Onward: Purple

[voidtreckermods]

Rescue Efforts

Progress has been good, with many of the trapped citizens now rescued and parts of the city put to rights. There are only a couple of pockets of trapped people remaining, where it is proving difficult structurally to clear the tunnels. Even so, spirits are high; it’s believed they’ll be able to do so with the Voidtreckers’ assistance.

Work is still done in shifts and continues through the night. Voidtreckers are encouraged to rest after their shifts, and stagger themselves. It’s likely that there’s a mix of people awake and asleep as the sun rises on the third day.

Dawn Attack

Not long after dawn many of the Terran phones begin ringing with notifications and alarms, and there is a general wave of panic that spreads through the adult Terran. Followed by a rush of activity, as those asleep are quickly shaken awake to get ready.

It won’t take long, they’re told. There has been an attack. Not here, but in another segment of the city. Unknown forces, monstrosities of some kind coming down the service tunnels. Forces are holding them off but they need backup. Transport is quickly arranged and any Voidtreckers who wish to go and help can do so. 

Transport is a train, one that is sourced incredibly quickly and filled with combat-ready Terran civilians. Not all go, since people are still needed to finish the rescue efforts and prepare for any attack in this sector.

Those that do go will find a battle raging between Terran and monsters. It may be that shortly after the Voidtreckers and their Terran friends turn up they will be joined by some more adventurous members of Orange Team who followed the monsters down the tunnels.

Days of Fighting

Throughout the next few days (G7-G11), fights spring up around the city. Though the first fight was against monsters from the lab, it seems others have found ways of getting into the tunnel system. The Terran are practical and quickly set up systems of transport for quick response. They don’t have much in the way of lights; their own decorative lights are soft, which will drive the creatures back from illuminated areas but be unable to destroy them. 

They will happily accept as much help as the Voidtreckers can give. The fighting is lessened as the day goes on, as no new monsters enter the tunnels, but sunset brings fresh recruits.

For those who cannot or do not wish to fight there is plenty that needs doing. Centres are set up for the injured. Fighters need food and water. There are still collapsed tunnels that need repaired and cleaned up. The final trapped citizens need to be brought to safety. Children need to be watched and kept out of danger.

A Rumour

Talking of children, as the days go by the Terran teenagers get more and more agitated. A few times they can be seen trying to approach exhausted and stressed adults, mobile phones in their hands as they try and explain something.

They are quickly dismissed. If asked about it the teenagers will tell literally anyone who listens that they think the monsters are going after The Dweller. They will distractedly explain that it is some lifeform within the planet that ‘those Gry’ worship as a god.

‘Those Gry’ are their primary source of information, in fact, and most of their evidence seems to be coming from dream interpretation forums. Probably why they aren’t getting taken seriously by their stressed parents.

Comments

[goingthroughaphase]

[ While the Terran wasn't too injured, Kitty still didn't feel comfortable attempting to phase them through. When Tidus comes over, though, she breathes a sigh. ]

Yeah, we're okay for the most part. Would you be able to move him, though?

[ She has an idea, but that would involve Tidus pulling the seven-foot-tall Terran out by himself. ]

[blitzcheer]

Gimmie a sec!

[ He might need some aid--some magical aid, his left hand clenching into a fist and a small ring of white wisps circling around his feet, some swinging around his hand. Just for a few moments, before he flicks open the fist, and the energy takes another form around his body.

It disappears as soon as it starts, with Tidus already moving in closer to the Terran, clearing some of the rubble already pushed to the side farther away. ] Okay, let me try! There's nothing broken?

[goingthroughaphase]

[ As the Terran grunts that nothing's broken, Kitty places her hands on the rocks that are pinning him down. Taking a breath, she concentrates, extending her powers to the wall of debris as much as she can. ]

Okay, pull him out!

[blitzcheer]

[ Tidus pulls upon her command, and it's still a struggle even with the added boost to his strength from the spell. But the Terran is moving by the both of their efforts, and as soon as the guy seems to be completely free-- ]

He's out!

[ --so that whatever Kitty is doing, she can relax, while Tidus takes a breather himself. ]

[goingthroughaphase]

[ Once Tidus gives the clear, Kitty breaks away from the wall, staggering back as she takes a few heavy breaths. Then she turns back to them, stumbling a little as she kneels down to the Terran to inspect his injuries. ]

...nothing looks too bad, at least.

[blitzcheer]

Here--

[ Tidus comes to the Terran's other side, a few more breaths taken just to get it back, and he brings out his hands over the Terran. A soft glow begins to dispel from them and over the being. ]

It's a heal--help you get back to the centre, [ he explains to the surprised (if not exhausted) Terran. Looks over at Kitty as he keeps the spell going. ] No rest for any of us, huh? [ And then, a small smile- ]

No time for jitters.

[goingthroughaphase]

[ With a small smile, she nods. ]

Right. Too much to do.

[blitzcheer]

How's this compared to home? 'Bout the same mess? --We look the same, but we're from different worlds.

[ He adds that as an aside to their Terran friend, 'cause hey, rude to ignore. But it's a good time to see how Kitty's been doing while he lets the spell go on. At least enough to help the Terran carry themselves better. ]

[goingthroughaphase]

Just a bit more intense, but otherwise yeah, about the same.

[ Once the Terran feels healed enough, he waves off Tidus' magic before slowly getting to his feet. Kitty gets underneath him as he stands, and he leans against the two of them for support. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ Hands drawing back, Tidus stands to join them, slipping into place. ]

Alright, let's get you somewhere comfier than the floor! And some grub -- I hear the food here's great. Got any favourites, Kitty?

[ Heheh. They'll start walking regardless, Tidus's SCA pointed to give them light, even if it's unnecessary for the Terran. ]

[goingthroughaphase]

Uh, well... [ She glances at the Terran for a moment before replying. ] I'm not too hungry, myself.

[ Don't make her talk about how she doesn't eat bugs, Tidus. ]

[blitzcheer]

Oh? You're sure?

[ Don't mind this very innocent tone and smile he's wearing, he is not doing this on purpose? ]

[goingthroughaphase]

Yeah, I'm sure.

[ Glancing up at the Terran, she smiles. ]

But we'll get you something to eat while you're resting up, okay?

[blitzcheer]

[ Baahh, alright, he can stop. Let's focus on the poor Terran instead. ]

Yeah! Not too far now.

[ Or by some standards. The area opens up and there's a bigger bustle of people around, the centre put together for injured people in view. Another Terran comes up to the trio however, offering to take over for the smaller people. Which Tidus is happy to allow, himself. ]

[goingthroughaphase]

[ Kitty is also more than grateful for the help, as their Terran friend is carefully shifted to the other, who helps take him farther in to the centre to get him properly looked at. Trusting that they would take it from there, she turns to Tidus. ]

How're you holding up?

[ Despite Tidus helping out the Purple team once the attacks started, she hadn't seen much of him with everything that was going on. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ Tidus rolls his shoulders once they're free of the weight, giving a small 'whoo' under his breath before turning to Kitty and her question. ]

Fine, fine. Annoyed we never managed to find out anything useful about those orbs, but- [ He sighs, shrugs with his hands lifting. ] Nothing we can do about it. We're being told to move locations, so hopefully there's something there that'll help.

[goingthroughaphase]

[ She frowns a bit, then gestures to him as she steps out of the way of the entrance where more Terrans were coming with injured members. ]

Move locations? To where?

[blitzcheer]

[ He moves with her, waiting for the Terrans to go in through due to the noise than any other reason before continuing. ]

Dunno, the map isn't really clear. There's a few stops we have to make on the way though to help some trapped civvies. Nothing major, [ he says with a wave of his hand before she might ask. ] I just came from one. There's underground tunnels the Terrans work in and some of the fiends destroyed the ways in and out.

[goingthroughaphase]

So pretty much just wherever you're needed?

[ She can't help a slight frown. It sounds like there were a lot of places they were needed now. ]

[blitzcheer]

Yup. [ Sigh. ]

We just need to find a way of keeping the fiends down. Maybe if we can get them some place underground, destroy them and then bury them that way...

[goingthroughaphase]

Hmm, maybe. How well do they dig, though? Even if we try burying them, it won't do any good if they can dig their way out.

[blitzcheer]

Depends if they can dig out. From what I'm hearing, you guys are getting rid of the ones that come down here, right? They're flooding in from outside?

[goingthroughaphase]

[ She nods a little. ] Yeah, we've had to protect the tunnels from a few of them for a while. They seem to have dwindled down since then, though.

[ But she's not lowering her guard just yet. ]

[blitzcheer]

Right! Thing is, top side, once the morning hits? All those fiends turn into the orbs we found. So long as you take them somewhere deep and then destroy them, they won't come back! It's the light that's bringing them back.

[ Even if that's what's destroying them too. ]

[goingthroughaphase]

[ She frowned, puzzled. ]

Wait, so they don't like light, so when the sun comes up they turn into orbs? Then you have to take them into the dark to destroy them?

[ Even as she says it out loud, it doesn't make sense. ]