middleofsomewhere | 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He doesn't seem to mind that he died. But Yondu minds that he died. Whatever role he ended up with, it wasn't one of his choosing (even if he might choose it now) and that's especially tragic. It's not one of the options that should have been available to him.

One of those cases when it looks like someone doesn't feel all that sorry for themselves, but someone feels kind of bad for them.

Yondu reaches out and tossles the kid's hair (Terrans and Xandarians have that so it's fun to mess with). "You seem like they're lucky to have ya around." He says, biting his tongue for once on all the doubtful ideas passing through his mind.

"Well maybe... But I think I got to be a bit stronger before I can really help him."

After all Zetta had gone to fight demons and take over a netherworld without him. He is glad he got to help all the townspeople here but it still feels bad to know Zetta might be in danger. Especially since he is so bad at teamwork!

He smiles at the hair ruffling though.

"Yeah, that's a good call. Especially right now. But uh... take your time on that gettin' stronger thing if you can help it. Don't stop doin' a lotta normal stuff." Not that he has any clue what a normal kid life is like, but he wants to see the kids on this train have closer to it than he ever managed.

"An' who taught ya to cook them... pengers? Pengins? Penguins."

He got there. He did.

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!"

"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.

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!

"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.

"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.

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.

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!"

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."

"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.

The Will to Fight: Ongoing: Blue

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