Onward: Blue

[voidtreckermods]

On the second night the ground begins to shake. The islanders seem well versed in earthquake safety and there is no mass panic- from them anyways. They will help any voidtreckers who don't know what to do in such a situation. The shaking is over quickly and is not strong enough to do any major damage though there are some after shocks throughout the day.

More worryingly are the thick clouds that roll out, covering the sky. Despite the memories these might invoke in the void warriors they are normal clouds.

Or perhaps not that normal, dawn breaks into darkness, the sun barely penetrating. Shadows are deep and the temperature cooler. It is not too dark to see, more like an endless twilight.

The monsters do not retreat into the sea as dawn comes. Instead they continue their attack into the day, unrelenting.

The seas themselves are rough, large waves crashing down onto the beach. The current is strong, as if the very sea itself is fighting them.

Comments

[happyends]

"I know..."

Granted, it's not like there's a 100% guarantee that she'll be fine. For all they know, there could be something out there stronger than Maru, although he's managed to handle fighting the monsters just fine up until this point. But she does know that he wouldn't let anything harm her as long as he can do something about it - she's seen that now.

So she leans against him a little. It's comforting, despite him not being in kitty form like all the previous times when she held him to calm down.

"What about you though? Can you keep fighting..?" They got to rest after last night, but now it seems like they might just have to keep up the fighting during the day too. "You shouldn't strain yourself."

[sobothersome]

Maru kept his arm around Madoka's shoulder, a comforting weight and just let her lean into him as much as she needed to. He didn't mind this. There was clearly more to being a Servamp than just fighting. His Eve needed his strength just as much as he needed hers. And he could be that for her. He would stand there and be the thing she leans on, if she wanted it.

But then more words were spoken and Maru knew he couldn't lie.

"I can keep fighting..." He replied slowly, picking over his words carefully. "... I will do my best till the end." He paused, hesitating. "... Though with this planet being weird. And how many creatures... I will need to... to 'drink' more often..." And he hated himself for admitting that. Hated even saying it. It left a bad taste in his mouth. But if he was to fight he knew it was something he would need and he knew Madoka would need to know. Unless she wanted him to fight without and eventually collapse.

[happyends]

There's absolutely no way she's going to let him go without that. After all, it's not like Madoka really minds it that he needs her blood in order to be able to fight. He's taken so little so far that she doesn't mind the idea of giving him some more. It doesn't even hurt that much - it's almost like getting an injection at the doctor, really.

If she minds it even slightly, then it's only for his sake. He said he doesn't like drinking blood. She remembers how awkward he looked when Prompto talked about it. Madoka doesn't want him to have to drink blood if he doesn't want to, but..

.. well, they don't have much of a choice here. Especially since they don't know how long this situation will keep up.

"That's okay." She tries her best to sound resolute. As his Eve, the least she can do is at least be strong in this way, right? "I.. know you mind it, but please know I don't mind.. You should take some when you need it."

It's better than the alternative.

Madoka keeps leaning, but she looks up to try and meet his gaze.

"Please promise me that you'll ask me for it when you need it and won't push yourself without.."

[sobothersome]

He couldn't quite meet her gaze just yet. Needing more of the thing he hated didn't make him happy. Asking for it even moreso. Maru lowered his head, his hair obscuring his eyes. He wasn't sure he could bake a promise like that. Knowing that Madoka didn't mind it was one thing, and it showed him just how much of an amazing person she was. How strong she was even without him. But it made him want to protect her all the more. Even from himself. And he couldn't do that if he kept on taking her lifes blood...

How could he keep her safe and protect her if he would just keep coming back to preform a monstrous act upon her? How could she be alright with that?

"... How... can you say things like that, and look at me like that...?" He asked quietly, voice pitched low and almost hollow sounding.

[happyends]

For the slightest moment she's quiet. Then Madoka slowly stops clinging onto Maru - but only so she has her hands free and can raise them up to the sides of his face instead. Her hands gently land on his cheeks, and she tilts his head a little, just enough so she's actually able to look him in the eyes rather than have him looking down like that.

"Because you're my precious friend."

She smiles. Of course, Madoka is still entirely worried over the situation here with those clouds rolling in and all, but she's trying to block that all out. If not just for a moment. Just long enough that she can focus her whole world on him for a moment now he seems to need that so badly.

"You've been working so hard to keep me and everyone else safe. If this is what I can do to keep you safe in return, then I don't mind at all."

[sobothersome]

Warm hands cupped his face and Maru couldn't help but lift his gaze to meet Madoka's. And then she spoke... and his eyes closed. A precious friend. But would a precious friend really drink the blood of their friend? Wasn't that wrong?

When he opened his eyes again she was smiling at him so sweetly. How could she do that?

And then he did something he had never, in his memory, done before. He reached out... and wrapped his arms around Madoka to pull her into a gentle hug. He'd slowly moved to his knees to do this better, since he was much taller than her. But he'd gather her up, holding her, his face pressed into her shoulder. "... My friend." he spoke quietly. Mahiru had tried to be that with him, he'd wanted them to be partners. But Madoka, she wanted to be his friend.

"Thank you... my friend."

[happyends]

It's true. For all the constant clinging and hugging Madoka has done ever since Maru showed up on the train - and especially after they made that contract - it was definitely always Madoka initiating the hugs, despite Maru giving little kitty nuzzles of his own. This is the first full blown hug on his part though, and it manages to surprise Madoka for the slightest moment as she feels herself being pulled into it.

It doesn't last more than a second though before instead happiness takes over. It's nice. It's not as if Madoka hasn't been hugged before, she's been hugged plenty.. but it feels extra nice knowing that this can't be common coming from Maru. And the way he says 'my friend' too.. It makes Madoka wonder how many friends Maru has before, if any at all.

Well.. if that's something she can give him too, then Madoka is only all the more glad for it. She won't even dismiss his thanks with the usual talk about how she doesn't need any thanks - it'd feel awful to ruin this moment with that. Instead the girl just leans into the hug, letting herself relax in the hold for a moment.

"You're welcome. You know friends are always there for each other, right? I'll always be here for you."

Sure. They're literally connected already because of their special bond, but that's not the point. Even if they weren't Eve and Servamp, Madoka still would be here with him all the same.

[sobothersome]

For a heartbreaking moment Maru was afraid he'd done the wrong thing. He thought to pull back, but not quickly enough. Madoka's arms lifted to wrap about him and... he relaxed. Okay. Okay this was fine. It was nice. She'd hugged him plenty of times since his arrival, but this was the first time he'd really hugged her back. He hadn't realised that doing that could make hugs nicer.

While he didn't think that this would be a common thing (he wasn't a hugger), he now knew he wouldn't burst into flames for doing it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad...

Slowly he pulled back and allowed his hands to drop. He couldn't quite meet her eyes, but he did not. "Me too..." Maru looked toward the sea and sighed softly. "... I promise. To tell you when I need."

[happyends]

"Thank you."

That's all she wanted, after all. Madoka isn't quite naive enough to imagine it will suddenly make all of his troubles with that necessity disappear, but maybe it can slowly start feeling a bit more natural the more it has to happen. Or at the very least he can start to see that even if he minds, she really doesn't.

She follows his gaze, staring into the distance alongside him.

".. Let's do our best. Surely it can't be more than a few more days of fighting.." If the previous missions are anything to go by. Sure, it'll be tough, but they can make it. "And then when we get back on the train, you can have all the naps and snacks you want."

[sobothersome]

He'd need them. Maru was struggling as it was, but he'd push himself further. He'd do what he could to make Madoka proud of him and not regret becoming his Eve. So he nodded and cast a look her way, his lips twitched.

"We'll do our best..." So long as she stayed back then everything would be just fine. He'd go out and fight on her behalf.