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Post by hoodwink on Apr 21, 2020 15:53:15 GMT -5
Watching the events unfold, Kujo’s eyes glared with deeper mistrust after seeing the odd weapon return to Jack on its own. The hell? Did it have a mind of its own? The very thought of a sentient weapon unsettled him. ”I…I genuinely have no explanation for that…” M’Lyn seemed just as lost for words as he was. Happy stood quietly nearby, having brought the spilled chair upright, rocking back and forth on his heels. It was clear he had no idea what was going on between the three. ”Still…a pair of guns?” Jack seemed in disbelief, though no longer seemed to outwardly doubt them or believe they were pranking him. It was a start. ”Gotta wonder what that was about…” Turning from the two, facing the door that led out of the Cottage and back into the Clearing, Kujo slipped his hands into his pockets.
”Wonder about it on the move. We’re almost outta daylight.” The golden light spilling through the windows of the cozy home had continued to grow faint, a deep red and pink setting in. Soon the sun would set—and if this world worked anything like his own, Kujo figured the Heartless would only get stronger and more frequent throughout the forest during nighttime. Turning to look at Happy, the dwarf seemed to shrink under the tall man’s gaze. ”Where haven’t we checked?” He took a step towards the smaller dwarf, who immediately took a step back out of reflex. The usual jovial smile wavered for just a moment before Happy chuckled and shook his head. Walking past Kujo and glancing out the window, the short bearded man pointed out.
”Well—we checked the Mine, the Swamp…you guys came from the Forest…” For a moment, Happy crossed his arms and tapped a foot, trying to remember. ”Aha! Ha ha!” Chuckling and clapping his hands to his rotund gut, Happy seemed proud of himself as he beamed. ”The Flower Garden! It’s close by, but I don’t think anyone’s checked there yet!” Pointing through the window, Happy motioned for the others to look. ”It’s through the path on the right, you’ll know its the right one if you find a small bridge and a lovely river!” Enthusiastic, Happy grabbed onto Kujo’s pant leg, looking up at the tall man with a bright smile. ”I’m sure you’ll find at least one of them there!”
Nodding a bit, Kujo turned to the others. ”Well? It’s the only lead we got. You ready?” They’d have to be fast, of course. Who knew what kind of Heartless were lurking in the coming night. If Jack or M'Lyn needed time to rest, Kujo planned on simply exploring it by himself. How dangerous could a 'flower garden' be, anyway?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Apr 22, 2020 4:48:59 GMT -5
"Yeah" Jack nodded in agreement, "It's as good as any lead, really. We can't waste much more time, either. Can't tell how aggresive they'll be once it gets dark nor do I wanna chance it" he added with a smirk, "Unlike at your place, if we're out in the open, there ain't no streetlamps to light a bit of the path."
M'Lyn simply complied by nodding as well, not really finding anything to say after Jack. In a sense, she was just as aware as him when it came to their surroundings, and the possible problems night-time could pose if they encountered any Heartless.
They had to be quick.
"Alrighty, then... Let's get to it!"
With that said, Jack took a head start to the path they hadn't taken before -the path to the right. M'Lyn was fairly close-by, although more waiting on Kujo rather than following Jack all the way there. Still skeptical, although not doubting his words any longer, the Miqo'te found it hard to compute, so to speak. Just what was that sword about? Why wouldn't it part with Jack at all? It was as if it had a mind of its own...
"The more I wonder about it, the more complicated it gets..." she thought with a frown, "Much like Kujo's Akogare, this might not be easy to figure out unless we encounter someone with the prior knowledge of it... Hopefully, that comes by soon... I don't think this'll leave my head any time soon, which bothers me quite..."
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 22, 2020 17:30:29 GMT -5
Kujo grinned at Jack’s response, glad to see he was back to his usual self. Though there were many unsettling unknowns, he knew he couldn’t waste time worrying about them. ”Alrighty then…let’s get to it!” With renewed energy, Jack bounded out of the Cottage door, causing Happy to beam once more in joy. Looking up to Kujo and M’Lyn before they departed, Happy chuckled a bit before glancing out the door after Jack. ”He’s a good guy—all of you are, ha ha! Thanks a ton! I’ll make sure the others are back up and ready to welcome everyone home when you’re back!” Nodding silently, Kujo followed the Miqo’te out of the Cottage, Happy closing the door behind them.
The sky had fallen to a dark orange and pink, the sun already setting. Flickering light emitted from the cottage, the fiery hearth still warm and inviting. Noticing M’Lyn’s frown as they stood by the entrance, Jack already having begun making his way to the path on the right, Kujo assumed she was thinking about the same stuff he was. ”It bugs me, too.” He was watching Jack from where they stood, picturing the odd sword in his mind. ”But it’s nothing we can’t handle.” With that, the man in lavender began making his way after Jack, following him to the peaceful looking path with spilling pink sunlight and lush vegetation lining it. He’s got us watching his back. Him, M’Lyn and Alice were all keeping a watchful eye on him. Nothing would happen to the odd-sword’s wielder if they had anything to say about it. BOOM! The echo of what seemed like thunder boomed again, though Kujo was finally able to tell it was coming from far ahead.
Hm…maybe we’ll get some answers on that. It wasn’t the most prominent question he had, but figuring something out at this point would feel like an accomplishment. ”Y’know…I’ve been wondering about that thunder.” As Kujo and M’Lyn caught up to Jack and began walking down the path, he decided to voice his thoughts. ”There aren’t really any clouds—but it’s been goin’ for awhile…” His eyes had turned to the sky, visible due to the clear path made from the clearing. Still, almost no clouds lingered. What few ones did were small wisps, hardly capable of such feats. Zoom! A burst of light erupted around Kujo, the man’s body moving at an insane speed in order to grab something out of the air that had nearly pelted him.
With the galaxy eyes of his Akogare, Kujo turned to look into the brush lining the path. ”Watch out—we got company.” Odd Heartless Kujo had never seen before lined the path ahead, blending in with the scenery with their odd plant-like bodies. The only thing that made them noticeable enemies were the beady yellow eyes and odd symbol on their front—the same Kujo had seen on other Heartless they faced on his own home world. Within a moment, Kujo’s Akogare hovered at his side, its galaxy eyes fixed on the enemies hiding in the brush. ”Let’s make this quick.” Walking off of the path and crunching his way over the verdant forest around them, the tall lavender clad man eyed up his targets.
Within the blink of an eye, the man was standing near the group of Heartless, his Akogare delivering punishing blows against the stationary enemies.
[[ENEMIES: 2 Dire Plants, 3 Creeper Plants]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Apr 24, 2020 3:36:20 GMT -5
Jack turned ever so slightly towards Kujo as he voiced his thoughts. M'Lyn also listened attentive, but not really showing any enthusiasm about it -hiding it, really. The Miqo'te, already recieving Kujo's back-up, was solely focused on the sword rather than anything else.
Who wouldn't, really? Even though curiosity could be deadly if furthered too far, M'LYn wasn't one to release a thought out of her head, despite the annoyance it could prove.
”There aren’t really any clouds—but it’s been goin’ for awhile…” "True... And before you ask, I ain't been usin' magic lately" Jack frowned, "Heartless, maybe? I dunno..." "If it is a Heartless... We might need to tread with care..." the Miqo'te said with a sigh.
ZOOM! Out of nowhere, Kujo had dashed with inhuman speed, catching something in the air within the blink of an eye. Both members of the group stood on their defense, as Kujo announced their "company" nearby. Without wasting neither second or breath, Jack summoned his blade, while M'Lyn summoned a bow and arrows. While Jack dashed forward to aid Kujo in his pummeling, M'Lyn took her distance, taking aim and shooting at whatever enemy she deemed the most dangerous.
"Let's just get over with this before anymore decide to jump in!" Jack rushed his words, "We really don't wanna take any longer than needed! Else we get ambushed in the dark of night."
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 24, 2020 18:08:50 GMT -5
Dissolving one of the flower-shaped Heartless with a punishing axe kick, Kujo’s emerald gaze fell on Jack’s odd blade. Tch—is he tryin' to lure 'em again? The Heartless paused, their beady eyes moving towards Jack as he began to rush in to back Kujo’s assault up. ”Let’s just get this over with before any more decide to jump in!” He was right—the sun was already setting, their time swiftly running out. Whatever came with the night, it would be bad if it caught them while they were escorting dwarves. ”Get goin', then.” While M’Lyn provided cover with her arrows, destroying one of the weaker flower Heartless, Kujo had moved next to Jack, pointing down the path that led to the Flower Garden.
”I can run faster than you both with my Akogare. We won’t split for long.” They had communications back up, anyway. Surely the two wouldn’t expect him to need help with such small fry. Delivering a sweeping kick that caused all of the surrounding flower Heartless to stagger, Kujo's voice seemed steady and sure despite the battling. ”M'Lyn, you can handle any fighting 'till then, right?” Glancing at M’Lyn over his shoulder, Kujo pointed at Jack’s Keyblade. ”If this thing stays out, it’s just gonna keep drawin’ em to us.” They had spoken of a few theories, though nothing was concrete when it came to their knowledge around the odd blade. Truthfully, Kujo was still suspicious of it, especially after what had been displayed at the Cottage. Turning to look at Jack, Kujo kept his fists up and readied himself as the Heartless began to recover their senses.
”If you can’t chuck the damned thing, just don’t draw it.” Almost as though on cue, Shadows began to appear from the dark between the underbrush. Though the flower Heartless remained immobile, the Shadows were swift, rushing forward with bounding leaps. All beady yellow eyes focused on the boy with the odd sword. "Now go!" Rushing forward to greet the oncoming enemies, Kujo's body burst with light as he used his DokiDoki ability. As a torrent of heart-shaped light bursts exploded forth, showering the Heartless with force, the coming dusk seemed to wane against such vibrance. BOOM! The sound of thunder ahead lingered over the battlefield, combining with the sounds of pummeling fists and a vicious shout.
[[ENEMIES: 1 Dire Plant, 2 Creeper Plants, 3 Shadows]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Apr 25, 2020 11:49:19 GMT -5
At first eager and somewhat in a rush to get into battle just to have more time for search, Jack was caught aback by Kujo's orders. As M'Lyn nodded while readying yet another arrow, Jack began to fume. Sure, the Heartless would be on his toes every damn time he summoned the blade, but that didn't mean Jack wasn't ready for it. What was the point of having it, if not to fight?
"Now go!" Kujo's order was far easier said than done. Frowning, Jack hesitated to leave. He didn't want to, even though he knew that it was far the more efficient option at hand. Even the Miqo'te seemed to side with Kujo, although that wasn't a surprise given their interactions previously. As he clicked his tongue, Jack made a run-for-it, not before aiming a Thunder III spell at one of the Creeper Plants.
Without a word, Jack left, leaving M'Lyn and Kujo behind. Even though M'Lyn was going to follow eventually...
"I'll leave soon, but I don't plan on leaving just yet" M'Lyn said, calm and collected, "If anything, I just want to lessen one burden... You, too, know not your limits. And I'm not about to leave immediately either -not from this fight."
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 25, 2020 12:29:21 GMT -5
Delivering a brutal punch that evaporated a Shadow Heartless, Kujo leapt backwards in order to avoid the spraying seed bullets coming from the plant-like Heartless. As Jack’s Thunder III spell crackled across the battlefield to destroy one of said plants, Kujo grinned a bit as he glanced over his shoulder in time to see Jack running ahead down the path. Heh—sometime’s he listens. There was a certain respect in the thought, as he knew how Jack’s pride and want to help friends typically outweighed listening to his allies. ”I’ll leave soon, but I don’t plan on leaving just yet.”
M’Lyn’s arrows followed her words, covering Kujo’s back as he dove forward to begin another assault. ”If anything, I just want to lessen one burden…you, too, know not your limits.” A grin had formed on the man’s face as he spun to glance at the Miqo’te. ”Tch, you're as stubborn as ever.” His tone betrayed the faint humor he felt as he was greeted by M'Lyn's steely and focused gaze. Though he did wish she’d have listened, he also respected and understood her own reasonings. His own power was an unknown variable, too.
Shouting out as he unleashed more torrents and punches onto the Heartless, Kujo and M’Lyn’s battle would echo throughout the forest as Jack ran down the path…
[[ENEMIES: 1 Creeper Plant, 1 Dire Plant, 2 Shadows]]
Going on ahead, Jack would find the path clear of other enemies. Thankfully, it seemed what Heartless lurked were fewer in numbers here, most concentrated to where M’Lyn and Kujo remained. The golden sunlight was waning further, turning a deep pink as the entire world seemed closer to dusk. Night would soon be on them. BOOM! The ‘thunder’ sounds echoed ahead, louder than before as Jack grew closer. On the side of the path, trees began to appear more cracked and broken, some completely snapped in half, littering the path and creating small yet easily maneuverable obstacles. Finally, Jack would come to the end of the forested path, the sound soon becoming clear.
”Ah—AH—ACHOOOOOOOMMMMM!” A blast of powerful wind would greet Jack as he exited the path into an open field. The gale would cause countless trees around the path to quake and rustle, leaves falling from the force. Ahead of Jack was a sprawling Flower Garden, with an assortment of vibrant and large flowers decorating lush grass and rolling hills. Sectioning apart the field was a babbling stream, clear and nutritious water running over soft stone and pebbles. Standing in the middle of said field was a small dwarf, similar to Happy and the others. Short in height with a short yet thick white beard, the dwarf wore a buttoned brown tunic and a matching brown knit hat on their head. Similar to the others, a bright large pink nose rested in the center of their face. Unlike the other dwarves, this one seemed battered and bruised. His tunic was torn and tattered, grass stains littering them, as well as countless cuts and scrapes peppering his hands and face.
Littering the field were craters of earth, demolished and torn up. Destroyed and uprooted flowers littered the grass, giving the impression of a tornado having passed through the area. ”O—oh no! S-STAY B-B-BACK!” The dwarf, having noticed Jack, had a look of horror on their face, shaking their head and backing up despite the distance between the two. Holding up both hands in front of themselves, the dwarf seemed in severe distress as his face began to redden. ”I—I ca—can’t c-c-control…” His face began to screw up and tighten as his large nose began to twitch. ”Ah—AH—ACHOOOOOOM!!!” A stupidly powerful sneeze escaped the dwarf, causing him to rocket backwards as it erupted forth with more power than an Aeroga spell. A tunnel of wind shot forward, a crackling BOOM! filling the air as the wind sliced through the distance and shot directly for Jack!
The field beneath the tunnel’s wake was torn up and decimated immediately, grass, dirt and flowers mingling with the wind tunnel to shower debris as well as pummel with force.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Apr 26, 2020 15:34:52 GMT -5
After shooting a barrage of arrows to all sorts of enemies, M'Lyn changed her weapons for a staff, as a bright light near her took the form of a fairy -Eos. The fairy remained by Kujo's side without giving away a hint of their presence, casting Fey Illumination on both Kujo and M'Lyn, while the Miqo'te channeled a Ruin II spell onto the Creeper Plant.
While certainly not a hard fight, it didn't promise to be an easy one, either.
Jack looked aroud as he came across the barren solace, blade still in hand. It didn't strike as a place worthy of calling itself a "Garden", but curiosity didn't stop him there. Searching with his eyes helped him come upon another drawf, although this one seemed scared to let Jack near.
And with good reason.
"WHOA!"
His reflexes as fast as usual, Jack rolled out of the way as the sneeze headed his way. With unease, he looked at the drawf.
"One hit from that and I'm sure as hell done for!" he thought, "That ain't normal for a sneeze, at all!" "What...?!" "Oh, so you're watching me right now, sis?!" Jack shouted, bitter. "Just for your information, I'd rather keep you under hawk's eye than either Kujo or M'Lyn! Mostly because of that blade..." "Huh... Nice..."
Sighing, Jack looked at the dwarf while keeping his distance. As he'd seen before, that wasn't normal for a sneeze, and one hit of that would mark his end. And he wasn't ready for it! With care in his steps to avoid tripping, he tried to approach.
"So... Uh... Mind tellin' me why you sneeze that fiercely, buddy?" he asked with clear unease in his tone, "I wanna help'cha, but... Need to know what's goin' on, first. Name's Jack, by the by -I'm a friend of Happy's... And the rest..." he added while looking away.
"So then... Mind lettin' me know if I can do somethin' to fix ya?"
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 27, 2020 12:44:04 GMT -5
BOOM! Another echoing roar came from far ahead as Kujo spun on his feet, delivering a powerful twirling kick that ended the remaining Shadows. As M’Lyn devastated the remaining Creeper Plant, the lone Dire Plant seemed to sense its impending doom. Bristling as it shot forth a strew of glowing dark seeds, the plant-like Heartless seemed to roar out in defiance as powerful leaf blades spiraled off of its form, shooting out at the two in a swift and powerful attack. Feeling the power of M’Lyn’s summoned fairy surrounding him, Kujo hardly seemed strained as he raised his forearms to block the oncoming attacks.
”AAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!” A splitting cry from behind signaled in the distance. Kujo’s emerald eyes flashed in the direction of where they had come from—the path that would lead back to the Cottage. ”What was—?“ Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Drawn by the battle, more Heartless appeared among the underbrush. Hmmmmmmmzzz! A winged Heartless armed with a powerful stinger shot past Kujo’s head, narrowly missing him as more gathered. Soon, M’Lyn and Kujo would be surrounded on the path by a small cluster of the beasts. Glancing at the Miqo’te over his shoulder, Kujo’s voice betrayed his impatience and frustration at their situation.
”We don’t have time for this! Go to Jack! I’ll go check on the others.” Leaning forward, Kujo brought his leg back as the faint aura surrounding him began to shine with brilliance around his leg. "Giiiiiirrooooo—" A burst of blinding light flashed in the forest path, fading as quickly as it came. "chiiiiiiin!" Kujo stood behind a portion of the Heartless nearest to M'Lyn, his foot raised as smoke came off of it. As his targets evaporated into darkness, Kujo pointed at the opening he made, standing next to M'Lyn with his hands in his pocket as his Akogare appeared before him, its fists up in a fighting stance.
[[ENEMIES: 3 Dire Plants, 5 Nimble Bees]]
The dwarf’s body shook as he forced himself back to his feet. New bruises and grass stains peppered his already disheveled appearance. Lines of exhaustion seemed to bare deep on the small man’s bearded face. ”So…uh…mind tellin’ me why you sneeze that fiercely, buddy?” Jack’s friendly demeanor and safe distance caused the dwarf to stress slightly less. Sitting down in the tall grassy field, which now only housed the occasional splotch of flowers here and there, the dwarf sighed. ”Name’s Jack, by the by—I’m a friend of Happy’s…and the rest.”
Hearing this, the dwarf’s eyes lit up, a look of hope coming across his face as his head jolted up to look at Jack directly. ”So then…mind lettin’ me know if I can do somethin’ to fix ya?” At the question, tears started to form in the dwarf’s eyes, though he quickly brought up a sleeved arm to wipe them away. ”I—I’m Sneezy.” Sniffling a bit and wiping his bright pink nose, the dwarf stood up and brushed himself off. ”I’ve always sneezed a lot…but not like t-t—TH—“ Reeling his head back, the dwarf seemed to flash between a look of horror before scrunching his face up and turning away from Jack as quickly as he could. ”THACHOOOOO!”
Another blasting tunnel of wind shot forth, launching the dwarf backwards through the air directly next to Jack, crumpling into the grass with a yelp. Wincing as he forced himself to sit up, the dwarf was shaky and tired. ”Usually Doc gives me medicine—but something in the flowers was just so—strong.” Shivering at the memory, Sneezy turned to look around at the ruined Flower Garden. Sadness welled up in his eyes again as his head turned down. ”Oh…it’s all ruined now…” Wiping at his eyes again, Sneezy seemed to lack the energy to stand, remaining on his backside in the field.
”I don’t know what it was…” The sun was almost fully set, the field darkening steadily as the orange and pink sky slowly began to transition into a darker purple hue.
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 2, 2020 15:53:05 GMT -5
Hesitant at first, and even frustrated at one point, M'Lyn glared at Kujo as he continued his attack against the Heartless. It just wasn't in her instinct to leave a fight, and yet... It was almost as if leaving became a necesity. Why was that? At that point in time, she couldn't tell.
"If I leave, who'll watch your back?!" she thought with exasperation, "I've had enough with you and Jack playing hero... Or attempting to, at that fact." "...I don't think going this deep into this path at this time of day is a good idea..." Alice expressed her uncomfort, "They're not strong, sure, but... They're nowhere near stopping here."
M'Lyn frowned, only further enraged by the sittuation at hand. While Alice's information was far from flawed, not knowing how the Heartless would behave at night in a place like that, without any sort of lights to help their sight did set the mood for the worse. It didn't make her wanna leave yet, not until the coast cleared up a bit.
Although the yell did startle her... But it didn't seem like it came from nearby. Most likely from another area far away?
"If anyone, Jack ought to do something about it, knowing him..."
Jack listened to Sneezy -quite the fitting name, again...- as he explained. Medicine, huh? Shame he didn't carry anything with him, and he sincerely doubted M'Lyn's magic would be of use there, not to mention her being busy elsewhere. So, then... What to do...?
"Shame I got no meds with me right now..." Jack scratched the back of his head while looking away, "In any case... If you're sayin' the flowers were the cause of all this, then... I know it's sad, but... You should be okay to go? If so, then... Let's get'cha back home, 'kay?"
With a sheepish yet uneasy smile, Jack looked at Sneezy waiting for his answer. If all else failed, couldn't he just carry him back to the cottage, like the other drawves he'd carry so far? It at least proved to be a helpful excercise...
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Post by hoodwink on May 3, 2020 0:24:25 GMT -5
”I’ve had enough with you and Jack playing hero…or attempting to, at that fact.” M’Lyn’s frustration was clear, causing Kujo to pause as he eyed the Miqo’te from over his shoulder. As Alice chimed in over the comm, Kujo’s Akogare shouted out a battle cry as it blocked incoming stinger attacks, its purple armor shining without a hint of a scratch. ”Don’t get it twisted—“ Kujo’s eyes stayed focused on the multiple Heartless in the oncoming darkness. He did feel a little bad—it seemed he and Jack had been putting needless pressure on the Miqo’te.
”—I ain’t interested in playin’ hero.” Rushing forward, Kujo's Akogare began to catch and throw the nearest flying Heartless at each other as Kujo turned to look at M’Lyn. There was a faint grin on his face, though his eyes remained stoic and serious. ”If you’re tired of babysittin’, I’ll go back ‘im up.” For a moment, the man turned to look down the path the way they had come. Though the Cottage was out of sight, Kujo knew he had heard the scream come from there.
”But—“ Beginning to walk passed the Miqo’te, farther down the path towards where Jack had run off, Kujo paused beside her as his Akogare continued to fight. ”—I know he wouldn’t forgive us if one of us didn’t go help those geezers.” Having destroyed a good amount of the bee-like Heartless that had come as back up, Kujo’s Akogare disappeared as he was surrounded instead by its bright purple aura. ”Tch—whatta pain.” Since when had he cared if someone forgave him or not? Rushing forward with the speed of his Akogare Kujo left M’Lyn to settle the remaining fight and returning to the Cottage as he ran towards the Flower Garden.
[[ENEMIES: 3 Dire Plants, 2 Nimble Bees]]
Sneezy seemed relieved at the moment of reprieve, sitting on his backside and sighing in exhaustion. ”If you’re sayin’ the flowers were the cause of all this, then…you should be okay to go?” As Jack encouraged Sneezy to leave, the dwarf’s eyes grew large and panicked. Shaking his head with vigor, the bearded man peddled backwards with his hands and feet, his head whipping back and forth as he looked around the clearing. ”Sh—SHHHH! No!” Standing up suddenly, the short man waved his arms about and rushed back to Jack’s side, looking up at him with desperation.
”Y-you shouldn’t have come! Oh no…” Riddled with worry, the little man had begun to shake as he looked around in panic once more. ”I—if you t-try to leave…it shows up…” Seemingly scaring himself by his own works, Sneezy shouted out in terror before flinching and cowering in the grass. Suddenly, Sneezy reeled backwards, his face scrunching up as he groaned. A bright flicker of purple darkness seemed to appear suddenly, surrounding the dwarf’s otherwise bright pink nose. ”A—AH—AHHHH—“ Making sure to turn away from Jack at the last minute, the dwarf let out another powerful sneeze with a loud: ”ACHOOOOOOOOOM!” Having his back to Jack, Sneezy was launched backwards into the man with tremendous force as another massive wind tunnel tore down the nearest trees and flowers ahead.
The impact would cause the dwarf (as well as Jack, unless he managed to move) to fly backwards towards the path Jack had come from. The second he landed in a heap in the grassy field, a familiar whoosh! would come from the ruined garden, darkness falling upon the area. In the center of the ruined Flower Garden loomed a massive Heartless, crafted of thorned vines and leaves, large bread yellow eyes coming from crooked grinned rose face.
It seemed the dark presence had finally revealed itself!
[[ENEMIES: Giant Red Rose]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 5, 2020 4:24:12 GMT -5
At first, Jack looked confused. There was almost no time to ask what was it that didn't let them , as, by accident, Sneezy was proppelled towards him, raming him to the ground. Groaning at first, Jack perked up at the familiar sensation lurking nearby, helping Sneezy get off him as he stood up.
"Perfect timing as usual..." he frowned, the blade of his taking form once more in his gripped hand, "They're always somewhere causin' trouble, huh?"
A thought then crossed his mind. What if that Heartless was the big baddy leading the small fry from before? After all, instincts usually led Heartless to either target or follow the strong ones, and this one seemed to fit the mold. Even if that wasn't the case, though...
He'd had to weed a few patches before being even able to leave with Sneezy safely back to the cottage.
"Stay behind, okay?" he warned Sneezy as he glanced towards him. He then grinned, "I got this one. Don't worry -it's just an overgrown plant that needs to be unrooted."
With a cocky grin, Jack turned back towards the plant, the blade ready in his hands. It felt right... For once. Sure, the behavior it showed before was far from safe -a sentient weapon could easily turn. But Jack didn't feel as if that particular one would. It felt... Close. Familiar, even.
In the end, though, what he needed to get used to was to battle with the thing, not be comfortable with it.
"Good thing I learned a thing or two 'bout gardenin'..." he joked to himself, "I doubt I could do better without that little knowledge..."
Growing tired of the charade, M'Lyn dismissed Eos and changed her weapon once more for a pair of chakrams, to then throw them both at the nearest enemy she could find.
"Truly now..." she mumbled with a frown, "It's far too long for a triffle..."
After Kujo's comment, M'Lyn didn't say anything. Not that she could've. Sure, Jack was a bit too eager for his own good, saying he'd help each and every person he'd encounter, but would that really mean he needed help at all times? The Miqo'te wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, and knowing Alice would keep a close eye on his regardless of his position, she truly didn't worry much.
It only became a worry if they happened to be in a pinch. At that point, though, nothing indicated to that.
"I doubt he needs babysitting, that with a sentient blade and whatnot" the Miqo'te spoke, rolling her eyes as the chakrams returned regardless if they missed their mark, "Besides, I'd rather give him the benefit of the doubt despite his disatvantages. Who's to say he's not stronger than us? For all we know, he might surpass us with given time" she finished with a cold smirk, never turning towards Kujo or his Akogare.
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Post by hoodwink on May 6, 2020 19:42:20 GMT -5
Sneezy nodded in timid worry as he hid behind the nearest bush. Thankfully, due to Jack’s confident and nonchalant attitude, the dwarf seemed reassured despite the situation. As the Keyblade appeared in the man’s hands, the large Heartless seemed to pause, its beady yellow eyes staring intently on the oddly shaped weapon. THOOOM! Within a moment, large thorned roots and vines began ripping up from beneath the earth, upending lush green grass to create snake-like craters in the already ruined Garden. Lashing out towards Jack, the vined roots were easily as thick as smaller trees, about as wide as the Keyblade Wielder themselves.
Kujo emerged from the forest thickets surrounding the ruined garden. Hands in his pockets as he stalked silently, his emerald eyes shrewdly analyzed the situation. Tch—it’s just a big flower. Almost irritated that he had rushed over here, Kujo thought on what M’Lyn had said as he had made his departure. Maybe she’s right… He had mistaken Jack’s clumsy handling of the odd weapon at first for weakness—despite how the young man had proven himself back on Kujo’s own home world. ”Guess I can’t get mad—I’m bein’ just as clingy…” Mumbling to himself with a sigh, the bright aura surrounding Kujo disappeared as his Akogare emerged at his side.
”Whatever. Let’s just make this quick.” Walking towards the massive Red Rose, who was still occupied with attacking Jack, Kujo set himself up into a good flanking position. With a battlecry, his Akogare surged forward, armored fist glowing radiance as it landed a brutal punch into the large Heartless’ flower body. The impact caused the large Heartless to jolt, turning swiftly to look down at the new enemy.
It’s assault on Jack would halt in that moment.
[[ENEMIES: Giant Red Rose]]
M’Lyn would hear another shout coming back from the Cottage, though the path leading back would be barred by the remaining Heartless. While the Dire Plants shot stinging seeds like bullets, the Nimble Bees dove in through the air, their sharp stingers trained to the Miqo’te with a buzzing ferocity.
[[ENEMIES: 3 Dire Plants, 2 Nimble Bees]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 8, 2020 3:14:02 GMT -5
Jack glanced over to Kujo, surprised that he, of all people, came to help him. He frowned a bit as he made himself clear from the Heartless targetting him. Although thankful for the small room for respite, he wasn't very happy with Kujo and his Akogare being there...
For once, he thought he could handle it alone.
Swinging his free hand in a forward motion, Jack used his Thunder III spell to gather the Heartless' attention back. If he was going to cooperate with Kujo, it felt as if a better option would be switching the enemy's attention between the two to create confusion. It was a stationary enemy, albeit with long reach. Even then, it was somewhat easy to keep its attack checked.
"Alright then... Let's see how we do this..." he smirked as he thought to himself, clutching onto the blade firmly, "Gotta prove myself at one point, right?"
After the spell was chanted, Jack dashed forward swiftly, his blade by the side as he aimed to cut through the enemy with Brandish. Ending at the opposite end and staggering a bit, he waited to see the enemy's reaction.
Was he going to stick with Kujo for a target, or swap back to Jack? Depending on what happened, the strategy would shift alongside it.
M'Lyn groaned with dissapointment, as Kujo left further in the path to follow after Jack. The amount of enemies was more than manageable. Chakrams in hand, she lept forward towards the Dire Plants before using Bladeshower. The Miqo'te spun with grace, not only aiming to end the plant-esque enemies, but draw in the two airborne ones as quickly as possible.
She didn't want to take more time than necessary, in order to support the other two as quickly as she could.
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Post by hoodwink on May 9, 2020 15:15:31 GMT -5
Lightning magic lanced from the sky, illuminating the battlefield with flashing shadows. Glancing over at Jack, a faint grin lingered on Kujo’s face as his Akogare ripped up one of the large vine-roots from the earth. Breaking it apart in order to take out one of its limited ‘arms’, the guardians power proved mighty as it severed the root from the main plant. Shouting out and recoiling with pain, the Giant Red Rose was left wide open to Jack’s Brandish attack. ”GRRRRAAAAAA!” The large flower-like Heartless wailed with its jagged mouth as the heavy melee attack sundered its defenses.
”Seems you’ve gotten more confident with that thing.” As the large Heartless began to focus on Jack, Kujo hollered his encouragement. Reaching a hand out of his pocket to point it at the Giant Red Rose, Kujo commanded his Akogare forward as it unleashed its Wakeru ability onto it. Jack’s strategy of having the Heartless seemed to be working, as it's yellow eyes seemed to shift back and forth between the two. Their attacks were working, evidence by the Heartless thrashing and roaring in anger and pain. Kujo had picked up on Jack's strategy, coming up with a plan of his own to compliment it. Only three more to go... Large tree-like thorned roots still snaked out from the flower-like Heartless's body, one having been ripped off earlier by Kujo's Akogare. While we keep it back and forth...I'll just tear it down.
[[ENEMIES: Giant Red Rose]]
As M’Lyn blurred and made quick work of the remaining Dire Plants surrounding her on the shadowy forest path, another blood-curdling scream would erupt from behind, echoing from the Cottage. ”AHHHH! HEEEEEELLLLLPPPP!!” It seemed whatever horrors awaited wouldn’t halt for much longer—a powerful roar breaking through the following silence. BANG! CRACK! Echoes of snapping trees and crashing objects began to rain like thunder upon the path—signaling more ruin and chaos.
The Nimble Bees had been drawn in by the Miqo’te’s previous attack, wounded and afraid. Swarming the woman in a last-effort fury, the Heartless used their stingers to pierce and stab in blazing motions through the air.
[[ENEMIES: 2 Nimble Bees]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 9, 2020 16:23:36 GMT -5
"Oh, how I'd love to go back and check on things right now..."
M'Lyn groaned as she spat out her sarcasm, seeing only 2 enemies remaining. The urgency of it all was getting on her nerve, but she wasn't going to lure enemies back to what they thought to be a safe place from Heartless reach. Wouldn't it be easier to have 1 deeper in the Garden, one fending the Heartless before it and one running back to the cottage? According to Kujo and Jack, that was rather unlikely.
And it triggered her quite a bit.
Chakrams still in hand, M'Lyn sought to end the Nimble Bees as quickly as she could before heading back to the cottage. Of course, she'd make sure the other two were aware of her movements, as well as keeping Alice informed. Shame they couldn't exactly keep contact with the dwarves in an efficient matter like when they met Kujo the first time...
"I regret to inform that I'll be unable to join you lot"/font] M'Lyn said over the com, "Whatever's going on back at the cottage will need immediate assistance after I'm done with these small fry. By no means I plan on luring enemies there, especially if there's already a group. Hopefully, you understand?" "I'll help M'Lyn" Alice replied, "I'll try to help you guys if I have room for it, but whatever's going on might be a priority..."
Jack sighed in relief, seeing that Kujo had picked up on his plan. Although Kujo's encouragement did make him feel prideful, it wasn't the time to gloat about it. Ignoring the next step to Kujo's own plan, Jack was doing what he could in order to avoid the roots that search to either snare or straight up hit him.
"It's a good thing he can catch up onto people's ideas... This could've gone south fast otherwise..."
M'Lyn's announcement didn't shake Jack out of focus, although not really expecting her take of actions in the slightest. Still, given the fact that they had no means of comunicating with the dwarves from a distance...
"Alright -make sure you don't catch unwanted attention on the way there" Jack replied, "Once we beat this overgrown plant we'll join ya. Try to stall, 'kay?" "I was thinking on that, but I'm glad to know you had an idea of what I had in mind" the Miqo'te's calm voice played on the coms. "And sis, we're cool! Help M'Lyn in any way ya can!" "Got it!"
Dodging a rampant root, Jack struggled faintly to keep him composure. The Brandish attack had been a powerful once, but left him ever so weak afterwards. Still, nothing his stamina couldn't keep up with. In fact, he had quite a bit to spare...
"Let's see how much it takes before I break a sweat..." he thought with an idea in mind.
Seeing that the Heartless was confused, Jack smirked as he began dashing at his best capacity. With the blade in hand, it felt as if it was giving him more power, allowing him to run even faster than before, to the point he began to see things in a blur. Leaving after-images in his wake, Jack reached the enemy's flank, and stroke with all of his strength, the after-images following the attack as the Adrenaline Strike searched to land its mark. Jack jumped back afterwards, shocked even by his own capability.
"Woah..." he looked shocked, only for a second, "I gotta do that one again soon, for sure!" he smirked with pride.
The battle wasn't over yet, though, but he was more than aware. Just seeing how far he could push himself felt like a nice change of pace compared to his previous achievements.
Just how far could he go, with that mysterious blade in his hand?
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Post by hoodwink on May 11, 2020 23:19:50 GMT -5
[[Sorry--I couldn't tell if you had made M'Lyn attack the Heartless before/after dialogue--let me know if I need to edit at all ]] As M’Lyn used her communication device, the Heartless took that moment to make a last-ditch effort. Lunging forward at a surprising speed, the winged creatures aimed their large stingers directly for the Miqo’te—one aiming for the torso, another for the head!
[[ENEMIES: 2 Nimble Bees]]
”I regret to inform that I’ll be unable to join you lot.” M’Lyn’s voice chimed over the earpiece as Kujo directed his Akogare in ripping up another root. He wasn’t worried—a response at all meant the Miqo’te was doing fine. It seemed Alice would provide her with support, only adding to his confidence. Keeping his eyes on Jack as they fought, Kujo noticed how the last attack seemed to drain him a bit. He’s getting a lot stronger, though… Again, he thought of M’Lyn’s chastising earlier, having to silently agree that he had been too doting—in turn betraying a level of trust. Give me a break. Working with others was…difficult, sometimes.
As Jack began to dart around the battlefield, further confusing the Giant Red Rose, Kujo’s Akogare had managed to uproot and yank off yet another large thorned vine, hurling it back at its host in the process. Though the Heartless blocked the attack, lashing out at Kujo in response—it provided a perfect support for Jack’s Adrenaline Strike—the after-images adding to the Heartless’ confusion. Landing the sneak attack, the large Heartless howled in agony as it shook and writhed before roaring once more.
Recovering from the guard, Kujo’s Akogare steamed from the previous attack, though it seemed not to have penetrated the guardian’s armor. The Giant Red Rose began to writhe more, roaring and thrashing as the torn vines began to regrow at a staggering rate. "It's gettin' desperate..." Readying himself for what was to come, Kujo smirked. At least that mean's we're cornerin' it. So long as they didn't let up, Kujo was sure they could pummel this flower in no time! Jagged thorn pillars suddenly erupted all around the battlefield, breaking Kujo's thoughts as they threatened both him and Jack, unless they took swift evasive maneuvers! The leaves along the Heartless’ flower-like body grew in size, acting as thorny armor that aided in its defense—the petals around it’s head beginning to glow red as they were launched off in an assault attack!
[[ENEMIES: Giant Red Rose]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 12, 2020 2:42:31 GMT -5
Glancing over at Kujo, Jack saw as he uprooted yet another vine, although it didn't seem like it would provide anything on the long run. The Heartless simply grew them back, its roar and thrashing about only proving they were doing their job properly.
The Heartless attacked, first with spiky thorns shooting up from the ground, splitting the pair apart. It then seemed to shield itself with its leaves before its petals shot aimlessly in assault. Still with some stamina to spare, Jack aimed to dodge first the spikes from the ground, and then the petals with the help of the blade. Gritting his teeth at the effort, he began to notice a little detail about the battle...
"Guh... We gotta end this quickly, before this thing gets the better of us..." he frowned.
Being a stationary enemy, it had no problem spending as much power as it could, so long as neither member got too close to it. Taking its distance, it seemed as if it looked for a way to tire its enemies before they could ever reach it. Gripping the blade tightly, Jack clicked his tongue.
It wouldn't take long before it got out of hand.
"Hey!" he hollered at Kujo, not bothering to look his way, "We gotta end this quick now! Before this thing grows even more desperate!"
The edge of the blade then began to shine, catching Jack's attention. What was the blade going to do next? Glancing at it just a few seconds, the boy looked as if he understood the blade's intentions, and smirked. Something about it felt okay...
He never doubted about the blade in his hand, but sometimes, whatever it seemed to think scared him. Who knew what it was, in the end? He certainly had no idea, but he felt as if it was okay to trust it with blind faith.
Taking a deep breath, Jack's eyes locked back towards the Heartless with a playful smirk. He'd unconsciously learnt the thrill of battle, and had learnt to enjoy it as well. Something about the adrenaline rush felt right, but he couldn't quite place it in words. He held the sword with both hands before rushing towards the enemy with a bit of recklessness, the edge of the blade still shining with a blinding light. He then jumped up above the Heartless to then swing his blade horizontally, the edge leaving behind small motes of light that quickly honed onto the Heartless bellow him. As the shining rain of the Bullet Hell showered down onto the creature, Jack quickly allowed gravity to pull him back down back to the ground, still smirking while on edge.
"Heh... Checkmate!"
"Pesky things... Do you not know when to quit?"
M'Lyn had attacked with her chakrams only as a distraction, but the Heartless didn't quit their chase regardless. Huffing with dismay, she swapped them for a sword and a shield, turning to face the enemies with the shield up front, and then ducking down to somewhat fit and protect herself behind it. Gripping the sword behind, she waited for the chance to show itself before using her Fast Blade technique, quickly slashing away at the Heartless with little care in the form.
"For once, you've actually tired my patience! Don't expect me to go easy now!"
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Post by hoodwink on May 12, 2020 11:54:52 GMT -5
Kujo stood still as his Akogare demolished the rising thorn pillars around him, defending its host with a fierce battlecry. Watching as the Heartless seemed to armor itself up, Kujo scowled in annoyance. The petals that shot forth as though razors sliced through the air, glancing off of Akogare’s armor. The sheer force and sharpness of them caused small cuts to gouge into Kujo’s jacket sleeves, shallow wounds bleeding slightly as he slipped his hands into his pockets. How annoying…
”Hey! We gotta end this quick, now!” Jack seemed to be following the same thought process he was—it seemed the Heartless they were fighting would only get more annoying, with time. Glad to see that they were in sync, Kujo was a blur of motion as Jack began to unleash his Bullet Hell against the Heartless. The Keyblade’s slashing attack had made a shallow yet opening slice across the leaf-like armor, the flurry of light motes that followed erupting around it, causing the creature to roar out in distress as a hole was blown through it’s defenses.
Appearing directly in front of the Giant Red Rose, Kujo and his Akogare stood side-by-side, winding up for a powerful kick-attack. Kujo had a smug grin on his face—sure of their victory. ”Giro—“ In a flash of blinding light and sudden motion, Kujo and his guardian stood behind the large Heartless, legs poised and raised, smoldering from the attack. ”chin!!” The guillotine-like kick had caused the Heartless to recoil, howling out as it had landed in the open spot Jack had created perfectly.
Turning, calm and composed, Kujo eyed up their opponent, noticing that his attack hadn’t finished it off. ”Hmph—I hate the persistent ones.” Thrashing about in pain, the large flower-like Heartless began to lash out in every direction with its massive thorny vines. Leaping backwards and out of the way, Kujo made his way near Jack once more. ”Don’t give it room to breathe!” Despite the warning, countless large vines began to rip up from the ground once more, lashing out and attempting to wrap up the two.
What few flowers scatter along the ruined Garden remained began to glow with a black and purple dark energy, rising steadily into the air and gathering around the Giant Red Rose.
[[ENEMIES: Giant Red Rose]]
Having only succeeded in frustrating the Miqo’te, the Nimble Bees attacks were swiftly evaded and countered. The insect-like Heartless were vanquished, immediately vaporizing into dark energy, fading away into the now early evening. The sun had just faded behind the horizon line, the dark gold hues bleeding into heavy purples and pinks. Thankfully, the Heartless in the path were gone, though M’Lyn would still be able to hear the sounds of violence and destruction coming from the Cottage behind.
The sound of thunder ahead, towards where Kujo and Jack were, had stopped.
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 12, 2020 14:24:52 GMT -5
M'Lyn dismissed her weaponry as the enemies puffed into black smoke. Finally, some room to breathe... Not a comfortable one, though -there was still a rushing problem incoming. Turning to where the cottage was, M'Lyn made a head start, running as fast as possible while her agility allowed her to tread almost without issues. If Heartless were to jump at her... Well, Miqo'tes weren't a hunter tribe for nothing.
Reflexes and prowess were M'Lyn's strong points.
"I just hope those two are having little issue with whatever is keeping them..." she winced, her eyes focused on the path ahead.
Despite dusk turning into night, M'Lyn's eyes could track the path and details almost perfectly. Helped being a Keeper of the Moon, for a change...
Jack saw how Kujo made the Heartless stagger, and grinned. Little by little, their coordination had given them the upper ground, but there was still work to be done. Nodding in agreement, Jack readied his next assault.
"Wouldn't have it any other way!" Jack replied to Kujo's observation, holding his blade firmly.
While one hand held the blade, the other searched for his pouch, grabbing onto the debris bomb he'd gotten as a refill in the ship. Useful little trinkets, but dangerous if left unchecked... Akin a grenade, Jack released the safety of the bomb before tossing it towards the Heartless, not before letting Kujo know.
"Hang back!" he yelled as he threw it.
After tossing the bomb, Jack's visor turned on under his command as he moved around the creature while creating short-lived holograms, aiming to distract it. A tough trick, given the enemy's thrashing about, but nothing Jack couldn't handle. Once again, he thanked the little training moment he had while carrying Sleepy and Bashful back to the cottage.
A build in stamina really helped someone whose battle prowess wasn't as polished.
Jack's Light Show trick was looking to create an opening to put an end (hopefully) to the overgrown plant-like Heartless, given its annoyance. The bomb detonated soon after being tossed, the tiny debris pieces scattering with lightning speed, aking to sharp bullets. A most deadly weapon for people, surely, but how effective would it be on a Heartless?
In a sense, Jack wanted to know. Just in case he'd come across another opportunity after getting a refill at the Almira. He wasn't comfortable carrying more than 1 at a time...
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