Flynn wanted to sit in that infirmary for hours. Wanted to wait for Yuri to wake up and finally get an idea of the state he was in but that wasn't going to happen any time soon. No, he had to finish organizing for their deployment to retake Zaphias and stop Alexei. But... he can be selfish for this, right?
He can be greedy and sit here idly running his hands through that fur for now? He can just sit here and stare in quiet shock at what their lives have become?
Yuri.
"You'll wake up and make jokes same as always, right?" Don't force him to put blood on his hands. When he wakes up Yuri will make some sarcastic remark on the spikes or the fact his teeth can't fit into his mouth. Something. Just- prove you're not dead to the world.
Yuri rolls a little in his sleep and groans deeply. He needs to get up but he just can't bring his legs to move. So he stays and he curls at the edge. Watching and hoping. "We'll get through this. We have to."
What is he going to do if you die?
Karol was out of breath by the time he reached the kitchen. He almost didn't believe that Raven was sitting there just peeling vegetables with his hair down clumsily. It was like he never got hurt.
And then he spotted the arm. Metal and thrumming with energy as it slowly peeled away before the potato bounced out of his grasp. "Not again," Raven muttered biting his lips and setting back to work. Why was Raven sweating? Why did he look so tired? Why was he so pale? Was Karol the cause of that? Did he do that to him? Did he- no, of course, he did.
He'd been in such a rush to see him and now that he was back and that Raven was right there with all the proof in the world that what Karol had done had been real he's not sure what to do. What to say. How to approach. Raven looked up and his eyes went wide before a smile settled on his lips, "Well, ain't this a surprise. Was wonderin' when you kids would finally make it."
The hug is instant and he Karol is sobbing lightly as his slow circles rub on his back, "Hey now, it's okay."
The shake of his head as he buries himself in Raven's collar. What can say to this? What can he say?
That he can't forgive himself for hurting him like this? That he thought he killed a man who meant so much to him? That the entire time they were marching through that cold hell all he could think about was saving Estelle and seeing him to say he was sorry? That- that through everything he's overwhelmed!
That Karol feels like he's drowning as the people around him suffer and hurt and all he can do is smile for them because his strength is supposed to be their rock in this sea of horrid events. That Karol doesn't know what to do. How to do anything and he just wants to curl up and hide away even when he had the courage to fight.
Does he say that? His lip trembles and Raven hands him one of the knives he's using to peal. "Catch up with me. I wanna hear what I missed."
"It's a lot."
"I assumed," Raven shrugs and Karol picks up and starts pealing beside him recounting it all. From Rita's broken foot. To the cold nights spent huddling around the fire trying not to freeze as the wind yowled around them.
Yuri.
"Raven, I know we'll go in and rescue Estelle. I know we're going to win," Karol's hands stop midway through the stroke, "But none of us are ever gonna be at peace, are we? Not after this."
It's such a sad smile as Raven takes the potato away from him and starts cutting it himself. The silence hangs long and heavy threatening to crush them until finally in a tired wisp, "No. I'm afraid this will wear us down for life."
He knows it. All of this will be strength to prove he can pull through but he's not going to be able to escape hurting people. Never going to get over not be able to help sooner or just, in general, the people he needs. Estelle is out there hurt and look where he is.
Raven's arm is made of metal and he's winded from peeling vegetables!
"It's alright. We'll pull through this," the metal hand locks with flesh, " 'sides this baby is pretty cool don't you think."
Karol can't help laughing at the grin on Raven's face.
Rita hobbled her way into a laboratory barking all the way at people questioning her being there. "Do you know who I am? Out of my way. Rita Mordio coming through." She has work to do and no time to do it in. While her leg has been finally properly set and treated it still hurts immensely and the doctor had told her that unless she wanted to limp to slow down but there's no time for that.
She has to fix this because that's what geniuses do and if she fails-if she can't save Yuri and Flynn or Estelle- anyone- then what was the point of all this? No, she's going to do this. Rita takes up at a desk not caring that it's clearly someone else's.
If they need the equipment they can wait. She pulls out her notes and the samples she'd taken that while damaged should suffice in getting her work done. The pressure is intense, but stress makes diamonds or whatever the fuck they say.
Judith's steps shadowing behind earn even more looks but it doesn't matter. She slumps over and starts working immediately all the while ignoring the obviously annoyed murmurs at her actions. On the desks are notes that her eyes go to and realizes its about the same thing she's working on. It's not all bad and in fact, while its rather crude in places the theory has some groundings but… her hands go to the book Judith had given her that she'd slowly started to decode when with Judith when it became too difficult to sleep at night. She was so exhausted but her body wouldn't let her sleep instead forcing her to work throughout the night as she walked during the day.
She hands Judith the cipher she'd crafted, "I want you to decode the next chapter for anything useful."
"You really think my father's work will have a solution?"
Rita's hands tighten and she tenses, "I've never read anything so brilliant. His notions on aer conductivity along with the nature of artificial core creation are the very foundation most of us started from and given that everyone in Aspio has a copy of this thing I don't think it was ever actually decoded. If it was it be in the restricted materials section."
"if you think so then I'll trust you."
There is one thing that intrigues but also bothers her as she reads. The little notes and asides left for a daughter who never got the chance to read it that told her more about Judith's past then she was comfortable with. The fact that this book was for her and meant for Judith to find her own happiness. "Hey… did you…" How do you even ask something like this? How? It feels so personal and like something Rita isn't supposed to push. Her voice just trails as she resumes work but she swears Judith can read her mind because mid turning a through a page there's a soft hum.
"It's true."
Rita tries to play dumb but Judith just keeps translating, "I told you that I am a bit weird for a Krytian. Elder says I was born with too much of the old bloodline in me."
"I never felt natural growing up. Like something was off about me but I couldn't place it till I met Ba'ul," Rita has never gotten to be personal- truly and utterly personal- with Judith like this but with a look of longing in her eyes and the way her face sits is enough to make you forget she's not the same age as Raven or even older. "Father told me he was going to help me and he started writing this shortly after. Though I never knew what it was for; just that he was suddenly obsessed with his new blastia formula and perfecting it."
"My father is to blame for a lot of the tragedy currently taking place and I want to set things right."
"But do you want to be an Entelexeia?" Even after seeing what the processes has done? Even after seeing Yuri on the bed.
Her eyes are wet with unspoken sadness but it's so calm and sure, "I value Entelexeia above myself. I always have and I can't change that if I could I'd become one it would make me happy."
"Even after seeing, Yuri."
"Doesn't this make me a horrible person?"
It does. It makes it seem like Judith ignores his pain but Rita can't help her understanding. That she knows… She could tell her but instead her lips thin and she barks, "Help me translate. If there's an answer in this I want to know it in the next three hours."
"Yes."
Patty sat alone that night in her room bored and tired. She didn't wish to step on anyone's toes as they worked or got emotional catharsis but the whole thing left her with nothing to do once she'd finished buying and gathering the supplies they would need. At least Repede is here to keep her company.
This whole thing has left her with a lot to think about.
Had that happened to Seifer? Had her crew lost their minds like Yuri?
It hurt before but then it didn't seem permanent or even dangerous. It was just distant enough to make her think it might have been even a hint less painful then it was in the end. Of course, it was always a lie but in this case, Patty was left afraid because Yuri might not wake up.
Estelle might not get saved or if they do what's gonna be left to save?
She wished there was more she could do but all she can be is a person on the field beating enemies and tossing around gels. In that sense, she's not much different than Repede. She looks at the clock and groans at the hour. "They can't seriously expect to fight Alexei on less than six hours of sleep? How reckless can ya get."
With a groan she hops off the bed and enjoys the knowing nod from Repede, "You round up the boys and I get the girls."
A bark.
"Good. I bet they all forgot they need to actually be healthy if they're gonna fight evil. Kids these days." It was as she was rounding the corner she heard the screaming and crashing like furniture being tossed about and ran in time to see Flynn running as a monster crashed into the wall and then resumed chasing him.
"Yuri!"
No.
No.
God. No.
Patty jumped over the railing and down below quick as she could bolting behind them.
There was screaming and blood was trailing on the ground.
Yuri?
Please. Please, not now. Not here.
Patty shut her eyes tights. When she turns this corner and gets outside Yuri will be himself again. This will all be a misunderstanding.
Everything will be okay.
Not again.
Not again!