The Will to Fight: Conclusion

[voidtreckermods]

The battles rage loud and ferocious at the gates of the city and off in the ruined wastelands of Erda, and on the walls a struggle of a different kind occurs. The team who stayed behind at the towers are small but determined as they move stoically across the walls to right the stones that have become misaligned, even as their friends battle not too far away.

The city begins to hum. It's a quiet hum, not loud enough to be heard out where the others are fighting but it vibrates even through stone. The recovering monks assure them that it is done, the wards are back up and no demon will be able to enter the city.

Eventually the battle is won, all three battles. The demons fought back and killed, a major blow to their gate system that will keep them back for hopefully a long time. Those waiting in the caverns return to the city and by the time they get there the illusions are gone. Everyone can see the world for what it really is.

But despite the ruins of their world the people are relieved, the adrenaline of the fight coursing through their veins and the mood is one of hope. They will build again, their people will survive.

All Voidtreckers please return to the Voidtrecker Express. Departure will be in a few hours

It has landed not too far from the city, cloaked to make it unnoticeable to the citizens, for all the good that does. No one has been particularly subtle this last week. People can begin regrouping, packing up the camp and getting any wounded not already healed to the train.

However roughly half an hour later another message appears on their SCA.

Passenger Persephone has requested we remain on system System #86525656412355 for an additional day to further assist the people of Erda. The Voidtrecker Express will depart on the morning of Day Fifteen of the month of Kazoo.

The train remains where it is, so the voidtreckers can use its facilities. There is definitely a lot that can be done to assist those of this world and the citizens will welcome any helping hands.

After an extra day they finally depart, returning to the void once more.

(OOC Note: Once the wards are up any characters who are demonic in nature will not be able to enter the city either!)

Comments

[voidtreckernpcs]

As people begin the task of packing down the camp, folding tents, gathering equipment and returning everything they might see a figure approach. It is one of the citizens of the city, one who returned from the caverns with the fighters of blue team to fight in the final gate battle.

She's wearing simple leathers and has her cloak hood pulled up over her head, she looks dazed, rather confused and a little unsteady on her feet.

"Excuse m..."

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

Some of the purple and red team came across a small droid in their camp earlier in the week. Some of them may have thought they had contained the tiny saboteur but apparently it is an escape artist because here it is, skittering through the camp, potentially tripping people up.

It makes a beeline for her, clambering up her leg and back until it is sat on her head under the hood, metal limbs holding her face.

She staggers slightly, if anything looking even more confused. But now there is a woman with a droid hat, walking through camp.

(OOC: Anyone is welcome here, you don't have to have met beep boop before to join in here. Forming groups is helpful but feel free to approach alone as well!)

Siebren will be along later

[thawed_pride]

Vexen is, honestly, not at all surprised at the machine's escape. It seemed a stubborn little thing, but harmless enough that he hadn't bothered contributing to its detainment. What he'd been more interested in was locating its missing person, which it seems to have finally done.

She's not the only one who's seen better days, as Vexen is visibly tired. His black coat hides the damage done to his uniform in the final battle, but fatigue is written into his movements as he approaches the woman with her electronic hat.

"Would you be our new friend's missing companion, then?"

Willow | OTA

[runicfeathers]

1. Aftermath (try and limit to 4 if telling her to go rest)
[(will do prose as well, whichever works best for you.)

As soon as all of the fighting is done, Willow is exhausted. A lot of her magic has been expended, and although it'll quickly return, she's physically wobbly on her feet. She'll be fine soon, but she's too busy hurrying to others who look like they've been put through the ringer.]

Let me take a look at that, I can heal it. Do you have any injuries elsewhere?

[She really should rest instead of work herself into the ground.]

2. Wildcard
[throw me a wildcard if you have something else in mind]

Re: Willow | OTA

[unholyandbroken]

Jessie took a bad fall mid fight and twisted her ankle. And to be honest she's craving a smoke. "Just slipped mid fight.' but its Jessie so she is white fibbing like crazy, others are worse off.

Nozomi | OTA

[cureofmanyworlds]

The Train

Nozomi felt like crap. The fight, the lack of sleep, the lack of food. What tore her up the most was that those demons turned her against the others. If it weren’t for Trunks, she might have hurt someone!

She’s finding the comfiest chair she can find, pulling it close to the doors and going to sulk in it for awhile.

Wildcard

(OoC: Need her for something else? Hit her up for it! :P)

[ourtomorrow]

Wormmon is being a brave Digimon and going on a solo supply run! Ken-chan is in the middle of helping in the city, but if there's one thing these people could use to recover, it's more resources. So Wormmon is headed back into the train to see if he can't find seeds, or even a little bit of dried food.

He is not expecting there to be a chair here as he enters, and he is not expecting the chair to be full of a person. A person who looks sad. That kind of miserable, guilty sad that he has seen Ken-chan wear. It breaks his heart.

"Are you okay?" he asks, waddling up to peer at Nozomi. Ken-chan will understand if he is a little late, he feels sure.

Masumi Sera | OTA

[tactlesstantei]

[Knowing that she's one of the better off people post mission, Masumi takes to helping wherever needed, whether it's running supplies to anyone who needs them or just trying to convince people to rest.

But eventually Masumi herself needs to rest, and she doesn't have the energy to drag herself back to her cabin on the train, instead just sitting down somewhere out of the way to get some rest.]

[shitcopper]

[ And when Masumi sits down to rest, Ea-nasir will be there, handing off a bottle of water.

Plastic bottle, cheaply made. The water tastes fake. But hey it's water, probably. ]

Having fun, roommate?

[thawed_pride]

By the end of the fight, Vexen is exhausted. A healing spell deals with the injuries inflicted on him, though not the damage to his clothing. In the time before Red team returns from the far gate, he does his best to keep the tears in the front of his shirt and hoodie aligned so that they hide the severe burn scars on his stomach, but the gashes are large enough that some might see them anyway.

After Red team's return, he's back in his signature black coat, but still lingering around camp. He doesn't enter the town at any point, but he does keep an eye on those coming and going, offering healing or medical attention to anyone who looks like they need it. Of course, he looks like the only thing keeping him from collapsing is sheer stubborn and way too much coffee, so...

[miseris_socios]

Ken trudges back to camp, spotting Vexen and pulling off the coat. He hesitates a moment before pulling his hoodie up to hide the ugly blackened patches of skin where the anti-life balls hit him the most. As he approaches he spots the way Vexen is holding his clothing and digs into his bag to pull out a Medicine, folding it into the coat as he continues on.

There's a particularly ugly smell around Ken, something more than the foul stench of the miasma around the demons. As he comes into focus it's clear that there's been at least one step back for Ken - there's more darkness around him than there was before. Frustration. Hopelessness. Pain - a lot of it. Anger, enough to start hollowing him out from the inside, leaving him hurt and blank.

He stumbles slightly as he approaches Vexen, but shoves the coat at him and makes to walk away. He's aware he probably won't get too far, but... well. He has to try.

Siebren | OTA

[namethattune]

[Siebren spends much of the day of the fight in a subdued state. He's exhausted, much like the rest of them, though he has sustained far less battle damage. Attempts at conversation will not get much further than pleasantries, as he does what he can to help pack the camp and make sure the injured are taken to the medical facilities.]

[The subsequent day sees Siebren in a much better mood. He has returned to the city itself and can be found helping however he can: using his gravity powers to move rubble out of the way of renewed construction; ferrying supplies to people who need them; assisting injured city dwellers to find medical care; and on one memorable occasion, looking for missing livestock. Chickens, as it turns out, are crafty bastards; chickens who have survived a demon-infested war zone even more so.]

[He always has time for a teammate, though whether he stops what he's doing to help you or simply ropes you into the task at hand is something of a coin toss.]

(OOC: I'd prefer to have threads mostly on the latter day, unless you've got a good prompt for the former; also, if you're Orange team/were inside the city during the battle, feel free to have your character have seen him as Sigma.)

[yondu]

[Yondu's helped this one particular family get their things back home. A child followed him most of the way back and now he knows this child's whole life story. He likes the color blue. He likes dogs. He made Yondu hold his stuffed dog for twenty minutes before he wanted it back. He wanted Yondu to carry him instead for ten. Then he went to sleep and he gave him back to his mama.]

[And now it is time for a break. It's not moving rocks, but the child and moving the family's things have sapped the dead last of the energy out of him. He's not so giving that he didn't take a chance to ask the father for a few drinks to put in his rucksack since the train is so short on them.]

[So he's just leaving and watching a giant man chasing a chicken. A few days ago Yondu wouldn't even bother and sent Madoka to the task. Now he easily puts his foot out and shoos it back towards the coop.]

Looks like you're havin' fun, Stretch.

[He leans against the railing to the coop, reaches into his rucksack and offers a beer towards him.]

'Cmon. Take a minute off. Ever'body needs a breather, even if they tell the laws of physics to fuck off on the regular.

Ken Amada (AU) | OTA

[miseris_socios]

[Camp]

Ken heads back to the camp along with the others, hood of the black coat he's borrowed flipped up over his head. It doesn't stay there for long though, as it's quickly handed back to Vexen. Any further shuffling around camp is done with his orange hoodie, similarly drawn up over his head.

It takes a bit for them to evacuate, but as soon as they're allowed to Ken does so. Anyone who wants to catch him before might want to move relatively quickly.


[Games Carriage]

He notes the rush towards places like the kitchen and spa and the sleeping quarters in general and decides on a different approach. Anyone entering the games car will find Ken in a corner table as far away from the bustle as possible, looking through his Duel Monsters deck. The tournament's going to be soon... and this is something that he can focus on other than the mission.

He just has to not... fall asleep at the table.


[Dining]

Once the fuss has died down a little Ken does eventually go to get something to eat. He grabs a few sandwiches - not peanut butter this time - and finds an out of the way corner to eat at.

Or... nearly faceplant at. It's a tossup.


[Wildcard]

[???]

[ourtomorrow]

Ken Feat. Wurme is ducking into the gaming car to see if there are spare games they can bring for the children of the city. A lifetime of illusions means needing to learn how to make their own fun, and as someone who is still figuring that out himself, Ken knows how important this process can be for resilience.

He blinks, however, when he sees the gaming car is already approaching its Ken quota. The other boy...does not look well.

"Amada-kun...?"

Bucky/Soldat | OTA

[worthallthis]

I. Morning After - Luggage Car and Train - CW claustrophobia and panic

The luggage car is quiet, first thing in the morning, at the point when the train usually wakes up passengers. That is, until one formerly-dead supersoldier wakes up suddenly in a dark, enclosed place and gives a hoarse, terrified little scream until they manage to batter the lid of the trunk open and prove they are not, in fact, back with HYDRA.

Find them panting, unfortunately naked, pressed to the opposite wall of the luggage car, trying to get over the panic attack from the moment of horror. Or find them digging around in their cabin for clothes, since the train didn't see fit to give them any, as the tac gear is back with the team on the ground. Or find them taking a short, scalding hot shower, or making a quick breakfast in the kitchen car.


II. Emerging - Outside the train

After the shower and meal-- the former making them long desperately for a proper bath and the latter for Misty's mother-henning-- Soldat finds the train's exit and steps out into the thin sunlight. They're all in purple again rather than the kevlar, leather, and canvas from the mission, and their lantern is thankfully not the crushed, broken thing it had been in the demon realm.

They shut their eyes and stand there for a long moment, listening to the noise of a waking city in the distance, smelling the remains of the local battles, and preparing for whatever's down there to deal with next. Hopefully they won.


III. Helping - In the City

Soldat gives the ruins of the city a little prowl to orient themselves, before asking after what building needs to be habitable first and setting about clearing it of rubble and starting to repair the roof. A metal arm and super strength, and memories of construction work in Brooklyn and experience repairing buildings in Beacon, make them good at this sort of work.

Besides, they'd always rather be doing something, and this is tangible work that will help people. Better than killing, even killing demons. One day isn't much, but it's one day where they can help. "Want to toss me that hammer?" they call down to someone passing below. They've got enough planks for the roof, but somehow neglected to bring the tool to fix them in place.

Well. They could just use the metal hand, but it's seen enough work this week, and there are tools.

III. Helping - In the City

[yondu]

Yondu had heard by the time he runs into Soldat, but he hadn't seen him yet. It's when he sees them up on a roof, working away like nothing happened, just helpin' like nothin' at all went wrong.

Seems like somethin' they'd do.

"Sure, Hero..." Yondu calls back up, picks up the hammer, and rather than tossing it up to them he pulls out his arrow, holds it up, and straight-up Mary Poppins's it up onto that roof. Better privacy up here.

He offers out the hammer once he's situated.

"Hey uh... thought I should say somethin'. I'm real lucky the train brought ya back. Shouldn'ta give you such a rough time before." Because it's been decades since anyone put so much effort as Soldat has into his being his friend. Even if he lets them down eventually, it's only right to acknowledge that Soldat's done better than most.

Senku Ishigami | OTA

[10billionpercent]

I. After the fight

Senku was tired, less from actual combat although he'd managed to do some of that too - but it was lingering, clinging fatigue from the negative results to his experiment early on and for some reason having his mind taken over wasn't all that fun.

It bothered him.

However, Gen got hurt and that wasn't alright either. He would probably spend some time looking after him.

II. Who needs sleep?

It didn't look like Senku rested at all, which was a good guess. He hadn't. He did, however, head back out into the city once he was satisfied that Gen was going to be fine to do some help.

He looked like he wasn't paying attention so much to what he was doing, which was scooping up debris and moving it. He was also ignoring the fact his body was being pushed to the limits. He was thinking.

III. Back on the train

Once they were all getting back on the train, Senku made no movements to stop moving. He didn't sit down, he didn't give into exhaustion, he just kept going.

He could be found in the kitchen, working on chocolate finally. When he ran out of chores there, he could be found making bone knives in the training gym.

Senku probably looked like he could be knocked over with a feather by then, but he also didn't seem like he was slowing down any.

II. Who needs sleep?

[sciencegirl]

Entrapta's sitting cross-legged in the middle of one of her hair chairs, working on a map of theoretical irrigation systems the city might be able to use in the future, oil lamp held up by a lock of hair (She is not at all scared by this) and working by late light.

She sees Senku passing, and offers a "Hi, Senku!" with surprising late-night energy. To her credit, it's less energy than usual, but it's still there.

Then adds a, "Oh! When I was in the towers there was a room that had number puzzles. You were off conducting mystery experiments so I knew I couldn't show them to you, so I wrote them down and saved them in case you'd want to try for fun."

A good friend thinks of their pals when they see number puzzles, right? Never mind asking about their well-being. If he wants her to know he'll tell her. She pulls her journal out of her hoodie pocket with two big locks of hair and tears a page out of it. All the while her hands stay busy.

calling all demons left outside in the cold smh

[kumoko]

She's used to not entering cities in the aftermath by now. Enough worlds have big 'WE DON'T SERVE SPIDERS' signs that she isn't even surprised when she sleepily bounces off a ward outside the gates.

Fine. It's not like we saved you or anything! It's totally fine!

She could just go back to the train, but... There's cool plant stuff happening, and people are coming and going. Wouldn't it be a shame to just go back inside on a free day?

It's with a mixture of exhaustion and spite that she begins spinning and casting, thin pillars of rock and sheets of soft, insulating silk slowly forming a large, pavilion-like tent far enough from the walls that the wards don't make her eyes wobble. Close enough to the train that its facilities aren't a trek away.

Inside, she makes the comfiest bed she can think of, pauses, makes it much bigger, until the tent is just one big bed and a pile of blankets, and then promptly passes out in the middle of it. She wakes once, to spirit a pile of snacks and a stack of comics out beside her, and then continues to lounge.

'DEMON' HOUSE, reads the banner outside the tent. NO HUMANS ALLOWED.

[helborn]

Casper pauses as he passes the tent and tentatively knocks. "Um. I look human but I'm not really fully human. Am I allowed?"

He's fine if not, he just... wants to know.

Ai Haibara

[deage]

There doesn't seem to be much use for puzzle-solving after everything is said and done. At least, not in the typical sense.

But Haibara had the good sense to stay far away from any fighting, so she wants to feel... useful, now that it's done and over with.

So she can be found in the city, trying to advice their people on where to set up medical tents, how to help their own injured. She's not a doctor but she knows the human body better than any layman, and she knows how larger organizations function, how to set them up for success. For fellow trainmates, that translates mostly to seeing her run around the city, finding clear areas with good access. Scribbling down notes, then running off again.

Somebody tell her to get some rest herself, please. Avoiding the final battle won't mean much if she works herself to exhaustion.

After that, though, she makes herself useful by taking on shifts in the Medical Car onboard the train. They surely have enough injured of their own that they'd welcome the bedside manners of a cranky seven-year-old nursing a cup of coffee.

Yep. Everything's back to normal all right.

[10billionpercent]

Senku understood Haibara's instincts to feel somewhat useful. He, however, wasn't providing medical care. He probably should be to these poor residents.

No, he was moving rubble, and struggling at it.

He could probably be flagged down and dragged to a more appropriate task though, if she were so inclined. Or perhaps she would like to offer constructional criticism over his rock lifting technique.

Casper | OTA

[helborn]

[Camp]

Casper came out of that fight relatively uninjured, thankfully. Nothing that a little food and taking it easy can't handle. That said, he doesn't take it easy for long - he bustles around helping people pack things up, volunteering to carry heavy things for people... it's a relatively different persona than the fierce combatant some might have seen him as on the battlefield.

He's around lending a hand to pretty much anyone for anything, whether it's healing small injuries or hauling giant piles of tents.


[City]

Casper quickly finds that his 'purifying water' trick only goes so far. Specifically it only goes about a cubic foot far, and while that's a lot of water it's not enough to sustain crops. People come up to him on occasion and have him purify some containers full of water, which is easy enough to do. At least they can have drinking water.

The more pressing task is dealing with clearing out ruins and helping rebuild. Casper is actually very handy, helping with everything from hammering boards into place to helping the local blacksmith start to forge simple tools and nails. Even if he's covered in dust and dirt, he seems happy and willing to lend a hand.


[Music]

No one's going to be in here right after a mission, are they? Casper's gotten himself cleaned up, and once that's done he heads into the music room. He downloads some music onto his SCA - super handy, that - and heads up to the upstairs performance space. He doesn't stand on the stage so much as sit on it, letting his SCA play a few songs and singing along to them.

He's actually really good, and even though he can't always match he seems to be enjoying himself. As he sings, colored lights float around him, weaving into lines like neon signs, shaping into various things - animals, people, spinning globes, buildings... it's almost like a laser light show without the lasers.


[Spa] [CW: missing limb]

He waits until late at night to try out the spa. Ichigo had told him to do it, but he still feels self-conscious. When he's sure no one else is in the car he changes into a pair of swim trunks and sits by the edge of the pool, hands on the ivory-colored metal of his prosthetic leg. Slowly he unstraps it, eventually getting his leg stump out. He shoves the leg into hammerspace and slips into the pool.

It's... weird, feeling the warm water on the end of his stump. He keeps his prosthetic on almost continuously, so it's sometimes weird to feel things without it. And hopefully if anyone does come into the spa, they won't notice his lack of half a leg.


[Wildcard]

[???]

Spa Night!

[chocobosnap]

After all that fighting and the nap he took on the battlefield which was not the greatest ending to a fight, he woke up to find Noctis in stasis and every single one of his muscles hurting. He could swear even the smallest one did.

He showered first, obviously because battle was gross, but he came in and shuffled a bit self-consciously to see Casper there. Then Prompto sighed at himself and smiled. "Hey!"

He swiped a pair of purple trunks and ducked out of the way to change, in the closet.

Ken part 2: Ken Harder (& Wormmon)

[ourtomorrow]

Ken and Wormmon, from their position on the walls repositioning stones for the wards, had felt the hum more than heard it - low to the ground as he is, it'd set Wormmon's mandibles chattering. Now that they've determined the fight is over, that the others had won, they're looking for other small ways to be of service before the Voidtrecker Express departs.

For better or for worse, they have a lot of experience cleaning up the messes darkness leaves behind.

They're...trying...to do so now, in the city, Wormmon having helped support a shoddy building with his Sticky Net until supplies can be gathered for proper renovations. But a child who had previously petted him, calling him a "puppy", is now looking what he did to her house and crying.

"MY HOME'S ALL SCARY!" she wails, loud enough to draw attention from anyone working in this area. "GO AWAY!"

[blue_ice]

Kaiba, for all his gruff nature, is especially tuned in to the sound of distressed children. He pauses his rubble hauling and clean up to follow the sound, where he sees a small girl crying, and Ken and Wormmon nearby.

He steps up beside his teammates, stooping a little to not look quite so tall and intimidating.

"I know it's scary," he says with a soft voice. "I'm sorry this happened, and that so much is missing. But we can make things a little bit better if you let us."

...okay, so he just sort of volunteered them. But Seto doesn't make any promises he's not willing to fulfill.

[magicurls]

foodtrecker express
As always, when the train returns, Mami's first responsibility is to haul herself to the kitchen. They're making a stop for supplies soon, so she gathers the basic staples and immediately starts cooking for people---the distressed citizens, her teammates, anyone who might be tired and hungry (probably almost everyone).

In mid-afternoon, tempting pasta dishes come off the train in giant pots. By evening, plates of cookies make their way down. She might be moving a little slower than usual, and her eyes might be less bright, but she's fine.

seeking green
Mami's small hedgehog companion, Rosetta, also has some work to do. Once Mami is stable, the creature immediately starts trekking across the camp, blades of grass following everywhere she goes. Her area of effect is small, but she wants to restore the world a little!

Mami sits nearby with a teacup borrowed from the train, a ring of white flowers planted around her by her small friend. It's nice. A tiny ray of hope for a ravaged world.

Seeking Green

[redmeguca]

[Kyoko sits down next to Mami, Momo in her lap. She just quietly watches Rosetta for a while before speaking up.]

So, you probably want to know what that thing I did during the fight was, right?

Tidus, OTA

[blitzcheer]

1: initial aftermath, main camp

There's always one final clash before the calm. Tidus is exhausted, not as much as he could be, his mind perhaps more tired than his limbs. But he has something to do, a call to make and preparations to do on the train. He gets showered and dressed, grabbing magazines and art supplies from the different carriages, shoving them and blankets into one of the quiet cars.

But once he's done with that, he'll head to the main camp to help out. If there's any one noticeably wounded coming into the camp, he can stop what he's doing, give a call and a nod, offering, "Hey, want me to look at that?" to stranger or friend. Take some work off the healers who've been working hard throughout the week.

Otherwise, he'll help with any tents of the tents still up and not filled with personals (from what he sees). And to anyone that he knows that he spots around, he'll make friendly conversation, a weary joke. "How about that, huh?"

2: in and out the city

Persephone did it. Good on her.

( a: out ) There isn't much he can do to help with the land, but he can do some of the dirty work on removing any demon corpses around the road and gate into the city, while keeping an eye out for the daggers wielded from the smaller ones - if, with a grimace on his face. The smaller and more human-sized of the demons are alright; the whip wielders are...well...

"Urrghhh!" Nggghhh this fat foot!! "Okay... okay... there's gotta be an easier way..."

Please big demon, you are on top of a dagger wielder and he can see it!

( b: in ) But you know, there's also plenty to do inside the large town. Tidus doesn't automatically go for rebuilding, but - despite his demon moving efforts - he does go for trying to move rubble where it needs to. Grab supplies that the more adept construction hands pile into a wobbly wheelbarrow and tell him to take to over there.

With a name, but what does a name mean to Tidus? Navigating the city is a challenge, and sometimes--

"--Ergh!" --sometimes, that wobbly wheel just wobbles at the wrong angle and topples the nails and planks of wood he was trying to transport, delaying him more. Tidus looking anxiously between the mess and the wheelbarrow that tries to slant when he sets it down.

Please help....

( c: a break ) There's opportunity to find him during rest, sitting on the dusty stone steps near what would be a plaza. Kids have gathered, and for those good of heart/well-intentioned, there are small blue creatures with them, playing with a ball that bounces around in their hands, goes flying pretty far if kicked.

Thankfully, Tidus doesn't need to join in on the fun (he's a bit too exhausted for ball games...even him!), but he is watching them fondly.

wildcard:

For anything else, there's wildcard. Feel free to make up your own scenario at any point in time, from day or night, mix up the above prompts some, etc. Tidus will be camping out for the spare night they have, but otherwise will be easy to find/bump into!

c: breaktime

[spikelet]

"What are those little spirits, anyway?"

The question comes from a somewhat cleaned-up a-Qing, the only real sign that she's been in a battle the slight tremor in her legs and the mud and ash ground into her uniform boots. She stands at the top of the steps, as though debating whether to join the kids in the plaza. "They're always following you and the other Purple guy around, but I've seen them in Blue sometimes."

Thanatos | OTA

[controlsthedie]

Bargaining with death? (First day only)

Looking very haggard despite having briefly visited the camp, Thanatos wanders off with a small bundle in his arms. He digs a small hole into the soil, arranges sticks within it, and sets it on fire. Then he pricks his finger and lets a drop of golden ichor fall onto the fire. He takes a breath and begins.

"Honored deities of the dead or those who watch over them, please accept my message. I am Thanatos, Death Incarnate, son of Nyx, Night Incarnate. I have given a drop of ichor hoping to prove my identity...." Even if he's a minor god with no power here, even if he's forcing himself to keep it together. Even if-- "I-I come with a favor. A passenger by the name Soldat fell in battle here. I do not know the procedures of death on this world, but I ask if they could be transferred back to the Voidtrekker Express instead of resting eternally here."

He takes out a cookie he snagged from the camp and places it on the fire. It burns, and a sweet smoke rises into the air. "I cannot offer much, but I hope you enjoy this. Please, consider my request, and thank you in advance."

Thanatos sits with Mort on his knee and waits until the cookie has fully turned to ash. Then he pours some water from a canteen and covers the hole. He doesn't know if this world has death gods or if such an ask is even necessary, but silence is not a chance Thanatos will take.

"Oh, uh..." He also doesn't realize he had an audience as he turns around. The sunglasses only hide so much of the exhaustion in his eyes. "When did... Forget it. Can I help you with something?"

[ ooc: This doesn't do anything. It's just peace of mind for Thanatos. ]

Death is dead asleep… (either day)

Physically, mentally, emotionally, sensory exhausted, Thanatos really should be resting on the train. However, he doesn't seem to have made it back. He's slumped into some semblance of a ball and hovering a few feet up in the air. Ever wonder why Sleep and Death are twins? Turns out being dead tired really brings out the family resemblance.

Wake him up and get him back to the train?

Wildcard:

[ Thanatos won't be helping much as he's just too exhausted in multiple ways. He's probably off on the sidelines just watching things happen. ]

Chthonic Balloon

[fivemilesdeep]

By the end of the day of the fights, Ryo is utterly exhausted himself. Camp had been crazy, and between giving potions to people he couldn't heal and taking care of the ones he could himself, he is completely out of energy and needs to collapse.

(He probably needs to eat too, but...that can wait.)

He's heading towards the train when he sees...Thanatos, evidently, curled in a ball and hovering in midair.

That's...new?

He gets closer and looks Thanatos over. He was one of the first people Ryo had shoved a potion at (and hugged in a fit of overwhelming relief), and he looks to be otherwise okay; just unconscious. On the one hand, Ryo should let him sleep; on the other hand, he probably shouldn't let him sleep out in the open like this. He considers his options, then takes hold of the end of Thanatos's chiton and starts dragging him along, like a god balloon. Hopefully this works. Hopefully Thanatos doesn't panic if he wakes up. Hopefully.

inigo | ota

[flatteries]

(a. post-battle)

[ Once the battles are over, Inigo is sure to greet anyone he sees with a smile - even if they may look tired, or are in the process of getting their wounds treated. He's still kind of dirty himself, in dire need of a shower after all of that, but it seems like he's gotten other priorities.

Because other than checking up on the people he knows, there's one thing in particular on his mind. So no matter whether he doesn't know you or does know you, after saying hi to you, he continues: ]

Have you seen Olivia around? [ He raises a hand, wiping some dirt off his cheek. And for those he thinks may not know her, he adds: ] A little bit older than me, long pink hair? She must've been with the orange team the whole time.. I'm looking for her.

(b. helping out)

[ Wildly throwing himself into doing something to ignore stuff that's worrying him? Inigo? Hah, that's clearly not one of his habits, let alone one he's indulging in right now!

.. except he totally is. The message did say they were staying out an extra day to help out the people, so it's not like he's doing something weird when he's helping the people in the city with their houses. And it's clearly not weird when he's being extra cheery for some reason. This is fine. Everything is fine.

Well, except for the fact that Inigo is very desperately trying to hold up a board here, but realising that leaves him with no hands free to actually nail it down to help with rebuilding one of the ruined houses. But if he spots you, he's quick to call out-- ]

Hey, mind lending a hand? Or.. two?

[ :D? ]

🔪

[blitzcheer]

Okayokayokay, I got this...!

[ Look at Tidus, he's here with a nail! A hammer! Please continue to hold that bro, and don't get distracted as Tidus puts a nail daintily in place, brings the hammer awkwardly waving as he tries to line it up, and...



tap. He just delicately tapped that nail. Gonna delicately tap it again...

...is it in yet?! ]

madoka | ota

[happyends]

(a. need some help?)

[ Obviously Madoka wasn't part of those main fights near the end - they were just a bit too much for a girl who has only mastered archery. But that just leaves her with a bit more bandwidth to go around and help out others. Whether it's in the camp or back on the train, if anyone even remotely looks like they have something they could use help with, they'll have the pink girl running up to them in no time, looking up at them with a smile. ]

Don't worry, I'll help!

[ Even if it's something she's not sure she could help with. She'll darn well try!! ]

(b. entertainment)

[ But Madoka is well aware not only their fellow passengers need help. After having spent so much time with the people of the city, it wouldn't feel right to ignore them on a special extra day they get to help them out!

And while the adults all seem ready to get to work, the kids could probably still use some fun distractions after everything that's been going on. So Madoka has set up a small display to display her one new talent - displaying her archery skills in front of the children, who are seated in a neat row as they watch and cheer when the arrow hits the mark.

As the girl lowers the bow, she may be spotting you though - and immediately beckoning you over. ]

Come on, you can show them something too, right? [ Better have a talent ready for this little talent show, pal. Don't let the kids down!! ]

b

[redmeguca]

M-me? Come on Madoka, I can do exactly three things: fight, eat, and dance. Two of them wouldn't make for very good shows, and the third I'm not about to do in front of some random kids.

alice | ota

[irrationally]

(a. better company)

[ It's as if Alice just straight up disappears after the announcement that they're staying there for longer. Or at least, it's hard to find her. She's not breaking up the camp, nor helping the people out in the city..

Though it is in the city that the girl can be found, if anyone looks for long enough or happens to come across her. But maybe not in a conventional place - it seems that the girl has found her way to where the remaining livestock is, and she's currently sitting on a bale of hay, apparently very engrossed in.. a conversation with a cow? ]

Oh, and it was so annoying. You wouldn't believe it. You see..

[ .. yes, she sure is just talking on to that cow.

There's a stablemate, a native of the city, but he's just giving you a confused look and a gesture that's probably asking for you to take this strange, strange girl along with you. Please. ]

(b. tea time)

[ Which is how the girl eventually ends up outside of the city. Which obviously only leaves one thing to do, especially now they have access to the train again. ]

Let's get some tea. [ She'll immediately suggest it to anyone she knows, but even if she doesn't know you, then.. well, whatever, it's been a long mission. Sure, come along for some tea. ]

A

[namethattune]

[Siebren had been on livestock roundup for a while today, especially after several of the citizens had realized that his gravity powers meant he could simply lift larger livestock over obstacles instead of having to navigate around them. This means that, when he arrives at the livestock pen, the pair of cows behind him aren't following him of their own volition so much as they are hovering off the ground.]

[He wasn't exactly expecting to see Alice here, but she seems to be doing well - as well as any of them can do after yesterday's violence. He sets the cows down inside the enclosure and offers her a smile, saying nothing. Knowing Alice, she will likely not appreciate any further interruption.]

Persephone | OTA

[springforth]

A. The seed and the sickle

A hour before the train is due to leave, Persephone stands just outside the city walls, facing what seems like it was once farmland. A reprieve had come when she asked, begged, a spare day to gather her strength, a day to eat and sit on something soft, to let the weariness fall away, down a potion. And people have stepped up, helped, grown a few things here and there, provided her with energy and backup and affirmed the decision that began with Tidus's suggestion. There's more people there than she really expected, but Lan Xichen is there, ready to help, and the creatures Tidus lent her, all these bright spots of life.

She turns back to her friends and smiles, tight and a little nervous. If there are people from the city around, she extends the tight smile to them, but promptly puts them out of mind. She can't concentrate with them watching so she will pretend they aren't.

Persephone shakes out her hands, takes a deep breath in and out, steps forward, and lets go. Her grip on her powers falls away, that itching feeling in the back of her head, that feeling that her powers have nowhere to go, cooped up in the greenhouse, in small spaces, in the confines of what she should do and when. She is her power, it is her, this is what she was meant to do, this fizzing pink and white light in her hands.

The result is immediate and slightly chaotic.

Around her begins an ever widening circle, grass and clover and wild flowers shooting up from the ground, then the green travels. Trees long since withered turn to bud, then bloom, then leafing around the burgeoning fruit. Fields sprout from withered stalks, whole new ones raising up beside them. Vineyards grow heavy with the fruit of early autumn beside the riotous kitchen gardens of midsummer. She keeps the trees and bushes, the flowers Rosetta and her made, even the hedge of thorns, all the little points of life she created before, the ones her friends have made or helped with and works around them.

Within this vast circle of green, Persephone drops to her knees, hands buried in the soil, eyes closed. Branches of green start from her back, pushing aside her hair and finally arcing up like wings. The small creatures on her shoulder press closer, giving her a little burst of vitality while other dance out to water what's within reach. Just a little more, a little further. She pulls a little on the energy Lan gives her, hoping his touch comes with her as she knelt but not stopping to check.

The things she loves about nature slip in, here and there at first, then more often as it presses out through the city, out along the farmlands. Vines drape from trees, travel up the sides of buildings in thick layers of leaves. Grass and saplings sprout from the middle of cobblestones and well worn paths while rose briars tear at the mortar of stone walls and tangle with fences. It is untamed, in the way that nature is imperfect, and part of her is viciously proud of that. It's not her mother's perfect spring, perfect summer, it is every season, it is daisies in the pasture and thorns in the hedges. It is some part of her, left for them to see, a true reflection of nature.

The fields, the trees, the green life, it continues out. Then slowly, it stops far out from the castle, a hazy boundary that will grow slowly beyond, year after year.

Persephone sits back on her heels and breathes out, the branches on her back brushing the ground, a tangle of flowers weaving through her hair.

"...There."

Then she reaches out to steady herself on someone. She needs to collapse somewhere like right now.


B. Spa

The aftershocks of life energy still run through her veins and for all her exhaustion, she cannot actually sleep. So instead, Persephone lays in the water, up to her chin, the only thing keeping her from falling in is a big bun of hair that catches on the edge. Balanced on the edge is a big bowl of strawberries, a full harvest from the greenhouse. Occasionally she eats one, occasionally she dozes off. The vague aches aren't exactly melting away, but in the warmth they are dimming.

When the doors slide open, she opens one eye and gestures with a lazy hand.

"Don't let me stop you."

B, with a bit of A, and also GOD PILE

[fivemilesdeep]

Spring had been incredible.

Ryo had had some idea of what Persephone was capable of, but that had been nothing compared to the actual event. Watching verdant power roll across previously dead land, transforming it into something lush and fruitful, and feeling the rush of life not in his Sense but on his skin, filling every breath he took with an energy he hadn't felt since they'd landed on this world...

There are days Ryo forgets just how powerful Thanatos and Zagreus and Persephone truly are. There are days he forgets that he walks in the company of gods.

He will never forget this.

He stays back as she finishes, lingering long enough to make sure she's okay before heading back to the train himself. He does what work he can - in medical, and in the kitchen - and it's a good while, even after the train's departure, before he takes some time for himself to rest. The spa sounds good, he thinks, though his Sense tells him fairly quickly on approach that Persephone is in there.

It's a while longer before he actually enters, carrying a cup of tea made from herbs from his world. It's heavily spiced, nearly bitter, and meant to help with soreness and fatigue, though he has no idea whether it'll work on a god, especially if that fatigue is from using too much divine energy. He sets the tea near the strawberries, where she can reach but far enough back to prevent it from falling in. "Here. This should help." He hopes.

He'd still need to change before he enters the pool, but he's not about to assume she wants company, either.

Prompto Argentum

[chocobosnap]

I. First Mission, Wow

Prompto was asleep for way longer than he wanted to be, really, after having had to be dragged in unconscious. That was some battle. Felt just like home.

He found himself in medical, but he wasn't about to wait to be let go, he just slid out of bed on his own.

He wasn't surprised to see Noctis there. Not because Noctis hadn't taken hits, he was sure he had, but he'd also guess he'd gone into stasis. "I'll check on you later buddy."

He was definitely going to just walk out of there in his disaster clothes without permission.

II. The Great Escape

After escaping from medical, and getting fresh clothes - thank you - he could be found wandering around the train a bit dazed and tired looking. He was completely exhausted.

He wandered into the kitchen, found a piece of bread and decided good enough.

Prompto found somewhere to sit after that and just give his head a shake.

III. Repairs

Instead of going out to help, which he would like to do but not unarmed, he could be found first sitting in the standard car with his Drillbreaker and a butter knife swiped from the kitchen.

He needed to see if the miasma did some damage to his poor weapon!

IV. Helping Out

Okay, most of the day gone but Prompto was here, he was totally pumped, someone put him to work...or send him back to bed.

V. Wildcard

[OOC: Hit me up with what you got.]

First Mission

[azrthmtrnznthos]

Raven had also headed fairly straight for the train. She recognizes the blonde walking out of Medical. She'd helped shield him and his friend, and teleported them, during the battle. "Hold on a second, and at least get checked out to be sure you're cleared to leave." It was the healer in her; she could delay her own rest a bit.

Demyx

[melodiouspacifist]

I. Did You Get That Truck's License Plate?

One brush with death and seriously drained later and Demyx was completely exhausted. He'd worked really hard on this mission, not that he was intending on admitting that, but he'd never really dealt with depleating his magic reserves so much.

The elixir helped in the moment, but now that the moment had passed, he was just exhausted.

After the battle, he'd pulled his disgusting, dirty orange hoodie's hood up and walked towards the train under his own power, not intending on anyone caring what he did or didn't do after the fight. What he wanted was a shower. Maybe a nap in the music room.

II. Lazy Boy

Demyx was definitely cleaned up, at least and sitting outside on the ground with his sitar in hand. He wasn't working on anything like everyone else was. He was too tired, to worn out, it was enough he dragged himself outside. He looked like he was goofing off.

He'd take that.

The real trouble was that his mind was elsewhere, and the only clues one might have were the muddled sounding music he was playing, absently. Confusion. Hesitance. Somehow he could make those notes sing for him.

Let him blend into the background, like he did best.

III. Soak In The Spa

The last time he'd been in the spa, he was in a much better mood. He wasn't bogged down by feelings - no thank you - that he wasn't supposed to be having in the first place, nor had he gone all out like he'd just done.

He was hoping a bit of hot water would ease his sore muscles and let him relax for awhile. Just a little while, maybe he could turn his mind off.

IV. Wildcard

[OOC: Hit me with your best shot!]

Lazy

[thawed_pride]

Vexen had busied himself in the immediate aftermath of the battle, but now, after everything has calmed down a bit, there's not much for him to do. He can't enter the city, so helping to rebuild isn't an option, and he never really helped much in the gardens of his homeworld. Still, he doesn't want to sleep just yet, despite his body aching. Instead, he finds himself loitering outside...and noticing Demyx playing oddly haltingly.

He drifts - floating is easier than walking right now - over to the musician and sits heavily on the ground, wincing and hissing quietly as his tired and sore muscles protest the movement. For now, he won't say anything. He wants to wait and see if Demyx will pause playing, rather than interrupt him.

Conan

[deductiongeek]

After retrieving his skateboard, Conan makes a few rounds around the city looking for anything he could do to help.

After that, it doesn't take him long to return to the train. He checks in briefly with some of his acquaintances, stops at the kitchen long enough to stock up on coffee, and makes his way over to the library car to reclaim his favorite chair.

This mission had left him with some planning to do.

Takato

[dreamtamer]

Helping Out:
After everything that happened this week, both Takato and Guilmon were terribly worn out. But they were also in complete agreement that they wanted to help.

A quick attempt at a trip into the city had convinced them that maybe a city that had recently suffered a demon attack wasn't quite ready to be helped by a dinosaur dragon.

So they find themselves back out at the camp trying to find ways to help there.

Train:
Once back at the train, the two of them head straight to the kitchen. They find a quiet corner of the dining car to settle down in,and Guilmon starts working his way through a pile of bread. Meanwhile Takato tries to avoid falling asleep while finishing his sandwich.

Train

[mynameisallen]

Allen's first port of call was usually the kitchen, mostly because he knows full well he cannot sleep on an empty stomach. He would feel bad for roommates if he did.

"Guess you had the same idea as me then?" Allen said with a slight laugh as he went to the counter to grab a few things using his right arm. His left arm stayed down at his side the whole time.

Raven OTA

[azrthmtrnznthos]

On the Train

Raven was exhausted. Mentally, physically, emotionally... Once the battle is over, she's headed for the train to sleep. To rest, but mostly by sleeping. Maybe you catch her on the way to her cabin. Or maybe you catch her after she's rested, and she's checking in to medical.

WildCard
Got an idea? Give me said idea.

Train

[cureofmanyworlds]

Nozomi was still tired and drained but she was feeling a bit better. She'll catch the equally drained Raven and give her a weak smile. The events from the mission were still weighting on her, so Raven might catch that.

"Hey..." she'll utter to her. "How are you feeling?"