trans_9 | (no subject)

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Pop. Pop pop pop. Poppuhpoppoppop. KASCHUNKhiiiiiiiissssss.

There was condensation and mist spraying out from cracks in oblong glowing things that were clustered along the floors and walls of the huge, ancient-looking caverns.

For now, the ones that were cracking were the closest to the floor, but perhaps later, the figures sliding out of the pods would be sliding out onto the slimy walkways and platforms above.

Pop. Poppop. KASCHUNKhiiiiiissss.

There was light, and unconscious minds breaking through the top of the briny, harsh waters of consciousness, as their bodies did similarly and broke free from the pods, sliding to the floor, shivering in pools of slime.

Once the temporary blindness that some of them had passed, and once they were free of their sleepy stupors: somebody had some splainin' to do.

But there would be no explanations, as the only thing that could explain was only watching, silently, almost as a mother would look at their child right after it was born.

Pop. KASCHUNKhissss.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

||There is no monetary fee required for having assistance rendered.||

It seems this voice takes things rather literally.

Well, 'at's good. Seein' as I seem to 'ave left me wallet in me other trousers. Yes, he's being a sarcastic ass. It's a defense mechanism.

The energy in his chest gained in strength, helping Jono to regain coherence. He hated being so far out of it.

He ignored the energy leaking from his chest and started to push himself up. Mite drafty in here, ain't it?

||Do you require clothing?||

He took a moment to look down at himself. Naked, still covered in slime that was quickly cooling and was probably going to dry into something even grosser, if that was possible. It was already a little tacky. And his chest needed to be covered for the comfort of anybody around him.

Clothes would be good. So would a shower, but I'll take what I can get roight now.

||Very well.||

A line of pustules along the ground began to light up, leading off into the distance.

||This way, please.||

Jono looked at the lights, then gave a mental sigh and started following them. He did his best not to act like the whole naked thing bothered him, but it was an effort not to cover himself up.

So. Who 'sactly are you? he asked. Because it was a valid question. An' where am I?

||I am--||

The "name" was actually more of a rush of emotions and images than an actual name--love, maternal to the core, duty and honor.

||The closest possible pronunciation possible with human vocal chords is STA'C K'LTRRB'TXFT, though I am also referred to as 'Stacy'.

||You are in the Pod Caverns.||

As Jono walked through the caverns that wound slowly upwards, he would be able to see that there were pods similar to the one he popped out of just a few minutes ago lining the walls.

Eventually, his path would lead him to a large, circular structure that extended all the way from the floor to the ceiling. The path seemed to end just in front of a doorway on the structure that would lead to a room with vine-like tendrils hanging from the ceiling.

Jono actually staggered a bit at that. He may have been a telepath for four or five years, but that didn't mean he was used to tele-empathic bursts quite like that.

He looked up, brows furrowed. Yer telepathic. It should have occurred to him sooner. 'At's why you can unnerstan' me.

That was jarring, but he kept moving, looking at the other pods and wondering if anybody he knew was in there. What are they for? he asked, stepping into the new room. The vines were...ominous, but he meant the pods. Originally, at least.

||Please move to the center of the room,|| Stacy says simply. ||You will be clothed.||

It did occur to Jono to be obstinent and wait until he had an answer before moving forward. If it hadn't been for the fact that he was cold and gross, he might have actually done it. Instead, he rolled his eyes and moved forward into the center of the room.

And promptly, he was lifted up by the tendrils as they wrapped around him, covering in a surprisingly comfortable dark membranous material, which in Jono's case also covered up to right under his nose, after which he is set back down.

Oh, well, that's useful. Jono had squawked a bit when he was picked up, but it really could have been worse. It wasn't like it was Omega Red trying to take him apart or anything like that.

Didn't mean he stayed there when the vines finally put him down, though. He stepped toward the edge of the room, reaching up to check that he could move the material away from his face if necessary. Uh. Thanks. What is this stuff?

||It is the standard uniform for podmates. It is composed of a biomaterial designed to fit comfortably and keep your body clean.||

Jono would notice, after all, that he was now covered with far less goo.

Yes. That was a help. He ran his fingers back through his hair, then tilted his head. Podmates?

||You, and the others. You were all released from stasis pods. Hence, podmates.||

What others? Hey, if she's in a talkative mood, he'll get as much out of her as possible. An' why stasis pods? Why are we here?

||Several others have already been released in the same manner as you, and several more are in the processed of being released. Stasis pods were necessary to facilitate life support functions for everyone.||

For the last one: ||Information classified.||

Of course it is. Why wasn't he surprised?

Oh. That would be because he was with the X-Men for so long.

Jono rubbed his forehead, then sighed again. Awroight. So where do I go from here?

||I can direct you to the Living Area.||

Another lighted path led out the door, back around to another doorway along the same circular structure he just came from.

||This way, please.||

Jono nodded, running his hands back through his hair again. Thanks. He didn't really feel like saying thanks because he still had no idea where he was or what was happening. But it felt like something he should say.

He followed the lights out, not certain what he'd find beyond that door but knowing he couldn't stay in one spot. So forward it was.

Well, through the door, there was...

...a tube?

||Please step inside. The Hub will bring you there.||

...A tube?

Jono stared at it for a moment, then looked skyward. You sure this ain't gonna do anythin' untoward? Like enlarge me penis size without me permission? He was pretty sure he'd had nightmares that started like this before.

Didn't stop him from stepping forward into the tube, though. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to go.

There's no comment from Stacy on that one, but as soon as he enters the tube, he's sent upwards by some unseen force. He's occasionally moved from one tube to another by tendrils of energy.

At the top, he gets let out at the living area.

||Is there any other assistance you require?||

She was either been programmed to ignore sarcasm or didn't recognize it. Frankly, it made Jono a little homesick. He missed Jubilee. He missed Angelo, but that wasn't anything new.

He even missed Paige. Though not a lot.

When he stepped out of the tube, he looked around and shook his head. No. Should be good from 'ere. Though if you know where me stuff is, I'd like to know.

Another path lit up that would lead to a door to a room that was, to put it simply, full of stuff.

||The Weapons and Possessions Lockers are this way.||