When we step outside the cave, all bundled up and sent out of our quiet rest area, we're greeted by some sort of strange, low-lying alien transport ship. The aliens load us in and strap us to seats.
They're definitely some kind of safety straps. I would feel a bit childish not doing it myself, but they are bizarrely complex. Perhaps they're less about protecting us and more about preventing us from jumping out.
Not that there's anything in this wilderness we could go to, but perhaps...there's some people who would be desperate to go back to those caves.
It makes sense, I suppose.
Really, though, I'm surprised we're being given this, of all things. We had to walk the whole way to the cave, after all. Or at least we walked until I passed out. But I recall that being a pretty considerable distance.
Whether it's to help the ones who are still injured - not enough to stay in the caves - or the last glimmer of their weird 'friendliness' toward us, I don't know.
But I'm not going to complain about not needing to walk the whole way anyway.
It will mean returning to the worst place on this planet more quickly than I'd like, but it does mean not having to walk whole way, which is a benefit no matter how I look at it.
Hestia's strapped into the seat next to me. She smiles at me when I turn my head to look at her.
She looks a lot healthier now, at least. The bruises left over from the healing process are almost completely faded, though they were never as dark and extensive as mine were.
But she also looks healthy. Not in a 'compared to recently being mauled' way, but in a general good health way. When I first saw her huddled against a wall, too shy to try to communicate with anyone, she was downright frail and sickly looking.
She's improved in health greatly since then, it seems. Not just here in the caves, but since I've met her. She doesn't look so starved anymore, and while she's still a little too skinny for my tastes, she's at least not as skeletal anymore. Her hair is even starting to gain a lustrous shine.
It looks good on her.
She's also wearing a clean set of the alien's 'uniforms', like I am.
In fact, all the humans on the ship are.
...I don't really like that.
They could have cleaned the clothes we already had without making them all disappear, right?
Then again I suppose it's...
Just.
Our clothes were old and barely hanging on as it was.
Maybe there's not much left to salvage even if the aliens were willing to.
There's a part of me that's. Still annoyed about it in ways I can't quite express, but...
There's no room left for me to have any other anger than I'm already holding about this place. I'm full up to overflowing already.
So. Whatever. It's just a uniform.
I'll probably see my actual clothes again again at some point, long past after the time I've stopped looking for them. Probably. Just to frustrate me the maximum amount.
Hestia's smile is soft, but warm. Her eyes are sparkling, and she seems to be in good spirits.
I hope she can keep that.
Especially as we're no doubt going back to the place with the electrocutions every day.
That's personally. Something I can't just easily pass over.
The training camp spells daily suffering and indignity from me. From the pain of electrocution, the humiliation of having to just sit there and wait, over and over, for the repeated punishments, to the fact that no matter what they tell me or try to teach me I just can't get the hang of their stupid language.
It's frustrating. Infuriating. It feels pointless.
But that's not even the only thing I have to do in the day. I'll also have to push that stupid rock, and eat their disgusting food, and...
Well.
Nothing good.
Nothing good is waiting for me at the end of his line. That much I don't need any great grasp of alien language to figure out.
But...
I can't let Hestia know how I feel. I don't want to upset her.
She seems happy about the impending car ride. Or...
It's not a car.
It's an alien...well the closest approximation is like a mini floating train.
Or something like that, anyway.
Talking about how I'm feeling right now would probably make it sound much worse than it should anyway.
Not that 'being electrocuted every day and fed barely enough to survive' can actually be talked about in a way that makes it any less concerning, I suppose.
So. Subject change. I can do that.
"You're looking good, Hestia." I smile.
She tilts her head and then looks away, smiling and fidgeting. She blushes and seems pleased.
It's pretty cute, truth be told.
"Thanks for saving me."
I've thanked her before. But it bears repeating. And it always makes her light up. So. I don't think it hurts anything.
She beams. She's definitely not used to receiving praise, it seems.
She gives a small nod. Then she wiggles a bit in her seat and makes a soft, pleased hum.
She's definitely more excited about this train-ride than I am. She's more excited than I could even possibly trick myself into enjoying it. She's like a kid on their first trip.
It's not hard to tell she's in good spirits. She's smiling and tapping her fingers together, her legs bouncing up and down in place as she watches the other humans get strapped into their seats.
Her gaze darts from person to person, watching each one in turn as they settle down and get strapped in. She looks a little too happy about the whole thing, if you ask me.
But I can't find it in myself to be mad.
Her being happy is infectious, and even though I can't match her level of unspoken optimism - quite probably off even the Mia charts in this situation - I do find myself smiling for no reason.
Which earns another bright beaming smile from her when she happens to notice it.
Her gaze then snaps forward and I follow it.
Eric is sitting across the aisle from us and a little ahead.
He doesn't seem quite so excited, but his gaze is more relaxed than I feel. He's sitting back in his seat, almost lounging, and there's a hint of a smile on his lips.
When our gazes meet, his smile grows slightly larger.
Admittedly, it's Eric, so It's still not much of one, and I don't know if it's a smile or a grimace, really.
But I'll take it.
He doesn't seem quite so worried as I do.
He seems to have the same general feeling as Hestia - and I'm sure Mia, too.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
...He has a point.
I guess.
It's still better than walking back, after all.