2025-05-30 - Opening the Door: Scene 4

Eddie has some clear trepidation about him, showing nervous habits as he checks and rechecks gear. His Ship of Theseus'd Nikon D780 hangs around his neck, oft-battered and -broken but still functional, and he carries a desert camo rucksack strapped to his back, with a water bottle in one of the exterior pockets and a scattered of gear not-nearly-filling the interior. He's dressed in comfortable layers, starting with a light shell jacket in a simple flat gray.

Listening in to the short speech gives him something to focus on, to keep him from fidgeting more, and he nods slowly, a faint smile flickering across his face long enough to disrupt the furrow to his brow -- but only for a moment. "This is where we all stay out of the way of the security team and let them do their job of keeping everyone alive." One more check of his camera, sunglasses, water bottle, Leatherman, phone, and everything else he might possibly lose or forget, and he takes a deep breath, letting it out in a rush as if that might settle him.

Parker stands near the back of the packed portal room. He's wearing a red and brown checkered shirt tucked into comfortable blue jeans, and has a hiking pack on filled with gear for a day trip. In front of him, clutched in both hands, is a Tupperware container full of whole grain Alpha-Bits cereal.

Like many, he feels an exhilarating twinge at what's promised to happen here. It keeps him alert, and so his head is on a swivel, even as Cavendish speaks. "Alive is how I'd hope to come back," he mutters with a quick glance at Eddie. Given the paperwork they all signed, there's a chance someone in the room might not.

Potentially dangerous and unprecedented undertakings are somewhat Asher's specialty. They've found a space near the back, and as the list of those being thanked are read off, they're not surprised by how many names they recognize. But they ARE incredibly proud of their friends. In their usual off-duty uniform, Asher is wearing a Vitaly Chernobyl and the Meltdowns band tee under their favorite black linen blazer, their nicest pair of jeans, and their hand decorated chucks. Some day, they need to hit a thrift shop, but. For now, the uniform off official duty suffices.

Asher still isn't certain they made the right choice to volunteer. But. They know better than most the difference a skilled medic can make in a crisis. In addition to their usual grey canvas and leather messenger's bag, they've also got a purple backpack. They're packing - but it's only first aid supplies (and home-baked snacks). Unfortunately, despite having recognized so many of those names read off... They don't recognize anyone from the team they've been assigned. They can't help but feel like a friendly face in this kind of thing might make all the missing difference in the world. But. As TSwift puts it... You're on your own, kid.

Roman never turns down a chance at an adventure, and adding the word danger to it, just makes it all the more appealing. He has been an adrenaline junkie his whole life and he has finally found a constructive outlet for it. Well it this one instance at least. He stands with the others, bouncing on the balls of his feet with nervous excitement as he listens to the monolog from the big boss man.

For once Roman isn't dressed in his usual going to the beach wear, but something more fitting to the situation, a long sleeve tech shirt, with some surfing logo on the back, hiking pants, and hiking shoes. His pack is hugged to his chest at the moment and carries the essentials, drinks, snacks, and sunscreen, at the very least.

Having been one of those who aided the Brass House in its construction of the Portal Room, there was no way that Chase was not going to volunteer to be one of the first through. The weirdness of being able to commune, sort of, with the intelligence that shaped the building and the device overrides any sense of worry or fear. She's positive that if there had been maliciousness behind the construction, she would have felt it.

Wearing a pair of dark jeans, her steel-toed work boots, and a long-sleeved navy tee, she nods her head in recognition when Cavendish mentions her name. One hand keeps a firm grip on the strap of the heavy canvas bag running over one shoulder. What's inside the pack is anyone's guess, but the way it doesn't move very much hints that it's not completely light. Reaching up with her free hand, she tugs on her brown and purple-streaked ponytail.

Quite possibly the strangest thing that might occur to anyone that knows her is that there is only a single Chase present. Rather than the twin duo of Chase & Chase. This is because the magick of the park might not work on the other side of the portals, and the skilled mechanic is not about to make the same mistake twice. Once was more than enough. The memory is enough for her to turn her gaze toward Asher and give a little nod.

Brandon O'Donnell is here on a lark. No, really. The once and future popstar still struggles with the idea that he can do strange things like speak with his mind or heal himself like fucking Wolverine, man, but the park worked its magic on his life and he owes it that much, at least. Curiously, he's come with one very strange addition to his everyday hoodie and jeans-- a longsword in a scabbard belted around his waist. Either it's a concession to his role as Sir Tristan de Morgan in the park's arena show, or having the steel at his hip makes him comfortable.

Beyond that, sure, there's a backpack and a heavy-duty water bottle, a weathered Notre Dame monogrammed baseball cap, sunglasses and.... no kidding, Airpods.

Oh. He wears a semi-permanent look of bemused excitement, too.

The glass glows, and security steps through to check for safety. Asher's eyes continue roaming the crowd and groups, because if they're going to do this thing, they're hoping to know at least a few of the folks they're doing it with. Barring that... They're at least hoping to spot folks who look competent to the jobs at hand. Eddie seems built for trouble, but his weapon of choice looks like a camera. Still. Desert camo rucksack? Yeah. Asher's willing to be convinced that's someone with some talents for what might be needed. Parker reads so generically neutral that Asher has absolutely no opinion at all. But they agree entirely about alive being the best result as to how they come back... And that's why Asher is here in the first place. Roman looks like he's here for a good time, not a long time, but... Asher has been around enough blocks to know that looks might be deceiving. When Brandon strolls in... Asher swears they know that kid. Why does he look so familiar? They have no idea, but like. He just... Where have they seen him before? Why would they have seen someone who combos airpods and swords and not be able to place him? They don't know and it's making their brain itch trying to place why he looks so familiar.

It's not until those preternaturally mercurial silver eyes spot a familiar singularity rather than its more common duality that Asher's shoulders relax. Chase! Asher beelines straight across the room on a collision course. When Asher reaches Chase, a hand finds the woman's arm as they link their hand in through the crook of Chase's elbow and squeeze tight. It might be strange, but. Asher isn't surprised in the least. They're grateful af. And they lean in to murmur softly enough for only Chase to hear and to not interrupt the official business, "Don't you dare split up over there. My ribs don't have it in 'em again." Once was more than enough. "So if you need a buddy system, come find me, not yourself." Though, to be fair, Asher would have to let go of Chase before she could come to find them, and they seem to show absolutely no intention at all of doing that.

Nodding to himself in some rhythm only he can hear, Brandon absently runs a hand through his mess of golden hair as the machinery hums and whirs and moves into glowing life. It’s interesting, fascinating really, and for once he’s glad he didn’t choose to pop one of his girlfriend’s gummies before dropping in for the experience.

Being a stranger to most everyone here isn’t unusual to the fresh-faced young man. Outside of his fellow actors in the medieval tournament show and a passing familiarity with a handful of musical hobbyists among the park’s staff, he’s kept a tighter circle since TMZ started dogging his dating life a few months back. Eddie, Parker, Chase, Asher… maybe they’ll get to know one another like the crew of an ill-fated space mission movie shortly, and maybe they won’t. But at least one fellow traveler more than rings a bell.

“What’s up, Aquaman?”

A slyly grinning Brandon slips up behind Roman on the right and offers a forearm clasp to the big Hawaiian.

As things begin to happen to open the portal in which this group with be stepping through, Roman shuffles back with the rest, watching intently, the excited bouncing slowing as his attention focuses on the action. He pays close attention to how the device is being used, though if he actually remembers how it works later...debatable.

Being in a group of total strangers isn't unexpected, Roman is a social butterfly, but there are a lot of park employees. He is never going to know them all, no matter how hard he tries. Anyone that looks around at catches his eye gets an upward nod of acknowledgement.

Brandon though is a familiar face and he gets a beaming smile at the greeting "Dude!" Roman's Hawaiian drawl thick with the word. "It's good man." despite his enthusiasm at this journey, and seeing Brandon is on it, he keeps his voice to a respectable level. "How's it?" he eyes the weapon that Brandon wears "Well I know who to hide behind, at least." which would be a feat, being a good three inches taller.

Eddie notes at Parker's mutter, "And in one piece." His right hand crosses his body to rub at his left hip with a grimace. Drawing in another deep breath and letting it out slowly, he gives himself a 'nut-up-or-shut-up' nod and glances around, noting to his crew, "I'm Eddie, by the way. I'm here to document the occasion." That last is said with a wry smile as he hefts his camera for a moment.

And then he spots Brandon's sword and does a double-take, chuckling to himself and drawing back so that he can lift the camera and get a shot of the man with the sword at his hip. "So everyone gets behind the knight -- Sir Tristan right? -- if things go sideways," unintentionally echoing Roman. The glow of blue draws the camera's eye next, and Eddie takes several shots of the portal lighting up and swirling into stability, another of the security person stepping through. Something else catches his eye despite the wonder of the portal, and he looks over to Asher, "Is that a Snowcrash reference? That's fantastic."

Chase blinks when it seems like Asher just teleports to her location and has a hand on her arm. Glancing down at her friend, she grins and points at herself. "Just a single at the moment. I know we both do not want a repeat of the ferry incident." But as she is curious about the ability to use magick on wherever they're going, she resigns herself to sticking with her technopathy. "Consider you to be my buddy for the trip, okay?"

Her attention moves off Asher to the portal device, watching with rapt attention as it's activated. Having been a part of building it and the room housing it, Chase still finds herself gasping slightly in amazement when the crimson-rimmed niche flares into life. To her, it's a combination of wonder and curiosity.

After a few seconds of gawking, the mechanic turns to gaze across the faces of her group, nodding when Eddie suggests they line up behind the guy with the sword. Then when he asks Asher about the Snowcrash reference, she glances at her friend. "Was it?"

“All good, bro,” Brandon tells Roman, chuckling as the big surfer calls him out for the sword. With a breathless energy, he explains, “This one’s not a prop, believe it or not. I guess I read too many of my dad’s old D&D books to—“

Then he’s in the camera eye, arching his brows and reflexively giving the lens a winning smile before he remembers he’s irritated with the press right now. That handsome face turns into a tight-lipped, sardonic look almost immediately.

“I’m sure that wherever we’re going, Stage Combat 101 will really intimidate the locals,” Brandon dryly tells Eddie.

It’s a fair point, but is he serious? Is the Sivertones star just an actor, or is it possible he really knows how to handle himself? There’s no telling.

Thomas has been here the whole time, uncharacteristically quiet as his eyes fix on the device with naked curiosity, watching as the address is dialed in and the portal locks itself in. "Totally a stargate," he says under his breath. He's got on some hiking boots, tough jeans, a leather jacket, with - like many of the other members of the expedition - a small backpack. It's probably full of snacks.

He sidles a little closer to the portal, trying to keep a eye on the way it forms. He's probably not going to understand it, but he's going to stare at it as much as he possibly can. Just in case he can make sense of it. Somehow.

Ok. So the guy with the sword and airpods and unplaceable face knows the guy with shoulders wider than Asher is tall. They file that thought away. If Asher only knows Chase, they can at least start working on sorting out the ties and vibes of all the strangers. But when the guy with a camera and a bag that says it's not likely his only skillset calls out their tee? Asher grins. They've still got a hold of Chase's elbow like the poor woman is their emotional support death-wish, but. Eddie absolutely gets an upnod on that one. "Thanks. One of Stephenson's best." And the themes are somehow feeling precient to Asher. It was the only tee for the occasion. So when Chase also asks about their tee, they nod. "Vitaly Chernobyl and the Meltdowns was a band from the book. Hopefully we don't go all radioactive, but..." It's been a while since the read it. "Themes of modern small non-noticed events turning into history, linguistics, anthropology, archaeology, religion, computer science, politics, cryptography, memetics, and philosophy?" Well. Even if they don't all go radioactive. Asher always dresses to impress, usually if the references are often missed.

Their attention wanders, watching the display, and waiting for the security guinea pig hopefully return, but mostly? They're looking over those gathered, just in case. Chase might be Asher's emotional support death wish - if they can survive that once upon a time ferry fiasco, they can survive anything anchor, but... If folks are picking out meat shields? Brandon can only provide so much cover and a lot of broader folks are already staking their claims. That means the buddy comedy of Asher and Chase need a better bunker. They look around and their eyes land on Eddie again. Asher is willing to let camera man take a few hits, too, if someone's gotta. The medics never get to do the good math.

Going along with that bad math though is an offer only Chase really likely understands. "Alive. In one piece. Avoid what can be if it hits. But..." Well. Asher is here for a reason... They're hoping they're all still just in planning stages, but, just in case it's a roomful of Leroy Jenkins they offer, "Hey. I'm Asher." But, seeing as they're the smallest one in the room by far, they sound awfully damned confident when they suggest, "If at some point you're around something that hits you harder than you can stay on your feet to run, get a hand somewhere onto me, this side of glass or maybe someday others." Then they're glancing at Thomas and his mention of Stargate, muttering something under their breath along the lines of 'puddlejumpers'.

Roman eyes the not-a-prop sword, eyebrows lifted as he nods. "Okay, maybe not directly behind you." He does not want to be caught in the back swing of that thing. He may find being tall a p.i.t.a, but he doesn't want to lose inches that way.

The references and the list of ologies and other studies goes above his head. Roman has never claimed to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but at least he recognizes introductions when he hears them. "Roman. And I am totally down with all of us returning alive and not hurt."

"If I really thought I'd need it, I'd have worn the armor too," Brandon admits, a shrug of his broad shoulders communicating his indifference to the possibility of actual fighting. It all seems so unlikely. "This is just... weird, man," the singer says to Roman with a wobbly little smile. "Portals and dimension doors and multiverses... next thing you know, we'll be talking to super-heroes from the 30th Century."

"That, too." Parker gives Eddie a look and wanders over to the nearest flat surface, passing Thomas along the way. "I knew you'd mention a Stargate." This brings a smirk to his lips that wasn't there since he walked in.

As more of the group gather to introduce themselves (and maybe their weapons), he undoes the top of his Tupperware container and sets it down. "Can someone cover me?" He wonders this aloud, though at a moderate volume and with little explanation. Then, he clutches a handful of cereal and holds it aloft. His eyes fill with a glowing gold light; when it completely takes over his other coloration, he lets the cereal go and glances down to how the arrange themselves.

"Oh, you're funny," he mutters to himself before turning to address the group. "Excuse me, everyone." Here, his voice rises. "I've asked about dangers we might all be facing in there, and the Alpha-Bits have shown me a flower and a pillow. So, I suppose something could either put us to sleep in there, or smother us to death. Thought you'd like the heads up."

Eddie turns his back to the magic portal after a couple of shots, shifting off to the side naturally to take pictures of the rest of the team as they look it over and talk with each other. He gets two of Brandon, one with the first smile and another with the scowl. "You never know. If you're going to intimidate someone, I'm pretty certain that it helps to have a sharp piece of steel -- it's also hard to misinterpret, unlike a firearm."

He nods at Asher's description of Snowcrash, clearly agreeing. Watching Parker's reading of the Alpha-Bits signs, Eddie tilts his head to one side, and then chuckles, "Allergies, maybe." That's dryly amused. More seriously, he suggests, "Or some completely alien plant life that our bodies can't handle." He gives a little bounce, shifting the items in his backpack as he takes mental note of what he has in there. "No way to get full NBC gear. Dust masks next time." But there's the security guy back, and Eddie tries to capture a picture of the man stepping out of the portal. He misses it, just slightly, grimacing to himself, and then stays off to the side a little to take pictures of the rest of the team going through so that he can make the trip last.

Oh, so introductions before they step into the Great Unknown. Makes perfect sense. In case of an emergency, it always helps if you know the name of the person you're telling to "run faster". The arm not currently being held onto by Asher rises in a half wave. "Chase. I'm not sure how much benefit my magick will be over there. If it even works."

Breathable atmosphere doesn't mean non-pathogenic, and Chase already watches too many horror flicks to try to ponder all the ways this could go bad.

Glancing down at Asher, she grins. "Okay. Here we go," she says softly as she pats the hand on her elbow and begins to walk them toward the glowing portal. Then in a louder voice. "I guess this is a new 'one small step for man' and all that good stuff." Despite the way her heart is slamming against her chest, there is a pleasant smile on Chase's face. She's finally going to see what her machinations have helped wrought.

When Eddie's camera swings their way, Chase gives the lens a grin with her tongue poking out, a wink, and a two-fingered V-salute near her open eye. If she's going to depart this world for another, with the chance that she might not come back, then she's going out as a complete weeb.

When generically non-descript asks for cover and then dumps out a bowl of dry cereal, Asher's brow lifts over their silvery mercurial gaze. Then he mentions flowers, pillows, and well. Weird. Asher looks to Chase and asks hopefully, "What are the odds that homeboy here just promised us some really great gummies and a great nap after?" They clearly don't doubt Parker and what he's done. Asher has some of the weird kinds of magic themself. But they're really hoping for a pillow-soft future spritzed with lavender rather than some deadly nightshade and suffocations. Maybe they're all off to Oz and the universe is just warning them about the poppies.

When the security person returns, though, Asher falls silent, simply listening and filing things away. They're going through. They're actually going through. Asher is glad they packed that careful backpack alongside their regular bag. They hope more than anything that they won't actually need it. When they're invited to step through one at a time, they head over with Chase to line up, but Asher themself is angling for a space further towards the back. Clearly, they would rather bring up the rear than lead the way. But before anyone else steps through, they repeat that earlier piece of advice, "Something hurts you more than you can handle, get a hand on me and I'll get you through it." There's one last squeeze to Chase's arm before Asher lets her go, silvery eyes looking their friend over with a simple murmur of, "Buddy System." They hear the clicking of the camera, but any shots of Asher are merely accidentally candid. Their mind is on the other side of that glass already.

As the security guy gives his assessment and shortly after that, things start to happen, Brandon gives Roman a grin-- it's a genuine look of boyish excitement, neither the practiced look he initially popped off for Eddie's camera nor the irritated grimace it shifted to soon after-- and glances back at the others falling in line behind him and the big Hawaiian. Chase and Asher get a simple nod of greeting; he doesn't know them, but might when this is all said and done.

The Alpha-Bits? Yeah, that gets a look too. Head tilted, squinting at whatever Parker's doing, when the guy turns around to give his input, Brandon answers with a mild, good-natured, "If it helps, I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. But--"

Now he sighs, loosens his sword in the scabbard on his left hip, and tightens the straps of his backpack as he adds, "Right, then. Let's do this thing." Then, crossing himself-- you can take the boy out of prep school, but you can't take the prep school out of the man-- not with gritted teeth but an almost palpably thrilled smile....

Brandon steps through the glowing luminescence of the portal.

"As long as we are just talking to them and not having to go against them, or fight alongside them." Roman isn't much of a fighter as far as vibes goes. He can in a brawling sort of way, he just doesn't want to. "Good call on the no armor, that would just slow you down if we have to make a run for it." fingers crossed that doesn't happen.

Alpha-Bits augury is a new one and has Roman brow lifting as Parker drops a handful of the cereal to read the portents. "Let's hope that means friendly pillow fight." and not any other the other things said or thought. "Thanks man." he offers despite how unhelpful it is.

And then the security guard is returning in one piece and without any emotional or mental trauma, at least not from whatever is on the other side of the magic door, and Roman falls into line with the others, throwing up a shaka sign as Eddie takes pics of everyone as they go through the portal. His pack is shouldered before he nods to Asher and her offer of what he assumes is medical assistance. "We got this brah." he tells Brandon, giving his own excited grin to the guy as he steps through the portal.

Parker nods to the various responses to his…warning? It should be something close to that. Allergies, naps, gummies, Coco Puffs, a word of gratitude. “Of course.” He titles his head in Roman’s direction, then turns to scoop his cereal up and pack it into his bag.

The gets shouldered again, adjusted and hoisted to a comfortable position before he turns around again to take a few steps closer to the group. “Parker here.” He tosses his name in with the others and settles his gaze on the portal and the security officer who returns with good news. He won’t be the first one through the portal, but he’ll shuffle his way there and, when it comes his turn, step through without hesitation.

"Well it totally is," Thomas tells Parker with a firm nod as to whether or not it's a Stargate. When the man tips his cereal out on the floor, Thomas blinks and just.. stares at whatever it is he's doing. "...Right," he realises when it's explained to him. "So no stopping to smell the alien flowers, got it," he hums. "Oh maybe it's like the poppy field in the Wizard of Oz." There's a considering frown at that before he just shrugs and looks to the portal as people start going through it.

"Welp, here goes nothing!" he says, tightening the straps of his backpack one last time, patting Parker on the shoulder, dipping his head to Estella, and then stepping through, boldly going where some other people just went a few seconds before.

Asher watches as those who are gathered start to step through. Brandon disappears, and Roman is right behind. If they were placing bets, Chase will be following right on those heels. They know that Eddie claimed last, and figure there's not much worth arguing with him about it. So that leaves Parker and Thomas to figure out the rest of it all, each also shuffling through in turn. Asher grins as Parker is gathering back up his cereal, though. "Best use of a snack out of context I've seen in a while." And as people are lining up and moving through, Asher moves to chat with Eddie while they're waiting. They take in the camera, and the rucksack. Then they glance down for the best on the job trick they've learned and they check out his footwear. Finally, they ask simply, "You calling last for the images, or are you running flank?"

Asher is mostly sure that if this was a dangerous step-through, it would have come with a lot more prep and planning. They're expecting low, if any, dangers. But they've also learned to always expect the unexpected, both with emergency medicine and magic. And knowing the prices that come with their intersections of both? They're hoping he's running flank, someone else with a taller vantage to help keep an eye on the understandably excited and eager folks already rushing through. Just in case.

Annnnnnd she's through.

Chase blinks as the familiar sensation of magick washes over her and she steps into a scene one will never find in a National Geographic. Her mouth goes slightly slack as she looks around at the strangely colored flora and the even stranger looking fauna. While she's not a hundred percent sure what she expected to find on the other side of the portal, the sight that greets her is definitely not it.

Glancing back over her shoulder at the shimmering doorway still standing open to take them home, she nods in response to the warning about time and safety from the security guy. Turning her attention back to the alien world, she points at the top of the transparent dome visible above the trees. "I bet anything that is not a natural formation."

Then Chase marches to the nearest tree that looks like it might be tall enough to see over the others and stops at the trunk, peering up at the branches as if she's judging whether or not they will support her weight enough to get a bird's eye view of the dome. With an apologetic look in Asher's direction, the mechanic seems to shimmer and vibrate for a second. A soft, slightly audible pop is followed by there now being two Chases standing there.

Chase 2 gives Chase 1 a little boost to the lowest limb. From there, she ascends carefully, heading toward the uppermost branches of the tree.

Eddie is wearing hiking boots, not combat boots, but they're battered enough for a couple of warzones. "Just for pictures." But he seems to understand what Asher is really asking, and he admits, "I never served. I was an embedded correspondent." A pause, and then he adds, "But I think the portal will cover our tail, at least unless we have to move." He watches the last of the group filter through the magical gateway, and then he's left staring at it. His eyes close for a moment, and then he gives a little nod to himself. The tightness sloughs away from the corners of his eyes, his shoulders loosen, and he steps through the portal smoothly and without any further hesitation.

Even though he's the last one though, Eddie steps aside from the portal, clearing it in case they need to go back through again quickly. His camera comes up to his face almost immediately, but he pauses with the viewfinder just beneath his eyeline for a moment as he takes in the very un-earthly views around them. "Are we just going to pretend that this while thing isn't weird?" There's a dullness to his voice, his attention diffuse and keyed up for danger. "The Alpha-Bits suggest we be careful around the flowers."

And then Eddie starts taking pictures -- copious pictures. Of the two Chases helping each other into the tree, of the rest of the group exploring, of the different-colored portal on this side, of the flora and the fauna, and of the dome beyond. He zooms in as close as he can on the dome, trying to see if it's physical or ephemeral, but quickly moves on, documenting for now rather than trying to make those determinations in place. That can wait until he's pouring over the pictures. "Good to know magic works here."

Following the security agent through the portal, Brandon isn’t quite certain how to respond when he lands what just might be the first step of an adidas Samba into another dimension. About all he can do is take a second, then a third and so on, his footfalls carrying him a good fifteen feet from the psychedelic swirl of the portal before pausing.

Drawing in a deep breath of the alien atmosphere, the singer and sometime knight stands up straight and looks around, bright eyes scanning the horizon. His gaze can’t help but fall on the far-off dome.

“Welcome to the Upside Down, am I right?”

He can’t resist a quip, of course. Regardless of how it lands, he takes a few more steps in the vague direction of the dome, calling back to Roman, “I feel like I need to go check out the Hive. What do you think?”

Having been here the whole time (seriously), Leon is steps up to stand beside Eddie before he steps into the portal. Her fingers slide down his arm, chasing his wrist to his knuckles where she can tighten her grip around his own, tugging them loosely off his camera. She smiles aside to him and then steps through herself once he's stepped through.

She takes a breath, waiting for something terrible to happen, only for her head to turn slowly to take in this new ecosystem. The sound of running water is the most familiar of what her senses pick up, and she turns her head toward the sound. Then she takes a breath, and tightens the lightweight jacket around her frame. "I don't know... this is more like that one show my parents really liked... Stargate? A lot more like that then the Upside Down."

The wash of magic that pulses through him gives Roman a temporary case of the shivers. It’s not an unpleasant feeling, just weird. He is stepping carefully, a feat that is counter to what his size would imply, his wide-eyed gaze roving the alien landscape as he let’s out a sound of amazement, au-wehhhh

Roman really isn’t paying much attention to what the others are doing as he moves around the glade they have stepped into, and he only picks up bits and pieces of the comments that are going around. “The what?” Someone hasn’t watched Stranger Things, but there are more important questions than those of the pop culture phenomenon and his gaze goes to the dome in the distance.

If Roman was a more sensible person he would disagree with Brandon and suggest that it is farther than what they have been told to go. He has never claimed to be a sensible person. Instead he grins brightly at Brandon “Right behind you, brah.” Or in front for a few paces at least since he begins to head in that direction.

Asher was not here for New Year's. They didn't experience the thrum then. They've been numbed for so long on the islands that they forgot what something feels like that deep down inside. Their jaw clenches and shifts as they adjust to the vibration that rocks to their bones and then breathe out a long, slow breath. They're so busy catching their composure that they miss catching that look from Chase until it's too late. The second Asher realizes what she's planning, there are already two of her. Asher's entire body tremors head to toe. They may be numb to a significant amount of pain and have been for a rather decent while, but, they weren't numb to what they took out of Chase the last time, and it's all Asher can do not to double over at the memory. But... Chase is fine. Chase. Is. Fine. Asher remembers how to breathe.

The technicolor world calls back to Oz, to sleeping poppies, and to Parker and his Alpha-bits. Those frogs... They're cute little things, but... Maybe it's just having had to explain so recently to Zack what they'd meant about him being the Ellie to Carl's Joel, but. Mushrooms on living creatures is a little more cordyceps adjacent than Asher wishes their imagination was going as it spins through the downfall of adrenaline along the edge of panic Chase just spiked through their system.

Eddie was their last conversation on the other side of this portal. And it seems he's stuck being their first on this side, too. "No." They're in total agreement. "This is weird as anything." But. Asher's hair doesn't stay the same color from movement to movement. Their eyes shimmer as if looking at more than just one layer. Weird is starting to get normal. "But so are we." And at least for Asher, "And I kinda want to know why, or how, or what can be done about it. So. I think it's time to try making friends with the weird, because ignoring it has clearly not done much to help." But when he snaps that picture of the two Chases and mentions he's glad it still works over here? Asher's weird eyes look haunted, and they nod with a simple, "Me too."

From there, they do a bit of wandering of their own, though it isn't far. Asher turns back towards the portal itself, and starts looking it over from this side, comparing it in their mind to the opposite side through which they've all just come. They hear Brandon mention exploring a hive, and the instructions to stay in lines of sight, and fifteen minutes. Surely they're not gonna... Asher takes another few looks over this side of the portal and then turns to watch Brandon and Roman, as if certain that where one goes, of course the other will follow, caught in a war between curiosity and responsibility. Of course... That's when their mercurial eyes are narrowing. Leon. She's a total GameChanger, here the whole time. Not the Stargate references again. "LeeLee." Asher offers over a grin. "Stop encouraging the puddlejumpers, k?"

"Alright," Brandon breathes approvingly as Roman not only catches up, but moves past him in the general direction of the far-off dome. Is the strange, apparently spherical structure-- if glimpses above the treeline can give any clue to what's below-- too far to reach in fifteen minutes? Almost assuredly. But who here can speak for the laws of time and physics?

"I don't know Stargate or whatever," the young man calls back to Leon with a shrug and a boyish grin, "but I sure hope it isn't Narnia. Just in case, though, I'm not eating any turkish delight. Or," he glances briefly at one of the weird, toad-like creatures eyeing him from down below in the underbrush, "mushrooms."

He makes a curdled-milk face. "Got that, little dude?" The question is directed to the creature itself.

Then Brandon's starting off a few steps behind Roman. Who here can speak for the laws of time and physics, indeed. Definitely not the guy with the sword.

Thomas steps to the side of the portal as he makes it out the other side, his eyes almost bugging out of his face as he takes in the look of the entire alien world. He's almost not paying attention to their security officer, but he can't help but agree with Eddie. "This is all weird how do we know what's the bad kind of weird. I guess at the first side of flying pyramids I'm bugging right out," he mutters to himself.

"Huh only fifteen minutes," he says, and he looks almost dejected at the idea of it, eyes catching the dome in the distance. Hey, if there's another group starting to walk that way he's going to jog to keep up with them.

The first thing Parker notices when he passes through the portal is the way the ground gives under his boots; the foliage has made it softer, and it's an odd sensation until the world itself comes more fully into view. Washed in the deep, pink-purple light, his eyes dart back and forth, head on a swivel. "Fifteen minutes of this is...enough." He can already feel his heartbeat rise from the thrill.

His pack drops from one shoulders as he swings it in front of him. Rummaging around, he pulls out a square of white and blue cloth, maybe a bandana but more likely a pocket square. "I hear water," he says, as if that might be of interest to someone here, though he's eyeing that distant dome, too, as he repositions his pack and holds that piece of cloth over his nose and mouth.

On their own, Asher would probably be happy just studying from a singular point close to the portal. But. They're not on their own. They shrug a shoulder out of their backpack and pull out a pack of medical face masks. Securing their own N95, the pass out extras to those still near the portal, then drop the rest back in their bag before shrugging the strap back on again. And then, grabbing gloves from the front pocket of their blazer to snap onto their hands, they're following after Brandon, Thomas, Roman, and whomever else is going for a wander. Chase is Chasing herself, camera guy has Leon, so Asher tags along after the rest of them, making sure that if anyone steps on frog spikes or licks a mushroom... Well. They might not be able to help with that. But at least someone will know what happened and be able to try.

Eddie gives up one hand to Leon, returning the squeeze of her fingers while he controls the camera one-handed for a moment. Now that he's in place, he seems steadier, as if the anticipation was worse than the actuality -- at least the actuality so far. "I would really like it not to be like the Upside Down." He glances over to Thomas, "Or to have flying pyramids." Taking a mask from Asher, he nods his thanks and lowers his camera on its strap long enough to pull the mask into place. Sure, it's a bit late considering that he's already been breathing any pollen in the air for a minute or two, but better late than never. Theoretically.

Gathering up his camera just under his chin, he looks around and listens, then takes another look at the orbs, "Looks like glass or crystal or plastic. Something clear. There's something inside too, something moving around." Nodding to Parker, he notes, "There's water back home. There isn't that," he nods toward the glass globes, "back home." Flashing a little smile to Leon, he adds, "Want to go see an alien structure, Leon?" He's happy enough to trail along toward the back of the group, even if it's getting stretched out.

Up near the front with Roman, now on point with the apparent blessing of security, Brandon O'Donnell moves along toward the spherical... structures? Though no beaten path guides them, still the terrain is relatively easy to navigate, so those trainers of his hit the soft ground with an easy step. He's in a bright mood, excited by the prospect of exploration and discovery. If he's anxious beyond the general heightened nerves of new experience, there's no outward sign of it.

Indeed, when he speaks, the singer's voice is filled with the faintest note of joy and laughter running beneath it all. "This could totally make one hell of a concept album," he says to Roman as they move forward, one foot in front of the other. "Like, I could see Muse or maybe classic Rush having a field day with this. Mushroom toads and giant floating snowglobes? Ruby's never gonna believe it."

Casual. Conversational. Not a care in the world. What could possibly go wrong?

As Brandon catches up with him Roman shortens his stride so he isn't out pacing him and the others that have started to follow behind them both. "Plus we have no idea what is in the water here." he glances over his shoulder where Eddie is at the back of the group that has formed to go check out the sphere. He has a lot of experience with water, both fresh and salt, who knows what kind of creatures live in the water here if mushroom growing toads is an example.

Roman isn't the musicphile that Brandon is, but he recognizes the names, "Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd maybe." he offers his own suggestions to old groups that would use the alien landscape to the best advantage. "Snow globes," he studies the things as they draw closer "I don't want to see the creature large enough to pick that up and shake it." or maybe he does.

"Got ya covered." he takes out his phone, and while he may not have signal, the camera should work fine, as long as the magic doesn't suck the battery power.

"What in the Stephen King ate my small town and we can't get out of this mist nonsense..." Asher is getting what glimpses they can, and listening to Eddie and others discuss potential contents of those domes.

With Brandon and Roman up aheads, Chase and Chase playing scout, and Eddie and LeeLee watching the flanks... The medic stays right around the middle of the pack. But at least it leaves them in decent proximety to anyone needing a laying on of hands. The mask they wear covers the majority of their expression, but the worry still shows in the furrow of their brow and faintly crinkled lines at the edges of their preternaturally shimmering silvery eyes. For all their fake band tees, though? Asher is a huge fan of music. They've almost always got a single airbud tucked into an ear and a playlist linked via phone. And when Brandon mentions a concept album. "Holy..." No wonder tall, blonde, and stabby looked familiar. They place it and put it together, just shaking their head as they do.

It's Roman they actually address, though. "I've got some water-tight pill cases in my backpack." Plus plenty more sets of gloves. "If you or someone else wants to get close enough," and then they glance at Mr. Frizzle, the security dude leading this field trip, "I'd imagine the MSD would love a few samples for their studies."

Tree Chase stops for a moment, then ascends to a near-dangerous height, staring in the direction of the raised sphere. Then the angle of her vision shifts downward for a second, mouth slightly agape, before she starts scrambling back down, shouting something to herself. Anyone within earshot might hear something that sounds like "Ant nails!" Ground Chase looks up at the version of her nearly breaking her neck to descend and nods.

Ground Chase starts to run toward the rest, sprinting actually, as she waves her hands wildly in the air over her head. "Stop! Stop!" Getting ahead of their group, she plants herself in their way and points over her shoulder in the direction of the sphere. "There are giant snails that way. Don't ask how big, because all I said was 'giant'."

As long as no one decides to just ignore the mechanic, or go around her, they will see Tree Chase come running up to stand next to herself. "There's a clearing in that direction with a bunch of giant, purple fuzzy snails with mushrooms growing out of their backs," she says as she points in the same direction as her other self. "Giant like the size of a fucking small school bus."

Loen has lingered back a bit, but not so far back to be behind Eddie. She cranes her neck to see over the heads or around shoulders until she blinks in shock at the sights unfolding around them. She looks around, shaking her head slightly. "Wow..." Her eyes slide over to Eddie at his question, and her lips quirk up a bit in a smile. "Yeah." Though there's some hesitation running undercurrent with her words. Then she takes a deep inhale, only to then smile. "Let's go." She starts forward, making sure to stay just a few strides ahead of Eddie so he can get all the photos he wants of the group entering the new world for the first time.

"We're not... worried that we might run into some natives who get a bit—" Her words halt suddenly at Chase's report. "Wait. Giant snails?" Her head cranes around, like she's hoping to spot one.

Parker trudges along and tilts his head in Eddie's direction. Maybe another day they'll see whether they have the same water on both sides of the portal, but it's hard to argue with the uniqueness of those distant orbs. They're...impressive, whatever they are. His biggest concern, though, is not breathing in any horrible pollen and becoming a sleeping beauty, so he keeps his bandana against his mouth.

The thing he didn't expect was for there to be bus-sized snails in the way. "Snails?" He, like Leon, extends his neck and looks around. Does he want to see one? He's unsure, but he definitely doesn't want to be caught of guard by any.

In the breathless silence that follows the warning from Chase, the first responses that emerge tend toward curiosity. Until the third one comes, from up near the front, that is.

"Oh, fun," Brandon deadpans. "Escargot with mushrooms. Does every native here have to be such a fun guy?"

It's a terrible pun and he knows it, but then he's sliding his sword from the scabbard at his hip with a hiss of steel on leather. There's a hint of a wild gleam in his eye, and a certain delight at whatever idea prompted the unsheathing of his weapon. "So. I vote we keep going. Maybe they're friendly. Are we really just gonna turn around because of... snails?"

It takes a few seconds before Roman realizes that Asher mentions the pill cases for water samples and that it just isn’t some random comment. “No yeah.” He tells them. “I will get you or whoever some water samples on the way out.” He is the least qualified person in this group, even Brandon has a sword and can swing it. He can at least get samples of the water, and has a higher chance of survival if something big and nasty decides to pull him under.

When Chase runs forward with the warning Roman just stares at her for a long moment, and then beyond her towards the globes. He opens and shuts his mouth, about to echo the same Snails? question as the others. Brandon’s pun has him groaning slightly, but still sounding a bit amused. “Snails supposedly have the most teeth of any living creature.” Where he learned this little factoid, who knows, but there it is. “But we aren’t plants.” If snails eat anything but plants, he doesn’t know about it. “Proceed with caution?” He is for continuing on and not letting S.O.U.S (Snails Of Unusual Size) stop them.

Giant. Snails. Nope. Asher didn't sign on for any kind of Artax BS on this side of the glass. Anyone but Chase, and Asher might be ready to bail at the concept of giant mollusks. "There is no amount of garlic or butter that's going to make this better." As they're trudging along, Asher is keeping watch on the vivid foliage, while also tracking wildlife. 'Shroom frogs. Giant 'shroom snails. They can't help it. Asher's hands lift to their face and they get a better seal of their N95 over their face. When Leon asks about what they were or weren't worried about, Asher's lips part to answer, but. Since they're wearing that mask and don't actually get words out about it.

But. For all they were concerned about Brandon before crossing the portal? Brandon's dry wit about the situation earns him a fair handful of bonus points. Asher is re-thinking their earlier positions. And Roman being willing to help get a few samples to take back? Asher's worried over their safety, but, Roman and Brandon are clearly growing on them. Just, hopefully not the way fungus grows. Really. None of them need to come back with spores they didn't have before they'd arrived.

Eddie keeps his camera up and taking pictures as he picks his way through the landscape toward the back of the group headed for the giant alien snowglobes, doing his best to document everything they come across without slowing the group down much. He takes a moment to reach out to Leon, squeezing her shoulder with his left hand and giving her a serious nod, pretty clearly intended to be encouragement. Eddie gets Leon's profile as she looks out over the unknown world, another one, and then realizes that he should probably get some of the others as they explore, and starts to take shots of them as well.

The process is halted at the call from Chase, and he lifts up his left hand in a fist at shoulder height, the military signal for 'halt,' and then adds a hushed, "Hold up." By then Tree Chase and Ground Chase have arrived to provide actual information, and Eddie blinks in surprise, "Giant. Fuzzy. Snails." A pause, and then he adds, "Wearing mushrooms." The words are a bit muffled behind his mask, as is the chuckle that Brandon's pun elicits. He nods his agreement at Brandon and Roman's suggestion, "Let's not get too close this time out. But yeah, might as well keep going." When the security guard chimes in with authority, he adds, "Keep that thing in your sheath, Brandon," there's a dry humor behind the words, "And keep all butter and garlic in your packs. Do not engage." There's a chuckle at the end, making it clear that this is not orders, but a way to add a little levity to a tense situation.

Heeding the security escort's words to remain in the underbrush isn't difficult, not for Brandon O'Donnell. The massive magenta mollusks with thickets of fungi on their backs clearly have a claim to the clearing, and he isn't going to challenge it-- but he isn't putting his sword away, either.

Not yet.

There's a comfort to the steel in his hand that Brandon has learned to appreciate. After nearly a year of training and fighting with it, it's as much a part of his readiness for action now as steady breathing, poised reflexes, or the heightened alertness with which his blue eyes don't just stare at the snails, but make a point to watch the space around them and before them. Glaciers rolled rubble ahead of them, plowing furrows through the land. Heaven knows what giant snails send scurrying for cover.

Eventually, though, he just can't help it. Aside to Roman and anyone else close enough to hear, Brandon stage-whispers in a foreboding, dramatic tone deliberately evocative of Sir Alec Guinness, "That's no snail... that's a space station."

Not engaging the snails is exactly what Parker had in mind. He's so glad everyone is in agreement. Well, maybe everyone; his gaze wanders uncertainly to Brandon's sword. In the end, he finds himself gravitating toward the man, just in case.

As the group moves through the cover indicated by the security guard, he crouches as needed and generally tries not to get in the way. It's a very different comportment from the workplace, but this is far from that. All the while, he keeps his handkerchief up, that is until...

"No shit." His hand falls away when he first sights one of the creature and his head rolls back as he takes in its impressive height. "That's...yeah. That's a big, fuzzy snail." If the park ever made plushie versions, they'd probably sell out fast.

It wasn't that Asher didn't believe Chase1 & Chase2 when they mentioned giant snails. They believed Chase entirely. They just hadn't quite grasped the scale of what giant meant, in terms of a snail. They also hadn't been expecting it to have fur... Since when do snails get fuzzy? Asher doesn't want to keep thinking in this much detail about what does and doesn't comprise a giant, fuzzy, fungus-symbiotic-growth thing, technicolor magic school bus sized snail. Water samples? Asher and Eddie might be sharing brain cells in terms of the order and degrees of varying bits of weird they're using to classify these snails. They're pretty sure just bringing back water samples is going to be quite the disappointment to whomever gets stuck in the lab analyzing anything that isn't one of these giant snails. Water samples Asher will collect. But these magnificent creatures aren't anything they're considering trying to figure out how to smuggle home.

But as to not engaging, Asher deadpans while casting a glance towards Parker, "Alphabits clearly said what they said - no pilllows or flowers. Obviously, ring bearers and flower children. If you like those snails, refuse to drop to a knee, engaging to the snails is deadly, no matter what sized mushroom rock they're packing." As long as no one proposes to or accepts a propsal to or from a snail, they'll all be unengaged and thus all will be fine. They look at Brandon through narrowed eyes, "Don't make me stuff you into a tauntaun." Has Asher even seen Star Wars, or are they just meme skimming and playing pretend on it? That's not a question likely to be answered any time soon.

Sticking to the cover of the Wonderlandian bushes and trees is easy enough, even if Roman has to shrink himself down a a few inches to clear the puffs growing on the trees. “You see this brah?” He asks in awe as he stops breifly at the sight of the snails “Will we be seeing a pipe smoking caterpillar next?” Who he is actually asking is unclear as there are several around him that qualify as a brah, though he could be using it in a gender neutral way.

“Wonder if the snails can go fast enough to have snail races? Jousting?” It’s just conjecture, Roman may be thinking these things, but with this many people around he isn’t going to do anything to put them in danger. So as he continues walking he keeps a safe distance, taking a few pics with his phone as he goes. If it was just him and a few of his closer friends…different story.

The threat from Asher has him laughing, “Don’t worry, Brandon won’t be going down on one knee to a snail. My sister would flail him.” And Roman to probably, he lightly nudges Brandon giving him a grin.

Ooh, that gets a reaction. When Roman mentions going down on one knee in the same thought as his sister, Brandon visibly shudders and—wonder of wonders—grimly sheathes his sword with a quiet rasp of metal on leather.

“You’re right,” he says to Roman, and Asher by extension, with a sudden sobriety that seems completely out of line with his adventure-seeking behavior up to this moment. “That’s one very good reason not to go playing chicken with the natives,” he admits.

There’s another long moment of staring, then, taking in the sight of these weird, huge creepy-crawlers through the… er… trees… before Brandon quietly slips his iPhone from a pocket and lifts it in place of the sword. Taking a picture like any other tourist.

Thomas has been lagging behind the others, stopping to inspect little bits of foliage, staring up at the sky, getting distracted by domes. You know, the usual touristy things. He only remembers to catch up when he looks down from the tree he's been peering at and realises that people are starting to disappear from view.

He jogs to catch up with the others, only to come to a skidding halt, nearly unning into Eddie's back when he sees the fuzzy snails. "The fuck are those?" he wants to know, pointing at them. "...wait are they sentient? Is pointing at them declaring war?" he asks, quickly lowering his hand and clearing his throat. "Sorry," he calls to the snails. "Wait why would they speak English?" he mutters to himself.

Delighted by the sight of the snails, Leon rewards Eddie with a bright, almost luminous shot of her profile as she looks on at the new strange creatures. She takes a step forward, her smile filling out her cheeks as she looks up at them. She tilts her head as she looks at the mushrooms. "Think the mushrooms just like growing on them... what's it called? Symbiosis?" She takes a step closer, but there's still plenty of distance between her and the snails. She squints at them before she gestures across her forearm with the flat of her hand, and mushrooms start to sprout in a low carpet across her freckled, deep tawny canvas. She grins over at Eddie. "Think I'll fit in?"

The mushrooms recede as soon as they sprout, dissolving back into her skin thanks to her Changeling magic.

Having provided the warning, such as it is received puns and all. The Chases look at each other before falling in with the rest to get a closer look at the fuzzy gastropods. Seeing the things up close, though, causes both of them to gasp and stare simultaneously. "Let's not forget that just because all of the cutesy critters back on our side the door seem to be friendly, doesn't mean that the same holds true over here," one of them says. Is it a warning? Or Chase just musing out loud to herself? Considering she's not taking her eyes off the fungi-encrusted shells, the answer is anyone's guess.

She glances over at Leon and shrugs. "I know folks were getting samples of stuff around here, but I get the feeling that trying to get some of those might not go well."

At first, Brandon simply becomes aware of a commotion somewhere behind him, but on turning and scanning back, presently realizes it’s Parker hitting the ground.

“Well, shit.”

It’s a simple, grudging remark, made blunter by the incongruity with his pop-idol good looks and typically tousled hair. He’s not here for samples or anything other than a look around, though, so he follows his instincts—and doubles back to help, pausing by the fallen man and looking to the medic and security. “Need help?”

"I have no clue, but I'll find out." Alphabits goes down, and Asher's instantly on the way towards him even as the security guy is asking if he's all right. They take a fast look around, and then decide everyone else is on their feet, at least for now. Brandon offers to help, and they nod, "Actually, yeah. But half a second." Asher dips down, able to see from the rise and fall of Parker's chest that he's still breathing, and a quick check of their pre-gloved hands at the wrist let them know his pulse is steady, too. So they look back at Brandon and ask, "Can you and your friend haul him back through? I want to make sure no one goes down and stays that way. But if you call the clinic on the radio, let them know what he saw, and there are samples on the way. I'll be back with whoever makes it through last."

Chase Two glances over as Parker goes down like a sack of flour. After a half a second, she looks at the rest. "Did he just pass out? Or just faint?" When Brandon and Asher go to check on him, both of her follows.

"Yeah, I think our guide is right, we need to head back before..."

Of course, whatever C-2 was going to say pauses as the sound of another body hitting the ground comes from behind her. Spinning around, she looks down at C-1 lying there splayed out as unconscious as Parker.

"Well... fuck."

Parker takes a few steps back when he hears death-mollusk. He may have signed up willingly for this crazy expedition, but he's not going to take too many chances.

"Let's not find out," he tells Thomas through the handkerchief fabric that's making him feel very safe. Great idea, really. Smells good, too! "Wait, a minute." Parker removes the thing from in front of his face and sniffs it. That's not coming from his handkerchief.

A heady sensation comes on him quickly and with force. "Don't forget about the..." His words are garbled and soft, like he's just been given a numbing agent, right before he collapses into an unconscious, undignified heap.

Eddie is distracted enough by the enormous snails and Leon's Changeling display -- and the banter, as the Star Wars references get a little chuckle even though Brandon's still-drawn sword causes the amusement to fall away quickly enough -- that he doesn't notice Thomas rushing up close behind him until the other man asks his pointed question. Eddie startles then, looking back over his shoulder in a rush, "Where they heck did you come from?"

Taking another deep breath behind his mask to steady his sudden jangling nerves, Eddie chuckles at Leon's question, "I think you could be a real fun guy if you wanted to, Leon. But I'm not sure I'd like the commute." When Parker and then one of the Chases fall down in turn, Eddie looks up and out first, ducking down in a crouch as he scans the surrounding terrain like they might be under fire and he's looking for the source of it. "Medi -- " but Asher's already there, and Eddie swallows the last of the hoarse call -- they've got things under control. He looks between Parker and the downed Chase, and then gestures to Leon and starts over toward Chase Two, "Come on, Leon. Asher, if they're both okay, we can help with..." his words trail off under the subtly fuzzy feeling stealing over him, "Huh..." his steps toward Chase Two's side slow.

Nodding grimly to Asher's request, Brandon's about to acquiesce when another traveler falls unconscious-- this time, one of the doppelgangers.

Two versions of Chase. Giant snails. Dimension doors. Skies colored like something out of a multiversal comic-book crisis. His own odd, rarely-useful powers specific to the theme park. It's strange how quickly the mind accepts the impossible as real when given no other choice. Later, the erstwhile pop star will probably toss a few shots back, pick up his Gibson acoustic and try to write a song to cope with the maddening nature of the whole existential mindfuck this entire extended adventure has been...

But for now?

In the moment he just drops down to a knee, smoothly lifting the unconscious Parker over his shoulder in a textbook fireman's carry. Not because he's ever been a fireman. All those years wrestling, throwing other people around, it tends to pay off when you least expect it.

"I'll take this guy. You're gonna need Roman to lift that one," he tells Asher, nodding toward the fallen Chase as he turns in the direction of the portal home, fully intent on carrying the prognosticator back to more familiar terra firma.

Well that isn't quite the reaction that Roman expected from Brandon, the grim sheathing of the sword, but on second thought his sister's boyfriend isn't wrong. "Good call." he says after that second thought and then continues to slowly march forward and snap pics of the landscape with his phone. That is until people start dropping around him and a halt is called.

"What da kine!?" he exclaims as first Parker goes down, followed shortly by one of the Chases'. He looks around suspiciously, brow furrowed, nose slightly wrinkled. His first thought is some kind of attack from a native, but the security guard while on alert isn't acting like that is the case, though is suggesting returning. He's game for that in light of the changing situation, and his own light headedness, something he is has dealt with frequently in the past while free diving, so pushes through. "I got them." he nods at Brandon's suggestion that he would be the muscle in this case. "She good to move?" he asks Asher, since they are the medic here. Assuming Chase1 is good and needs to be moved he will pick Chase#1 up, using the same firemans carry that Brandon uses to get her out and will follow the rest back to the real world, their world.

Grabbing samples is not exactly Leon's calling, but she does dig out her phone to snap some pictures of the mushroom formations on the snail backs and a few other little snapshots of flora around them—for inspiration more than anything. Eddie's pun is rewarded a slight roll of her eyes as her smile lifts a bit higher into her cheeks; she turns to him to say something, only to instead blinks at the startled call from Roman and her head whips around toward where Parker has fallen. Her brown-hazel eyes widen a moment before she glances over toward Eddie and also between the two Chases. "Do you need any help?"

She's starting to step away from what had her attention and toward Parker, but not close enough to actually crowd.