Chapter 154: Relatives
Coop was standing out in the open, exposed without his ethereal equipment, wearing nothing but his under armor. Behind him, serving as his backdrop, there was a wingless plane fuselage still connected to a partially collapsed jet bridge, sitting on large flattened tires. The derelict was providing the nearest but limited shade. Coop had moved out of the way, toward the side of the airport terminals with the least activity, so that he could be hosed down, like he was some kind of muddy dog that wouldn’t be allowed inside until he was properly cleaned. Rather than grooming, it was more like he was a little kid playing among lawn sprinklers as evidenced by his giggling.
The warm water was a relief compared to the hot sun beating down on his shoulders and the heat radiating from the paved ground. The airport really lacked proper vegetation. All of the black tarmac of the intersecting runways magnified the warmth far beyond comfortable levels. In Coop’s opinion, Empress City needed a proper landscaper as soon as possible, before the residents had to suffer through the actual summer heat without the ocean breeze to provide relief. No wonder people had been miserable in the settlement. Being uncomfortable would have that effect on Coop as well.
After working through the morning and well into the day, hauling construction materials for the residents of Empress City, he ended up covered in sweat, dirt, and dust. He had even received a new affliction for a short period, called Overheating, that reduced all of his stats by 10% and added a minor HP drain until it expired. The affliction dropped off as soon as he took a break, and the drain on his health hadn’t been able to overcome his passive regeneration, but it was still a clear indicator that he was overdoing it. A simple dip into the canals at the golf course had given him some small solace after all of the fighting, but it didn’t compare to a proper shower. When it was break time at the airport, Charlie had been forced to take charge.
The Aeromancer had established her light healing rain with the intention of dousing Coop and letting him rinse off, but it really only managed to moisten his skin. No matter how much Coop encouraged her, she wasn’t willing to try one of her water blades, even if he blocked it with his shield, to see if it would splash, because she was scared that she would actually hurt him. Not even suggesting she aim for less vital areas was enough to convince her to give it a shot.
The pair managed to attract attention to themselves as they faced the dilemma of cleansing Coop together, with Coop trying to hype her up into launching more spells at him. It didn’t take long before random residents of Empress City had taken notice and joined in on the fun. Most were merely spectating the so-called legendary Nomad from the shade as he was splashed with water from various magical abilities.
“C’mon! Is that all you’ve got?” He taunted after a level 36 Blue Mage blasted him with a skill that summoned a person-sized tidal wave that rushed forward from her raised hand. He flicked his dripping hair out of his eyes and gestured with both hands for her to bring it on.
“I’m out of mana!” She complained with a disappointed laugh. The gathered crowd jeered at the latest individual to tap out while the next person tagged in.
A level 32 Hydropriest who channeled a jet of water from both hands enthusiastically took his turn. Coop laughed as a stream of water splashed against him, quickly turning around and spreading his arms so that it would collide with his back before it lost pressure. The residents had turned Coop’s rinsing into a game with his continued encouragement. They were essentially practicing with their abilities, not trying to hurt him, but learning to control some of their skills.
At least with water, it was all fun and games. Coop could probably do the same with other elements, given the level disparity and his formidable magic defense, but being doused with flames wouldn’t be nearly as delightful. In his opinion, they already had too much fear of him, and seeing him walk through flames or lightning would just compound the issue. They’d lived under leaders who relied on fear for too long already. Coop was inadvertently offering the opposite, introducing them to his own casual management style with his antics. As the founder of The Lighthouse faction, he was essentially the definitive ambassador, and they would be living within his territory, so his example would be noteworthy.
The fact that the atmosphere was so light-hearted was a welcome surprise to him. On some level, he knew it was his own influence permeating to those playing along, but it wasn’t something he had been consciously pursuing. His actions were a lot more selfish than that, where he simply wanted to have his own positive experiences and he was in a position that he couldn’t really be stopped from being unserious. The fact that others saw his sometimes whimsical behavior as an opportunity to join in was a simple bonus, or at most a side effect. Then the additional consequence that it alleviated some of their stress was essentially a happy accident. He was just the one to break the ice.
Turning what should have been a quick rinse into a carnival game dunk tank hadn’t been planned. If it was, they could have sold tickets, but instead they had ended up with a small crowd of people who were taking their own breaks from a day and a half of picking up the pieces of their settlement. Coop respected that these people were oddly resilient despite expectations. They had to be. They made it through the apocalypse despite not being able to take their fates into their own hands prior to that point. They kept riding the scenarios out, dealing with the changing developments with a quiet, dogged persistence that overcame their traumas. It seemed like a few recognized the extra chance they were being given by the sweeping changes that were taking place and they were embracing the shift.
The settlement of Empress City was still laying out its foundation, but the shape was already becoming clear. Coop had ended up helping residents as they concentrated on establishing a whole series of large administrative buildings along the roads that led into the pickup and drop off area of the airport, where the civilization shard was situated.