middleofsomewhere | The Will to Fight: Start

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The Will to Fight: Start

"Good Morning Passengers, today is day six of the month of Kazoo." The voice echoes through the train as passengers wake up in their beds. Not long afterwards their SCA’s glow with the colour of the void and a holographic image will appear.

Preparation

They have an hour or two to prepare. Enough time to read their briefs, make decisions, meet in their teams and gather anything they may need. The dressing carriage is open with tents and other basic camping equipment.

"Shortly arriving in system #86525656412355. Drop order is Orange and Blue followed by Red and Purple. Orange and Blue to doors, arriving in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

The train lurches as it exits through the void, before descending smoothly to the world below.

Blue and Orange

Arrival

If anyone peeks through the windows as the train lands they will see a glimpse of cracked and crumbling walls, a city on its last legs. As they exit the train, however, any passengers who aren't immune to magics influencing the mind will find themselves looking at grand, sturdy walls, flags with a blue field and golden tower fluttering from the ramparts.

They aren't too far from a gate, depending on where on the train they exited, and the gates are opened and unmanned. Inside, people are going about their business, selling their wares, while children run around playing among dogs and chickens.

The newcomers don't get too much attention, even though their hoodies and combat trousers seem very out of place in this city.

The Towers

The towers stand in each corner of the city. They are solid stone, no windows all the way up. The ground floor is the largest, grand doors leading into a functional yet beautiful foyer, and from there into smaller chambers. Wide, curving stairs lead up into the tower proper.

As they climb the towers they will come to the different levels which are all trapped, to dissuade intruders and train their disciples. They will be able to descend the towers and exit and enter again as many times as they like as they work their way up to the top.

The City

It will soon become apparent that persuading these people to fight isn't going to happen. The war has already been won, the demons were defeated. The world is safe once more. Welcome, travellers, to the Shining City.

Their SCA's show them the locations of the entrances to the catacombs. There are a handful, scattered around the city, clearly designed for quick evacuation should the city defences ever be breached.

Persuading people that the city needs to be evacuated might take a good while.

The Catacombs

The catacombs are cold and dark, lamps having gone unlit for months. Those that are sensitive or can sense magic in any way will be able to tell that at least here the wards hold: no demons will be able to enter.

The tunnels are narrow, able to fit two people side by side at their widest points, but more often than not they must move single file to avoid collapsed walls or leaning pillars. Or, sometimes, piles of bones spilled from the tombs set into the walls. Side tunnels extend out into the darkness, signposts or symbols marking old, unused storerooms, bunkers for temporary shelter, or private tombs and crypts.

At points the tunnels widen out into large chambers, rooms or galleries that have been used as cemeteries for centuries. At other points the tunnels have collapsed or become almost impassable. People will need to wriggle through the gaps or find ways to stabilise the tunnels in order to pass through.

Purple and Red

Arrival

"Red and Purple to doors." The train flies back into the air after dropping Orange and Blue at the city gates. It doesn't go very far; it's less than a minute later that they're landing again. The doors open and they can step out into the destroyed countryside.

They don't get much time to get their bearings as the train flies off again, because coming over a nearby hill is a band of demons, a gate crackling behind them. The band is mostly footsoldiers, with several of the larger breed interspersed.

It's hard to say which side is more taken by surprise, but the Voidtreckers will only have moments to ready themselves before the demons rush in.

Defending the City

It's a wide area to cover, surrounding the city, and there is plenty of work to be done. Bands of demons roam around, most headed towards the city. They run, claws digging into the ground, leaving a trail of destruction behind them. Sometimes they will have a larger demon or even two with them, armed with toxic whips that they use with dangerous accuracy.

Other times there will be smaller demons, carrying ornate daggers, whispering foul spells to drain and bind their enemies. These demons become more regular as the days progress as it becomes obvious that taking the city will not be as easy as they first thought.

Closing the Demon Gates

The gates nearer the city are smaller, and easy enough to find, but the SCA's of the red team pinpoint more and more gates as they open in the areas further out. Triangular markings on their SCA maps indicate distance and direction.

The gates must be closed from the other side, so the first thing is to enter them. Entering the gates feels strange, uncomfortable, as if something were tugging and clawing at their very being, trying to pull them out of their own skin.

That feeling lasts for a moment, albeit one that feels stretched, and then they are in the demon realm: a monochrome world devoid of life, where every step taken tires the body, where even existing is exhausting.

The gates are guarded, so adjusting will need to be done in combat. Smaller gates have fewer guards than the larger, but all will fight savagely to protect the keystone.

The keystones are smooth black obelisks about a foot high, usually stood on a plinth or set above the gate location as a centrepiece. Each can be destroyed by blunt force or any other ability able to shatter stone, and once it is they will have a short amount of time to leave before the gate closes. Their SCA will helpfully start a timer indicating this.

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He took the potions, listening to the instructions carefully. He could make sure people who might be fighting had them or give them to any people who were acting as medics, or who were medics.

"Yes. I can put them in here."

He knelt down, taking his bag and opening it, it had room still at least.

"Sorry I should have brought another bag."

He should have guessed that there would be a lot to carry, but this bag will have to do for now.

"I should think ahead before I start shoving jobs onto you."

A joke, to lighten the apology, to offer one in turn. But Tidus slips the lunchboxes in as much as they'll get in there - a few, sticking in some of the vegan meals made from the ingredients Tidus got in ages ago. Or so it feels.

"You should... take this too."

It's caught his eyes a few time, one of the bucker-shields set out as a way he can speak about it to anyone around (the mana drives too--but does he want to Taiki one of those? Maybe not - not when the guy doesn't know how they work, wouldn't be able to tell anyone else how to use them). Tidus picks up a shield, a sandy-golden colour, indentations running along it in patterns.

"All you need to do is wear it. If anything tries to attack you--" words he doesn't like to say, a scenario he doesn't even want to think about; his eyes on the shield instead of Taiki, "--this should help out. It's small, but it's got magic in it."

He could say more. Maybe he should. But Tidus goes quiet, crossing a line he didn't even realise was possible when he already knew the potential. Trying to keep Taiki safe. The fact that Taiki could be in danger. Will be in danger.

'If anything tries to attack you.

--I won't be there to help.'

He raises his gaze back onto Taiki, his lips pursed tight, silent- and he puts his hands on his shoulders. Even if he hasn't taken the shield yet, placed then on his lap.

"Stay safe. Don't let anything get you."

He says it - asks for it - like a promise.

It takes some packing skills but soon they manage to get the lunch boxes filled with meals into the bag. He is just packing the last one when Tidus speaks again, he loks up to see the shield.

It's not something he would think of taking, after all if he is being attacked... But he can't rely on people to defend him, nor does he want to. His king is not here, he really will be along.

A shield isn't a weapon, he can carry one, even if he's not sure how to use one. But if it has magic...

"It... It won't hurt them? The magic inside it?"

If something attacks him, even then he wouldn't want them harmed.

He reaches up to put a hand on one of Tidus' on his shoulder. "I'll stay safe. You... You need to as well."

"They're barriers," he explains, should've known Taiki would be wary, but he shakes his head in reassurance. "They'll bounce off whatever tries attacking, eat some of the damage! You know, like the barrier magic I use. But better!"

Since, hey, he's not going to get jealous over a shield here. It was made for protection -- and it better well do that for Taiki.

But he'll take the other guy's reassurance, the hand on his. The struggling roll of his lips before he nods, easing from his concern. Or at the very least pulling it back.

"I will. You know me - I always come back from a fight, yeah?" He pauses, then decides- "When everything's done, I'll make sure Inigo and everyone changes before they go back to our room. If you wanna come stay with us--" like he has been, with Gyousou being gone, "--or I'll get a quiet room for you. Okay? Whichever you want. I'll come keep you company, so you're not alone."

So he doesn't have to be. Something to look forward to, so Taiki doesn't have to feel so sick, no matter how desperate it gets out there.

He nods, that should be fine. Not that he would think Tidus would hand him a weapon, but what a kirin saw as a weapon was different than basically any one else's idea. He didn't want to cause any harm but a barrier, that was fine.

"I know... I just... You and Inigo need to look out for each other. I'll be fine so please don't worry about me." He knows they will, just as he will worry about them as well.

The offer made tears prick at his eyes. "Thank you..."

It meant so much, that they would think of him like that, make plans to be with him after.

He can't dismiss what Taiki's saying. Isn't trying, but Tidus takes the hand on his, the one resting on Taiki's shoulder, scooping it up and giving it a squeeze, bringing it between them both.

"I will," he promises. "I'll make sure he's alright, and he'll do the same with me. And you help Orange too -- so we can get back."

Play their roles, then return where it's safe. He doesn't want to speak of the violence they'll soon be facing, the hole he's aware of by Taiki's side that's too painfully obvious -- the one that should be filled by Gyousou, watching over his kirin. The two of them supporting one another.

"You sure you don't need anything else? You're all ready to go?"

As ready as he could be.

It's unspoken but there. Taiki shouldn't be here, not without Gyousou. He belongs at his kings side and the fact his king is gone... That he doesn't even know where...

It's too much to think about, especially right before this mission. He shook his head. "I am. Are... Are you? What team are you going with? Purple?"

He's still worried.

"Red," he confirms, but adds easily, "But I'll call Inigo, you too, make sure you're both doing fine. But if I'm hopping in and out of those gates and taking out those keystones? We won't have any demons to worry about!"

He paints it, like it's a job that'll result in less violence, though he can't dismiss that reality entirely. But maybe he doesn't want to add to the worry, likes to lighten things up when he can. For Taiki--and for himself, really. He never like to see Taiki's sad face.

"Hope we get a map like we did the other missions." Nevertheless, Tidus raises his SCA, knowing he won't see anything like that for now, but bringing up the message. But it reminds him - if he's with Purple, he won't see a thing. There isn't anything to, if it isn't like Nion and there's no places to go than 'outside the city'...

He might say it like that, as if he won't have to worry about fighting. But Taiki knows it isn't true. It will be violent and it will be dangerous.

But he can't lose himself worrying about that. As much as he hates it people on this train are sent to fight, that is the way of things and he cannot stop them.

He frowned when he mentioned a map, because that's true. They were given maps and their goals were often shown on them. But only for their team...

"Mine will. Show where the portals were..."

A waste, on him.

His will show where the portals are... Tidus is thinking, wondering if there's a way to exchange the info. Even from afar? Wishing there was a way they couldn't just swap the data, like something back home (as if he would even know how to do that). But as he looks longer between their two SCAs, eyes lingering on his own, a dip to his brow.

He rarely takes it off, not for more than a few seconds, just to clean around the wrist. Private moments to himself. But...

"What if..." he's slow, careful. Not really sure, but... "What if we swapped them? They're just the same thing, aren't they?"

Are they? Even he isn't sure about it.

He could maybe try and tell him, through the comms. But how would he even describe that? He can follow a map but to try and explain locations in an unfamiliar world with someone over radio... That would be difficult.

But Tidus seems to have an idea, he looks up. Swap them? They were... They didn't seem any different from person to person. But were they?

He knows what happens when Tidus takes his off...

"Um... We could try. Here. Before we get off..."

To check. To make sure. He doesn't want anything to happen to Tidus.

"Sure - right now works." And what's the chance they'll have off the train? Tidus wouldn't dare it anyway, not off, no map worth that risk. At least on the train, they had time.

"Just, uh..." He starts to fiddle with the device tugging at the strap to make it loose, making a show of looking like he's working at it - though, there's pauses. A pause where the strap comes undone, but the device itself stays sitting on the top of Tidus's wrist for a second, another...

"--Sorry." There's a chuckle, a flick of his gaze reaching Taiki's face but then looking back down. But he takes the device off, rubs it against the side of his pant leg. "If it stinks. Uh, I wiped it a few days ago. Here!"

Tidus holds it out - confident, sure of trusting Taiki, even if his smile is awkward.

Taiki unhooks his own SCA as well, watching Tidus carefully. He knows the risk and he isn't about to let anything happen to Tidus. This is why they are trying this now, so they can switch back if anything goes wrong.

"It's fine Tidus."

He wipes his own with the sleeve of his hoodie, since that seems to be something Tidus is worried about and passes it over before taking Tidus' and beginning to fasten it around his wrist.

"How do you feel?" His hand is still on the strap, ready to take it off in an instance if needed.

They make the exchange, and Tidus isn't exactly scurrying to put it on, but he is doing it. Turning his wrist and getting the straps around it, to tighten them up.

"I'm fine! I mean-- I won't feel anything. And nothing's gonna happen right away 'cause of- that." That. Tidus figures Taiki will know what he means without referring to it, and he's looking down at the device, wondering, waiting...

But he can't wait but worry, apprehension clinging to his shoulders. Nerves, it's just nerves, right? And he takes a few steps away from Taiki, a quiet test of if it will change anything. Does it matter if he's close to his own SCA?

"You feel okay, right?" He looks over to Taiki, to check. If he's just being anxious, then he'd get over it. He'd have to, it'd be worth it. What's he worrying over? (Oh, just his own life.)

There's a hearbeat, two before Taiki tightens the straps around his own SCA. Nothing would happen right away? But that meant something could happen? What if...

He nodded, forcing himself to stay still as Tidus tested the distance, knowing it would not prove anything if he hurried to him. But he's worried.

What if....

"You can take it off for longer on the train right?"

Because what if it was alright here... But Taiki would be too far away, once they were on the world.

Take it off? Even with the subject between them it takes a second before he understands, and he nods.

"Uh- it happens quicker if I'm off. I go all...blue and green? Not all over, it's kinda..."

...hard to explain, weird. But in a way there's something different about being able to talk about it, though now isn't the time to be thinking about it. Tidus watches his hands, turning them around, takes one and sets it against one of the lockers. It's not going through it, but it wouldn't after a few seconds, either...

He nodded, still worried. "Do you... Do you think it will be alright? Once we are off the train?"

Tidus could teleport right? Taiki could fly? But would they be fast enough to swap back.

"I don't want anything to happen to you..."

Tidus stands in a silence pondering, but it's that sort that - with him already being unsure, feeling so weird - that doesn't last long, that threatens to give him a headache before answers. He shakes his head and, with a noisy breath, he starts to take the SCA back off.

"Let's try it another time," he decides. "Or...never! You can't start changing plans right before a big game, you know?"

He's aiming for cheery before letting his nerves continue to be evident, pulling on a smile as he waits to make an exchange of their devices. But he doesn't want anything to happen to himself. Taiki seems fine, so if it's just him...

Taiki quickly unfastens the SCA from his own wrist and hands it over quickly, worry coursing through him. A worry that won't cease until Tidus has fastened the correct SCA back over his wrist.

"Yes." Never sounded like a good time to repeat that experiment. Though.... It really would be useful for Tidus to have access to red maps...

"Maybe if we get a world... where we can be together."

Like the last one, the word constructed world.

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The Will to Fight: Start

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