk iis worth taakiing. Giive me aa moment to get thiings set up. ₻" Various strange-looking devices begin to appear around them, and they start connecting one to another with alien wires. Once they appear set up, they gesture to a collection of machines. "₰ Thiis iis aan aampliifyiing feedbaack loop, iit should lessen the aamount of energy siiphoned from your gem. AAre you reaady to begiin? ₻"

[determined-spirits]

uhh. sure. what do I do?

[She examined the equipment, unsure of what to make of it.]

[technological-backbone]

Their eyes light up with Jane's answer. "₰ Wonderful! Just staand where you aare, aand try not to fiight the siiphoniing! ₻" A tendril of invisible magic reaches out to touch the gem on her forehead, and she feels a powerful force pulling at the energy within it. The feedback loop, as Xshushthr had called it, began to light up as it amplified the energy it was receiving. Soon, Jane felt the tugging force suddenly cease as the machines' glow grew brighter.

"₰ AAnd now for the paaiinful paart, whiich iis aas fun aas iit iis unnecessaary. Thaat iis to saay, not aat aall! ₻" Before Jane has time to process those words, a loud crack can be heard as Xshushthr forcefully snaps their left leg bag into shape with a loud grunt of pain. They then clamp a machine around it, which lets off a warm green glow. More cracking, snapping, and wincing are heard, all three gradually decreasing in frequency until a stop. They then use the same machine on their hand, with the same resulting noises, before swapping its wires with what appears to be a larger version. They use the larger version on their back, again with the same noises.

All three injuries dealt with, they unplugged all the machines other than the feedback loop. "₰ Now comes the fun paart! Let's hope thiis plaace's duraabiiliity iisn't too laackiing! ₻" They sound excited as they stand up with more than a few winces. A new machine appears in their hands, which they plug into the feedback loop before pressing a button. The brightness of the flash and loudness of the boom are all that hint at the sheer amount of energy released, at least until the notable lack of wall opposite is taken into account. "₰ AAh, not neaarly aas duraable aas the testiing laabs baack home. II waas expectiing low duraabiiliity, but not thaat low. ₻"

They turn to Jane, a pained but genuine smile on their face. "₰ Well, thaat waas fun, waasn't iit! ₻" They extend an open hand towards her, offering a shake. "₰ Xshushthr K͡lestiis, pleaasure to meet you! ₻" Their name sounds like a nonsensical syllabic mess compared to the vast majority that anyone at OSHA will have heard, but it is at least comprehensible, which gives it a leg up on its more eldritch competition.

[determined-spirits]

uh, nice to meet you, Xshushthr, uh, I say this kindly, what the shit. was that

[She has like. a confused and shocked grimace on her face.]

[technological-backbone]

They take a few moments to think their words through before responding. "₰ Whiich paarts need explaaiiniing, aand whaat's your exiistiing knowledge on thiis subject? ₻" They get out what must be some sort of digital whiteboard and the associated pens, preparing to add visual aids to their explanation.

[determined-spirits]

how did that work, and, uhhhhh, database search comes back with nothing

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr inhales sharply, readying themself to begin a thorough explanation at speed.

"₰ Well, you see, thiis, ₻" she pauses to draw a simplified diagram of a machine before continuing with explanation and illustration in tandem, "₰ IIs aa siiphon. IIt's the energy iinput for the deviices. The siiphon connects to thiis converter, whiich feeds the converted energy iinto thiis aampliifiier. The aampliifiier then connects to aanother converter whiich connects to aanother aampliifiier whiich connects baack to the fiirst converter. Thiis creaates aa posiitiive feedbaack loop thaat iinfiiniitely scaales the iinputted energy, aallowiing for set ups wiith aarbiitraariily hiigh power requiirements. IIt's aa liittle bulky, but well worth the spaace aas iit meaans you'll never fiind yourself laackiing power. Usuaally iit would be coupled wiith aa diimiiniishiing feedbaack loop thaat would aabsorb aall the excess, but II diidn't haave the spaace to set thaat up from where II waas siittiing. Thaat diischaarge you saaw waas just the excess energy buiilt up iin the ciircuiit. Wiithout the diimiishiing feedbaack loop, the saafest waay to haandle the energy iis diischaargiing aall aat once. The other deviices II used haave been iinfused wiith naaturaal maagiic aand runiic maagiic, aand when giiven aan energy iinput iit outputs speciifiic energiies thaat speed up flesh growth aand enaable heaaliing. The only downsiide iis thaat you need to get broken paarts iinto the riight shaape unless you waant to lock them iin the wrong one. Smaall deviiaatiions iin shaape, liike my haand haad, caan be corrected naaturaally, but laarge deviiaatiions, liike my leg haad, requiire beiing snaapped baack iinto roughly the riight posiitiion. ₻"

They finally take a breath. The whiteboard is a clutter of diagrams, symbols, and equations. After fully catching their breath, they look back to Jane.

"₰ Diid you get aall thaat, or do II need to go aagaaiin? ₻"

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr falls to the ground from quite a distance, looking around with confusion on their face. The floor beneath them has cracked quite heavily from the impact. Both legs are bent at very different angles, making it clear that one is going the wrong way. They try to move but quickly stop with a sharp breath followed by an exerted sigh. After getting their breathing under control, they slowly scoot over to the nearest wall, cursing and wincing all the way. Leaning against support brings them some relief, and they calm down slightly. They then proceed to pass out from the pain.

A while later, they regain consciousness and pull out a device that resembles an old Walkman. After pressing some buttons, they begin speaking into it.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 1. ₻" They pause to collect their thoughts. "₰ II found aa powerful source of maagiicaal energy thaat seemed liike iit could be liinked to aa connectiion between tiimeliines. IIt seems II waas aat leaast paartiiaally correct, aas iit haas traansported somewhere new. ₻" They try to move their leg again, getting only more pain for their troubles. The same for the fingers on their other hand as well as their back. They sigh deeply before continuing

"₰ The triip haas left me severely iinjured, so II won't be moviing from my current posiitiion for some tiime. Saaiid posiitiions aappeaars to be aan offiice breaakroom of sorts, though the ceiiliing aabove haas been removed iin faavour of extendiing the waalls so faar upwaards thaat theiir end caannot be seen. Whaatever thiis plaace iis, iit iis aappaarently very straange. II wiill haave to iinvestiigaate further once my left leg haas heaaled enough to waalk. ₻" They stop speaking for a while, head against the way, before closing off their recording. "₰ Thaat iis aall for now. End Log. ₻"

The device disappears from their hand, which falls limply to their side as they conserve the strength used to keep their arm aloft. They look around expectantly, thinking that surely someone would have to appear at some point. That wasn't an event that they were looking forward to, but they were mentally preparing for nonetheless.

[technological-backbone]

As OSHA does, it grows darker as if turning to night. Xshushthr immediately takes notice, their recording device in hand once again. They press record for the second time within the halls of their new location.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 2. ₻" A pause, as before. "₰ Despiite the aappeaaraance of beiing aan offiice buiildiing, thiis plaace aappeaars to haave some semblaance of aa ciircaadiiaan cycle. Thiis iis useful iinformaatiion. IIf some faamiiliiaariitiies remaaiin iin plaace here, perhaaps others do aalso. II shaall haave to begiin the testiing of maagiicks once II haave the energy. IIf those prove to work reliiaably then the siituaatiion wiith my leg, whiich II miight aadd haas not iimproved, maay become faar more eaasiily solvaable. ₻" They pause again to gather their thoughts. "₰ Thaat iis aall II haave to saay for now. End log. ₻"

Device no longer in hand, they let their arm return once again to its natural position. They go back to watching the room, waiting for someone to arrive without the expectation that they will.

[determined-spirits]

[Jane, having recently returned to this strange new place, has decided that exploring it is the best way to get familiar with it. On one of her expeditions, she opens an office door, to find someone on the ground.]

[Upon seeing Xshushthr, she does that "Oh." expressions with the straight mouth and wide eyes.]

Uh. Are you... alive?

[She squints.]

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr gives her a polite smile. Their general appearance bears a striking resemblance to someone she apparently used to know, who went by the name Mac.

"₰ Well, II don't know how thiis plaace defiines liife, but unless thiis iis some form of aafterliife then II would haave to saay thaat most liikely aam. ₻" They laugh quietly at their attempted lightheartedness before the laughter gives way to a blood-filled cough.

The ground beneath them is stained green, the same colour as a trail leading from the centre of a nearby crater to their current position. Their legs are still bending in different directions, their left hand looks severely damaged, and the curve of their back follows a very unusual and unhealthy-looking shape. Assuming that they are, in fact, related to Mac in some regard could only lead to the conclusion that they are very severely injured.

They seem to think of something and quickly pose a question to Jane. "₰ II don't suppose you could tell me the naame of the laanguaage we aare speaakiing riight now? ₻" Despite the apparent severely disabling state of their body, their voice carries only the faintest hint of the pain they must surely be in.

[determined-spirits]

I think it's, uh, English? is there anything I can do to help you? should I take you to a, uhh, what's the word... a clinic?

[technological-backbone]

Their eyes light up when Jane answers their question. "₰ AAh, so my hypothesiis waas correct! Wonderful news! ₻" They take a moment to consider the rest of what she said. "₰ AA cliiniic maay prove helpful, though giiven the duraabiiliity of the floor here II aam not certaaiin thaat you wiill be aable to traansport me eaasiily. IIf, iinsteaad, you could proviide me wiith aa baattery, preferaably one for runiic maagiic, thaat would work wonderfully aas well! Proviided you haave those here, of course. IIf not, aany source of maagiicaal energy wiill do, though personaal energy iis more preferaable. ₻"

[determined-spirits]

hm. my gem on my forehead

[She points towards it.]

generates a lot of magical energy but I don't think you can channel too much without something bad happening.

[technological-backbone]

They consider the option for some time, mentally running calculations and determining the risk. However, it doesn't take too long for them to reach a conclusion.

"₰ Well, giiven thaat II wiill not be chaannelliing the energy myself, II beliieve the riisk iis worth taakiing. Giive me aa moment to get thiings set up. ₻" Various strange-looking devices begin to appear around them, and they start connecting one to another with alien wires. Once they appear set up, they gesture to a collection of machines. "₰ Thiis iis aan aampliifyiing feedbaack loop, iit should lessen the aamount of energy siiphoned from your gem. AAre you reaady to begiin? ₻"

[determined-spirits]

uhh. sure. what do I do?

[She examined the equipment, unsure of what to make of it.]

[technological-backbone]

Their eyes light up with Jane's answer. "₰ Wonderful! Just staand where you aare, aand try not to fiight the siiphoniing! ₻" A tendril of invisible magic reaches out to touch the gem on her forehead, and she feels a powerful force pulling at the energy within it. The feedback loop, as Xshushthr had called it, began to light up as it amplified the energy it was receiving. Soon, Jane felt the tugging force suddenly cease as the machines' glow grew brighter.

"₰ AAnd now for the paaiinful paart, whiich iis aas fun aas iit iis unnecessaary. Thaat iis to saay, not aat aall! ₻" Before Jane has time to process those words, a loud crack can be heard as Xshushthr forcefully snaps their left leg bag into shape with a loud grunt of pain. They then clamp a machine around it, which lets off a warm green glow. More cracking, snapping, and wincing are heard, all three gradually decreasing in frequency until a stop. They then use the same machine on their hand, with the same resulting noises, before swapping its wires with what appears to be a larger version. They use the larger version on their back, again with the same noises.

All three injuries dealt with, they unplugged all the machines other than the feedback loop. "₰ Now comes the fun paart! Let's hope thiis plaace's duraabiiliity iisn't too laackiing! ₻" They sound excited as they stand up with more than a few winces. A new machine appears in their hands, which they plug into the feedback loop before pressing a button. The brightness of the flash and loudness of the boom are all that hint at the sheer amount of energy released, at least until the notable lack of wall opposite is taken into account. "₰ AAh, not neaarly aas duraable aas the testiing laabs baack home. II waas expectiing low duraabiiliity, but not thaat low. ₻"

They turn to Jane, a pained but genuine smile on their face. "₰ Well, thaat waas fun, waasn't iit! ₻" They extend an open hand towards her, offering a shake. "₰ Xshushthr K͡lestiis, pleaasure to meet you! ₻" Their name sounds like a nonsensical syllabic mess compared to the vast majority that anyone at OSHA will have heard, but it is at least comprehensible, which gives it a leg up on its more eldritch competition.

[determined-spirits]

uh, nice to meet you, Xshushthr, uh, I say this kindly, what the shit. was that

[She has like. a confused and shocked grimace on her face.]

[technological-backbone]

They take a few moments to think their words through before responding. "₰ Whiich paarts need explaaiiniing, aand whaat's your exiistiing knowledge on thiis subject? ₻" They get out what must be some sort of digital whiteboard and the associated pens, preparing to add visual aids to their explanation.

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr falls to the ground from quite a distance, looking around with confusion on their face. The floor beneath them has cracked quite heavily from the impact. Both legs are bent at very different angles, making it clear that one is going the wrong way. They try to move but quickly stop with a sharp breath followed by an exerted sigh. After getting their breathing under control, they slowly scoot over to the nearest wall, cursing and wincing all the way. Leaning against support brings them some relief, and they calm down slightly. They then proceed to pass out from the pain.

A while later, they regain consciousness and pull out a device that resembles an old Walkman. After pressing some buttons, they begin speaking into it.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 1. ₻" They pause to collect their thoughts. "₰ II found aa powerful source of maagiicaal energy thaat seemed liike iit could be liinked to aa connectiion between tiimeliines. IIt seems II waas aat leaast paartiiaally correct, aas iit haas traansported somewhere new. ₻" They try to move their leg again, getting only more pain for their troubles. The same for the fingers on their other hand as well as their back. They sigh deeply before continuing

"₰ The triip haas left me severely iinjured, so II won't be moviing from my current posiitiion for some tiime. Saaiid posiitiions aappeaars to be aan offiice breaakroom of sorts, though the ceiiliing aabove haas been removed iin faavour of extendiing the waalls so faar upwaards thaat theiir end caannot be seen. Whaatever thiis plaace iis, iit iis aappaarently very straange. II wiill haave to iinvestiigaate further once my left leg haas heaaled enough to waalk. ₻" They stop speaking for a while, head against the way, before closing off their recording. "₰ Thaat iis aall for now. End Log. ₻"

The device disappears from their hand, which falls limply to their side as they conserve the strength used to keep their arm aloft. They look around expectantly, thinking that surely someone would have to appear at some point. That wasn't an event that they were looking forward to, but they were mentally preparing for nonetheless.

[technological-backbone]

As OSHA does, it grows darker as if turning to night. Xshushthr immediately takes notice, their recording device in hand once again. They press record for the second time within the halls of their new location.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 2. ₻" A pause, as before. "₰ Despiite the aappeaaraance of beiing aan offiice buiildiing, thiis plaace aappeaars to haave some semblaance of aa ciircaadiiaan cycle. Thiis iis useful iinformaatiion. IIf some faamiiliiaariitiies remaaiin iin plaace here, perhaaps others do aalso. II shaall haave to begiin the testiing of maagiicks once II haave the energy. IIf those prove to work reliiaably then the siituaatiion wiith my leg, whiich II miight aadd haas not iimproved, maay become faar more eaasiily solvaable. ₻" They pause again to gather their thoughts. "₰ Thaat iis aall II haave to saay for now. End log. ₻"

Device no longer in hand, they let their arm return once again to its natural position. They go back to watching the room, waiting for someone to arrive without the expectation that they will.

[determined-spirits]

[Jane, having recently returned to this strange new place, has decided that exploring it is the best way to get familiar with it. On one of her expeditions, she opens an office door, to find someone on the ground.]

[Upon seeing Xshushthr, she does that "Oh." expressions with the straight mouth and wide eyes.]

Uh. Are you... alive?

[She squints.]

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr gives her a polite smile. Their general appearance bears a striking resemblance to someone she apparently used to know, who went by the name Mac.

"₰ Well, II don't know how thiis plaace defiines liife, but unless thiis iis some form of aafterliife then II would haave to saay thaat most liikely aam. ₻" They laugh quietly at their attempted lightheartedness before the laughter gives way to a blood-filled cough.

The ground beneath them is stained green, the same colour as a trail leading from the centre of a nearby crater to their current position. Their legs are still bending in different directions, their left hand looks severely damaged, and the curve of their back follows a very unusual and unhealthy-looking shape. Assuming that they are, in fact, related to Mac in some regard could only lead to the conclusion that they are very severely injured.

They seem to think of something and quickly pose a question to Jane. "₰ II don't suppose you could tell me the naame of the laanguaage we aare speaakiing riight now? ₻" Despite the apparent severely disabling state of their body, their voice carries only the faintest hint of the pain they must surely be in.

[determined-spirits]

I think it's, uh, English? is there anything I can do to help you? should I take you to a, uhh, what's the word... a clinic?

[technological-backbone]

Their eyes light up when Jane answers their question. "₰ AAh, so my hypothesiis waas correct! Wonderful news! ₻" They take a moment to consider the rest of what she said. "₰ AA cliiniic maay prove helpful, though giiven the duraabiiliity of the floor here II aam not certaaiin thaat you wiill be aable to traansport me eaasiily. IIf, iinsteaad, you could proviide me wiith aa baattery, preferaably one for runiic maagiic, thaat would work wonderfully aas well! Proviided you haave those here, of course. IIf not, aany source of maagiicaal energy wiill do, though personaal energy iis more preferaable. ₻"

[determined-spirits]

hm. my gem on my forehead

[She points towards it.]

generates a lot of magical energy but I don't think you can channel too much without something bad happening.

[technological-backbone]

They consider the option for some time, mentally running calculations and determining the risk. However, it doesn't take too long for them to reach a conclusion.

"₰ Well, giiven thaat II wiill not be chaannelliing the energy myself, II beliieve the riisk iis worth taakiing. Giive me aa moment to get thiings set up. ₻" Various strange-looking devices begin to appear around them, and they start connecting one to another with alien wires. Once they appear set up, they gesture to a collection of machines. "₰ Thiis iis aan aampliifyiing feedbaack loop, iit should lessen the aamount of energy siiphoned from your gem. AAre you reaady to begiin? ₻"

[determined-spirits]

uhh. sure. what do I do?

[She examined the equipment, unsure of what to make of it.]

[technological-backbone]

Their eyes light up with Jane's answer. "₰ Wonderful! Just staand where you aare, aand try not to fiight the siiphoniing! ₻" A tendril of invisible magic reaches out to touch the gem on her forehead, and she feels a powerful force pulling at the energy within it. The feedback loop, as Xshushthr had called it, began to light up as it amplified the energy it was receiving. Soon, Jane felt the tugging force suddenly cease as the machines' glow grew brighter.

"₰ AAnd now for the paaiinful paart, whiich iis aas fun aas iit iis unnecessaary. Thaat iis to saay, not aat aall! ₻" Before Jane has time to process those words, a loud crack can be heard as Xshushthr forcefully snaps their left leg bag into shape with a loud grunt of pain. They then clamp a machine around it, which lets off a warm green glow. More cracking, snapping, and wincing are heard, all three gradually decreasing in frequency until a stop. They then use the same machine on their hand, with the same resulting noises, before swapping its wires with what appears to be a larger version. They use the larger version on their back, again with the same noises.

All three injuries dealt with, they unplugged all the machines other than the feedback loop. "₰ Now comes the fun paart! Let's hope thiis plaace's duraabiiliity iisn't too laackiing! ₻" They sound excited as they stand up with more than a few winces. A new machine appears in their hands, which they plug into the feedback loop before pressing a button. The brightness of the flash and loudness of the boom are all that hint at the sheer amount of energy released, at least until the notable lack of wall opposite is taken into account. "₰ AAh, not neaarly aas duraable aas the testiing laabs baack home. II waas expectiing low duraabiiliity, but not thaat low. ₻"

They turn to Jane, a pained but genuine smile on their face. "₰ Well, thaat waas fun, waasn't iit! ₻" They extend an open hand towards her, offering a shake. "₰ Xshushthr K͡lestiis, pleaasure to meet you! ₻" Their name sounds like a nonsensical syllabic mess compared to the vast majority that anyone at OSHA will have heard, but it is at least comprehensible, which gives it a leg up on its more eldritch competition.

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr falls to the ground from quite a distance, looking around with confusion on their face. The floor beneath them has cracked quite heavily from the impact. Both legs are bent at very different angles, making it clear that one is going the wrong way. They try to move but quickly stop with a sharp breath followed by an exerted sigh. After getting their breathing under control, they slowly scoot over to the nearest wall, cursing and wincing all the way. Leaning against support brings them some relief, and they calm down slightly. They then proceed to pass out from the pain.

A while later, they regain consciousness and pull out a device that resembles an old Walkman. After pressing some buttons, they begin speaking into it.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 1. ₻" They pause to collect their thoughts. "₰ II found aa powerful source of maagiicaal energy thaat seemed liike iit could be liinked to aa connectiion between tiimeliines. IIt seems II waas aat leaast paartiiaally correct, aas iit haas traansported somewhere new. ₻" They try to move their leg again, getting only more pain for their troubles. The same for the fingers on their other hand as well as their back. They sigh deeply before continuing

"₰ The triip haas left me severely iinjured, so II won't be moviing from my current posiitiion for some tiime. Saaiid posiitiions aappeaars to be aan offiice breaakroom of sorts, though the ceiiliing aabove haas been removed iin faavour of extendiing the waalls so faar upwaards thaat theiir end caannot be seen. Whaatever thiis plaace iis, iit iis aappaarently very straange. II wiill haave to iinvestiigaate further once my left leg haas heaaled enough to waalk. ₻" They stop speaking for a while, head against the way, before closing off their recording. "₰ Thaat iis aall for now. End Log. ₻"

The device disappears from their hand, which falls limply to their side as they conserve the strength used to keep their arm aloft. They look around expectantly, thinking that surely someone would have to appear at some point. That wasn't an event that they were looking forward to, but they were mentally preparing for nonetheless.

[technological-backbone]

As OSHA does, it grows darker as if turning to night. Xshushthr immediately takes notice, their recording device in hand once again. They press record for the second time within the halls of their new location.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 2. ₻" A pause, as before. "₰ Despiite the aappeaaraance of beiing aan offiice buiildiing, thiis plaace aappeaars to haave some semblaance of aa ciircaadiiaan cycle. Thiis iis useful iinformaatiion. IIf some faamiiliiaariitiies remaaiin iin plaace here, perhaaps others do aalso. II shaall haave to begiin the testiing of maagiicks once II haave the energy. IIf those prove to work reliiaably then the siituaatiion wiith my leg, whiich II miight aadd haas not iimproved, maay become faar more eaasiily solvaable. ₻" They pause again to gather their thoughts. "₰ Thaat iis aall II haave to saay for now. End log. ₻"

Device no longer in hand, they let their arm return once again to its natural position. They go back to watching the room, waiting for someone to arrive without the expectation that they will.

[determined-spirits]

[Jane, having recently returned to this strange new place, has decided that exploring it is the best way to get familiar with it. On one of her expeditions, she opens an office door, to find someone on the ground.]

[Upon seeing Xshushthr, she does that "Oh." expressions with the straight mouth and wide eyes.]

Uh. Are you... alive?

[She squints.]

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr gives her a polite smile. Their general appearance bears a striking resemblance to someone she apparently used to know, who went by the name Mac.

"₰ Well, II don't know how thiis plaace defiines liife, but unless thiis iis some form of aafterliife then II would haave to saay thaat most liikely aam. ₻" They laugh quietly at their attempted lightheartedness before the laughter gives way to a blood-filled cough.

The ground beneath them is stained green, the same colour as a trail leading from the centre of a nearby crater to their current position. Their legs are still bending in different directions, their left hand looks severely damaged, and the curve of their back follows a very unusual and unhealthy-looking shape. Assuming that they are, in fact, related to Mac in some regard could only lead to the conclusion that they are very severely injured.

They seem to think of something and quickly pose a question to Jane. "₰ II don't suppose you could tell me the naame of the laanguaage we aare speaakiing riight now? ₻" Despite the apparent severely disabling state of their body, their voice carries only the faintest hint of the pain they must surely be in.

[determined-spirits]

I think it's, uh, English? is there anything I can do to help you? should I take you to a, uhh, what's the word... a clinic?

[technological-backbone]

Their eyes light up when Jane answers their question. "₰ AAh, so my hypothesiis waas correct! Wonderful news! ₻" They take a moment to consider the rest of what she said. "₰ AA cliiniic maay prove helpful, though giiven the duraabiiliity of the floor here II aam not certaaiin thaat you wiill be aable to traansport me eaasiily. IIf, iinsteaad, you could proviide me wiith aa baattery, preferaably one for runiic maagiic, thaat would work wonderfully aas well! Proviided you haave those here, of course. IIf not, aany source of maagiicaal energy wiill do, though personaal energy iis more preferaable. ₻"

[determined-spirits]

hm. my gem on my forehead

[She points towards it.]

generates a lot of magical energy but I don't think you can channel too much without something bad happening.

[technological-backbone]

They consider the option for some time, mentally running calculations and determining the risk. However, it doesn't take too long for them to reach a conclusion.

"₰ Well, giiven thaat II wiill not be chaannelliing the energy myself, II beliieve the riisk iis worth taakiing. Giive me aa moment to get thiings set up. ₻" Various strange-looking devices begin to appear around them, and they start connecting one to another with alien wires. Once they appear set up, they gesture to a collection of machines. "₰ Thiis iis aan aampliifyiing feedbaack loop, iit should lessen the aamount of energy siiphoned from your gem. AAre you reaady to begiin? ₻"

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr falls to the ground from quite a distance, looking around with confusion on their face. The floor beneath them has cracked quite heavily from the impact. Both legs are bent at very different angles, making it clear that one is going the wrong way. They try to move but quickly stop with a sharp breath followed by an exerted sigh. After getting their breathing under control, they slowly scoot over to the nearest wall, cursing and wincing all the way. Leaning against support brings them some relief, and they calm down slightly. They then proceed to pass out from the pain.

A while later, they regain consciousness and pull out a device that resembles an old Walkman. After pressing some buttons, they begin speaking into it.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 1. ₻" They pause to collect their thoughts. "₰ II found aa powerful source of maagiicaal energy thaat seemed liike iit could be liinked to aa connectiion between tiimeliines. IIt seems II waas aat leaast paartiiaally correct, aas iit haas traansported somewhere new. ₻" They try to move their leg again, getting only more pain for their troubles. The same for the fingers on their other hand as well as their back. They sigh deeply before continuing

"₰ The triip haas left me severely iinjured, so II won't be moviing from my current posiitiion for some tiime. Saaiid posiitiions aappeaars to be aan offiice breaakroom of sorts, though the ceiiliing aabove haas been removed iin faavour of extendiing the waalls so faar upwaards thaat theiir end caannot be seen. Whaatever thiis plaace iis, iit iis aappaarently very straange. II wiill haave to iinvestiigaate further once my left leg haas heaaled enough to waalk. ₻" They stop speaking for a while, head against the way, before closing off their recording. "₰ Thaat iis aall for now. End Log. ₻"

The device disappears from their hand, which falls limply to their side as they conserve the strength used to keep their arm aloft. They look around expectantly, thinking that surely someone would have to appear at some point. That wasn't an event that they were looking forward to, but they were mentally preparing for nonetheless.

[technological-backbone]

As OSHA does, it grows darker as if turning to night. Xshushthr immediately takes notice, their recording device in hand once again. They press record for the second time within the halls of their new location.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 2. ₻" A pause, as before. "₰ Despiite the aappeaaraance of beiing aan offiice buiildiing, thiis plaace aappeaars to haave some semblaance of aa ciircaadiiaan cycle. Thiis iis useful iinformaatiion. IIf some faamiiliiaariitiies remaaiin iin plaace here, perhaaps others do aalso. II shaall haave to begiin the testiing of maagiicks once II haave the energy. IIf those prove to work reliiaably then the siituaatiion wiith my leg, whiich II miight aadd haas not iimproved, maay become faar more eaasiily solvaable. ₻" They pause again to gather their thoughts. "₰ Thaat iis aall II haave to saay for now. End log. ₻"

Device no longer in hand, they let their arm return once again to its natural position. They go back to watching the room, waiting for someone to arrive without the expectation that they will.

[determined-spirits]

[Jane, having recently returned to this strange new place, has decided that exploring it is the best way to get familiar with it. On one of her expeditions, she opens an office door, to find someone on the ground.]

[Upon seeing Xshushthr, she does that "Oh." expressions with the straight mouth and wide eyes.]

Uh. Are you... alive?

[She squints.]

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr gives her a polite smile. Their general appearance bears a striking resemblance to someone she apparently used to know, who went by the name Mac.

"₰ Well, II don't know how thiis plaace defiines liife, but unless thiis iis some form of aafterliife then II would haave to saay thaat most liikely aam. ₻" They laugh quietly at their attempted lightheartedness before the laughter gives way to a blood-filled cough.

The ground beneath them is stained green, the same colour as a trail leading from the centre of a nearby crater to their current position. Their legs are still bending in different directions, their left hand looks severely damaged, and the curve of their back follows a very unusual and unhealthy-looking shape. Assuming that they are, in fact, related to Mac in some regard could only lead to the conclusion that they are very severely injured.

They seem to think of something and quickly pose a question to Jane. "₰ II don't suppose you could tell me the naame of the laanguaage we aare speaakiing riight now? ₻" Despite the apparent severely disabling state of their body, their voice carries only the faintest hint of the pain they must surely be in.

[determined-spirits]

I think it's, uh, English? is there anything I can do to help you? should I take you to a, uhh, what's the word... a clinic?

[technological-backbone]

Their eyes light up when Jane answers their question. "₰ AAh, so my hypothesiis waas correct! Wonderful news! ₻" They take a moment to consider the rest of what she said. "₰ AA cliiniic maay prove helpful, though giiven the duraabiiliity of the floor here II aam not certaaiin thaat you wiill be aable to traansport me eaasiily. IIf, iinsteaad, you could proviide me wiith aa baattery, preferaably one for runiic maagiic, thaat would work wonderfully aas well! Proviided you haave those here, of course. IIf not, aany source of maagiicaal energy wiill do, though personaal energy iis more preferaable. ₻"

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr falls to the ground from quite a distance, looking around with confusion on their face. The floor beneath them has cracked quite heavily from the impact. Both legs are bent at very different angles, making it clear that one is going the wrong way. They try to move but quickly stop with a sharp breath followed by an exerted sigh. After getting their breathing under control, they slowly scoot over to the nearest wall, cursing and wincing all the way. Leaning against support brings them some relief, and they calm down slightly. They then proceed to pass out from the pain.

A while later, they regain consciousness and pull out a device that resembles an old Walkman. After pressing some buttons, they begin speaking into it.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 1. ₻" They pause to collect their thoughts. "₰ II found aa powerful source of maagiicaal energy thaat seemed liike iit could be liinked to aa connectiion between tiimeliines. IIt seems II waas aat leaast paartiiaally correct, aas iit haas traansported somewhere new. ₻" They try to move their leg again, getting only more pain for their troubles. The same for the fingers on their other hand as well as their back. They sigh deeply before continuing

"₰ The triip haas left me severely iinjured, so II won't be moviing from my current posiitiion for some tiime. Saaiid posiitiions aappeaars to be aan offiice breaakroom of sorts, though the ceiiliing aabove haas been removed iin faavour of extendiing the waalls so faar upwaards thaat theiir end caannot be seen. Whaatever thiis plaace iis, iit iis aappaarently very straange. II wiill haave to iinvestiigaate further once my left leg haas heaaled enough to waalk. ₻" They stop speaking for a while, head against the way, before closing off their recording. "₰ Thaat iis aall for now. End Log. ₻"

The device disappears from their hand, which falls limply to their side as they conserve the strength used to keep their arm aloft. They look around expectantly, thinking that surely someone would have to appear at some point. That wasn't an event that they were looking forward to, but they were mentally preparing for nonetheless.

[technological-backbone]

As OSHA does, it grows darker as if turning to night. Xshushthr immediately takes notice, their recording device in hand once again. They press record for the second time within the halls of their new location.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 2. ₻" A pause, as before. "₰ Despiite the aappeaaraance of beiing aan offiice buiildiing, thiis plaace aappeaars to haave some semblaance of aa ciircaadiiaan cycle. Thiis iis useful iinformaatiion. IIf some faamiiliiaariitiies remaaiin iin plaace here, perhaaps others do aalso. II shaall haave to begiin the testiing of maagiicks once II haave the energy. IIf those prove to work reliiaably then the siituaatiion wiith my leg, whiich II miight aadd haas not iimproved, maay become faar more eaasiily solvaable. ₻" They pause again to gather their thoughts. "₰ Thaat iis aall II haave to saay for now. End log. ₻"

Device no longer in hand, they let their arm return once again to its natural position. They go back to watching the room, waiting for someone to arrive without the expectation that they will.

[determined-spirits]

[Jane, having recently returned to this strange new place, has decided that exploring it is the best way to get familiar with it. On one of her expeditions, she opens an office door, to find someone on the ground.]

[Upon seeing Xshushthr, she does that "Oh." expressions with the straight mouth and wide eyes.]

Uh. Are you... alive?

[She squints.]

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr gives her a polite smile. Their general appearance bears a striking resemblance to someone she apparently used to know, who went by the name Mac.

"₰ Well, II don't know how thiis plaace defiines liife, but unless thiis iis some form of aafterliife then II would haave to saay thaat most liikely aam. ₻" They laugh quietly at their attempted lightheartedness before the laughter gives way to a blood-filled cough.

The ground beneath them is stained green, the same colour as a trail leading from the centre of a nearby crater to their current position. Their legs are still bending in different directions, their left hand looks severely damaged, and the curve of their back follows a very unusual and unhealthy-looking shape. Assuming that they are, in fact, related to Mac in some regard could only lead to the conclusion that they are very severely injured.

They seem to think of something and quickly pose a question to Jane. "₰ II don't suppose you could tell me the naame of the laanguaage we aare speaakiing riight now? ₻" Despite the apparent severely disabling state of their body, their voice carries only the faintest hint of the pain they must surely be in.

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr falls to the ground from quite a distance, looking around with confusion on their face. The floor beneath them has cracked quite heavily from the impact. Both legs are bent at very different angles, making it clear that one is going the wrong way. They try to move but quickly stop with a sharp breath followed by an exerted sigh. After getting their breathing under control, they slowly scoot over to the nearest wall, cursing and wincing all the way. Leaning against support brings them some relief, and they calm down slightly. They then proceed to pass out from the pain.

A while later, they regain consciousness and pull out a device that resembles an old Walkman. After pressing some buttons, they begin speaking into it.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 1. ₻" They pause to collect their thoughts. "₰ II found aa powerful source of maagiicaal energy thaat seemed liike iit could be liinked to aa connectiion between tiimeliines. IIt seems II waas aat leaast paartiiaally correct, aas iit haas traansported somewhere new. ₻" They try to move their leg again, getting only more pain for their troubles. The same for the fingers on their other hand as well as their back. They sigh deeply before continuing

"₰ The triip haas left me severely iinjured, so II won't be moviing from my current posiitiion for some tiime. Saaiid posiitiions aappeaars to be aan offiice breaakroom of sorts, though the ceiiliing aabove haas been removed iin faavour of extendiing the waalls so faar upwaards thaat theiir end caannot be seen. Whaatever thiis plaace iis, iit iis aappaarently very straange. II wiill haave to iinvestiigaate further once my left leg haas heaaled enough to waalk. ₻" They stop speaking for a while, head against the way, before closing off their recording. "₰ Thaat iis aall for now. End Log. ₻"

The device disappears from their hand, which falls limply to their side as they conserve the strength used to keep their arm aloft. They look around expectantly, thinking that surely someone would have to appear at some point. That wasn't an event that they were looking forward to, but they were mentally preparing for nonetheless.

[technological-backbone]

As OSHA does, it grows darker as if turning to night. Xshushthr immediately takes notice, their recording device in hand once again. They press record for the second time within the halls of their new location.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 2. ₻" A pause, as before. "₰ Despiite the aappeaaraance of beiing aan offiice buiildiing, thiis plaace aappeaars to haave some semblaance of aa ciircaadiiaan cycle. Thiis iis useful iinformaatiion. IIf some faamiiliiaariitiies remaaiin iin plaace here, perhaaps others do aalso. II shaall haave to begiin the testiing of maagiicks once II haave the energy. IIf those prove to work reliiaably then the siituaatiion wiith my leg, whiich II miight aadd haas not iimproved, maay become faar more eaasiily solvaable. ₻" They pause again to gather their thoughts. "₰ Thaat iis aall II haave to saay for now. End log. ₻"

Device no longer in hand, they let their arm return once again to its natural position. They go back to watching the room, waiting for someone to arrive without the expectation that they will.

[technological-backbone]

Xshushthr falls to the ground from quite a distance, looking around with confusion on their face. The floor beneath them has cracked quite heavily from the impact. Both legs are bent at very different angles, making it clear that one is going the wrong way. They try to move but quickly stop with a sharp breath followed by an exerted sigh. After getting their breathing under control, they slowly scoot over to the nearest wall, cursing and wincing all the way. Leaning against support brings them some relief, and they calm down slightly. They then proceed to pass out from the pain.

A while later, they regain consciousness and pull out a device that resembles an old Walkman. After pressing some buttons, they begin speaking into it.

"₰ Straange new plaace, log 1. ₻" They pause to collect their thoughts. "₰ II found aa powerful source of maagiicaal energy thaat seemed liike iit could be liinked to aa connectiion between tiimeliines. IIt seems II waas aat leaast paartiiaally correct, aas iit haas traansported somewhere new. ₻" They try to move their leg again, getting only more pain for their troubles. The same for the fingers on their other hand as well as their back. They sigh deeply before continuing

"₰ The triip haas left me severely iinjured, so II won't be moviing from my current posiitiion for some tiime. Saaiid posiitiions aappeaars to be aan offiice breaakroom of sorts, though the ceiiliing aabove haas been removed iin faavour of extendiing the waalls so faar upwaards thaat theiir end caannot be seen. Whaatever thiis plaace iis, iit iis aappaarently very straange. II wiill haave to iinvestiigaate further once my left leg haas heaaled enough to waalk. ₻" They stop speaking for a while, head against the way, before closing off their recording. "₰ Thaat iis aall for now. End Log. ₻"

The device disappears from their hand, which falls limply to their side as they conserve the strength used to keep their arm aloft. They look around expectantly, thinking that surely someone would have to appear at some point. That wasn't an event that they were looking forward to, but they were mentally preparing for nonetheless.