middleofsomewhere | The Will to Fight: Ongoing: Blue

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The Will to Fight: Ongoing: Blue

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.

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"I am as well. We do not want people to get hurt or attacked. We have a lot of fighters, but I believe Wei Ying might be able to use a talisman to strengthen the exit so we do not have to worry as much about it. There may be some others as well."

There seem to be a few who were technically minded in this group and might have ideas for supporting the exit.

WangJi moved to pick up some of the smaller rocks, lest they slide down and hit someone.

"Yeah an' if we can even get one good shout out on the SCA a few people would come runnin'. Sounds like they're havin' a time out there, though. Hopefully it don't come to that."

Just random ideas. Though honestly he'd almost rather be out there fighting, even if he knows he's not magically inclined. He carefully helps one of the larger boulders roll down the hill, guiding it down the slope bit by bit until he can bring it to a rest.

He does bitch at it under his breath once he gets there. Like it's about to roll again and he gives it an aggressive, 'Don't you do it' that barely carries.

"I hope so as well. I don't wish stretch another team thin if we don't have to."

Since he was sure they would come running if they called, but if everyone else was having their own difficulties then it would only make it harder.

WangJi was still moving his rocks, pausing to watch as Yondu slides one of them down, first to make sure that it wasn't going to end up in his way or anyone else's. A faint smile crossed his face, his cultivator hearing picking up what Yondu said, but since it had been faint, clearly not meant for him, he didn't say anything about it.

"We are making progress," WangJi said, setting his rock down well off to side.

"We already are spread pretty thin." Yondu grunts after he's satisfied the boulder is level and won't just roll down and into the center of the cavern.

"Most people went out there to fight. Guess they was thirsty for it. Hell, even I'm wantin' it but in the off chance somethin' went wrong I wanted to keep an eye on them." He gestures towards the kids that are still working.

He could wreak havoc in a fight, but they were down here working their little asses off. Wangji is here, too, but he's still only one guy.

"I suppose so. One of the new arrivals from our home, he is a fighter so even though he is on this team, I am not surprised he went elsewhere." Besides, once he found out WangJi was a leader on the Blue Team, he likely would have left anyway.

WangJi nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, we do need to keep an eye on the youngest here. I wouldn't want something to happen to them."

"Yeah, I mean... at least they let us do somethin'. I hate given 'em any credit but they let us do somethin' for 'em. My owners when I was a youngun' wouldn'ta put up with none of it. Never had much of a chance to get attached to no one."

The girls that had kind of adopted him would never have had that chance in his lifestyle. It was bad enough. But Yondu never got attached to nobody for more than a week as a kid, and it weaned him off it fast.

At least they can be kind to the kids here without someone stopping them or splitting them up. On one hand, he hates getting attached. On the other, he doesn't want them feeling like he did, or even like Peter did when Yondu had to maintain an iron fist in front of his crew.

"That sounds like it was quite the difficult life," WangJi remarked. "It is good that you are able to do that here if you so wish."

WangJi was certainly attached to some of these kids and it will be hard to see them leave if that's what should be asked of them. But even so, that was hopefully better because they could go home and be with their families.

"Nah, that was a long time ago." It's over and the damage is long since done, and as far as he's concerned there's no fixing it. It's left parts of him too malformed. "I'm worried about them turnin' out like me." If they could save them an ounce of that, it's worth it.

Sentiment, he'd told Peter, could rot away your brain like maggots. He didn't think he was wrong, but he felt like his head was festering half the time anymore.

WangJi nodded his head. He had made mistakes in his life, had had issues as well which some of which had not been caused by him, but by others. He didn't want others to turn out like him as well, being limited on expressing emotions, having people automatically assuming that he was mad at them when he was not.

"I'm sure that just being around them will help since they will know that it is okay." His own son was better off than he was so maybe it was similar.

Yondu was happy that Quill turned out better than him, and had a better life too. But he also knows that 'better than him' doesn't mean 'good'. Yondu wasn't a great father. He's pretty sure Peter would want to kick his ass for the simple fact he's been considerably better to these kids than he was allowed to be with his son.

All that aside, he does remember their previous conversation, even if it had been cut short by emergency and he'd just never properly followed up.

"You said you raised a youngin'?"

"Yes. His name is Lan Sizhui. I have raised him since he was young. He is here on the train now."

WangJi would certainly say his son was much better than he was. He was the pride of Gusu Lan, but still knew how to think for himself and bend the rules when he had to. It was something WangJi hadn't known until he was much older.

"I ain't run into him, yet. But I'll try not to give 'im a hard time if I do."

A large rock rolls down the incline and he stops it with the sole of his shoe, before picking it up and putting it where it should keep the larger one from rolling any further.

"Glad my boy ain't here, though. Hopefully he stays put, goes an' does important things."

"I'm sure that he would like to meet you." Even if you were going to give him a hard time. Then again, he tended to take things like that in stride.

WangJi moved another rock out of the way, also placing it so that it was prevented from rolling further away and would also stop other rocks.

"Yes. It is nice to have my son here, but he has things to do back home."

"If mine should show up for whatever reason, his name's Peter Quill. He's a good boy, but be forewarned... He's dumb as hell."

He says it with exasperated, flat-expressioned fondness. He loves him, but dear god, is that boy stupid.

"I will remember that name." A faint smile crossed his face at the comment.

"Sizhui is a very intelligent young man."

"He's a good man, though. Grew up into somebody worthwhile."

He never told him exactly how proud he was of him. Only managed those last breaths of praise, that he was lucky to have him.

"You know, sometimes I get the feelin' here people try to impress the hell out of each other. But I saw my boy hold an infinity stone in his hand. Somethin' that could destroy a world worse than this, right in his palm. I saw him driftin' out in the black just to save a lady, drownin' in the cold like I did. Except he lasted. An' I saw him beat up a god despite not wantin' to, because it was the right thing to do. Not even stretchin'.

"They can perform all they want, try as many big boss fights as they need, but nobody'll ever be as badass to me as what Quill showed off when he had to. An' if he ever shows up an' I ain't around an' you is? You tell him I said that. I never had the chance to when I was breathin'."

"That is good to hear. You must be proud of him."

WangJi smiled faintly. "That is very impressive. I can't say that I know any of have done that." He nodded his head once. "I will tell him if I see him and you are not here."

And his word is as good as anything.

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The Will to Fight: Ongoing: Blue

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