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Post by hoodwink on Feb 23, 2019 10:01:58 GMT -5
The girl seemed a bit different, though the older man chalked it up to either the recent stress both have had to endure on this world, or adolescence. Either way, it didn't involve him too heavily as Tori left the tent to search for food. His own stomach had growled at the mention. As she was walking through the entrance he waved her goodbye and offered his thanks for searching.
As the teenager left the tent, the Vagabond sat down on one of the many suitcases. His gloved hand fell into his jacket pocket, pulling out the small leather notebook from earlier that he had found in the tent. Opening the notebook, he began leafing through some of the pages. What he saw wasn't worrying... at first. Hm... Jane? That was the name scribbled onto the very front page of the book. Afterwards it was filled from top to bottom with journal entries from this 'Jane'.
The Vagabond read the journal entries, his heart sinking with each one. This 'Jane' person seemed to have been on this world for some time. There were sketches of the worlds inhabitants, such as the jaguar and hippos, but also sketches of creatures the Vagabond had yet to see. There was a sketch of a group of small gorillas... a small scribble underlined beneath reading "KEEP SAFE". As the Vagabond read on, he learned from this 'Jane's notes that this world, the Deep Jungle, was supposed to be guarded by the gorillas, similar to the hippos in the sense that they were natural guardians of the worlds light.
According to the journal, it seemed like the gorillas had been slowly thinning out, steadily disappearing one by one. This 'Jane' person had gone to search for them, noting how many would roam deeper into the Jungle and never return. After a few of the gorillas started to go missing, 'Jane' wrote how 'odd creatures with orbs for eyes and antenna on their head' began to appear across the world. The Heartless... The Vagabond clenched his teeth a bit.
His thoughts were interrupted as Tori returned into the tent, holding cans of food from the piles of luggage outside. The Vagabond pocked the leather book, though his heart was still heavy. In the last entry he had read, this 'Jane' person had gone to search for the gorillas deeper in the Jungle, attempting to figure out what's been happening to them all. There is no entry afterwards. Whoever this Jane person is... I wonder if they made it... For all he knew this journal dated back a hundred years, and the mystery woman of the journal was already dead.
Lifting himself off the suitcase, the Vagabond walked over to the other side of the tent, where there was a small singular portable burner, perfect for heating up individual cans of food. Grabbing the device, the Vagabond began to inspect it, trying to see how it worked. He glanced over at Tori. "Thanks for finding those..." His tone seemed a bit disturbed, as he was still thinking of what he had read in the journal. "Hey... have you seen any gorillas on this world yet?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 23, 2019 11:51:33 GMT -5
Tori began opening the cans one by one with the help of her knife. She glanced at the man, who was now holding a small burner. It probably ran on either oil or candles... And both required matches. She was about to grab them when he asked about gorillas.
"No. I've been with you ever since I woke up, remember?" she replied, a bit coldly, "So if you haven't seen any, then neither have I. And, before you go saying 'You were alone for a while, back at that Treehouse'... I didn't pay any attention to my surroundings. I was focused on something else, so I wouldn't know."
Tori grabbed her kit, and took a match to then lit it. She held her hand forward, towards the man and the burner, as if she was asking for it.
"Regardles on how it runs, it needs a source of fire" she stated, "At least, that's how those usually work. Might be a different one, but I can always put the match out."
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 24, 2019 11:02:19 GMT -5
Hm... Sure enough, neither of them had seen any gorillas. With what he had just read in the leather-bound notebook, he couldn't help but feel his stomach sink. Just what's happening here...? The Vagabond handed the burner over to Tori, still rather distracted by his own thoughts. They were just disappearing... This wasn't good, the Vagabond already had the sensation of his skin crawling. Something, most likely the Heartless, had begun to slowly chip away at this worlds best line of defense, the gorillas.
As Tori took the burner, the Vagabond had a terrifying thought. What if there are no gorillas left? If this world was exposed to the darkness and the most active guardians of light were taken out, the Vagabond wasn't sure exactly how this world would attain balance. He glanced down at his left hand, covered in the black fingerless glove, though only for a moment. His research had led him here, it seemed that he might get a chance to see some of the fruitions of it.
Holding up the leather-bound book, the Vagabond began once again leafing through the pages, though this time talking to Tori aloud. "The gorillas seem to be like the hippo, but stronger." He continued flipping through book pages. "Without the natural bodies of light on this world, I think it makes sense that the Heartless are so rampant." He held the book up, showing the page with the sketch drawings of the family of gorillas with the "KEEP SAFE" sign scribbled beneath. Pointing to the image, the vagabond stressed his point.
"I think that they've either been taken or killed by the darkness." Without the gorillas around, the Heartless had many less obstacles. Not only that, but the natural enemies of this world also had an easier time. The Vagabond thought of the large jaguar he had fought when he first arrived on this world. Grimacing at the memory, the Vagabond focused once more on the conversation at hand. "According to this book, written by a local Jungolian, the gorillas had been steadily thinning out. There must be an area in the Jungle where the darkness is strongest... I think we would find any surviving ones there."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 24, 2019 11:47:50 GMT -5
Tori turned the burner on, and sighed as she left it on the floor, listening to the man's explanation about the gorillas being similar to the hippos in the sense that they kept that world's light alive. She didn't mind it, however. Something inside her head kept saying that it wasn't her business... By the second, Tori was changing personalities almost too spastically. But even she couldn't explain it.
"And is that really your business?" she asked, coldly, looking at the burner while placing a couple cans over it, "In my defense, this world's light is safe as it is. Sure, there are Heartless rampaging left and right, but it's not the worst case scenario" Tori explained, sharply, still not looking up, "If there was no light, or little light in this world, then we would've been on a heavier pinch."
Tori stopped talking and looked at her gloved with a hint of worry. She wanted to avoid any further problems, and she wanted the man to stop thinking on the balance of the worlds, when he had other, more important things to focus on. And she could give him a hand IF she recovered her power... But keeping the balance in check was her, and ONLY her business. No one else's.
"After all... Isn't that the reason why I have this power...? To keep the balance... And make sure things remain the same?"
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 25, 2019 0:12:37 GMT -5
He was looking for a pencil, a pen, chalk, anything he could use to write with. Rummaging through many of the disheveled suitcases, the Vagabond exclaimed a cry of joy upon finding a slim weathered pencil. Its tip wasn't the sharpest, but it would serve its purpose. So we got to this clearing with the tent from the branches we slid down from the treetops... He had the leather-bound notebook open, pacing back and forth across the tent floor as he began to furiously scribble a map.
We got to the treetops from the treehouse... which I found after I swung on those vines above the Lagoon... He paused, resting the pencil behind his ears as he plucked one of the open cans that had yet to rest on the fire from its spot. It seemed the Vagabond hadn't noticed it wasn't warmed yet, as he began to pour the contents from the can into his mouth distractedly. He was so consumed by his own activity he hardly tasted anything, to the point where if someone asked him what he had just eaten, he wouldn't be able to answer honestly.
Hearing Tori's remark, the Vagabond simply raised an eyebrow at the girl and shook his head, lifting the leather-bound book. "Just because things aren't at their worst doesn't mean they're permissible." He finished the can, tossing the empty vessel randomly behind him as he finished the hand-drawn map he had made. Lifting the leather-bound book up in the air he beamed, obviously pleased with his own craftsmanship.
"Besides, I have a pretty good idea of where the source is." He thought of that one place, before they had slid down the branches. Deep in the Jungle they had come across a hollow trunk. It had been massive, jutting out from the earth like a monument. They hadn't gone down it, as the Vagabond had sensed a strong sense of darkness and the two had been too weak at the time. Down that tree trunk... whatever's down there has to be the source of this world's darkness...
Whatever was down there, he wasn't sure how long it had been down there. The Notebook was fairly weathered and worn, but didn't suggest to the Vagabond that it was ancient by any means. There was still time, otherwise the world would already be lost. He shook the thought off, glancing back over to the teenager. "I think the answers lie deeper in the jungle... in the thick of it all."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 25, 2019 9:59:50 GMT -5
"In other words, you actually don't have a clear idea on where this 'danger' is comming from?" Tori asked, smirking, "And yet you wanna tackle it? Tch..." she clicked her tongue, "You really are the dumbest Stalker I've met yet..."
Tori let out a sigh, and laid down in the ground. She was slowly starting to get annoyed by his stubborness, even though she was being quite stubborn herself. She looked at her gloved hand once more. It was starting to become a habit of hers...
"And what exactly do you plan on doing once you find it? Try and capture it?" she asked, nonchalantly, "You already saw what happened back with that other Heartless, and yet you're gonna do it again? What are you, brain-dead?" she added, teasing.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 25, 2019 21:58:13 GMT -5
The Vagabond couldn't help but laugh. Indeed, his actions basically were the definition of insanity: doing the same thing in and out but expecting a different outcome. Luckily he didn't believe the source of this world's darkness was something necessarily containable. He crossed his arms and tilted his head a bit in thought. Now he was curious exactly what it would be at all. Shrugging the thought off, he waved at his compatriot on the floor. "Come, if you're going!"
With that he was off! Ducking through the tent flap, the vagabond was momentarily blinded by the light outside. He drew in a hiss of breath as he threw the hood of his jacket up, shielding his eyes from the sun. With a faint trace of a smile, the researcher drew in a deep breath through his nose, taking in the scent of the Jungle air. Ah... this world really is refreshing sometimes... He thought of the Lagoon, the lazy hippos and chirping birds. He would return there when this was over. It was a promise to himself.
Pulling out the leather-bound notebook from his jacket pocket, the Vagabond peered down at the map he had drawn earlier that morning. Giving one final pining glance over towards the east of the camp, where he knew the lush trees looming their shade sheltered the slumbering beasts in the water he loved so much, the Vagabond began heading north. This way was where the bamboo thickets began to clump closer together, leading towards where the two had originally met.
Through reading the writings of this 'Jane' person, the Vagabond had gathered that the source of the darkness he had felt emanating from beneath the treetops. It wasn't near the top of the Jungle they needed to go, but to the bottom. It was time for the Vagabond to use the journal he had found in the tent and the map he had drawn to lead them to what he believed to be the source of this worlds darkness.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 26, 2019 9:09:10 GMT -5
Tori saw as the man left the tent, and sighed. Her suspiciouns had been confirmed, and yet... She didn't feel like proving it to him. The mere fact that he kept on recklessly like that... It annoyed her to no end. Tori just wished she could do something to change his mind... But the only option she had would probably turn him against her. There was no doubt about it.
"An Illusion... Is the only way, right...? To show him..." Tori told herself, and then sighed, "I don't want to do it... But... It's the only way..."
Tori pulled herself up, and looked at the tent's exit for a while, before standing up and following after him. She grabbed her sword's handle firmly, as means to cope with her struggle. She didn't want to do it, but she had to change his mind. Tori felt as if it was her job to keep things the way they were supposed to be. Making things right... It was such a familiar voice... Her voice.
She rushed after him, still conflicted with herself. Tori felt as if she had to change his mind. And she would do anything to do that.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 26, 2019 11:33:59 GMT -5
Bamboo thickets walled the Jungle floor, creating winding tunnels that snaked across the world. The Vagabond had first felt intimidated by the maze-like structure, but it was starting to feel familiar to him. His feet seemed to move without much thought as his own body steered him towards his goal. There had been something nagging at the back of the Vagabonds mind lately, though to be honest he had already started to forget what it was, consumed with a hollow excitement. I can sense the difference. It was almost like a scent to him, though not one he knew by his nose.
His heart felt it. The difference in pressure in the air. How the breeze tasted stale. It all was too familiar to him. To that place. For a moment a raw anger seized him, his hands clenching and his teeth gritting firmly together. I won't let it fall. No. He would destroy it before that. Never again would he be forced to watch another world sucked dry, devoured slowly. If his worst fears were true, that these guardians of light were gone, this 'Jane' person a forgotten relic of time, he would destroy this world.
A sudden image flashed across his mind. Lazy pink hippos, happily floating in the water whilst a chorus of birds crafted melodies on their back. A single tear fell, dropping to the Jungle floor beneath him. No... I couldn't do that... He sighed, the anger subsided. Looking up from beneath his hood, the Vagabond peered up and around him. Walking through the bamboo thickets, he had emerged at a small clearing of cliffs. Halting his gait, the Vagabond stood stiffly for a moment, feeling the presence of a large darkness somewhere near.
Is it at the top...or behind...? There were a variety of tinier cliffs that lead up and to the side. Towards the back of this area was a much larger cliff, leading up to a thicket not visible from here. Something didn't seem right to the man, as there had been no Heartless towards his way here, though he was feeling a stronger presence here in the Jungle than anywhere else. Gritting his teeth, the researcher was growing frustrated. "Just what is going on!?"
With that he began to march forward, rather aggressively, having made up his mind. Screw it, I'm just gonna punch through the cliff. He seemed agitated, his own heart seeming to rage from within his chest. He froze. Wait... why am I angry? He shook his head a bit, confused. As the Vagabond paused, he failed to notice the shift in the presence of darkness earlier consuming his emotional mind. It continued to swell, the pressure beginning to manifest a faint dark vapor, swirling in the air towards the tallest cliff.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 26, 2019 12:15:03 GMT -5
Tori caught up with the man, a bit lacking on breath. She stopped when she saw that faint trace of black around him, but she couldn't explain why she could see it. Regardless, Tori headed onwards, until he was a few feet away. Sighing, she held her hand forward, only a little, and she focused on one thing: his memories. She knew that the problem resided within them. But she wouldn't change anything. Things were meant to be left the way they were, but it didn't mean Tori couldn't change their outcome.
"I'm... So sorry..." she whispered to herself, trying to keep her calm, "but you HAVE to change your mind... Before it takes you down..."
The mist that had swirled around her before took shape once again, this time trying to wrap itself around the man in front of Tori. There was a faint snap, but Tori didn't pay attention to it, and focused on getting him inside of his own memories' Illusion, just to see if there was any way to change his mind.
"Please... Wake up already! You're not... yourself..." she said, this time a bit louder.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 26, 2019 12:44:07 GMT -5
Suddenly a lot seemed to happen in the silent cliff clearing at once.
The swirling black vapor that had appeared above the tall side of the cliff had suddenly shot down from the sky. It pulsated and crashed into the earth just in front of the Vagabond, who took an instinctual leap to the side, shielding himself with his arms as he landed lightly on his feet on one of the smaller cliff ledges. Crouched on this taller cliff-face, the Vagabond noticed Tori here for the first time. It seemed she had indeed chosen to follow him, which at first made him smile a bit in relief.
Creating the same mist that had affected the Vagabond in his sleep, Tori had begun to work her illusion magics just as the dark pillar was erupting forth. The Vagabond wondered exactly what that mist was, or what it would do to the darkness that had come forth. Had she noticed before I did...? No. Something seemed off. Her eyes were fixed on him. It seemed like she meant to hit him with that mist, not the entity before them now. Gritting his teeth a bit, the older man's expression was hidden from the shade of his hood.
"I see. So that's how it is." She had seemed different than her usual self, the dynamic steadily shifting between them from their initial conversation in the tent. I guess it was a mistake to tell her the truth. Of course. He shouldn't have admitted to her the vastness in his heart.
The darkness was beginning to shift and thrash about violently. It was directly in front of Tori, who had been directly behind the Vagabond before he had leaped to the safety of one of the tinier cliff ledges. It was huge. Beginning to take shape was a colossal looking gorilla. It was a deep obsidian that swallowed any light shining on it, its eyes a brilliant yellow that all Heartless had. Its huge torso was swallowed up in darkness, many large tendrils lashing out and thriving around it. Large muscular arms hammered gigantic midnight blue fists into the earth, shaking it with every slam and tremor.
With a roar, the gigantic monster that the two knew as 'Heartless' pounded on the ground before them, shaking the entire Jungle beneath its weight. Just the sound of its roar caused the Vagabond to cover his ears with his hands, staggering and falling onto his butt on the cliff ledge. Shaking his head vigorously he looked up at the terrifying spectacle before him and smiled. No, that wasn't right. He didn't smile. He beamed with joy. "What an opportunity!" For a moment he got to his knees, holding his hands up towards the gigantic beast.
The Vagabond turned his hooded head to look over at Tori, the teenage girl he had met when first arriving to this interesting world. "You're so lucky." There was regret in his voice, as though he were feeling sorry for himself. He knew she was good, someone who followed their own code of justice and right and wrong, having that passionate vigor of youth to stand by their ideals. Unfortunately for him, all of this was seeming to get in his way, as she had decided to turn on him, by the looks of it.
Lucky for her, she was an incredibly powerful fighter. Because of this, he knew she would have no problem taking care of such a monstrosity. With a wave of his hand, a portal of Darkness emerged directly behind the Vagabond on the tiny cliff platform he stood on. He waved at Tori from up above. "Have fun! See you soon~!" with that the odd hooded man was gone, vanishing through the dark portal.
The gigantic gorilla heartless roared once more, shaking the Jungle with its voice alone. It readied itself, standing before the girl with a menacing look, the dark tendrils swirling around it as it began to prepare itself.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 26, 2019 19:04:33 GMT -5
Tori's concentration broke, as the Heartless roared and then stepped in front of her. She flinched, seeing herself alone as the man misunderstood her intentions. But there was no time to stand and think about it. Now was the time to fight, be it alone or with an ally. And she had an idea on what to do, that would kill two birds with one stone.
Sighing a bit pained, Tori held her hands forward, summoning her Keyblade. While she held it firmly with one hand, the other was gathering mist around her, this time with the intents of using Illusions to fight, and be at a less disatvantage. Her eyes, a vivid purple, glared back at the Heartless as she let a loud cry.
"Give me strength... Lief!" she yelled, "I need your help, to get your family back together!"
The mist took human shape, and a familiar image soon began to distinguish itself from the mist. Tori, once seeing the Illusion taken form, lunged forward towards the Heartless, Keyblade firm in her hand. She was going to leave the Illusion focus on other things, not on helping her fight. She had another Illusion that would do that for her, after all, so Lief's Illusion hadn't been summoned for battle.
The other Illusion Tori had made was a of a person she'd met before. Lucia. Having met her back at Sakura Island, Tori knew how strong she was. And she needed as much help as she could. But it would only be for a while. After the battle, Lucia's Illusion would be nothing more than mist.
"Together now!" Tori said, jumping backwards after hitting the Heartless, "Flood! Lucia, help me!"
Lucia's Illusion readied a Waterga spell, while Tori readied her own Flood spell, looking to seal the fight in her favor. After that... She would try and set things right with the man. But after the Heartless was taken care of.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 26, 2019 22:04:31 GMT -5
The Vagabond had left the cliffs behind. Instead there rampaged a gigantic gorilla Heartless, roughly the size of a two story building. It's large muscles rippled with dark veins that channeled powerful energy through its entire being. As the teenage girl lunged at the monster with her Keyblade, it punched the ground before it, causing it to crack and rise as a small shield to parry the blow. With a ear shattering below, its rage continued to pour out.
If one was observant, they would notice a steady shift within the air around this cliff clearing. It was beginning to grow so dense with dark energy that the thin bamboo trees that outlined it were slowly crushing downwards, any vegetation near the large beast steadily draining of color and dying. It seemed as though this large gorilla breathed in the very light of the world itself to fuel its hatred. It paid no mind to the lesser illusions the girl casted, the yellow orbs it held for eyes never wavering from their target. It seemed whoever's heart had fallen to darkness to create this demon had been powerful indeed.
The ground around the gorilla began to shake as it stood up straight, bellowing into the air. The sky began to grow a deep purple as heavy clouds began to be pulled towards the center. Large orbs of darkness began to fall down upon the cliffs. They were gigantic orbs that looked like black and purple crystals. As the first few made contact with some of the nearby trees and jungle floor, the dark energy bursting forth from them decimated anything it touched, leaving behind hollow craters in their place. The gorilla seemed to swell in size as it inhaled, staring down Tori as she began to prepare her flood spell.
There was a violent gust as the gorilla blew its mighty breath. The trees around the clearing shook and were leveled, a hurricane of wind hurtling directly towards the teenager.
[[In an unknown location of the Deep Jungle]]
A portal of darkness emerged within the shadows of the Jungle. Stepping forth was a hooded figure, shrouded by a steel blue unbuttoned jacket. The hooded figure shook their head, their hands forming fists at their sides. Suddenly their fist lashed out, striking the wall violently, forcing the entire tunnel to shake. "Damn it, Tori!" He was genuinely frustrated. I didn't think she'd turn on me like that! He was angry at himself more than her. He was foolish to have trusted a stranger with his secret to begin with.
"I should have learned to keep to myself." With that he gave out a sigh, looking around at his surroundings. He was exactly where he thought it would be. A steady rushing drowned out all other sound as the Vagabond walked deeper into the dark corridors within the Jungle. He had yet to learn about the 'Heart' that worlds had within them. Each one unique, significant and hidden. They were the deepest parts of the world, thus the darkest. Some world hearts slumbered in a peaceful rest, while others were stirred into a rude awakening. Due to the immense pressure of darkness surrounding this area, the Vagabond wouldn't be surprised if any normal living thing would die in such a place.
Luckily I'm not really living... Beneath the shadows of his hood, dull green eyes stared bleakly before them. There, up a head, there was a steady washing wave of darkness emanating from this place. A wound...? It almost looked like a gash upon the world itself, rendering it apart and unleashing a torrent of darkness from within. The Vagabond got to his knees near the 'wound', inspecting it closely. "Just what could do this...?" His own voice was faint, though a solid echo throughout the darkness. Due to half of his own heart being consumed in darkness, he was unaffected by this places pressure, its intensity and sorrow.
There were some perks to being in between.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 27, 2019 11:59:00 GMT -5
"NOW!"
Tori yelled as she held her hand forward. The Flood spell combined with Lucia's Waterga clashed against the hurricane directed towards them, but the impact caused a lot of backlash. Lucia's Illusion shattered like crystal, and Tori was tossed back. Thankfully, the other Illusion remained standing.
"...Go... Find him..." Tori told Lief's Illusion, and then smirked, "Don't worry. I've been in worse."
The Illusion vanished, towards direction unknown, in search for the man. As for Tori, she pulled herself back up, holding small shards of crystal in her hands. The remains of Lucia's Illusion. Tori drew a faint, pained smile, as she grabbed the shards firmly, and glared at the Heartless.
"I'm not... Done with you YET!" she shouted, readying herself for another attack, "So bring your worse!"
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 27, 2019 13:13:14 GMT -5
A torrent of water gushed forth, slamming into the gigantic Heartless mercilessly. It shouted out in pain and surprise as the waves forced it off its feet, pushing it backwards against the largest cliff towards the back. The pressure caused the Jungle to rumble as the gigantic gorilla was forced back. Any vegetation that it touched continued to decay around it, darkness pouring from its very being. It was far from bested yet. Enraged by the damage it had just taken by the spell, the gorilla heartless pounded its chest a few times, challenging the small teenager before it. It seemed to ignore the small illusion that ran off in an unknown direction, seemingly melding away with the breeze. It's gaze was fixed solely on her.
If anyone could read what was in those yellow orb of eyes, it would probably be hunger.
For such a strong willed person to exist before it meant that there was a delicious prize at the end of this battle. A powerful heart. The thought of consuming something so rich was the only thing on the apes mind as it opened its jaws. With a mighty roar that shook the earth beneath it the gigantic heartless manifested a huge orb of darkness from its mouth. It launched forth without warning, roughly the size of an elephant, maybe larger. It was moving almost too fast to tell, hurtling directly towards the young Keyblade wielder. There was no sound, only its roar of anger and greed as its large and powerful form barreled after the projectile, ready to follow up with a powerful smash of its fists.
With every step it took as it lunged forward towards the teenager, the entire Jungle seemed to shake beneath its weight. Cracks were beginning to form along some of the cliff walls, some trees beginning to shake loose and uproot. It seemed this battle would indeed not only test the limitations of the young key-bearer, but of the very world itself.
It was here that all sound was washed away by the falling waterfalls that wound their way outside of this dark cavern of the world, guarding the location of the Heart with their own natural maze-like tunnels and caverns. This is where he would test his limitations. Water droplets echoed softly in the darkness. Here one could not see even the hand before them unless trained or blessed with dark vision of some kind. It was a hollow, lonely place. The heart of the world. Here the Vagabond was able to poke and prod into the dark to his own fragmented hearts content. There were many slumbering hearts here, ones that had been pilfered by the dark. Their dim glow signified that they were not totally lost as of yet. Most of them were the gorillas, though some belonged to even more significant defenders of light. His own fingers were currently burrowing into the wound he had found, ignoring the roaring dark tendrils gushing forth, latching onto his skin and clothing. He rummaged through the depths of the heart, peering into it for clues.
Hm... It seems this worlds heart has been festering for some time... It seemed that something dark had found the heart of this world, ensnaring it with a powerful darkness. Because of this the Heartless on this world were more numerous, the few powerful ones that resided being far more powerful than usual. This had become dangerous. He glanced at the dim lights speckling the walls around him, the only thing peering through the dark. Each one signified a living soul that was taken whilst these monsters were free to roam. He gritted his teeth as his fingers slipped past the Heart of the World itself. He was careful not to handle it too much, only enough to observe how deep the corruption went.
"It seems to not be completely rotten, yet." His tone was hollow and bitter, disgust clear on his shadowed face. With a sigh, the Vagabond closed his dull eyes, concentrating on the darkness that was emanating all around. His heart was open, his mind was blank and his hands full of the darkness that stained this worlds Light. Slowly, a faint purple light began to radiate from within the Vagabond's chest. His eyes opened, shining a faint purple as the Darkness from the wound began to seep into him.
He began to conduct his repair, steadily absorbing the Darkness into his own being. His very existence was that of a fragmented vessel and so the Vagabond hardly paid any heed to the potential risks this could involve. Let's see how far I can go... He was already sweating lightly, his body shaking little by little. Everything here was dark, to the point that if someone were to enter where he was, they would most likely not see anything other than a faint purple outline of a silhouette, hunched over and shaded by the vast shadows.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 27, 2019 17:11:48 GMT -5
Tori was caught off guard by the Heartles dashing towards her, and blocked out of instinct. She made an effort to block the fists that came afterwards, forcing her limits a bit too much. Another snap, and Tori clicked her tongue in pain. Yep, that thing was definitely a whole another level or danger. But she herself had her cards thoughtfully placed down. She was not going to lose against some oversized Heartless.
Tori parried backwards, thankfull to be on her own for just a while. She didn't have any more Illusions at hand, and the one she'd made in a rush was quite weak, as seen by just a mere hit shattering it. For there onwards, she had to deal with it alone for a while. But she wasn't giving up.
"That's ENOUGH!" Tori shouted, a strong, grey mist surrounding her in a blast, "It's about time we end this already!"
Tori's appearance changed, albeit only in her clothes' colors. From a variety of cold blues and purple to a grey scale, and her eyes were a vivid purple once more. Her Keyblade, as well, changed forms, becoming the crystal Keyblade she'd wielded before without knowledge. This time, due to her power overflowing, it was perfectly shaping in her hand.
Yet Tori didn't stop there, as she quickly dashed in front of the Heartless with lightning speed, her arm surrounded by a blue, dragon-form hue. Tori quickly slashed back, all of her strength in one blow. She was aiming to end it then and there. And if not, well... She had one last trick to use as last resort.
Lief's Illusion kept searching for the man, rather fast. It was thanks to Tori's ability to manipulate memories, that the Illusion found its way in that dark cave, where the world's heart was hidden. It was dark, but not pitch black. And, besides, the Illusion didn't need to see in order to sense where he was. With determined steps, the Illusion walked forward, with the intention of either aiding the man in question, or outright stopping him from what he was doing, and wait for Tori to solve it.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 28, 2019 8:14:59 GMT -5
The monstrous gorilla had grown bold with its advancement. Perhaps a little too careless, as it left itself wide open after its rushing barrage of attacks. Towering in both power and size what the large Heartless truly seemed to lack (besides the obvious) was speed. This it seemed Tori had in plenty, as the teenager summoned her tantalizing weapon, the one that stirs all Heartless into action. With a new greed formed, the large gorilla beast gave a desire filled roar as it tried to snatch at the small key bearer. Just as his fist was coming down however the girl seemed to summon a stronger inner strength, a blast of powerful grey mist suddenly bursting forth.
Reeling backwards on its smaller hind legs, the large gorilla was left wide open as it teetered on its heels, trying to remain balanced. Without giving it much of a chance, Tori was a blur of colorless motion as her body rushed forth. Her speed was blinding, the slow beast could hardly keep up. Suddenly the key bearer stood before him, who was still prone and open with his arms up at his sides for balance, a powerful blue energy began to swirl around her arm as she slashed forward with all of her strength.
It was a direct hit, slicing into the Heartless' stomach. Luckily for the teenager, Heartless don't bleed, as otherwise the event might have been slightly traumatic. The key sunk into its target, which immediately gave a surprised shout as it erupted into darkness, the fallen heart released by the Keyblade floating away silently to join the void that awaited it. There was silence in the cliffs, other than the faint sound of the rushing waterfalls in the distance.
It seemed the girl was victorious.
It was overwhelming.
A torrent of darkness washed through the man, who's eyes were glowing a brilliant yellow now, his body convulsing in violent spasms. The dim purple hue that had consumed him earlier was now radiant, shining brightly as darkness poured from the wound of the world into the man with no name. His jaw was open, his mouth shouting in pain though he heard no sound at all over the rushing waterfalls that hid the caverns he resided within. He thought of the hippos lazily floating in the Lagoon, wondering if he would see them again.
The method was painful though working as the darkness in the cavern began to lessen, the dim orbs littering the walls growing brighter, shaking loose. Being that the caverns were mostly all rock beneath the earths surface, there was no vegetation to show the life being funneled back into the world itself. Just...a little...longer... It was the only thought in his head, the only one he could manage. It took all of his sanity just to keep his hands in, to keep his heart open to the awful energy pouring out. "I-I...can...take this..." Weak was the best word to describe his voice. Faint. Almost not there at all. It was a distant cracking of what it once was.
He wouldn't take it all, though. There needed to be some darkness in a heart, otherwise there wouldn't be balance. Finally at his breaking point, the Vagabond used the remainder of his strength to wretch himself free of the world's heart. The wound still showed on the surface, though now there wasn't such a menacing energy pouring out--just a dim light, not blinding or threatening at all. A soft glow. The orbs littering the walls were radiant now, free of the darkness that once held them. Steadily the beams of light began floating, drifting out of the caverns, lighting the paths during their escape through the waterfalls. Witnessing it firsthand was truly breath taking. "Well, would you...look... at that..."
The Vagabond fell face first into the hard stone corridor floor. The darkness radiating around him had finally subsided, nestling into his heart, quietly tamed. It took a lot out of him, but he was used to the sensation. It wasn't his first time absorbing another hearts darkness. The wandering vagrant was completely unconscious now, unable to witness the beauty of the hearts drifting back into the Jungle trees, the forgotten chattering of gorillas shortly following.
Walking through the tunnels was a man only a few years younger than the one unconscious deep in the worlds heart. He had a mop of brown hair, similar to that of the Vagabonds, with radiant emerald eyes. The tall fragmented memory stepped into the room, a vast space beneath the earth filled with cavern ledges and waterfalls falling all around. It was here the Vagabond lay silently, unaware of the illusion now at his side, peering down.
I know him from somewhere... The memories fragmented, Lief stared puzzled at the man he was ordered to find. Communicating with Tori by means of which her illusions are connected to her, he would tell her of this place and where to find them.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 28, 2019 8:44:41 GMT -5
Tori saw the Heartless dissapear, her body slightly shaking at her overwhelming power. She had won... But at a cost. Two new cracks had taken hold of her body, never to dissapear. Tori dismissed her overflowing power, and fell to the ground, trying to catch her breath back. At least, she was able to keep up.
Tori stood back up, pulling her hood back up. She then began to head towards where the Illusion had gone, a bit in a hurry. She didn't have to see to know that something would happen, and she had to fix it. Call it a stubborn thought of hers, but Tori wasn't going to let that slide any further.
She ran throughout the dark cave, struggling to keep her breath constant. Thanks to Lief's Illusion, Tori knew exactly where to go, and it didn't take her long to find who she was looking for.
"Thank you..." Tori told the Illusion with a smile, "I'm... Sorry to have made you done this... But I need your help..."
Still a bit tired, she held her hand slightly forward, a mist surrounding her faintly. The memories of the past she'd managed to see before, back at the tent... They all connected with Lief's Illusion. Tori had struggled to find his own memories, but being close to the Vagabond, his memories would be the same as Lief's. That was a no-brained for her.
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 28, 2019 9:33:44 GMT -5
((I DM'ed you in case I need to edit this post or anything in regards to the Illusion.))
The waterfalls fell with a steady chorus, shrouding most sound in the cavern with its own torrent. The Vagabond lay unconscious on the cavern floor, unaware of the two nearest to him. His own mind was in the deep fog of sleep, his body drained from the toll of his endeavors. With bated breathing, the wandering vagrant dwelled in the depths of his own heart, currently processing the darkness it had consumed. It had not been an easy task, but one he had practiced himself to, trained himself steadily for. It wasn't strength he needed, but the finesse to control the ebbs and flow and the tides.
Lief stood above the Vagabond, motioning Tori over once she emerged. The illusion was a frail one, born of broken memories not wholly completed. This was of no fault on Tori's, however, who's illusion crafting was flawless, but due to the minds of those the illusion tried to impersonate. What was once a memory of the boy that stood here was but a hollow shell, a husk of its former self. As Tori came over towards him and attempted to piece together some of the illusions memories, it shook and trembled.
A hazy scene had filled the illusion's broken mind, one of his own body, lifeless and limp upon the shores of a beach. A heart floating in the sky, consumed by darkness. His heart. "I...died...?" It almost sounded like a question, though to no one in particular. The illusion merely stood there, dumbfounded, waiting for its next commands. It wasn't a fully sentient being, and thus couldn't appropriately handle this existential crisis. That's right. You're not the real you, after all. The thought quelled the illusions unsteady heart, peace returning to his face.
Looking at Tori, the illusion raised an eyebrow and tilted his head, much in a way the Vagabond himself did. "What can I help with...?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 28, 2019 11:40:05 GMT -5
Tori chuckled, and let out a tired sigh. It was definitely taking a toll on her, but she wasn't bothered by it. Seeing that the memories were way too broken to piece together for the time being would pose a problem, but... Tori hoped with all of her heart that, with given time, she could piece them all back together. For now, the Illusion would last...
"I guess... The memories are way too shattered for you to understand anything, but..." Tori took a deep breath, "I can't change his mind... And I don't think anyone's able to, but... I want to try and change it anyways. At this rate... He'll kill himself for nothing..."
Tori looked at the Illusion, and the man once again. The cracks and wounds hurt like hell, but she would live through them. She just had to wait for the man to wake up... And hopefully, set things right.
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