middleofsomewhere | Deep Dweller: Conclusion

Deep Dweller: Conclusion

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"What are you talking about? You helped us keep that fiend back. And a bunch of the smaller ones did not like your glowing hair."

Which there's a pause, and Tidus looks where her hair used to be, and...

"Uhh...sorry you lost so much. Will it grow back quick?"

Considering how much she had in the first place...

She soon shook her head slightly before finally running her fingers through what was left of her hair, which wasn't a whole lot.

"Once cut it tends to stay the same length permanently. I had a strand of brown hair before this that was cut when I was a baby and it never grew... So yeah. My hair is set to stay this way."

Tidus murmurs a small 'oh', wondering what that meant to her. It was just hair to him, but also, that was a lot of hair. It had to be really strange.

"Well...you'll get used to it," he tries to offer encouragingly. "And hey, the short hair looks fine on you! That's my hair colour too. My natural colour."

He points a finger to his hair, which has its bleached blond colouring...but it isn't as bright as it once was, and there's dark roots in the centre which are noticeable.

"I know I will... I don't mind the short hair." She didn't. Might be so much easier to manage in fact. After all, she did for so many years have to deal with growing hair that only got longer and longer because it wasn't allowed to be cut.

"The...reason why I seem a bit down about it minus the fact I am tired is because I've essentially lost the healing part."

"Healing part?" Well that's...huh? Tidus blinks, taking another look at her hair. He knows she wrapped her hair around people a few times and sang, but...

"Can't you heal a different way?"

She shook her head slightly.

"Sadly no. Once it's gone it's gone. The song doesn't work anymore."

Which she was gutted about honestly, she had wanted to be a healer for the people who needed it but she no longer can? So she didn't know what she could do next. Looking at the floor briefly, her frown is still there.

"I will probably figure my new purpose out eventually...But I don't know when."

"You'll find something!"

He can latch onto that, since he knows it's true. Why can't she? And again he gestures to himself once more.

"I used to play sports. No fighting, no magic -- it wasn't that long ago when that's all I did. Now I just try and find other ways I can feel like I'm helping out."

His arms come out in a sort of shrug, but not dismissive. Adding on: "If you used magic with your hair, then why not another way? Ask around, look into it. Or even something else. There's always something else," he stresses with a nod.

She wanted to have some hope that she could find something, but right now it was just hard to get herself out of the slump she found herself in. But she listened and she could at least understand what he was on about at least.

"If you never used magic before, how were you able to now?" She sounds a bit better with the question and a tiny bit curious. Sure it meant there was a method in his world for that, but hey, it could mean anything at least.

"I was with this group," Tidus starts to explain as they walk, a hand moving in conversational gesture as he does. "They were on a pilgrimage going from place to place, and two of them were magic users. One of them taught me--y'know, reluctantly at first," he chuckles. "But she wanted me to be useful, so I got the hang of some spells over time. But some of the others taught me too."

It was a mixed effort, and it was easy to appreciate it looking back on it now.

"It wasn't easy... I didn't get it at first, and learning a new spell's always tough. I had to do a lot of practising and fighting. Lucky for me, there's plenty of fiends in Spira to beat on."

Yeah, he's being sarcastic there. But it wasn't untrue.

She walked next to him quietly, arms at her side as she walked nd listening got what he had to say. So it seemed like he just learned from others and was able to use spells somehow.

Maybe he had the ability within or something, but there was no way to really know or understand how magic works exactly, more so with magic from other worlds.

"So it took a lot of effort to learn, but you were able to do it? So what kind of magic do you have? I know you did something to make people faster... I think."

"Oh yeah, Haste! I know how to make people slow down or go fast, and a few elemental spells. Just Water and Thunder," he shares, "but I've been trying to learn fire."

But that doesn't really explain anything maybe, and he doesn't want to just list everything either, so. "I know a small mix of things. I'm more of a fighter really, so my spells aren't that strong. But I know some healing too." And he wonders, bringing up a forefinger in that thought. "The person who helped me learn healing... you know, I can introduce you to her. She knows way more than me. And she has a better idea of the way I use magic too. She grew up knowing more about it than me."

"So the spell is called Haste....And you know a spell that makes people slow along with water and thunder... that's...a terrifying combo of spells." Considering what can happen if thunder hits water. Terrifying indeed.

At the mention of learning magic, Rapunzel paused slightly. "Who was the person who helped you?"

"Yuna!" He shares happily. "I'll ask her if she thinks she can help. But if you already used magic one way--" he waves a hand. He still thinks it's got to be possible, a massive amount of hair present or not.

"She trained to be a summoner, and use all kinds of magic. I bet she'll have some idea."

"That's a pretty name." Why it was the first thing out of her mouth who knows really, but she really did think it was at least.

"I guess at least finding out is a start, but if it then I can just learn first aid. I was always good at learning new things, so it shouldn't be hard."

"Isn't it?" And he agrees with that insta-assessment, grinning at Rapunzel's compliment.

"Right? It's a bummer you lost your power now, but I know there's more you can do. I believe you. These missions needs more than just fighters or healers. You're not out for the count!"

Tidus gives her a friendly pat on the shoulder. He believed it. They just needed to see what else Rapunzel shone at other than by the power of her hair.

"I guess I'll just have to try and find out what that is one day at a time." And when she manages to find that time with the various other stuff she does during the day. It should be that hard to add learning other things in between.

But with a small affirming nod telling him that she was at least okay even if she knew that being okay would still take a bit of time, she at least knew she was getting better.

"but for now we just finished a mission, so we should do what everyone else is probably doing and having a good rest."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Deep Dweller: Conclusion

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