middleofsomewhere | Fighting Headstrong in our Final Hour:Conclusion

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Fighting Headstrong in our Final Hour:Conclusion

Music plays, voices sing, barriers form, attacks spring from every direction as the voidtreckers make their final stand against the tendrils of the Void.

Voices of defiance rise up. Despite the despair projecting into them, they will not give up, they will not give in and fade from this void. Their words join their attacks as their blasts are concentrated towards the large creature made of void.

The world explodes, colours blinding them for a moment and it feels they are falling, but not down. Not to that endless nothing that lies off the platform, but up, through the void.

They are still connected and they can draw strength from each other as they tumble, through and through before landing with a crash.

A BATTLE WON

Once More for Old Time Sake

It is probably a familiar feeling, as their senses come back to them. The whole train, crammed and sprawled in the luggage carriage, a tangle of limbs.

Injured perhaps but all accounted for, even if it might take a little while to ascertain that in the chaos. Over the speakers comes a very familiar voice, that of the Voidtrecker Express.

Thank you, my Voidtreckers.

A Heroes Return The train returns them to the Voidbase, it is not a very long journey. The train is very cramped, the Voidtreckers, the Voidtreckers of old, brought through to the present and the scientists who act now as medics and try and encourage everyone to rest.

They don't push too hard, they have known the Voidtreckers for a few months now, they know how stubborn they are.

They enter the voidbase, waiting as usual until it is safe to open the doors. More scientists are waiting there, the atmosphere one of excitement and awe. Anan paces worriedly and the moment the doors open she rushes over, Chiff beeping anxiously as they check among the Voidtreckers, not bothering to hide the worry on their face.

The head scientist Till is there as well and she draws everyone's attention for a moment.

"Congratulations Voidtreckers and our greatest thanks. I know you must be exhausted and that... something happened there at the end." She doesn't seem like she knows what that is, but she is assuming it was bad. "The mission was a success, the void rift has been closed, the paradox has been repaired and the shapes imprisoned on Chaos' world. We have scientists there to ascertain they cannot escape and to aid Chaos in any way they need." Her voice was slightly wry, it seemed Chaos had been very... vocal with their demands.

"Voidtrecker Express." Her eyes move, from the people to the train itself. "On behalf of the ministry. We are deeply sorry for all that you have gone through. We remember now. Your service to the void has been ever strong." Near the doors of the train stood the Voidtreckers of old, looking confused still and exhausted.

"We encourage you all to rest, if anyone needs medical aid please report to the infirmary. If anyone needs to keep busy we are expecting a large influx of refugees, from those who were not on system #1015 when it was destroyed."

Those who had once been wiped out by time itself, written back into the void. "There are many rooms to prepare."

Work to Be Done No one is forced to work. But for those who need to do something there is a lot of work to be done in the civilian quarters, rooms to be prepared, beds to be made, clothes and food to be ready to be distributed.

Ministry workers have been sent out to gather anyone registered to system #1015 who now found themselves with no where to go. The offer was given to them as it was to those of Osiga, they could be tethered to this base. Some would be tethered and go off travelling again, others remained, seeking comfort with others.

There is other work as well, for those wanting to stay in the scientist quarter of the void base. Now that the immediate problems of world eating shapes has been dealt with the scientists are working round the clock to figure out how to finally free the new Voidtreckers from their service to the train. Anyone who wishes to help with the experiments can do.

Of course for those that do not wish to work there are all the usual enemities of the Void Base to enjoy.

A Feast

A few days after their return it is announced there will be a feast day, for the whole void base. The suggestion came from the previous Voidtreckers and those of system #1015. A wish to thank those who had saved them, to mourn their loss and look to the future.

The base is a flurry of preparation. Truthfully there are a number of feasts, the void base had no space large enough to hold everyone on it. But the Voidtreckers are invited to feast with the ministry, the scientists and the previous Voidtreckers.

It is an occasion of both sadness and joy, music plays and those guests who had talent (and some who didn't) were encouraged to play or sing. Stories were told, the food was plentiful and the drink similarly so- there were even fancy non alcoholic drinks for the children and non-drinkers, with flavours that exploded in the mouth.

A time to celebrate and remember. A time to dance, sing, tell a story of heroics or just sit quietly with friends and be glad that they had survived.

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A brief, soft, 'heh' of a laugh under his breath, Idia shifting his hand down so he could fiddle with the edge of his hoodie sleeve. "I'll make a drive of anime and manga from my world for her to enjoy." Oh, "And a copy of all of Premo's music. I hope she'll like it." They were his favorite idols after all.

Idia's excitement over that possibilities wavers for a moment, realizing the chances of that happening are practically zero. With all these universes, all these different times, even if they found Twisted Wonderland it didn't mean they would find 'him'. They may come across Sebek's version of the world, or Ruggie's, if any of them at all. But maybe... just maybe... could he work out a way to make a beacon? Something to call to them? He's been exposed to a lot of new technology since coming here, taking as many notes as he can. He may not be able to leave, but he could draw them to him...

Then brought back to the moment as Yondu continues, trying to figure out what he meant, and, "Oh, DDR?" A pause, "What, really?" Then a 'pfft', "That thing is so ancient. It's totally defunct now." Grinning away with a slight edge to his smile as he mocked it. But... that smile slipping away, "...I'd like that."

"I wouldn't want her to miss all that. Guess I'll have to try extra hard to make it work." Idia came from a wierd kind of world where everyone had abilities, so maybe for a hot second Kyoko could be normal as she was.

Ancient, defunct. He remembers how Peter was delighted by things that took ten to twenty years to get out there in space. Technology on Earth was progressing at an unholy rate- everything he had was caked by nostalgia. The way Idia says it-?

Well, Yondu's at least figured out that Idia is prone to his own brand of nostalgia. He probably would appreciate it in the same way Peter appreciated any of his Earth tech.

"I'll trust ya to have everything in hand. I seen you do it enough here."

Idia really did, he had a lot of stuff left over from his childhood. Had his dorm room with toys and collectables from his favorite games he grew up with. His love for one game in particular never died. It had been so important to him and Ortho. But he still was always looking to the future and how to improve stuff, how to make it better. Inspiration from the past was good, but tech should always be improved upon.

And even now Idia was quietly trying to work out this project, how he would even start sorting out a beacon, how to be able to track this all. Hmmm, in fact, "Ah... can you come with me? Now? Back to the train?" Was that asking too much? He's not sure, but... he can't think of a better way to at least start this idea off than this.

Surprisingly healthy mindset when it came to electronics coming from a self-concious boy who had trouble learning from his past and using it to improve on what he sees as a damned future. But Yondu's knowledge on the matter is limited, and even if he were able to put all that together? Even if it was voiced? He'd probably not point that out and expose his fragile underbelly.

"Yeah I'd come with ya."

He's only speaking to a few people, just in case he doesn't see them again. Good-byes of sort. If Idia wants to show him something, he has the time. It might be his last chance.

Good? Good. Ok, that was more than enough of sign for Idia to switch into full work mode as they headed towards the train, to explain what he was thinking. He's already confident in the idea, but of course it would rely on Yondu even wanting to do this in the first place. It would only make sense for him to agree to this, but common sense isn't always a thing everyone had.

"I was trying to figure out a way to create a beacon to work with the technology of this world or something you would be familiar with, then I realize I'm thinking about it the wrong way around." Idia's demeanor completely changes once he starts talking about a project, confident in his own abilities and how they would work. This was his area of expertise, no one came close to him, and he knows it. Well, maybe a few from this all, but he's planning to learn from everything he's seen here and find how to replicate it himself. And improve on it.

"What I need to do is make a beacon from my technology for you to keep before I go," Then a huff of annoyance. "I don't have any points left to buy anything, even if we could now, but I do have the stuff I've already made. I'll just have to take my broomstick apart." Which... "I would rather not, but once I'm back home I won't need it anyway. Plus I got all the plans, I could rebuild it if I want. And make it better, since I would have access to proper tools once I'm home." There's barely a pause as he continues. "I can use the gem within it and turn that into a signal, make a way to amplify it, and even program a system that would require a password that would tell you if you were meeting me again or if it's another version of myself from Sebek or Ruggie's form of Twisted Wonderland."

"I'll set up a password that I from whatever version you get to could answer, and one that only I can based on stuff that happened here on the train." Idia doesn't think he's overlooked anything, and even if he does, he'll cover enough bases to make it work. It would be a messy and simple build with what he has to work with, but it would do the job.

He's surprised that Idia's so willing, but then he realizes that he's also lived a lonely kind of life. And here? He didn't have those obligations. No social heirarchal bullshit. There'd be nothing but good intentions in coming to see him, and he knows that, and there's not enough of that in this boy's life. They'd just be showing up, wanting the time with him, mostly at their own expense.

Except for this. His contribution. His effort to see them again.

"I dunno, to be honest. Other'n Voidtrecker. And I remember some of them snack brands you and Kyoko used to eat. I'd help her order 'em sometimes."

So yes, this man could respond to a password that involved Pocky or Calpis or "Hello Panda". But it's the best he could come up with on the spot.

Honestly, Idia's heading back to a world that... he's going to be locked away from. He'll be lucky to see real light maybe once or twice a year from now on, let alone being able to go anywhere. He has no clue what's going to happen. It's not like he finished school, and he doubts he can go back. Or if he would want to, to start again at Night Raven College. Then again, all his family had to so was throw enough money at Crowley to enroll him again... but Idia wonders if it's worth it. He would just be vanishing back home for his 'internship' in his fourth year, so what's the point? He may as well just accept his role at STYX.

So the chances of Yondu and others showing up? ...it would be nice. A moment of escape whenever they do appear. And Idia would make it so he could meet them, pull every string he can to make it happen. Even if it's only for a day. Or an hour. Anything to allow a chance to pretend he had freedom again.

Idia lets out a 'pfft' as they walk, a bit of a grin to go along with it, "I was thinking something more complex so there's no way of anyone guessing it apart from me, and something only I would know for another me, maybe with a hint." But you know what? "It wouldn't be a bad idea for me to program you in a password too, in cause something happens and you have to alter the programming or... whatever on it. So you can pick whatever you like." Oh, though, "As long as it's not something stupid like 1234 or something."

"Welp. Let's settle on Osiga. You'll probably remember that, and no others would. Unless there's some time fuckery of the likes I don't wanna even start dabblin' in." Another timeline with another them that went through all of this.

"Hey, did you keep them demat devices I ordered a while back? I lost track of 'em 'cause I... well, stopped existin' for a bit. But you should take 'em back, see if you can nail the tech. I know you got magic but it helps to have all the tricks you can muster up."

Idia's lip curls up at that, a roll of his eyes that only a teen can pull off. "Ehh," So much feeling put behind that one sound, "Don't even start on that. You got any idea how complicated it is with the multiple universes of different places let alone multiple universes of the same place? I mean, multi-verse theory is cool and all that, the idea of an infinite number of universes spawned by every little choice every being on a planet makes... but it's so much in practice." It's so much!

"I got enough crap going on in my life without even considering that! And now I have to now that I know it's out there!" How could Idia not?! Though for all the excitement over such a discovery, he also sounds annoyed. But he really is excited by it. There's so many possibilities.

...he wonders if there's a universe out there where he's normal. Not a freak. Able to actually have a normal life... he hopes so. That one of him is able to have that.

"Eh? Oh, yeah, I hadn't worked on what I wanted to use them on, but I threw them into my spare part pile in the Lab." Though, in a way Idia didn't need it, and almost as if to prove a point, a wave of his hand transforms his orange train hoodie and rest of his outfit into his black and blue dorm uniform from school. As he keeps walking though, "I was considering if I could make myself armor, like a mech suit kinda thing here for missions. I wonder if it would work on the demat devices, make it real easy to hide it and transport it around rather than having to wear it constantly."

Idia might be surprised. For all that Yondu hoped there were "better" versions of him, when he finally heard of one he got mad that the fucker got to live with his mistakes. Somehow it was unfair that he could see himself forge on merrily without the karma that this version of him toiled through.

But it doesn't matter right now, Idia's irritation is met with a little amusement, just because he knows he probably likes having the experiences. Even the good ends up running through Idia's inconvenience filter.

"Yeah, that's about how they work. I'm gonna miss the Train's way of pricin' gear. That shit is real expensive back home. Ever'body might got one piece of collapsible gear or two within a price range." Maybe it's something Idia himself could make some money on, depending on how things went.

He just futiley is hoping the kid turns out okay.

"I never had enough points," Idia muttered, shoulders slumping in annoyance at that. "Guess it doesn't matter now... but could never get all I wanted." Sure, stuff was more expensive back home, but, well, he didn't have to worry about that. Money was not an issue for a Shroud. Even then Idia didn't throw a lot of it around. It was normally split between merch and media he wanted, and tech pieces he needed. Oh, and rush orders for everything. All the rush orders since Sage's Island where Night Raven College was on was rather remote from... well, everything. It took a lot of modes of transport to even get to the island, let alone to one of the two private schools on the island.

"Guess good in a way... less to take back." Was... that a good way to think about it? Why was he even trying to think of it all in a good way? It sucked. Like, going home in a way was good... Idia guesses...

But he would rather just bring Ortho to the train. They could both have an adventure that way.

Ehhh... who is he kidding? This was all just a brief dream to enjoy before waking up back into reality. It was going to happen sooner or later.

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Fighting Headstrong in our Final Hour:Conclusion

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