middleofsomewhere | Conclusion

Conclusion

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"That would make sense. He hasn't been in any of the other cars so far." Not that Ryo had checked the hindmost cars before heading for the kitchen, but Thanatos doesn't seem the type to spend leisure time in the triage or luggage cars.

"He's...I wanted to check on him. He was...upset, during the mission, and when I asked him if he was okay earlier today, he avoided the question." Upset is a mild term, but it's not his place to tell Thanatos' secrets.

"Oh--yeah I bet he would. The whole people caring about him seems to be fairly new."

It should probably still be weird, that Thanatos is from another world, but he's so different and kind that it hardly matters. He's just someone new, someone who needs help because Gaia knows, he will not help himself. She sighs, loud, and tucks her hands behind her back.

"Want me to go talk to him? See if I can drag him out of the room for a bit?"

He nods. On the one hand, he understands - people that weren't his uncle or his brother caring about him had been new to him too, until about two years ago. On the other hand, he hates that that's the case for Thanatos. Nobody deserves that.

"That would be good." He has a flash of inspiration. "See if you can get him to the dining car - I'll make enough cocoa to go around."

"I make no promises but I shall do my very best." It'd be funny to try to pull rank, considering she technically has none. But--she gets the feeling that wouldn't be a joke to him, it'd be all too familiar. The very idea--once funny, now seems kind of cruel. She wilts a little, following Ryo through the train. Regardless, she peels off when they reach the quiet car, waving him on.

"If I'm not in the dining car when you get done, feel free to come help me."

"Tell him I'll make some for Mort too, but only if he comes out." It's half-joking, said with a smile, and then he realizes that if that's what gets Thanatos to come to the dining car, he's going to need to follow up on it.

Four mugs, then.

Muted as his Sense is, he can still feel Thanatos once they get close to the quiet car - he's definitely in there somewhere. He nods - "Good luck." - and keeps going, heading for the kitchen and the stores. Hopefully Persephone will be able to convince Thanatos to come join them.

Persephone is not going to barge in--that's rude. But she will knock and slightly part the flowers to peek in. She lacks the sense Ryo has, so she's just kind of hoping he's actually in here.

"Thanatos?"

Thanatos is in there, hood down for once, with Mort on his shoulder as he writes in his notebook. He looks over at the window to see a sliver of pink. Getting up and throwing his hood back over his head, Thanatos opens the door.

"Persephone, hello." Thanatos looks tired, but has he ever looked rested?

Persephone perks up, floating to eye level. Hah, her theory was correct. And Mort, she wants to reach out and give him a pat as well. But boundaries.

"Are you doing anything important? Ryo was worried about you and wanted to see how you're doing. And honestly, I kind of feel the same way." She hesitates, then gestures downstairs, "There's a hot chocolate in it for you if you come. And Mort." Does Mort drink? Is Mort alive??? Questions that feel slightly rude to ask.

"I..." He looks back to his notebook. Thanatos knows that if he refused, Persephone is nice enough to probably let him be. It'd be so easy just to continue hiding away, trying to shove everything away. But does he want to?

"I... guess I could.... All right. It's just some paperwork." (Yes, "paperwork." Despite there being no assigned or reason for paperwork here.) He gathers his things, including his little makeshift sign, and tucks them under his arm. Mort remains on his shoulder, steady despite Thanatos's movement.

"Don't know what hot chocolate is though."

"So you keep that sign up all the time? Death and Darkness?" Has anyone told him he's got a flare for the dramatic? She lets him gather all his things, leading the way down the stairs. At least she's short enough to float and not bump her head.

"But, hot chocolate is a sweet drink, made with chocolate and milk. It's pretty tasty. Do you all have chocolate?"

"Just when I'm in there." And no, no one has really told him he's got a flare for the dramatic, but compared to some of the other personalities around, he is still tame. Which says more about the others than Thanatos.

Thanatos walks down the stairs but returns to hovering once they reach the first floor. "No, or if the mortals do, I haven't had any experience with it."

"Well then you're in for a treat. If you like sweet things, of course. I love sweet pastry things. I'm trying to make some baklava at the next platform."

Surely he knows what that is, right? She looks expectant, hands tucked behind her back. Into the dining car, onwards and forwards.

"..." He knows about the gyros and fries that Charon sometimes sells in his stall. The red onions, pomegranates, breads, and drinks in the lounge. He knows some of what the mortals have to eat, much more limited than what the mortals in Persephone's world are used to.

Mort squeaks before Thanatos actually gives an answer. "... I don't spend much time on the surface."

Is this some weird self sacrifice thing? Not eating the delicious things one can make from the fruits of the mortal realm? She bites her lip uncertainly.

"Do you not have sweet things at all? Nothing from the mortal realms?"

"Not really... and nothing much from Olympus either. Lord Hades prohibited things like nectar and ambrosia." Thanatos looks at Persephone with confusion.

"Is that really so strange?"

Persephone hesitates once more. This isn't her world they're talking about.

"All the gods eat in my world. I don't eat meat or fish, but...I mean, I've eaten with Zeus and Hera, Hades, Artemis--My baklava is Hestia's recipe with a few tweaks. So it's a little strange to me."

"... We're getting fish more often. Zag really enjoys--" Thanatos trails off for two reasons. One, he doesn't want to start talking about Zagreus in the hallway. Not now... Two, Persephone eating with all of those gods?

"Must be nice to eat with everyone like that."

What do you say to that? She looks up at him, worried and feeling a little guilty.

"Well, I mean, not at the same time. Hera and my mom are close so she invited me in when I came over. Hades was visiting. Um, and I was staying with Artemis, hard to not eat with her."

She wrings her hands behind her back, eyes falling to the floor.

"My mom is the one with all the connections, I just inherited them."

When no one sacrifices to you, and you're a workaholic, you get a lot of leftovers at best.... But that's just Thanatos's life. It's nothing to complain about.

Right?

His mother has connections too, but he doesn't really benefit from them. Then again, the Olympians are a loud sort and don't want much to do with the Chthonic gods. Hopefully, they will both soon be spared more awkward talk of godly relations for the time being as they get closer to the dining car.

Well Persephone feels sufficiently awkward enough to stay silent until they end up in the dining car. It's quiet, middle of the night, but it still feels a little weird. She's used to eating late night in the kitchen.

"Ryo? You here yet?" She calls into the room as she heads in the door, "Maybe we should head upstairs, for privacy?"

It hadn't taken Ryo long to find what he'd been looking for in stores, and once he'd taken the time to relearn how the stove worked - mentally thanking Senku for showing him how the first time around - he'd set about making cocoa. Lia hadn't let him help too often - she was very secretive of her recipe - but he'd picked up enough to be able to make passable cocoa.

He takes a sip from one of the mugs as he pours it. Okay, good cocoa. He can be proud of this.

He's just taking the first two mugs into the dining car when Persephone and Thanatos enter at the other end. "Oh- yes! Yours are here, if you want to come get them."

"I'll get them." Thanatos looks at what Ryo is holding and looks for two more like them. (He still doesn't exactly know what hot chocolate is.) Mort rides on his shoulder and has no issue keeping his seat secure.

Then it's up to the upper floor of the dining carriage. There doesn't seem to be anyone there at this hour.

Persephone waits until Ryo has brought out the other two and snags her own, floating up after Thanatos to the second floor.

"Be careful Thanatos, it's hot." She holds the cup carefully away from herself until she can take a seat, settling in on the bench in a slightly awkward position. If she were feeling less awkward and more confident in this friendship, she'd razz him about the sign, but the awkward still lingers. She blows on her cup and holds it up to her lips to test it.

"He's never had hot chocolate. Or most things--I have so many things I'm going to make you try." The meal she's planning to share with Madoka springs to mind. He should know the tastes of the realm he visits.

It's a quick trip back to the kitchen for the other two, and then he follows Persephone and Thanatos up the stairs with his own mug. It takes him a bit longer, as he can't simply float and has to be careful of his mug spilling on the stairs, but he eventually joins them at the table. "Oh- well, I hope you like it!" Maybe it doesn't have to be as good as Lia's to be good enough.

"It's not necessary. I don't have any way to return the favor."

He takes a seat a respectable distance from Persephone and places his mug on the table. Mort gets placed beside it. The emotional support guard bean mouse squeaks on his own.

"Ryo, you haven't met Mort yet, have you?" He tilts his head to the plush Chthonic Companion. "He was my item from home, apparently."

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