[ DEPARTURE ]

[sheriffexe]

DEPARTURE

It's time to go. Most people are on the train by now. Settled into their cabins and among friends and loved ones. There are only three new arrivals left to board and once they do, Hal pulls a conductor's hat out from underneath the bar, tugs it on, and steps around it to the middle of the train. He opens his mouth to talk, voice filling the train. "It's time to go. Stops happen once a day until everyone's departed and I already have your stopped listed. If you'd like to be prioritized, let me know, otherwise we'll go in order of death. Settle in and enjoy the ride. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask, folks." This, of course, means that those who died earliest (Manfred, Higekiri) will depart first while those who died latest (Barnham, Damian, Percy) will depart last. There's a stop for everyone, though those who want to get off together are more than welcome to. Hal pulls a notepad and pen out of his pocket later and people will notice that he goes around the train confirming stops with everyone. Whatever feeling Hal may have had to a character back in town isn't noticeable here -- he is simply a robot assigned with a job. After that, it's all a matter of settling in and enjoying the ride. If that's possible for you, at least.

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Comments

[bittybat]

[Well, he's ten and he's Tired. Just... let him rest. He's going to sit in an empty seat and just... let his head be supported on the window.

Strangely, a familiar chicken comes down the aisles, looking for someone and clucking gently as it goes. It flaps into the seat next to Damian and sits as if it's roosting.]

[impulsiveness]

[And while Damian sits there, someone else is going to sit down on the nearest unoccupied seat. Jason is quiet for a moment, looking at this 10-year-old child, and then he sighs.]

I'm still proud of you. That hasn't changed. [The words are sincere, now that Damian can hear the tone behind them.] You are not a disappointment.

[bittybat]

[It takes a moment for Damian to actually look at Jason. (He's looking at Jason in the reflection of the window.) His eyes drop down to the chicken, and then he reaches out to pet the back of its neck.]

Father won't forgive so easily.

[impulsiveness]

I don't care.

[His tone is firm, but there is still a stab of fear and pain and guilt in his chest. Damian is just a child. He's family. Jason knows what it's like to fear disappointing Bruce, but this is on a whole other level.]

You did what you had to do. You helped get us home, Damian. [He reaches out, placing his arm across Damian's back and gently tugging him into a hug. Jason will do most of the scooting over to avoid disturbing the chicken, though.] If... If Bruce won't forgive you for doing what was necessary, then maybe Bruce doesn't need to know.

[But Bruce has a way of figuring things out. They both know that.]

[bittybat]

[WHY IS EVERYONE ALWAYS HUGGING HIM!!! HE HATES HUGS!! (he likes hugs) SO MUCH!!

Under his breath, smooshed into Jason's front, he grunts irritably but tiredly.] Don't be ridiculous.

I'm returning home, and I will have to tell Father what happened. Hiding anything from him is worse than committing it.

[feminitis]

[Sei really isn't sure how to approach him.

They weren't especially close, but - she can't help but feel awful about how much was put on this small child's shoulders. The sight of him putting a gun to his head isn't something she'll easily shake.

She takes a seat across the aisle from him and is silent for a few long moments before looking over.]

...thank you. [The words aren't quite enough to express everything he deserves to hear, but it's a start.]

[bittybat]

[Out of the corner of his eye, Damian glances at Sei, and then he returns to watching her in the reflection of the window. He's quiet for a long time, too.

But finally:] Don't congratulate murderers.

[feminitis]

But...

[Sei bites her lip. There isn't really anything she can say to make this better, is there? And yet, she can't stop herself from trying.]

We're alive and going home, or to better places... and we wouldn't have been able to do that without you. Even if the methods that were taken to make that happen aren't... objectively good, you saved us.

[bittybat]

I didn't save us. [He glances finally over at Sei, frowning.] Jackson saved us.

[flippity]

[ she saves tracking down damian for last. she had immediately reached out to barnham and percy physically, but instead she just stand in the aisle next to his seat. ]

Hi Damian.

[bittybat]

[Jason, who is a boy Family member, and Sei, who is a girl he didn't know too well, are easy to grump at. But Papika is one of the few he can't be ugly to even if he wants.

His head turns in her direction, and his expression is acknowledging even if he doesn't speak right away. After a moment, he scoops the chicken up and puts it in his lap out of the way of the seat, much to its cooing and having to resettle displeasure.]

Are you going home to help your friend?

[flippity]

[ she immediately sits down in the now open seat, folding her legs under her. ]

I am. It'll be really bad of me if I didn't. [ ... ] Are you going back home too?

[bittybat]

Yes. [He's frowning about it even if he doesn't seem, like, distraught or anything.] I have to give my father the details so he can record them in case it happens again.

[And... he has to admit what he did.]

[thatsthespirit]

[well this might be awkward, considering he killed her good and dead in their last interaction. but nevertheless, Milla approaches. she doesn't take a seat, but she does reach out to brush her fingers against the chicken's feathers. is it Felix. . . or is it another chicken. . .]

Damian?

[she finally speaks]

Will you be all right?

[while she certainly holds no grudges, she knows how anti-killing he was, all the way up until the very end. she knows having to go against his ideals likely affected him deeply. and deep down. . . she wishes she could have done more to protect him, as her leader. not just physically, but mentally as well]

[bittybat]

[It's Felix. The chicken seems to know Milla, and it stands up in the seat to start clucking in greeting.] I'm fine. [You know, except for the painful weight of having to face his father with this information...]

It's yours. [He means the chicken.] The Sheriff said the animals would be fine, but they could go with us if we wanted.

[Damian asked for Felix for you. :')]

[thatsthespirit]

[OH. . . OH. . . DAMIAN. . .]

[she blinks in surprise once she realizes it's her pet chicken, but a smile crosses her features as she scoops the creature into her lap so she can sit down next to her Bounty Leader]

It was kind of you, to think of him. But you really do love animals, don't you?

[maybe if she keeps the conversation light she can distract him from all those murders he committed at the very end]

[cherrypuncher]

[okay, well, death has made Yuna Yuki no less overwhelming of a person just, in general, so honestly if Damian just wanted to like punch her in the jaw that'd be completely fair because when she sees him,] Hey! Robin! [is all the warning he gets before she just tries to scoop him right up out of his seat and off his feet into a hug and spin him around.

HI PAL

SORRY ABOUT EVERYTHING YUNA CHOOSES TO BE]

[bittybat]

[OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!

Damian can't even fight because not only is he tired, but... it's fucking Yuna, and there's little else he can do against the onslaught except fuss and yowl and squirm like a cat being held when it doesn't wanna be held.

The chicken doesn't seem at all pleased to be interrupted in napping, ruffling its feathers and screeching gently at them like it's scolding.] What are you doing?! Put me down!

[cherrypuncher]

—ah! Sorry, sorry, sorry! [She's laughing, though, despite that there's a ten-year-old and a chicken yelling at her, but she does set him back down on his feet.] I was just really happy to see you and I didn't know what else to do!

[SO TWIRLY HUGS IT IS???]

[ceded]

We were lucky to have you, you know.

[ Said gently and with a little smile as Xion stands near. She doesn't try to take a seat or otherwise interrupt him; she's not sure if she's earned that. But there was no way she could not speak to him; there's so much ... that she feels like she owes him. ]

... hi, Damian.

[bittybat]

[By now, he's a bit better. Less distant, thank God, and, luckily, the chicken has vanished with Milla, so it isn't in the way if she wants to sit.]

Your journal is in my cabin. If you want it back before you leave.

[ceded]

[ That makes her expression go a little softer. ]

... thank you. I'm glad you held onto it.

[ After a small moment of hesitation, she'll sit after all. ]

Do you know where you'll go after this?

http://i.imgur.com/ySDkC87.gif

[sating]

[ Really, Hannibal would have preferred to come speak to his "foe" earlier, but alas. He had indeed been one of the last survivors, though he is still rather tickled that it wasn't because the two of them were left to duel. He found the very idea of that quite trite. This was far, far better, in his opinion.

So eventually, Hannibal will quietly take a seat across from Damian. He's smiling lightly, as he always has. For Hannibal, it would almost seem that absolutely nothing has changed. ]

Hello, Damian. I don't intend to stay long, so do not worry. But I wished to at least say hello without the false pretenses that had defined us.

FUCK OFF

[bittybat]

[Stop smiling you giant asshole.

Naturally, Damian doesn't look pleased; his lips twist down more, and he doesn't turn his eyes away from the window... not to say he isn't still watching Hannibal.] You could have ended all of this sooner if you had dueled me when I requested it.

[Now he does look.] But you didn't want the game to end, did you?

i love u

[sating]

[ Hannibal's smiles reaches to his eyes as Damian mentions the duel, because he makes no effort to hide now how the honorable request had amused him. It had been almost charming, quaint in a way, but it simply wasn't Hannibal's style to accept. Though with the concern that comes with Damian's gaze, that smile falls to slight surprise instead, and he shakes his head. ]

On the contrary, I absolutely did. I would like to return home with Will, after all.

[ But he can see where that impression would come from, so he elaborates. ]

I was told to make the game entertaining for our hosts, however. If it ended without being a show, then it would have been unfortunate.