Upon Vestia: Chapter Twenty-Four

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Dawn chuckled and shook her head a little "I don't need a party." She said softly, chuckling.

~~~
Skye looked to the door then came over to open it "Mourn? What's up?"

Esk shot James a middle finger and stalked off.

James shook his head as Esk left. Man, that guy got so grumpy sometimes. He resumed his sweeping and singing. Man, things he'd never been able to do back at the space station.

Kooshie wrote:"Hey," Orel looked at Skye for a long few seconds, then hurried over to her to pull her into a kiss. He just had a lot of feelings right now, okay?

Skye was surprised by the kiss, but when she realized what he was doing, she relaxed into it. She kissed him back, closing her eyes to savor it.

Orel didn't want to stop, but after a bit he pulled away to look at her. "Skye," he said quietly, "I'm sorry. I don't think I can leave yet."

Skye stared at him then leaned against him, just standing close for a minute in silence before she pulled back and looked to him again "I understand that." She didn't like it, but she understood. It was hard to leave your parents though they may never get to see one another again.

Orel shifted his wings to put them around her. "I want to go with you, but my parents still need me, and I'm not ready to leave them just yet. Maybe at some point we can meet again."

Esk went to find Dawn.

---

Amity resumed his regular activity, making coffee. he seemed oblivious to Sawna's absence, this was his role and he was going to do it.
He could be a very single minded little AI sometimes.

Armin was however somewhat grateful for the company and spent his time talking to the drone while he sat and embroidered things.

---

Matt had found a spot on the observation deck to watch as people down below prepped for Vestia's departure. It was kinda weird to be leaving, particularly with so many having opted to either stay or leave on their own business over the past however long they'd been here. The ship was so much quieter and dare he say it, peaceful.
He missed the kids though, not just the dragons but the spider kids too. He hoped they'd have a happy life out here, wherever they ended up.

Leaving now just felt so final. They were really going, and leaving so many behind. They'd probably never see them or this place again and that was somewhat sobering. Sure they'd said their goodbyes weeks ago, but for some reason now it just felt all the more... finished. They were leaving the guild. At last. But he couldn't really be that excited about it. Keen though he was to get underway to go get Thalia and the others, it was sad to say goodbye to this place and everyone staying behind.

---

Asher returned to Vestia with some last minute shopping, which he left somewhere for Vestia to organize. He went up to an observation deck to see what was happening. It happened to be the one where Matt was.
"Oh hello, Matt," he said, smiling.

~~
Ellie was in hydroponics, explaining to the plants what space was as she checked them over for the day. They didn't get it.

Matt raised a hand in vague greeting, watching some people bustling about below. "Hey Asher." He seemed fairly subdued today.

"I can go to a different deck if you'd prefer," Asher said. Matt looked a bit down today, maybe he needed to be alone.

Matt shook his head, turning his chair around to face Asher. "it's fine. Just.. wierd to be finally outta here you know?"

Asher wheeled over to a spot near Matt. "I know what you mean. We've only been here a couple of months, but so much has happened. Leaving feels a bit like the end of a chapter in our lives."

Matt nodded. "And I mean, I know most of the people who were going went weeks ago but actually leaving feels... like it's more final. That they're really not coming back." He sighed. "I dunno. I just wanna.. get Thalia and start clawing back some degree of normal. That'd be nice."

"Yeah," Asher agreed softly. "I'm going to miss Heny especially, she was a bit difficult at times, but I still counted her as a friend." He nodded, "Getting our families back together and finding some peace will be nice. It's still a long way to Imperium space, but we'll get there, and we'll get the kids and Thalia back."

Kooshie wrote:Orel shifted his wings to put them around her. "I want to go with you, but my parents still need me, and I'm not ready to leave them just yet. Maybe at some point we can meet again."

"Maybe" Skye said, leaning against him in that embrace while it lasted.

"We'll have to hope," Orel said. "You have my phone number, right? We can contact each other when we're ready to meet up again." Assuming Skye hadn't found a cuter, more compatible hawk guy by then. Orel know that he wasn't the greatest match for her, personality-wise, which kind of stank.

Skye nodded and smiled a little "Yeah, i have your number." She agreed then sighed.

~~
Dawn was at the ranch, how she had started thinking of the converted golf course. She was putting in the animals and making sure everything was ready and secured for travel.

Esk headed that way, hesitating and staying in the doorway well away from the animals. Last thing they needed was a damn stampede because he got too close.

---

Matt nodded. "I miss the kids. I mean, they're safer wherever Sonata took them but still... they were cool kids. " Yeah he'd have totally adopted them had anyone asked him, but of course, nobody thought he was responsible enough right? bah.
He managed a weak smile. "I hope Thalia's had time to cool off. I fully expect she's gonna smack me in the head when she sees me, and i'll totally deserve it."

Dawn had gotten the bees settled and the rabbits. She noticed the door open and headed over to see what was going on. When she saw Esk she smiled and headed to greet him "Hello Esk."

Esk nodded. "So you've decided to become a farmer huh? "

Orel smiled back, not entirely happily. "You can tell me about the adventures you have," he said.

~~
"They seemed like good kids," Asher agreed. He'd never been very comfortable around them, but that was more his nervousness than anything wrong with them. He smiled softly, "She must understand, even if she doesn't approve. She's pregnant, that's a good reason to not be allowed to fight."

"Yeah, she's stubborn though, and she'll be mad." Matt shook his head. "I don't regret it, it was absolutely necessary, I just... hope she gets that."

Asher nodded. "True enough. Here's hoping she'll understand." He sighed, "Kay wanted me to go to safety too. I refused, and he didn't try to force me to go, but I'm not sure what I'd do if he had. Of course," he tried for humor, "I guess that was different since I'm not pregnant."

Dawn chuckled and shrugged "It's a good way to relax, at least now that everything is set up. Between this and actually being a doctor, I have plenty to keep me busy or distracted."
~~~
Skye nodded, moving a step back. "Yeah, if we have adventures we can talk about."

Matt nodded. "yeah..." He shook his head. Kay's abandonment issues where a whoooole other mess. He managed a weak smile.

---

"You have an interesting definition of relaxation." Esk observed, shaking his head. "So I guess I have to start calling you Doctor Lupus now huh?" He smirked slightly, yeah, he could do that.

Dawn flushed and dipped her head. Yeah, that was her name now but it was still new and he was the first to call her that. "Yeah, I guess so."

"It'll be fun," Orel said, trying to sound positive. "We'll be pen pals."

~~
Asher decided to change the subject. "Terran space is going to feel so strange after being out here."