The Will to Fight: Ongoing: Blue

[voidtreckermods]

So Far

It's been a hard few days of cajoling the citizens of the Shining City into and through the catacombs. Many still talk about returning to the comforts of the city, scoffing at the idea of danger. But slowly, as they get further away from the city, more and more of them break out of the illusion. Though some remain lost in the illusion still, the majority are clear-minded by Kazoo 9.

Their mission changes from hurrying stubborn people along to comforting them as the truth dawns on them. The atmosphere becomes more desperate, more angry. More driven.

A plan is offered by the citizens: there is a cavern marked on their maps that opens up to the surface. It can be used as a base whilst any that feel able can go out to join the fight against the demons.

New Allies

Not long after breaking camp on the ninth day of the month of Kazoo they reach the cavern. However, it is clear straight away that something is wrong. The cavern is dark with no exits to be seen, and the Voidtreckers will quickly learn they are not alone. There's a small camp in the cavern, all humans, and after a tense moment they will welcome the citizens and their escorts.

Their story is simple: they were outside the city fighting when they got overwhelmed; they took shelter in the cavern but a gate opened nearby on the surface and caused a cave in. None of the scouts they had sent through the tunnels to the city have returned. Their food is running out and they were on the verge of heading to the city regardless of what they might find there when the Voidtreckers arrived.

Breaking Free

The cave-in is a large one, several metres thick at its weakest and blocking the exit to the outside completely. Those trapped here have made some progress but it's going to take a lot of hands, and potentially some magical help, to clear the blockages.

If they can clear it though, it will mean those who can fight, both citizen and Voidtrecker can begin to head back towards the city to fight, without having to re-enter the range of the illusionary Shining City.

The cavern makes a good staging point, and a secure place for those who cannot fight. Even with the blockage clear it is easy to defend, and holds the same sanctified protections as the tunnels themselves.

Comments

[myblueskies]

He nodded, he wanted to become strong fast but he knows it takes lots of practice and he would have to work really hard. And he did have lots of other things to do too! Being a shinki wasn't just about being strong and he had lots of friends to help on top of that!

"Penguins! I learned to cook in the heavens because Elfnein... She used to be my god," His voice was a little sad there, he missed her a lot. "She worked really hard researching and forgot to eat a lot! But I didn't actually cook these penguins! This is my bento box and it was given to me by a mountain spirit after I helped to clean a whole bathhouse!"

That had been a weekend of hard work! "It fills itself up and every day it's got different yummy food inside!"

[yondu]

"Y'all got magic food boxes?" He takes another look at the bento box, bewildered at, once again, more stuff that comes out of nothin'. "That's a pretty good deal. Y'ain't ever goin' hungry. I know a girl that'd give her left eye for somethin' like that."

And then, then it hits him. That girl? She could use something like that. She was always hungry.

"So... People can order stuff from their own worlds in that store thing. Now, I aint' sure I got nothin' you'd want, but I know somebody that'd help out a whole lot if you could possibly grab another'n."

Kyoko was acting like she was starving, and if there was anything he could do to take the edge off the heaviness in these poor kids lives, he would. Even Romeo's, but... to be honest, seemed like he had it together. Seemed hard to tell at a first glance.

[myblueskies]

It was a pretty good deal and it was very useful, especially on missions when they found a whole bunch of hungry people who needed fed!

But he knew someone who was really hungry? Who could really do with a box that made lots of food...

"Mister Tidus tried to buy one and it wouldn't let him, I think there maybe is just one because everyone who helped the mountain spirit got different presents..."

But if there was someone who was really hungry... "She can have mine though! I know what it's like to be really hungry and it's bad if she is hungry enough to give up her left eye..."

That was very desperate indeed!

[yondu]

"Oh, no. Nah. I wouldn't want ya to do nothin' like that." He pats his shoulder heavily. He needs that thing.

"But it'd be nice if ya offered her somethin' if you come by her? She's the Kyoko in the Purple uniform." They have one, but he doesn't know how similar their stories are. Seems like their powers looked real different.

"She's a real good girl, alright? She might seem short when talkin' to ya, but people with tough lives an' that get hurt a lot get like that. But I'm pretty sure if you give her a li'l' bit you gonna have someone that you can count on real good to be a friend."

He doesn't want to put the kid out, not all. He earned that box.

[goingthroughaphase]

Sssssomewhat? To be honest, I don't really remember.

[ The mission had been successful, so they must have, but Kitty had been busy and now she isn't really sure. ]

[luckydragonsfoot]

Oh yeah, it looked like a phone... [Weird! ...speaking of weird. um.]

H-

He what.. ..?

[myblueskies]

"I will sir!" He nodded. Kyoko in purple team. He would look out for her and make sure he offered her food if he saw her!

"It's okay, lotsa people get grumpy or don't understand friendship very well. I'll make sure I'm extra nice to her!"

Even if she was grumpy back.

[happyends]

Madoka nods, even though she still looks a little hesitant about it. It feels kind of weird to think of it that way, and not necessarily in a good way.. after all, the train kidnapped them from their own worlds and enlisted them to do things that are beyond the capabilities of many of them - Madoka included. So only getting points and items in return for that doesn't feel good..

But it is true that it's probably the train compensating them for effort. Just from an objective point of view.

Rather than lingering on that though, Madoka instead looks over at Wen Ning and asks: "Are you already thinking of something you might want to buy..?"

[yondu]

He almost argues that she does but, to be honest, he barely understands it. So who the hell is he to judge.

"I think uh... it's more a case this time of people understandin' loss better than they get friendship, boy. Sets your head in a place that ain't good. Looks like you're real tough about it, though. Some people can't deal with that kinda thing."

Cranky people, he means.

[myblueskies]

He nodded sadly at that. "It is really sad when friends go away... And sometimes it hurts lots and makes everything bad."

He remembered how low his spirits were when Elfnein had left and how he had wanted to just cry and cry when he remembered that Alfredo had died.

"But it just means they need help, to keep their spirits up!"

[yondu]

There's a vague hope in him that maybe this kid gets it. It sounds like he does. That maybe with friends like him, Kyoko will turn out a little less like Yondu.

Honestly that's his biggest hope for the kids around here. That they don't grow up to be like him. It's not even the killing that he's worried about. Or the stealing. It's the loneliness, and the fact that the world rarely ever feels good.

"See, people like her need folks with that kinda experience behind 'em."

[deadwenwalking]

"I'm... not sure." Wen Ning doesn't have any weapons of his own anymore. He used to have a sword, though he's not sure what happened to that after he was taken to the work camps. Some Jin soldier probably had it. It could be lost in the woods, thrown in a vault somewhere, or even melted down for all he knew.

It hadn't been anything special - not like many cultivator weapons. It had a name and that was about it. Otherwise it had been just like all the other swords belonging to the higher-ups in the Wen clan. His spiritual power hadn't been all that strong. He would have never been able to do anything more than fly on it, most likely. The most basic of cultivator skills.

Would he be able to make it stronger now, he wonders. Would it still recognize him as its owner? Maybe he needs a new weapon altogether. "Have you bought anything special?"

[10billionpercent]

He's a psychic pokemon so it's like he's trying to reach for me. It's a bit weird, but not too bad.

[luckydragonsfoot]

Yeah, gonna go on a limb an' say tha's an Eva-world thing, 'cause Kaseri's psychic an' she sure doesn' do any of tha'.

[10billionpercent]

[ He exhales and he stops a moment to offer a head pat to Romeo again. ]

You're absolutely right. It's not really fair of me to talk about the team when I'm only in the position to help people. You're very smart.

[10billionpercent]

[ He scratches his head a little. ]

Well she told me he wouldn't be able to read my thoughts or anything it's just a way of communicating? Or searching for me? I don't know. It could be. I'm not familiar with your world.

[myblueskies]

Not as smart as you, mister Senku!

[He smiled up at him.] And now you remembered everything you can help everyone with us again!

[myblueskies]

"I'm sure she will find lots of good friends here and they will help her too. Everyone is so nice!"

Including Yondu, to be so worried for her! It was a bit scary coming to a place like the train but at least there were lots of friendly people.

[happyends]

"Ah.. not really."

Madoka shakes her head, a hint of something sheepish in her expression as she does so. She's notoriously bad at spoiling herself, and the few things she does have here are most just gifts other people have given her, or things she's picked up along the way..

"I think that if you're looking for ideas, you'd probably be better off asking other people.. After all, there are a lot of other people who do use the shop a lot to buy things. As for me, I'm not even really sure what I'd want to have here from back home.."

The girl glances down at her feet for a moment. "I've already been here for so long that I'm already used to going without anything I used to have back home."

[luckydragonsfoot]

Er....

...Yeah, Alola's pokemon def'nitely don' all do tha' if they're psychic...man, sometimes her's creep me out t' be honest...

[10billionpercent]

Yes, I can. [ He smiles, he feels somewhat better, actually and Romeo is right. It's always harder to accept help when you do something dumb, but the point of having a community is for them to be there when you stumble. ]

Alright, let's get this cleared and see what we can do for everyone.

[myblueskies]

[He smiled, glad that he had helped Senku's spirits get brighter!]

Okay sir! Let's do it together!

[Teamwork time, this cavern will be clear in no time!]

[10billionpercent]

I could see that. I was warned in advance, so I knew it would happen. It doesn't particularly bother me.

[ He's already got a psychic link to Eva, that was weird enough. ]

[adropofsunlight]

That's right and... XiXue?

[She couldn't help but tilt her head slightly.]

Are they a friend?

[spikelet]

[ In unison, a-Qing points to the white fox beside her, and the fox tilts its head to mirror Rapunzel. ]

It's stronger than it looks! [ which, admittedly, still isn't very strong. ]