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Post by hoodwink on Feb 13, 2019 12:50:19 GMT -5
The Vagabond couldn't help but groan.
This was the worst possible outcome he could have hoped for! Still, he remembered being in worse predicaments... so perhaps things weren't all bad? He looked down at the girl, who was already in a battle-ready stance, sighing heavily. "Geez... you're excited, did something good happen?" The Vagabond hated violence. Partly because he wasn't any good at it.
The Vagabond held up a single finger at Tori. "Well, for starters I can't stab you in the back -- because I don't have a sword. Unlike you." The Vagabond held up a second finger. "Two. It'd be stupid for me to try and backstab or double-cross you, we can both see the difference in our battle prowess." The Vagabond held up a third finger. "Third. Why should I tell you all about my research? I hardly know you either."
The Vagabond breathed in deeply, he didn't want to argue with this girl in the middle of a jungle path possibly riddled with enemies. What he wanted was to stealthily make their way through the jungle peacefully... and get his research completed. He looked at Tori and gave a reassuring smile.
"Look, I'm not trying to fight. All I'm saying is that trust is a two way street, you feel me? Maybe we both need to learn more about each other before marching into this blindly." He scratched the back of his head. "I can tell you that my research is highly sensitive and does have a lot to do with restoring balance between the light and the dark." He raised an eyebrow at the girl who was so ready to threaten to kill a grown man where he stood.
The Islands she comes from must be rugged...
"So, why are you here?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 13, 2019 13:06:20 GMT -5
Tori smirked, and even laughed at his naivety regarding treason and trust. Saying one can't stab someone on the back just because they lack a weapon... That must've been hilarious to hear. For a second, she wondered if, once back home, she'd say that as a joke. People would probably laugh at it for how stupid it was.
Yet despite that small moment of amusement, Tori didn't back down. When he mentioned that he had no reason to tell her about his research, her smirked only grew wider. There were things he wasn't aware of, either... And it was best so. After all, while she didn't like to use her ability, it did have some pros to it.
"Well, if you're saying that we both gotta trust each other, you're doing a crappy job for me to actually trust you" Tori mocked, "Besides, I do know more that what you think I do. I have my ways to know people around me, even if they don't like me. So whatever it is you want to hide from me, sorry, pal. But it ain't gonna work."
Her interest was peeked when he mentioned restoring the balance between light and darkness... Something about it echoed familiarity in Tori's head. It was as if... THAT was her job to begin with. Maybe... Just maybe, Chiseko and Silver knew something about it. And maybe it was also related to that...
"Why am I here?" she repeated as she was asked, "Beats me. I didn't come here on my own will. If anything, I shouldn't be here alone. And, besides, I can't exactly leave home without a permit and a ship, y'know? Travelling out like this through the space between the worlds would straight up kill me! So I don't freaking know why I'm here, but I do know that I somehow got caught in this mess you got. And, honestly..." Tori crossed her arms, bitterly, "Ya think I didn't notice the arms? When you fought that Heartless? There's something fishy about you, and I don't need to know you deep to know that. I do have an idea as for why that is, but the fact you're actually using it is what disturbs me..."
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 13, 2019 13:45:42 GMT -5
Well, she was talking now, rather than threatening to kill him. It was certainly a step in the right direction. When Tori began to talk of space travel and permits the Vagabond made a look of total confusion. She's not here of her own accord? At first the Vagabond had believed this girl to be a traveling protector of sorts, but it appeared that she was sent here against her will... or stumbled upon a means of intergalactic travel by accident.
Both incidents were peculiar to say the least.
She is certainly interesting... The Vagabond made a look of offense at the girls mention of his 'arms' and him being 'fishy'. He shook his head and wagged his finger, pointing at the girl in front of him. "You've got the wrong idea. I'm a peacekeeper." He sighed and shook his head, putting his hands on his hips. His eyes met hers and for a moment his face grew serious.
"I get it. You're suspicious." He crossed his arms in thought. He really didn't want to delve into the topic of his research much further, but he could also understand this girls perspective. Here he was, a stranger to her, with suspicious dark powers hunting down heartless. It certainly seemed like his image could get mistaken for that of one with villainous intent. He looked at her with an honest expression.
"How about this... I can't tell you all about my research... but I can tell you that it is for the sake of someone very important to me. I have to learn about how these creatures work... about the hearts they take. Now, will you help me, please?" It was time they came to a decision. The sun was beginning to lower in the sky, the shadows of the trees casting larger silhouettes. The Vagabond didn't want to be stuck in the middle of the jungle at night time, which was slowly creeping upon the two wanderers.
It was mid afternoon, the two would only have a few hours before dark. The Vagabond was sure the number of Heartless would grow to an alarming amount based on what he saw during the day alone here. It was time for them to get moving. He had to start, with or without her.
He turned towards the direction they had been heading in earlier. He glanced back at Tori. "Afterwards, we can find you a way home."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 13, 2019 13:55:04 GMT -5
Hearing him calling himself a "Peacekeeper" was a bit of a stretch, but one Tori could at least tolerate. He definitely didn't look like it, but... No point in doubting him regarding that. As for the reasons behind his research, it definitely intrigued her, but it was as if she already knew the answer. Regardless, she said nothing about it, and decided that, for the time being, it was best to follow him around. Just until she found a way back home... Or, maybe even better, found that someone that went missing right in front of her eyes...
"...Alright, you got yourself a deal" Tori stated, "Under ONE condition, though" she added, smirking, "But we can sort it out by tomorrow morning. Doesn't look like roaming around at night is gonna make much for it... Hmm... Where could be a good place to set camp, though...?" she wondered aloud.
She still had her Hunter kit, and with the couple matches she had with her, it was surely gonna last. Ad even if they didn't work, she could always use the friction trick, or maybe even make use of some flint and use the knife to start one. Survival was an easy matter for someone living with monsters like the ones in Sakura Island.
"Do you know of any place that might be out of Heartless' reach? We could set camp there" Tori said, "It's best to recover from that last fight instead of keeping up like that. You'll kill yourself exhausted, trust me."
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 13, 2019 14:38:40 GMT -5
Relieved that his life was no longer at stake, the Vagabond had to agree with his comrades point. He was tired. He had already fought many heartless when he first arrived at this world before stumbling upon his sanctuary. That's right! There certainly was a place that was sheltered from the Heartless, one he could lead them to before night fell.
Luckily the sun was still up, they had time to make it to the Lagoon.
It seemed that Tori had hardened battle experience, despite her young age. Wherever her islands were, it seemed they were hardly a normal place. This was reassuring, as it meant that the Vagabond would hardly have to do any protecting of any kind. This girl had a strong will about her and could take care of herself. That was good.
The Vagabond was terrible at protecting people.
The memory forced his face to grimace, though soon his jacket was back on and his hood shrouded his features. He turned and pointed in the direction of the Lagoon. "There's a safe place up ahead. Guardians lurk in the pools and protect it with their light." He started in the direction, his pace quick as the day began to turn to dusk. "We can camp there."
He was excited to see the hippos, his step having an extra bounce to it.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 13, 2019 14:56:43 GMT -5
Tori smirked, and simply followed. It suddenly became calm as they came to an agreement, and the fact that he did know of a place to make camp did settle things down a bit more.
As they walked to that safe spot, Tori perked up onto something. A memory, quickly fading away inside the man's head. Protection... Another thing that could be linked back to the reason behind his research. But she simply kept quiet. Sometimes, silence was the better option in things like those. After all, even Tori had things she didn't like talking about, or memories that caused pain.
She did, however, notice that, as the memory faded, the man began to actually look happy, as if he was looking up to getting there. She simply chuckled, amused. It was strange for a grown man to actually act like a child...
"Guardians, huh?" Tori asked, calmly, "What are they? Not like... Their job. I can guess. But what are they? Are they people, like us? Or... Something else?"
With the word "Guardian", she recalled her teacher, who also took her under her wing as an orphan. That teacher was a Keyblade Wielder, one that had travelled far before arriving at Sakura Island. Recalling that made Tori a bit nostalgic. Before she was thrown to the outside worlds, her teacher told her to find that friend of hers... Alongside Neku, they ran as she took care of phantom-like creatures with the form of animals. And then...
She never saw her again.
"What happened... Back then?" she asked herself, lost in thought, "I need to know..."
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 13, 2019 16:18:30 GMT -5
Walking with a new pep in his step, the Vagabond led Tori through the winding jungle paths. He was happy the two had come to an agreement and could travel peacefully from now on. He was in a cheerful mood. When asked about the Guardians, the Vagabond became very animated in doing his best to mime the large jaws of the hippos and their large robust forms.
"They're hippos! If you haven't met them yet, you'll be in for a treat!"
With that he continued to walk briskly ahead, determined to reach the Lagoon before sundown. As the path wound and turned, the sun continued to dip lower into the sky, painting the horizon in streaks of pinks and oranges and reds. With the talkative birds, humming insects and scurrying forest life, it was hard to imagine this world as being dangerous, lurking with predators.
By the time the two entered the peaceful Lagoon, with its lush bushes and calm pools of water and tall trees that cast shade upon everything, the sun was finally almost set. The hippos continued to float lazily in the ponds, so still that one would be unable to tell if they were asleep or just relaxing. Birds perched upon their backs with a delightful chirping chorus, causing the Vagabond to be at ease. He always loved the chirping of birds.
Delighted to be back in a peaceful abode, the Vagabond reached up and picked a nearby branch of its fruit, bowing in thanks to the tree afterwards. He took a bite of the juicy tropical orb, tossing another to Tori. "We will be safe here. The Heartless aren't allowed to enter." He glanced over at the hippos, cheerfully floating in the ponds. "The Guardians won't let them. See how bright their light is?"
The Vagabond was content. With the sun setting, a dark cast loomed over the forest, though soon the moon was out and there was dim light available through the treetops. The hippos splashed their tails in the water, preparing for a peaceful rest. The birds on their backs also quieted down. He reached the bank of one pond, sprawling out on the grass as if he had lived there his whole life.
He raised a hand to his traveling companion from the bank. "We shouldn't need to keep watch. The hippos will keep us safe."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 14, 2019 1:30:23 GMT -5
Tori tried drowning a laugh as he mentioned that these "Guardians" were hippos, but lost it soon after. Definitely, the man was now acting like a child. And Tori just couldn't hide her amusement.
"You're joking... Oh, goodness, please tell me you're joking..." she said, trying to lower her laugh.
But he wasn't. Once at the Lagoon, Tori saw how honest he was talking. And it was also safe from the Heartless, since none appeared in their path. She caught the fruit tossed at her, looked at it a bit, and, with the help of her knife, cut it in two just to make sure there wasn't anything dangerous within it. It wasn't because she didn't trust him with it, it's was just an instinct of survival. Once seeing nothing wrong with the fruit itself, she gave it a bite.
Seeing that keeping watch wasn't necessary, Tori simply nodded. She left the fruit on the ground, the pulp looking up, in order to look for enough firewood to make a decent fireplace. While keeping watch wasn't necessary, a fire definitely was. With a couple branches, and a match, Tori managed to make a fire rather easily. She grabbed the fruit back, and sat by the fire.
"I know it's not necessary, but call it a habit of mine" she explained, "Besides, a source of actual light is pretty important. Especially for camping out in the open. While the Heartless might not approach, who's to say any other beast won't? Best being cautious, I'd say."
Tori gave the fruit another bite, and kept at it slowly until there was nothing left. She left the leftovers behind her, and, after making a small hole, placed them in before covering it back up. Another habit of hers. Whenever food was leftover, and yet you were satisfied, it was safer to bury it in the ground to avoid animals froms smelling it from affar. It mostly applied to meat or cooked items, though...
"Their light, huh...?" Tori muttered alone, looking at the hippos, "Odd...But... I guess... It is there... Shining brightly amongst the shadows..."
Once again, her eyes shifted to a vivid, purple color. She was so concentrated in the animals, that for a second, it was as if she didn't see the man besides her. Tori was lost in thought once more, wondering things that, maybe, she herself didn't understand.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 14, 2019 10:50:47 GMT -5
The peaceful Lagoon soon was shrouded in the darkness of night, the clearing only lit by faint moonlight that peered through the treetops. The Vagabond was grateful for the fire, made of flames that were actually bright. He sat by the fire, listening to his ally, nodding thoughtfully. He listened to the lulling crack of the flames, feasting upon the dried and discarded wood the two had found.
Hunched near the warmth, the Vagabond rubbed his hands together, drawing his jacket close against him. Behind the two he could hear the Hippos floating lazily, snoring in a deep slumber. With a great yawn he stretched, rubbing the back of his head. "So, Tori, what's your island like? Sakura Islands, right? That's your home?" He peered at her from beneath his hood, curious if she would interest his curiosity or not.
He was curious, the kind of place that could turn a girl that hardly looked 16 or 17 into a battle-ready killer. He had heard her mention "monsters" a few times when referring to her home, and thus believed that she had been faced with adversity regularly. The way she was able to fight, he was impressed and a little taken aback. His own world had never been one like that, he himself having hardly ever fought before the ordeals that led him here.
He sat in the soft green grass, grateful for the company on the lonely night. He lay back and put his hands behind his head, staring up at the starry sky. He waited for his companions answer.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 14, 2019 11:03:37 GMT -5
Tori shook her head a bit, realizing she'd been talking nonsense again. When she was asked about her home, she thought a while before actually answering.
"Well... We have a constant, daily threat of monsters... From Bunnivs to Wolves to freaking Malboros..." she explained, nonchalantly, and even chuckled a bit, "Recently, the Heartless have been a big problem, but... It's not that bad. White Mages, Hunters and Mercenaries are all ready for them, even if they can't wield a Keyblade... Like Mei or myself... But it's best that way. After all... There's a reason why people just don't like the mere mention of the Keyblade back home..."
Tori looked back at the man, who looked ready to just call it a day and fall asleep. She had to admit, it had been a long day. She woke up not knowing where she was, and then fought a huge Heartless that almost left her weaponless... Somewhat. Not only that, but those random talking moments also took quite a bit of energy out of her. Maybe it was best to call it a day?
"Why did you ask?" Tori said, looking at him, "Mere curiosity? Or is it something you wanna know? You gotta be a bit specific with me, Stalker."
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 14, 2019 11:31:28 GMT -5
When hearing the girls explanation of her home, the Vagabond could sense a hint of nostalgia and perhaps even homesickness in her voice. He may have been projecting a little, in all honesty, but it gave him a reassuring feeling. At the mention of the Heartless the Vagabonds light smile wavered slightly. They always ruin everything...
What the girl had mentioned next sparked an interest in the mans sleepy mind. Keyblade...? The Vagabond had never heard of such a thing. What was it the girl had said: "even if they can't wield a Keyblade..." ?
Did that mean anyone fighting the Heartless without such a tool stand at a disadvantage? The creatures were monstrous, even the smaller ones having strength in numbers. He noticed the sword on her hip. Hadn't she said she herself wielded such a tool? It looks like a normal sword to me... Maybe it was only called "Key" in name?
But why? What significance did this item have?
The question of motive interrupted his thoughts, and he couldn't help but laugh a little. Indeed, it seemed this girl was always a bit on edge. He couldn't really blame her, though. It sounded as though her life at home had forced one to become hard, on the inside and out. He turned on his side, grabbing a blade of grass and putting it between his teeth, twirling it and swaying it in his mouth. With a shrug he managed a groggy, sleepy response: "Curiosity. Polite conversation. Etcetera."
The Lagoon was all but silent other than the low crackling of flames and the low voices. It was hard to imagine that just earlier they had had to fight for their lives. After a moments pause, the Vagabond gave a sheepish look at the girl, a confessional tone in his voice. "Forgive my ignorance, but a lot of the things you say confuse me. It sounds like your world is very unique in how it works. I've never heard of White Mages, Malboros or Keyblades." The Vagabond glanced up at the moon from his hood, peering it from between the tree petals that loomed above.
"There's been a lot I've had to learn, lately." He realized he had kept the two up for some time with the conversation, and decided it best to allow them to rest. Tomorrow's problems for tomorrow's me. He yawned loudly, rolling onto his back near the fire. It was warm, comforting. He loved fire. It had a bright light about it, but a soft glow. "We should rest."
Without another word, the Vagabond's eyes were closed, a loud snore erupting from his mouth. It seemed he had instantly fallen asleep, without another thought of anything else.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 14, 2019 11:42:27 GMT -5
Tori simply shrugged at his reply, seeing that he wasn't exactly interested in details. And, regarding his unawareness to White Mages, Malboros or Keyblades... Tori let out a faint chuckle. But she was expecting such a thing. After all, not many people outside Sakura Island even knew what that even meant.
She nodded in agreement regarding the resting part, and smirked seeing that the man besides her was both a quick and a sound sleeper. Adding a couple branches to the fire, Tori made sure the flame would last a bit longer before resting her head on her knees, laying back against the trees behind her. She let out a faint smile, and slowly began to fall asleep.
"Night, then, Stalker..." she muttered, a bit sleepy.
Tori quickly fell asleep, just like him. In her dreams, there was nothing more than a recollection of the recent days. It was a pleasant dream, one Tori didn't want over.
But something snapped. A voice, a faint one, calling out for her... A familiar voice, one that belonged to someone close to her. While she didn't force herself awake, Tori was tense about it.
"Mei... Where...?" she talked in her dreams, "What's... Going on...?"
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 14, 2019 12:00:14 GMT -5
[[Minor time skip to the morning]]
The Sun was soon to be up, but nowhere in sight yet. It was still too early. The Vagabond had started awake, as he often did, noticing that his comrade seemed to be having a similar go of it. The girl was curled against the base of a thick jungle tree, seemingly murmuring something that he couldn't quite make out yet. It was still dark.
The fire had come to a halt, nothing but a pile of old embers turned to ash. The birds were silent, some still asleep on the backs of Hippos. It was quite early. It was the same every night, what woke him up. The vastness. The Darkness. How long he had been there... in that place where there was not a single light, where all the shadows moved and preyed upon any unfortunate souls who had wandered in.
Pushing the thoughts aside, the Vagabond sleepily stumbled over near to where his companion had chosen to sleep. Crouching down near her, he could hear her mumblings from beneath his hood, peering at her tense face. It seemed that whatever was going on was not a good thing. Having his own woes around bad dreams, the older man couldn't help but sympathize. He decided it was best to wake her up, despite how early it still was.
Figuring the girl probably would sock him one good if he tried to shake her awake, due to her homeland that forced her to always be on edge, the Vagabond thought it a better idea to take a safer approach. Instead, after insuring he was a good ten feet or so away, he cupped his hands around his mouth. "OY! Rise and shine!"
The Hippos gave a jostled groan as many of them were risen to wake. Birds that had been in a deep slumber were startled into flight, still groggy from their own dreams. It seemed that the Lagoon would be lively at an earlier time it was used to on this day. The Vagabond gave a hearty laugh, his hands on his hips, before walking over to a nearby tree to pluck some of its fruits for breakfast.
The two had a long day ahead of them, it was important for them to get energized.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 14, 2019 12:13:31 GMT -5
The echoing kept on going inside Tori's head, never-ending. That voice sounded so close, yet so far... Why couldn't she reach it?
She jumped awake, instinctively grabbing onto her sword and unsheathing it. After seeing that it was just the man shouting at her from quite the distance, she blushed and looked away as he laughed, sheathing the sword back.
"What is it you want? A one-way ticket to Hell?" Tori asked, sternly, "Seriously, you'd give a heart attack with a shout like that... Especially in a place like this."
Tori simply stretched a bit, not paying any mind to the man any longer. She was this close to slashing at him, too... Just what was he thinking, giving a shout like that? Not to mention so early in the morning...
"...Sun's still not out" Tori noticed, "It'll be a while before it's clear. Sure, there's a bit of light and all, but... Ya sure you wanna keep on like that? I mean, I'm just asking. 'Cause apparently I'm a chaperon of sorts..." she added, frowning.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 14, 2019 12:30:34 GMT -5
He had gathered an armful of various tropical fruits, content with the banquet the jungle provided. His comrade had been startled awake by his shouting, naturally, and her reaction caused him to smile. He made his way back over to where they had set up the fireplace, laying down a light bed of leaves to which place the fruit he had gathered on. Turning to his comrade he gave a sheepish grin.
"Seemed like being asleep wasn't doing you any favors." The Vagabond grabbed one of the large fruits for himself, a bright red one with many different points and ends, tossing another to the girl. "Bad dreams?"
The Vagabond realized that dreams may or may not be something people were comfortable talking about. He wouldn't be offended if she didn't want to talk about it. I am curious though... she kept repeating a name... As a general rule, the Vagabond had a hard time with names. Identities were fickle things, most of the time something someone didn't need, in his opinion. There was only one name he cared about.
Maybe we're the same...
The thought saddened him.
The fruit suddenly tasted bitter in his mouth. He spit it out. At the girls comment of the sun, he looked up in the sky, which still had barely become a light gold color. The Sun was still hidden by the horizon line mostly, barely peeking out to provide any light. Dawn would be upon them soon. The Vagabond pulled his hood tighter against him against the morning chill. Though a tropical jungle, early mornings were still brisk and held a chill to them.
"It's fine. The human body can sustain itself off less sleep than people think." He had read that somewhere. He didn't remember where, but he had read it in something. His senses were alert, he was used to short nights. Typically he only rested for four to five hours each night, sometimes even less. The dreams kept him awake, or rather, deterred him from staying asleep.
"We can eat, then head out." He gestured to the array of fruits near the empty fire-pit, forcing himself to resume eating the fruit he had chosen. He glanced over at her and gave a light-hearted smile. "For a new chaperon, you're a natural!" It was a light jib, one he hoped she'd appreciate. He really was grateful for her help. This girl had much more experience than he did in fighting these monsters, and without her he knew his travels here would have certainly been harder.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 14, 2019 12:42:31 GMT -5
Tori bit the fruit a little, not with much appetite for fruit. She was slowly starting to miss the cooking back home, but... She had to do. Maybe there would be something to hunt down, like a small bird. Maybe then she'd get some energy back, while also satisfying her picky palette.
She ignored the commentary about dreams, since she wasn't really sure what to say. Tori was, however, a bit uneasy regarding the voice. She knew who that was, but... They'd gone missing. A week before...
Tori lowered her hand, and stopped eating for a while, serious in thought. Mei had dissapeared after a mysterious person attacked her and Tori at the Eastern Shore, not long after the Cherry Blossom Festival. And a week later... Tori and Neku encountered a large creature, and after that... She'd woken up there, completely unaware of the reason behind it. What happened during their fight? And who was that person that attacked them, and kidnapped Mei? There was something fishy about it...
She quickly raised her head, alert of a faint sound. She stood up, sternly, and looked around, trying to locate the sound. It seemed to come from up high... And it definitely didn't sound like something an animal would do. It was definitely human, not a Heartless nor a creature.
"...Stay here for a bit" she said, "I'll... Go around for a stroll."
With that, and not waiting for a reply, Tori looked for the quickest way up high, and saw it. Vines leading upwards to a thicket. Maybe, from there, she'd find the source of noice.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 14, 2019 12:54:39 GMT -5
After the first couple of bites, the fruit became sweet again. His stomach rumbling with hunger, the Vagabond finished it greedily. Licking the sweet juice off of his fingers, he looked over at Tori, who seemed deep in thought. She certainly has her shares of troubles... How the Vagabonds heart broke, seeing someone so young plagued with a face of such stress! With the Heartless around... kids can't even be kids...
The thought of kids was one that pained him dearly. He couldn't bare to keep thinking of it.
Shaking the thought off, he heard Tori's mention of going for a stroll. Not minding the chance to collect himself, the Vagabond waved and watched her go, peering out from beneath his hood. "Holler if you need me!" He doubted she would. She was clearly the stronger of the two. The sky was beginning to lighten a bit, the sun slowly rising. It would still be a little bit of time before it was fully up, though the Lagoon was now bustling with activity.
Forced to start early, the birds had begun to chirp and the hippos began to patter their tails against the water eagerly. The Vagabond tossed some fruit into one of the nearby ponds, watching as the hippo lazily gulped it up, not even bothering to chew it. Hm... maybe they can show me the way...
The Vagabond walked to the edge of the closest pond, sitting cross-legged on the bank with his hands on his knees. His tall person was bent, hunched over in concentration as he stared intently at the hippo. The creature had secrets to tell, that much he was sure of, the only question was how to get the information. Hoping the fruit had warmed the creature up to friendly conversation, the Vagabond stood up, hopping from the bank onto the large pink creatures back.
The creature gave a 'huff' when he landed, but otherwise did not seem to mind. He believed the fruit had swayed the hippo to his side. Sitting atop the hippo, he pat its head and began to scratch behind its ears, which it seemed to enjoy as its head lifted and shook with vigor. With a laugh the Vagabond continued to scratch the hippos ear, content with his moment in the Lagoon.
He kept his senses sharp, however, as he waited to hear for either Tori's safe return or a cry for help.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 14, 2019 13:11:54 GMT -5
Tori climbed up until the vines ended. The sound of steps sound faintly louder, but it wasn't clear where it came from. She took a look before heading at a specific direction, where she thought the sound came from. She grabbed one of the vines, and jumped from one to another.
It was like that for a while, until she found a path, leading towards a treehouse. The sound of steps became louder as she approached the place, so Tori headed inside, her hand resting on the handle of her sword just in case. She also had the knife to help her a bit, although, as stated before, it wasn't meant for battle.
"Is... Anyone there?" Tori asked, loud enough for people to hear her. "To... ri...?"
That familiar voice once more... Tori was stunned in shock, as she looked around for the source. She was right... She was there. But where?
The wood cracked nearby her, startling her. It wasn't a person, but a creature. It wasn't a Heartless, however, and neither a creature from the world. They were ghost-like, barely transparent. Tori had seen them before, back at her home. ...The Spirits.
Wanting to find her answers, Tori unsheathed her sword, gritting her teeth and readying herself for a fight. If she managed to defeat them... Tori would find some answers. That, she was sure of.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 14, 2019 15:52:51 GMT -5
The Vagabond had spent most of his morning lazily, on the back of a hippo. The guardians of this Lagoon were mostly silent, though the Vagabond had learned a few interesting things. It seemed that the animals were all fearful of a particular area in the Jungle, though he wasn't able to get them to tell him where. It had been an arduous task, trying to pry these pure hearted creatures of any information.
Hm... she has been gone for a while... The thought worried him a little. The girl was more than hardened in terms of battle experience, but this didn't make her invincible. Suddenly there was a pang of worry in the Vagabond's heart. Maybe I should go look for her... The Vagabond sighed. It had been some time since he had last had a traveling companion.
He forgot how much of a pain it could be.
Worrying over someone other than himself wasn't normally his style. He couldn't help it though, there was something about the girl that made him want to help. Something about how young she was, all the hardship she had already been through. It pained the Vagabond to think of such precious youth being wasted on survival and stress.
Finally, he stood. Rocking back and forth slightly on the hippo's back, the hooded man glanced over towards the large tree that Tori had followed up. With a hop, the Vagabond cleared the distance from the hippo to the pond bank, running over towards where the large tree sat.
Snaking across the large jungle tree were many thin vines, which the Vagabond was able to grab onto in order to hoist himself up. It took a little time, but finally he had made it to the top of the tree. There among the treetops he saw taller trees surrounding him, the tree top he was on creating a sort of platform with its long and wide leaves. The man clambered up onto the platform, looking all around him in awe.
Such a beautiful place... Hundreds of vines drooped down from above, littering the space between each jungle tree. There were thin ones, thick ones and old ones, creating a sea of green around the man. For a moment he stood in a stunned silence. Sunlight dappled through some of the tree tops, giving the place a soft glow about it. Hm... but where would she have gone?
There were countless vines, going countless directions. He knew that the girl could have easily begun in any direction, not entirely sure which one she would have chosen. For a moment, the Vagabond stood with his arms crossed, his head bowed, deep in contemplation. He waited to see if he would hear any sign of his traveling companion, in order to find out which way she had gone.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 15, 2019 1:40:19 GMT -5
Tori fought tooth and nail, but the Spirits didn't seem to care. Their dead, black eyes were fixated on Tori, and only on her. Despite her experiences, the amount of enemies was too much for her to handle alone. Knowing that, Tori looked for an escape route. But where to?
Once again, footsteps. Tori turned quickly towards the source. A girl, one she knew perfectly about, was looking down at her. Tori forgot the fight for a second, and lowered her guard, shocked. Was she... Truly there?
"M... Mei...?" Tori asked, dumbfound, "What... What are you doing here? And where's Neku?! Isn't he with you?!" "...Pfft..." Mei tried to drown a laugh, "Now that's cute. You really think I'd let her off that easily, Tori?" "H-Huh?! Who... Who are you?!" "...Pin her down."
Tori was unable to act, as the Spirits prowl to attack. The amount was too much for her to shove away, and no matter how much she struggled, she couldn't get out. As for Mei, a snap of fingers was the only thing she did before dissapearing, not before causing a lot of mental pain on Tori, who let out a piercing cry. With the pressure the Spirits were applying, it was enough to force her to keep groaning, struggling and shouting aloud.
"Mei..." Tori managed to say, before she lost consciousness.
"I can't... Lose now... Please... Anyone... Help..."
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