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Strange electrical storms are not observable only from Earth; their effects can be felt on other worlds as well. While these are most common, and typically worse, on locations within the Milky Way galaxy, all worlds may find strange, purple, electrical storms in the great distance–or maybe close enough to their world that it seems to take up the whole sky. The storms may come and go and their presence is somewhat unpredictable, as if the initial storm sometimes results in residual anomalies. The lightning storms are mostly similar to those on Earth, however the clouds have an intense purple color and, if the storms are close enough, there is an extreme increase in static that can cause small shocks. Being in the vicinity of any of these storms may result in notable magical anomalies; characters may have difficulties teleporting to or from their worlds, may have warped, weakened, or unpredictably strong magic, may not be able to summon their weapon/summon/cosmic companion. Electronics or magical wards may malfunction, and personal items or permanent items may exhibit strange effects.
Guests will have similar issues if visiting an afflicted world. Mauvians may find that they are unable to keep to a single form and may randomly alternate between Humanoid, Mauvian, or even Senshi form. Characters may find it difficult to stay powered up. Vanguardian weapons and youma magic may randomly discharge. The storm affects all characters, regardless of faction. Civilians will often feel dizzy or lightheaded and may even pass out. The storms can cause exhaustion and some characters may pass out. It is possible to be struck by lightning if the storm is close enough; it will leave a brief winding mark that looks like a snake crawling over the damaged skin. The lightning can knock someone unconscious but it cannot kill or do permanent damage; all effects fade within a few hours.
Guests will have similar issues if visiting an afflicted world. Mauvians may find that they are unable to keep to a single form and may randomly alternate between Humanoid, Mauvian, or even Senshi form. Characters may find it difficult to stay powered up. Vanguardian weapons and youma magic may randomly discharge. The storm affects all characters, regardless of faction. Civilians will often feel dizzy or lightheaded and may even pass out. The storms can cause exhaustion and some characters may pass out. It is possible to be struck by lightning if the storm is close enough; it will leave a brief winding mark that looks like a snake crawling over the damaged skin. The lightning can knock someone unconscious but it cannot kill or do permanent damage; all effects fade within a few hours.
He had eyed the low ominous clouds the entire trek up to the entrance of his personal knight space. His wonder was typically wreathed in storm clouds but these seemed so much more dangerous. Much more concerning. So Tortuga trekked as fast as he could and didn’t slow down one bit until he entered one of the last standing buildings on the whole island. Even that didn’t fully shake the unease that lurked in him, at least not until he was below ground where he knew that whatever nonsense the weather decided to do he wouldn’t be impacted. Not in this particular spot. Not unless something significantly, horribly, irreversibly, bad happened. Hell, he wouldn’t even be there if he didn’t need to find the necklace he had lost.
The redhead had turned his apartment upside down, had even scoured his firehouse just in case it had been left there, the truck was pulled apart, and he had even asked friends and family that he visited if they had found anything but he was still missing the necklace his mother had left him before she died. One might ask why he had that piece of jewelry on him if it was so sentimental but that was exactly why. It reminded him of her. He had been wearing it more often as he wrestled with his mental demons and he liked to think it helped. So losing it really was heartbreaking and stressful. That's what brought him here. He couldn’t think of anywhere else to look, even though he knew that it couldn’t have been here on his wonder since all his civilian clothing, even jewelry, disappeared when he powered up. It shouldn’t be here. It couldn’t be. But he was running out of locations to look.
Running out of hope.
So he hiked up the island he took his name from and quickly made his way into the underground chamber where the code was located because the last time he was there some mystical BS happened and practically tore the room to shreds. Tortuga stepped into the chamber and winced at the mess. Papers everywhere. Books scattered here and there. Trinkets and bobbles tossed around. A veritable horror for a neat freak. He wasn’t one but even this mess made him regret his past decision to just leave everything higgelty-piggelty.
After rolling up his metaphorical sleeves he got to work sorting through the mess. The redhead only noticed the change in the weather when several large bolts of lightning lit up the entire space, practically covering the whole floor to ceiling window that practically erased the back wall to overlook the twisting sea below. Tortuga raised his head from his rapidly organized chaos, he was just tossing like items together into piles without actually paying all that much attention to what it was, to see spears and spikes of lightning boil through low, purplish clouds. The rumble of thunder echoing in the chamber. “Damn,” He muttered quietly. And here he thought he was use to the wild storms here on Jupiter
As he moved towards the window, and the couch in front of it, he passed the pedestal that the Code was perched on. He would have just walked past it but it was pulsing. It’s light flickering, fading and getting stronger, as if it was breathing or that its power was fluctuating. As if the storm was affecting it, like it was alternating between supercharging it and draining it. As he eyed it uncertainly it seemed like the Code was fluctuating a bit in size as the light flickered throughout the room, or maybe the mistiness of it was just more… misty. More spread out. “You okay?” He asked absently, not actually expecting an answer.
To his complete surprise the little ball of magic did actually respond. “Okay is, perhaps, not the word I would use to describe my condition. I am functioning but I do not feel connected to myself as a whole. This storm is distorting my ability to focus. It is taking a great deal of effort to remain as I am.”
“Oh… uh…” What did one say when a magical entity that you have never actually talked to responded to a rhetorical question? “So, um, what's going on with this storm?”
”I have no idea what this is. I feel like this is not the first time I have seen such a storm but I find efforts to identify it unsuccessful. It feels like a distant memory I can’t quite recall. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that this energy is affecting me so much. I was hoping you might know more about the storm. All I can say is that it’s unnatural. Something else is causing this.” The Code’s voice faded as it talked. It was so soft that Tortuga nearly missed it.
Concerned Tortuga asked if there was anything he could do to help. He wasn’t really expecting much that he could do but it was the least he could do since he was technically the protector of this place. Even if there didn’t seem like there was a lot to protect at this time.
After a moment or two where the Code was either contemplating its response, or more likely just gathering its energy, it answered. “To something like this? I don’t know. It seems a bit beyond the power of any one individual. I’d like to know what’s going on. This has been happening across Jupiter, you should see if any of the others have more information. I don’t even know if the other Knights of this world are aware of how bad these storms are getting. They’re striking with more frequency. Which shouldn’t be surprising, given that it’s Jupiter. But still. I worry that we’ll have to know what is causing this to know what to do to help. I suppose the best thing you can do is be safe. Try to clean things up here if you can. The storm might damage things, you’ll need to make sure the foundation is unshaken.”
“I’ll pass on the message. I don’t really know other Jupiter knights but I know a few people who can spread the message.” Tortuga knew he could at least let his family know and they would likely pass it on from there. As for cleaning things up on the island, that was a much harder ask. He would try but it wouldn’t be easy cleaning up the damage from the past, let alone anything this storm might have caused. Speaking of a mess that needed to be cleaned up, the redhead eyed the mess that was still all over the place. He hadn’t really put much of a dent into it before the storm distracted him. “I don’t suppose I left a necklace here, did I?” He didn’t expect much of an answer, if he got one at all. It was a long shot but it would save him hours of work if the code actually knew where his lost item was.
“Which one? You lose things all the time here.” It was quiet for a moment, and then amended, “No, not a necklace. Not recently. You should keep better track of your things, Tortuga.”
Rude! The squire squinted at the Code, absently noting how it was getting quieter and fading with each question. “I will have you know that I’ve never ‘lost’ anything here other than my time.” After a moment's pause he added, “and maybe my necklace.” He really hadn’t. Mostly because he avoided coming here as much as possible. It didn’t occur to him until much later that maybe the Code wasn’t referring to him, Tortuga, but the past him, the last Tortuga.
The Code lit up as if it were trying to retort the snark but no response came from it. There were just murmurs and a few whispers, but nothing he could clearly make out. The Code well and truly faded, returning to its normal appearance. No more light fluctuations or intangibility. No more reaction to the storm or the smart a** comment he made to get a rise out of it. It had fallen back into its dormant state, but Tortuga had a sneaky suspicion it would have volleyed the snark right back if it had been able ********,” Tortuga sighed. Looks like his little trip to look for his mother’s necklace was now a series of quests that he just knew was going to suck.
