Goodbye

[itbelongsinamuseum]

(Sorry about this. I'd wanted to do it like a month ago or more, but stuff has been going on in my life and it was delayed.]

[It's been quite a while since the mission in the Middle East and her subsequent hospitalization, but finally Alex is back at one of the bases. She's lost a bit of weight in the hospital but otherwise looks no worse for the wear, her new prosthetic legs hidden by her pants. Her expression is somewhat stiff, as if she's trying to not let some emotions show.]

Hi. It's been a while, but the hospital finally let me out. I've been trying to follow the news and people have visited me, but I'm sure there's a lot of stuff I missed while I was gone, so I hope everyone has been okay.

But, [she hesitates for a bit,] I'm not here to return to service. While there I was thinking and I decided to return to civilian life to finish my studies. I just wanted to personally say goodbye and check up on you instead of simply vanishing from the hospital. I'll try to stay in touch, even if military schedules and time zones might cause issues at times.

Comments

[star_of_sad]

Alex? You're out of the hospital already?

[Setsuko looks surprised - but not in a shocked way. The surprise is a pleasant one.]

You're looking well, really. And it's okay, don't worry about it! Studying and education is what you were doing in the first place, after all.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

It's been two months. I still need to see a doctor regularly for exercises and checking up on the prosthetic and that everything is okay, but I can return home as it is and have the check-up done back in Belgium.

And you're right, but on some level it still feels like I'm abandoning all of you in a way I wouldn't have felt if I hadn't joined in the first place.

[star_of_sad]

Umm. How to put it...

You've had Enki, but he's gone now. That'd mean if you wanted to be a pilot, you'd have to start from scratch.

And that's a bit of a waste. I don't think you should be a pilot, Alex. You'd make a much better historian. You're not abandoning anyone, you're just picking a different career.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

I know. It's just a feeling that's hard to shake even though I know it isn't true.

Besides, somebody needs to put all the insane stuff we've been learning together.

[star_of_sad]

It's a good thing there will be a lot of materials to back you up. Not many people would otherwise believe everything that Unity Group's been up to.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

I'm still not sure I believe I didn't just hallucinate it all or hit my head or something. I'm pretty sure I'll need to involve some kind of multiverse or subjective reality thing to make sense of it all.

[star_of_sad]

Maybe hitting my head would be a better alternative to what really happened... I've been through something recently too. But don't worry, it's nothing serious. Just, a reason why I didn't visit the hospital recently.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Are you okay? Nothing too bad, right?

[reactorhead_russians]

Alexis nods at you sagely. Sasha smiles and pats you on the shoulder.

"Good for you!" She rumbles. "You should write a term paper about your experience; the anthropology of gods, da?"

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Actually, that was exactly what I was planning. Although, I think all the stuff I've seen here is going to be a bit more than just a term paper.

[brought_it_back]

Alex!

[A hug for you, Alex.]

How have things been?

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Pretty good. A bit boring at times and the hospital kitchen isn't going to win any Michelin stars, but still. [No mention of pain, struggle to relearn how to walk or anything else like that.]

Everything been good back here?

[brought_it_back]

[When you put it like that, OOC note, Eva can't help but worry.]

...Tense. There are a lot of dangerous things out there, that we have to fight. Recently, a group of bad guys all formed an alliance...But we're winning.

...I'm sorry I haven't been over move.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Don't worry. You've got missions and your own problems involving them to take care of, including your own trip to the hospital. It's good to see that you're out and well yourself.

[brought_it_back]

...okay. [Eva sighs in relief. The ooc note was nothing to worry about.]

...Um, I do have a question for you, though.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

Oh? [She gives Eva a curious look, misguided and unintentionally worrying OOC notes far from her mind by now.]

[brought_it_back]

I'd like some advice on dating.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

I see...So who is it?

People are different, so giving advice without knowing who is going to be hard.

[lostamigo]

Don't apologize. You made the right call.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

I know. It just still feels weird to leave people I've fought besides behind like that.

[lostamigo]

Would've happened eventually.

Sooner or later, you leave everyone behind.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

It's not the leaving part, it's just heading home and leaving you all to continue risking your lives. I mean, it's wrong to think like that, I'd need to leave for ages to learn how to fight without Enki anyway and I never chose to have him along in the first place. But it's still a nagging feeling in the back of the head.

[lostamigo]

Look at it this way; for me, and most of Unity Group, risking my life is a career choice.

[itbelongsinamuseum]

I didn't say I believed it was reasonable to feel guilty about leaving or that it's overwhelming, just that I do. It's probably normal to do so, really. It seems to come up often when soldiers talk about their experiences.

[lostamigo]

The opposite is also normal, no? For those who stay in the fight to dismiss the worries of those who leave.

Go make your life, Alex. I'm not planning to die.