you'd be the one to understand me

SAMUEL

Do you remember what you said to me?
'Cause we lost track of time

As it always did, his life was beginning to fall into place after another upheaval, the pieces slowly slotting back and his heart finding a new calm. While the Grounds was absolutely not where Sam wanted to be, and while he would fear this period too coming to an abrupt end for quite a while, he was beginning to feel vaguely better about where he was and what he was doing.

One thing that still aggravated him, pricked at the back of his mind, was the lack of his upgrades; it was a reminder of where he stood now with the Voice after his attempt to betray, his once well equipped body feeling dangerously vulnerable and weak. Not just that: it was a constant sense of what he had done and the guilt he now felt (in addition to the shame, confusion...all of it).

There was only way to work his way back into the Voice's good graces and that was by working hard for her. He was still working at making good with his Ascended family members, Sam seeing them as often as he could and learning what it was they had to tell him, but he felt he could do more. He could try more.

Going to the Woodland shrine as day turned to dusk, he sat before the tree altar. "Hello, Mother. I was wondering...if I could continue the work I was doing for you before. With the portals. We have a new place people have been travelling to, so maybe we could use a new one."

--
Sam would like to hear about the PQ+ for making a portal in the Climb, please!

Yeah, we lost track of time
You always let me down so tenderly