hiii i know this blog has been on hiatus for almost a year now but i got a very sweet comment on ao3 reminiscing about an old isa fic i once wrote so i’m posting it here for them <3
originally written: 3/31/16
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Night is quickly falling on the new world. Isa’s been wrapped up in the process of crafting weaponry for her people since Jesse and her crew left for their home. Milo and his club have been charged with the task of building shelters, but their work is slow going. Only a handful of them know how to craft, after all, though the rest lend a hand in collecting resources.
The first mob spawn is a creeper, and the alarm spreads like fire amongst the citizens of Sky City. Isa’s on it in a second, blade ending the monster’s life before it can explode. The people shuffle around anxiously, those without swords hiding behind those that have them.
“Milo, keep your group on the shelters, I want them done immediately. We need torches as well.” Milo salutes her before turning to give orders to his team. “If you do not have a weapon, take one from the stack by the crafting table.” She motions towards where she had been previously working, and a couple of people hesitantly pick up weapons, unsure what to do with them. Isa nods approvingly. “Good. Now, observe.”
Turning her back to the crowd, she scans the area for a monster. She squints against the darkness until one of the Builders plops a torch in the ground next to her. A spider scuttles into the light and gasps rise from behind Isa. The spider lunges, but Isa raises her sword and slashes out at it, throwing it backwards into a tree. It poofs into nothing, and this time murmurs start up behind her.
A zombie lumbers up behind a man on the side of the group opposite Isa, who shouts for him to move. He seems paralyzed, and the woman to his right springs into action, running her wooden sword through the monster. Her eyes are wide and frightened, as if she hadn’t expected to do that, and she rips the sword out and stumbles backwards. She lands on her butt, sword out of reach. The zombie’s head turns to look at her. Everyone is at a standstill minus Isa, who has effortlessly crossed the crowd, standing near enough to the fallen woman she recalls to be named Alice to offer aid should she need it.
“Defend her!” Her voices cuts through the night as the zombie returns to the senses it has and steps towards Alice. Isa’s hand tightens on her blade, waiting to see if anyone moves.
Another girl, weaponless, shoves the zombie with all her might, sending it toppling to the ground away from Alice. A man with a sword spears the zombie through the head and it goes up in smoke. The heroes help Alice stand and Isa approaches them, a smile on her face.
“That is how you protect each other. That is how we are going to have to live from now on. We must watch out for one another,” she says, looking at the trio but speaking to everyone. She puts a hand on Alice’s shoulder. “Why did you do what you did, Alice?”
A flush runs across Alice’s cheeks as all eyes move to her. “Because the monster would have gotten him if I hadn’t hit it.”
“And how did you know what to do?”
Her brow furrows, dark brown bangs falling across her face as she tilts her head. “I...don’t know. I just did it.”
Isa nods. “That is called instinct. Instinct is important when fighting, as important as training. You will have to learn how to adapt to any and all new situations we may come across.” The crowd watches her with rapt attention, though a few keep their eyes on the darkness that presses in on them. The dim light of torches only keeps away so many mobs.
“Founder!” Milo calls.
“Isa,” Isa corrects him, looking over her shoulder at him. “Yes?”
Milo strikes a pose in front of the newly constructed dirt huts. The Build Club members poke their heads out of the window gaps, wide grins on their faces. “You requested shelter?”
Hushed chatter and gasps fill the air. Isa studies the huts, a small smile on her face. They don’t compare to Sky City, but they are the start of a new life. She finds that she is more excited than she anticipated.
“Lovely work. Let us sleep tonight. Tomorrow we will put together training regimens--”
Milo groans loud enough to halt her words, and she frowns at him.
“What?”
“Jesse said no more schedules, remember? We play it by ear.”
Isa purses her lips, arms crossed. Citizens fill the houses, skirting around her to get to safety. “That is not how I remember her advice, but very well. We will deal with this in the morning, then.”
Benedict, who had been safely tucked away in one of the early built houses so that she would be safe, clucks and runs circles around Isa’s feet. She smiles fondly and scoops up her small companion.
“Come, Benedict. We have an...interesting life ahead of us.”
