middleofsomewhere | Under the Sea: Conclusion and aftermath

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Under the Sea: Conclusion and aftermath

Ritual

The jellyfish is no more and as red team take stock of their injuries, or collapse from exhaustion the lights zip around them, singing their song of joy. They gather around the light that had been inside the jellyfish and now that it has been released it is obvious this light is different. Stronger. They surround it and the song gets even louder as they begin to move towards the plinth.

In the caverns where the purple and orange team are there is a stillness. For those in orange team still in the cavern they can only hope that the instructions they gave out had been followed. Luckily for them they have been, Purple team have done a remarkable job of defeating the crabs and cleaning the temple. The priests gather around the shell on the alter, arms linked together in prayer as they seek to re-sanctify their temple. As their prayer begins they will invite the voidtreckers to join them, though no one is forced into taking part in the ritual. They suggest that they use their strange wrist jewellery to open communication with their friends in Bui.

The monster on the beach is defeated and though the fight is still raging against the crabs, a beacon has been built and lit. The islanders who are not fighting gather around it, linking arms, drawing any voidtreckers who don't object to joining them into the circle.

The song begins hesitantly, almost as if everyone has forgotten the words and only half remembers the tune. The SCA translates, the prayer is simple, a blessing on the land and its people, deliverance from the darkness and hope for the future.

The light from the jellyfish reaches the plinth and is set upon it. The song heightens and the light shoots upwards, blinding in its brilliance.

Through the dark storm clouds a light streams towards the island, most of it towards the beacon on the island though there is a break away light that goes towards the train, where some of orange team have set up a second beacon. It swirls around those on the train roof, singing a song of happiness and bounces back towards the island.

The light reaches the main beacon and hits it with a strength that lights up the whole sky. The light splits more solidly into two and speeds off over the ocean. Light pours into the underground caverns, not caring about the ocean and rock in the way, the light pools into the shells, the caverns glow warmly.

Outside the storm calms, clouds roll back, the sun shines. The sea stills. The wind stops. The sun is rising, a beautiful dawn. Any monsters left scuttle away, vanishing into the ocean, away from Bui.

Those with any powers that they couldn't reach before find them returned in a rush. Those who can sense life find this world teeming with it. A song that dances between every plant and creature.

Some of red may have evacuated to the train but those who stayed to see the ritual through, the world around them seems to melt away and they find themselves back next to the rock pools. Among their number there are some confused looking islanders who intrinsically draw closer to those who helped free the lights.

Orange and Purple

Down underwater there's noise and a babble of voices as the citizens of Bui wake up. There's a shimmering around the city now, like a shield though they can pass through easily. Parents scramble to locate their children and all check on loved ones and friends.

The familiar voice of train announcements is heard through Orange team's SCAs. Orange return to the VoidTrecker Express. Once everyone is on board it flies low over the ocean, skimming the waves.

In the underwater temple the priests finish sealing the ritual and then it is time to begin the return trek. There are no monsters this time and after a few hours, as they emerge onto the first of the sandbanks they will find the VoidTrecker Express is waiting for them.

Red and Blue

The monsters gone, those of the island gather everyone from the rock pools and for a few hours everyone sleeps.

At about noon the islanders begin to stir, begin putting things to rights. Wood is moved from the strategic points to more communal campfires on the beach. Any dead monsters that haven't been gathered for food have been washed out to sea, disappeared into the depths. They begin to prepare food and won't turn away any helpers. Though those who have been fighting are encouraged to rest.

The islanders bring blankets and start to gather. Everyone is exhausted but the children, in the way of children find the energy to play in the sea and the sand.

Beach Day

Early afternoon the train lands on the beach and everyone gets a holographic message to their SCA.

Mission successful. Well done Voidtreckers. Enjoy the rest of your day. You will find suitable clothing in the dressing room. A new recipe has been added to the kitchen information points.

The dressing room is indeed open once more, this time it holds swimsuits of every style, shorts, t shirts, wraps and beach skirts. Sun hats and sunglasses can also be found. It's a bit of a mush mash but they should be able to cobble together something other than their uniform wet suits.

Time to laze around on the beach or for those who still have energy swim or play. A few hours later a ripple across the water brings some of those from Bui and they swim or lounge on rocks to talk.

Food and stories

Food is cooked and shared, the islanders will happily try the voidtreckers' offerings and share their own. As the sun begins to set they gather around the fires. Stories and songs are shared and there's even some dancing for the brave.

Voidtreckers can choose whether to sleep in their own beds or spend one last night on the island before the train flies off into the sunrise and into the void.

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Allen glanced over for a brief moment. She hadn't said anything and he was honestly a little worried as to why. Maybe what he said had her thinking, maybe it was something else. But instead what he saw was enough to cause a moment of panic from the other.

"Ah! I'm sorry, please don't cry..." It was like whenever he made Lenalee cry and usually then there would be others around to point out that exact fact. But here it was different. They weren't here and it was someone else he had made upset with very little way of knowing how to actually not do that.

Why he kept making people sad was always a question that was passing by the young mans head. He had moved so he was sitting in front of her, on his knees to simply check that she really was okay, even though the look on his fact was that he worry and panic over what might happen next.

"Well true... It's not okay, but at the same time not much I can do about the past either. As I said I'm just going to keep walking... Sorry again for upsetting you, that really, really really had not been my intention."

"I'm not upset!"

Says the girl who is very clearly upset.. Look, no one ever said Alice was convincing when she says these kinds of things. Being in control of your emotions is an ability that Alice will most likely never even come close to having. But she hates admitting to the fact that she's upset. Even though she does trust Allen more than most people, Alice still fears being openly vulnerable so much. She just can't afford to be vulnerable, not when she's already been hurt so much.

But it's hard to hold back words she would usually hold in when she's this upset, and so they come barreling straight out of her mouth before she can even think twice about it.

"I'm just angry for your sake! You're such a kind person, Allen. I mean-- sure, you can be sense, and kind of an idiot, but you're so good." She means that as a compliment, I swear.. "I can't believe they made someone as good as you endure those terrible things. I can't believe your very own parents abandoned you to such a fate.. And I'm angry that I can't do a single thing about what has been done to you!"

Granted, she's not really angry as much as she's more upset - a combination of anger and sadness. But anger is easier to admit to. It's stronger.

At least there was a difference between her and Lenalee when it came to being upset. At least it didn't have a chance to turn into violence. He hoped. That just seemed to be a Lenalee thing.

But as he was about to open up his mouth again she had started. So he closed his back up. The words she was saying, he didn't understand. being angry for his sake, being angry at what he was done, and not being able to do anything... He... honestly didn't understand why people are like this. Much like he wouldn't understand people wanting to help him sometimes when all he wanted to do was protect the exact people who want to help.

He didn't understand her being angry for his sake at all, but at the same time... he did. The people he cares about always got angry at various things, usually his actions and his ability to want to hide and protect people that way rather than dealing with the issue. Deep down Allen understood why they would want to care for him. When he tends to bring nothing but problems.

Allen just looks at her quietly for a moment, a small hint of an emotion that wasn't a mask of happiness. Sadness was mixed within as his left hand soon went to rest on the back of her head before moving her in to hold her lightly.

"...Thank you for caring," he said as soon the other reason for holding her became obvious, he was trying to hide the tears that had been forming.

It happens so quickly. Alice doesn't even realise what he's doing until Allen is already holding her. She sputters in protest out of sheer instinct, but at the same time she doesn't do a thing to actually try and get out of the hold. It's just.. so strange. There have been so few people who have ever held her, let alone people who have done so in the past ten years, so it feels so strange.

But she can't push him away. Not when he just shared something like this with her. There's no way she can push him away when he's even been pushed away by his own parents of all people.

Not to mention.. he may be trying to hide it, but it's so hard to not notice those tears when he's this close to her. She can't see them from her current position, sure, but she can hear them in his voice, in his breath. Alice is rude, and she can definitely be cruel, but she's trying not to be. Especially in situations where it matters. Like right now.

"You dolt.." Something about the word sounds oddly affectionate, despite the scolding that comes right along with it. "I'm not doing anything special. I have absolutely no idea what your parents were thinking, but-- how could people not care about you? You may be an absolute idiot, but you're sweet and kind to the people around you. You try to help out everyone and smile."

She pauses, hesitates, but then slowly puts her hands on his shoulders. It's weirdly shakey, like she's unsure, but Alice pulls him slightly closer. "Who wouldn't care about a person like that? Don't thank people for something as simple as that."

Allen knew he probably shouldn't have done what he did. She might not want or even be that type of person, but Allen at least didn't want her to see the way he was. At least for the moment.

Allen should know and understand at this point that those he considers friends are going to react in such ways. To want to help him when he is in trouble. But it never dawned on the other until now and he really didn't know what to do next.

He moved to wipe his eyes briefly, finally able to let go at the same time so he could see her face to face and have it slowly dawn on him that he just did that in public. He will probably be embarrassed later, but for now, he was focused solely on the other.

"You're just being a friend right...It's what friends do...I should know that honestly but...I...always push them away instead... Because...Maybe..." he said pausing for a moment. What was he trying to say? That he pushed people away because he worried being around him wouldn't be a good thing? That odds are people get hurt around him or that he causes nothing but problems for others?

"I'm sorry... For making this a downer." He soon clapped his hands together, suddenly seeming like he had perked right up. "how about I get us something to eat."

Oh, don't worry, Allen. In a few days, once Alice is fully hit by the realisation that you hugged her without a shirt on, there will be the due ear tugging to make up for that terrible affront to social appropriateness.

Right now though? She's not focused on that. Especially with those words he's saying. Allen may seem relatively cheerful most of the time, but there's no doubt he's got to be carrying a lot of hurt under it, considering his kind of past. And it's not like she can scold anyone else for sweeping that under the rug since she tries to do the same, but still...

"Hmm-mm." She lets out a half-sceptic sound, returning slightly more to her usual style of deadpan. "Is that a subtle attempt to try and push me away right now?"

Alice says it lightly though, like she's mostly trying to joke about it. Just in her own way.

"It'll take a lot more than that to get me away from you, you know. You're under my watch now." That part she means. There's no way she can totally leave Allen alone, considering everything. She is so most definitely going to keep an eye out for him.

"Maybe." Allen's main thing to try and not have it focus too much on him. He never was the type to want it, but also for other reasons. Some of which was it just hurt sometimes.

But he found himself laughing slightly, albeit a little awkwardly. "Going to watch me like a hawk or something, though I guess here on the beach you might not be able to all the time." he spoke with a grin the whole time. Was he planning on being cheeky who knows? Only he did.

"Oh, I think you'll find yourself unpleasantly surprised what I'm capable of."

That sounds omnious, huh. At least - for once - it's meant to be omnious on purpose, rather than Alice just happening to sound like that, especially with her kind of resting grumpface.. Allen better watch his back and not do anything too stupid! She'll find out somehow!

She adjusts the parasol she's holding slightly to make sure she's still in its shade.

"Then let's grab some food together."

All the other could do was somewhat laugh. He was pretty sure she was at least going to attempt to keep an eye on him. But Allen also knew that he will probably still end up doing things the other might not like.

But at least for the time being he was happy enough to stand up. "I can always grab it if you don't want to move."

"Please, I don't look that delicate, do I?"

.. Granted, she actually does look pretty delicate. Despite the way she was absolutely ramming crabs out of the way back there when they were fighting. Without her weapon out, she looks very fragile - with her very pale skin and thin limbs. Almost like a doll.

"I can walk along with you. You just make sure no one tries to talk to me."

"It was more, I thought you looked comfortable there." But he was always happy to have someone to walk with after all so far when walking he had always been by himself.

"I can talk to you, that way no one would ever consider it. Would be rude otherwise."

Alice stares at him for a moment. When he says he thought she looked comfortable, the first thing that immediately crosses her mind is that she's actually pretty comfortable around him.

But actually saying that out loud? Nope, no way. Alice is much too ~~tsundere~~ closed off for that. So she sure keeps that thought to herself.

"Good. You be my social bodyguard." (As if you couldn't scare away people easily yourself, Alice!!)

"There's a social bodyguard now?" Allen said not in a serious tone as he smiled. It was at least one of those moments where Allen for once didn't put on his usual polite act and seemed to be a lot more comfortable.

But it was a moment or two as he looked around as if he was looking for something. It wasn't long before his golden friend Timcampty finally flew down and landed on his head.

"Timcampy I was wondering where you had gone."

She would have given him a snarky reply to that question for sure if it wasn't for the fact that she was interrupted by the sudden visitor. Or more accurately, she's interrupted by her own distraction caused by it. Because there's no way Alice couldn't immediately pay attention to something even as vaguely cute-looking as that. Look at its tiny legs! That's adorable!

Alice is trying really hard to not show her instinctive reaction of endearment, but she's only half succeeding at it. It's noticable in the way her gaze suddenly is aimed only at Allen's little friend rather than at Allen himself.

"Has he.." .. she? It? Alice isn't too sure. ".. been alright during the mission?"

"You mean Timcampy? Tim is a he." He moved his hands to fuss the little golem that was currently on his head, it's little wings raised up for a moment.

"He knows how to take care of himself and if something does happen he usually ends up fine." Considering Timcampy has been smashed to pieces and still is around really says something. There is only one thing that can permanently cause harm and thankfully that isn't around.

"So yes he's been fine."

"Timcampy.."

She repeats the name, still partially in trance at the appearance of the tiny golem. It's just.. it's so cute! How is she supposed to not get all distracted by it? Alice is way too weak to these kinds of things. How come she doesn't get a cute familiar like this, huh?

Alice kind of wants to reach out and pet it, but she's really trying to restrain herself here. She's got a cool image of herself to keep up!

"Has he always been with you?"

"No, he was my masters before me." But since he joined the Order minus his stint in Japan and the whole Ark fiasco the answer was no, they never really left each other alone for that long.

"But I've had him for a while, since I became an exorcist." At that sentence Timcampy was starting to flap thier wings and start going to fly around them as they were reaching close to thier destination of where the food was being prepared.

Being an exorcist sure sounds like a nice job to Alice when it gets you something this cute as a sidekick. (Clearly she has her priorities straight, okay.)

"He's rather.. cute, isn't he?" She's very careful to phrase it more like a question. As if she isn't totally and utterly convinced that this is one of the cutest things she's ever laid eyes on. Nope! Alice's heart is clearly as cold and hard as stone and not enamoured by cute things whatsoever!

Allen was trying his best to hold back a smile. It was cute that she was asking about him being rather cute. It was definitely a side of her he figured that she wouldn't want others to really see.

Timcampy himself decided that this was the time to land on the others shoulder for the time being. He trusted her because Allen did.

"He does tend to be, but not so much when he shows his teeth or grows to a huge size...which I had never knew he could do."

Oh god.. It's on her shoulder.

The cute golem buddy is on her shoulder. You know what, this makes being out in the sun and having to hear people loudly have fun totally worth it. It's saving this entire day. Alice is trying so hard to not immediately look content at it, but it's a losing battle - without even realising it herself, she definitely has a smile on her face when the realisation that the creature is making itself comfortable on her shoulder hits her.

"What? How could you say that? There's no way a few teeth would make him any less cute." Granted, Alice's idea of 'cute' is.. let's just say rather skewed.

"Yes, but the fact it hurts does." He wasn't saying out seriously, more in a playful manner towards his little golem friend who just shoes his teeth like a smile.

After a slightly laugh he remembered why they were there in the first place. Food.

"Ah, is there anything in particular you would like?"

She hums. "Anything would be fine?"

If Alice seems surprisingly agreeable all of a sudden, that's because she is. That's just the effect cute things have on her. Instantly soothing her angry and annoyed sides.

"Some of that fruit might be nice to try."

Allen nodded first going to grab her a few things including some of the fruit before returning to hand it over. There had been a reason he hadn't grabbed what he was eating yet and when he heads off and comes back. it's obvious why. he needed both hands to carry what he was going to eat.

"It all looks pretty good," he stated happily as he moved to place the first plate down and focusing on what as soon Timcampy was bothering him.

"Timcampy...fine." he said sighing with defeat before holding up a portion of food before the golem ate it and finally settled.

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Under the Sea: Conclusion and aftermath

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