"Here it is, the Freight Elevator." Juju's voice was quiet, his arms wrapped around Vanea's neck. "It'll be the fastest way out, given how far in we are right now."
They had to walk quite the way to get here, and Alvis didn't mind that… But he also didn't mind the idea of getting out of the mines. They had been so stuffy and boring compared to past adventures with this little crew… Didn't help he technically knew them like the back of his hand before even walking in here.
And there was also the case of Egil. Egil, holding the soul of the Mechonis within him, was bound to have a rough time inside the Bionis. If you asked Alvis, it was a miracle he hadn't already passed out under the undeniable force Zanza's body exerted on him. Egil was quite the tough cookie…
But that didn't mean it would last. Alvis was sure it would eventually become too much. And in that moment? He'd rather they not be in the middle of the Ether Mines, thank you!
"Come on, then." He took Egil's hand in his and pulled him towards the elevator. "You can rest against me if you need to."
"Alvis…" For a moment, he seemed ready to argue, but his expression softened before it came to that. "...Thank you, but I should be fine."
"Oh great, we save one child and the two of you start flirting again." Tyrea rolled her eyes, leaning against the side of the elevator as Linada got it moving. "Can't you save it until we're fully out of the Mechon-infested mines?"
Flirting… Before Alvis would be quick to bite back at her comment with snark of his own, but right now? Something about the idea of actually flirting with Egil made his Homs disguise heart skip a beat or two. Just how bad were these glitches he was experiencing?
He wasn't sure, but it was enough to keep him quiet, tightening his grip on Egil's hand. So what if they were flirting? What was the harm in that? They were just… friendly, right? Friendly flirting was a thing, he had been told as much in the past!
"Don't get so worked up, Alvis." Kallian spoke, voice quiet. "It's alright if you are flirting."
Egil rolled his eyes, though he was running a finger across the back of Alvis's hand in a calming motion. "It's not flirting. Were you so sheltered you think any nice conversation is such?"
"No, only when it's you and the Seer." She crossed her arms. "Look at the two of you, making bedroom eyes and holding hands as the chance permits…"
"You-"
"Calm down, Egil." Alvis sighed, finally pulling himself out of his thoughts. "You're already struggling, I can tell. Don't let Tyrea work you up even more."
"Alvis…" He sighed, shaking his head. "I am fine! But if you really worry that much, I'll stop."
"Like I said, flirting!"
"Tyrea, that's quite enough." Linada spoke up then, frowning at the High Entia. "We're almost to the surface, either way. Let's just be happy to get out of here soon."
Out in the open air, Vanea placed Juju on the ground and smiled as the young boy ran to a group of men. Seemed the Homs had decided to have a search party ready in case they had messed up… Vanea wasn't sure if she was offended at their lack of trust or happy to see they cared enough to do something like that. Maybe a little of both, if she was being honest.
Maybe a bit more offended and upset, seeing as she saw Gadolt in that group. Seeing as his arguing with Sharla had sent Juju into the mines in the first place, she wasn't truly a fan of seeing them laughing together now. But maybe that was just a… her problem.
She turned away, looking to the group with a smile. "Looks like we've done our job. We should be able to move forward now, and find the boy with the Monado."
"Indeed!" Kallian placed his hand to his chest. "Father… I will avenge you."
"And we can make sure the history of our people isn't repeated." Linada nodded. "And Oka can go home to her family."
"Oh! Oka miss Riki and littlepons! Oka so excited to go home and tell stories of mining!"
"I'm not quite sure you can call what we did mining…" Alvis scratched his cheek. "But I suppose that is one word for it."
"I'm just glad to be out of there." Egil pulled his hand from Alvis's grasp with a small groan. "Come on now, there's no more time to…"
And Egil fell forward, nearly crashing into the ground before Kallian, Alvis, and Tyrea were able to stop his fall. He had fainted, being inside the mines finally catching up to him and sending him out of commission.
Vanea was quick to run to his side, Linada following after. This was bad… there went any plans of moving forward anytime soon, then. For now, they would need to get him somewhere safe to rest (perhaps in Colony 6?), allow him to recover from whatever effect the Bionis' Interior had been having on him.
"Oh dear…" Alvis sighed, running a hand across Egil's cheek as he propped him up. "I was afraid this was going to happen."
"I'm embarrassed to admit it slipped my mind…" Vanea sighed, pulling Egil up and awkwardly moving his limp body towards the Homs that still stood nearby. "Er, excuse me…! I would like to ask for some assistance, if at all possible…!"
Oh, she just hoped the Homs would be more open to them now that they had saved Juju…
Linada had been watching Vanea pace the length of Colony 6 for a few hours when she finally decided it was time to put a stop to it. She understood the Machina was worried for her brother, but… just how much she worried was starting to worry Linada.
"Vanea." She spoke, her voice firm. "Sharla put Egil next to Fiora and said she'll watch them. You don't need to worry so much, we can trust her."
"Linada…" She jumped a bit. "I know we can, but… this is the second time Egil has fainted here on Bionis. What if being here is bad for him? Maybe we should make him go home and-"
"We both know he won't." Linada sighed. "Egil is stubborn, just as you are. As long as the Monado is out there, he'll be chasing after it."
"...I suppose that's true." Vanea groaned, moving to sit down next to the doctor, staring at her hands. "I just cannot help but worry."
Linada watched her, noting how tense her shoulders were. Her stress was something to work on, that was certain. With the constant life-or-death situations building stress they couldn't avoid, Vanea needed to find ways to deal with the rest of it. And soon.
"Vanea, your brother is a grown man. I know he's put himself into stupid situations recently, but…" Linada needed to pick her next words very carefully. "He has others looking out for him now, you don't have to put all of that burden on yourself. Allow the rest of us to take some of it. If he gets himself into trouble, we can all pull him out."
"Linada…" Vanea looked at her, eyes wide. "...I'm sorry, I did not even consider that fact. I was so used to it only being Egil and I that-"
"You don't need to explain yourself." Linada chuckled, poking her side. "Just do your best to rely a bit on the rest of us! It's something the both of you could learn to do."
She laughed a bit, swatting Linada's hand away. "I suppose you're right. We both still have a long way to go… and maybe this journey is just what we need to go further."
"That's the spirit!" Linada smiled. "I knew you would see things my way."
"What can I say, Linada? You have a way of convincing people!"
