voidtreckerexpress | Event: Abort! Part Two (day 25, Egret). Luggage carriage

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Event: Abort! Part Two (day 25, Egret). Luggage carriage

They are on world world#27462947582 for about five hours, helping, ushering people out of the city, fighting monsters, keeping guard. All seems well in the city itself, peaceful even except for the slight panic of people being told to move south.

Wherever they are, north in the desert, travelling through the countryside to the south or still in the city itself they will notice from their peripheral vision a darkening of the sky. Looking up they will see clouds. Strange clouds, appearing in the blue sky out of nowhere.

Their SCA’s start beeping, rapidly, flashing red. The clouds are too weird to be clouds, dark shapes in the sky. It might be that the Voidtreckers heed the warning and tap their SCA to evacuate to the train. It might be that they do not.

If they don’t then there is a moment, a moment of absolute stillness as those around them notice the shapes. A confused pause. Children stop their chatter, people stop their complaining, even the monsters seem to sense something and pause in their attacks.

The remaining voidtreckers are yanked away, even without pressing their SCA, they glow gold and disappear.

They all appear in the luggage carriage and not even a second later, with no warning the train lurches, flinging everyone off their feet as it enters the void.

It’s not really easy to tell speed in the void, but they will get the sense that they are moving fast. Faster than before, leaving that world and whatever those shapes were behind.

(OOC: Information on this event is here and part one is here)

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Her head dips into a nod, but there's obviously something very tense about Alice as well. She doesn't seem physically injured, at least, but despite her tenseness being different from Wen Qing's tightly wound anger, she also doesn't seem to be doing great right now.

"Yes." Whatever those shadowy shapes were, they probably were carrying out the actual attack right now, back on that world. And while Alice would love to claim it's just what those idiot guards had coming to them, deep in her heart she immediately feels the guilt at knowing just how many innocent people are probably suffering now.

She has to suck in a breath before attempting to form more words.

"We had been ready to fight up on the wall." Alice had been, anyway. "Why would it drag us there on a whim and then take us right back?"

"Because it got frightened," Wen Qing ventures, her voice laced tight with frustration. Lightning has gotten her to at least consider the possibility of an alternate reading of them being the bait to lure away the shades but she's still not willing to budge from cowardice being the most likely explanation. "When it is either their lives or the lives of strangers, most people will be selfish and choose to save themselves."

It's not even a terrible instinct, she has often been exactly that kind of selfish herself - for most of her life, really. She doesn't hold it against others, just...

"It shouldn't have made that choice for us," she insists, chin lifting up, "those of us who wanted to stay and fight should have been allowed to. I'm tired of other people making choices for me."

Alice knows very well that most people would be selfish in that kind of situation. Hell, most people choose to be selfish even in more simple situations when there aren't actual lives at stake. The idea of the train being able to have those kinds of feelings is new - or at least, something she hadn't considered yet - but it makes sense. It isn't impossible in the slightest.

So Wen Qing is right. Even about that last part. Maybe especially about that last part. It's a sentiment so familiar that Alice can feel it all the way down to her bones. She understands even the anger about it.

But to keep herself from growing even more ragged than she already feels, she's trying to keep her own feelings out of it, focusing on Wen Qing's.

"You're right. Your decisions should be no one's but your own." And the idea that it's already happened so many times to the other is loathsome, honestly. "So the next question is how we make it listen."

When she is in a better state of mind, Wen Qing would be doing exactly the same thing, distracting herself from her own upset by focusing on the emotions and well-being of others. Now, though, as shaken and helpless as she feels, she isn't quite aware enough to realize the tables are being turned on her.

It simply feels good to have someone - a trusted someone, a dear friend - listen to her.

"I don't know, but we will have to make our displeasure known somehow. Or at the very least let whoever controls this train know that we are willing to fight and that we don't like the choice being made for us. Maybe make them understand that there is a choice involved." Her face goes blank for a moment. "People... I don't know if they even understand that there is a choice until someone steps forward and makes it. It's not only bad people who remain idle, the good ones do the same. Most of the time, I can't even hold a grudge against them for it."

She releases a long, slow breath, hands moving up to try and smooth out her hair from the rough travel back to the train. Trying to focus. The last thing she wants to do is fly off the handle in front of someone she actually likes, especially when said someone seems troubled enough herself right now.

"I am.. no good at diplomacy." The understatement of the year. At least she feels like Wen Qing has interacted with her enough (it doesn't take much, after all) to know why without explanation. Alice can hardly work her way through a regular social interaction, let alone a delicate one. So she sure wouldn't be the right person to talk to the train or whoever controls it. "But if you need it to involve any kind of threat or intimidation, I can help with that."

It's just like she said that time before they went into space, even if Wen Qing didn't agree with it. That's all she's good at. Knocking heads together. And in her current mood? She's gladly do it. Or just threaten do so. It might be cathartic enough at this point.

"And I appreciate that," Wen Qing tells her, voice kind but also laced with a firmness to say that she appreciates Alice's outrage, but she won't stand for having it turned against her while emotions are flying high. Or to have Alice endanger herself by angering whoever is in charge of the train, for that matter. "We have to tread carefully with confronting the ones who operate the train," she admits, though she does so reluctantly. Something tells her already this will be one of the points where it will be hard for her to practice what she preaches. "I'm not going to let you go alone and confront anyone. But I'll gladly have you as backup if I ever need it... though I don't think intimidation will get us far with the train."

Which is depressing, since that's basically all they have but. "The ones in charge of the train can pluck people from all kinds of places in time and space, and we are in their power. I doubt there is anything we could do to intimidate or issue real threats." And isn't that terribly frustrating?

It's saying a lot about just how much respect Alice has for Wen Qing that she doesn't insist on being very not-careful with how they approach this issue, despite it being in Alice's nature to just try to smash her way through everything. Maybe it's since she knows deep down that the other is right, no matter how much her frustration tells her otherwise.

Emotions have never been a good guide for her, anyway.

Alice's gaze is cast downwards for a moment. There's something hesitant about it, like she's trying to figure something out - whether to admit to something or not, in this case. After a moment she figures this much is probably safe to admit to Wen Qing, so Alice looks back at her.

"A train tried to control me before." In a very different way, but still.. "It's gone now. Obviously this case and that one aren't entirely the same, but I do have some experience with these matters."

Wen Qing's eyes sharpen on her as protective instincts flare up. Her tongue is sharpening as well with them, for what comes out is a demand of, "What do you mean, a train has tried to control you before?"

That's alarming - has it been a train such as theirs? The train, or whoever was controlling the train?

Regardless of that, she will want to protect Alice from whatever had harmed her before, in case it ever returns to harm her again. Not that she doesn't trust her to have taken care of the danger properly but you never know in this place.

"Do you believe it to be gone for good?"

".. Yes."

The answer comes after the slightest pause. No matter the fact that concern from Wen Qing is expected at this point - she has firmly landed on Alice's mental list of good people, after all - it still doesn't seem to be something Alice is used to receiving all the same, hence the delay.

"It wasn't like this train. It-- It only existed in my mind, as odd as that must sound." Talking about her mental problems isn't easy. And for some reason it only feels harder when it's to someone she doesn't want to lose face in front of. "Someone planted it in there in an effort to destroy me from within."

She nods, lips pressed together and brows slightly furrowed as she tries to make sense of these new scraps of information, tries to put them into some context familiar to her. It doesn't help that she doesn't know if such things are normal where Alice is from, and she's not quite sure how much she wants to prod simply to assuage her curiosity.

"I'm relieved to hear that, that means it's not a danger that can show up here one day as a new passenger to the train," she remarks, already focusing on the practical aspects. However... "What about the person who planted it there?" She steps closer, reaching out to grasp her arm but dropping her hand before she can touch her. She forces her voice to gentle, this is no topic to speak harshly about, though her current feelings are quite harsh and involve a whole lot of needles. "If you return, will they still be a danger to you?"

The other question: what if they show up here? But if Alice isn't worried about that she'd rather not bring it up to her.

Wen Qing hits the nail right on the head. Sure, it's not as the Infernal Train itself could appear here. And even if it somehow did, it would no longer be part of Alice, and therefore pretty much harmless. But the person behind it is another story entirely, and it completely takes Alice's mind off what just happened at the end of their mission and instead back into her own memories.

Despite how pale Alice usually already looks, it's as if she grows just a few shades paler.

"No. He won't be a problem anymore back home."

She took care of that. Quite permanently. But the other question is on her mind now too. Alice hadn't even considered it, but now it's like it hits her like a train, the full impact suddenly crashing down upon her.

"But.. If a man shows up here, middle-aged, brown hair, glasses, claims to be a psychiatrist or a doctor.. Please, do not talk to him. Don't even approach him." Despite her usual awkwardness with physical contact, Alice feels so strongly about this subject that she is the one instead grasping Wen Qing's arm. Her grip isn't tight, but there's something desperate about it all the same as her voice hitches, emotion taking over. "If he did anything at all to you, I would never forgive myself..!"

So this is what the man from Alice's greatest fears look like. The doctor who has made her distrust all doctors.

Wen Qing opens her mouth to argue heatedly that yes, it should be her who approaches him, better her than Alice who is especially vulnerable to her worst monster. But then she thinks of the people from home whom she fears and how much she would want to protect hers from them. How she would never want little A-Yuan to face the people who would want to see him dead for being a Wen, even if he has grown into a skilled cultivator in his own right and probably a more skilled fighter than her by now. Would never want Alice with her so very intriguing mindscape to catch the attention of Wen Ruohan.

She places her hand over Alice's and gives it a firm squeeze, waiting patiently for the opportunity to catch her eyes. "I won't go near him. But please promise me you won't run off to face him alone either. You don't have to fight alone anymore. You aren't alone anymore."

While catching Alice's gaze like that, Wen Qing has the perfect opportunity to exactly see the wild desperation in them. It lasts for just a moment though as she listens to the other's words, and then it seems to grow more surprised, momentarily quiet. Alice's gaze drifts off awkwardly, almost uncomfortably, before she dares to meet Wen Qing's eyes once more.

It's because those words feel so strange. It's since they remind her exactly of one of the last things Bumby told her, back on that platform.

A hysterical woman, former lunatic, roaring outrageous accusations against a respectable social architect and scientist. My god, Alice, who would believe you?

She knew he had been right. No one would have believed her. It's why she had to take matters into her own hands back home. But here-- here it might be different. No, the gaze in Wen Qing's eyes implies nothing short of that it would be different.

"I.. I promise." She near-stumbles over the words despite how simple they are. "I just.."

She lets out a breath, a hand moving up to press against her forehead, as if to keep herself together. Her eyes are starting to get oddly shiny as they grow more watery.

"S-Sheesh, we were talking about what happened back there in that other world, and now.." How did they even end up here? But despite her saying that, even Alice herself knows it's just a way for herself to stall on saying what she actually wants to say, but feels more anxious about saying. ".. I never imagined anyone being on my side. I.. don't know how to thank you."

Edited 2020-05-13 16:16 (UTC)

"Then don't. You don't owe me thanks for doing the decent thing." Then, realizing this might come across as dismissive of something which clearly means a lot to Alice - and how lonely must have been to be so moved by a mere promise of future aid? Did she ever have anyone to reach out and help her in her most desperate hour, like Wen Qing had Wei Wuxian? Somehow, she doubts Alice had been so lucky. "This is what you do for good friends. You don't turn away when they are in danger, you face it with them."

And they are good friends, she realizes, not exactly surprised but happy all the same to have it confirmed for herself.

Which means that yes, she would take risks for Alice, for that is what you do for your friends. You shelter them, even at risk to yourself. She had once thought you could get through life unharmed by caring only for yourself and your own blood but life had taught her that things are a lot more complicated, and the ones who face danger for you and with you aren't necessarily blood relatives.

She gives Alice's hand another little pat and a squeeze. "We don't have to speak more of it now. Just know you won't be alone if he ever shows up here."

Alice sucks in a deep breath before slowly releasing it, trying really hard to calm down. She does realise she must be looking fairly crazy right now - getting all worked up over something Wen Qing seems to find so natural. And it's not that Alice doesn't get it, she would and has risked her life for some of her friends in Wonderland, after all. But it feels so different to have someone extend the same courtesy to her. Someone who actually exists outside of her own mind.

Someone who just implied--

".. Good friends." That's what they are. Alice doesn't find herself disagreeing with it. She can't be too sure what it's like to have a good friend, but she trusted Wen Qing so easily, despite the other's profession. Alice has confided in her, and Wen Qing has kept it secret, has never made fun of her for any of it or abused her trust.

Alice slowly releases her grip.

"I.. like the sound of that. It's unfamiliar, but nice." It's extremely awkward, but the corners of her lips do curl up just the slightest bit. "Though you must promise me the same thing in that case. At least let me knock some sense into anyone who shows up with the slightest ill will towards you."

"I can do that," Wen Qing agrees solemnly. It's not new to her to have someone stand at her side but it's still strange to think there would be another one who is willing to do so, when at home such people were almost impossible to find.

She has been very lucky with the people she met on this train.

"At home," she volunteers, a little more hesitant now, her hand finally falling away from Alice's to fuss with the hem of her sleeve, "I didn't have many friends either. I had many family and few friends outside of it. I couldn't really afford friendship." There's an actual bright smile lighting her face up now. "I'm grateful that this has changed."

Afford. It's an interesting choice of words, considering its implications. There's a lot of things it could mean - maybe Wen Qing was too busy with her family, if it was really that big. Or maybe there's something about her family to begin with that wouldn't net her many friends. There's a myriad of possible circumstances, really.

Not wanting to pry, Alice nods, her own expression turning surprisingly timid when faced with a bright smile like that.

"Well, that figures. It couldn't be your personality's fault." Maybe Alice thinks of Wen Qing's personality a tad too favourably, but honestly, she thinks so badly of her own personality that any other is going to look amazing next to it. It's still definitely a genuine compliment though. "But I suppose it means we can both get used to having actual friends."

If someone had home had told her this, or even most people here on the train, Wen Qing would have taken it as barbed criticism and responded appropriately scathingly. Yet knowing from Alice, it's different. For some reason, Alice seems to consider her genuinely kind - which, Wen Qing assumes, says a lot more about Alice's standards for kindness than about herself.

But whatever the reason or explanation may be, her easy acceptance still leaves her feeling warm, makes the smile come even more easily.

"We can both get used to it," she confirms solemnly, ignoring the comment about her personality simply because she doesn't know how to take that as a compliment without coming across as gruffly dismissive.

She reaches for Alice's shoulder again, just to give her a firm squeeze. "I'm grateful our paths crossed, Alice Liddell."

Her own response comes a moment slower, but perhaps it's since Alice just needs a moment to deal with the genuine emotion that overcomes her at hearing those words.

".. Me too."

For how terrible this train is, dragging people around as if they're little more than toys or puppets, at least it's given her a chance at meeting genuinely kind people. Some of which are apparently even glad to have met her. It feels near-impossible to wrap her head around, though she trusts Wen Qing's words.

"I.. should probably not linger here for too long though." There's too many people. Too much chaos. Alice has already felt on edge during the whole mission, and this whole situation - Wen Qing aside - just isn't helping that. "I'll go grab some tea. Will you be alright?"

Wen Qing gives her another small, tight smile, this one more encouraging than before. “I’ll be alright,” she promises, “don’t worry about me.”

Then, after a moment of hesitation she acknowledges, “I’m feeling much better now.” Because she hadn’t been okay at first and maybe it is alright to admit this to Alice.

She is truly better now, though, no longer feeling quite so shaken by the day’s events, and so she gives another little encouraging nod. “Go have your tea,” she says gently, “I need to return to my sleeper car and get a shower.”

"I'm glad that you are feeling better," Alice too admits. It's slightly vulnerable - which is the whole reason she doesn't like showing these things very much to begin with - but if she has to be vulnerable in front of anyone on this train, then it's probably best for it to be the person in front of her right now.

She means it, anyway. Even though Alice knows that horrible things happening is just an inevitable part of life, she still wishes for nothing to happen that would cause Wen Qing to feel anything but good.

There's even the very, very faint ghost of a smile on her face, quickly fading as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I shall see you again later." And with that, she turns and leaves the crowded carriage.

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Event: Abort! Part Two (day 25, Egret). Luggage carriage

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