middleofsomewhere | The Will to Fight: Conclusion

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!)

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He looked around to Tidus, nodding gratefully at him. "I am a bit hungry.." He looked at Inigo, "It's always better to share food, we can eat together?"

He has never liked eating alone. It always feels either like punishment or just awkward, if there are others there who are not eating.

And they had both been fighting, they were bound to be hungry.

"Sure, sure."

His voice is a bit soft, but he's being really careful to not even let a hint of sadness slip into it as he speaks.

"Let's all eat together." If that's what Taiki wants, then that's what Taiki gets. Besides, Taiki's line of thought is true - even if they've been eating during the mission, there hasn't really been a moment since those final battles and them rushing to get to Taiki to sit down and eat.

"Come on, Taiki. Let me help you sit back down, okay?" Since the other is still attached to him.. Bro, can you please help move the food a bit closer in the meantime? They don't want Taiki to walk even more until he feels better, right?

Has Tidus got to be on food holding duty? He'll take the bowl if it's mentioned or motioned to, letting the pair of them sort each other out - or mainly, sort out Taiki. Tidus can't do anything of much until they're cleared the way, which he can pass the food over to Inigo, standing up himself.

"I'll go get us two bowls then - and I'll get the bigger one!" he announces cheerily, a cheeky grin flashed mainly at Inigo. nyeh nyeh, he gets more than yooou.

"Don't have too much fun without me, okay? I'll be back."

It shouldn't take him too long after all - the kitchen was only a car away, and he'll close the door on his way out.

be back after a tag round or two

"Oh..." He hadn't realised they hadn't brought bowls for everyone and now he feels guilty that Tidus has left to go and find more bowls when they've already done so much.

But he's also exhausted so he lets Inigo move him back towards the bench and slumps down, watching Tidus go sadly.

"Thank you..." He smiles at Inigo. "Sorry... I should be better soon... I didn't get any blood on me."

Inigo almost interrupts to say that it's fine, that they can just find some way to eat out of the same bowl--

But Tidus is quick to leave, and besides, even Inigo is slowly starting to realise just how terribly unpractical that idea would be. So he just watches Tidus leave for a moment too, knowing he really will be right back. (And with a bigger bowl for himself. Wow, bro. Dude.)

So instead he turns to focus on Taiki for a moment. Gently guiding him back over to the bench, first making sure the other sits down before Inigo slots himself on the spot next to him - scooting over so closely that he's almost letting Taiki just sit straight up on his lap.

"I'm glad to hear that," he says, smiling. Their shoulders pressed together, but with a very light pressure, not wanting to make Taiki feels worse at a weak moment. "You've been so careful. That means you did great out there."

He leans on Ingio, it's a good thing knowing his friend doesn't mind close contact like this. It makes him less guilty for wanting to be close. He closes his eyes as a wave of dizziness passes over him.

"I tried... I'm glad... We were able to help them."

It did seem like this world had been in dire need of help after all.

"Me too."

Sure, Inigo is always happy to help out the people they meet on missions, but this one hit particularly close to home. A total wasteland, what felt like the last remainders of humanity driven further and further into a corner by a horde of aggressive beings.. It was very much like his future in Ylisse. Though, unlike that future, they managed to save it.

Slowly he wraps his hands around Taiki's while the other leans against him.

"And that's all thanks to what everyone did. We couldn't have missed even one person, you know? Who knows how differently things would've ended then."

"It could have easily gone so wrong."

In the towers, on the battle field. He hadn't spoken to anyone who had ventured into the catacombs yet but he was certain it would be a similar story there.

He kept his eyes closed. "I'm glad you are safe. Everyone. But you and Tidus..."

He doesn't know what he would do if they got hurt.

He lets a small, low laugh escape his throat.

"Hey, you know both of us make sure to be careful, right?" Or.. well, they mostly do, anyway. Tidus may have been naturally better at taking care of himself, but Inigo is slowly getting there too. It helps to have Taiki back there waiting for them - because Inigo would hate himself if he didn't manage to get back to the other safe, if he caused Taiki any kind of hurt.

"Or.." Inigo's tone takes on a bit of a mischievous edge, indicating he's getting less serious here. "Maybe you should scold Tidus when he comes back. That guy! Going with the red team, going into those demon portals.. Geez, isn't he way too much of a reckless hero? Look how good I've been in comparison."

"He is very brave..." But very reckless. He doesn't want to scold him, it's not his place to scold either of them truthfully but sometimes he cannot help it with Inigo...

Still it was worrying, he doesn't want either of his friends to be hurt, but it is not his place really to tell them what to do.

"I hope he was careful though... It sounds like it... It was bad out there."

"Of course." Despite his joke, Inigo wouldn't Taiki want to get the idea that Tidus was in real danger.. or, well, more real danger than anyone else was exposed to out there. Even if Inigo didn't actually see their friend head into any of the portals, or what he did in there, he's sure Tidus wouldn't have done anything too reckless. Even that guy has a sense of responsibility, after all.

"He came back just fine after all, right? Maybe since he couldn't bear the thought of making you sad."

"Maybe..."

He half hopes it is not that. He shouldn't be the reason for anyone being careful. They should be careful because they are precious and their lives matter.

But it's fine. Tidus came back. Inigo came back. They are both well and soon Tidus will be back with bowls so that they can all eat together.

YEAH STOP TALKING BEHIND HIS BACK, HE'S HERE!!

That is, he's coming outside the door, and then--stopping right in front of it, each hand holding a bowl and his eyes looking down at the handle, then Taiki, but it's at Inigo that he makes the 'bro!! bro, the door!!!' eyes at.

Which isn't stopping him from immediately getting impatient and trying to open it up with an elbow...!!!

Maybe Tidus shouldn't take so long if he doesn't want the boys to start gossiping about him!

Thankfully Inigo does look up during his conversation with Taiki, and so he realises that Tidus is there, caught on the other side with his useless bowl hands. There's already three different kinds of disasters playing out in his mind involving Tidus and the glass door and the bowls when he starts trying to elbow it open, so Inigo gives Taiki a quick smile before letting go of his hands and standing up.

He knows he has to rush, not just because Tidus may drop these bowls in a terrible accident, but also since Inigo just knows Taiki will try to get up and help if he's too late. And they need to prevent that at all costs.

"Look, Taiki, we're just about ready to eat!"

So Inigo pulls open the door. Quickly. Perhaps a bit too quickly. Sure hope you weren't still trying to lean against it with that elbow, bro.

Not only does Tidus buckle as the handle cocks under his elbow, but then he gets shoved by the door. Shoved!!! Misfortunes for Inigo and this door for a thousand years!!

Tidus is rather disgruntled to be both knocked and forced back when's he's delicately balancing two bowls of pasta, but fortunately, the actual food comes out of this awkward event without being thrown from his hands. As for Tidus, the knock does hit a funny bone, an 'oww' that he (exaggerates) grumbles to let Inigo know the damage, if the dirty look he throws him isn't enough. But then he's pushing his way through, loud complaints to accompany him.

"Can you believe this? Inigo's beating me up with the door! You want his pasta, Taiki? You can have both."

But for that miniature huff, he puts on a smile for Taiki, showing that he's just messing around, sitting down with a sigh on the other side.

Oh no... Was this going to end in some pasta based disaster? He hopes not... But he is ready... He's not sure what he will do if it looks like it will. He's not sure he can get to the rescue fast enough.

But then Tidus is inside and grumbling but it is just the way they always grumble at each other. He leans towards Tidus as he sits down.

"Thank you Tidus. It was kind of you to go and get that."

Wow. You say a few nice things about your bro to your mutual friend while he's gone, and then the moment he's back and you help him, he's giving you dirty looks.

Not that Inigo is going to throw some whole stink about it. He figures they've already done enough of that in front of Taiki today, and he certainly doesn't want to worry or exhaust the other with it when Taiki is in this state. So Inigo just glances from Tidus's back as the other is approaching Taiki over to the door, letting out a small sigh too before wandering back over to sit down again without a word.

Fine, feed Taiki his pasta!! See if he cares!! Tidus is getting all the compliments here anyway while he's only getting dirty looks, and Inigo isn't quite strong enough to stop his inner baby from sulking about it. Especially when he's in a bad enough mood to begin with, knowing that his mother may just be walking off the next platform.

Edited 2021-04-11 06:59 (UTC)

See! Look who's the kind one here! Not Mister Grumpypants over there!! Who shouldn't be so grumpy as Tidus holds out a bowl for him to take - both the same size, if anyone thinks Tidus would really get himself a bigger bowl.

"It's fine, Persephone's the one who made it. There's plenty!" So, Tidus doesn't feel so bad about taking a few bowls. "She wants to ask the train to stick around so she can spruce up the land. She's a kind of nature god? Hey, do you two have more than one god where you're from?"

This is apparently the conversation on Tidus's mind, going from one curiosity to the next.

A hand reaches over to touch Inigo, a reminder that he is still loved dearly even if Taiki is leaning on Tidus right now. Having friends is still a difficult thing, but they are both kind and good and he wants them to know it at all times.

"Yes, there is more than one." A group of gods that oversaw the kingdoms. "There were on Earth as well..."

Excuse you, mister grumpypants will grump just as much as he wants here!! Even if he is getting some touches from Taiki right now. The one thing he's polite enough to do is not start eating ahead of everyone else, instead waiting to make sure Taiki eats first. That boy needs it right now.

... well, okay, maybe he can do two polite things by not totally ignoring Tidus's question.

"There's only Naga and Grima where I'm from." And since they're very present and physical, it'd be hard for there to be some sort of god they've overlooked. "Does that mean other worlds have gods for very specific things?"

It's a pretty baffling idea to him. Maybe thinking about this hard enough will slowly replace his grump thoughts with actual thinky thoughts.

Isn't this some wonderful pasta-eating discussion. Tidus figures they'll dig in as they get the food, and with them each holding a bowl, he isn't shy about picking up his fork, comfortable as he is with Taiki leaning against him, jabbing it in to pick up pieces of the pasta.

"I guess so?" Gods for different things, but he wonders if Taiki would have the answer, leading the question to him. "How about your gods, then? I knew you had the god kingdom that overlooked all the other kingdoms. The uh, human kingdoms? But I didn't remember how many there were."

Admittedly, he just thought it was one. What a lonely kingdom...

"Um sort of. There is the twelve kingdoms and then above the sea of clouds are the mountain top palaces where kings rule... That is like a god kingdom, where sages and kings who live a lot longer than ordinary humans rule... I think that's what I told you of, when I drew the map. But... There is mount Hou."

He closed his eyes for a moment, imagining that maze of rocks, the meadows and flowers. "Kirin are born there and looked after by the nyosen and it is ruled by Lady Gyokuyou. I... She's not a god but she is their... ambassador you might say. There is also Tentei. He is who people pray to when they tie ribbons to the Riboku. Um... For children."

He pauses to eat more pasta, he is pretty hungry. "There's the Queen Mother of the West as well. Most people never see either of them. Or Lady Gyokuyou for that matter. Many don't believe they exist. Well... Except Tentei I guess..."

It's a good thing that Inigo has already heard some bits and pieces of this explanation before, since otherwise it would have been way too overwhelming. But he can at least understand most of what Taiki is saying right now, even though it's a little hard to imagine all of it, as different as it is from Ylisse.

Inigo glances over at Tidus while listening to Taiki, before slowly starting to eat as well. It's not going too quickly though - perhaps he's too caught up in thinking about this story.

"So they're more just.. figures of legend to most people?"

Knowledge learnt before is helping Inigo, but for Tidus, he only barely thinks he's getting in. Gods upon gods upon gods? Or should he say, mountains upon mountains upon mountains? This is getting way more complicated than it is easier to digest...!

But Tidus is trying not to let it get overcomplicated in his brain. He's also allowing himself to scoop up mouthfuls of the pasta each time, only just swallowing before he speaks up.

"Tentei's the god, but not the mother or the lady? They're just...long-lived."

Was that it?

"Oh um..." He's made it too complicated, confused them again. "Sorry. No Tentei is a god and the Queen Mother of the West is a god too. Lady Gyokuyou is not a god, she is just immortal. People don't really worship the gods and I guess a lot of people don't believe in them. But most will at least pray to Tentei if they want children."

Hopefully that would help, a little bit. "The Queen Mother of the West healed me, when I was sick after coming back from earth. I didn't actually see her though, because I was sleeping."

He has no memory of his time from En-ou taking him from the shore of Japan and waking up in the palace of Kei, but he knows a good few weeks passed between those two times.

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