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Maia had put the TV on for background noise, it was at least 7 am, good for a weekday but no so much for a weekend, none the less, Maia cracked some eggs into a bowl, mixed it and next some bread to soak up the egg up as she waited she got her frog themed tea kettle on the stove to warm for coffee.
As she enjoyed the early peaceful morning, it all was to change when she turned the stove off to pour herself coffee a frantic knock came from the door, startling Maia badly, by sheer luck she didn't drop any coffee or make a mess so that's good, as she quickly put the kettle down and ran the door, she opened to see Oliver
“What the-” Maia could barely say a sentence before Oliver grabbed her arm and dashed into the elevator, franticly trying to open the cabinet to the basement floor, where the machine lay in. “Oliver can you PLEASE tell me what's going on? Is there an emergency are you okay?” Maia tried to ask, a bit annoyed at being brought out so early to go to that machine, don't get her wrong, she loves going on those adventures but to not leave unprepared is inconvenient. But at the same time, it makes Maia curious on what is making Oliver this scared, he gets scared easily yes, but this is making him pale from fear.
As the elevator mechanisms work and it goes down, Oliver, still shaken up takes a deep breath before trying to explain “I- the- The machine might be broken...” Now Maia understood exactly and none at the same time, broken how? What caused it? What effects is it doing?
“WHAT?” She exclaimed “how did it break? Wait why were you down there?”
Oliver shrugged “I don't know! And uh, I was down there because I couldn't sleep and decided to just wander around”
Maia was going to ask more when the elevator opened to the basement floor, the door to the machine wide open, Maia tried to calm her nerves, being rational is really needed right now. As both her and Oliver walked in, they saw the big bulky machine's panel was static, something they both know isn't a good sign, but what's more concerning is what Oliver points out with a weary voice “The capsule wasn't working before, and they definitely shouldn't look like... That" and oh boy did the capsule they used the portals from look weird, it was crackling with mad energy, it was turned on.
Oliver looked around the room, neither of them wanted to step closer, least they want a recreation of the first time they discovered this old thing. Oliver turned to Maia, grabbing her shoulders “I have an idea, you need to trust me” Oliver almost dashes into the room but Maia now having way better reflexes then the first time this happened grabbed him and held him back
“Explain to me the idea first before you go! God knows where you'd end up and if I'd even be able to find you!” Maia says, scolding and honestly, she was slowly becoming less rational by the minute. Oliver has guilt on his face but shakes it off to a determined one and grabs the fire hose the basement has, Maia stares in confusion as Oliver ties it around himself
“there's an emergency switch on the backside of the main machine, remember when we found it during the clean up?” Oliver stated, Maia did remember, they'd been removing old papers and what not had been shoved into this room for years, they'd even found some maintenance papers for the apartments –that would have been VERY helpful that time the elevator got stuck due to power, though they wouldn't have found this machine otherwise- but weirdly enough not much on the machine, just basic instructions that were already on the big box of cosmic transport. Maia nodded and realized what Oliver wanted to do.
“I don’t think this hose is strong enough to hold you if you get sucked into... Whatever it is” Maia said, but, really it was their best shot “I’ll pull you back if anything goes wrong” she really wishes she wouldn't have to.
Oliver nodded “thank you” before making a full-on dash towards the machine, it was at the backside and the capsule was in the middle, if he slipped, he'd be sure to go in. None the less he tried and was succeeding until he reached the front of the console, as he did the pull started to take its toll and he tried to hold on, to any button or lever, its already messed up so surely it wouldn't make a difference.
Maia was wrong, it did make a difference, as she herself felt the pull even from where they thought was safe, as she turned to grab the door her back to the room, she only heard a yell before the pull was gone and she dropped to the floor. Maia immediately shot upwards ready to celebrate and see her best friend with a dumb smile on a face that silently says ‘how the hell did we live’
But she saw no one, not a soul in sight. The hose which held onto Oliver ripped violently in half.
Maia was always prideful when she was right, this time though, she really wishes she wasn't. This time it was devastation that came over her instead of pride, then grief.
It'd been a peaceful morning.