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

[happyends]

That is a much less easy question to answer.

"I'm not sure.." She says, her gaze kind of drifting off as she glances at the crowds of people around before she returns to looking at Wen Ning again.

"I don't think anyone has figured it out yet in all this time we've been on the train. It's just that every two weeks or so we randomly get a bunch of points.. Um, you can check them using those terminals on the train. You know, the ones you can use to talk to people to without having to see them in person..?"

[deadwenwalking]

"On the terminal?" Wen Ning thinks he's getting better at using that now. It's still a little confusing for someone who'd been completely unfamiliar with modern technology before arriving.

It's just a number by his name, isn't it? He shouldn't have a problem finding that. If the process of buying things with points was too difficult it would be unfair to the technologically challenged, so he imagines it can't be that tough. Will one mission be enough to get him anything? He doesn't know if he can ask for Wei Wuxian's sword, given that it doesn't belong to him.

"Is that our payment for doing all this...?"

[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..?"

[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?"

[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."

[deadwenwalking]

Wen Ning hasn't owned much that he'd really consider his in a long time. When his family was living in the Burial Mounds they were lucky to have enough food to get them from one day to the next. All the same, he doesn't like hearing that this girl has had to live without things she enjoys. Kids should be able to have at least a few fun toys of their own. Even poor as they were, they'd managed to get A-Yuan a few when he'd been a young child.

Maybe she already considers herself too old for that, though. And that's perfectly reasonable. It still saddens him to hear it. Not that he's one to talk. He puts others before himself when it comes to most things too.

"What about... books? Clothing? Art supplies? I'm sure there would be time to... to paint! Or do some sort of needlework."

[happyends]

"W-Well, there's books in the library! And it's not like the train didn't give us clothes, and.."

Her voice trails off. Maybe even Madoka is realising that it's sounding very much like she's making excuses, but she can't help it. It just feels so hard to spend her points on things for herself, just so she can enjoy them. Even though she could be trying to make others happy with it instead.

For a moment she lingers like that, silence, but then it's as if a light bulb appears over her head when she looks at him. Suddenly Madoka looks a lot happier - if not just because she did figure something out to tell him.

"Oh..! Actually, some friends and I bought a whole lot of art supplies.. but we're hoping the whole train will be able to use those and enjoy them! Art is something a lot of people can enjoy after all, right?"

[deadwenwalking]

The expression on Wen Ning's face softens as he realizes he's made her a bit uncomfortable. There's no reason for him to judge her for her reward decisions. They're her points. She can spend them or not spend them however she sees fit. If she wants to keep them locked away in a drawer somewhere and never spend them at all that's her right.

"I suppose if you enjoy giving things to others then that's a reward all its own. I'm sure many of the passengers would love art supplies." Even though that feels like something they should be able to ask for and get for free. Wouldn't the train want its passengers to have more things to entertain them on the trips between worlds? They spend more time on the train than on the actual missions.

"Do you... do you do much art normally? I'm not very good at it." He'd tried during all that time spent at home, but it had ended up being more of a waste of ink than anything.

[happyends]

The girl nods, apparently a bit more comfortable with this subject - or maybe the particular question.

"Yes, I really like drawing things! I sometimes draw some things in the notebooks we showed up with, but they're so small, it makes it hard to draw a lot.." In other words, heck yes, the train ought to give them that art car! But since they don't have it, Madoka is doing her best to get by anyway. "But.. um, I'm not very good either, you know..? So I don't think you need to worry about it."

She shakes her head.

"I'm trying to tell myself that the end result isn't important, but.. what's important is having fun while being creative!"

[deadwenwalking]

"I'm sure you're fine! A-and you'll be amazing if you keep practicing." Wen Ning beams at her. It's always good to encourage artistic pursuits.

"I stopped doing that, which is why I'm no good at it." He won't press her to show him anything. Some people might want to show their work off while some are more hesitant. He wouldn't want to fluster her. If she wants to share he'll always be willing to take a look.

"You're right, though. Having fun with it is what's important. If it's no fun, then what's the point?" If she didn't like art she could try any number of other things and her time would be better spent.

[happyends]

Madoka smiles.

.. though there's a bit of a hesitant pause before she speaks up. It's not like she wants him to have to remember anything bad, but she wants to make sure she knows the answer to this question - just in case she may accidentally hurt him by speaking about art at all.

"Is the reason why you stopped practicing.. bad..?"

Or did he just stop overtime?

[deadwenwalking]

"Oh... I don't think so." To be fair, certain old memories blend together after a time. He didn't stop because his family was taken to the camps - this happened long before that. However, there were many unhappy memories in his life prior to that point that might have caused him to change his mind about certain endeavors.

But as he can't recall one specifically, he chooses to believe he came to the decision on his own. So he smiles at her again and shakes his head.

"No, I... I just decided it wasn't for me. B-but who knows! With all the free time we have I might try it again."

[happyends]

"You should!" There's not much hesitation before those words already slip out of her mouth, paired with a smile as she looks over at him.

It does feel nice that they can have moments like this, even during missions. Moments where they can just smile at each other, without having to worry about their pressing situation constantly.

"I'll support you if you do. We could even draw together! I think that might be fun."

[deadwenwalking]

At that, Wen Ning gives a little chuckle. "With an offer like that, miss, I'm not sure I-I could refuse. You're very supportive."

It hadn't been his plan to take up any sort of art again. Still, what could it hurt? It's true that they have plenty of free time between missions. He might as well put it to good use - not that he has any idea where he'll put any of the art he does. In his cabin, perhaps? Sizhui has all those cute folded paper creations in his.

"Thank you. I find myself surrounded by friendly faces in this place and it's a pleasant experience." Their mission would be even more stressful otherwise.