Day 54: Recreational Field

[martyrs]

Well, that was the most exhausting lunch Elena had ever experienced. And she didn't get around to eating very much either. Her headache was a least somewhat bearable now, but as the shift ended, she realized how stupid it had been to not get something in her system before the shift ended. But that apparently wasn't in the cards. In fact, just as she stopped panicking long enough to try and get some food down, her nurse was sweeping to her side.

"Shift change, m'dear." Like she hadn't noticed everyone getting up out of their seats and leaving the cafeteria. "I'll take your tray for you, and you make sure to get out to the field on time."

"On time?" Her blank expression must have given away more than she realized, because the nurse was giving her yet another sympathetic look.

"You slept thought a lot this morning, I'm afraid. I'll explain along the way."

By the time they had reached the Rec Field, the nurse had explained most of what had happened with the food fight, and the tear gas, and it only served to damage her calm yet again that day. Of course she slept through something like this, and of course the boys and girls were split up this shift, and of course Elena would have to wait around for some uniformed man to call out her fake name before she could get to Stefan.

At least her last name was near the stop of the list.

"Bailey, Samantha-"

"Here! I'm here. Can I go back inside now? Please?"

Though she didn't even wait for an answer before turning back and heading for the building. As far as she was concerned, she did what she was told, and there was no good reason why she couldn't make her way to the Sun Room right this very second.

[to here]

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[madeinthehrl]

Of all the reactions Soma had been expecting, tears hadn't been one of them. She almost stepped forward again to ask what was the matter, if she'd said something wrong (which usually happened when she spoke to civilians), but a mental nudge from Marie stopped her. She didn't quite understand, but Rapunzel was still smiling, and that seemed to be good enough. Besides, she was still listening closely to Soma's admittedly inadequate description of space, and Soma had to stifle a widening smile at the expression on Rapunzel's face. She really did seem as if she hadn't been out of her tower much.

It was easier to stifle the smile when Rapunzel asked about the battles. That was right; she hadn't clarified her own situation much, had she? "Something like that," she said, her voice more serious now. "I'm a soldier back home. I was created for it--that was why I grew up in a laboratory. My country's army made me to serve in battle, so civilians wouldn't have to."

But that was something she didn't want to dwell on too much, for fear of the memories it would dredge up yet again. Anyway, she was certain Rapunzel wouldn't find it nearly as cheerful a subject as the one of space.

"But my world's at peace now, and I was discharged from the army a few months ago. I'll take you sometime," she offered, on a sudden impulse. It was ridiculously improbable, but what was the harm in keeping her newfound friend's spirits up? "If our captors have the ability to take us out of worlds, we should be able to use the same ability to hop between them. I don't see why I wouldn't be able to take you up the orbital elevator, at the very least. Even civilians are allowed to do that, if they have permission."

[hairraising]

So, she was a soldier. Rapunzel couldn't even begin to imagine what that kind of life must have been like. She could admire the ideal of keeping ordinary people out of the line of fire, but still, to be raised into that kind of dangerous, harsh lifestyle? It just seemed cruel. Thus, when Soma went on to say that there was now peace where she was from, Rapunzel breathed a sigh of relief. Admittedly, being discharged from the army only to wind up imprisoned again only a few months later was still completely unfair (and still dangerous, if the stories about monsters were true, gulp), but she was glad to know that if Soma escaped, it would be to somewhere safe.

And if Soma escaped, then Rapunzel could possibly go with her, it seemed? She was torn between excitement and hesitation at the offer. As much as she wanted to be closer to the stars and look down on that big blue ball, she also wanted to get back to Eugene as soon as she could. Also, there was still the uncertainty in her mind about whether she even should escape. If Eugene had been healed and she had indeed been brought here by Mother Gothel, then trying to escape would break the deal and allow Gothel to go after Eugene again, wouldn't it?

Adding to the confusion was Soma's use of the word "worlds." A few people had said that so far. She had assumed up until now that they meant different lands or countries, but the more the term was used, the less it seemed to fit. They didn't really mean...?

She didn't get to spend much more time wondering before they were interrupted by an outpouring of more soldiers onto the field. An announcement was barked out to them that a general called Aguilar wanted all the nurses and orderlies were to leave at once. "What? Wait, what's going on? Soma, has anything like this happened bef—"

Before she could finish, soldiers arrived and began herding the both of them back toward the building - separately, of course. Rapunzel shot Soma a worried look as they were marched away from one another. Something told her it was going to be a long time before she got to see those orbital elevators.