Mission Five: Conclusion

[voidtreckermods]

The Voidtreckers turn the tide, save the day. That isn't to say it is easy or straightforward, the battles are tough but together Red Team prevents the mega weapon getting through, orange team maintain shields, blue team fend off those trying to attack the command centre and purple fight the battle of their lives.

The system is safe and everyone who hasn't already evacuated back to the train using their SCA can gather on the space station again. There is a roar of noise as the Void Trecker Express appears in the hanger once more, noise and wind rushing through their hair it is no mystery why the army here reacted in shock at their initial arrival.

Hitrinto is there, as are many of those the void treckers have met in their week in this system. Here to thank them for their timely rescue and to wave them off.

The voidtreckers as well are reunited, the four teams back as one and it is time to re-board the Voidtrecker Express and move on to the next adventure!

Comments

[happyends]

The end of this mission was just awful. People got hurt. Someone actually died. People are disappearing left and right. People she knows and likes - without being able to know for sure whether they'll be back or not. Even Ignis. Especially Ignis. Her papa.

It made her half expect - fear - that Tony would also suddenly be gone by the time the teams would reunite. Thankfully he's still there, but when she sees him sitting there like that in his room, it makes her stomach tie up in knots in a different way entirely. He looks very much the way she is feeling right now, if not even worse.

For the tiniest moment she wonders if maybe she should leave him alone, if she might not just make it worse, but then Madoka quickly shakes her head. No matter how bad she feels herself, she should at least try. Nothing is worse than the thought of her dad feeling miserable all by himself.

So the girl slowly enters the room, making her way over to him until she's close enough to put her hand on top of his hand that's holding the bear.

"Dad.."

[runs_on_batteries]

He was so deeply lost in his thoughts, that he didn't know anyone was there till he felt something light on his hand. Even before he straightened and blinked the tears away, he knew who it was. Her voice helped, but Madoka had a presence to her too. He tried to smile for her, but it didn't work very well.

"Mady." He turned his hand over so he could hold her tiny hand. "How's my girl?"

[happyends]

She probably should have seen that question coming, yet at the same time she doesn't know how to answer it at all. Sure, she knows what the answer is, but Tony already looks like he's carrying the weight of the world all by himself right now. He has to be missing Ignis too, and more. How could she dare to add her own misery to that?

But she doesn't want to lie either. Especially not to her dad. So after pausing for a moment, she instead opts to avoid the question entirely by giving an indirect answer that's actually true: "I'm.. glad to see you."

Madoka sucks in a deep breath, trying her hardest to keep herself from crying or looking too sad. Maybe if she just focuses on him being here, on the warmth of his hand around hers. Maybe if she doesn't let her thoughts wander to all the ways things could get worse.

".. Um.. You know, dad, it's okay if you have to cry.." Don't think she didn't notice him blinking away those tears a moment ago! She squeezes his hand and tries her darnest to smile. "I know you can't do that with papa right now, but.. I'm here."

[runs_on_batteries]

Her answer is enough to get just the sliver of a smile out of him. "I'm glad to see you too, sweetheart." Even if everything else felt nothing but wrong, Madoka was a tiny beam of light. She also was a good reminder of everyone who needed him on this train. Although perhaps none more than the girl herself.

When she mentions tears, it's hard to hold them back. "Same with you too. I already know you're strong, so you don't have anything to prove to me." His voice cracked as he spoke and by the end, there were a tear or two falling. "What kind of heartless place is this that keeps taking people away? I'd thought I'd found a pattern that the less involved someone was the more likely they would be sent home. But Ignis? He was involved in everything. I know he was doing important things with your team. I don't understand it."

[happyends]

It's tough to see him cry, even just a little bit. But on the other hand, it is a good thing that he's not holding it all in either just because she's there. Maybe if they're both sad anyway, it's better to be sad together.

Even though Madoka thinks he's giving her far, far too much credit by saying that she's strong. If anything, Tony is the strong one here. He's always so amazing. She can only wish she could be the strong one in return for him now, but Madoka can't quite stop her eyes from getting watery when he says she has nothing to prove to him.

"I don't understand it either.." She slowly says when he finishes talking. What good would it do for Ignis to disappear mid-mission when he's such an important part of the blue team? It makes no sense.

Madoka moves to sit down next to her dad on the bed, letting go of his hand so she can instead hug him. Maybe it's the most comforting thing possible she can do for the both of them right now.

"But.." She softly starts, leaning her head against Tony. "You know there's no way papa would leave us like that. I'm sure he won't leave, and that he'll instead come back really soon.." She's not so sure. Madoka knows. The people who leave didn't always want to. But if she doesn't try to cling onto this last fragment of hope, she wouldn't know what to do. "And then we'll feel really silly for having worried so much."