I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Who: Nita and YOU. Preferably close CR, but anyone can stop by.
Where: Quiet Car, second floor, a room near the front of the carriage.
When: Middle half of Grasshopper; post-platform, pre-event.
What: A(n ex-) wizard retreats. Some may come to reprimand, some to console, some just to find out WTF happened.
Warnings: ... Discussion of what's basically psychic assault in this log, folks. Mind your headspace!


After the platform, Nita retreated into herself. That was the best way to describe it; she could not be 'booked' in one of these rooms the same way she could have been in the Medical Car, but she spent as much time as she could in just the one room, not speaking unless spoken to, not leaving except to go to the restroom or fetch another journal.

No matter when one arrived to check on her, she would be either resting - staring off into space more than actually sleeping - or writing.

Some of the words were crossed out, as if she had had a tough time finding the right ones, but the writing looked to be formal in nature. A report. And, most notably, it was in English, not the alien curves of the Speech.

If she had to live with her actions, Nita figured, the least she could do was explain them - and explain why they were wrong.

Mostly, though, what encompassed her mind was the emptiness of it all. She couldn't even be angry now.

Fitting.

Comments

[cannibalartist]

There was one thing to be said about a complete and utter lack of privacy in a situation such as this: it became incredibly easy to know when things went wrong and when he could do some act of service to work towards getting on more and more peoples' good side. Certainly, though, this was quite a bit more traumatic than simply bonking your head against a piece of luggage or having to deal with a giant worm god thing. He had heard hushed whispers of what happened, things that didn't quite make sense, but made more sense after his time in Syn.

He'd heard that she'd retired to a quiet carriage - one of the new ones (finally! seemed to be the general consensus) - and so he climbed. The rumors were correct and he found her there, seeming to be writing, scratching out, writing again.

What surprised him was that the door wasn't locked.

He quietly entered, slipping into the bench across from her, pulling a bag of chips from seemingly nowhere. It was a small gesture, but pretty perceptive for being on the train two weeks, with one of those weeks fighting sphere monsters.

"I doubt chips will fix anything, but sometimes a snack can help." He set them near her, but with no expectation that she eat them right here and now. He was carefully examining her face and body language, looking for hints at where exactly she was at right now. "If you don't wish to talk about whatever it was that happened, that's fine, but I wanted to check on you." He'd seen what the Arcana could do to a person and he was really trying to assess if that was what happened here.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita would have just kept on writing when Uta walked in, not letting herself be distracted (not like she deserved to be distracted), but... chips? Really?

Nita looked up to check, and - yup, those were chips. Not even ones from the train's store.

"Some trick," Nita commented, and despite her attempts to sound offputting she was impressed.

But she looked away again, staring down at the bullet-point list she'd amassed, as prep for her report; the pros and cons of what she'd done.

The cons list was longer, significantly so.

"Depends," she said.

"Why do you think I'm in here?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Quiet car his tomely ass!

Zetta all but smashed through the door, which was to say the minion carrying him used him as a wedge to shove the door open.

"Uh."

His dignity utterly compromised by that, Zetta looked awkwardly at Nita for a moment, before he and his minion slowly retreated back out, shutting the door behind them.

A pause.

In a fury, the door banged open to reveal the furious Overlord. Second try!

"I hear you've been doing dumb stuff!"

This is the best tag I could possibly have received; thank you. ;a;

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita jolted out of her seat, just barely managing to balance instead of hitting the floor.

Leaning on the wall awkwardly, she got to her feet, staring.

"... Yeah. 'Dumb' works," she replied, not quite letting herself look away from Zetta (or his minion) just yet.

"Anything else you wanted to say?"

There wasn't even any bite to the words.

[blue_ice]

"...Nita?"

Kaiba finally catches up to her. He's dressed differently, in silver and black, and he's carrying a very large stuffed dragon, but he looks as serious as ever.

"Am I going to find you like this after every platform?"

[unfavorableinstigation]

Kaiba gets no response, at least to start. Nita's resting, this time, not that she looks well-rested in the least.

"I'm not injured," she says, eventually. But she's not looking at him.

"That's a difference."

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine a little while after the departure before making her way to the Quiet Car. Given what just went down, she had to try and soothe the train, lest it decide its occupants couldn't be trusted. After what went down in Paradisa, Dair would prefer to keep in the Voidtreker's good graces, thank you very much.

However, she also waits because... well, Dairine had been grounded as a wizard before. Many times in fact, and it never felt good. Sure she could immediately storm in on her sister and demand to know what she had been thinking, but that'd just make her defensive like the train. Besides, most likely, Nita already knew what she did wrong. Dairine had... well, at least during her second offense.

Still, Dairine couldn't leave it hanging forever. When Nita didn't re-emerged from the Quiet Carriage, she set off to find what room the group had left her in. Dairine is unusually silent when she finally finds the right door and opens it.

"Neets..."

[unfavorableinstigation]

By the time Dairine came to visit, her sister had already been visited by a couple people.

And at the moment, she was busy writing, pausing only for a brief moment when the door opened yet again.

"... Come in."

The disturbing something in her voice had lessened, but it was still all too easy for a wizard to tell that something was wrong, had kept being wrong.

[death_from_above]

Spark didn't take long to find her. He didn't know fully what had happened, just that something had and that it involved Nita. So he went off to find her. Which wasn't hard. He wouldn't let people use him as a hunting dog, but his sense of smell was strong. So he tracked her down and let himself into the carriage. He leapt up onto her lap and looked up at her.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita's response consisted of two actions: to stand up while he was in her lap, and to not look at him.

What now, Spark?

[hotheadwarmheart]

It had been a couple days, and Lea hadn't really seen Nita, not even at meals. He hadn't thought much about it at first, but as time passed and she still didn't reappear, he started getting worried. Enough that he'd started checking her name on the passenger roster a couple times a day, just to be sure she was still there and in one piece.

After the most recent time of checking it, however, he felt annoyed with himself. It wasn't like him to just stand around worrying; he needed to actually do something. But what? After a bit of considering, it came to him; something to address two of his main worries at once.

An hour or so later, he was approaching the room where he'd last seen Nita, a tray bearing a gently steaming bowl of soup and two bottles of water in hand. Sure enough, there was Nita, working on writing something. He couldn't quite read it from where he was standing, but it didn't seem to be going well, whatever it was, given the amount of crossed out and redone bits he could see.

Carefully shifting the tray to one hand he knocked on the door to announce his presence before sliding it open. Taking the fact that it wasn't locked as a good sign, he stepped inside. "Hey, Nita," he said. "I brought you something."

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita looked up more easily than she had upon first arrival - there was still that look to her eyes, but she seemed more present now.

"You didn't have to," she responded, getting up anyway.

"But thanks, Lea. ... Wanted to see me?"

[singerofspells]

S'reee had been putting this off, but eventually, she'd decided that Nita needed to know that, regardless of anything, they were heart-sisters. Even if S'reee felt like she should have done something before now. Well before now.

She sang a single querying note outside the car. /H'niiit? May I come in?/

S'reee is wonderful. ;; Also, any preference on an exact date for this?

[unfavorableinstigation]

The use of the Speech was enough to startle Nita right out of her seat; daze broken by her landing on the floor, she got back up and shook herself.

"... Yeah. It's not locked."

She even went over to make sure the door could open wide enough.

day after the Event

[blitzcheer]

Tidus had respected her wishes that day, knowing that likely, all she wanted to do was be numb and cry. And he knew about that, even if he wouldn't exactly say it out loud. But there were others he reasoned, other people who'd know to go and check up on her and have better words of comfort to share.

He'd hope to see her at breakfast time anyway the next day, or catch her somewhere else and find out how better she's doing. But he doesn't until he goes up to the second floor of the quiet car himself, having some plans of his own.

Until he spots her through the glass, and those plans aren't quite as important.

Her door gets a light knock-knock-knock, and he holds up a hand, makes a face that seems to ask with its small sad smile, Hey, there room for another?

Re: day after the Event

[unfavorableinstigation]

He may be able to spot her, but Nita's not looking at the door.

Or at much of anything. One of the benches has been made into a makeshift bed, with her lying face-down on top of it.

"It's unlocked," she says, because she can't just ignore him; that would be going one petty too far, right now.

let's say day after for him too

[emerald_mirror]

The nephilim gives the briefest of knocks before he just shoves his head through the door. Cottonball is with him, setting up an annoying couple of squeaks before he taps her gently on the head with a finger.

"Hush, you, this is a quiet car! Besides, you just got fed, this is for Nita." Not that it's a lot--just a bowl full of whipped cream and strawberries. Indulgent, but Xander's not the wasteful sort, and the former goes well with the latter. Honestly, he expects an argument about how she doesn't deserve it when he offers it, but she's going to get all the stubbornness of his Earth nature. Xander will vault that hurdle when he gets to it, though.

"You feeling up to company?" Not that he'd be surprised if he got a 'no.' Especially if he got a no...

That works! =D

[unfavorableinstigation]

The squeaking almost makes Nita smile - and given how her day full of visitors has gone, she needs it - but it's not the same without being able to hear the underlying meaning in what Cottonball's saying.

She looks up from her journal all the same, eyebrows shooting up seeing what Xander's bringing in.

"... If you won't insist I eat all of that, then sure."

It's all about the compromise!

[springforth]

Look, she's done this herself. A retreat from the world. In fact, she'd been well on her way there before she got whisked away. So she doesn't show up the first day or the second. On the third evening, she knocks on the door, poking her head in.

"Do you want company?" She gives Zetta a raised eyebrow. "Or--different company. Or should I leave you be?"

[unfavorableinstigation]

Gaze rising from her 'desk', Nita watches Zetta leave and Persephone enter.

"It-it's fine! Persephone, it's good to see you!"

She sounds mostly surprised, but she is happy.

"Did you just get back today, or did you show up the day we made our last platform stop?"

She waves the goddess on in, writing business forgotten for the moment.

[goingthroughaphase]

Kitty had mostly stayed on the train while it was stopped at the current platform, but she'd heard something had happened with Nita and had gotten worried. After looking around on the train, she finally found her roommate in one of the rooms in the Quiet Car.

"Nita?"

Assuming this is second day?

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita wasn't quick to look up, though there was a faint "Come in!" through the door.

Someone had found her a blanket - or several - and she'd made a bed out of them for the time being. Nita was bundled up in those blankets right now, looking weary.

probably same day since he's worried? i'm fine with discussions of anything jsyk!

[flatteries]

Of course Inigo is going to look for Nita. The moment he hears something has happened and that it involved her, he's already on his way to look for her. It's not as easy anymore now the train has grown longer and longer - and he can't find her in some of the more obvious places, like her room - but he isn't giving up until he spots her inside one of the rooms of the quiet car.

Relief immediately appears on his face as he spots her, but as he's about to just enter the room, he realises that maybe Nita doesn't want the company. Even though he's not sure what happened, the way he's briefly heard people talk about it sounded worrying. Maybe she went to a quiet car exactly because she wanted to be alone, and Inigo always sucks at figuring out when to push on and when to leave someone alone.

So he waits outside of the room, waiting until Nita happens to look up and cross his gaze. He gives her a small and slightly uneasy smile, before waving and pointing at the door, as if asking if it's okay for him to come in.

Works for me! \o/

[unfavorableinstigation]

She hasn't expected - hasn't let herself expect, let herself feel she deserved - so many people coming to see her.

Are people taking her side? The train's? Chalking this up as a symptom of void sickness? Well- would that she could consider wizardry disappearing a symptom.

But all that aside, her eyes go wide when she happens to glance up through the glass and see Inigo of all people there.

She waves her hand, looking as if stunned, but she's not waving him off.

"It's not locked."

Her voice is small, like she's been crying - and her eyes are red.

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel was concerned. Nita had been holed up in the Quiet Room for a couple of days now. He knew that others had been checking up on her, so he had let her be, but his worry had finally built to the point of him knocking on the door, covered tray in hand.

"Nita? May I disturb you for a moment?"

19th, or 20th Grasshopper? (That is, before or after Xander's chat?)

[unfavorableinstigation]

"... Okay."

There was still something lacking in her voice, but at least she no longer looked like she'd been crying.

[diamondsfortears]

Daia had happily picked up his first personal request from the train - a Japanese Dwarf Flying Squirrel. And as much as he's happy to show it off, he also wants to get some time to bond with the cute little creature.

And so he had climbed to the quiet car, going to the second floor, with the little guy cupped in his hand to his chest. And though he was expecting to have the space to himself, it's still a pleasant surprise for him to find Nita there. And he practically bounces on his way over to her.

"Nita! Look, look! Isn't it cute~" He holds the Dwarf Squirrel out on his palm to show her. The little thing looks curious enough, and starts cleaning its face. "I haven't named it yet. Want to help me pick a name?"

He seems completely oblivious to the serious air around her, both from his excitement and general cluelessness of others.

[unfavorableinstigation]

... Both work in his favor, ironically. That and the fact Nita's door isn't locked.

".. Daia?"

If this were any other time, she'd have said hello to the little squirrel in the Speech, but instead all she can do now is look into its eyes and wonder what in the world is going on here?

"Do you want something specific to gender, or...?"

Night of the 22nd, Stores Carriage

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita had kept herself busy, venting her emotions, parsing through how her dangerous and hurtful actions had been fomented in the first place, drafting first a report on her behavior and then an apology...

(Bobo had apologized, as well; they had apologized to each other, and even while she wasn't a wizard again yet she could feel that imbalance shifting to something more hopeful, more sustainable. They would be all right again, in time.)

But, now, at last she was ready. As ready as she'd ever be, anyway. She hadn't brought a paper with her; she'd be conveying emotions, not using the Speech.

She looked to her sister, standing beside her here in front of the engine wall.

"Can you tell if it's present? Or should I just go ahead?"

She should sit on the floor, maybe; this would be a bad time to be knocked over again.

[wizard_redfive]

Of course Dairine was there with Nita during this moment of truth. While the two of them got on each others' nerves quite frequently, she'd always be behind her sister in the end, wizardry or not. She wanted to be able to show that support. Also having a wizard present for the mitigation process wouldn't be a bad idea, though usually it'd be one of the older, wiser types. Not some youngster whose personally connected to the conflict, desperately hoping this goes well.

She does a pretty good job at keeping her nerves well hidden, her expression showing the usual cool focus she reserves for serious situations. But Neets might know her well enough to see past that.

"Hang on, I'll check."

Dairine reaches up to wall, placing her palm on the surface. For Nita's benefit, she speaks outright, though still in the Speech.

"Hello again. You up?" She glances back at Nita. "Someone would like to talk to you."