[ 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

[hydrokinetics]

I am, too. I think it's going to take a while to get over this, but at least we have a long ride home to figure it all out. That's gotta count for something.

[alcobrawlic]

Yeah... since I'm pretty sure at least half of you still need naps.

[ Don't front. ]

[hydrokinetics]

Doesn't that count for you, too? What happened to having a free day?

[alcobrawlic]

I've been here for close to two weeks and aside from talking down a ton of people who were pissed at Barnham, I've had nothing but days of sleeping in.

[ SHE'S FINE. ]

[hydrokinetics]

I can appreciate that. Maybe I'll take a nap before our stop. Who knows when we'll sleep again. So back to teaching when you get off the train?

[alcobrawlic]

... [ Something in Sara's expression flashes... bittersweet. Even her laugh is a little more subdued than usual, as she slowly shakes her head. ]

My time as a teacher is over. With the way things are now, I'm going back to being a bracer.

[hydrokinetics]

[...Sara :( At that, he looks at her carefully for any other tells in her expression. He can read people enough now to kind of pick up on those things.]

The fighters that help the people, right? The neutral party. [He remembers that story.] ...you'll be great. After all of this? You'll help out even more people.

[alcobrawlic]

[ She's all right. Sara's also perceptive enough to hide her own tells, but for now, she just looks... tiredly accepting. ]

That's all I ever wanted in the first place, honestly. And I didn't get a chance to do much of that here... I've gotta kick myself into gear.

[hydrokinetics]

You served as a motivator for a lot of us, including me and Noct. What do you mean you didn't get to do much of that here?

[alcobrawlic]

I didn't get to punch half the people I wanted.

[hydrokinetics]

There's still a full train of people, Sara. You could track them down if you really wanted to.

[alcobrawlic]

Believe it or not, you're not allowed to be violent here.

[ OKAY... ]

[hydrokinetics]

...then what was Felix talking about in his letter to me? [What.]

[alcobrawlic]

... What did he say? [ please, continue. ]

[hydrokinetics]

Uh, something like..."let's just say that he knows exactly how painful burning flesh can feel and he'll never want to be near fire or gasoline again. He's very sorry."

[alcobrawlic]

... I am pretty sure he never set Russell on fire.

[ But this is the look of someone who is Not Pleased. ]

[hydrokinetics]

Then what was he actually talking about? That doesn't make sense.

[alcobrawlic]

Knowing him, he might have actually just threatened him. I don't know the whole story, though.

[ BUT IF SHE SEES HIM, SO HELP HER-- ]

[hydrokinetics]

I'm hoping so...as much as I'm mad about what Russell did even he doesn't deserve that.

[alcobrawlic]

... We're working on that. I'll make sure Russell learns how to value life in general a lot more.

[hydrokinetics]

I'd say go easy on him because he's a kid but on the other hand he kind of seems crazy. So you're definitely taking him?

[alcobrawlic]

Yep! He kind of had a rough family life, from what I've heard, and it's not like he'd be the first kid I've picked up from a battlefield.

[ And a nod, satisfied. ] It'll be fine.

[hydrokinetics]

[A nod.] I guess I can't talk since I'm taking three people back with me. Kind of.

[alcobrawlic]

... Kind of?

[hydrokinetics]

Kind of. I'm sending them back to my world to my mom's place, but that's not where Annabeth and I are going. We still have the world to save.