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

[Yuna Yuki spends the not-quite two weeks before her stop comes as much as herself as she ever is: smiley and energetic, always seeking people out, always seeming like she's on some kind of mission or another. As her stop draws closer, the energy dulls, only a little, replaced by something that might be sadness but seems even more overwhelmed by restlessness than usual.

She doesn't let herself be idle, though—if she's out of conversations to have and excuses to pester, she loads a cart up with desserts and snacks and wheels it through the train, stopping at almost every cabin and occupied seats; even now, there are so few people Yuna wouldn't consider herself friendly with. Her spiel is the same each time, delivered with just as much pizzazz:] Hero Club tenet! Sleep well, [a gesture towards the cart] eat well! The snack cart's here, so what can I get you?

[And once or twice—only that; she's much too busy to let it happen anymore than that—Yuna might be found flopped on a couch somewhere where she probably promised herself just a moment to sit down. So much for a moment; this may or may not remain true if anyone comes by, but for now, Yuna Yuki is napping. Sleep well, tiny Hero.]

[. . . oh Yuna. DO YOU EVER STOP. . .]

[at any rate, Milla will definitely catch her tiny li'l sis napping. and once she does so, she disappears into one of the bedroom carts only to reappear moments later with a blanket in tow. she drapes it over Yuna's sleeping form and gently tucks her in]

[she deserves all of the rest in the world]

[Yuna has never so much as slowed down ever in her life, STOPPING IS NOT AND HAS NEVER BEEN AN OPTION

except maybe for right now?? but she wastes no time at all rolling over with a little yawn, scrabbling a little at the blanket and ruining Milla's hard blanket-tucking work. r.i.p.]

[SHE TRIED SO HARD AND GOT SO FAR. . .]

[but in the end, she think it funny, and she lifts a hand to cover her mouth as she laughs]

Wouldn't you be far more comfortable in your bed?

[she asks, knowing that her roommate can't hear her. she's internally debating on whether she should move her or not]

M'fffffffiiiiineee.

[there's no guarantee that she's like...actually awake, or if those are just sort of mostly-asleep mumbles, though? she's pulling the blanket up to her face and then going still again, her breathing steady. bye......]

[Yuna. . .]

[BYE. . .]

[honestly tho Milla's just going to wait here until Yuna wakes up entirely. maybe she'll get herself a snack?? maybe she'll have a snack ready for when Yuna's up again. she might be hungry after this nap, after all!]

[honestly yuna yuki knows what she's about so the second milla comes back with snacks, she starts to stir...... oh my god yuna.

waking up is a Process but she is ever so slowly starting to roll over and then sit up, blinking blearily against the light.] What's for lunch...?

[it's past lunchtime. give her a minute]

[SHE BROUGHT COOKIES. clearly it was the sweet smell of sugary food that woke her from her slumber]

Cookies, for now. [Milla answers, amusement lacing her words] Although it's just to start you off. You'll have to eat something with more substance later.

[Yuna is ever-so-slowly catching her bearings and she looks at least a little startled at the realization that she fell asleep here, but honestly, Milla has cookies, so who cares??]

Really? [And now she's getting up properly, pausing to look at the blanket as it falls off in the process in confusion, and immediately refocusing her attention to sweets.] You're the best, Milla!

[a light chuckle, and Milla grabs a cookie for herself as she passes the plate to Yuna]

I had a feeling you'd be hungry when you woke up. All that energy you've expended running from place to place is really catching up with you.

Your spirits never fully fade, do they?

[It's something that's stood out to Lust, through this whole madness. Yuna, no matter how dark or dire it all seemed, continued to shine brightly and try and infuse the town and train with joy. It's...remarkably noteworthy. It makes her think of the younger Elric.]

[There she is!! Yuna's been looking for Lust, so she grins even wider when she sees her.]

Hero Club tenet! Try not to give up. So I can't stop being who I am!

[So yep, she's still that same Yuna who's all sunshine and smiles, even brighter now to see someone she considers a friend.]

I can't say that's poor advice, to try never to give up. No matter the circumstances.

[There's a knowing tone to her voice. If nothing else, this ordeal proves that theory. All of that misery, but seeing it through to the end had come with great reward.]

I...wanted to thank you, for your kindness.

[Yuna pauses, tilting her head ever-so-slightly. The confusion passes quickly, though, and she beams as wide as bright as ever. It isn't something she feels like she needs to be thanked for, but she doesn't want to brush the gratitude off when it means something to Lust.]

I'm just glad I got the chance to be your friend!

[A part of Lust wants to tell the girl she shouldn't be glad for that at all. She has no idea, what Lust really is. The things she'd done before finding herself in this place out of time and existence. She's told a handful of others, people she feels deserve to know...

But Yuna doesn't. Besides, that life is behind Lust now. Fully and officially. Eliot's told her all about what he does, in his world, the purpose of the team he works with. That's the life she'll call her own.]

It is...appreciated. I never had 'friends', before.

It's nice to have them now, isn't it? [It isn't fair, and Yuna knows this, for her to have gone so long without, but leave it to her to focus on the silver lining instead; if there's something better now then there's no reason to focus on before.] When you have good friends by your side, it makes everything much easier, because they'll always give you their strength.

[Yuna brings her hand to her heart, still all bright smiles.]

I think we'll always be friends, even if we're far away, but would it be okay if I wrote you letters sometimes so we don't have to be? Percy said he wanted there to be a way for people to talk to each other after all of this, so we could have phone calls and video chats and be pen pals if you wanted!

It is...I think. Nice.

[It's still confusing and causes a great deal of emotion that Lust isn't comfortable with and doesn't quite understand. Feelings for people are still a new thing. And the strange mess that are feelings for friends...it's hardly as clear and obvious as romantic feelings, or feelings of dislike.]

[But it is nice. She thinks of the time spent with Barnham, with Ezio, with Eliot - and of course, with Yuna. They're fond memories.]

I'd like that. I'd like to hear about the life you live. And I can write you in turn, and tell you about our life. If you'd like.

[ DEPARTURE ]

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