middleofsomewhere | 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

He falls into Tidus' arms and his eye lids flicker as he fights unconscious, tries to stay awake. Tidus' touch is comforting, even if the smell of blood is almost overpowering now, but it is nothing compared to when Lord Gyousou tugs him away.

He curls instinctively, into his kings arms, feeling embarrassed as usual at once again being no more than a burden, at falling before he had even gotten into his room. Worrying Tidus.

Taiki barely gets to settle in his hold before Tidus finds his arms empty, and he looks up at Saku with not confusion at the action, but with the question already answered before he can give it words. He turns to his shirt, the tear in his trouser leg where blood has dried and the wound taken care of before it could scar.

But his puzzlement doesn't cease, what Saku says, what it even means. Blood-sick?

"I-- it's old. I'm healed." And all the blood is dried in some manner, but still there may be some as old as maybe eight hours to a day. "What's blood-sick? Can't he be near any?"

He doesn't know, he isn't sure, and the worry with his confusion makes him unable to move though he twitches in place, unable to decide if he should move back or if it's okay for him to stay.

Tidus not being injured is something he can feel relief for. Even if the rip in his trousers looks like it had been bad, even if, later, he'll make a wry comment about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. For now, the relief.

Taiki is bird-light, so sweeping him up into his bunk is the work of moments.

"He cannot abide blood," he explains, keeping his voice low. He assumes Taiki simply didn't think to tell Tidus, although he'll have to have words about that later. Really, it's as much Gyousou's own fault, for forgetting how little the kirin liked to admit weakness. He rests a hand against Taiki's hair, fingertips tracing tangles in the mane, and looks back at Tidus, considering. Wanting to send him away to clean up, but needing more information. "Was he in battle?"

Tidus stays outside, refusing to cross the threshold between corridor and cabin. Watching, torn between a handful of different directions his feet want to go in yet refusing to pick any one. At least he knows where to watch and who, making out the worn pale set of Taiki's face from even where he stands, and--was that normal? Was it like that before? Didn't he notice?

"--No." But Tidus switches to Saku with that question, firm and sure, with little reason to be he realises, showing in his creasing features before he speaks. "I mean--our camp got surrounded the first night, so I moved him to the lab with Orange Team, and they got attacked there too. But I didn't see him get hurt. I would've healed him if he did. There were healers."

He was safe, as safe as anyone could have been. Right? But a guilt sets in anyway, though not for the better job he could've done if he was psychic or something. But the blood-sickness, blood-sickness--

The frown is etched deep into his face, and he takes a small step back.

"I didn't know," he lets out, apologetic and painful, heavy in his voice and demeanour. Saku would know already he wouldn't have--if there was something about him, his clothes, anything that would've harmed Taiki, he knows he wouldn't have been around him like that anyway, right? But Tidus can't help it, now that he knows. He grips at the fabric of his shirt, twisting it in his fist.

"Look after him, will you? He... he really missed you. You're the best medicine for him right now." But this isn't about him, and he doesn't want it to be. So he gives a light jest, an attempt to lift the edges of his mouth into a smile, before he looks down the hall towards the rest of the cars not the sleepers. "You want me to get you two anything? After I clean up?"

His advisers had joked enough with him that he's very aware that his demeanour can be off-putting when he just wants information, but sometimes he slips, and now is one of those times. It sounds chaotic, the mission, like he'd had to make quick decisions without enough information. He can't think of anything he could possibly fault them for. And yet. His aura shifts, a tiger setting itself against-- well, not Tidus, because he manages a smile for him in return. Against whatever exhausted both of them.

"My thanks." He can't quite summarise the depths of his gratitude, really. And if Tidus isn't injured, then he'd much prefer to have the boy present, once clean. "Kouri won't eat like this, so get yourself something. If you wouldn't mind telling me more, when you're rested?"

Tidus nods. "I'll tell you about the whole mission. Sor..ry..."

He stumbles, catching himself apologising and thinking it useless, but the word is out, and through the exhaustion that's been pushed back for this current situation, warmth manages to hit his cheeks, a discomfort as he takes another step. He should just-- yeah.

"I'll see you. Later."

Much later, when too many healing sessions to come will send him to bed for the rest of the day.

He isn't really listening, not really focusing at all, even as he is lifted into his bunk. But he is sort of aware, aware of voices and aware when those voices fade. Lord Gyousou is still here, he can feel him.

But...

"Tidus..." A question even if it comes out as little more than a whisper.

The reaction isn't what he's expecting, and that blinks him out of his mindset. With Taiki already in his bed, he glances between the kirin and the door, and strides over to catch up.

"Tidus--! Ah."

He's gone. He'll find him, call his room, maybe, when he can, and make reparations. But now he breathes out, and tries to collect himself.

"Tidus..." It's another whisper and he curls up on himself, tears spilling out of his eyes.

He's ruined everything. Tidus is probably mad at him, Lord Gyousou is mad at him. He pushed too far and now he's sick and Tidus has left and he can't even follow because his legs will not hold him.

He clenches his eyes shut. He shouldn't cry. This is his doing so he has no right to tears.

They fall anyways.

He'd go after him, but, inevitably, Taiki comes first. He watches the empty sleeper corridor for a moment longer, and then ducks back in to watch tears track down the kirin's face with an unmoored frustration caused by helplessness.

A deep breath, but one taken quietly; he crosses back to the bed.

"Rest, Kouri. I will apologise to him, later." He doesn't need more worries. He'd apologise to Taiki, too, for leaving him, but he had no say in the matter. What good is an apology, there? He reaches out and smooths back his tangled hair, instead. "You did well."

He can't help the tears but he does close his eyes as Lord Gyousou's words, taking comfort at the hand in his mane and even more comfort in his words.

He wasn't sure he believes them, but if Lord Gyousou thought he had done well... Well that was enough. He drifted, falling into an uneasy sleep.

Deep Dweller: Conclusion

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