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Post by hoodwink on Feb 28, 2019 12:01:09 GMT -5
Darkness.
A vast emptiness.
Nothing.
The Vagabond slowly came to, his dull eyes fluttering open. He had no idea how long he had passed out for. Sharp bits of dirt had gotten into his mouth, grinding against his teeth in an uncomfortable way. He open and closed his mouth a little, grimacing at the taste. The man in his mid twenties was laying face first on the floor of a rocky cavern, lightly damp due to spray from the waterfalls continuing to pour all around them. Oh...right... He blinked a few times, slowly, the hood over his head shrouding most of his features. His body was extremely sore and stiff, aching all over the place. It felt like he had been hit by a train. Not just once, a few times.
Coughing a bit, the Vagabond slowly pushed himself onto his hands and knees, rolling over onto his backside with a thud. That small effort alone caused him to catch his breath. He patted his torso, almost as if making sure it was there. So... I'm not dead. He didn't really have a word for it. The bitter taste in his mouth intensified. His dull eyes fell on Tori, standing near him, though she looked different. He noticed a few more of the white cracks lining her body, though the hood she wore shaded most of her features. "Hey." Talking was difficult, mostly due to how much effort it took for his mouth to move. He really felt awful.
She was alive at least, that much was sure. He was glad. He hadn't once thought for a moment that she would get killed by that Heartless. But he had deserted her back there. Well, she did turn on me first. Somehow the sentiment didn't seem helpful. Either way he was vindictive. It was only then that he noticed the younger boy standing next to Tori. He seemed off, almost like he wasn't fully there. A dim reflection. Pale pink light swirled about him, giving him almost an aura-like energy. He looked much like himself, though his face was full of more life and his eyes were blinding. A name popped into his mind, though he hardly registered it.
"Lief...?" That's right. It sounded wrong, though. Like the words coming out of his mouth weren't his. No. He's dead. That's right, Lief couldn't be here. He was dead. An image flashed in his mind, of the boy standing before him, but lifelessly strewn across a pale shore. A heart floating up above, consumed by darkness. Suddenly the Vagabond was on his feet, pointing at the young man, the look of anger and menace on his face masked by the hood he wore.
"What are you doing here?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 28, 2019 12:49:08 GMT -5
Tori took a deep breath, yet didn't stand back up. Just by the tone of his voice one could tell he was conflicted, and even more so when he stood up and pointed at Lief's Illusion. For one who had never seen one before, it was a common reaction, one Tori was fully expecting.
"There are a couple things we need to clear up first, though. Don't you agree?" she asked, calmly, "I... I guess... That I owe you an explanation, but... I want to make one thing clear: I would never, and I mean NEVER, turn against someone who placed more trust on me than I do with myself. And I'm honest there."
Tori took her time before standing back up, and walked slowly to then end between the Vagabond and the Illusion, trying to avoid any conflict. The Illusion was weak, and it would shatter with a single hit if not careful. That was, however, the limit of Tori's available power. Had she gotten more time... Maybe it would be a bit more tangeable, but how it was now was enough.
"Now... First, I need to explain something... I kept from you before" Tori said, serious, yet a bit conflicted, "I... I have a rather... Peculiar ability... To manipulate people's memories..." she confessed, nervous, "But... I don't like using it, because... It often causes pain more than anything, especially for me. I'm afraid... Of people hating me because of something I never chose to have... But that's why... I..." Tori teared up a bit, but held her emotiones back, and looked straight to his eyes, "I want to make use of this ability of mine... To help others. And... You can think I'm trying to trick you, or blackmail you or whatever, but... You HAVE to know one thing. And..." she looked back at Lief's Illusion, "By showing you his memories, albeit fragmented and fragile... Is the only step I can take to move onwards."
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 28, 2019 13:13:32 GMT -5
There was a flood of denial washing through the Vagabond. He's dead. The image of the lifeless body in the pale sand, a single heart rising towards the sky. The Vagabond clutched his hands to his head, shaking it vigorously for a moment. As Tori stepped between the two, the hooded man looked at the teenage girl with a hint of contempt in his hidden glare. As the key bearer began to speak, the Vagabond's anger subsided, the fact that Lief was hidden from view helping significantly. Upon hearing about the girls mysterious powers, the Vagabond's jaw grew a little slack. First the spirits... then those weird cracks on her body... now this? He gazed at the young girl before him, wondering exactly what she was.
"You can't be human." The words spilled from his mouth, his voice quiet and soft, almost absentminded. He didn't mean them in a negative way, just in the sense that he couldn't believe the fact a mere human could hold such powers. She can... control memories? He looked at the young band behind her, the pale pink light surrounding him, the look on his face. The Vagabond's face was shrouded in the shadows cast from his hood, his head turned down a bit as though he were looking towards the ground. Suddenly a large muscular dark arm protruded from the mans back, its claws long and menacing, reaching around the teenager to hover just above the illusion, ready to strike it.
He couldn't hate the girl standing in front of him. She had only meant all of this well, to help him. In her own belief of doing what was right, she had introduced this trauma to him, to gaze upon someone he could never see again, someone he could never hold again. A single tear made its way down his cheek slowly at first, before a few more began to spill out from the man's dull, vacant eyes. They were eyes that had seemed to lose all hope entirely. "I know you think you can help me." Though his face was mostly hidden he was looking at her, an honest expression on his face.
"But I think you've got the wrong idea about what 'help' means." The large Darkside arm that lurk in wait suddenly reached to grab Lief, though the Vagabond wasn't entirely sure if he could grab an illusion. He pointed at Tori demandingly, frustrated by the exhaustion he felt towards his emotional wellbeing. "Just what are you hoping this accomplishes? What little memories I do have are painful. Why force more onto me?" His tone was growing more upset by the second, an inner fire he hadn't realized was burning beginning to become exposed. "If anything, help me to forget." The large arm began to crash into the ground, if the Lief illusion hadn't been picked up from his earlier grab, he was going to hit it. Either way it didn't really matter, he just wanted that face gone from in front of him.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 28, 2019 13:34:28 GMT -5
"Do you WANT to forget, though?" Tori asked, calmly, "Is it really right... To forget someone as important as a loved one? Isn't that the reason why you've been doing all of this? To bring them back?"
Tori was calm, and, surprisingly, understanding. She knew the pain of losing someone dear, and how much it hurt to remember. But remembering and keeping them close together... Had gotten her this far, and many others around her. She smiled, a bit pained.
"You're not the only one, though..." she said, "I also would like to forget... But I can't. I can't leave them out of my life just because they're gone. Remembering them... And keeping them close to my heart... Had gotten me this far, and still pushes me to go onwards" she finished, placing her hand on her chest, "I know that... It's the same for others who've suffered loss... And I'm sure that, little by little, it'll be the same for you. So..." Tori looked at him firmly, and grabbed his hand, "Are you really sure... You want to forget someone... As important as him?" she asked.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 28, 2019 16:17:23 GMT -5
He was at a loss for words. What the girl said rang true, as what little memories the Vagabond left were the only remainder of his old life. Perhaps they were all that would remain, his ideal happy ending lost to the naive future in his imagination. The hooded man lowered his head silently, torn between his want to remember and his yearning to forget. Which path to take? Why take a path at all? It seemed difficult just to keep going from this juncture. The illusion was broken, though the face of the young man remained burned into the eyes of the man lost to darkness. The large Darkside arm protruding from the mans back silently sheathed itself away in darkness. With a sigh his body heaved, exhaustion gripping him for a moment as he staggered.
"You're right..." He looked up from beneath his hood at Tori, a determination set upon his pale face. "I don't want to remember anything else. But I can't bring myself to forget." There was a lot on his plate at the moment. Without the memory of Lief, he would simply be a man haunted by darkness with no purpose. I'll find a way to retrieve his heart... He looked over at the small wound in the world, steadily healing slowly as the darkness had been taken from it. He had seen how deeply the darkness had been woven in, knowing from previous experiments on Heartless how fragile hearts were. He had never tried to absorb the darkness from a heart, however. He almost couldn't believe it worked. It was beginning to close, what dim light shining through steadily cutting off. I'll save his heart. Just like I did these ones.
He fell to his knees for a moment, his body shaking as he yelled out in pain. There was a faint purple glow to his eyes shining from beneath the hood for a moment before the dull matte green returned. He clutched at his head for a moment, sweating a little from the pain. "I think it's time to go." He forced himself to his feet, though he wasn't sure exactly how he was making his body stand. He took a single step at first, staggering a little before finding his footing. Slowly a wobbling gait allowed him to continue moving forward. He glanced back over his shoulder towards the teenager before continuing to exit the cavern.
"Thank you, Tori."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 28, 2019 16:38:56 GMT -5
"Hey, lemme lend you a hand" Tori replied, smiling, "It's the least I can do."
Tori hurried her step to his side, and, after grabbing one of his arms, wrapped it behind her neck, helping him walk more calmly. It seemed that she had made a change, if only small... But she was happy for it. Just like she'd proposed to herself... She managed to change his mind, if only a little bit. Now, it was up to help him balance things inside of him... And she had an idea on how to do that.
"Y'know... I can try something... To help your heart heal" she said, calmly, "I mean, it is going to be kinda hard and whatnot, but... If you want to... I can help you last a little longer. Just... Tell me if you want that help. I won't be mad if you say no."
Tori helped the two of them back to the clearing. Thankfully, she still had some strength leftover, and was easily able to trick the surrounding around her, like she'd seen once before. A World's Illusion... A diferent perspective of reality, one where both Tori and the Vagabond could not be seen by the Heartless. It would've come in handy earlier, but... Then, maybe Tori wouldn't have had the strength to create Lief's Illusion.
Another wound appeared slowly as Tori clicked her tongue in pain once more. She was starting to force herself a bit too much... But she didn't mind it.
"Right... Forgot about this, but..." Tori chuckled, and looked at him with some unease, "I'm aware that I'm not human... But it doesn't mean that I can't live or feel like one... Y'know?"
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 28, 2019 17:06:43 GMT -5
The Vagabond was grateful for the help, allowing his body to lean against Tori's as the two walked together away from the caverns back to the cliffs clearing. His gait was slow but steady, his body no longer shaking or stressing by the pressure. At the girls offer to heal him he waved a hand lightly, his face wearing a sheepish expression beneath his hood. "Oh, no, I'll be fine, really." He chuckled a bit, not wanting to worry her. She was already straining herself. He watched in awe as she shifted reality, allowing the two to go unnoticed by the Heartless. What a cool power...
He wished he had more powers that let him avoid fights. He had his dark portals, but those didn't have the same effect, you know? The two staggered together through the cliff clearing back towards the bamboo thickets. Once on the quiet pathways lined with bamboo trees he noticed the new crack emerging upon the girls form. What's up with those...? He had seen them before, usually they occurred after Tori used certain powers of hers. It seemed the teen was unaware of most of her own powers, albeit in her defense, many of them seemed obscure and difficult to place a finger on.
At the mention of living and feeling like a human, the Vagabond nodded. He did understand what she meant, maybe too well. As he hobbled through the Jungle leaning on her he gathered the courage to ask the question. "Tori... what exactly are you, anyway?" He could see her from the corner of his eye, despite his hood. He didn't want to offend her, but he knew she wasn't a normal person. People usually bleed when wounded, people normally didn't get weird cracks all over their body after using mystical powers (though they could use mystical powers).
Curiosity allowed him to steel his courage and ask his question. "Do you know?" It was a possibility. There seemed to be much the young girl didn't know about herself. Perhaps the two would find more answers on this world?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 28, 2019 17:21:21 GMT -5
Tori looked down, and kept quiet for a while. It was only when they were already in the tent when she let go of him to then let herself on the ground, almost too exhausted. Yet, despite all that, she managed to laugh it away, a few tears falling down. She waited a while longer before answering his question.
"I do know" she said, rubbing her eyes to get rid of the tears that had showed up, "I'm a Spirit. Someone... Not meant to co-exist in the worlds you all live in... From the Realm Between... The Realm of Twilight, as I know it."
After a moment of debate with herself, Tori removed her hood, and, a little later, took her glove off. There was a black, heart-like emblem, but it wasn't a Heartless emblem. It was more... simple, and less appealing, if one could say that.
"I've always had this mark on my palm... But I never knew why. That is... Until Miss Sakura helped me find out" she explained, "I... One day, I wounded up at the shores, back at Sakura Island...A couple... took me in" Tori began saying, calmly, without a hint of sadness or homesickness, "I always felt that... I didn't belong there, at that island, but... I never knew why. Nevertheless, I lived my life... Like any other would. I had a family that cared for me... And, they helped me remember things from before I ended up at Sakura... Miss Sakura was one of the few that helped me out, aside Mom and Dad... When I first met her, it was as if... She knew imediately. And even then... She didn't turn her back towards me, and instead helped me out. It's because of her... That I'm able to use them more carefully... These powers of mine..."
Tori began to doze off a bit, seemingly tired from the fight against the Heartless, and everything afterwards, which included Lief's Illusion and the World's Illusion she'd set for a while to avoid conflict. It was definitely too much for her to handle, but it didn't faze her. She was just way too tired for her own good.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 28, 2019 17:35:50 GMT -5
Luckily the two made it back to the Tent without much trouble, due to Tori's illusion magic. Once inside the tent, the girl collapsed on the ground, the Vagabond following suit rather quickly. Both of them were exhausted. He noticed a few tears fall as the teenager began her explanation, all of which the man sat silently through, listening intently. A spirit...? Sorrow gripped him for a moment, as he thought of exactly what it meant to be a spirit. There was much shrouding the girl in mystery, her own birth and place of origin, the powers she had because of it, it must have been hard to take in from such a young age.
The Vagabond stared at the girl as she spoke, slightly slack-jawed. Did she...die? Had she always been this way? Or did something make her this way? There were a few questions the man had, though he was unsure whether or not to ask them as he saw exhaustion take over the girl. It seemed she was in need of a long rest, his stiff body reminding him that she wasn't the only one. With a grunt, the Vagabond forced himself to his feet, swaying only slightly as he stretched. "Well, it definitely sounds like you've had it rough." It wasn't pity, but empathy in his voice. He knew what it was like, to live 'in-between' worlds, as the teen had put it. "We'll find our way out of limbo, eventually."
His chuckle was only a little hollow. Grunting a bit, he threw his jacket off and onto the floor, realizing he was following a routine. Looking over at Tori he gave a light hearted smile, he did feel much better despite his exhaustion. "Rest for now. You've earned it." He threw himself down onto his makeshift bed with a thud. He glanced over at his partner, worried about the cracks that continued to emerge. He wasn't sure if they would heal from a good nights rest. Deep in thought he lay there, contemplating all that had happened today. I wonder if Jane made it back...? He still didn't know if the mysterious woman who had written the journal was alive or not.
Perhaps she was from a different time?
In the far off distance, the Vagabond swore he heard the faint sounds of gorillas leaping through trees.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 28, 2019 17:44:58 GMT -5
"Even so... Even if I've had it rough up until now... I don't mind it" Tori said, looking at the ceiling, "'Cause, y'know? I've been able to do that which I'm proud of. To help people out. So... Yeah."
Tori let out a faint chuckle on her end, as she began to fall asleep on her own end. The wounds did sting a lot, but Tori could endure it. It was as if there was something telling her that, despite the pain they inflicted, they weren't more than just wounds meant to be healed later.
"'Night... Stalker..." she muttered, before falling back asleep.
And this time, her dreams were as pleasant as they could be. A fair reward for her efforts and struggles from the day. With that, she drew a faint smile.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 28, 2019 18:06:45 GMT -5
[[Time jump ahead, both travelers resting undisturbed.]]
With groggy reluctance the dull green eyes opened on the man's expressionless face. How long had he been sleeping for? The weight that had caused his body to feel sore and stiff was gone, his heart feeling much quieter now. Woah... Everything seemed like a dream. They had fought many Heartless on their journey, as well as each other, both dealing with their own internal struggles. It felt good, to have accomplished so much on this one small world. Sitting up, the man rubbed his eyes and scratched his stomach through his tidal wave t-shirt. Yawning, he ran a hand through his disheveled hair that poked out in all which directions.
It seems so... peaceful now. Through the Tent he could hear the chirping of birds and the yawps of gorillas. Many different types of sounds greeted his ears when he listened to the Jungle. If one were out among the trees and wildlife, they would see that the vegetation seemed more lush and vibrant than usual, the natural wildlife of the Jungle teeming with energy. Many of the Heartless had subsided in their violence, lowering in number as well as strength. There were the gorillas proudly swinging through the vines now, they would take care of most that any soldiers or travelers may miss. It seemed that life had returned to normal for the world that was the Deep Jungle, thanks to these two wayward souls and their chance meeting.
Feeling a sense of relief and accomplishment, the Vagabond picked his jacket up off the tent floor, throwing it on lazily as he called for Tori, though not too loudly. "Hey, I think we slept a lot. Rise and shine." His voice was as dispassionate as always, though his face wore a smile and his demeanor seemed chipper. "Now that things have calmed down on this world, we should look into finding you a way home." It was what they had originally agreed to. When they had first met, they had agreed to help each other. She would aid him in restoring balance to the world and aiding him in his research, in return he would help her find a way off this world she was randomly thrust onto.
The jacket's weight felt comfortable as he adorned it. It felt like armor. Looking over at his partner, he tilted his head a bit. "I wonder exactly how you could get off of this place..." He himself was able to travel through the portals of darkness he created, traversing through the vast emptiness from one world to the next. It certainly was convenient, though not many could travel through the dark and remain unscathed.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 28, 2019 19:23:17 GMT -5
Tori groaned, and turned the other way as he told her to wake up. It was such a pleasant sleep, to finally be rid of nightmares...
"Five... More minutes..." she mumbled in her sleep.
She didn't look like she wanted to wake up, and was instead enjoying the peace of her surroundings while sleeping. For her, a break such as that one was a rarity, being someone who'd live alert constantly in case of an attack. Being able to sleep so soundly... Was just paradise.
There was, however, the strange mist softly gathering around her, but it didn't disturb her. It then took the shape of a Chinese dragon, with brown eyes full of life. It had the same emblem Tori had on her palm, but this time, it was printed on the Spirit's chest. The dragon simply rested itself besides Tori, and snuggled her a bit, with a faint yet cheerful smile. Tori giggled back, peacefully, not even bothered by the sight of it.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 28, 2019 20:01:18 GMT -5
Rummaging through some of the luggage in the tent, the Vagabond started when he looked up to see a misty dragon nestled beside his comrade. It seemed the girl was in a fit of rest, either unable or unwilling to return to the conscious world. The older man couldn't help but smile a bit, allowing the teenager her much needed sleep. Gathering what he could find, the older man shouldered his way through the tent flap, leaving a small note for Tori whenever she awoke. The note read 'Off to see the hippos.' in messy handwriting.
Chittering jungle bugs created a vibrant hum that seemed to echo throughout the walls of the clearing. In the sky there were almost no clouds, the sun a radiant presence that dominated all below. Despite the heat, the Vagabond lifted the hood over his head, shielding his eyes from the blinding light. There's always shade in the Lagoon. He figured he would visit his friends, the hippos, while his partner slept. There was a playful banter echoing through the bamboo thickets, in the distance the Vagabond witnessed two younger gorillas bounding through the Jungle. They were playing carelessly, free to explore and roam to their hearts content. The sigh caused his heart to seemingly overflow with joy.
Having a new pep in his step, the Vagabond began to trek his way through the winding paths that led him to the Lagoon. All in all the trip was a short one, considering how almost no Heartless seemed to be roaming the Jungle today. "It really has changed..." Typically it were these windy paths that the Vagabond had had to fight for his life. By the time he emerged at the lush Lagoon, with its lapping ponds and lazy shade, he had nearly forgotten that he was on the same world.
Not having seemed to move an inch throughout their ordeal, the hippos swam and napped peacefully. Echoes of the distant gorillas, swinging and swaying in the vines above, drifted down to occasionally stir a slumbering beast. Removing his hood, the Vagabond had a broad smile on his face. "It's good to see you again!" He had hopped on the back of one of the larger hippos, who was missing an ear. It was this one that he often took naps on, talking to lazily in the afternoon shade. What he really loved about the hippos is that they didn't bother with names.
As he sat cross-legged on the back of the large guardian, something dropped from the tree above directly onto his head. Thud! It bounced from his head into his lap, causing him to start. "Ow..." He looked up to find a few birds chirping excitedly from the branch of the tree above him. His dull eyes that showed no sign of excitement looked down to examine what they had bestowed upon him. It was a trinket, made from a lily pad from the pond, rimmed with hippos teeth and bird feathers. Small vines wove around the trinket, allowing him to dangle it from his fingers as he lifted it. The smile on his face grew wider as he patted the hippos back, pocketing the item in the inner lining pocket of his jacket. "Thanks, friend."
With that the vagrant rested lazily in the shade, without a care in the world.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 28, 2019 20:17:50 GMT -5
Tori chuckled a bit, as the dragon kept snuggling against her, seemingly playfully. It didn't take long for her to wake up and realize she was alone. She noticed the note, a bit sleepy, and read it aloud, yawning. At least, she wouldn't have problems finding the man again...
It took a while for her to notice that, in truth, she wasn't completely alone. Tori turned back towards the Spirit, confused, and the dragon simply laughed back. Curious, Tori tilted her head, as she stood up with the note in hand.
"Who... Are you?" she asked the Spirit. "Aww... So... You also don't remember me, huh?" the dragon asked, uneasily, "No worries. That can be sorted out later..." "You're not going to even give me a name?" "Well... That's the thing... I... Kinda forgot it." "What...?" "In any case... Don't you have to go look for him before leaving?" the dragon asked, "I can help you out."
Tori looked around, yet didn't reply to the dragon. Instead, left towards the Lagoon, seemingly ignoring the Spirit completely, which left it quite shocked as it rushed behind her. As for Tori, it didn't take long before reaching said place, and saw the man immediately. With a smile in her face, Tori walked towards him, showing the note up high.
"Thanks for the heads-up!" she greeted with a sassy tone, "Good to know that, at least, you're not leaving me alone again." "Oi, Tori!" the dragon's voice was heard loudly as it quickly rushed past her, and then in front of her, stopping her path, "Don't leave like that, sheesh!" "Sorry, but last time I checked, I don't exactly know you..." Tori replied with an uneasy yet playful smirk.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 28, 2019 20:28:33 GMT -5
Floating upon the calm pond water, one could easily forget time, identity and space as they lay upon a hippos back. Toe-tapping to the tune of chirping birds from many of the trees surrounding this hidden spot, the Vagabond had been enjoying a peaceful meditation of sorts. The man in his early twenties lay on his back, one leg draped over the other as he rested his head on his hands, breathing easy in the shade. Despite his eyes being closed, he heard Tori's entrance into the Lagoon before he saw it.
Sitting up on the large hippos back, the Vagabond waved a hand at his comrade, before noticing the dragon from earlier accompanying her. Wha-... I thought that was an illusion? Just how had this creature gotten here? He had just appeared in the tent, though at the time the Vagabond thought it to be a false image, shrugging it off carelessly. It appeared that the creature was in fact real, as it began talking to the teenager in a brusque manner.
Jaw slightly agape at the sight before him, the older man pulled up his hood, shrouding most of his features. Holding up his hands towards the two, the vagrant had a tone of confusion and wariness in his tone. "Hey, who's this?" He gestured at the dragon, though his gaze was fixed on Tori, expectant of an explanation.
"Just how many weird things are gonna keep happening while I'm with you?" The question wasn't really serious, his tone indicating a joking manner, though there was genuine bewilderment as well. A lot of bizarre experiences had occurred while he hung around this girl, though he wasn't sure if this was a perk or a flaw at the moment.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Mar 1, 2019 9:48:35 GMT -5
"Beats me. Never seen this Spirit before" Tori shrugged, looking at the man, "Also, quick FYI. A lot of strange things have happened when I'm on my own, so being with you ain't going to be any different. Capiche?" "Weird?! I'm not weird!" the dragon said, a bit bitterly. "Well, I've never seen you before, so?"
Tori let out a sigh, and looked at the man, calmly. She decided to ignore the dragon for a while, since she had a couple more important things to take care of. And the first one was getting out of that world one way or another.
"Have you been thinking?" she asked him, "On a way to get to another world. 'Cause I've got 0 options" Tori added with a shrug.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 1, 2019 10:03:13 GMT -5
Hopping off of the hippos back, the hooded man landed on the shore of the pond next to Tori with a light thud. Looking at the dragon with a glance that betrayed his wariness, the Vagabond listened to Tori ask about his ideas to get her off of this world. Hm... About that... The only idea he had come up with he wasn't even sure would work. He didn't know how others transported themselves from world to world, or how it happened to individuals at random.
Apparently she didn't know the dragon that rode next to her, floating through the air in a majestic display of power. With such an underwhelming and unexplained answer, the Vagabond couldn't help but to sigh. He lifted his hands and waved away the doubts in his mind as he looked back up at Tori, though his hood was shadowing most of his features she could glimpse the cunning smile that lurked beneath. There was no passion in his tone at all, if one were to look into his eyes they would seem dull and lifeless. "Well, I've been thinking of that..." He held up a single finger towards Tori, specifically towards her chest.
"I think I have an answer, but only if your heart can take it." The hooded man turned and spread his arm in a wide arc, his hand wide open. Suddenly, at the edge of the shore where the pond met the earth there appeared a vast portal of darkness. The energy was sucking and empty, seeming to go on forever into the nothingness. He turned to the teenager, the portal closing just as quickly as it had opened. "I use these tunnels to traverse through different worlds."
Though the power had been newer to him at some time, by this point he had used the portals countless times to explore. They were more than convenient, able to move him in between worlds as well as shift him to different places on the same world. Truly, the darkness was a great ally at times. Looking at the young key bearer the man tilted his hooded head, resting a hand on his hip as his other pointed at the girl.
"It's okay if you can't travel through the darkness. But that's my only idea, as of right now." Looking up towards the sky, the Vagabond took in the fresh Jungle air around him and the chirping birds. He shrugged, seeming not to have a care in the world as he laughed heartily. "If not, I'm sure we can find some other way." He was hopeful, for the first time in a long time.
Things were looking up.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Mar 1, 2019 11:20:06 GMT -5
"Corridors..." Tori said, slightly in awe, "Well, makes sense that you've been using them. I, for once, have never even seen one..." she added with an uneasy smile.
Tori then crossed her arms, lost in thought. She had never come across such an opportunity, but even then she was somewhat skeptical. It didn't scare her, though. It was more of a first-time unease. After a while, she nodded to herself, and looked at the man.
"I'm pretty sure I can take it" Tori said with a determined smirk, "So... I ain't scared! I mean" she added a playful laugh, "I think there's worse than using a Corridor, y'know?" "Hey, can you listen for a sec?!" the dragon said, seemingly angry, "You're wounded, remember?! If darkness gets ahold of those wounds, you're in for trouble?" "What do you know? And, besides, I'm not wounded!" Tori stated back. "Yes you are! Just look how many cracks you've got! And yet you're going to use a Corridor of Darkness without actually letting them heal..." "It's not like they heal on their own, anyways, so what gives?" Tori said, cheerful, "If that huge Heartless didn't kill me, then what will?"
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 1, 2019 15:23:54 GMT -5
The vagrant watched the two's exchange of words, still stunned at the presence of the dragon that the teenager seemed not to know. They sure bicker like they know each other... The thought brought a light smile to his shadowed face, a light chuckle shaking the jacket that encased him. He admired the girl's courage, though was a bit hesitant based on what the dragon spirit was telling her. It seemed that the dragon had some knowledge of what was happening to the young key bearer, as it sounded like it had seen these wounds that were appearing on her before.
Holding up a hand, the hooded figure looked at the dragon spirit. "Wait, Tori. I want to hear what it has to say." The mystical creature was a spirit, much like the girl herself. He wondered how much it might know about what was happening to his comrade. "Excuse me, but what exactly is happening to Tori?" He reached out, grabbing his ally's arm lightly, showing one of the many cracks that brimmed with silver light. "Just what are these wounds? Will they make her vulnerable if we travel through the darkness?"
He was willing to allow the teenager to make her own decisions, but he didn't think it wise for her to rush into potential danger so wantonly. He knew little about spirits and what rules they abided by, not wanting to accidentally bring Tori directly into harms way. He was wary now, the dragon having made him cautious. He waited eagerly to hear its response, holding his breath a bit.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Mar 1, 2019 16:02:40 GMT -5
"Wha-Hey! What are you-?!" Tori freaked out as the man grabbed her arm. She was quick to try and force herself out, but only got one of the cracks bruised, which led to a click of the tongue from her. "See what I mean? If just by touching them stings, imagine how much painful it'll be by using a Corridor!" the dragon pouted.
Tori simply looked away, not too conflicted, but definitely mad. As for the dragon, it sighed with some unease, as it turned towards the man with a stern look.
"First, I don't really know you... But I guess it's fine since Tori knows and trusts you..." it said, unamused, "I'm not 100% sure on what those wounds are, but I know why they're caused. It's because Tori here doesn't know how to keep her power at a lower level." "Like YOU could do any better, sheesh!" Tori yelled back, flustered. "And while using a Corridor wouldn't leave her vulnerable, it would definitely crack her. Literally" the dragon continued, and then turned towards Tori, "Let's... Put it this way. You're like an Illusion right now. Too many hits, or too much pain, and you'll crack. Where you'll go back... I'm not sure." "So in other words, I'm stuck until these things start healing?" Tori asked, bitterly, "It's been a couple days, and they still look the same as when I first got them." "Well... I guess that's why I'm here?" "Huh?" "To bring you back to the Shore. That's the only place where you'll even start to heal."
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