middleofsomewhere | The Will to Fight: Conclusion

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!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Tidus comes back to the train almost as quickly as Merwen does, ...and almost for the exact reasons as she. Though Tidus doesn't notice her the first time, rushing through the carriages after washing and heading closer to the front of the train, to see someone.

But he does on the way back, a splotch of colour larger than the flowers and fruits that grow around the car. He slows, surprised, wondering... and though there's that nag at him over her nude state, he pushes it down, concern taking him most of all:

"Hey," he speaks up first, to draw her attention. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

Merwen lifts her head to look at him, then rubs a webbed hand over her face.

"Nothing that is likely in your power to share," she says, after a moment's consideration. "Perhaps a drink of water, though. I don't think I have it in me to eat." Though she should, she knows that.

Did he? He lifts a hand in front of him, a purple sports bottle appearing, his immediate option, and gives it a quiet shake. No, there isn't much- but he can fix that he figures, walking slowly to her, kneeling at a spot where there's space and undoing the top.

"Hope you don't mind sharing from mine," he says lightly, half as a joke, while at the same time: what happens depends of her, if she even witnesses for. For from his chest there's a soft blue glow for a second, gathering and darted to the ground before Tidus's crouch a small blue creature, embodying water and hope. Body as if it was water itself standing with limbs, it puts its stubby hands onto the bottle Tidus draws next to it, and from within, it begins to fill up.

But only someone good intentioned, of a good heart can witness the creature - otherwise, it just looks like a bottle magically filling itself as Tidus holds it in place, before screwing back on the top and offering it to Merwen.

"It's safe!" Again, that small light joke, though softened some. "Missions are a lot. Don't know how used you are at that kind of thing, but it's rough."

"What a useful creature," she murmurs, but she can really only deal with one thing at a time right now. She takes the water and drinks, thankfully. "I don't know if 'used to' is the right turn of phrase. I've experienced such things on my own world, but it isn't something I would ever want to become used to."

She rubs the back of her hand against her nose. "The idea that this is all I have to face here is almost unbearable."

He doesn't know what to say for a second, though reassurance and sympathy is easy to find. But it slumps his shoulders, forming a small grimace around his mouth to have to defend this in any way - either of their being there. His knees tilt outward, and his legs come to fold into a more cross-legged position.

"You shouldn't have to," he agrees. His eyes are on his friend, who stands there quietly, watching them both. "People should get to choose to be here or wherever they want to be. Orange is the safest, but it's still dangerous. There's still a chance there'll be fighting. You just have... try and do what feels right to you."

He says that last part awkwardly, a hand coming to run down the side of his hair, his expression complicated.

Merwen gives him a grateful sort of smile, if a tired one. "Violence is a sickness," she says. "It is a fire that spreads only harm, that will burn you if you try to wield it. I know this. I have seen this. It shares such grief with me to see some of the souls here lost to it. I... I don't know what to do. I will not fight. I can only share the futility with those here, but... the people I have met haven't been willing to share anything of the kind."

It creates a complicated expression on his face to listen to her, one that maybe speaks of what he's thinking before he even opens his mouth. That takes a second, opening and closing, an idea of what he wants to say, and yet...

"Yeah, but... what are we supposed to do if the other side doesn't want to listen? It didn't look like we had much of a choice here. And we couldn't close the portals without taking out the stones holding them up."

It's a defence more than a protest, still willing to listen. A rise of his shoulders, a shake of his head.

"We don't have a lot of ways of dealing with the missions 'cept by fighting off the problem."

She bows her head. "I accept that to sacrifice ourselves to peace the way we did on Shora is difficult, and I'm still not sure it was the right choice. I only know that violence will never end anything, so what other choice can there be?"

She feels old. She feels tired, and it shows. "More obviously, I dread the idea of repeating this experience for as long as I share this journey."

It's not a point he really wants to argue - how can he argue against not wanting violence? Even if Tidus doesn't have answer for a better means, this person looking older than himself, speaking from a point of her experience (if, well, not a very pleasant-sounding one...). And if there didn't have to be conflict, or death...

Even he had been feeling it this mission. Getting used to open wounds and simply patching them up, all because of what this train decided they should be doing.

"If you ever need to - you can head back to the train, if you go on a mission. The SCA-" he brings up his wrist with the device on it. "Three taps on the screen. It's alright, if you need to. I think - even if I hate fighting, I know we've done a lot of good; and there's been fiends we couldn't reason with, where there was nothing to do but fight, and the people we saved because of it. But you don't have to like it," he assures.

"And, I guess what I'm saying is... whatever you need to be comfortable, you should do it. And if the rest of us can help any... let someone know?"

It's a weak offer, doubt if there is anything that be given, but it comes out anyway.

The Will to Fight: Conclusion

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

sorry for the delay! been on hiatus