Herald of Night - Aftermath and Summer Break

[thewatchers]

[OOC: Note, this is going up now with the intent that players won’t be compelled to keep their characters in stasis during the Herald fight. If you wish to avoid spoilers on the general ending of the Herald event until you’re a bit later, you are not required to read this post yet]


The Herald’s fall was quick - almost unceremonious. With his phylacteries shattered in the Outlands and the overwhelming Radiance of the Daybreak forces, his physical form was rent asunder, leaving only tattered bits of claw and bone, and the last echoes of his curses.

That, and a mountain of corpses.

The cleanup crews arrived and quickly moved to control the scene. Daybreak’s reserves were called in, for the sun never returned to the area the Herald had touched. As Outland mist filled the area, monsters began flowing through. The UN forces worked desperately to recover what they could, but eventually had to be recalled to a wide perimeter several miles from the darkened land.

Once the forces were all a wide, safe distance, the remaining staff moved quickly to establish an encircling base as grim faces discussed what to go public with.

Daybreak was not invited to these discussions. And thus, it likely came as something of a surprise to the students and faculty without sight when an enormous mushroom cloud erupted from the emergence zone, the ensuing windstorm buffeting but otherwise not harming even those at the outer bases.

“That’s our official story,” the commander explained, barely apologetic. “Joint UN Forces were guarding a top secret test for a more powerful and sustainable form of nuclear energy, but the test went awry and the entire reactor melted down causing enormous loss of life. This site will be off limits with heavy restrictions on it going forward.”

There were some terse exchanges and phone calls, before the high seeress herself was called in. She arrived mere moments later, much to the alarm of the UN staff, and took charge. After three hours of meetings, she emerged and ordered the Daybreak forces to return home.

The flight home was long. The Runewings were unavailable as they had to undergo extensive maintenance before they would be airworthy, so the students and staff were moved via shuttle to Perth and put on commercial airliners to return to Paris. The trip was long, almost twenty-four hours including a layover in Bangkok before reaching Paris, and another two hours on train, plus another hour on shuttle to return to campus. Once the students were returned, they were greeted by warm beds and food as a platoon of Daybreak councillors emerged to help the students rest, recuperate, and deal with what they had just witnessed and took part in.

Those who chose to watch international news would see the incident lighting up the media. Word of the top-secret nuclear power test gone awry and the tremendous loss of life was widely circulating. Almost immediately, conspiracy theories began lighting up the internet. The official explanation, while meticulously constructed, could be seen for false by more than a few (and even beyond those normally inclined to disbelieve). Wild stories abounded, and flights into Perth suddenly saw an enormous uptick as more and more conspiracy hunters sought to view the site of the accident. Fortunately, for now, Daybreak’s forces were deployed and firmly in place, and the odd human was no match for the vision of the seers. Thus far, the veil holds, but for how much longer none can say. The High Seeress herself remained quiet on the matter, allowing as she put it “the kingdoms of man” to determine the information they reveal and how they manage it. Daybreak, she insisted, must focus now and as ever on their true duty - that of stopping Nightfall. Forestalling the Herald was a good first step, and for now, they would rest.

Normally, Daybreak announces their three-month long vacation trips in advance, but this time they had declined to do so, not wanting to take focus from the students. But with that over, finally, the first trip was announced - Daybreak would bring students to the Azores, renting rooms in five-star hotels all over the islands. Students would be free to move back and forth between the Islands, Daybreak, and their hometowns with fully paid airfare, and have the best in luxury accommodations. For the month of July, after the great service they had rendered and to calm that which they had seen, the High Seeress was adamant. Rest, relaxation, and recuperation. No exceptions. Any students who signed up for summer classes would get an automatic A and full credit for the Summer Quarter. No summer classes would be held and the Faculty would receive the same treatment as the students. They too, would need time to rest and recover.

[OOC: For the rest of July, students and faculty will be able to move freely around the Azores islands, Daybreak, and their hometowns for vacation. There will still be a Cassandra upload on the 15th, but otherwise everyone is free to do as they will (and the Cassandra upload will be given via mobile van so the students won’t have to fly back to the Academy.) August will see the academy select a different vacation location, although the next location will have more of a service aspect involved.]

Comments

Prompts below

[unpocoloco]

Aftermath

[unpocoloco]

When they made it back to earth, he hadn't anticipated being included in conversations. He was neither powerful nor important nor smart enough to be the kind of person anybody should really consult. Leaving it to others was something he was more than capable of doing. He sat and waited to find out what had happened to friends and strangers and everyone else in between, relieved they'd actually apparently managed to make some difference.

And then the explosion went off.

Running just out the doors, he catches the afterglow of it and the windblast to follow, making him grim the frame of the door. The moment he's able, he stumbles out, going closer to the edge of the encampment where weary soldiers stand guard to keep him back. He's saying something but barely hearing himself. At least until his volume starts to rise.

"No! No! You can't do this! That's someone's home! Those people were someone's family! You destroyed them! You can't--"

He's weak. Even with how much power he's drained in all this. It's next to nothing for the soldiers to take him by the arms and drag him back inside, ignoring him as he keeps shouting.

He's thrown down on a bench and by that point, he doesn't much have the energy to get up again anyway. He listens to the commander's explanation, face twisted like if he had the energy he'd launch himself across the room. He stays perfectly still after that, teeth clenched, eyes distant.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya isn't as vocal, but he watches from the side. Stares at the smoke rising and listens to the excuses with a hard expression. His shoulders are shaking, barely containing himself. They didn't have to die in the first place, and now they're going to destroy the place and waste their whole sacrifice.

Hector makes enough of a scene that he watches that, too, flinching when he's thrown down. It's a minute after the soldiers turn their back that he takes a deep breath and approaches.

He sits down beside him, staring ahead.

[unpocoloco]

He should say something. The boy's come to sit at his side, and he's aware of that. This is the time to say something worthwhile, helpful, reassuring. To apologize. But the only thing that runs through his mind is the terrible fact, Those people are never going home. Flags and boxes, maybe for the dead. But their families won't know. They'll make assumptions. And all the people who actually lived here and were evacuated, they can't go home either.

His hand rises up, covering his eyes, anger on his breath. His hand drags down to cover his mouth, and then drops away.

"You probably shouldn't sit too close to me," He manages at last. "If someone decides to write me up or whatever else about this, they might notice you."

[hippocarnival]

"I won't let them," he says firmly, as if he has any capacity for it. He doesn't stop staring ahead at the UN members milling about, the higher-ranked deciding how they'll just--sweep this under the rug.

"You weren't wrong, they are." It's their fault so many people died, who never had to. Never should have. Weren't prepared for the burden and now they'll put it away like it couldn't have been avoided, like there aren't so many more still alive who are going to suffer.

He hates it. He hates them, and in that moment he's not sure he's ever felt anger as strongly as he does now. His nails dig into his skin just short if drawing blood as he grips his hands together.

"It should've never been like this.]

[unpocoloco]

"... No, it shouldn't have."

It's a terrible feeling. Somewhere between a fire and sickness settled in the chest. He wasn't one for anger like this. Not before.

"Maybe we should have said something before. Anything." But they didn't. It was pointless then and it's pointless now.

"Unfortunately, the world is like this." For the dull tone of his voice, those words taste like ash.

[hippocarnival]

"They should have known better!" He snaps, turning to Hector finally with open fury etched into his face. "Even I could tell what was going to happen! They died before we even got far! And then they're just--just going to set off a nuke and pretend everything's over?!"

He smacks his fist face-down to the bench. It keeps tumbling out before he can stop himself, because the more he thinks about it the more agonizing, infuriating, alarming it gets. "The stupid secrecy thing isn't worth this. It obviously wasn't important enough to stop them from letting a bunch of people who didn't know anything die!"

[unpocoloco]

He flinches at the volume, as if, moments ago, he hadn't been yelling too. But he can't silence the fear Yuya will pay for it.

"Yuya! Yuya," He says, bring his hands up. "...I know." And then, stupidly, he feels his throat go tight. "I know. The cost of this secrecy is... a lot." The cost of his family, of primos who didn't know better when they entered the Outlands to die. He almost laughs with the bitterness.

"But let's not get in more trouble. We aren't in a place for revolutions right now."

[hippocarnival]

"I'm not doing anything," Yuya seethes, glaring at the Commander's back. It's the most hateful expression Hector's ever seen on him. "I just think they shouldn't forget how much of this is their fault."

It should never have been this way. He won't accept this was inevitable.

Trip home

[unpocoloco]

He's not doing so hot. This is probably one of the longest stretches he's stayed up for, if not the longest. The moment he drops he's not going to get up for days, he knows it. Maybe he should've just stayed back. Too late now.

His body starts to hang a little while still in the encampment, everything heavier, face looking all the more pallid. He's going to need some amazing excuse or else a means to stay here.

By the time they get to that first plane, after the shuttle trip to Perth, his head is dropping like someone trying not to pass out, knees pulled in close as he fights the illness in his guts, a shake to every limb. Not even the cane is doing much for keeping him standing now. At least, thanks to Ekkehardt's rune, he's not outright rotting, but he's still eyeing the suitcases, wondering if he can't just hide in one without airport security noticing him.

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail isn't even going to be getting on that plane, she only showed up here to see them off, escort a couple people she wanted to keep an eye on before they had to actually enter the airport. Sure, if necessary she can disguise herself, but getting through airport security is a massive pain she'd rather avoid.]

[Being on the lookout for anyone about to figure her out and start talking about outstanding warrants means she's paying enough attention to notice poor Hector, and that's why she sidles up to him casually in order to ask, in a low undertone:]

Hey buddy, you wanna catch a ride back with me? No offense, but you kinda look like hot shit right now, and I'm guessing that's gonna make a plane more trouble than you wanna deal with.

[unpocoloco]

Q...ue...?

[Come on brain. Spirit brain. Whatever it was, keep up. He groans and lifts his head higher and blinks against the light of the airport. It's Jail. Slowly, slowly, he manages to process the actual words being spoken.]

Oh. [He definitely feels like hot shit. He doesn't have it in him even slightly to be offended.] Lo siento, I ca-- [He glances around at the airport. It's full of people, both from Daybreak and not. Normal people who might get on a plane with him. He looks back to Jail. One single person.] Wait. How're you getting back?

[His words slur a little.]

[nor_iron_bars]

[She holds up her car keys and spins them casually around one finger, winking.]

Drove here.

[In a slightly lower tone of voice:] Told you my car was... special.

[unpocoloco]

[He blinks at those dangling keys. Then some more at that whispered reminder.

He glances around them, really forcing himself to focus and note who's close and not. He looks back to jail again.]

... Can I tell you something secret if you promise not to freak out? At least, not here?

[nor_iron_bars]

Sure, seems reasonable. [Honestly, the last time someone said that to her, it probably ended with "anyway I think the cops saw us, now take this weed and run". She's seen some shit. She has no idea what this particular shit is going to be, but she's reasonably confident in her own ability to cope with it.]

[Probably.]

[unpocoloco]

[He honestly can't pretend he hasn't ever somewhat been that guy. Working under the table jobs all through the year before he got here wasn't always the most... white collar, so to speak.

In any case, he's not firing on nearly enough cylinders to consider how this sounds. He needs an out and Jail has one, so long as he can get this one little hitch across.]

I'm... I am... kiiiind of... dead. [Dios, saying that in public. There's a wave of panic that only dies so fast because he hasn't got the space for it.] Super dead. Like, I need to lay down and be a corpse for a while, so if you're still offering and willing to have a body in your trunk for a whole drive back and then some, that'd be really nice.

[His words are still slurring.]

[nor_iron_bars]

[This is a no-judgement zone. Only trashfires here.]

Welp. Sorry for your loss?

[She shrugs, and gently puts a hand on his shoulder to steer him towards the exit in a way that looks like she's just helping out a jetlagged friend. Nothing suspicious here, see?]

No problem, not like it's the first time. Not for the reason you'd think, either- it's actually kind of a funny story... eh, maybe another day, you're not drunk enough to hear that one right now. It's definitely a drunk kind of story.

[Just chatting quietly, casually, making this all look nice and normal in case there's any cameras watching. The last thing this poor guy needs is to get in trouble for a secrecy breach now.]

[Being undead would explain a few things, now that she thinks about it...]

HERALD AFTERMATH | INFIRMARY, OTA PROMPT

[betheman]

[Gongenzaka wasn't in critical condition after the battle with the herald, but he wasn't exactly in the best condition either. Plenty of minor lacerations, a few burns and things from brief brushes against something necrotizing...he came out of the battle far from healthy, but far from at death's door as well.

Physically, anyway.

Gongenzaka is plenty vocal in the immediate aftermath of course- with his team-mates, with the team leader. But when the full understanding of what occurs still after, with the cloud of nightfall, the nuclear cover-up, and the sheer fallout of all the deaths, meets his ears...

...

He's quiet.

And he feels...lost, if he were to put a word to it. Gongenzaka sits in his bed in the infirmary where he's supposed to be recovering, his hair down and bandages across his arms and even a bit of his face depending on. All he can do is stare. Stare at the blanket, stare at the wall...

It's as if time doesn't exist, and everything else with it.

He doesn't know what to do.]

[hippocarnival]

[By the time Yuya makes it to Gongenzaka, he's let out most of his anger in the immediate aftermath. It was a bad energy to be bringing into the infirmary after all, and when he walks in he's just tired.]

Hey... [He starts quietly as he approaches the side of Gon's bed, looking him over.] How bad is it?

[betheman]

[It takes Gongenzaka a second to even realize Yuuya is there, which says plenty about his mental state. It takes until Yuuya is right beside him- and when he notices, it is sudden. His head snapping, eyes wide with mild surprise.

Silence. And-] Y-

Yuuya..! [Yuuya. Yuuya was in the fight. Yuuya was there in the fight, Yuuya was-]

...You're alright...

[...he's not answering the question. Instead he shifts-

And reaches for the other, as if realizing that there could have been a moment where their 'last' together did not go well, and that everything could end so suddenly, so without warning, were that the case.

Either of them could have never walked away from that, no matter how confidently he had gone in.] Y...

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya looks up, and then jumps slightly when he's grabbed and, presumably, dragged close.]

Y-yeah! I'm fine... [But Gongenzaka's not if he's in a hospital bed, is he?]

[betheman]

[Dragged close is right- it's straight up a hug, which he doesn't want to let go of for the moment.] I...I, the man Gongenzaka, should have asked...I should have...

[He shakes somewhat, taking a deep breath.] ...You are not injured at all? [He restates to a point, drawing back only then.] I-

[oh.

Right, Yuuya...asked about him.] ...This is...nothing, I shall recover from this. ...I, the man Gongenzaka, have trained through worse! Of that, I am certain! [He adds- but his smile feels...fragile somehow.]

[hippocarnival]

[Should have asked what?? Yuya's not sure where he's going with that so he's just--going to latch onto the topic he came in here about, as he sinks back a little when Gon releases his hold.]

I'm not hurt. [He gives him a once over.] So it's not that serious? If it's not, I'm glad...

[But if it is, tell him? He doesn't seem to be totally bedridden though, so it's probably fine.]

[betheman]

[Gongenzaka moves to wipe at his eyes with one arm, grimacing almost immediately.] Aaaah...

[Well.] It is...a few burns they said- from being so close to the Herald's...

[He trails off, and from there sits back further on the bed- though one hand is still at Yuuya's shoulder and arm.] ...it will pass, [he manages quietly. Distantly, even.] ...That is all that matters now, it seems.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya sits down on the edge of the bed, folding his arms in his lap.] The Herald's what?

[He can insist it'll pas,s but being burned from exposure is something Yuya knows from experience is terrible.]