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Post by hoodwink on Feb 10, 2019 10:13:30 GMT -5
In the middle of a small clearing emerged a pool of darkness.
A tall portal opened, allowing a tall figure to come into being. Their face was shrouded by a blue hood, their body mostly covered by the unbuttoned blue jacket. Just as quickly as the portal had arrived it vanished, leaving no sign of its existence. Damn... it's hot. The Vagabond glanced around at his new surroundings.
Tall skinny trees loomed around him, the leaves and heat causing him to realize he was somewhere tropical. "To think, the Heartless can reach even a place this bright..." His dull green eyes squinted from beneath the hood, his face twisting into a grimace. I hate bright places.
He had heard rumors of a world where it was troublesome to even avoid the Heartless, but he had hardly gathered much more information. He couldn't have. His recent project had fallen to shambles faster than he had anticipated. Without a fresh source, his endeavors would be fruitless.
In the middle of the clearing was a small grassy platform, but not much else. To his left it seemed the tall trees formed a winding tunnel that would go on forever, but towards his right he could faintly hear the sound of running water. Suddenly the mans throat felt dry and he couldn't help but lick his lips. "I suppose you can't work hard if you're thirsty..." A small smile broke out on his shaded face.
With the decision made, the wandering vagrant went to the path on the right, hoping to find the source of water.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 12, 2019 6:57:12 GMT -5
Tori groaned, slowly recovering conscience. It felt as if she'd hit her head so hard, it kept imitating the impact over and over again. It was annoying.
She looked around, sobbing her head to try and soothe it. Water, trees, and all sorts of green... But it lacked the sense of familiarity. Tori wasn't home anymore.
"Wha... Hey!" she shouted, standing up quickly, ignoring the constant thudding, "Neku! Where...?"
Looking around, Tori noticed she was alone. She looked lost, and even nervous once the thought crossed her mind. Was she stuck there? And where was she?
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 12, 2019 11:44:44 GMT -5
Freckles of sunlight pierced the shade, settling upon the resting vagabond, who currently slumped beneath a tall thick tree. He was resting in the Lagoon, his belly full of fresh water and sweet fruit, enjoying the sight of the hippos lazily floating. He admired them, for they seemed to him an image of this worlds light. Pure creatures without a trace of dark, slumbering in peace. It brought him at ease. Though this is really the only peaceful place...
On his way to this sanctuary he had stumbled upon dozens of the Heartless, though minor ones. The real issue had been the jaguar he had come across. He could sense it here on this world, a large presence of darkness. There was certainly an imbalance, considering this spot was one of the only safe havens he had come across so far. Though smaller and weak, the sheer amount of heartless here was worrying.
"Perhaps there aren't enough guardians on this land..." The thought perturbed his mood, a grimace forming on his face. Suddenly there was a faint echo, in this sanctuary surrounded by tall trees and the chirping birds one could barely hear it. The vagabond lifted his head, shrouded by his steel blue jacket hood, waiting to listen. He heard a faint shout again, this time his whole body jumping up. Are there people here...? He hadn't come across a single soul in this jungle so far.
The Vagabond decided he would return to this lagoon at some point, but began to seek out the source of the shouting. Wandering out the way he had come, he wove through the trees, avoiding the main paths. He made his way back towards the clearing he had originally emerged in. Standing in the clearing was a tall girl, whom he assumed had been the one shouting.
"Hail, Jungolian!" The Vagabond stumbled out from the trees into the clearing, nearly tripping over a root from one of them. Once in the clearing he dusted himself off, raising a peace sign on both hands. "I come in peace! Peace! See?" The vagabond removed his hood, revealing his messy brown hair and dull green eyes, which were currently squinting in the sunlight. He missed the shade of the lagoon already. Once adjusted to the sunlight, he smiled at the girl, his face covered in stubble from the lack of a razor.
"I heard shouting so I thought you might be in trouble, but it seems you're alright." He glanced around the clearing, which was currently empty other than the two of them. There were no Heartless or jaguars in sight. He glanced over at the girl, crossing his arms over his chest and holding a finger to his chin in thought. "Why were you shouting?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 12, 2019 12:15:31 GMT -5
By the time a man arrived to her location, Tori had already stood up, and was looking around at the unfamiliar scenery around her. She was worried about Neku, not knowing where he was. Not only that... Her recollection of memories seemed... Foggy. She shook her head, trying to focus on what was important at the time. And that was to find a way back home.
When she heard someone talking to her, she turned towards them, quite shocked to see people in such a thick jungle. And she was even more confused when he called her "Jungolian"... Was he mistaking her for an inhabitant of that world?
"Uhh..." Tori babbled a bit, "I'm... Not from this world. And apparently, neither are you... At least, I'm guessing" she took a while before answering to her question, "I was calling for a friend, but... Doesn't look like they're around here... Which means, I'm on my own for now."
She noticed the beard, and chuckled a bit seeing just how large it looked. Tori patted her belt, seeing that, aside from her broadsword, she also had her regular Hunter kit, which included a sharp knife, a few potions, some rope, and a couple matches. She grabbed the knife, played a bit with a smirk, before showing it to him.
"Maybe you wanna get rid of that? It is pretty hot here... The less you've got the better, I'd say" she teased.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 12, 2019 12:34:26 GMT -5
The Vagabond listened to the girls babbling, nodding his head thoughtfully all the while. It appeared she was not from this world, not only that, but she also seemed to know about the existence of other worlds as well. Is she someone important... like those I met at Radiant Garden? He knew there were individuals with pure hearts who protected worlds that weren't their own, though he didn't expect to stumble upon any here in this jungle.
If this girl knows about the worlds and the world order... He broke away from his thoughts as she offered out a small knife for him. The comment about the beard focused his attention on the fact that the sun was pouring down on them from above, the heat certainly uncomfortable on his face, which he had not noticed was sweating from the beard. He offered a thanks as he took the blade, trimming his facial hair to a short stubble.
The fresh air felt good on his face. It had been some time since he had had the opportunity to shave. Wandering vagrants often had to forgo such luxuries. He offered the blade back to the girl, hilt first of course, smiling brightly. "Thanks! It certainly does help!" He wondered who this girl was, as well as the friend that was missing. Were these two going to bring about a balance to the overteaming darkness that seemed to nestle itself here?
"Well, since you helped me, I feel obliged to help you. If you'd like, we can search for your friend!" Suddenly, he realized that he had hardly introduced himself, or learned this girls name. "...what's your name?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 12, 2019 12:43:08 GMT -5
Tori grabbed the knife by the hilt, played a bit with it before saving it back in its case, and looked teasing at the man. It was a bit rare to interact with a grown man when Tori was so used to dealing with people her age, even in mature matters like deals and hunts.
"Eh, you're welcome" she said, raising her head a bit with a smirk, "I mean, at the very least... I can borrow a knife to someone who needs it... Well, except if they're Headhunters... Then I might not."
She looked around, not exactly looking at anything in particular. When he heard his offer to help her find Neku, she thought about it a while. Maybe she could find a way back home, with him... But after so much time being chased after, she was a bit skeptical, not trusty enough to go along with him. She'd have to keep an eye, or maybe even draw her sword against him... She'd keep that in mind just in case.
"...My name?" Tori looked shocked, since she wasn't expecting such a simple question, "Uhh... Sure, I guess... It's Tori. Hunter trainee at Sakura Island. What's your name?" she asked back.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 12, 2019 13:41:52 GMT -5
"Tori..." The Vagabond said the name aloud. It helped him remember them.
At the mention of 'head hunters' his attention had been piqued, though he would wait on his questions for now. It was rude to ask strangers questions about themselves, in his opinion. You had to get to know someone first. Build a report or connection of sorts. Sakura Island... that must be her home world. He had never heard of it. When asked for his own name, the vagabond merely looked up towards the sky, seemingly in thought.
"Don't have one... or... well, I may have forgotten it? The point is, I don't need one." The Vagabond brandished another award-winning smile, waving his hands as though to push away the question. He glanced around the area, his eyes narrowing slightly. He looked back at Tori, deciding to tread the waters and see how much this girl knew about what he was after.
"So... Tori, if you're from another world... do you know about the Heartless?" He hoped that the question wasn't too odd. If this girl didn't know much about why he was here or what he was after, he would simply play it off as a jungle superstition or local rumor of sorts. If she does know, though... There was a chance that this girl could be exactly the kind of help he was looking for.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 12, 2019 13:51:05 GMT -5
Tori tilted her head, a bit as he shouted her name aloud, and a bit more when he mentioned the lack of a name. There was a name echoing inside his head at all times, but... It definitely didn't seem his, but someone else's. Maybe something to keep in mind for later... Who knew? Maybe it'd get her an advantage. But the case was that, in battle, knowing how to refer to him was needed.
"Might be a habit of mines, and not sure if it's a good or bad one, but..." Tori frowned, "Kinda need a name to call you for. I mean, how are you going to fight alongside someone who's not gonna even give you any sort of calling card or whatever?" she asked, smirking.
As he mentioned the Heartless, and seeing that he was indeed from another world, due to the fact that he was aware that the place she'd mentioned was a different world, she glared a bit, lowering her hand up to her sword's handle, just in case it was a trap. One could never be too careful.
"And what if I do?" she asked back, "Why exactly are you so concentrated in the Heartless?" her eyes turned a vivid purple, and Tori glared a bit more, "Messing around with the darkness for so long will lead you nowhere. And you won't find the answers you believe you'll find. So it's best if you don't mess around with the unknown."
Tori flinched, and shook her head, noticing she'd talked without making any sense. At least, not to her. Still with one hand close to her sword's handle, Tori grabbed her head with her free hand, shaking it a bit.
"The hell...? Sheesh, I'm still doing that...?" she asked, laughing a bit uneasily.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 12, 2019 14:05:10 GMT -5
The Vagabond stood with his arms crossed, his head lowered in thought as Tori mentioned needing something to call him by. "Hm... that does make sense..." He glanced around for some sort of inspiration and found... none. With a sigh he scratched the back of his head with his gloved hand, tilting his head to the side a bit. "Hm... I suppose you could call me a vagrant of sorts... a vagabond, if you would." He smiled as though that were the most normal answer in the world.
Once Tori's eyes flashed a different color and her hand rested near the hilt of her sword, the vagabond realized he might indeed be coming off as a suspicious type of character. It wasn't until the girl began to rant about darkness and unknown things that the vagabond's brows perked up. Just what is this girl...? What does she know...? After seeing how she recovered from such a spectacle, the Vagabond wondered if it was an act of her own accord or not.
The Vagabond decided it was best to push these awkward matters aside with a light chuckle and pointed at the girls gloved hand. "Hey, you rock one glove, too. Cool." He smiled, remembering the distrust she showed a moment before. "I'm just curious, not everyone knows about them. Since you said you were from another world, I was wondering if you might know more about them than I do." He waved his hands in front of him. "I didn't mean any harm by it, honest. I'm just here doing some research is all."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 12, 2019 14:20:17 GMT -5
Hearing his comment about her glove, Tori quickly looked away, refusing to talk about it. She had a feeling he wanted to drive the conversation to something else, but she was reluctant to talk any further. Especially after what she said without thinking.
"It's happening a bit too often for my liking..." she thought, "It's gonna get me in trouble one day, for sure..."
Hearing him talk about his research, yet not knowing what exactly it was about, Tori let go of her head for a bit, still not removing her hand from the reach of her sword. However, she did come up with something to call him for, that wasn't exactly "Vagabond" or "Vagrant".
"So you're looking for info? About the Heartless?" Tori asked, a bit monotonely, "Heh... You're probably the stupidest Stalker I've met yet..." she sighed, still not looking at him completely, "...Alright, I'll lend you a hand. If it's info you want, then I guess it won't hurt. Who knows? Maybe you can help me find a way back home. So, where to next, Stalker?"
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 12, 2019 14:50:42 GMT -5
The Vagabond released a sigh of relief, it seemed he was cleared of suspicion... or at least not about to get wailed on by this girl and the sword at her hip. That was a good start. Happy that she had decided on a sufficient title, he believed they could be on their way. The sun was continuing to stretch throughout the clear blue sky, he was ready to continue his exploration of this world.
It seemed Tori knew a bit about the Heartless, at least enough to not have any questions about them or seem afraid. That would be sufficient. The Vagabond pointed towards the direction of the lagoon he had been resting in earlier. "You may have noticed, or not, there's a large amount of Heartless that appear on this world. I've sensed a large presence of darkness in this jungle. I'm not sure where it is exactly but I can sense it deeper in towards this direction."
The Lagoon had sheltered him well but what he had really found valuable about the spot was the vines that hung above it. "We should delve deeper into the jungle and try to see what's causing all of this darkness. There isn't enough light on this world..." The Vagabond wasn't only focused on this task, however. It was his belief that if they found the source of the darkness, they may also find new supplies for his projects. "Who knows, maybe we'll even find some clues on how to get you back to your island."
He began walking in the direction of the Lagoon, hoping that Tori would follow suit. He intended to bring her to the treetops, where all of the vines spread throughout the jungle. From there the two could easily swing from vine to vine throughout the jungle, hunting for the source of darkness.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 13, 2019 1:25:31 GMT -5
Tori simply nodded and followed at a distance. The comment about the Heartless didn't surprise her whatsoever, seeing that, back home, there was an unusually large amount of refugees from other worlds. Yet... Her world was already safe, thanks to her.
Seeing that she could recall something that simple made her sigh in relief. If she could just collect her thoughts like that, then maybe she'd be able to clear her head faster than what she'd thought.
"So, Stalker..." Tori said aloud, "Any reason why you're researching the Heartless? I gotta admit, it is risky for someone to do that. But that's just my opinion."
Tori aimed to dive deeper within his memories, seeing that they were already exposed to the front. Faint touches, nothing that could screw things up or mess his head. She was just curious, like usual.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 13, 2019 9:52:38 GMT -5
Sun pierced through the trunks of thin tropical trees, creating zigzagging patterns throughout the shaded path the two walked down. The Vagabond had removed his hooded jacket and tied it around his waist, as the jungle heat was nothing to scoff at. He stretched his arms and glanced back towards Tori, who had begun to ask him about his research.
"Ah, well..." His dull eyes found the treetops, tracing the lines to which they bordered the sky, which had not a single cloud in it. "My research actually focuses more on the heart itself... the Heartless have become a focus point because they perturb a balance." Suddenly, he held up his left hand, going stiff. He motioned for Tori to stop moving. "Wait... I hear something..."
The Vagabond crouched low, his tall and broad form making it a little difficult for him to be stealthy. Ducking off to the side of the path, he hid behind some of the taller bushes that lined the forest floor. Motioning for Tori to do the same, there were crunching sounds coming from their right. Coming down the path from ahead, barreling over some of the thinner trees as it went, was a large chameleon like Heartless. Its eyes rolled around in its head profusely, never seeming to pinpoint what exactly it was looking for.
Its body was black and purple, covered by swirling dark energy that leaked off it like a sort of gas. It was very large. The Vagabond suddenly had a wicked smile on his face. It was a look of excitement. Now THAT would be a sturdy subject! The thought caused his own heart to race. He bristled with excitement and anticipation. Turning to Tori, he smiled broadly.
"I'm gonna try and catch that! Want to help?"
Without fully waiting for an answer the Vagabond was off, attempting to stealthily follow the large chameleon Heartless. Unfortunately for him, he was not the stealthiest of types. With a loud snap of a branch breaking beneath his shoed foot, the hulking chameleon heartless whipped around to find the goofy man behind it. With a roar it shot its tongue out, just as the Vagabond jumped to the side, crushing a large crater into the earth where he had been standing moments before.
"Geez... its strong..." A hint of worry betrayed the Vagabonds confidence in his tone, though his hands formed tight fists at his sides. Raising his hands, mocking a boxing pose that he typically saw fighters adorn before a fight, the Vagabond squared off in front of this gigantic Heartless.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 13, 2019 10:15:31 GMT -5
Tori simply looked uneasy at the man, frowning a bit seeing that he researched the heart itself, which was even a more complex topic to begin with... She couldn't help but rely on her ability to see their memories as they came by. And they were certainly exposed.
"Why are you so focused on them...?" she wondered to herself, silent, and, after seeing the memories within him, she stopped a bit, "What...? But... So, you're acting as someone who you're not... Why...?"
Her thoughts were interrupted as he raised his hand, alerting her of the danger ahead. Out of instinct, Tori crouched, and looked forward. A Heartless, large and a bit hard to actually notice, but it was there nonetheless. She glared, resting her hand on the sword's handle, ready to attack. It wouldn't be her first time fighting a Heartless, or even an enemy as large as it.
Tori was shocked after seeing the smile of the man, and even more so when he tried to approach it. Lacking in skill, he was caught in sight immediately, and forced to dodge aside. The tongue aimed further, and, with a quick enough reflex, Tori parried the attack with her blade, at the cost of losing it to the Heartless' grasp. Having nothing but her magic and the small knife, that may we add wasn't meant for fighting, Tori clicked her tongue in frustration.
"You dumbass. What were you thinking?!" she shouted, grabbing the knife as a means to parry, "Haa... I hate taking things on my own for people as stupid as you, y'know that...? Dumb Stalker..."
Tori glared at the Heartless, which was now aiming for her. Grabbing her knife firmly, and trusting on her senses, Tori held her free hand forward, imitating the shape of a gun, before shouting her spell. Three light bullets shot from the tip of her finger, aimed directly at the Heartless' eyes.
"Ruinga!"
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 13, 2019 10:34:46 GMT -5
The Vagabond watched as Tori's blade was wrested from her grip, gritting his teeth. He certainly didn't intend on going at this thing head-on, as its raw power seemed terrifying. The light blasts Tori conjured blasted into the chameleon's eyes, causing the Heartless to scream out in pain as it lashed around on all sides, blinded. The Vagabond believed now was his chance.
With a yell, the Vagabond ran directly towards the Heartless. He raised one of his fists, running almost as though to punch the giant creature. As he flung his fist forward however, there was a darkness pooling from the mans back. A gigantic fist made of darkness emerged from the spot on his back, a large arm protruding out of his back as though a wing. The gigantic fist connected with the Heartless, punching it out of the two's way and into the jungle trees.
The Vagabond rushed after the Heartless, a second arm of darkness emerging from his own back. The two gigantic hands pushed against the ground, sending the Vagabond through the air as he leapt towards the chameleon. Pouncing on top of it, the large hands began to clamp down around the chameleons neck and tail, trying to pin it down. If only I could extract the heart here! The Vagabond was sweating, despite being only in his graphic tee, mostly from nervousness.
Heartless were always unpredictable. This made them dangerous. Every time he had ever tried to capture one alive it led to his near death. That wouldn't stop the young man, however, as he continued to wrestle with the chameleon for a moment before being thrown off, tossed aside back onto the jungle path with a rough thump. The large arms of darkness disappeared from the Vagabond's back as he sat up, rubbing his head.
"Whew... it's stronger than I thought..." Maybe he had overestimated his own capabilities... or severely underestimated this Heartless!
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 13, 2019 10:44:24 GMT -5
After casting Ruinga, Tori saw just how reckless the man was. Less shocked about the dark hands coming from his back, and more concerned about his approach, Tori was clearly dumbfound. And that was a first for her... At this rate, she didn't expect to be the one finishing the job...
She just jumped out of the way, and grabbed onto a nearby branch, calculating her next approach while also dodging out of the Heartless' way. She noticed that her sword was now lying on the ground, a bit slimy but still unable. She let go of the branch and jumped down to the ground, ran towards the sword, grabbed it, and jumped back up, above the chameleon Heartless.
"Out of the way, Stalker!" she shouted, weighting the sword behind her, and dropping with all of her strength down onto the chameleon, "Leave the job to professionals, rookie!" she added, a bit playful.
Tori did a sommersault above the Heartless, her sword aiming to end the fight. She dropped right behind the Heartless, hoping to have at least done something. If not, the water slowly raising behind her would definitely secure it. Tori awaited for any sights of further fighting as she readed her Flood spell, grabbing onto the slimy sword tightly, a bit disgusted by it, too.
"I just hope I can clean it afterwards... I'm glad I upgraded it with a bit of Gemsteel, though. Pays off not having it to rust..." she thought, catching her breath back.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 13, 2019 11:04:23 GMT -5
The Vagabond had never seen this type of Heartless. This must've been what that man had warned him about on Radiant Garden, how stronger hearts that turn to darkness can cause there to be particular Heartless on varying worlds. What was his name again...? The thought fell from his mind as he glanced up at Tori's shout for him to move.
Scrambling out of the way, the Vagabond watched in slight awe as the girl flew through the air and impaled the large Chameleon straight through the back. The Heartless didn't even have time to cry out in anguish as it evaporated into darkness - its existence extinguished as easily as a candle flame.
The Vagabond was torn. On one hand, he was grateful to be alive and impressed at this young girls battle experience. On the other hand, now he was out of one very rare test subject, in his opinion. With a sigh he forced a smile, as he did not want to be rude, looking over at Tori while brushing himself off of dirt and grass. "Thanks, I certainly would have been in trouble if you weren't there!" He scratched the back of his head, grateful for the breeze that passed through.
"I suppose I do need a better method of catching..." If only he had some device he could fire or throw at the creatures, capturing them and causing them to be in a state of fealty. What kind of world would have that, I wonder... He crossed his arms and looked at his ally. She was certainly good with her blade and seemed to know a deal of magic, from the rays of light and shifting water he saw during the fight.
"Do you normally always kill them?" There was a slight grimace on his face, though he waved his hands nonchalantly. "Typically I try and take the strong ones alive." The grimace had shifted to a dreamy smile, his dull eyes not sparkling in the slightest beneath the messy mop of hazelnut hair on his head.
"Those are the ones that show real promise."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 13, 2019 12:01:37 GMT -5
Seeing the Heartless dissapear, Tori dismissed the Flood spell into the air, causing a small rain to fall before quickly evaporating. In a sense, the cold water did help her recover the energy lost in battle, if only a little.
She then did a bit of swordplay before saving the sword back in its sheath, simply dismissing the thanks directed towards her. Tori felt a bit frustrated seeing that the man himself, while strong in will, was lacking in brute strength to actually fight and defend his ground. She let out a slightly irritated sigh, as the thought of becoming his chaperon became somewhat apparent.
"Why wouldn't I?" she asked back at his question regarding the Heartless, "I know they're people, but... They're suffering. They fell to their own darkness, and have no way to return to the light. By defeating them... By releasing their hearts..." once again, Tori's eyes changed to purple, "They have another chance of returning to life... Detaching themselves from their memories to return to another life..."
She shook her head once more, and quickly noticed what he'd said about "taking the strong ones alive", and almost jumped in shock. Tori looked at the man wide-eyed, trying to get a good grasp on what he'd just say. Was he actually keen on catching them?
"Hold on, did I hear right?!" she asked, "The hell... Where, in your sane head, is that okay?! They're Heartless! They act on instinct?! There's no way in hell you can get one without getting killed yourself, Stalker. Get a grip!"
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 13, 2019 12:21:06 GMT -5
Hm...
The Vagabond listened to Tori, pondering what she said over the 'releasing' of a heart. It was true that once defeated, the vanquished hearts were 'freed' in a sense, but not in a sense that let him capture them. He had tried many times to see if he could obtain the lost heart of a Heartless through sheer force, but the heart always vanished. It was because of this he had started taking test subjects alive.
He waved a dismissive hand at Tori's objections to his research. He was used to individuals reacting this way -- most did. "It is rather difficult, sure..." With a shrug he brushed himself off and stretched, reaching for the sky. It was important to stretch after exerting oneself physically. "But without the right tool, the hearts simply vanish... poof!" He sighed.
Scratching the back of his head, the Vagabond pointed down the path the two had been walking down before the battle. "It seems we're headed the right way, at least." He was sure that if that large Heartless came from that direction, it was closer to the source. He glanced at Tori, who had already shown exemplary battle tactics and couldn't help but worry for his research.
"How about this... we can fight any that we come across on our way deeper into the jungle... but if we find a source to the darkness on this world... I need your word that you'll let me study or capture it before killing whatever is doing it! In exchange, afterwards, I'll help you find your friend!"
The Vagabond stuck out his gloved left hand to the girl, looking her in the eye and hoping she would accept these terms. She was a valuable ally, but he needed to prioritize the results of his research before anything else. These were the fairest terms he could think of for the time being.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 13, 2019 12:32:43 GMT -5
Tori heard his excuse, and his offer. She groaned a bit, seeing as her thought just became a reality. The man aimed to capture and research the Heartless at a closer look, but why? Were those memories of his that important? They didn't seem to be... Or maybe they were. Maybe they were the reason BEHIND his research. Tori couldn't be sure.
But there was one thing she was sure of. She wasn't going to accept his terms.
"I don't need your help to find Neku, thanks" she replied, sternly, "And I definitely don't need YOUR word to know when it's necessary to fight! I don't care if your aim is to research the heart, but the moment you mess with the Heartless, you're out for good. No one's gonna save you from them if they grab your heart. In fact... You don't look so different from them yourself..." she added.
Tori took a step back, and glared at the man with clear distrust. It was clear that she aimed for answers, not abstract ideas or lies. This time, she was going to get what she wanted from him.
"IF, and only if, I go with you, who's to say you're not gonna stab me in the back, huh?" Tori asked, almost coldly, "And even worse: who's to say what you'll do with that research? Do you aim to make allies with the Heartless? They act on instinct, remember? The moment you lose heart, they'll stab you back, no second thoughts. And I don't need to see that to know how they are. I've been fighting them for a while now. And I can say for certain it's not pleasant" Tori finished, "So, right now, you have two options: either you give me explicite answers to your motives, or..." she got in a defensive stance, "I kill you where you stand."
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