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

[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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