The creature’s strength already dwindling, it was no match for the combined onslaught of everyone’s attacks. After what feels like no time at all in the flurry of punches, kicks and blasts, it lets out a pained cry as it’s presence begins to melt into nothingness. There’s a tiny flicker of its aura, dim, as if it’s desperately reaching out towards something, and then it’s gone. 

Mari is about to let out the breath she’s holding, but another warning tugs at the back of her mind. She draws her attention back to the mass that used to be where the monster once stood, and feels another cold pang of fear.

[i]The vines are still there.[/i]

Before she can yell out a warning, they’re already darting forward, tendrils snapping around every person they can touch. Mari attempts to scramble to her feet, but they’re already upon her before she can even straighten herself up. A harsh jerking motion throws her off of her feet, slamming her elbow onto the cold metal ground and whatever sight she had before is cut off from her. There is just blackness and the sensation of being dragged and pure, all-consuming terror. 

No no no, they were so [i]close![/i] She thought despairingly as the tendril snaked farther and farther up her leg, squeezing, threatening to choke every last bit of life out of her. She squeezed her eyes shut as if that would make a bit of difference, as if it would make any of this go away. She was so [i]stupid[/i] for having any shred of hope left. It only made this so much worse. If only she had just died back there and saved herself the trouble of-

A cool rushing sensation flies up her body, right along the path the vines were constricting around her. And with that, she was free. She stumbles forward, one, two steps, before she collapses onto the ground once more. From the mismatch of relieved, even overjoyed voices, it seems the others have escaped the same fate. 

And as if things couldn’t get better, a brief rumble passes throughout the car, and Mari can feel the train [i]moving[/i] under her feet. Not floating, but [b]moving[/b] like it’s supposed to. 

She lets out something of a mix between a laugh and a sob. She never thought she’d be so happy just to hear the clatter of tracks beneath her feet. It wasn’t completely over yet. She could tell that much by the stillness of the air that still hung and the lack of voices excluding that of the group’s, but they were alive, and there was actually a chance of escape now! 

Using her cane to steady herself, she slowly pushes herself to her feet, bracing for the sharp pain in her leg… But it doesn’t come. She blinks once, wiggling her leg experimentally. Nope. It feels just fine. Oh… Okay. Well, that’s good. It’s almost as if this whole experience is slowly ebbing off into a bad dream. 

But then one of the guys further along pipes up and has to go and ruin everything. 

[color=00a99d]“Ugh, that’s right.”[/color] She groans as she wipes at her eyes. She doesn’t want to seem a blubbering mess now, especially since they’ve all made it out okay, however barely. [color=00a99d]“This isn’t the first time this happened, huh?”[/color]

She pulls out her cell phone from her uniform jacket, inserting an earbud to follow the automated voice commands. After fiddling with the device for a minute, she slowly makes her way over to the boy, phone held upwards. [color=00a99d]“Here, it’ll be easier if we just link them to each other.”[/color]

She waits patiently as he takes the time to respond, frowning in thought. 

[color=00a99d]“Hey, does this sort of thing at a consistent time of day? I didn’t really notice before, but… Maybe if we can keep track of it, we can avoid this sort of thing again?”[/color]

As great as it was to be able to see again... Sort of, during that brief time during the battle, she could sacrifice it for not have to be constantly fearing for her life.

... It was really great though, she couldn't help but think wistfully.