Let 'em say we're crazy, I don't care about that!

[lucetimods]

Who: Everyone!
What: The final day. Moonfall. Twenty-Four hours remain. How do you spend it?
When: The 30th, all day
Where: Anywhere
Summary: The last day. The end has come. The moon is coming down and piercing the barrier. Nothing can stop it.
Rating: It will vary.

Comments

[mistyarc]

[Hubert sees Pao-lin escorting people to the tunnels from a distance as he does the same, and it's only much, much later that he crosses paths with her somewhere in the village. Slowing his pace and steadying his breath from running all around the village, he calls out to her.]

Are there still many more people left to evacuate?

[mistyarc]

This and the juice boxes are enough. Those at the tunnels should have gotten everything else by now.

[He can at least trust Cheria to have done that, as another of many volunteers. They don't have much time left, which means the others must have done their part by now. All that's left for them is carrying these baskets and the juice boxes there.]

Let's go.

[lightningcute]

[Once she's fetched the juice and a basket of food, Pao-lin runs back outside. The moon is astoundingly close now, and she can't fight the shiver that runs through her as she heads over to the tunnel entrance.]

[mistyarc]

[If there's anything that Hubert has a load of, it's strength. Ignoring the moon (as per usual), he follows suit with two baskets in tow. Balancing the baskets and compensating for the weight slows him down somewhat, but it's nothing too terrible.]

[lightningcute]

[Pao-lin walks at a brisk pace, her eyes fixed firmly ahead of her. Things are made a bit awkward because she's holding the basket with both of her hands, but she manages.

But she's been running on heroic willpower for basically all of today, with little to no rest, and its reserves decide to run out on her about ten minutes into the tunnels. Her legs, burning with exertion, give out from under her, and she collapses to the ground, dropping the goods.]

Ack -- !

[mistyarc]

Pao-lin!

[He skids to a halt when she falls. Setting the baskets down, he's at her side in a second.

It's been a long day, and time is almost up. Of course she's tired. He is, too, and his entire body -- but especially his legs, feel like they're on fire. But they can't stop. Not now. It's not safe here.]

Can you keep going?

[lightningcute]

[Shakily, Pao-lin pushes herself up with her arms, and tries to stand. She barely gets halfway before she collapses again, breathing hard through gritted teeth. Damn it damn it damn it, why is her body giving up now, when she's so close to being done with all of this? Isn't this sort of thing what she trained for? Was it not good enough?]

[mistyarc]

[They can't get themselves and the baskets there like this. They're both exhausted beyond measure, and Hubert's not sure he can carry everything there without falling at least once, himself.

In the end, the choice to make is an easy one.

He moves around Pao-lin and crouches down in front of her, his knees aching in protest at the applied weight.]

We've no time to waste. Please get on.

1/2

[lightningcute]

[For a moment, Pao-lin just stares at Hubert, uncomprehending.]

2/2

[lightningcute]

[Then his offer registers in her fatigued mind.]

I-I'm fine! Really!

[She instead drags herself over to the nearest wall and begins using that as support, backing herself up against it to get herself upright. She starts to shuffle alongside it, but it becomes clear before long that she's not going to regain the pace she had before she fell, even when using her hands to push herself along. She is just too tired -- and too proud to really admit it.]

[mistyarc]

[ . . . well. If it's pride talking, then he has no room to talk back. Hubert observes her for a few seconds before rising and reclaiming the two baskets he'd been carrying. One would make for an imbalance that'd just make it harder on him, and he can't stick around to pick up what fell when Pao-lin did.

For the sake of her dignity, he doesn't pay her much mind. All he'll do is slow his pace considerably.]

[lightningcute]

[Somewhere in the back of her mind, Pao-lin knows she's being irrational. The world is about to end, and she's worried about looking like a weakling who can't pull her own weight? Way to get her priorities completely straight. But if she's going to die, she'd rather do it standing up and fighting with every last inch of her.

After some time, she's going to chance walking on her own, pushing away from the wall. For a moment, it almost looks like she's going to fall again, but she regains her footing, and continues onwards at the same pace she did while still using the wall as support. Though her attention is primarily focused on staying upright and moving, she notices Hubert nearby, matching her sluggish speed.]

You should...you should get those supplies to the people in the tunnels. Don't wait for me, okay? I'll catch up.

[mistyarc]

[Hubert's response sounds colder than he intends it to be, but he figures it'll be of help in some way or another. She's got enough on her plate -- she doesn't need to have her mind on him or the people in the tunnels who are already, presumably, safe.

Though he realizes that that'd be against the very nature of a Hero.]

Focus on getting there. You needn't concern yourself with me.

[While she also poses a point, that doesn't mean he'll leave her, still. He continues to trudge along at a slow pace.]

[lightningcute]

[Her brow furrows.]

But...you're carrying all that heavy stuff...and I can't even...

[Aaaaaand collapsing again right about now. This time she can't even lift herself up -- the sight of the canned goods remind her, very sharply, that she's barely eaten all day, which would be a pain for nearly anyone running around as much as she has, but which hits particularly hard for a big eater like her. The dizziness of hunger roars in her head like a hurricane.]

[mistyarc]

[That's one aspect Hubert has been fortunate in, if only because he remembered (and was most likely reminded) to at least take something as ration throughout the day. That doesn't mean the hunger hasn't caught up, but he's got much more energy to spare at this point than Pao-lin. Which isn't a lot at all.

He puts the baskets down for good this time and approaches her. He doesn't lay a hand on her, yet; he has no right to, yet.]

You've done more than enough for this place and the people.

[lightningcute]

[Pao-lin's hands tense, as though she's about to try to get up again, but they fall flat again in defeat. One second passes...two...three.

With a breath, she manages to gather enough strength to turn her head in Hubert's direction, and she lifts a trembling hand. Help her up?]