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

[adregem]

At any other point in time, if he had not endured pain tonight, if he wasn't so damned exhausted inside and out, Roland would have followed it. He would have followed the darting of his hands behind him, the very obvious diversion, the smile he flashes him when he's trying to hide. It wasn't distrust - Roland just had a feeling he could understand what Inigo was trying to do. Wasn't he doing the same, too? Wasn't why they were here, anyway? He just failed at the task.

So, for tonight, Roland does not think anymore of Inigo's tactics, downplaying injuries that he is certain are on his person. He just nods at him, eyes fluttering closed for a moment, before he turns to the side and begins to clean up the tools, used cotton, bandages stained and single-used supplies to be thrown away into the void.

"...Okay then. Heh. I won't. I know you're a reliable guy."

Inigo, he realizes, is a little like him. Too eager to hide what should be out in the open. But he's so young, Roland says only to himself, to the voice in his mind. I can handle it. He...

When all is said and done, as he and Inigo fix up their little work station, even putting the book back after he had used it as a brace, he starts slowly dragging his injured leg in a compromised walk, back out into the exit hallway. "Here's where being at the farthest Sleeper Cabin is a disadvantage. Apart from having to come to the dining car early for breakfast, that is."

[flatteries]

Does it feel a little bad to lie to Roland? It does, especially when he's getting an answer like that - yet another compliment from the other guy. On the other hand, he tries to convince himself, it's not like he told a huge lie. He's mostly fine. There's no gaping bleeding wounds he's trying to hide like the one Roland tried to convince him was alright earlier. It's not as if he hasn't hidden much, much worse wounds than those slight scratches on his hands. They'll dispapear in a few days time. It's alright.

For the moment he just focuses on helping Roland clean everything up - especially the tasks that involve putting things back on the other side of the carriage, since he wants to spare Roland as much walking as possible while he's in this state - until they're done and it's time to go.

And then of course Inigo still isn't just going to let Roland go by himself. He doesn't want to let the guy out of his sight until he's absolutely sure Roland is on his best and resting. At the very least it does sound like he's intending to go to his bed, so that's one part of that plan done.

Now all that's left is to get him there.

Inigo moves until he's next to Roland, taking the other's arm without a word and draping it across Inigo's shoulders.

"How about we go there this way then, hm?"

If it had been anyone smaller, Inigo might have attempted to carry them there. But despite his muscles, Roland is just a bit too big and heavy for him to attempt that.

"This way you don't have to lean on that leg as much. Use me as a crutch until we get there."

[adregem]

Roland nods at Inigo with a grateful smile. "I've already asked so much of you. Thank you. I'll try and make this trip easier for you." And he's nothing if not true to his word. There is a kindness that radiates from Inigo that Roland knows well, gravitates towards like a moth to a flame. He is soft and gentle but at the same time, as Roland glances subtly at the young man's profile while they walk to the cabin, there is hardiness to his visage. Jaw always clenched, a spirit of weariness that follows him wherever he goes. His penchant for smiling first, even though his tears seem to flow easily.

A lot goes on in Roland's mind, but most of all, he knows he is tired. And he knows Inigo is too. So in the silence, as they reach the halfway mark just closing in on the entrance to the greenhouse car, Roland speaks softly.

"Don't get up early tomorrow. You should just take it easy for the next couple of days, alright?" He seems casual about it, but in truth there is worry laced underneath the words. "If you've got chores, I'll handle it." Nevermind his healing wound. He's not even thinking of that. This was the least he could do.

[flatteries]

It's not too usual for Inigo to walk in silence like this. Usually he's chattering away about something or another, just to try and fill up the silence.. But it's true - the silence is exactly because he's tired. Too tired to even think of new topics to start about.

So when Roland is suddenly the one to speak up as they walk, and about that of all things, Inigo wonders if maybe he did let some signs of exhaustion slip through, despite trying so hard to hide it. He immediately sucks in a breath and tries to straighten up a bit, clicking his tongue.

"Geez, I'm not going to listen to that kind of talk from someone who can barely walk. If anyone should be staying in bed, it's you."

Don't let him catch you hobbling around during chores tomorrow, Roland! He'll make puppy eyes!

"I'll be fine. Besides.." He thinks of all the people who returned from the mission wounded. Or ill. He thinks of Gerome's pale face as Inigo unearthed it from underneath the rocks. "If I don't do it, someone else will have to. I came back relatively well from the mission, so I should be picking up the slack for those less lucky."

[adregem]

"I guess the nice thing about this whole set-up is that we're a team, huh?" He tries not to lean too much of his weight on Inigo, and he keeps his head down so as to avoid the proverbial call of the void when they pass the cars that had little to no protection against it - greenhouse, gardens. The pace is slow but they're moving consistently, one step at a time.

"Well, if you don't see me working on chores, you won't be able to stop me will you? Heh. With a bad leg, I can just work on wiping floors after all. Hidden in plain sight." He jests, of course. Or is he joking, really? It's hard to tell with how calm he always is, even as the pain begins to throb again, and he shares Inigo's fatigue in more ways than one.

"I mean it, though." His voice falls a tone or two, eyes steady, staring at the floor beneath them. "Sleep it off. It'll help."

[flatteries]

Don't even try, I'll drag you right back to bed, he wants to say, wants to joke.

But then the other continues so earnestly. And maybe it's something about how nice Roland is, or maybe it's how the way he acts reminds Inigo of-- He can't finish that thought. Not right now, not even to himself.

But it makes it hard to outright lie and say he will do that, even though he's fully intending on not doing it. He doesn't want to let Roland down like that.

"I'll remember those words."

See, isn't that better? Nice and vague, has multiple ways of being interpreted.. No one can say he didn't remember the words even though he'll be up early banging on Tidus's door!

".. your concern is sweet though." He smiles. "Thank you for that."

[adregem]

"Don't mention it."

They finally cross the threshold of the sleeper cabins. It was an arduous little gait, but he hopes he wasn't too much of a weight against Inigo. Anyway, he seems like he's more than capable of taking on a fully grown adult against one arm, but he isn't forgetful enough that he ignores what fatigue can do to a person. The sooner he can lift himself off of here and get out of Inigo's hair, the better. The sooner the kid can rest.

"Hey, there's one other thing."

He slows down just a little, now reaching the midpoint to the other end of the row of cabins currently being occupied by other passengers who had just gotten off of the mission themselves. He doesn't glance at Inigo, and he hobbles just the same even as he speaks casually.

[flatteries]

"One other thing?"

Inigo sounds quite curious. If not just since he didn't really expect Roland to bring up anything new, especially now they were getting so close to their destination.

At the very least Inigo's tone still sounds casual - all exhaustion in the boy still firmly locked away in a place where no one has to see it until he can have some time to himself.

"What is it?"

[adregem]

He saves it for when he sees his door, though they were now at the far end of the train. There's a relief that washes over him, and he knows he's in for a good night's rest. Looping his arm away from Inigo's neck to try and grab at his ticket, the door opens easily enough and he's glad to know no one is there yet - first one in.

But he doesn't quite cross the threshold. There is a heavy look of sentiment that crosses his expression, like he wants to say something but can't. Eventually, the fatigue wins in the end and he shakes his head, mutters something about 'how it was nothing,' but he still doesn't enter the door.

Instead, Roland gazes down at Inigo's hands, which he had spotted easily when the man was helping him hobble through the long train. He nods in his direction, gesturing to his minor injuries only subtly, but enough that Inigo will just know. "Next time, I'm helping you out with that, okay?" He ignored it in the medbay, but his worry takes precedence now. Now, especially, that he's awash with gratitude.

"Inigo...thank you. I'll pay you back triplefold for this. You can count on me."

[flatteries]

Inigo is so, so, so curious about what Roland was about to say there. He can't help it, it's in his nature. He has half a mind to push, to insist on knowing what the other wanted to say, but the other half of him knows it wouldn't be right. Not right now. Not when Roland already seems so tired and is still dealing with that wound.

So Inigo lets it slide, and instead lets a smile appear on his face at the man's other words. Even though there may be some slight internal panic at the guy having seen the wounds on his hands, it doesn't show on the outside.

"It's fine, Roland.."

It really is. Inigo has had so, so much worse back home. A slight sting on his hands whenever he touches something at worst is nothing to him. If anything, the panic during the moments when he got those scrapes and scratches to begin with was the much worse part.

"You don't have to be this grateful to me. Not over something so small. All I did was make sure you were taking care of yourself and get you over here." He waves a hand dismissively. "Anyone could do that!"

He lets out a slight breath. "Now just go to bed, alright? You need rest."

[adregem]

"No, no I don't think just about anyone could do what you did."

And he says this with some level of realization, though shallow and undiscovered the thought may be. An inkling that Inigo really had a certain personality to him that made it easy to put himself before others. Roland is proud of many things, but he can sense intentions - he can know kindness, true kindness - a mile away. It's why he knows Evan was the right king to serve, it's how he knows that if it was anyone else meeting him on that bench tonight, things would have been different.

"Heh. You don't have to tell me twice. Take that advice and get some rest. Wash those scrapes clean, before you settle down." He finally turns towards the direction of his cabin, and throws away a last glance at Inigo, and a wave of his free hand.

"See you tomorrow for chores." He smiles jokingly, but shakes his head and enters his room without delay.