middleofsomewhere | So Familiar a Gleam: Conclusion

Time to leave!

There is not much of the city left, but the park is holding together as those anchoring help those who are not voidtreckers through back to where they belong. Monsters continue to attack and a little further out there is a battle of hearts and minds being fought with the mass of colours and chaos.

Eventually, after the bulk of citizens had been evacuated everyone with SCA's on would hear Jin-Roh's voice after a few frantic beeps, as Chiff aligned everyone's SCA's. "We are almost done here, if you are with anyone not tethered to a voidcraft get them to the evacuation point, as quickly as possible."

Anan pulls out of the anchoring point to call out to any defenders in the park. "Come on! Anyone who isn't a voidtrecker! It's time to go."

Luckily those off fighting the entity headed the message and made their way to the park as Jin Roh spoke again.

"Everyone else get ready. When we call it you need to leave. If you don't have your SCA on then get to someone who does."

As the last people rushed to the park Anan calls out again, through her SCA and outloud to the park. "You need to unanchor, before you can evacuate. Everyone be ready."

She goes in again though, because there are some last people, those from the large battle, getting through as another message was called.

"Almost there. Be ready. On my command..."

Anan unanchored again. "Quick everyone unanchor."

"NOW" Jin Roh's voice came through strong on their SCA's. Hopefully those with SCA's would grab those without.

There is some outside help as well, the train pulls anyone who is unconscious or still under the entity's control, forcibly evacuating them. This includes Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji and Zagreus.

Luggage Carriage

There has been a mass evacuation before and that was crazy enough but since then the population of the train has almost doubled and now it is an extremely tight squeeze as everyone crashes into the luggage carriage at the same time.

The train jerks and rolls as they enter into the void at breakneck speed and again as they seem to slow, rather than speeding off though the void.

There's a crackling from their SCA's. "Voidtreckers? Voidtreckers come in!" Anan's voice. "Please tell me you made it..."

There's only a few moments of signal and soon they are flying though the void again, away from the strange non-world, the entity sealed for now. To new adventures, but first hopefully some time to recover from all that has happened.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"So long as I'm not worrying my friends anymore? I'm okay with it." Raven replied sleepily, settling back down. "I'm...also kind of glad to not be alone right now." She couldn't remember her dreams, thankfully. But she knew they weren't good, hadn't been good. "I don't remember dreaming." She said softly, with some relief.

Soldat does remember dreaming, but it was... weird. They're not even sure how to describe it, so they don't. "I hate being alone," they admit instead. "I can't be in these rooms by myself. Feels cut off from everyone." But sleeping in their cabin wasn't working. People kept coming in and out. This is better.

They make a slow blink, still exhausted. "Haven't had to deal with post-mission recovery like this in months."

"Honestly? I'm...kind of glad to not be alone." Raven said, curling up a bit more under her blankets and cloak. "I didn't want to lock out my friends though, but I just... I don't want to be around many people." Even more than usual.

"Yeah." They need people... but maybe not right there, waking them up, talking, startling them, making them remember Steve and Misty and even Natasha.

They shut their eyes a moment again, scrubbing their face with the flesh hand. Enough thinking about their own shit. They're too tired for that. They're just going to be happy, for now, that nobody in their head is talking yet. "How are you feeling?"

"...unsure." Raven responded. "I'm...not sure how to process what I was put through. So I'm trying to let my body rest, before I start trying to handle the mental stuff." She was used to being the counselor for her friends after all, not the one needing to BE counseled and helped.

"Good idea. You're not gonna think clearly until you sleep a while." They know what this is like. This is, in fact, familiar enough, just it usually only happens when they spend a whole mission not sleeping.

Speaking of, though. They push out from under their blanket enough to reach the bag of snacks and the water, and push both in her direction. "Also feel better if you eat and drink."

"Yes mom." Was Raven teasing? Smiling tiredly, but yes--yes she was. Taking a bag of snacks and pulling it closer so she could eat while talking. "I'm usually the one helping my friends through things like this."

"All I'm doing is making sure you're fed," Soldat says, settling back down onto the bench properly again. "Don't know that I'm good for much else right now." Or ever, really. Not for the kind of help she suggested might need, after.

"You're keeping me company." Raven pointed out. "And...I trust you. I'm glad you're here. I slept better when you were around on the Demon Invasion mission too." All he really need to do was be himself. "I know you'll also listen, if I need it. And it really means a lot, Soldat." More softly, before adding with a genuine smile. "Thank you--and you know I'd do the same for you."

Aw, Raven. They don't bundle up again yet, reaching across the space between the benches to give her hair a little pet, the easiest part of her to reach without dealing with blankets. They try for a smile; what they come up with is sweet but a little sad. "I know. Just wish I could do more."

The hair pat is a little awkward, but Raven allows it and even has a shy smile. "I know. But...I learned, while being part of my team back home. We all have different strengths, and different ways we support each other." Pausing while she tried to find the right words. "...those differences and different ways we support each other, are part of why we can do what we can. You're supporting me the best you can."

They shake their head a little, with half a smile. "I'm still working on that lesson, I guess. Even if I tell people that same damn thing, myself." They've even told people on this train that same thing. With Misty and Steve slipped away, and at least some of their habitual ability to pretend stripped away by exhaustion, it's harder to remember to apply to themselves.

"Sometimes it's hardest for us to learn the things we keep telling others." Raven said quietly. "Are you okay? After that last mission?"

Their head flops back down onto the pillow with a pained expression. "I don't know." They're trying not to think about it. Their head is full of fluff and static, and dealing with their feelings about sending Misty and Steve off to their own world sounds... exhausting.

So Familiar a Gleam: Conclusion

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