Deep Dweller: Conclusion

[voidtreckermods]

Victory

Deep in the desert, with the combined might and light of those working for Red and Orange teams a monster shatters. Not just any monster but the large, silver giant, shards melting away as they hit the sand.

A blast of energy, ripples from it, passing through Voidtreckers harmlessly but shattering any monsters that managed to survive the final battle.

In the laboratory it is the same story, monsters shattering and crumbling both inside the facility and outside. In the tunnels too, monsters crumble before Terran, Gry and Voidtrecker's alike.

Deep down in the cavern the combined might of those working with Purple and Blue, the Terran and the Gry has already cleared the cavern, with not one monster getting through to lay a claw on the Dweller.

There is a pause, another and yet another. No more monsters pour through the walls. Any monsters that somehow survived the blasting of light from those fighting at both entrances crumble now. Everyone in the cavern will feel a deep sated peace fill them. The terror and fear those in the Gry caverns had been feeling fades into deep satisfaction.

There are no words, but there is definitely a sense of gratitude, a thank you of emotions. The Gry are more vocal in their thanks, antennae waving and reaching out to stroke at Voidtrecker and Terran hands alike. Soon the older Gry gather the younglings and they circle the Burrower, the Terran take their leave respectfully, ushering any Voidtreckers out, leaving the Gry to their god.

It's a long climb up, for any who don't simply use their SCA to return to the train.

Meanwhile...

Those in the Terran tunnels, helping to clear up and rebuild after the chaos of the week may hear something interesting on the news that is spoken about.

A number of Terran had been found in various places around the world, in the desert, unconscious and injured. Assumed to be victims of all that had happened they had been taken to various hospitals. Yet the first couple had woken up, claiming to be scientists from the surviving lab.

How they had gotten to the desert is unhelpfully sumerised as activated alien technology to escape their besieged facility but there is much rejoicing and relief from Terran, a renewed hope that those missing may be alive, somewhere in the world. Even if the question of how they got there is on everyone's lips.

Both the Terran and the Gry who remained in their caverns are in high spirits, thankful to those that helped.

Return of the Voidtrecker.

All teams return to the Voidtrecker Express. The holographic message comes with helpful pick up point dots on their maps.

The Voidtrecker swoops through the air, landing gracefully on a set of railway tracks and approaching an area just outside the research facility, close enough to both there and the battleground where red and orange had fought for both teams to board.

Once everyone is onboard it speeds towards the tunnels. It picks up first those in the Gry caverns, followed by those in the Terran city and finally stopping to collect anyone climbing from the tunnels leading to the Dwellers domain.

Once all Voidtreckers are accounted for it leaves the tunnels and flies off into the sky and back into the void.

Comments

[so_dark_a_road]

Victory:

At the end of the battle with the hug silvery monster, Curufin stands astonished at the efficacy of the combined attacks of the various light-spell casters -- including the lightening-wielders, Tidus, Light, and Reno -- along with the effects of Kaiba's floodlight, Rapunzel's glowing hair, and Eva Iden'no's pokemon with her fiery wings. Others were making it possible for the spell-casters to keep fighting, giving real support, Uta with his kagune, Venus/Minako with her energy blasts, Peter Parker with his webs, Fandaniel with his entangling plants, and 47 with his rifle. Of course, Curufin's vision spell was in there too, blasting the monster's eyes with a brilliant imaginary sun that may have been a neutron star. But the spells didn't worked instantly, and it took at least half an hour of fighting the big monster while fending off the smaller ones at the same time. He wasn't sure it would work at all.

But it did. The boss monster exploded into pieces and its death throes released an explosive wave of energy that destroyed all the smaller monsters as it hit them.

Curufin doesn't linger long. He takes off running to find out if the monsters in the lab are being affected by this phenomenon. "Let's go check out the lab!" he exclaims to whoever is nearby, especially those he has worked with in the lab.


After the Victory:

Curufin makes a quick journey down the nearest hill to look for a stream. He promised Spark the cat that he'd look for fish. If there is any way he can find some, he'll do it. You can find him walking along with a makeshift fishing pole on his shoulder. (Actually, there aren't any aboveground streams.)


Return of the Voidtrecker:

Curufin hears the summons from the train and looks at his SCA to determine the nearest pickup point. He and his Orange Teammates and Red Team friends gather at the railway station outside the lab, talking and celebrating.

"Did you ever think we'd win that one?" he asks, laughing.


On the train after pickup:

Curufin saunters down the passageways, pretending there isn't a bloodstain on the left side of his jacket where the boss monster swiped him during the last battle. He'll be visiting injured friends and teammates in the Medical Coach soon, but right now he is avoiding that place. He has an aversion to admitting to injuries; he's had that since childhood. Right now, he's going off to quietly take care of the injury himself in his cabin. Feel free to call him out for his stubbornness and drag him off to see the healers!

On the train after pickup

[iamnotgod]

Webmind himself is scratched and dinged in many a spot - he knows those will have to be fixed. But he is not exhausted, nor is he in danger of a trip to the Luggage car.

Not everyone is as fortunate, however, as is evident when he finally meets up with Curufin again and spots that bloodstain.

"Curufin, my friend," he says - deliberately pausing there, expression carefully neutral.

"Is there anything you need?" He does know how to, say, suture a wound, but he won't offer unless Curufin consents to receiving aid - and, in any case, it's not exactly sanitary enough for the procedure in most spots on the train.

return of the train

[blue_ice]

Kaiba looks fairly dead on his feet, but he manages to spare a smile for his friend leader. He adjusts his bag over his shoulder, wincing a little. Those hard floors had not been kind.

"What's the plan when you board? Shower and sleep for a week?"

Return of the Voidtrecker

[loveandduty]

Minako was back to her usual self, acting like she had no idea of what just happened. She just knew that the mission was done and everything was okay then.

"I honestly don't know...I was hiding... I'm sorry that I wasn't all that much help." She seemed to pout slightly at least.

On the train after Pickup

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel, looking more ethereal than usual, is coming the opposite way down the passageway, so there is no avoiding him.

"Curufin!" he says happily. Then again, when his sharp eyes spot the bloodstain, "Curufin!" He stops and turns so he is walking with Curufin, then. "Where are we going, so I can take a look at that?" he asked.

[ooc: Feel free to call him out on the fact that Curufin can probably see through him, around the edges, and his glow is coming from his soul, not his powers!]

[sos_pilot]

Victory

Della's not 100% clear on what exactly happened, but she doesn't seem to mind. The important thing is, they won and everyone's happy! That's all she needs. Happy as a clam, Della begins high-fiving everyone with both hands, laughing and shaking her fists.

"Way to go, everyone! We did it! Do we have time for a party?"

Train Departs

But when all is said and done, the moment Della is back on the train, she heads for the nearest chair and all but collapses into it. She's exhausted... but it's a good kind of exhausted. She smiles with a sigh.

"First mission, big success. Next mission... a nice long nap."

[laurefindil]

"You enjoy that nap," Glorfindel told her with a warm smile. He'd teleported back to the Train, rather than climbing back up. If she looks close, his glow is a bit different than usual and she might be able to see through him, at the edges.

"When you wake up, come see me for treats?"

[adregem]

"Heh. You look like you had a good week." Roland approaches Della with a lilt in his voice, happy to see her safe and sound.

"I mean, you got to see some monsters like you wanted, right? I'm sorry I didn't get to see you in action!"

Nita OTA

[unfavorableinstigation]

Victory!

Nita's barely able to stand in the wake of her latest spell (she's fine, she insists, though she'll let people hold on to her), and she does leave when the Gry wish to be alone with the Burrower.

But she does have questions, so when they're far enough away that conversation from the central cavern is muted, she puts a hand on that wall and says, eyes closed, Greetings and well met, elder cousin. If I may ask, what brought you here to this planet, these people?

It may not be the best time for questions, true, but she can tell it's the only time she'll get to ask them.

Return of the Voidtrecker

Nita opts to wait instead of just teleporting back to the train, trying to find where she's placed her balance and listening to the hubbub of those less tired around her. If anyone is.

When the train arrives, she gives it a stare. "You owe us a lot of explanation, you know that?" she says, though her energy's not nearly in it.

The Voidtrecker Express is saved from her snark for once!

the train

[blue_ice]

Kaiba is waiting for her when the train returns. He'd rushed to shower before the underground group returned to the train, so his hair is still damp and his uniform is slightly disheveled, but he's mentally checking off a list of friends allies as the underground group loads.

"Nita. Good to see you again. Final report?"

closed to tidus + gerome

[flatteries]

Thankfully the mission hadn't lasted much longer after Gerome got injured. Inigo doesn't think he's ever felt as glad for the announcement that they should return to the train as he has right now, after sitting here next to Gerome for a short while. And sure, he could hit the SCAs and send them back the easy way, but.. he's pretty sure that might just weird Gerome out, or make him sick enough to throw up or something. It's not exactly something you should experience for the first time when you're already in pain - and thankfully the train is stopping close enough, in the city itself, that it's not too far of a walk.

But even a short walk was enough to make Inigo realise he couldn't just let Gerome keep walking around like that. Walking off a small wound is one thing, but the other seems to be in enough pain that it's worrying, even though Inigo can't tell what's exactly wrong aside from that cut on his leg. So after making sure Gerome is lying down on his bed and quickly telling him that he's going to get some help and that he'll be right back (mostly quickly so Gerome has no chance to protest this idea), Inigo is already running off to find a healer.

And there's one at the top of his head, considering Tidus was whining talking about healing people halfway through the mission.. so Inigo heads for Tidus' room first, banging his fist on the closed door.

"Tidus? .. Tidus! I swear to Naga that this is actually about something serious, so open the door! Please?"

it says gerome and tidus, get out inigo

[blitzcheer]

Whatever makes the most sense to do after a mission is up to anyone else, but for Tidus, he headed over to his cabin after speaking to a few people, making sure Yuna was okay and when he couldn't think of what else to deal with. But then, it was that, not wanting to think about much else, and the grime and exhaustion of a week long mission clinging to skin and clothes that made him want to go and do nothing else. There'd be no point going for a shower when others would be heading there, and Tidus didn't care a great deal to fuss over getting in while someone was just getting out.

So Inigo is lucky in his Tidus finding abilities, lucky that his own low mood had him nowhere else but there. Opening the door and looking the same mess he'd been for most of the mission, though with a different shirt at least, a puzzle quizzing Inigo when Tidus finds him on the other side of the door.

"Inigo? What's up?"

What happened?

Closed to Prompto.

[callmegladio]

Once Gladio had gotten back to the train, he knew he really, really wanted a shower. But since those were all full and there was a line a mile wide for each of them, he ended up getting himself a bowl of water from the kitchen and carried it back to his cabin.

He peeled his flight suit off down to his waist and sat down to examine the injuries he'd sustained during the mission. The ones he could see anyway.

They looked worse than they were. Dried blood caked most of his arm and the bite itself had dried up as well. He sighed and, after having taken his towel out of his cubby, he dipped an end into the bowl of water and began to clean himself up.

Re: Closed to Prompto.

[bethereprompto]

Prompto had stopped to check on a couple friends on the way to his room. He didn't stay long, just a quick peek to make sure they were in one piece. Feeling relieved, he walked into his own room and stopped in his tracks seeing Gladio (for an entirely different reason than Gladio normally stopped him in his tracks half nude).

"Wha-" He stammered, completely horrified. "You said it wasn't that bad! You've been fighting all day with that?" He didn't normally question his friends, especially not Iggy or Gladio, but he couldn't help it right now.

He huffed and tossed his stuff in his bed above Gladio's (not that he ever slept there). Coming closer, he plucked the towel out of Gladio's hand. "Can you sit on the floor okay? Er- actually let me get you a pillow."

[tactlesstantei]

1. Post Mission, Part 1

[It’s not until after she was back on the train that it all hit Masumi that this was actually happening. Before, she’d been trying to hope that maybe she could go home soon, or had been too focused on the mission to really think about being caught up in all this, but now she was being smacked in the face with the realization that she was really stuck here, on a voidtrain traveling to other worlds, and unable to return home.

Needless to say, she wasn’t handling it well, and was making a beeline for the training car to take out her frustrations. Care to talk to her?]

2. Post Mission, Part 2

[Later on, during what was presumably night, Masumi found that she couldn’t sleep. Maybe it was because she’d ruined her entire sleep schedule to avoid getting attacked by monsters, maybe it was her lingering discomfort, but either way she got up and started heading up the train for...she wasn’t really sure where exactly she was going. She just knew that she didn’t want to stay in her cabin right now.]

Post Mission 2

[iamnotgod]

[Welcome to the ranks of the not-sleepers on the train, Masumi! When she happens upon the Quiet car, she'll find Webmind lingering there, not far from the repurposed booth that is Tony's workshop.

The robotic Voidtrecker doesn't appear all that shocked by her restlessness, however, and gives a cheerful little wave.]

Hello! You are one of those we received at the newest platform, correct?

[A smile-emoticon flashes on his screen.]

My name is Webmind. May I have yours?

2

[singlefaith]

Sera-chan? [Ran is in the kitchen herself when Sera wanders in, making a pot of tea, just at the point of removing the hot kettle from the burner. She herself looks as though she hasn't slept well, darkness lingering under her eyes, hair carelessly mussed as though she's turned over in her bunk too many times.]

[Voice dipping soft,] You couldn't sleep either?

[blue_ice]

first rush (red and orange)
Kaiba is pretty beat by the time the train arrives. It's been a long week and a long fight, and none of them have been able to sleep or relax. Which means everyone will want to do both of those things, which means...shower time.

He practically runs to his cabin as soon as he boards, grabs a spare set of clothes, and ducks into the nearest bathroom in an effort to beat the rush. Priorities.

safe and sound (everyone)
Blue and purple are boarding soon, including many of his friends, so he soon rushes back to the boarding doors in a fresh uniform, towel around his shoulders and hair still wet. He makes a conscious effort to straighten his posture when greeting the others afterward, nodding solemnly.

He's looking for a few close allies in particular...but he'll nod and wave at anyone he knows, trying for a casual disinterest. "Was it me, or was that more brutal than usual?"

Safe and Sound

[laurefindil]

"It was only my second mission, but it was quite non-stop," Glorfindel agreed from where he was sitting in the Standard Car. He'd been looking out the window, as he'd returned to the Train earlier than most, immediately after they'd won.

If Kaiba looks close, he might notice that Glorfindel is ever so slightly transparent, and more ethereal than usual.

For Tidus and then Gyousou

[longforgottenpromise]

Taiki arrived at the location of the dot on his map, those who had fought the final battle were beginning to arrive and he steeled himself against the smell of blood whilst looking out for those he knew.

He rushed over to Tidus the moment he saw him and flung his arms around him, despite the waves of dizziness.

Taiki is hot to the touch and probably not that comfortable to hug in the desert heat but prying him off might take a moment.

He is a lot brighter in spirits now he can feel the ouki again, getting closer as the train does.

[blitzcheer]

"Taiki-"

He doesn't get to call it, but it doesn't really matter; nor does the way his eyes start to widen with a surprise with the fervour that Taiki rushes over to him with, knocking Tidus back a bit in his embrace. A quiet "Taiki?" leaves his lips, a question, but pleasant too, Tidus's arms fixing around his back in response.

"Hey, it's good to see you too! No more mission. We can go back!"

It's only then, slowly, he starts to feel the strange heat emanating through Taiki's clothing.

[adropofsunlight]

It was over and done with and Rapunzel was left feeling a little lost. Finally, she had managed to do something, only to have it cut away at the last part. Now she has left with a brand new haircut and unsure once again as to what she could honestly bring to the train on missions except maybe the ability to wield a frying pan and be able to handle herself with it.

She quietly walked, not her usual cheery self after missions, and instead seemed to be quietly keeping to herself as she just kept walking.

[laurefindil]

[Question - is she walking before she gets to the Train or after?]

OTA

[laurefindil]

Victory, Deep Down in the Cavern

It took a moment, then another, then another, before Glorfindel was sure that they'd won. As the feeling of peace washed over them, he sent out his own thoughts of thanks to Iluvatar, relaxing at long last, bringing his glow down to a cheerful level.

After thanking Allen for the flight assist, Glorfindel checked on everyone he could, making sure no one was too badly hurt.

"If you are too tired to climb back up, you can just evac to the Train," he says. [Anyone who talks to him may notice that they can sort of see through him in places.]

Eventually, he takes his own advise. Not that he is too tired, but he feels too...well, light. He would like to check in with Nerdanel or Curufin, perhaps, get an elven opinion.


Return of the Voidtrecker

Back on the Train, Glorfindel cannot seem to stop glowing. It's not bright, hardly noticeable compared to what he'd been doing, but when he tries to stop, he cannot. It's different from the light he generates as part of his powers though. That light comes from the Sun within him. This is a gentler light, like you could see his soul shining through his flesh.

return

[marriedanidiot]

"My lord Glorfindel?"

Nerdanel has stayed by her husband's side the whole time, anchoring him against the shadows in his soul, so she's not had a chance to check on anyone other than her family until now.

"Are you well?" He's looking as pale as the eldest of the elves, those ancient ones who remember Cuvinien.

OTA

[adregem]

1 - The Aftermath / Purple
The feeling of relief was replaced with another burst of adrenaline as Roland and the rest of the team quickly took stock of the battle aftermath. While some of the Treckers opted to teleport out, Roland decided to take the long road, manually climbing out of the tunnel they had descended with whatever remained of the equipment. By the time he made it out with the rest of the Terrans back into the city, the jubilation was apparent. He smiled earnestly, looking around him and the camaraderie their efforts had inspired in both species. He basked in this mood for a moment or two, before approaching the Terran community leaders. Congratulations and gratitude were shared among them, and when all was said and done, Roland asked for just a little bit more of their time while the train collected its other passengers.

In particular, he jotted down the accounts of the missing Terrans on his journal, brows furrowed as he wrote rapidly on the pages. He spent some time chatting and exchanging information with whoever was willing to speak, before he saluted off, back to the Voidtrecker.

One down, how many more to go...


2 - All Aboard / Standard Cars
Upon his return, Roland greets who he can with an easy grin. He looks a little dirty - working underground can do that to you, of course - and his clothes are tattered beyond repair. He takes his time walking to an empty seat by the standard cars and takes a deep breath, unwinding the stress building up in his shoulders and back as best he can. But it's a good feeling, the one he remembers fondly, the one that drives him to keep going. Saving lives, saving people, saving nations. The more missions he can help out with, the faster he can -

- Dad?

He opens his eyes slowly to a stinging pain in his left calf. He had forgotten about a sustained injury from the final fight, blood finally dripping into his shoe. Roland looks confused for a moment. He didn't even feel a thing up until now, when he's finally settled and stationary for the first time in two weeks. He smiles to himself, staring at the vertical cut in the shape of the monster's pincer. The disconnect between how fast his mind runs and how he reacts to the stress he puts himself through continues to surprise him no matter how much time has passed.

Leaning down, one elbow against the edge of the table, he examines the cut a little closer with a surprising nonchalance.

"Thank goodness for this body..." He says to himself. If he got a cut like this without the perk of being young...He probably would have been crippled from the start.

2

[blitzcheer]

"Roland! How was that last wave? I heard you went deeper?"

Tidus speaks upon seeing the young-looking man, his figure a familiar enough one even when curled in to examine whatever it is Roland is examining; piquing Tidus's interest, but more relieved and happy to see the guy back on board. The shirt loaned to him is grubby, but there's no particular tears to it to be seen from the front, looking cleaner still than the half-leg cargo pants he wears. Poor cargo pants.

But by Tidus's approaching call, Roland may have time to hide the evidence of his wound if he so chooses. Or try--who knows if it would work.

[pleple]

VICTORY

Ple Two has been darting around fighting where and how she could... and doesn't feel as useful as she could've been when they win, but it doesn't matter too much. She wasn't a liability. And the people - both kinds - are happy.

She doesn't know how to properly express her feelings back to the Gry, but when they reach out with antennae she brushes back gently with a small smile, and a tiny laugh. "Ah... you're happy, aren't you?"

Return

"So hey..." she asks quietly, of anyone who happens to be around. "Is that Burrower thing going to metamorphize and burst out of this planet?"

So they did win, but that's a thing that she's been thinking about.

Return

[knifewithnoname]

She's exhausted and she plans to go to her room and sleep for at least a day, she's not badly hurt thanks to the many healers but the nights of constant fighting have taken a toll.

Still Ple Two gets a grin when she sees her, not that she ever though Ple Two wouldn't be fine after a mission, she was strong.

"Maybe." She still has no idea what the Burrower is, maybe the other teams met it? "But that will no be being our problem."

Hopefully. She personally never wants to come to this stupid world again.

[goingthroughaphase]

Victory

The surprise she felt when the monsters suddenly crumbled away into nothingness faded quickly and was replaced by the calmness that seemed to spread over the area. Still, she kept her guard up for a moment more, and only when there didn't seem to be any more monsters did she allow herself to relax with a relieved sigh.

After being thanked by the Gry, she followed the Terrans out of the chamber and towards the tunnel. She was exhausted, and it would've been easier to get back to the train right away. But part of her still wanted to check on some of the others that were still around.

Return of the Voidtrecker

Once she was boarded on the train, she flopped into a nearby seat, savoring the moment to just relax. She was exhausted, and despite the many things she wanted or needed to do, she couldn't help closing her eyes as she sat reclined there.

Maybe she'll just rest a few minutes...

[mynameisallen]

Allen found himself exhausted. Sure everyone else was, but Allen himself looked like he could fall over at any moment and there was a reason for that. With a yawn, he soon heard his stomach grumbling unusually loud causing the other to give a small sigh.

He had used up a lot of energy this whole mission but hadn't eaten the amount of food he would need to keep his energy levels enough.

So he's just going to go sit down for the moment. "How long do you think we'll need to wait before the train is here?"

[hotheadwarmheart]

Victory- OTA

Well that had been... unexpected. But if the monsters crumbling hadn't been enough of a clue, the feeling of deep peace followed by gratitude was enough of an indication to know they won. At first, Lea simply slumped down to sit on the floor taking a few minutes to catch his breath. But soon he got back to his feet and began gathering up the things he'd brought with him. He wanted to get packed up so he could get back to the train and get a shower before a line inevitably formed.

Back on the train-for Xion

Once the both of them had made it back to the train and had dropped their backpacks in their cabin, Lea turned to Xion. "Alright," he said tiredly, "first things first. Shower and a change of clothes, for both of us. And I'm not taking no for an answer on this one. After all that fighting underground we're both filthy and so are our clothes, so both we and they are gonna get a proper wash with hot water and soap."

Back on the train-OTA

Scrubbed clean and in fresh clothes, Lea took the opportunity to get himself a bit of a snack before crashing for what he hoped would be his first peaceful sleep in days. So he sat at the end of one of the dining car tables, tiredly eating a sandwich. It had been a long few days.

[nobodys_puppet]

"Why didn't they just let us find an ocean?" she asked, shoulders slumping. They had worked so hard again, but no sunset. No ice cream. No nothing. Just RTT. She was tired. She wanted ice cream and a sunset, and him and Roxas, and then she wanted to sleep.

She glanced back the way they came. "Do you think we could open a portal to Twilight Town before the train moves again?" Find Roxas and bring him back...? And grab ice cream...