middleofsomewhere | Final: Blue

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Final: Blue

The siege continues. Crabs, giant squids, shark head beasts, all continue out of the sea. The islanders are in good spirits though and everyone pulls their weight. Traps are set, settlements defended. Some of the older islanders have taken it upon themselves to make sure everyone is fed and rested and so in quiet moments those who cannot fight are sent with packs of foods to give to those patrolling and guarding.

Those voidtreckers who don't know how to rest may find themselves practically kidnapped by a well meaning islander and forced to eat and sleep.

All the time the sky is getting darker, the seas rougher.

Day Ten

Just after dawn on day ten the storm breaks. Crashing thunder, lightning and roiling seas. The water swirls and seems to rise, it is rising, up and up a wave so high that you may fear that when it breaks it could swallow the island whole.

But it doesn't break, instead twists, taking form. A huge towering beast made of water and sand. A hand swipes down over a patch of beach, a wall of water to knock any fighters off their feet.

Around the same time, those not busy being attacked by the water monster will notice their SCA's light up and a screen appear. They might hear some familiar voices.

It seems there is more than fighting a monster to be done!

Beacon Building

Assuming the information is given those of the island will suggest the best place for a beacon to be built- the cliffs are the highest point on the island.

It will be hard work lugging wood up there in a storm, not to mention actually building and lighting a fire as cloud is low, rain is heavy and the wind is high.

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"He'll be fine," Tidus reassures, strengthening the smile already on his face. "At worse, he'll be sitting on the benches for a while. But we've got good healers!"

And Tidus wasn't going to worry otherwise. It was a deep wound, but it looked to only be that. He'll check up on the guy later on, either way.

But as for Taiki's concern, Tidus chuckles sheepishly a little, shaking his head. "I'll be fine! If I guide you... we'll keep away from the action, and I'll only jump if in we need it, 'kay? I'm not gonna keel over."

Sure, he was meant to be going back to the village to rest too, but this wouldn't be bad. One last thing, and then he'll take his break.

"I'm glad..." They did indeed have good healers, that was lucky at least. He nodded slowly at the words though he did look him over, to check he really was alright. He didn't seem injured and Taiki can understand not wanting to sit still.

It is difficult, when other people are fighting and in danger.

"Okay... Let me know if you get tired, we can rest."

There were no severe wounds on Tidus to be observed, an older bandaged wound covering a forearm, but anything else the dirt of battle. Exhaustion was creeping around the eyes of most the battlers there, but it was being pushed back by the positive display Tidus was putting on.

"No problem!" A reassurance of double meaning, of confidence too. If anything, the job he'd given himself offered him a renewed strength. He wouldn't let them down. "If you need anything too, let me know."

Unsheathing his blade, Tidus turns to start walking down the hill leading onto the beach, but keeping near to where the sand met land. The beach was wide, but the sounds of skirmishes carried in the air.

"When this is all over, what're you gonna do? Eat and sleep for a week?" Tidus guesses with a small laugh, a contrast to their environment. "Oh, maybe the people here will throw a party!"

Wouldn't that be great? It'd be something to look forward to.

He instinctively shies away from the blade though at the same time he knows to stick by Tidus. There are still monsters around, he can still hear battle in the background and the faint sickly smell of blood is in the air, making his stomach roil.

But he determinedly continues onward. "Sleeping would be good." He nodded, he might not have been fighting but that doesn't mean he had slept at night at all. He couldn't sleep while his king and his friends were in danger.

"You like parties?"

"Sure! After a big win, parties are perfect! Everyone deserves to celebrate! Wouldn't that be a great way of leaving?"

Will they get to stick around to see one happen? People will need time to heal and rest, and maybe Tidus isn't thinking too deeply the details of coming off an exhausting skirmish like this one. But hey, it's a good thought to look forward to.

"You not a party guy?" Tidus asks, his head slightly turned towards Taiki.

"Not really..." He shook his head, "A lot of people here are though. We had a party on the train last month."

So Tidus was definitely not alone in enjoying celebrations like that. Taiki found them a bit overwhelming though, especially when there were a lot of people.

A party on the train... well, nothing was going to fix the cramped feeling, but a party had to cheer people up once in a while on there, huh?

"Nothing wrong with liking something more low key. What do you like to do? To unwind or...celebrate!"

Tidus could make assumptions about the guy and what little he knew about him (mainly that he was soft spoken, but obviously hardworking), but that wasn't as fun as hearing what he had to say for himself.

"Um." He gets a slightly blank luck at that. Because he doesn't really know. He hasn't really... celebrated anything. The last celebration he can remember. The only celebration he can really remember was Gyousou's coronation. That had been a long time ago.

There hadn't been any cause for celebration in the last seven years and unwinding... "I guess... I like to paint."

"Paint?" Paint... was not an answer Tidus was expecting? Going in a quiet corner with friends, listening to music in private, that sort of thing, that's more...quiet-person-at-a-party sort of response.

"You can paint," Tidus finally says, just to sound less surprised (and not meaning to sound as if he's giving the guy permission). Different worlds, different...low key party habits, right? So Tidus goes along with it, asking, "You got anything to paint with on the train? Once we're done?"

Taiki blinked at the surprise. Had he said something wrong? Was painting not the right answer? He wasn't sure what other answer he could give. There was very little that he did... Outside of what he needed to do. Even painting... He hadn't picked up a paintbrush since he had returned to his own land.

"No." He shook his head. He wasn't aware of any paint or brushes on the train.

"Well that's no good! What're you gonna do when we get back?" It's less of a question, more of a complaint on Taiki's behalf. Would that have anything like paints on the island? He'll have to ask sometime. "What do you usually do after these missions then?"

"Oh." He blinked and then looked down and shrugged. "I disappeared during the first one and didn't return until a week later."

Still a strange phenomenon he had no answers to. Neither, it seemed, did anyone else.

"Then last time was a little chaotic."

"Oh?" He disappeared? ... Ah, a meaning clicks, and Tidus nods slightly, flashing Taiki a quick but assured smiles.

"I get it. These missions, they're not pretty," he submits. "Even if everyone has a reason to celebrate at the end, it's still... well, nothing wrong with keeping your head down for a while."

It has to be a lot to deal with for some people, right? Battling like this--maybe even for most.

Nevertheless, they're coming up to the first small rest stop, two people laying with their bodies half turned to keep an eye on the beach while they share drink from a jug. Taking a break from the fighting, but their weapons kept close.

He bowed his head, not explaining further even though it had been a little bit more complicated that that. Tidus was still correct, these missions were not pretty and the one where they had been pulled away even less so.

He saw the two people and carefully put down the bag he was carrying so he could take out two food parcels. He steeled himself, noting the weapons and knowing things there would smell of blood.

But he could deal with it. He glanced at Tidus again before walking over nervously.

"Let me take one," Tidus offers before they go to join the resting fighters, tucking his sword away at his hip, hands held out. It shouldn't be a problem, none of the monsters have reached far up the beach, and he'd rather help than stand around waiting.

Either way, Tidus is happy to go first, or to go a step quicker; recognising Taiki's nerves (they've been there all the time--it's hard to miss), and he greets them both, asking after them, they plan to go back out or head into the village?

Depending on how sensitive Taiki's nose is however, he may have caught the smell of recently drawn blood, coming from the farther of the two--the one that Tidus goes to hand one of the food parcels to, who shows their wound wrapped in bandages that's soaked up some of the blood as they take it.

"How deep is it?" Tidus asks out of concerned. The villager shakes their head. 'Just a scratch, it's nothing.'

It isn't too deep, the bandages displaying only a slither of red blood. Will Taiki be alright?

Taiki passed a parcel over silently as he follows Tidus over to the two fighters. He smells the blood the moment they arrive, sharper than the low level smell that seems to have permeated every part of the island, making it impossible to find real rest or relief.

His eyes are drawn to it and he feels the usual fear of what he had once mistaken for fear, but now knows to be something else entirely. His face betrays nothing, staying calm and neutral without even a flicker of discomfort passing over it.

He can fight it, the encroaching dizziness. They won't be here long, as long as he doesn't get blood on himself he will be fine to hand over the parcels. He hangs back as Tidus talks to them.

"We can find a healer if you wish."

Maybe he has seen one already, if it is bandaged. He wills his hands not to tremble as he passes over the second parcel.

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Final: Blue

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