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

[10billionpercent]

He glanced over at Tidus when he called his name, breathing a little heavily as he was carrying something.

"I'm not sure that's an accurate assesssment." He said with a bit of a grim frown. "But not inaccurate either. I don't know." He puffed a few times as he set the debris down, out of the way.

"I haven't accomplished much here, I figured I should do what I could."

[blitzcheer]

Not accomplished much? Tidus takes note of the way that Senku struggles with the debris, but also what he's saying, too. A pause second before he picks up a broken few bricks. Hey, he can help with some of the work.

"Weren't you with Orange, in those towers? Heard they had books and all kinds in there. Even traps! Figured you'd be the guy for the job, doing that."

Senku would absolutely love to figure out traps, right?

[10billionpercent]

He absolutely would've loved doing that.

"No." Senku said with a bit of a frown. "Before entering the tower, I conducted my experiment." He shook his wrist with the SCA. "With Gen. Both of us were swept up in the illusions for days."

He did not look thrilled about that.

[blitzcheer]

"Eh? Oh, man..." Well, that makes sense that it'd happen, and Tidus frowns as the information settles in. With all the illusions everyone was suffering, it makes sense. But...

"Wait though... wasn't Gen spotting you? What happened?"

Did Senku convince him to take it off, or something...?

[10billionpercent]

"Not quite." Senku said with a sigh. "We agreed to disagree who was going to go first and did it together, which you don't have to tell me was overconfident and stupid. Obviously." He grimaced. "But putting it back on didn't end the illusion, it wouldn't have helped. It took days to break out of it. I was with the blue team by then."

He exhaled slowly. "So while I learned a few valuable things, including not to give into my hubris, it made both of us utterly useless this mission." Hence why he was out here doing physical work he was ill suited for.

[blitzcheer]

You gonna take away his chance for a 'well that was stupid', Senku??? Rude.

But he won't say it, even if it might be true, there no real urge to it - plus, Senku sounds plenty awful as it is. Tidus doesn't exactly want to rub it in any more. The guy's doing a good job at it himself.

"Well, you're with us now, but... you think you should be? Not that the rest of us are looking any better, but you don't look so good."

Tidus doesn't want to see the guy topple over or anything!

[10billionpercent]

Unfortunately, he was beating himself up for what happened which wasn't something he often indugled in.

He's breathing hard, his body was not cut out for this at all.

"I'll be fine. I tried to help in battle and Gen got hurt, so there's-" He exhaled. "There has to be something I can do."

Senku wasn't prone to feeling disheartened, but he was still human, it happened.

[blitzcheer]

Okay, nooo. Tidus drops the rest of brick and rubble to free his hands and steps over next to Senku, short as the step is. "Hey," he says once, places a single hand on one of Senku's shoulders just for a small touch before removing it.

"You can be with Gen. You can both be alright. When you get back on the train, you'll be doing fifty different projects to help people out. But for now? This isn't what you need to be doing. Go see if we have flour to spare for bread to hand out if you really need to keep busy, but doing this?"

Pushing himself, after everything?

"If you mess up, you back away and try another day. So take that break for now, okay?"

Okay, oops, missed this one sorry!

[10billionpercent]

"I did mess up though." Senku said, running his hand through his hair after putting down the rubble. "And I...didn't do anything to help."

He'd wanted to. He felt like he let everyone down.

"I...I know Gen's fine. I made him go to bed."

His fingers curled into fists.

[blitzcheer]

"Then go to bed too," he says firmly. "I'm not saying you didn't mess up. But doing this, struggling - you've got plenty you can do, but this doesn't need to be it. Take the break, Senku. Give yourself a break. That's what I'm saying."

He lets the message sit for a second before he gestures out his hands, towards the city they're in.

"This place is fine. It's gonna be fine," he reassures. "Take care of yourself. A bunch of us like you, you know? You're more than this one crappy mind trip."

[10billionpercent]

His eyes widened in surprise, not unlike when he'd found out that his village wouldn't just sell him down the river at the earliest opportunity because it was easier.

He lowered his head a little bit and put his hands over his eyes, taking in a deep breath. He was mentally and emotionally wrought out, if he was honest. Logically, no one should cut him slack. He shouldn't cut himself any slack.

This place, this train, his friends - it was not as unforgiving as his world could be. Even in his world he was occasionally surprised by the support he could garner.

"Yeah." Senku finally said, taking in another shuddering breath as he dropped his hands and then returned his own brand of light affection, a gentle touch of his fist on Tidus' shoulder.

"I'll go look after Gen. Have to make sure he's not trying to die on me or something, not that it'll save him. I'll be able to help again, later." He had a lot on his mind, he had a lot going on but he wasn't likely to share them right now. Another time, perhaps, but he could acknowledge Tidus was right.

[blitzcheer]

Tidus falls into a quiet, unsure of how Senku's reacting when he withdraws like that, wondering what he said wrong. Pushed too far against a ball of guilt - and didn't he know about that? Being too stubborn, wanting to sit in the guilt he felt he deserved.

But when the hands drop, when Senku responds, Tidus sees it isn't that at all; his shoulders relaxing, a smile crossing his face that widens with the mirth of the joke. The friendly fist that Senku's become so accustomed to, now.

"Just remind him of all the chocolate you're making that's waiting for him," Tidus offers thickly, that grin widening now to show teeth. "And you come back, but you use that up there."

He pokes a finger towards Senku's forehead in indication, but doesn't touch him.

"And you leave the heavy loading to me. I'll take these." He nods his head to the barrows, both his and Senku's. "You've got a good brain in there. Use it!"

[10billionpercent]

"Wow, everyone knows how to get at my fiancé, why am I not surprised?" Senku asked with a bit of a chuckle, lightening up significantly.

He faltered, he felt guilty, but he felt as though he'd be forgiven. He was only human.

"I'll help out when I can." He promised. He still felt guilty, but it would pass. He smiled at Tidus' parting shot, already turned away and he raised a hand, waving goodbye as he headed back towards the train.

[blitzcheer]

And that there is what we call a beautiful friendship...!

[blitzcheer]

"--Wait, fiancé!?"

Unfortunately, it takes Tidus about five or ten minutes after the fact for the realisation to hit him, knocking himself straight into the wheelbarrow he was supposed to be pushing.

Guh!