Phase Twelve: ...And Back Again

[emorangerpink]

[The Chalice is still moving west across the Pacific when a few familiar faces arrive in the hangar, hot on the heels of a familiar ship heaving in to range over the horizon. The Nirvana's back to supplement the Chalice's mini-fleet again, and it doesn't take long for a shuttle to bring the three tourists back aboard, along with the supplies and

Comments

[amber_damsel]

Ah Laura!

[Have a Chris waving at you with a wrench.]

[emorangerpink]

Hi, Chris! You're helping out down here now?

How have things been?

[amber_damsel]

Mmhmm, I've been helping out with simple repairs. nothing too big. It's a bit hard to fill the hole you left.

As for things here, it's been...alright. You came at the right time though. We've been going through a rough patch lately.

[emorangerpink]

[Laura colours slightly at the praise, however mild or indirect.]

I've heard a little about it. I hope I can at least pitch in...

We brought back some supplies, by the way! I suppose Tsukasa will be taking charge of most of it, but it turns out they have coffee on Meijire, too.

[latelybloomed]

Laura... welcome back.

[And there's Hana, acting a little on guard as she approached Laura. She'd notice the bruises and bandages on her face.]

Did you enjoy yourself?

[emorangerpink]

Hana? [Looking concerned, but she reins in the alarm, figuring Hana's gotten plenty of it already.]

I did, yes. Are - are you all right?

[latelybloomed]

[Hana let out a small sigh, nodding as she did.]

Right now I am... something happened to Mad awhile back that hurt her bad. She took it out on me and she said that my family was responsible for all of her problems.

Th-the thing is, I... I don't remember any of it.

[emorangerpink]

I've heard a little about it. It... doesn't sound like Mad's exactly thinking straight. You shouldn't take anything she says too hard, I think...

[If this is the first thing Hana has to say to her, then Laura can only assume it's really eating at her... but at the same time, she has little clue how to usefully respond.]

[sunshine_maiden]

[Laura, you'll find Sora relatively nearby. She opens her mouth to speak... then frowns and closes it almost immediately. After a moment:]

Welcome back, Laura. We missed you.

...I don't think you want to hear about what happened with me while you were gone, really. Um, how was your trip?

[emorangerpink]

Beautiful. Relaxing. Refreshing. [Bittersweet and cathartic, too, but it doesn't look like Sora needs details on those aspects.]

I want to hear all about what I missed... but you don't have to rush to tell me anything you don't want to. I've heard a few things already.

[sunshine_maiden]

I'm glad. Things get a little rough here... it's good to be able to take a step back every so often and just take time for yourself.

[She shakes her head.] You missed... a lot. New aliens coming to kill us all, me finally getting my act together, Celestial Being getting in a big fight, us finding those people that live in the underground villages again, it turns out Mad is actually Hana's younger sister, I'm actually in a marginally more healthy relationship with Hana now, and I spent today recovering from having a vivid nightmare of Mad murdering Hana right next to me.

[The girl takes a breath, and sighs.] ...I was doing better, you just happen to have come back on a bad day for me. [She's shaking just a little, but she seems to catch herself, and it stops.] This was, um, kinda why I wanted to talk about you. It's less depressing.

[gudbye_despair]

Miss Laura. You're back.

[emorangerpink]

Hello, Elena!

[Smiling politely. Keeping her in view.]

[gudbye_despair]

You've gone for a long time. I kept your belongings safe.

[emorangerpink]

...Thank you, Elena!

[Laura's mentally tallying up everything she left behind her. There wasn't too much, fortunately...]

How have you been?

[gamenojikan]

[emorangerpink]

Yui!

[It's not hard to tell Laura's relieved to see the other girl looking so cheerful.]

I'm glad to hear it! It sounds like it's been pretty rough here, so it's good you've been able to settle in.

[gamenojikan]

Mmm. Things have been hectic around here lately, but they're turning out well.

Mad and I are dating now, for one.

[emorangerpink]

[...And the romantic surprises just keep coming.]

That's...

...things... must be tough. I mean, I heard she... well, the details were a tad confused.

How long...?