Event || The Empire Strikes Back

[melodiesmods]

Characters: Everyone participating in the event
Where: Aqures Ixen
When: July 27th to August 02nd
Summary: The battle for Aqures Ixen is about to begin! The Heroes of Light are going to do their best to defend Aqures Ixen, but will this be enough? Feel free to participate and reply to appropriate threads. New top-level threads will be posted regularly as the battle progresses.
Warning: N/A, will be updated.

July 27th || Mingle
July 28th || Bomb Defusing / Imperial Assault
July 29th || Mingle / Attack on the 13th District / Aerial Battles / Imperial Camp
July 30th || 14th District on Fire / The Hospital / Mognet Office Attacked
July 31st || The Fire Spreads / Betrayals
August 01st || The Second Wave / Ultima Weapon
August 02nd || Final

Comments

Albel v. Civilians, Round 1

[wickedone]

Anyone passing through the residential districts might see a very angry and frustrated warrior stomping around, arguing with the civilians remaining in Aqures Ixen.

"You can't stay here, fools! Do you want to die?"

He wasn't exactly especially convincing.

Albel v. Civilians, Round 1

[greenmagick]

Terra has been trying to convince other shop owners to leave as well as guiding those staying towards the church or other places where they could hold up and be safe. She stopped Albel yelling and walked towards the group with a gentle stare.

"Excuse me." She smiled softly at the civilian, her expression relaxed. "I know it's hard but we are worried about your safety. Please? Even if you just go to the Temple for shelter."

Her words were soft and sweet and those who Albel were yelling at seem to be more keen on heading to the temple with a few sentimental items.

[wickedone]

Albel had a few choice words for whoever interrupted him; but, seeing as it was Terra, he bit his tongue. Surprisingly (to him), her methods worked.

"How did you get them to leave?" he grumbled, once they were alone.

[greenmagick]

Terra looked over at Albel for a moment as she spoke. "I know some of those in town who are instant about staying. They work near my shop. I can understand why they want to say and so I hoped to assure them that we will keep there worries in mind and protect their homes and lively hoods."

It was a simple reason though it was also a little complicated. These weren't just homes, they were memories and Terra could understand why they needed to be treasured.

[wickedone]

Albel sighed and shook his head. "I... understand about wanting to preserve their homes. But risking their lives is just..."

Incredibly infuriating? A waste of time and effort? An honest endangerment of the people who would have to come out and help them, should the Imperials take the residential districts?

"Anyone who insists on staying in their houses for memories is taking too great a risk!" He shook his head again. "How is it possibly more important than their lives?"

[greenmagick]

"I think I can understand." Her tone was soft but it held its usual confident strength. "I didn't have many memories when I first arrived here. Those I've made with everyone, I truly treasure them and with this city standing, well, it's easy to know they were real and not some happy dream."

Terra didn't expect him to understand. It was a little confusing when you thought about it but it was how she felt.

"They want to keep their memories alive, though I agree that they should leave." It's dangerous to stay but that didn't mean that she didn't understand.

[wickedone]

Albel struggled with this, and it was obvious. Terra had a point -- annoyingly enough -- but memories were worthless if you became a memory yourself.

"They could... take some things with them?" he finally. "Just essentials! But maybe then they'd move..."

[greenmagick]

"Try using that as a solution then." Terra smiled softly. "Sometimes people just want to know that there is another way. To make it feel like they have a choice."

Her voice slowly becomes softer, sadder, as she thinks back to what she knows. She shakes her head trying to chase the demons away.

"I hope that helps."

[wickedone]

A choice. If it were up to Albel, they wouldn't have a choice. But that obviously wasn't working, and he didn't have the manpower to force people out of their homes.

"Wait."

He reached out toward Terra, then abruptly stopped himself.

"Maybe... you could stay? Only because they listen to you more." Not because he wanted the company, or needed the help. "It would be faster."

Albel v. Civilians, Round 1 [Closed]

[ninjainviolet]

Sheena didn't have to see him; she could hear him just fine. And so could the civilians he wasn't arguing with.

Coming up to him, she shook her head.

"You might get somewhere if you didn't call them 'fools', you know!"

[wickedone]

The warrior turned on the intruder with irritation. "Oh? But that's what they are, for not leaving!"

The residents' stubbornness to remain in their homes angered him to no end, especially since they'd had plenty of time to leave the city. Now they were simply in the way, endangering themselves and everyone else trying to help them.

[ninjainviolet]

And Sheena glared right back; refusing to back down. "How would you like it if someone called you a fool? Would you want to go anywhere with them?"

Idiot.

Turning to the nearest resident, she smiled reassuringly. "I know you're worried about things here, but we're concerned about you and your friends and family." She gestured towards a group of civilians heading towards one of the evacuation centers. "Why don't you go join them and we'll protect things here?" she asked earnestly.

Whether it was her tone, or her smile, or sincerity, Sheena would never know. But after she spoke to the resident, he nodded and left with what he could carry, occasionally looking back while talking to others who soon joined him.

[wickedone]

Albel scoffed -- as if that would ever happen.

Idiot.

And yet, when Sheena asked, the man did as he'd been told and left... though not without a few more suspicious glances at Albel. Still, he left. Another one down. Despite still being angry, Albel's shoulders relaxed a smidge with some relief.

"As long as they leave, I don't care why or how," he muttered.

[ninjainviolet]

He didn't know Sheena. He would definitely hear that word used to describe him at least once.

And then who knew how many times after that.

Sheena watched as the civilian moved off, stepping closer to Albel in a effort to allay the native's suspicions. Whether it worked with him or not, Sheena didn't know, but other natives soon began moving off without a backwards glance.

"I know how you feel. But it is kinda normal to want to do the opposite of what someone is yelling at you to do." She paused.

"I'm Sheena. Sheena Fujibayashi."

[wickedone]

Albel scoffed again and shrugged. He wasn't sure he believed that, exactly, and it still wasn't his concern. They should simply do as they were told in an emergency.

"I didn't ask." And he hardly cared what her name was. He didn't understand why she was introducing herself now.

But if she was expecting his name now... Well, Albel supposed she should know who he is.

"Albel Nox. Now, if we're done, I have more civilians to evacuate."

[ninjainviolet]

Well, if he hangs around Sheena long enough, he'll discover that it's true. She's a natural born yeller, but he hadn't actually been telling them anything. he had been ordering them.

Wow. Just wow. She had thought he might want to know who was going to be helping him, since "Hey, you!" tended to piss her off. "So? I was being polite, okay?" Or was that something new to him?

"Albel," she said with a curt nod before continuing. "Yes, we're done, but just one thing." And she stepped up to him, her stern gaze meeting his.

"Remember that these people are civilians. They're not in the military, so ordering them to do something isn't the way to go."

wrap here?

[wickedone]

"Hm." Albel raised an eyebrow coolly and looked down at Sheena before turning away. He had places to be.

"We shall see," were his last words over his shoulder.

Albel v. Civilians, Round 1

[cantante]

No, he wasn't being convincing at all even if Tear could understand his sentiment. So in lieu of further emphasising that aggressiveness, she talks to the citizen with a calmer yet firm tone to communicate the seriousness of the situation.

"Please, if you stay here you risk being hurt and we won't be able to help you nor anyone else. We'd rather not have that on our hands."

And to Albel, she directs a narrowed look. "Is it so necessary to call them fools?"

[wickedone]

"Tch." Albel snorted and crossed his arms with a glare. "I'm only calling them what they are for taking unnecessary risks."

But the woman seemed to have an effect on the civilians. So after a moment, his red gaze was leveled at nervous person at the door again. "Take only what you need and head to the Third District. It will be more secure there."

[cantante]

"It doesn't matter if what they are doing is foolish or not—" Though honestly, Tear was inclined to agree. "No one is going to so easily follow someone who seemingly thinks so little of them."

She almost sighs, glancing at the area around them once again. Of course there would still be stragglers, but the more they could get out without having to resort to physical means, the better. "It seems as if some of them have the desire to help us."

[wickedone]

"Right. Help." Albel shook his head. "Really -- look at them. Do you think they can?"

He watched the retreating back of another refugee, disappointment obvious on his face.

"The sentiment is understandable, but with no training, no direction, I don't see how they can." He sighed. "At least not with actual fighting -- they'd simply be in the way."

He did wish he could put them to use if he could, truly, but what else could they do besides what they were already doing? Boarding up their homes and leaving, so that the real fighters wouldn't be distracted? Albel wasn't sure, but if this woman had any ideas, he supposed he might as well listen.

[cantante]

Tear almost says something about Albel himself—with such a messy appearance, would anyone take him for a leader?—but refrains from doing so. Now was hardly the time to start arguing aesthetics.

"You're sending them all to designated shelters and safe locations, right? Have you considered that some of these civilians might not know where they are? Those who do and want to help so badly can guide them there."

whoops I lost this

[wickedone]

Albel stopped. And he considered. And he supposed she might have a point.

"Maybe they could," he said slowly. "That is a way for them to feel helpful without getting in the way. And in the end, they all will be in the shelters."

It was better than them staying in their homes and requiring hero protection while they were scattered around the city. It was better than them trying to wield weapons they had no experience using. It was a safe option that made everyone happy.

it's cool

[cantante]

Satisfied that Albel agreed with the plan, Tear wastes little time in walking up to the nearest civilian wanting to help. Exchanging words with him quickly, it takes only moments before the civilian looks satisfied with the role they had been entrusted with, moving to rally the others and lead them.

Tear herself goes back to Albel, crossing her arms again but looking at him expectantly. "They'll be moving out soon, what do you intent to do next?"

[wickedone]

Albel watched as the civilians grouped together and moved out, heading for the innermost districts.

"I intend to go to the next street. And the next. And the next district. Until everyone is accounted for and moved from an entrance point," Albel responded certainly. "We might not be able to account for airship attacks, but we can at least limit casualties along land routes."