Conclusion

[voidtreckermods]

Thank you.

For those inside the system the voices of the Great-Seasons ring out around them once the red mass has vanished and the blue plinth it was smothering is freed once more. They don't have all that much time to reflect on that before they find themselves waking up once more in their bodies around the tree trunks.

Or at least, around the tube that is the Great-Season they entered through. All illusions have vanished now, all that is left are pipes and metal.

The Great-Seasons allow them passage out from the centre, no sentries or pipes attack them this time. Everything seems to have been put to rights, the walls in the Autumn sector have stopped moving, there is no strange weather effects in the Summer Sector, no engineering problems in Winter and all the camaloid creatures in Spring are calm. Any Helpmates they come across are doing their jobs and no longer malfunctioning.

After a small amount of time, enough to check that all is well, their SCA's light up. All Passengers are to return to the Voidtrecker Express.

Considering the vast distances involved it is probably best that they use the evacuation function to return to the Luggage carriage.

Once all Voidtreckers have returned the train returns to the Void once more.

Comments

[firewalled]

Rich hobbles along with her, but he tries to move as quickly as he can, just to avoid putting pressure on her to help for longer than either of them wants. It's hard for him to focus on moving and talking, but he still does hear her, and manages a breathless laugh.

"Eh, I'm used to getting in trouble. It's kind of my job to piss off the Man. With a capital M." Does she. Know what he's saying, or is this another thing that sounds like nonsense to her?

[fivemilesdeep]

On the one hand, he's accustomed to hearing it's fine when it really, really isn't. On the other hand, that generally applies to physical injuries; this doesn't apply, and the way things have gone tonight, it's probably wiser not to press the subject - at least, not directly.

He splits the difference. "That sounds like a terrible game to win," he says facetiously, tone light. "Is there a prize?"

[flatteries]

"It's since he cares about you. He doesn't want you to get hurt, not even a little bit."

At least, that's what Inigo is assuming here. Or maybe he's projecting a bit, since it's how he'd feel in that situation. Heck, it's kind of what he's feeling right now - not exactly excited at the idea of Senku inducing something like that on himself on purpose.

"He'd probably murder me if he knew I was part of anything like that." Inigo says, shaking his head. "And I'd like to live a while longer, you know!"

Look, it's just a convenient excuse compared to I don't want to do it since I'd worry too much about you, since Inigo figures Senku is more likely to understand Gen's concern than Inigo's own. Since he knows Gen better.

[happyends]

This is an endless loop.

Clearly these two need someone else to be present at all times. Someone who can sort out who they should think of first here, rather than just going back and forth in this loop of only thinking about the other rather than about themselves.

In fact, Madoka's initial reaction is even an: "I asked first!"

Though it doesn't sound insistent. Since it's Madoka, and she hardly ever is. Instead it just sounds like she's seeing the humor of the situation.

"Well, I guess we should have something filling.. And maybe something nice and hot? We could make some soup.." Especially since it's simple, and they've exhausted themselves enough already while working on the mission.

[unfavorableinstigation]

One hand is deployed to scritch - but then! A challenger approaches...?

No, just another pokemon. Nita snickers, then sighs.

/I can only give each of you one hand, okay?/

She was lucky this was a chair, not a couch, or she'd be a lot more crowded!

[subcircuits]

"That he took advantage of you? That he wanted you to make a life-changing decision in ignorance?"

[subcircuits]

"Me too," Devero says wryly. Time to rummage and see what he has to work with.

He listens while he rummages, managing to keep his face pretty impassive while he does. "My boyfriend died on his world, before he was brought here," he says-- so that part, at least, he's able to take in stride. He does pause to glance down at the lantern, then back up at Soldat.

"...You're not the first person I've heard something like that from recently," he says thoughtfully, recalling the sad blond girl he'd spoken with in the greenhouse car. He thinks about the other bits and pieces he's picked up of Soldat's history before saying, "That's how you ended up at Beacon, isn't it?"

[subcircuits]

"Oh, I'm sorry," he says, as if Otoha's miscomprehension is his fault and not the other man's. "Anything other than a he and a she is non-binary; that's the term we use that kind of encapsulates everything else."

[subcircuits]

"You're not the only one," Devero says sympathetically. "It seems a lot of folks on the train left behind big responsibilities." Not him, he's a nobody-- but he seems to be about the only nobody on the train. Everyone else here is so important.

"If there was something I could tell you to ease your mind, I would, but our situation is what it is," he continues-- i.e., tethered to the Voidtrecker Express until (or if) it decides to cut them loose. "But you're definitely not alone in worrying about the people back in your world. You've got a lot of company."

[bakegarasu]

"... Okay." He's trying. He feels like he needs notes, but he'd just lose them. "... So you ask someone their pronouns to be polite?" Yes? Is he following this correctly? "... None of this is stuff I'm used to dealing with. Hell, I don't think I even knew anyone who was gay at home."

Yes, Otoha. Yes you did.

[pleple]

They could spend hours on this conversation. Imagine if they were in a restaurant with a huge menu like a Cheesecake Factory or something. Please, any adults, come make these kids be decisive.

Ple Two just laughs softly at Madoka's insistence, though. "You did, you did..." But Madoka still comes up with an idea, so that's a win!

"Soup sounds... nourishing." Depending on what they've got hanging around.

[controlsthedie]

Message on the ICP... That sounds like one of the strange technology things. Thanatos looks at his wrist. It was called some three letter name, wasn't it? And Persephone and Ryo had talked to him using it...

Thanatos pokes it, trying to get it to display the message she speaks of.

[azrthmtrnznthos]

"That's not the ICP. That's your SCA. Safety Control Appparatus. It's what allows us to understand each other if we speak different languages. It beeps when you're in danger, and while you're wearing it, if you die on a mission you reappear in Luggage." Raven wondered if anyone ever got a proper explanation on their first day anymore.

[springforth]

"Oh the prize is honey covered donuts. Mostly because I made and ate way too many of them while I was dealing with learning all of this. First had to get Thanatos somewhere out of the bright light, then have breakdown. You have to compartmentalize. Save the freaking out for when you can soothe it with delicious carbs."

She doesn't mean to trivialize it. She just--if she gets into the feelings about it, how it really felt, how she doesn't know who she will be or who she's supposed to be and whether not wanting that future is selfish--and would she want that future, if she didn't have people here? What happens when she goes home, if she goes home?

It's a lot that she doesn't want to think about, that she's burying deeper and deeper with each day.

"I should have brought you some but I was feeling sorry for myself and upset. I talked it out with people. But--Thanatos. It's weird. I barely know my version of him, yet I feel so much closer to this one. Like--like someone has to take care of him. His life has been awful."

[fivemilesdeep]

He can't help it - she describes her coping strategy, and he laughs. It's brief and quiet, but there nonetheless - stress relief he hadn't known he'd needed. "Donuts are good for that," he agrees, a small smile on his face.

He quiets down when she continues and leans against the tree. If she's still upset about it...he files that away for a different conversation at another time.

"I thought so too, when I met him." He looks down at his peach, considering his words. "I think normally I'd be scared of someone like him, but...when I met him, I think he was panicking, and all I could think was that he needed help. So I did my best." He probably would have stayed completely out of Otoha's way as well, had Otoha not been injured. Funny how these things work out.

"But now that we know, we should figure out what to do. He needs something to keep his mind off of home - something he likes." He pauses. "I...don't think I know where to start."

[firewalled]

"Mm, you can come if you want... just don't get yourself sick, or put pressure on yourself, okay? Now that I've got food, I can probably get the rest I need. And I'll be better in no time!"

He reaches up to swat Otoha's hand away, and then turns that into an arm flex. Which is super impressive with his sweater paws.

[bakegarasu]

"Okay, good." He lifts his hand and takes a step away. "I'd say call me if you need me, but I don't have a phone and I don't think we'd get reception here anyway."

[irrationally]

Apparently it does sound like nonsense to her.

Because she doesn't instantly reply. It doesn't seem like she's ignoring him though. No, judging by the way her eyebrows knit together, Alice is trying to think really, really hard over here.

"As in.. a person?"

Is that why the M is a capital M? Is it a name? She's so confused.

Thankfully she is apparently capable of being confused and walking at the same time.

[flatteries]

The moment that little item is on the counter, Inigo is already leaning over to take a good look at it. He looks a little surprised - but interested at the same time. It's nothing like anything he has ever seen before, not back home, nor here on the train. He can tell it does look like some sort of charm, but even so, one with feathers like that is new to him.

"It's kind of pretty.."

Inigo is definitely a person for crafts, after all, so he can admire the simple beauty in little things like these.

"What is it?" He glances back up at them as he asks that question. Inigo can't quite tell if it's merely decorative or serves some greater purpose, after all.

[flatteries]

Inigo looks over at Koumyou.

And just.. stares for a moment. He's trying to determine how serious the other is about it. Inigo doesn't think it's very hard to pay some general attention to it, after all. But he can imagine that people who aren't used to it - like him at first - or who have some other challenges with it may have a harder time. And he wouldn't want to make fun of that or downplay it.

So rather than immediately starting on his own opinion, he just asks: "Really?"

Got to sniff out the full situation first before he says anything else!

[happyends]

Sorry, Persephone, but it seems like the admiration is here to stay. Madoka's feelings on the whole matter don't seem to change much, anyway - that same look is still in her eyes, with a smile around her mouth.

"Well.. in that case, let's hope we can save it." Even if it's through a guessing method where they just use two things since they can't tell which of the two is the tried and true method.. "It's already hard enough to get clothes on this train to begin with, right? Since without paying points, all we have are our team colour train clothes.."

And while Madoka doesn't mind wearing those, she also realises it kind of ruins individuality.

[happyends]

"Hmm, and we can just find something to throw in there!"

She doesn't mean it in the awful 'let's put something into soup which definitely does not belong in soup kind of way either. Madoka actually does know a thing or two about cooking. She's just saying they can improvise with whatever ingredients they can find!

.. Maybe not avocado though. She's not too sure about avocado soup just yet..

Madoka squeezes the other girl's hand.

"It'll be yummy."

[springforth]

Well what do you say to that? She's been prepared for a lot of situations in her life, the right things to say to get out of a meal or how to hold a polite conversation. Never what to say that sort of confession.

"That's--that's..." Don't say awful, what if he wanted this? She hedges her bets, "Did you get to choose that fate or did your gods press it upon you?" Wait, are there gods? Not every world has gods. She's ruining this conversation bit by bit.

[springforth]

With her stomach settling back down, she takes another nibble of peach, small but a start. And--he gets her thinking.

"I don't know exactly where to start. I love swimming and reading and all that. I'm not just flowers and junk. But--I mean, I do a lot of here, just to keep things going. But it's hard to say what he'll want or like. You just have to try things. I started swimming to do it as a--a sport, you know, for competitions. But I grew to like it. If we could find something he already enjoys?"

[springforth]

"Tell me about it. I'm thinking of buying a new set from the random clothes thing."

She heads on towards the laundry room, chattering back at Madoka. If she follows at least.

"Though, my results have been a little--off. I'm no fashion expert but it kind of feels like I keep getting the weirdest things. A whole big dress that would take up the entire hallway, for instance." She brushes her hands against each wall, "Kind of hard to make that sort of thing work here, you know?"