Return from Shibuya

After the long retreat from Shibuya, Mikage would find Cyrus currently working a triage hall for the people who came here before her. Handing out potions to handle the various breaks and damages done to them. Certainly, quite a bit could be handled with healing magic. But Cyrus was in charge of the more specific debuffs. Some people missing arms requiring special care and the like.

She'd find him busy for a few hours before he finally manages to make time to meet with her, running his hand through his hair and looking tired.

"Sorry that took so long." He remarks to Mikage. "How're you feeling? I remember them saying you were one of the only ones who got out without significant damage." He notes.

While Mikage knows all too well that Cyrus used to be a raider, he had always been in the support role as long as she had known him. There are times when she might very much wish to have him on the battlefield, fighting beside her. And yet... if he was there, how distracted would she be by the danger he would be in? It's something she still struggles with. Something that he likely struggles with in return.

The Were Fang Ranger had returned near the tail end up of the group of New World refugees who had fled North from Shibuya. She had remained near the rear of the group, watching for persuit and making sure no one had lagged behind too much. It also meant that she dealt with her fair share of monsters along the way. By the time they had reached Fort Ouph, Miki was out of potions, low on health, and exhausted.

The fact that she couldn't check in with Cyrus right away... well, that is a whole other emotional can of beans. So, she had gotten food, gotten some minor healing, and is now sitting in a sort of tent-city of Adventurers, who seem to be struggling with flagging morale as only the least of their worries. The girl has a blanket over her shoulders, Rama snoozing beside her as Cyrus approaches.

Despite everything, she tries to put on a smile for his sake. "I wouldn't say that." By the look of her, that seems to be an exaggeration. Hell, the girl is still barefoot. "We were completely overwhelmed." Her hands are clutched around a mug of tea, using it to warm her fingers. "Shit. I nearly ended up caught at the end. I only managed to get out because Rama made short work of my boot laces."

There's a moment that Cyrus still manages to hold onto his more relaxed posture, but when she tries to put on that smile, he steps in and brings his arms around her, pulling her tight against him. His arms trembling a little and stepping in such a way that she can tell he's not going to release her from this - albeit perhaps somewhat awkwardly positioned - hug. Especially with her having been holding that tea cup.

He holds that hug for a good half a minute, before his arms relax, and he steps back again, rubbing his palms along his face for a moment and trying to look alright. "Yeah, well, that cat has gotten a lot of experience at boot lace chewing." He notes, motioning playfully at his own boots which are showing multiple 'chewed' areas on them. "Glad my laces could have been of assistance." He adds, before glancing at Rama.

"Thanks buddy."

Before looking back at Mikage and taking long deep breath to pot his emotions at ease. Typical Japanese behavior of not wanting emotions to show too much.

For a long time, Mikage had avoided physical contact. It is a hold over from that past life, where she never really let most people get close. Cyrus, though, is an exception. So, when his arms wrap around her, she leans in a little, resting her head against his shoulder, even if only for a brief moment. "I was worried about you, too." She admits.

The girl doesn't withdraw from the embrace first, allowing him whatever time he needs to reassure himself. "I'm okay. It was close, but... I'm okay." Up until recently, Mikage has never really faced much in the way of true PvP.

Rama looks up from where he was previously sleeping, giving a yawn and stretching his big forepaws out in front of him. He just seems to blink sleepily up at Cyrus, then flops over onto his side.

"I'm sure you've heard how things went by now. Seems like they've been keeping you busy with the fallout from it all." It likely had a stronger impact on many other members of the Alliance than on Mikage. Shibuya had never been 'home', nowhere had really ever been since being trapped in Yamato.

"Are... you okay?" She asks. Yes, after everything, she's concerned about him, perhaps because of that pause and that deep breath and the way he is struggling with himself.

Cyrus rubs at his eyes a bit more to get rid of that itching need to tear up, pushing away some of the salty beads. He then takes another big breath and then slooowly breathes out. A small sniffle of his nose. "I'm okay." He tells her. A lie, one which he corrects a moment later; "I was worried about you." He explains to her, rubbing along his hair awkwardly.

"I've heard the various people talk about it. It seems like the Palace Landers came in large numbers. And the New World had already evacuated large parts of Shibuya, so it just made matters worse." He offers to her. Similarly to him, Shibuya is not his home. His home is where Miki is, for the most part.

Another long exhale of breath, and his corrects his posture a bit, rolling his shoulders and adjusting his standing position. "I'm glad you are okay." He then adds with a smile, leaning forward and kissing her forehead over that white hair of hers. "What do you want to do now? I imagine we have to take that place back at some point. But there's still so much we do not know."

Having been a bit socially isolated much of her life, Mikage isn't always the best at figuring out how to deal with other people and their feelings. But, with Cyrus she just does whatever comes naturally and hopes it is enough. She places down the mug and her hands reach up and lightly take him by the sides of the face, stroking the pads of her thumbs across his cheeks. "I know. I'm alive, I'm here." Her lip quirks, "Otherwise, you'd be be sitting in the church waiting on me, I assume." She teases, trying to lighten the mood a little.

Then, letting her hands come back down, she lets her fingers linger on parts of his coat, as if not quite ready to give him space just yet. "Shibuya was a village, not a fort. Though we had defenses against monsters and the like, the place was never really built to withstand a full on invasion by enemy Adventurers." She sighs to herself, "It doesn't help that some of our strongest fighters got caught-out by scout groups. Yuuki and I had to hold the line while people retreated."

As he tries to straighten himself, Miki finally lets her hands settle back down, adjusting the blanket around her shoulders. "Well, I guess my first priority is getting a new pair of boots. I can probably find some basic ones in town, but I'll want to stop at Gwen's shop to get something more permanent." She explains, suggesting a likely next destination of Alne.

"Some of the Alliance are falling back to Dun Lorieag, since we've got some holdings there. Others are moving toward Eas to help defend there. As for where to go, I... don't really know." She offers a helpless shrug. "They could strike anywhere, and right now, we don't have a plan for how to deal with them, much less how to take back what was lost."

"I mean... yeah, I'd be sitting in the church waiting for you to return right now." He agrees, bumping his cheek against her fingers as she touches him. One hand coming up to touch the back of her own. "Stupid jerk Palace Landers." He adds, pouting a bit, noticing how she's trying to distract him, and letting her do so.

As he hands drift back down, he takes hold of them, holding hands with her as they talk. "That sounds like some really bad luck on the timing. But it's good the majority of people still managed to get away." He remarks, releasing her hands so she can adjust that blanket of hers, then takes them back once more.

"Yeah, let's stop at Gwen's place. I think I still have some of your old boots from last year in my inventory, from when you were fitting the new ones." He proposes to her. "But let's take this one step at a time. We don't know their plan yet. But it looks like they've been focusing on Alne and this place. I think they'll go for Alne next, based on their movements so far."

"I hope you don't have to do that anytime soon but..." Mikage has accepted the fact that there is a very real possibility that she could end up dying during this conflict. It's just part of the realities of war. "At least it's not permanent. Even if we don't know exactly what effect it has." Some of Merek's unusual behavior is enough to have her suspecting that death isn't quite so innocent a thing.

She can't offer him any reassurances that she won't die. That's just not how this world works. If it was a permanent loss, maybe she'd be more thoughtful about it, but right now, all she does is lightly toy with the pendant at her neck. She did that a lot when feeling anxious about things.

"You kept my old boots?" This draws a surprised laugh from her, drawing her thoughts back to him almost immediately. "I mean, I guess it's a good thing but... you're supposed to be a cat, not a pack-rat." She teases.

Having generally considered Merek to be mentally unstable even at the start of it all, Cyrus hasn't paid as much attention to the man's antics and any changes to him. The youth rolls his shoulders for a moment and rubs his hands along his sides, finally releasing her.

"Of course. I figured there was a chance that something like this would happen. You know me - I like to be prepared. At least one of every antidote, and least two of every level of potion..." He explains to her, motioning his hand as he explains this. He knows she can't make him such assurances, so he's trying his best not to mention or go into that topic. He doesn't want to put her on the spot.

"At least one of every piece of clothing, just incase you randomly decide to get naked and forget where you put your clothes?" Mikage replies, laughter in her voice. While he may be mister 'always prepared', Miki tends to fly by the seat of her pants more often than not.

"I mean, if that's the case, maybe you should be a bit less prepared from time to time." The girl teases. They may have become an 'official' couple, at least so far as those monitoring the 'Shipping Board' are concerned, but Miki had not been in any great rush to bridge /that/ hurdle as of yet. She's probably just continuing to tease him. "Well, I probably need a refill on potions after today. And we lost the herb farm. Thankfully it is still a few months before it would be ready to harvest anyways, but... it puts us at a disadvantage."

"You never know if an enemy decides they can break through the System Protection on players and steals the armor off of our bodies!" Cyrus answers Mikage, crossing his arms a bit. "It could happen!"

He then relaxes and lowers his arms again, putting them at his hips. "Maybe. Maybe." He then adds in regards to being less prepared. "But right now, I rather be over-prepared with this nonsense going on." He adds onto that. "Let's get some potions refilled. The triage hall seems to be fine at this point. Nothing critical happening. So let's get going before the markets get bogged down."

Mikage doesn't try to refute his statement, even if the idea of someone utilizing one of those unusual abilities to do such a thing is hilarious. The girl just smirks, reclaiming her cup of tea and scratching Rama on the head, "Come on, buddy. Time to get up."

The cat hurrfms and slowly gets to his feet while Mikage nods, taking the blanket off of her shoulders, draining the last of the tea, and then looking to Cyrus. "Not just the markets, but the ships to other Kingdoms, as well. I hate ships, but I'd rather be on one that doesn't have refugees packed in like sardines."

With that, she reaches for his hand, ready to head off to perform some Market and Transportation PvP.