Outside 40: It's all downhill from here

[Arkhosia]

[Peaceful Spring]

"Yeah, I bet that'll be a fun trip. How long has it been since you've been there again? A long time, right?" Kitty remembers that much, though a specific number escapes her.

[Otherworldly Portal]

Cessie should know better than that. Neither of their entrances were very inconspicuous. That portal is in plain sight, after all. They garner some attention, but no fey present themselves as of yet. It's only a matter of time, however.

If there's any way I can help you out with making enough money to go, i'd be glad to. It'd be nice to help out someone for once.
Invidia responds, her internal monologue being saved from being external by the wonders of editing so it's clear she's not saying it!

[Shadowcaller]

[Otherworldly Portal]

Geneva has some iron on her person.

Are these the sort of fey that dislike iron?

If so she could brandish it at them if they start getting too frisky.

Anywho!

A portal hanging fifty meters in the air really isn't a big deal for Geneva, what with her ability to tell gravity where it can stick its laws of mutual attraction. The hippogriff flies around the portal a few times, leaning close to peer at it and briefly ponder what kind of fancy detection devices to wave in its general direction. Shortly there after she notices the ground-bound wizard and begins to gently descend.

"Hello there!" Geneva calls out. "I hope getting out here wasn't too hard for you, this place is a little remote and most humans I've met can't fly."

Some can.

But those ones are usually kind of unusual.

[Peaceful Spring]

"Yeah, I bet that'll be a fun trip. How long has it been since you've been there again? A long time, right?" Kitty remembers that much, though a specific number escapes her.

[Otherworldly Portal]

Cessie should know better than that. Neither of their entrances were very conspicuous. That portal is in plain sight, after all. They garner some attention, but no fey present themselves as of yet. It's only a matter of time, however.

[Otherworldly Portal]

"I can use eldritch to float." Not very fast though, running would be faster if not for the fact there usually are more objects in the way. "So it thankfully wasn't that hard to get here." The sorceress hadn't meet many non-humanoids before so it was curious to say at least to discuss the nature of the nexus with Geneva. "Now the portal works two-ways and there doesn't seem to be an "edge" to it, the entire object have to be in the portal area to be transported over, which is curious."" She wasn't sure how the portal recognized objects or how far that ability went but it did make it safer than some portals. "But perhaps I'm looking at it from the wrong perspective, when you usually think of a 'portal' you imagine a circle-shaped rift in the fabric of reality. This is perhaps more of zone of transfer, not something you can be half-way through." She observes as she looks up at it.

[Peaceful Spring]

"A very long time." Obriane replies. "But while I appreciate the offer it wouldn't feel fair if you helped me out with this. I must make my money on my own." She explains to the drow. "I'm doing really well for only having been here for such a short time anyway."

[Gullara]

[Peaceful Spring]


"Obriane is really good at what she does. You definitely deserve everything you make." Kitty says to Invidia, her focus shifting to Obriane momentarily. "You'd be amazed at how good she is at working with spirits. I never knew anyone could do what she does."

[Rebonack]

[Otherworldly Rift]

"Sounds like it works similarly to a teleportation array, though on a wholly different scale," Geneva muses as she pulls out an odd boxy device in one hand and a random piece of scrap in the other.

The latter gets tossed into the distortion whilst she peers at the former. It's her hope that the so called universal detector's suite of instruments will notice some kind of reaction. Or maybe no reaction if the anomaly is simply a bridge in reality rather than some kind of active transportation device like a teleportation array.

"Portal spells do exist, but they're pretty energy intensive. Usually they just get used to bridge short distances or circumvent obstacles you can't see through for a safe teleportation."

After all, teleportation requires exact knowledge of line of sight on the destination to avoid mishaps.

Like, say, getting stuck inside a wall.

No one wants to get fused with a rock wall. It's pretty terrible.

[Arkhosia]

[Peaceful Spring]


"Obriane is really good at what she does. You definitely deserve everything you make." Kitty says to Invidia, her focus shifting to Obriane momentarily. "You'd be amazed at how good she is at working with spirits. I never knew anyone could do what she does."

Neither did I know such a thing was possible before I met her. It's truly a talent I'd love to observe and maybe be taught at some point in my life, to be honest.
Invidia replies.

[Morty]

[Darkwater Mine]

"What did you do with the two who got infected by themselves?" Wenomir asks. "Did you manage to reverse the infection somehow, or did they die?"

[Hyperbolic sine]

[Darkwater Mine]

"Seems like the crystals came from outside...what a pity. I was hoping in some sort of boss-fight." Wraal's face cannot be seen through the helmet, but his voice sounds disappointed. "How many miners have been infected?" he then inquires, aiming to figure out if there are still some of them besides the ones they killed before.

[Shadowcaller]

[Darkwater Mine]

The goblin rubs his head tiredly. "Okay, let me explain in more detail. We found the crystals in the mine, Seraphina probably stole some of them to fake an zombie outbreak so she couldn't get blamed for it. I had to put down the infected myself since we didn't find a cure in time and there were growing ****ing crystals out of their eyes. I'm just a simple guy, not a doctor or cleric. But those crystals were coming from their brains see? Crystals in brains. You can't just "cure" that ****." He explains. "I just did my job, as for the rest they have probably all starved to death by now. They still need food you know? As for our dear chef-" But then he suddenly stops talking, his long ears twitching. "Did you hear that?" Those with good hearing can hear the sound of some sort of vehicle, most likely some sort of car coming from outside the tunnel.

Someone else seem to be paying the mine a visit.

[Peaceful Spring]

Obriane crosses her arms over her chest awkwardly, trying to keep herself from blushing. "Stop it guys, I'm not that good really. It's just a thing I have, not anything I can teach anyone..." Otherwise she'd probably had taken money for teaching others as well.

[Gullara]

[Peaceful Spring]

Kitty giggles at Obriane's embarrassment. "Still though." She insists.

Meanwhile, the baby kitsune is reaching over her tube and splashing at the water between her and Obriane. Her giggle echos her mom's. "Looks like someone's having fun. Maybe we could go to shallower water so we can get her out of that tube." Kitty suggests. She doesn't want to try and hold a baby when her feet can't touch ground.

[Otherworldly Portal]

There's some rustling in the foliage around the two and perhaps they'll catch a glimpse of movement. Whatever it is is either lurking or too shy to come out.

Prying eyes, peering through the bushes. Prying eyes, peeking from a tree.
Curious eyes, just out of sight. Who is it here that they see?

A beautiful voice chants in a sing song little tease.

"Oh shut up!"
"Who brought her along?"
"She ruins everything."

The first voice giggles playfully from the opposite side of the two visitors now. More protests follow from the trees.

[Shadowcaller]

[Otherworldly Portal]

I'd assume Geneva flies up a bit before she tosses it, unless she can toss it 50 meters into the air of course.
The scrap will not come down again as it appears to have disappeared completely. The readings she will get are rather different from the standard readings readings within the nexus but there is nothing that she'd recognize as the energy from a teleportation array. It is clear that what she threw up isn't in the nexus anymore however.

"The portal seem stable enough considering everything so far, including several air ships filled with people, has gone in and out without any incident. It is curious however as I overheard that matter from the nexus somehow gets 'converted' into another once it ends up on the other side. This must mean that both worlds are of a distinctively different nature and that not only the nexus but perhaps all worlds are in some degree capable of converting foreign realities into it's own?" The sorceress says, considering a hypothesis.

Then suddenly the voices of fey. "...It is best if we simply ignore them. They'll probably get bored and go and bother someone else." Important research was done here! Couldn't these fey understand that?!

[Morty]

[Darkwater Mine]

Wenomir raises his sword so that its tip is on his eye level.

"Saboteurs coming to see if their plan worked, perhaps," he says. He sees no reason to disbelieve the goblin's story. What happened here is rather obvious and he really doesn't look to be in any position to make things up.

[Rebonack]

[Otherworldly Portal]

Geneva would argue that she's hovering, not flying. Hovering typically involves notable forward momentum. It's pretty impressive to watch, honestly. Something as big as the hippogriff moving through the air with all the precision of a humming bird. Just without the constant humming of wings. Her wings really aren't flapping that fast, certainly not fast enough to be able to keep such a large creature aloft.

"Hmm... The ambient reading from the portal isn't matching the background noise from anywhere else in the Nexus, but that might simply be because I'm picking up readings from the universe on the other side," Geneva reasons. "No power spike when I tossed the junk, though. So it's probably passive rather than active."

And so, like a good scientist, Geneva does it again to see if the same thing happens.

Hopefully whoever is on the other side of the portal doesn't mind random chunks of metal scrap getting tossed through.

Geneva nods at Cessie's comments. "I read a few papers on the Crystal Mirror back home, an artifact that served as a permanent like between our universe and a parallel one. The mirror universe completely lacked the thaumatic field, but in transitioning from our universe to theirs anypony who went through was transformed into one of the natives. Which was probably a good thing since my kind would be faced with a stroke or worse in the case of being cut off from the thaumatic field."

She gives a little grump. "Unfortunately the mirror, along with the whole Crystal Provence, flung itself a thousand years into the future when the bombs started to fall. Can't really do much about that, but at least matter conversion between inherently incomparable universes seems to be a reoccurring trend. Three data points hardly makes for solid statistics, but it's a start."

And then Geneva's ear twitches toward the sound of giggling.

No doubt these are some of the fey she had been warned about. Ignoring sounds like a solid plan. Geneva makes a mental note to talk in a droning monotone as much as possible. When dealing with wily, wild beings sometimes being uninteresting is your best defense!

[ImpSyndrome]

[Displaced Spirits Incident, Is it really still Stage 2?!]

Hiizumi just stares at the thing that Sophia became, allowing Sasha's bullets to hit her, dealing a fair bit of damage, and not launching an attack this turn.

Midori and Sanji have managed to worm their way out of the first salvo produced by Hiizumi's Spell Card, nut another barrage is hot on their heels. Sensing that they're still in danger, Sasha darts ahead of Sophia and tries to attack up close, spraying bullets in a disorganized conic area. Those that miss or graze Hiizumi strike the dead trees behind her and split them open, littering the floor of the glade with even more dust and soot. The air of the battleground is now so thick with ash that any optical senses are just about useless...though that doesn't bother the lesser yokai in the slightest. This is her element, and with so much of it all around her, she'll have a clear advantage going forward...

In the meanwhile, Chiaki has managed to get some distance away without being tailed. She glances back at the sounds of the magic battle behind her and chuckles smugly to herself before flying off to prepare for her resurrection...

[The Alexandrian]

[Eo's First Hunting Trip]
Eo, for her part, is in a smart little HEV suit in indigo and soot-grey, contrasting nicely with her little white face with her orange eyes under the helmet. The suit is connected with her normal text projector.
More impressive are the four oblong devices hanging in their charge racks from her belt, each about a foot long and shaped like a sort of stretched, narrow pyramid. Across her back is slung a weapon touting itself as "the Headsplitter", which resembles a sort of heavy rifle loaded with tent stakes.
I believe I am excited, anxious, terrified, or some blend of those component emotions.
... I would also like your opinion as to my appearance in this suit.

[Eo's First Hunting Trip]

Now Clarissa no longer needs to sneakily peek at Eo since Eo is literally asking that Clarissa unreservedly ogle her! How awesome is that!

Clarissa slowly circles Eo, lustfully examining every (viewable) square inch of Eo and her armor with analytical yet visibly excited eyes.

Tails wagging as though they were designed to generate a devastating twister, she pauses when she is behind Eo, animalisticly sniffs at her, and emits a sonorous purr as a titillating tingle racing down her spine causes her to breathlessly shudder.

She gradually returns to her position in front of Eo before truthfully answering her.

"How should I phrase this..."

Clarissa elegantly taps her chin for a moment while she ponders this question, unable to stop herself from desirously eyeing Eo ever the more.

"Were we not about to hunt, I would definitely attempt to seduce you. You look so very strong, and your suit does not conceal your beauty as much as most would. Best of all, it really brings out your eyes."

"You must excuse me if this sounds a little too forward, but I could practically get drunk off of your scent. You smell like you would be a fine mate. Like a very fine mate indeed."

[Gullara]

[Otherworldly Portal]

"Hey, they're ignoring us? Jerks!"
"That's a good thing, dummy. That means they never heard us."
"Yes they did. They even talked about us."
"No they d- Hey!"

Just then a pixie flies out of the trees and heads right for Cessie and Geneva. He'll little more than a sparkly, shining blue streak before she stops to hover in front of them. "Hey, did you come out of the sky hole?"

There's some more grumbling in one direction and giggles in another, but the other fey don't come out to play just yet.

[Lex-Kat]

Melody's Island - Barn

Well that's settled then. Melody looks between the two. Where is Reinholdt, anyway? she asks, looking a little confused. Estia's back, right? He... he survived, right?

"He survived. He dropped her off and flew away." Happy says.

Melody continues to look between the pair. Magtok was being way too silent. And Momma? Momma doesn't need her permision to date anyone. So, how long have you two been dating? she asks, deciding to forget Reinholdt, for the moment. He'd be back. He always came back.

[Shadowcaller]

[Otherworldly Portal]

Cessie felt bad trying to ignore the pixie but there was also the risk they would try to get involved and that would just cause chaos. On the other hand ignoring them might cause them to do something even worse to get their attention. The middle road was probably best in this case. "No, sorry. But we're a bit busy here so please excuse us. We can talk more later when we're done here." Cessie tells him before turning back to Geneva. "Could you scan me with that device and see if my energy readings are the same as on the other side or if they have changed since I passed over to the nexus?"

[Arkhosia]

Mine

Sophia's eyes narrow, obviously disgusted and angered by the actions of Seraphina.
That bitch deserves to die a death of unimaginable anguish for her actions, and if I can, I swear on the wings upon my back that your allies shall be avenged. Let's hope that our visitor is her
She speaks, standing um and placing her right hand, balled in a fist, upon her heart, her left behind her back.
She turns to her allies, flames of anger, restlessness, and most of all determination, lighting her blue eyes with an amazing intensity. .
Wraal, Wenomir, let's try to take our visitors by surprise. They're expecting undead, not warriors. We take them out as quickly, efficiently, and silently.
Wraal, think you can spare the man a pistol and give him a crash course in it's use?
She looks back at the goblin, the blaze unabated, as she draws the handles of her gear.
What should we know about her and the minions she presumably has to clear the caverns?
She asks, her tone coated in urgency, with an underlying sense of demand, with a heaping helping of no-nonsense. The don't-take-****-from-no-one-cuz-i'm-completing-this-job-so-tell-me! kind, in fact.

[Rebonack]

[Otherworldly Portal]

It's like trying to fend off caffeinated children who some insane god had decided to give magical powers.

Seriously.

Who thought fey were a good idea?

"I didn't, no. I flew here from the City," Geneva replies briefly. She then points rather deftly with the end of her tail toward Inside. "The really big one over there."

At Cessie's request Geneva begins fiddling with the scanner in her hands again. "Alright, I'll focus it down to a tight-beam scan and see what we find."

When the hippogriff points the machine at Cessie it begins making a soft warbling sound at her.

This sound is no doubt sufficiently science-y.

[Hyperbolic sine]

[Darkwater Mine]

Wraal is a bit startled by Sophia's anger as, though the 'infection' part reminded him a bit of genophagy, by a Krogan point of view that seemed like a totally acceptable strategy. That said, he won't certainly say no to a fight...turning to the goblin, he draws the pistol and gives it to him. "I hope you know how to shoot...aim and pull the trigger, the VI will manage the rest." He then gives him a second thermal clip, explaining how to reload. "Two clips are worth 24 shots...make each of them count and, given your size, mind the recoil". After that, he turns back to Sophia: "I'm all for the quick and efficently, but I'm not really the sneaky type. Never been outfitted with a tactical cloak, and I'm not exactly small. I will execute a good, old frontal assault, and you can use me as a distraction to approach them unnoticed."

[Shadowcaller]

[Darkwater Mine]

"Doubt they're here for the infected." The goblin tell Sophie. "You arriving at almost the same time, seem too coincidental for my taste." He then accept the gun, scoffing at Wraal. "Ain't my first time using a gun buddy. The crossbow is enchanted you know?" His hand is obviously shaking a bit though, even with the sandwich and the water he's quite obviously not in a very good condition.

It sounds like the vehicle is coming closer, making the ground shake ever so slightly.

[happyturtle]

Melody's Island - Barn

Melody's Island - Barn
Melody continues to look between the pair. Magtok was being way too silent. And Momma? Momma doesn't need her permision to date anyone. So, how long have you two been dating? she asks, deciding to forget Reinholdt, for the moment. He'd be back. He always came back.

"We... haven't started yet," Happy stammers. "I didn't think it would be right until we'd talked to you."

[Morty]

[Darkwater Mine]

"I'm not going to start chopping heads off until I know what's going on," Wenomir says. "And I'm not a stealthy sort either. You go and lay an ambush, we'll meet them head-on and see what they do."

[Arkhosia]

[Darkwater Mine]

Wraal is a bit startled by Sophia's anger as, though the 'infection' part reminded him a bit of genophagy, by a Krogan point of view that seemed like a totally acceptable strategy. That said, he won't certainly say no to a fight...turning to the goblin, he draws the pistol and gives it to him. "I hope you know how to shoot...aim and pull the trigger, the VI will manage the rest." He then gives him a second thermal clip, explaining how to reload. "Two clips are worth 24 shots...make each of them count and, given your size, mind the recoil". After that, he turns back to Sophia: "I'm all for the quick and efficently, but I'm not really the sneaky type. Never been outfitted with a tactical cloak, and I'm not exactly small. I will execute a good, old frontal assault, and you can use me as a distraction to approach them unnoticed."

Sophia's mainly pissed off cuz they infected people into things that killed people without will to do so. Basically it's brainwashing in her eyes. And she'd be more pissed off if she was in the AoTverse longer.
She nods. Sounds good.

[Darkwater Mine]

"Doubt they're here for the infected." The goblin tell Sophie. "You arriving at almost the same time, seem too coincidental for my taste." He then accept the gun, scoffing at Wraal. "Ain't my first time using a gun buddy. The crossbow is enchanted you know?" His hand is obviously shaking a bit though, even with the sandwich and the water he's quite obviously not in a very good condition.

It sounds like the vehicle is coming closer, making the ground shake ever so slightly.

[Darkwater Mine]

"I'm not going to start chopping heads off until I know what's going on," Wenomir says. "And I'm not a stealthy sort either. You go and lay an ambush, we'll meet them head-on and see what they do."

How about this: we stay put, take cover, and observe. The vehicle may have an insignia on it, and even if it doesn't, our new friend should be able to tell if it's Seraphina and her buddies, right?
If they are well-equipped, I fear they'll tear you apart if you do a frontal assault if they truly are the enemy.
She replies, taking cover behind a convenient rock or wall.

- - - Updated - - -

[Displaced Spirits Incident, Is it really still Stage 2?!]



Midori and Sanji have managed to worm their way out of the first salvo produced by Hiizumi's Spell Card, nut another barrage is hot on their heels. Sensing that they're still in danger, Sasha darts ahead of Sophia and tries to attack up close, spraying bullets in a disorganized conic area. Those that miss or graze Hiizumi strike the dead trees behind her and split them open, littering the floor of the glade with even more dust and soot. The air of the battleground is now so thick with ash that any optical senses are just about useless...though that doesn't bother the lesser yokai in the slightest. This is her element, and with so much of it all around her, she'll have a clear advantage going forward...

In the meanwhile, Chiaki has managed to get some distance away without being tailed. She glances back at the sounds of the magic battle behind her and chuckles smugly to herself before flying off to prepare for her resurrection...

Sophia darts towards Hizumi's last sighted spot, attempting to grab her and apply enough squeezing force to knock her unconscious but not kill, then run back to Sanji and Midori and drop her off, then pursue Chiaki as best she can.

[Otherworldly Portal]

Kitty giggles at Obriane's embarrassment. "Still though." She insists.

Meanwhile, the baby kitsune is reaching over her tube and splashing at the water between her and Obriane. Her giggle echos her mom's. "Looks like someone's having fun. Maybe we could go to shallower water so we can get her out of that tube." Kitty suggests. She doesn't want to try and hold a baby when her feet can't touch ground.

[Peaceful Spring]

There's some rustling in the foliage around the two and perhaps they'll catch a glimpse of movement. Whatever it is is either lurking or too shy to come out.

Prying eyes, peering through the bushes. Prying eyes, peeking from a tree.
Curious eyes, just out of sight. Who is it here that they see?

A beautiful voice chants in a sing song little tease.

"Oh shut up!"
"Who brought her along?"
"She ruins everything."

The first voice giggles playfully from the opposite side of the two visitors now. More protests follow from the trees.

[Gullara]

[Otherworldly Portal]

Cessie felt bad trying to ignore the pixie but there was also the risk they would try to get involved and that would just cause chaos. On the other hand ignoring them might cause them to do something even worse to get their attention. The middle road was probably best in this case. "No, sorry. But we're a bit busy here so please excuse us. We can talk more later when we're done here." Cessie tells him before turning back to Geneva. "Could you scan me with that device and see if my energy readings are the same as on the other side or if they have changed since I passed over to the nexus?"

[Otherworldly Portal]

It's like trying to fend off caffeinated children who some insane god had decided to give magical powers.

Seriously.

Who thought fey were a good idea?

"I didn't, no. I flew here from the City," Geneva replies briefly. She then points rather deftly with the end of her tail toward Inside. "The really big one over there."

At Cessie's request Geneva begins fiddling with the scanner in her hands again. "Alright, I'll focus it down to a tight-beam scan and see what we find."

When the hippogriff points the machine at Cessie it begins making a soft warbling sound at her.

This sound is no doubt sufficiently science-y.

[Otherworldly Portal]

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" The pixie cries indignantly. "If you never came from the sky hole, where'd you come from?"

The other two pixies fly out to join the first. One a bright orange and the other purple. "Of course they came outta the sky hole, dummy. Where else would they come from?"

"I'm not a dummy! Stop calling me a dummy!"

While the other two are bickering, the purple one flies closer to Cessie. "Ooh, you're hair is so dark. It's like a moonless night." She reaches out to try and touch it.

[Shadowcaller]

[Otherworldly Portal]

Geneva will with a close scan see that amidst the natural nexus background energy that surrounds them get a hint of the reading she got from the other side of the portal coming from Cessie. It's unchanged too which supports the theory she read about.

The sorceress puts up her hand to stop the pixie, she doesn't smack her away or anything, just stopping her hand. "Please, I'm not terribly comfortable with being touched." She pleads.

[Rebonack]

[Otherwordly Portal]

Interesting!

Though it's a fairly well known fact that the Nexus somehow allows widely disparate cosmologies to all function at the same time. If it didn't then a lot of folks would be in a lot of trouble. Or at least they would get converted into something that could function locally. Geneva is pretty sure she wouldn't feel comfortable getting turned into a human. Or a humanoid, anyway. Humanoids seem to be even more widely varied than pony tribes! It's a mystery to be sure.

Why does the Cosmos seem to like the human form so much?

Why are so few sapient races quadrupeds?

If nothing else dragons seem to be fairly consistent across worlds. That in and of itself is a mystery, too.

"I'm going to set up a sequestering chamber around the portal," Geneva says as she begins removing small silver orbs from her inventory spell and placing them in mid-air. As soon as she releases one lines etched into its surface begin glowing with soft, white light. "I should be able to exclude the Nexus' ambient background and get some more precise readings. Hopefully that'll get us a little closer to figuring out precisely how the anomaly works."

[Ionbound]

[Misplaced Spirits Incident]

Luckily for Hiizumi, the dust doesn't really affect her vision, seeing as she simply alters her memory to see. That said, she does struggle to dodge Sasha's blasts, possibly due to the part of her still trying to retake control deciding that it's her best be to be defeated here. But, unfortunately for Sophia, Chiaki is still very much driving the bus, and when she sees the shifter flying at her, she unleashes a very shotgun-esque blast of white magic at her. Time to see how good Sophia is at grazing.

((For the record, Imp, I'm taking the attack pattern from Cirno is EoSD. It's one of her non-card attacks, IIRC.))

[Gullara]

[Otherwordly Portal]

The blue pixie makes a rude gesture at the other and flies in Geneva's face. "What's a city?" He latches onto something the hippogryph said earlier.

"But it's so nice. And ooooh, look at the red in it when it catches the light!" She peaks around Cessie's hand. It's a wonder she resists the urge to touch her hair again.

[Rebonack]

[Otherworldly Portal]

At leas the pixie is latching onto Geneva's words instead of her face.

Having one's face glomped by a teeny fae usually isn't much fun.

Unless you're one of those weird people who likes getting face glomped.

Geneva recoils slightly due to the pixie's proximity. "Eerr... Well. A city is a place where lots and lots of people live really close together."

That's a good explanation, right?

Cities are typically defined by their population density.

Maybe there's an analogy she could...

Oh!

"Like ants! You know how ants all live with each other? A city is sort of like that, except with people. And not underground. Usually."