The Will to Fight: Conclusion

[voidtreckermods]

The battles rage loud and ferocious at the gates of the city and off in the ruined wastelands of Erda, and on the walls a struggle of a different kind occurs. The team who stayed behind at the towers are small but determined as they move stoically across the walls to right the stones that have become misaligned, even as their friends battle not too far away.

The city begins to hum. It's a quiet hum, not loud enough to be heard out where the others are fighting but it vibrates even through stone. The recovering monks assure them that it is done, the wards are back up and no demon will be able to enter the city.

Eventually the battle is won, all three battles. The demons fought back and killed, a major blow to their gate system that will keep them back for hopefully a long time. Those waiting in the caverns return to the city and by the time they get there the illusions are gone. Everyone can see the world for what it really is.

But despite the ruins of their world the people are relieved, the adrenaline of the fight coursing through their veins and the mood is one of hope. They will build again, their people will survive.

All Voidtreckers please return to the Voidtrecker Express. Departure will be in a few hours

It has landed not too far from the city, cloaked to make it unnoticeable to the citizens, for all the good that does. No one has been particularly subtle this last week. People can begin regrouping, packing up the camp and getting any wounded not already healed to the train.

However roughly half an hour later another message appears on their SCA.

Passenger Persephone has requested we remain on system System #86525656412355 for an additional day to further assist the people of Erda. The Voidtrecker Express will depart on the morning of Day Fifteen of the month of Kazoo.

The train remains where it is, so the voidtreckers can use its facilities. There is definitely a lot that can be done to assist those of this world and the citizens will welcome any helping hands.

After an extra day they finally depart, returning to the void once more.

(OOC Note: Once the wards are up any characters who are demonic in nature will not be able to enter the city either!)

Comments

[foxyou]

Today marks the first time in Jiu's life that he's ever bounced off an anti-demon ward, and he Absolutely Doesn't Like It. Aside from being a reminder that he's half-demon now (or maybe it's just because he has Luo Binghe's blood in him?), he also just straight-up hates the fact humanity has apparently become yet another a club he's not allowed to join. Not cool, guys!!!

He may have tossed a rock or two at the ward. Just because.

All of this doesn't mean he doesn't hesitate when he sees the spider house though, because he's not exactly used to being a demon either, and what if he gets kicked out here too? Jiu stares warily at the entrance for a good long moment before finally, cautiously, poking his head in.

"....You seem comfy in here."

[kumoko]

"Yep, yep," she's managed to roll herself onto her side, torso propped up on a pile of blankets so she's not upside-down. Half of her is spitefully enjoying her third re-read of Knight School, and the other half is definitely not eating her feelings out of a bag marked Cappuccino-flavoured Crisps.

Oh, it's the fox-guy. One of them. The one that didn't raise an army of the dead, anyway. Good thing he survived! Great work. She pats another section of bed-floor with a spare leg.

"Way comfier than they'll be in the city, I bet."

[foxyou]

Jiu hesitates for maybe half a second longer before flopping himself down on the spot she'd patted and proceeding to make himself comfortable, ears low in a decidedly dispirited manner.

"They're probably just giving themselves more work, spending the day with all those fools." Helping the natives when they could be lazing around in this nice cozy clubhouse! Losers, all of them. (He's not pouting.)

[kumoko]

Oh good, he's also bitter. Did he get bounced? Probably. Poor guy, it's not like he even looks that monstrous. She puts down her comic for a bit to gesture.

"It sucks, right? Spending all week fighting and then bam, no room at the inn, thanks for your help, get lost! Ugh." In a feat of superhuman restraint, she in turn waits an entire two seconds before reaching over to pet his drooping ears.

Look, it's good for morale. And the heart? She's pretty sure she read somewhere that stroking soft animals is good for your health somehow. Just in case this is the time he objects, she also pushes some of her snacks and comics over to him as a distraction.

[foxyou]

It's not like he's totally unfamiliar with being an outcast, but also, he totally agrees with this spider. He might even have said something to that effect, if it weren't for the fact that she's suddenly petting him.

If he weren't so exhausted he totally could have dodged, okay...anyway his ears twitch a bit at her touch, and he opens his mouth to complain--only to close it again. If he was gonna complain he probably should have said something the first time she did this, and besides, he only just got comfy here, he's not gonna get himself kicked out over her (admittedly very soothing) scritches.

After that short confused pause he finally reaches for the snacks, keeping an admirably straight face despite the sudden lack of eye contact. "....You....have certainly made yourself comfortable out here." If he leans into the pets at all please don't say anything.

[kumoko]

She mercifully doesn't comment on it at all. Mostly because she's caught between two extremes of her own embarrassment and delight - staying quiet is the way to go! Playing it cool!

It helps that he's still talking, and also that he's not making eye contact. Good, excellent. She opens her comic back up with her other hand, and hums.

"You can say I'm used to it. A lot of worlds are 'humans only', and before that I lived underground. You've gotta make your own comfort!"

[foxyou]

It also helps that he's tired and she's female - Jiu nibbles distractedly at whatever random snack he just grabbed, frowning slightly with lowered eyes for reasons left unsaid.

"Making your own comfort must be rather easy for you, with all this silk at your disposal." As he says this, he sinks himself down further into the bed-floor with a quiet sigh. It's so comfy......

[kumoko]

Female and not human, the ultimate non-threatening combo. She adjusts the way she's sprawled so she can reach his head with less effort, and takes the opportunity to turn the page.

"Yep, making a home wherever you go sure is nice. It's the biggest perk of being a spider, definitely." Maybe the only perk? She'll think on it. He sounds kinda jealous, but honestly she has no idea how foxes live, let alone fox demons. Probably somewhere bad. Maybe he lived in a cave too. Feeling a rush of sympathy - cave dwellers should stick together! - she tugs a corner of soft blanket until it covers his shoulders.

Then turns the page again. Look, she has a lot of eyes, and a lot of limbs.

[foxyou]

When did non-human become non-threatening...though admittedly he does feel more comfortable with monsters than men. The more you know!(?)

The combination of pets and blanket and soothing female voice are really doing a number on him, but Jiu still manages to shake off the onslaught of drowsiness, stuffing the rest of this cookie in his mouth like chewing on it will keep him awake. "It certainly seems more useful than being a fox....." If only he'd turned into a spider instead--no he's not sure he'd go quite that far...Jiu glances up at the spider woman again.

"What are you reading, by the way?"

[kumoko]

Humans are the real monsters, don'tcha know!

"Eh? It's called Knight School." She waggles the comic a little to display the bright cover, showing a girl in patchwork armour astride a metal horse in full gallop. Around her, a border of various disembodied characters pose.

"A kid wants to join an elite fighting force! Will she get her dream, what troubles await, etcetera etcetera. It's pretty good."

[foxyou]

Knight school...and the girl in the picture's a knight? Looks dumb.

He leans a little closer, for a better look. "And she goes to school for this force? Do they teach her meditation, martial arts, things like that?"

[kumoko]

"Things like that, yeah." Magnanimously, and because she can't be bothered to explain, she flips the book around and holds it out so he can see the pages. It's a few pages into the story, a double-spread as the same small girl looks up at a wide, gleaming castle. She's already bruised, tunic patched and eyes hard with determination. Above her, a thought bubble: Just watch me! No matter what, I'll become a squire today!

Final day of testing reads the text in a rectangle at the top of the page.

[foxyou]

Oh look, a beat up-looking character looking ready to get further beaten up. The overall feel of the scene reminds him a little bit of the yearly inter-peak tournaments back home though, or maybe just of the losers on Baizhan Peak.

Jiu tilts his head, surveying the page for maybe a second or two before turning to reach for the snacks again. "Has she been wearing the same outfit the whole time? She must be quite poor." Stop picking at the worldbuilding, Jiu.

[kumoko]

She briefly stops her absent-minded ear-scritching to make an airy gesture with that hand.

"It's the first chapter, how else are they gonna show that she's been through a whole lot already?"

[foxyou]

Unsure whether to be disappointed or relieved at the cessation of scritches.....

"Do illustrated books not bother explaining the details?" He's still learning how comic books work.