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

[ percy. holy shit. good to know the thing that gets him to legitimately smile again is his girlfriend saying "no" to his proposal? even if it wasn't exactly a no so much as conditions. ]

You used your merit on an engagement ring?

[ or, alternately, he literally picked it up in rome. actually neither option would be that surprising.

like. can she talk here, she wasted a bunch of hers on blue food. ]

Not all of it! I used it to get us to go wherever home is and also make it possible for us to send letters and call people from other universes if people agree to that. This was just part of it. [He'll open the box, looking at the ring.] I could always give it back to Hal and just use money we make from our college jobs that could be going to our rent instead if you want. [He's missed this.]

And anyway you started it with the blue food. I had to up the ante.

Did you just ask me to move in with you, too?

[ she's edging away from exasperated to amused. that has to be a good sign? percy, what's next. are you going to bring up kids. shit he's probably going to bring up kids. no, annabeth refuses to be the one who gets blindsided by everything? she holds out her left hand. ]

Since I'm fairly certain you've also already made us into parents [ she will ask for a full list of who he adopted and is dragging back with them in like, a few minutes ] I think you need to let go of the ante and let it rest for a while.

[ there is literally nothing he can ante up further. unless he starts talking about pensions or something? ]

Yes, after everything's over. Or as over as it ever gets, with you. So, after college.

[ or at least getting into college, they can debate the specifics IN A FEW YEARS? ]

You know me. Pushing my luck and all. [But there's a small smile as he scoots forward to slip the ring on her finger. He doesn't let go of her hand though.] After college. That gives you like five years to plan how you want the rest of our lives to go.

[And also defeating Gaea and the like. He deflated a bit then, looking at her silently.]

Now you can ask me whatever you want. I know you. You have a list of questions and maybe a flowchart.

I'll let you have some say.

[ ...maybe. but since he doesn't let go of her hand, she will tug him to his feet so they can like. sit back down on the train bench thing. that would be good? ]

First question: who's coming back with us and is it possible to drop them not in Tartarus?

[Sitrinf is good. He crawls back up onto the bench with her and settled next to her. He wastes little time in resting his head on her shoulder and looping his arms around her waist.]

Natalie, Xion and probably Jason. I told Natalie to take them to my mom and Paul's apartment with an explanation of what happened. Wouldn't be the weirdest thing she's heard.

[ annabeth will for her part lean back against him. ]

Good. That should keep them out of trouble. And they can keep an eye on your family, while they're at it. [ doesn't at least one of them have superpowers? ] While we deal with...everything else.

[ hahaha. ]

Why don't you just tell me about everything else from the start?

They'll be okay. I already told Natalie everything about the city that I thought was important.

[He falls quiet then, snuggling into her shoulder and holding her waist tighter.]

That's a lot. But the important parts...Hal approached me about the coal miner job our first week here. He said that if I told anybody you and I would be disqualified from the game and we couldn't get back home. Nisha knew you and I were dating. But I was working with her until she was executed. Then...in the second week, Damian came to me and told me he was looking for someone to kill someone else to end the game. I didn't realize it at first, but he was telling me he was the Bounty Leader and he was looking for the Deputy. Because of my merit, I was able to get information out of Hal about the game and the roles and everything. I was taking it back to the others. It's how I accidentally found Milla who told me she was a Bounty. We suspected Noctis was because he had information that no one else would know unless they spoke to the Bounty or were the Bounty. With those three together, Hal told them about Shinnosuke being the last Bounty. So...we've been working together for weeks. Natalie told me she was the Doctor and we convinced her to switch the name to Damian for revival.

And...Damian told us he challenged the Deputy to a duel and the Deputy said no. That's how we got a handwriting sample and when I spoke to Will, Will knew why I was asking. He showed me a letter Dr. Lecter wrote to confirm the match. And so I talked to Dr. Lecter and we tried to negotiate but it was too late by then. He knew he was going to die. So...that didn't work.

[There's more. There always is. But first...] Will told me how you died. It's why I trusted Will's guidance.

About how I was put in the stocks? Or how it was mostly a crime of opportunity?

[ she's not going to complain about who percy trusted. his judgement is occasionally questionable in terms of plans of action, but he's usually pretty good at telling when people can be trusted. mostly. kind of. look... ]

I wasn't sure if you were the one who'd gotten the entire story out of Hal or not. I knew someone had, but wasn't sure how to tell you so. We need to think up codewords and phrases in case anyone ever tries to censor things we're saying ever again.

[ an idle aside, but. ]

Your information-gathering was top-notch.

Dr. Lecter told me why you were put in the stocks. And I learned about Russell. Everything came at me all at once and mostly when it was too late. But I got the information I needed. I had to...you weren't here and I had to put effort in. Isn't that what you said to me?

And anyway...[A not-so-subtle snuggle.] Mr. Barnham told me on Sunday. This whole week has been the worst week of all. But...I'm glad it's finally over.

[ DEPARTURE ]

>( >( >(

<3333

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject