robowest | [ DEPARTURE ]

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[So, this is the end.

This is not the outcome he had originally hoped for, but it's not as bad as it could have been. They all died, but they're going home — and that's far better than being trapped inside that town. The only difficult task left now is, of course... saying goodbye to everyone he's met here. Perhaps even forever.

There was never even a remote chance of a perfect ending . Just a bittersweet one.

If he's not walking around the train, looking for familiar faces and greeting them as they run across each other, then he's staring out one of the windows with an unreadable expression on his face. He doesn't want to go back home. He's terrified of it, in fact. But... well. At least it'll be a while before his stop. He has time to think about it.]

[At one point when he's staring out the window, she comes over and takes a seat beside his, looking towards him as he looks towards the window. Her question, when she asks it, is simple, for all that it might be difficult to answer.]

What're you thinking?

[It's not an easy question to answer, she's right. For as good an ending as this is, there's still a stab of pain in his heart as he thinks of all the people he will never see again. They will all survive, but not together.]

The next stops... And who's hopping off on them.

[It's true, in a way.]

[She nods. She's been thinking about it, too. It's so strange to think there are many people she won't see again. Her gaze shifts, following his glance out the window.]

Sucks, doesn't it?

[But then, most things here have.]

Have you decided yet?

[He's quiet for a moment, and then he nods.]

... I can't go back home. Hal said I'll wind up creating an alternate timeline with a different version of Damian, and I need merit to prevent that.

[Shrug, still looking out the window. He doesn't regret giving Percy what he had, but... he does regret leaving Damian by himself.]

So I guess this means I'm taking you up on that offer. [So, four shitty teens go on a road trip.] Heard Manhattan's nice around summer, at least.

...I'm sorry, Jason.

[And she is. Even if, selfishly, she didn't want to lose him - she remembers how he spoke about Damian. His brother, he'd said. She doesn't know if she can imagine how that feels.]

You deserved better, merit or not.

[Even if she has to wonder whether this is the better option for him, given what he told her yesterday.]

[at some point, noct will emerge from his eternally napping and/or whatever he's doing when he hangs out with mom to actually... eat.

and it's basically just a homey looking chicken and rice bowl, because noctis happens to be a very strange prince with very simple tastes. but whatever, it's good—and he'll offer up jason a seat when he sees him. because they definitely need to hang out a bit more before the end finally comes for them.]

[He accepts the seat that's offered to him, sliding in next to Noctis.]

Hey.

[A simple greeting. Hi, buddy. Jason will glance at his food, but he won't get anything for himself just yet. All this goodbye business is putting a damper on his appetite.]

... I assume you're heading back home? [Since, war and all of that.]

Yeah. Nice as it sounds to go somewhere else... I have a throne to take back.

[a country to protect, and friends he needs to be with, no matter what. they need him more than the people on this train do...

even if he's going to miss all of them terribly for so long as he is alive.]

What's your plan?

[as if Milla wouldn't track down her Bounties and Associates buddies during the course of this journey. she catches him while he's staring out of the window, and while he looks like he has a lot on his mind, apparently that's not enough to get her to leave him alone]

[she reaches out, places a hand on his head, and ruffles his hair again]

Are you all right?

[The answer is.. debatable. He's not quite alright, but he's far better than he has been in weeks. They're going home, each and every one of them. He should be happy about that, but...

He's not. He doesn't want to say goodbye to his friends. So Milla ruffling his hair again is a little painful for a whole lot of reasons.]

Yeah. I'm just enjoying the scenery while it lasts.

And the company as well, right?

[. . . she understands that. she has no choice but to return to her own world, after all. saying good bye hurts, even if she won't regret doing it in the end]

[He nods, turning away from the window to look at her. Despite everything that happened, they had a good run. He's going to miss Milla for sure.]

And the company. [So, yeah.] You're not going back with Noctis, are you?

[Mom and Dad breaking up......]

[MOM AND DAD ARE A DOOMED RELATIONSHIP :(]

I can't.

[she keeps her voice even. emotionless]

I have a duty I can't abandon back home. He has duties to attend to on his world as well. That is. . . how things will have to be.

We're both acutely aware of this fact.

[ Chane, having spent so many hours - in the inn, at first, and then later, on this very train - staring out the windows, well. Her stomach jumps to see Jason caught in the same fixed gaze. By necessity, or perhaps just because of a strange, often hidden streak of cowardice, she had pulled away from him, or been pulled to others. Jason had been maimed into resembling her and she had left him behind as a consequence.

Or, so Chane sees it. It's not an easy perspective to disabuse herself of.

Before, she hadn't sought him out. Now, she does, firmly stepping into his periphery, her reflection bouncing lightly off the window and into his vision. Hey. ]

[ DEPARTURE ]

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styx i laughed because i was just about to slam into your top level

HAHA I AM A NINJA

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