Queen's note: Closer is relieving and painful, and a different path for us all. Getting that last bit of closer helps to have that needed strength of self. Even if you don't have a lot of strength to do a lot, it's okay. Lean on those around, friends, family, found family, pets, that cartoon you need to have to keep going and enjoy things again after loss. 3 okay I'll stop being sappy here, time to kill people with feels
Garnets
Chapter Fifty Two:
New Start
It was deceptively nice outside, as if for a moment the planet had forgotten it was invaded by hell. The breeze coming from offshore, poshing any population of the invasion back inland. Though the sun was a bit harsher than from years back, or just a single year ago. The waters under the south dock were clear enough to see the shipwrecks at the bottom.
Unaltered sea birds were surfing the thermoclines coming off the sprawling Platform and its docks in the morning daylight. If not for the sheer lack of people, it was almost like before the end of the world.
Too bad Lily was too busy dry heaving to appreciate the peaceful moment of her once home platform. Not that a part of her was not aware of it, or the massive armored Demigod kneeling over top of her. She just… really… really did not like portals for sure now.
She got this supposedly wonderfully, amazing and rare Wraith Gift and instead of helping with that nausea of going through portals… it seemed like it was just as bad if not even worse. Lily whined as she had a chance to gasp air, feeling the supporting arm shift around her minutely.
It took a good ten minutes for any sort of movement to not trigger a retching spasm. She had to be fast to get her mask off and back on when spitting any fluid out. When Lily sorted out her senses she was mildly confused to realize she was half on the Slayer's right arm. His left hand rested lightly on her back, rubbing over it and the Valen's gift, at least a first draft of it. It reminded her of when he was crouching over her when meeting the Wraith Gaia. Only there was no tension of barely held anger and offense.
It was eerie to realize it at first, then more than a little impressive how still he was while supporting her. So not to trigger the nausea, kneeling over her and scanning around for any semblance of a threat, and surprised there was none.
"...I really don't like portals…" Lily admitted quietly to John. They were amazing, awe inspiring technology for sure. She could just continue to live without them now.
After going back home.
There was a deep chuffing like sound from above as the Demigod gave his version of a chuckle. Yet his thumb rubbed against her back a bit more. After a moment he was picking the human up slowly as he stood. Making sure she would not be sick again, as he rolled her into his arms. Standing still as his human settled against his chest.
The Slayer could feel his new charge getting her balance and wedging close before grasping at the edge of his chest plate against the movement of his steps on the dock. He hummed a questioning note to Lily.
"I'm…okay… I think. Just no diving off the docks ya?" Lily asked as she tilted her head to watch where they were going, feeling and hearing another chuckle before being carefully lifted to have her guardian press his helmet against the side of her head for a moment.
"Hm." John made the low sound, not quite believing her.
"I'm okay, not good but… okay." Lily said, looking around and able to see damage to the west docks in the morning light. Focusing on it for a while as John walked, adjusting her new mask. "...John?"
"Mm?" The Slayer slowed a bit but did not stop walking back to the main spire of the Platform. Glancing at the ships that were here before, at least that seemed like it, and those few that seemed to have automatically docked. Maybe he should have the Sentinels check them out.
Then again they, and he, might get stuck in the ships.
"In order for mom to be… reborn in Hell," Lily looked up at John's visitor, "She had to die right?"
The Demigod tilted his head, thinking about it as he stopped at last in a spot that let them see the trail of bent walk ways the altered gorgon had taken that night in the hurricane now that the sea was more or less settled. The waves almost seemed passive as he slowly set Lily back on her feet. It would have been prime time for her to put out traps or pull up all those she had left in the water. Lily winced as she remembered there were a lot of traps still left out here and felt guilty about forgetting them.
I don't know. John finally signed, peering over the railing and into the waters as if that would help. If they could see anything, though the water at least had a good thirty feet of good visibility. Hazy forty feet maybe. Most things that come into hell die and come. Or died in Hell.
Lily grasped the railing and looked down, pointing out the outline of a blue shark as it glided from the open sea to temperate reef the seamount the platform was on.
It really was an artificial reef now. Lily knew they had sunk, cleaned up ships for the reason of artificial reefs in the 'shallows' of the seamount between the eastern and southern docks. Now there were other ships that had sunk around. Smaller floating docks detached and sunken at odd angles to make a reef life space. Without too much damage, structural damage that is, Lily knew all too well her once home Platform and others like it could stand for a few dozen centuries likely.
"I wonder if we can make a saltwater pond…tank thing. Back home that is." Lily said as she was finally able to enjoy the breeze.
The not quite man made a startled sound, all his attention shifted down to Lily.
"Try and save more of the aquatic micro life. That wouldn't be bad right?" Lily half asked awkwardly, half tried to justify her idea.
The Slayer knelt down beside her, not unlike that first night they met in the hurricane. His head more at her own shoulder level, and this time Lily struggled to not reach out to poke at him. Home?
Lily blinked, not expecting that. She shifted and itched a spot around her new mask. "Well… yeah. That's what the Fort is right? Home now?"
Large hands reached out, paused and then moved to pull his helmet off, settled it aside as John grinned wide. Now pulling Lily down into… a cuddle hug. Sitting down heavily as he just… cuddled his human, revealed once more he had not scared her with his power. That forced divinity on him. That Lily still was not afraid of his hulking self that this little life had chosen on her own to make his home her's. Lily giggled despite the awkwardness, wrapping arms around John's neck to press her cheek against his.
"You are such a sap you know that?" Lily said, getting a thunder deep rumble back, but John was still grinning against her.
One large hand came up to gently ruffle the soft, still mostly short blond hair. Though longer than it had been at first meeting, so his fingers carded through. John reached for his helmet and gently plopped it on Lily's head. It sat a little odd with her mask but it distracted her for the moments it took him to get back up to his knees, then feet.
"We can set up a larger saltwater area." Vega said through the Slayer's helmet instead of Lily's head piece as she sat back. "It's a very good idea to start thinking of gathering surviving micro fauna and flora."
"Thanks Vega." Lily said as she got the helmet off and looked up, making a note to try and steal it later, she wanted to really start looking at the Praetor Suit as well as the Argenta tech.
Seeing two hands offered down to her, Lily tilted her head. She put John's helmet in his right hand and grasped his left with both of hers to be helped back up. He put his helmet back on, the last thing she saw of his face for now was that the Demigod was still grinning that wide toothy smile. "Come on you big softly, I still need that dad vibe to help me make it down to the lowest moon bay. See if it's not flooded and if… it's still there."
Lily was turning as she spoke, one hand grasping a large thumb and tugging. Being rewarded with a happy grumble and the demigod following after, his hand closing slowly around her own. She made it a good thirty feet of distance on her own two feet before getting picked up.
John chuckled at the face that was made up at him, but well able to feel Lily relaxing into the hold. Relieved for the help to make the long distance to the main hub. Lily still wondered if her mother's remains were somewhere on the seafloor under the platform, or somewhere down the seamount's sides. She looked back to the west, and then around the deck.
"You know it's really strange seeing the top deck again." Lily noted, and at a head tilt she added, "When I could get outside, I had to stick to the lowest decks where the demons could not get too. It was the only way to fish or gather the traps. And not be spotted. Still had to be careful… most of the time I could do most stuff in the morning."
Lilly pressed against John suddenly as she remembered, "Dad used to follow me up on the top decks. I could hear him fighting the shamblers. Or throwing them off the deck to the sea. He may not have been human like on Vega's scans… but he always seemed like he was there."
John shifted to brace Lily with one arm, freeing his left to sign. He loves you. Then. Now.
She missed her family so much, what her family used to be. It was not so lonely now at least now, and she had her guardians and a possibly new family.
John was making a slow sign, more absentmindedly than like when he was trying to teach. Touch his hand to the edge of his helmet before restarting his forearm on Lily palm up. Chuckling right after.
"What are you saying?" Lily asked, grasping his hand with orh if her's. Getting lifted and lowered as the Demigod gave a clear shrug. Then gently swung Lily down to her feet at one of the doors. Already making it to the main part of the platform with his long stride.
Lily stared at the door, hesitated before reaching out to type in her dad's old override code. Tensing but there was no possessed inside, just dim lighting that flickered brighter. Echoing only memories for a moment before the Slayer stepped around Lily, walking in first and mostioning her to stay behind him. The young woman found herself grasping one of the ouches on his lower back, door closing and locking behind them. The echo that Riggs left behind started playing some music softly, making Lily smile in her mask. She did not take it off as if it was some sort of shield.
John shifted, pausing and nudged Lily to lead to where she needed to go now pacing her smaller stride. Surprised at finding a lift not unlike the one he took down to collect her. Take her from the altered gorgon mother. He chuffed in surprise at seeing Lily touch the button for the lowest level.
"If it stops at this level, that lower moonpool lab lab will be flooded. It's a safety feature that can't be overridden. Lifs stop a level above the floor that's flooded so as not to break any air locks." Lily said, staying near John if not just behind him.
This lift made it all the way down surprisingly. John stepped forward and out first, remembering how there had been a possessed. Likely others could be here now that he thought about it and motioned Lily to stay in the lift as he walked around the oddly… still place.
It was an eerie sort of quiet down here, with only the lapping of water somewhere out of sight and below the level they were on. The lights were dimmed and just… that completely abandoned stillness. The Slayer walked through the lounge or break area like the one that had been in front of the other lift they came down. Unlike that other space that was mostly open there were still soft plush couches someone had tossed sheets over. Some unopened cans of soda, three cups and several mugs in different states of wholeness. Even a completely sealed box of fig newtons.
Like the other spot, the observation window was broken with shattered glittering bits of crackled glass on the ground. They broke down even more under the Slayer's boots as he peered down through the open space.
The Platform in all places used to be so impressive, he could tell and even now still was. There were another two levels lower than what they were on, offices and what might be personal labs could be seen on the mid level. Equipment and subs were on the lowest level with a wide, still open large submarine moonpool. The doors had long since been jammed but had tried to close at some point. He had only walked around this top level last time to find the part he gave Lily originally and some equipment.
From where he was he could see the section that was ripped into before the gorgon had pulled back before likely leaving by the moonpool. John turned and chuffed with a head tilted to his charge. Safe.
Lily had a hand resting on the lift door, making sure it would stay open as she listened intently. Watching the not quiet man just as intently as he had scanned for any demonic creatures. Lilly hesitated before she stepped out. Padding over to the Demigod before pausing and whining.
John reflexively turned to step over as Lily picked up a large blu-ish mug that was almost cleanly cut in half. It had a lobster on it in the same calico color as the lobster in the tank in the gardens. The young woman was not ready to find that as she put the two pieces together as John's large hand spread over her back with a warm feeling. Lily turned it over, very careful to show the pretty, gracefully swirling handwriting, though not cursive. There was also what looked like seaweed painted on with the name in dark green glaze.
J. Hawkins
John recognized the mug suddenly, partly. Lily had a sunflower yellow swirling glazed mug like it, kept in her room or used in the kitchen when making coffee or tea. It had a lobster as well, but a half rusty red, half copper color. 'L. Hawkin' had been on the bottom.
Lily hugged the two parts to herself, feeling better with the quiet support before carefully stepping to the broken observation window as she looked down to the sub lab under them. Noting the damage and pattern of how her changed mother used to coil up outside of the water.
Lily picked up to John's visor, seeing her reflection in it, not realizing she was crying again until she saw it. Shifting the two parts of the lobster tea mug,to rub at her eyes. "Mom's office is on the second level from the bottom, that's where I need to go…"
John hummed, offering one large hand in front of Lily, tapping the closer of the two parts of the broken mug. After a moment Lily gave him the two parts and he carefully tucked them away in his subspace where it would not break more.
Lily led the way to stairs and then to the mid level where some small offices and personal lab rooms were almost untouched. Other than some broken windows, none were shattered. As if what her mother had turned into tried to keep this level protected as she had grown. Lily found one with a clear door and the words 'Dr. Hawkins' on it, she hesitated and pushed it open to enter.
At seeing a shiver, John shifted to pull Lily back and step in first, looking around as if to check for monsters. He looked back and chuffed. Still safe.
Lily could not help but laugh, and came into the all too familiar office as she hugged his left arm. "Thanks big guy. I know I'm a mess."
John hummed as he set a hand on her head and smoothed it down to the young woman's back. Once more his hand was warm, but this time gave a little trickle of energy to it. As if that was the only way John could think to try and give his human strength to keep going. Give that little bit of his own.
Lily pressed her head against the thick arm, then looked back at the office. The old, warm wooden shelves that had mother of pearl inlays on them. Heavy, solid furniture that had been hard to get down here. Lily remembered her dad and some of the other mechanics complaining about it until they were given homemade food with the good locally made beer in thanks. The shelves had sliding glass on their fronts, to protect what was inside. What seemed like countless books, references and some figurines of sea life on the shelves. Pictures of their three member family.
John found himself drawn to those pictures, as Lily moved to the desk, he always liked finding pictures. It had seemed like something real he could save, of those people gone forever now. He had many found photo albums in his room, and backed up with Vega.
Lily sat at the desk, reaching to pick up the neatly folded, knitted blue sweater that was sitting on the desktop. Surprised at finding several hard drives there, triple sealed to be protected if the area flooded just in case. She jumped as the screen turned on and a voice spoke. John's head snapped over and he was almost instantly beside Lily. Half expecting Vega, half expecting something to cause trouble-
"This is Doctor Jessica Hawkins," A woman with very light brown hair spoke as her image came up. Sitting in the same chair that Lily was in. She had a bit of a darker tan tone then Lily, with hazel eyes that were a little more green. "It's been a month and a half since the extinction event on the mainland. Invasion? I'm…not fully sure what it is even still."
Lily whimpered, staring as she hugged the sweater as it still had a faint smell of her mother. "Mom?"
"Hmm?" John leaned over, recognizing the woman on the screen both from the pictures and in Lily. Even had on the sweater that the young woman was clutching.
Dr. Hawkins picked up a carefully sealed hard drive, one of those on the desk, turning it in her hands. "To whoever is watching this. These harddrives have everything that we have learned on our platform, and the others nearby that survived… All that we could learn and collect data on the gasses that burn your lungs and weaken us. To the DNA changes of the possessed and how salt water affects the… demons? creatures? Even the medicine that Dr. Mecormit managed to make… thank god it works… My baby girl needed it so much and it worked."
The woman on the screen used a sleep to rub her face, taking a few deep breaths before pulling the sweater off, folding it automatically despite it being inside out. It showed how her right arm was bandaged and looked to have an infection. Taking all her jewelry off to set on the desk but her wedding ring. Fiddling with that ring and holding her hand to her chest.
"Sorry. If you're seeing this, please help what's left of humanity. And if she's still alive… Please help my daughter. She was one of those that suffered full exposure to the gasses on the mainland in the… extinction event. I love my baby girl and Freddy so much, so I'm going to seal this lab. We're all infected down here with… something. Riggs will not let anyone down here unless they have the firepower to… well. Please have mercy on us and end things. I'll be trying to document everything for any added information on another stick drive."
Lily buried her face in the sweater as the recorded clip stopped. Shivering as she pulled her legs up, her heels caught on the edge of the chair. Reflexively leaning towers the massive living heater as John's hand rubbed down her back and right shoulder. "I thought… I thought she started to change after three months from when Dad got us back here. I was talking to her up until then on the platform chat system in bed."
John looked at the computer, finding himself kneeling down, pulling his flower closer. It was an awkward motion but still steady as he tried to give her that squish hug that normally made Lily feel better.
It seems to work somewhat as Lily uncurled to hug him back. "I just wanted some pictures here, damn, I wasn't ready for this."
The Demigod had to be careful as he rubbed his head against Lily's. Looking back at the screen and seeing the files there, waiting to be watched. Two files that have not been seen yet, one that was labeled with Lily's name, and then the other as 'Freddy.' John gently tapped Lily on the knee for her attention. Do you want to see those now?
Lily looked up and at what he pointed out. She thought about it before shaking her head, "Yes and no. I… can we somehow bring it home?"
John nodded, paused and then picked up Lily to carry her to one of the next doors. A small lab that still had tanks of sea life somehow. Looked around and seemed to improvise as he grabbed a paint pen to offer. Flower stay here. I will get. Pick what you want to take. Will get that later.
"...thanks." Lily hugged the knitted sweater for a moment before standing up on her own. "I wanted to go up to the communications and security hub at the top of the main tower of the Platform. Should be able to get there by the same lift."
John nodded, stepping back and to the other office, knocking a knuckle to the side of his helmet and signing to Vega. Carefully and swiftly packing, there was a sound of a portal opening and closing for a few minutes as Lily checked the tanks, getting the water better from old habits. Fed what was still alive and waiting. The Demigod came back, rumbling to not startle Lily and looking very interested in what she was doing. It took only a few minutes in each lab to get the automatic systems running again, feeding freeze dried food to the micro life there.
Then all too soon Lily looked confused as she was pulled back into the lift. She tapped the code for the security office, folding her mother's sweater into a tighter bundle. "You…got those rings right?"
John nodded, shifting to tap a finger to one of the pouches on his hip. Want now?
Lily shook her head, "Not right now… I'll start crying again, I think. Thank you John, for bringing me back. For helping."
My flower. John signed back, rumbling and stooped to press his helmet to the top of Lily's head. Will help. Always.
"I can do this." Lily took a deep breath, and then hugged one large arm. "With help maybe?"
John set his left hand over her head, nodding. Not minding the ride up the Platform. Almost absent mindedly rubbing his fingers on the girl's head until the lift slowed, he gently shifted Lily behind him before the doors opened. The wide circular room was simple but showed signs at one point that either Lily or her father had slept here sometimes when they were alone and trapped on the Platform.
Lily walked to the east side of the room as John paced around. Picking up a third, whole mug like the others, with dark brown colors and a blue lobster on it. Stained a bit by years of being used for coffee and espresso. She hugged it, and picked up a small wooden box that she left here, knowing it was a trinket box her dad kept. Lily turned to find John staring out the solid windows to the west docks.
"Damage that bad?" Lily asked starting to come over.
John was standing still, then shook himself as he turned around. Tapping his right shoulder and pointing to Lily. Remembering. Sorry.
Lily decided not to go over to that side, "Come on big guy, I think I'm ready to go home now."
John glanced back out the window to the west dock, but was moving to follow Lily to the lift. Turning his back on the massive shining pearl skeleton visible in the currently clear waters. Sprawled out on its back and stripped to the bones unlike normal demons would have been. He was suddenly worried what might happen to Lily if she finally came across her time to pass… did all of those with gorgon souls really go to hell to be reborn?
The demigod curled his larger hand around Lily's when she grasp it and pressed against his side. Last Gift humming its own worry in the back of John's mind over his Flower. Their daughter.
"Fuck, I didn't see a dremeral tool." Lily pressed her head against John's arm again as she sighed.
The not quiet man perked up, that was something he could fix. He signed something quickly to Vega again, picking up Lily once back on the south dock and walking to the portal that would take them to the mainland. John started to turn around, he thought he heard a voice as the portal closed behind him.
Did someone yell for a 'Fred' or was it a lingering ghost?
John shook himself, winced as Lily whined before walking through the parking lot Vega had dropped them in.
"Where…are we?" Lily asked in dizzy confusion, realizing they were not on the Fortress.
"Mm!" John huffed and then rumbled as he walked to the abandoned craft store. The startled squeak from Lily as she realized what was in front of her was far more satisfying than anything Argent or Sentinel Energies could give him.
Revies!
XFireStoneX: ...yes, yes I am. Sorry...mostly sorry, if I have to die writing this then others have to die by feels and fluff reading! But should be getting to Argent D'ner after this
