middleofsomewhere | Day Twelve, Conclusion

All battles come to an end. Professor Chill and his henchpeople is defeated, the ice giant slain by the brave heroes of purple team. The townspeople led out of the tunnels and due to some extraordinary pun-hacking skills by Kaito the weather machine is de-powered.

Being a magical snowstorm the shutting down of the weather machine causes it to vanish, snow begins to melt and then evaporates into the air before it can become a larger problem in terms of a flood. The temperatures rise, going from dangerously cold to a warm spring day, warm enough that the voidtreckers will soon be too warm all bundled up as they are. The clouds disappear, the sun shines. Within a short period of time the streets are dry, the mountainsides are green and the trees are bright with flowers.

The streets are still a mess, property is damaged and the clean up operation is going to be intense but it doesn't look like there is any lasting ecological damage at least.

The ice labyrinth vanishes and those inside it will find themselves suddenly standing in the field below. For red team, the journey to the top of the mountain took four days in the blizzard but with the weather clear and going downhill they will reach the valley by the end of day eleven.

The army has arrived and mostly taken over gathering the injured and dealing with the more serious damage but there is plenty to do for those who still wish to help. Houses need put back to rights, streets and paths need sweeping of debris.

Help out, find your friends, swap stories. Celebrate a job well done.

Towards mid afternoon of day twelve a beeping from their SCA's should draw everyone's attention. The map leads them to a place just out of sight from the town and there is the Voidtrecker Express. It is time to leave.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Yes but... they're gone now." She looked back at the area around them as if she was trying to spot a little clump of melting snow. "I don't know how they were born but I hope they were able to return home too."

Naminé looked back at Madoka and smiled. "I'm sure it's okay." She hoped so.

"Is it weird for someone from another team to join with you. I didn't think I could help the orange team and I wanted to make sure Terra was alright." He could probably take care of himself but Naminé felt better being around someone she knew.

Madoka hopes the same for the monsters, really. Especially after talking about them with Romeo. Maybe at least there won't be any monsters born forced to be bad because of the bad guy now...

But the latter question the other girl asks her draws Madoka's attention more, and she shakes her head - pretty quickly too, as if she wants to reassure Naminé as soon as possible.

"It's not weird at all! Tons of people go along with different teams. Either because they think they could be more helpful somewhere else, or because they want to be with people important to them." Madoka is just in luck that some of the people most important to her here are right in the blue team with her, even if it's not all of them. "Is that a friend of yours?" Terra, she means.

Naminé felt her cheeks warm at Madoka's question. "Ah. Yes. He is the only one I know from before the train. He met briefly before and I felt more useful with him and the blue team. I didn't think I could help my own team. I don't know a lot about machines or snow."

It felt like she was trying to justify herself but she wasn't sure why.

"I'm glad that everything is okay though. I don't want to accidentally upset someone. I don't really understand the colors."

Aw, Madoka thinks it's rather sweet that Naminé at least has someone with her who she knows from before.. It'd make sense that she would rather want to go along with him.

Hence why she doesn't think it's a problem at all that the other girl came along with them. She can't imagine anyone thinking that. Most people on the blue team are so nice, and Ignis is the leader and super understanding.

"Really, you haven't upset anyone..!" Which is why she's so quick to want to reassure Naminé. Madoka knows all too well how it feels to be so unsure, and she doesn't want the other to have to feel that way. "And-- b-besides, if anyone is mean to you.. Just tell me! I won't let them!"

Yes, Madoka. You and all of your fourteen year old tiny girl-ness will stop mean people, clearly.

"That's good." Naminé smiled back at Madoka and without warning, gave the other girl a tight warm hug. "Thank you Madoka." She gently pulled away and tried to not act all that awkward about it. "I just- I haven't had a friend like you before. I will tell you, if anyone is mean. Thank you so much."

She was only getting used to having friends and the feeling was, at times, over whelming.

"And you tell me too. I want to keep my friends safe." Naminé wasn't all that threatening either but if it means she can help her friends then she wants to try her best.

The hug does catch Madoka by surprise. She just didn't see it coming, really. But thankfully the surprise doesn't linger for too long - not when it melts into something much warmer so quickly. Because it always feels nice to be hugged. And Naminé is calling Madoka her friend. What more could she want at a moment like this, really?

"A.. Ah, really?" She smiles at the other girl once Naminé pulls away, her cheeks only faintly pink. "I'm sorry that you haven't had friends like me.."

Especially since Madoka sure has. She's pretty sure Sayaka would have had even more to say about what she'd do to people who were mean to Madoka, really..

"But.. that just means we can make up for it in this place, right? As long as we're here together, I'll gladly be your friend! And we can help each other out when we need it."

Naminé shook her head. "It's not that exactly. There are some friends that I still need to meet and I haven't had the chance yet." She didn't want to believe that she didn't have friends, not after replica Riku had given up so much for her. One day they'd meet again and they'd be friends.

"But I'm glad. Oh. I should find Terra and help." She'd been spacing out for a minimum of an hour.

"Have you seen him? I don't know if you've met. He's tall and has dark brown hair that's short."

"We haven't really talked before, but I think I know who you mean.."

It's not hard to at least know the faces of the blue team after spending so much time with them, after all. Madoka is already glancing around to see if she can spot him.

"I don't think he's here though.. Maybe he already went ahead to the train?"

"I can go look." She paused and looked around them. "Where is the train? I had jumped off before."

Naminé hadn't taken the time to look for the train.

"Is it on the map?" She lifted her wrist and looked down at the high tech orange watch that was there.

Madoka smiles, happy to be able to help with something.

"Yes. Here, look.." She moves just a bit closer to Naminé - just enough to be able to point it out on the map. "If you follow the directions the map is giving you, then you should arrive at the train. I don't think it's too far away."

The girl takes a step back and smiles. "I hope you find your friend soon! I bet he's just waiting for you somewhere."

Naminé carefully inspects the map and tries to memorize where the train was from where she was currently standing. "Thank you. I think I can find my way back."

She flashed Madoka a warm smile.

"I'll see you back on the train later, right?"

"Hmm!"

She nods.

"See you later, Naminé..! Please be careful on your way back!"

Day Twelve, Conclusion

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject