Log:An Astral Life Raft

2020/05/18 Titan Phantom 1

Phantom left a message on Titan's phone. "Hey, ah, Mr. Titan, I think I ran into Jillian again on the astral plane. Only it was really weird. We should talk! Text this number with a time and place and I'll meet up."

Titan texts back with a place to meet Downtown. A small cafe.

At the time and place, Phantom finds the cafe and walks in. He's in his psionic shielded form. Racer jacket, shirt, pants, all in monochromatic tones, save for the gauze around his right hand. It's white, but there is a bit of red on it along the palm.

Titan is already in the cafe when Phantom arrives, and he waves the younger hero over. "Hey there."

Phantom waves with his uninjured had and walks over. He's a bit excitable from the incident. "Hey, thanks for taking the time to meet with me. I'm sure you're super busy."

Titan smiles, "Busy enough. But I'm happy to make time." He notices Phantom's hand, "What happened?"

"Uhhh. I, ah, underestimated Jillian," Phantom says sheepishly and takes a seat.

Titan raises a brow, "She did that?"

"Well...a fragment of her did. One that was scared of people, I guess," Phantom says in embarrassment.

Titan nods and smiles. "Well...you do look...kind of scary to most people, I'd think."

Phantom looks taken aback. "Really? I...guess I hadn't thought so. But to an eight year old...okay, maybe that was why."

Titan nods again, "So, what happened, exactly?"

Phantom takes a breath. "So, the astral plane is...weird. It's a place of the mind, so it can shift or change randomly. I came across this part that was like a dirty alleyway in the middle of nothing. The world faded into this alleyway and faded out shortly past it. Like it's own little bubble world in the Astral," he tries to explain. "Er, you probably know more than me, since your girlfriend's experienced with it," he realizes.

He continues, "I sensed Jillian's fractured mind there, huddled in a bundle of rags between some dumpsters. Only she appeared to be eight or so years old. She looked wild and feral. I tried to talk calmly to her and help her. When I reached out to her, she slashed at me with some sort of plastic makeshift shiv and ran away, disappearing on me." He looks down at his bandaged hand. "I never ran into someone else on the astral. I didn't know getting hurt there could hurt me in the real world..."

Titan frowns at the description. "I hope...she can recover. I have no idea what I can do about that."

"Can you think of anything that would get through to her? I mean, you know her best, right?" Phantom asks hopefully.

Titan rubs his head. "I could, probably. Or Charm. She's...one of the fae from Undermoon. Not sure who else could."

Phantom nods slowly. "I have no idea who that is. But maybe there's something that would mean something to her? Something that could be said to snap her out of it?"

Titan blinks. "An item? Maybe her weapon that she used? It's like...a dart thingee."

Phantom gulps. "Another weapon? I mean, sure, okay. I've been practicing crafting...representations...in the astral. They're not very convincing looking, but maybe I could show it to her. And you." He tilts his head. "Do you have a picture of it? Or of her with it? Maybe seeing her current self will help. Or seeing you. I'm afraid I don't know of a way to bring other people to the astral plane with me."

Titan nods. "I think I have a picture of it." He pulls out his PDA, and has to search for a bit. "Here you go."

Phantom waits for Titan to lay eyes on it, able to see it thanks to his optical nerve communication with his brain. He makes a show of 'looking' at the screen anyway. Hmmm...okay. I can try and recreate that. I don't know if I'll be able to remember all its details, but this helps."

Titan nods. "I can send the picture to you, if it would help."

"Yeah, that'd be great. It'll give me more time to study it. But...is that really what'd get through to her? There's not some sort of thing to remind her of, or something special for you two?" Phantom asks. "She seems to still have an image of you in her thoughts. That may be more helpful and personal for her to latch onto then a weapon."

Titan rubs his chin, "You could make an image of me? I'm not sure. Let me think about it. I might be able to think of something if I take some time to think it over."

Phantom nods slowly. "Uh, okay. If you think of something, go ahead and text me. Think sentimental? She needs a life raft, man."

Phantom thinks. o O (Can't think of anything except a weapon? Geez. No wonder she's lost. I could think of a few things even for Blink.)

And that's saying something, since Phantom and Blink butt heads a lot.

Titan snaps his fingers, "This might do it." He pulls up another picture. It's of a bottle of wine.

Phantom looks at the bottle of wine, and then looks at Titan skeptically. "Seriously, bro?"

Titan smiles. "This was the bottle of wine from a place we had our first dinner. The restaurant was called 'Max's Heights'."

Titan shows a second picture of the front of the restaurant.

"Okay...that's a bit better." It's something, Phantom figures. He studies the bottle and it's significance, and the restaurant. "Yeah, that may help. That's the sort of thing I'm talking about."

Titan shurgs, "Otherwise...we could go with something of mine, I guess? A lock of my hair?"

Phantom smiles. "I can't carry that with me when astral projecting."

Phantom thinks a moment. "And I think a psionic projection of all of you will work better. I'll try that. Plus the pictures you showed me."