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Post by hoodwink on May 13, 2020 22:36:43 GMT -5
As M’Lyn ran through the darkening forest, the screams and sounds of rampage grew closer. Upon exiting the pathway and entering the clearing that housed the Cottage, the Miqo'te would find the small home damaged—a gaping hole revealing the spacious living area that had once housed a warm and reassuring fire.
Rubble strewed about all over the grassy clearing, parts of the house imbedded in the earth. Standing near the house was a dark figure, seemingly formed from black and purple tendrils of darkness snaked and wound together, easily the height of Kujo’s Akogare. A dark aura engulfed its muscular and powerful humanoid form that betrayed immense strength. Strewn about the chaos were many of the dwarves: Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, all seemingly unconscious.
Turning at the sudden presence of a new heart, the large figure revealed its face—an angry goblin-like face with a small nose and flickering eyes that went from yellow to blue, adorned by a purple hat and rather large ears. Swinging it’s hulking arm—throwing itself off-balance a bit—the figure tossed what it had currently been holding towards M’Lyn—a massive chunk of the Cottage wall!
[[ENEMIES: Capped Figure of Darkness]]
Leaping calmly over many of the uprooting vines, only getting scraped by a few stray thorns, Kujo and his Akogare leapt backwards upon Jack’s warning. Confused by Jack’s Light Show ability, the Heartless had left a clear opening by lashing out with its large thorned vines at the holograms. BANG! A wail of pain erupted soon after the bomb’s detonation.
Immense vines thrashed and twirled all across the battlefield, sweeping the perimeter as the Heartless seemed to be in a corner. The darkness that had begun to gather above the battlefield from the flowers in the garden swelled and swirled as though a storm as the demon cried out. ”Look out!” Having sensed the oncoming attack, Kujo’s Akogare hovered in the air above him, raising it’s armored fists in defense.
A flurry of dark projectiles flew down from the sky, lancing throughout the battlefield in hopes of erupting on the two. It seemed the Heartless was finally at its last resort.
[[ENEMIES: Giant Red Rose]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 14, 2020 2:35:25 GMT -5
Panting a bit, Jack looked up to see the damage dealt. What he'd expected, really, but he hadn't expected the Heartless to grow even more desperate. With a groan, he made his annoyance known.
"Come on, how much longer do you need to take before you're dealt with!?"
He followed Kujo's warning, raising his blade to block the flurry of petals headed his way. While the more important parts of his body remained relatively intact, a few scratches here and there did make an appearance. The pain stung like mad, causing Jack to click his tongue.
That wasn't a guard he was particularly proud of.
With a frown, Jack flung his hand forward after breaking his guard, a Thunder III spel aimed directly at the rampaging Heartless. Clearly annoyed, Jack's spell had the same feeling as his caster, frustrated to just end the battle once and for all.
It was taking way too long, in his opinion.
The scenery before her looked desolate, but there was barely any time to focus on such details. The Miqo'te quickly rolled out of the way with an uncanny agility. She quickly summoned a pole to her aid, immediately chanting a Thunder spell as counterattack. The orbs of lightning flew quickly towards its target, both as a way to keep the enemy's attention onto her, while also showing her irritation.
Given the fact that she'd just defeated a bunch of Heartless before arrival, it was clear that M'Lyn was reaching her limits.
After the spell was chanted, M'Lyn jumped towards the Heartless. SOmething about it reminded her of the Ascians... But such thoughts were irrelevant. Using the pole as a propeller, M'Lyn aimed to land a kick and toss the enemy back, but far from finishing it.
"This is really getting old fast..." she groaned.
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Post by hoodwink on May 14, 2020 12:15:15 GMT -5
On its last leg, the sheer power of the dark attack had drained the large Heartless, causing it to slump over in exhaustion as most of its darkness began to swirl and wane. Now!! Kujo’s Akogare had blocked the dark projectiles for him, though some pain was a given from taking an attack head-on. It seemed the Heartless was finally ready for defeat.
Lunging forward with his Akogare, the winged guardian’s fists shimmering with blinding light, Kujo attacked at the same time as Jack’s Thunder III spell. Light and thunder rained down upon the Giant Red Rose, a final roar emitting as the Heartless erupted and dissolved into dark vapor. A large heart, shimmering in light, seemed to hover for a moment, shrouded in darkness. Kujo’s emerald eyes widened at the sight. It’s almost like—! There had been a similar blinding light, that night on his home world—though none shaped like a heart.
It hovered in the air, silently calling for the Keyblade.
Having regained its footing, the hulking figure roared out as M’Lyn’s Thunder spell collided with it. Electricity snapped and crackled around the dark being just as M’Lyn would leap in for her kick. Landing true, the Miqo’te’s foot would land a direct blow on the large beings chest, causing it to fall backwards onto the ground with a wail.
Lashing out with it’s rather long and sinewy limbs of darkness, the being mimicked M’Lyn, pushing itself up from the ground with its hands as it aimed a kick with both feet directly for her! Despite it’s counter, its sluggish and awkward movements betrayed the fact that clearly, whatever odd entity this was, it hadn’t experienced much combat.
[[ENEMIES: Capped Figure of Darkness]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 14, 2020 15:00:10 GMT -5
Jack panted, falling on his but towards the ground. The blade in his hands felt heavy, but at the same time, light. It was a mixture of feelings he enjoyed, but not to the point he'd do all of that again.
"God damn was that thing tough..." he winced, "Wish I had something to just sew it from the ground to start with... Sheesh..." "If you're done here, then you'll want to head back to the cottage" Alice said with a belittling tone. One could almost see her frowning, "M'Lyn's there already, fighting what seems to be another Heartless... Not as tough as this one, and should be easy with all 3 of you there." "Please let me get a proper break... I need to carry the dwarf back, remember?" "Not necessarily..."
Jack glanced over at where Sneezy had taken refuge, waiting to hear something for a reply. Had he been able to, he would've walked towards him and lend him a hand, but the battle prior had been much for him to take. Not being able to control his magic perfectly, it was clearly tiring for Jack to fight non-stop.
Unlike, say, Kujo or M'Lyn.
"Damn, I'm beat..." Jack said, "Legit, after whatever fight we're going to next, I better get a goddamn rest!" "Won't be hard, really... But we might want to search for a safe place... If not, the Almira's always an option..." "Wanna explain that to the dwarves?" "...Okay, maybe not..."
The sloppy attempt of a kick did startle the Miqo'te, but didn't faze her whatsoever. With her reflexes already in top shape, further fueled by her irritation, M'Lyn slipped past the attempt with her pole still in hand. Taking a bit of distance, the Miqo'te readied an Astral Fire spell at the enemy, the blast of fire aiming to strike true.
Even if it didn't hit, though, M'Lyn had already caught up on what seemed to be the battle ahead of her.
"I just wish those two would be here by now..." she groaned, almost akin to a growl, "While I'm more than capable, I'd appreciate their help right about now..." "They'll be on their way soon enough" Alice informed M'Lyn through her com, "They had a pretty tough battle, though, so don't expect them to be in top shape. Especially Jack." "Do you think that surprises me?"
M'Lyn crouched as she slid through the ground, a faint dust cloud arising alongside her. Her tail completely straight, her ears tense, and her fangs showing, she readied herself for a prowl.
"As for you... Let me demonstrate how a Keeper of the Moon hunts..." she said, bitterly.
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Post by hoodwink on May 15, 2020 16:47:22 GMT -5
Fading into the night sky, the heart vanished, though Kujo’s emerald eyes lingered on the spot in silence. ”If you’re done here, then you’ll want to head back to the cottage.” Alice’s voice crackling over the comm device brought the man in lavender back to reality. As Jack and Alice did their back and forth, Sneezy slowly emerged from the forest thickets, into the ruined garden. Being the first time Kujo had seen this dwarf, he was surprised at the sorry state it was in.
Frankly, Sneezy look pretty beat-up. Tch—shoulda stayed put. Crossing his arms for a moment, Kujo glared at the small dwarf, who flinched at the harsh gaze. ”C’mon—quit sniveling. We gotta go.” Waving a hand for Sneezy to follow, Kujo walked over to where Jack stood, offering a hand to the exhausted man. ”Let’s get movin’.” There was a faint grin forming on his face as he teased Jack. ”Seems you’ve still got some catchin’ up to do.” Helping his teammate up, Kujo would begin walking back towards the path that would lead to the cottage.
”But you’re goin’ at a good pace.” The sudden praise was tossed over Kujo’s shoulder before the tall man was gone—making his way back to aid M’Lyn with the speed of his Akogare. He didn’t care if Jack needed longer to rest—sure that he and M’Lyn alone would be more than enough for whatever was coming.
Besides, Kujo would be damned if he got tasked with ‘dwarf duty’.
Regaining its posture as M’Lyn slipped away from its kick, the capped being spun on its heels before lunging backwards, away from the Miqo’te. The sudden Astral Fire that burst forth caught it completely in the torso, erupting the night in orange and yellow light as it launched the dark being off of its twisted feet and into the air. THUD! Crashing into the dirt and grass of the clearing, the large muscular being held its capped head, shaking it as it sat up. A smoldering crater had formed in the dark sinews that composed its chest where the spell had struck—though steadily M’Lyn would be able to see it reconstructing, winding back together as though stitching a wound.
Blinking in confusion, bright yellow eyes flickered and waned as they scanned the suddenly vacant clearing. The Miqo’te had vanished from sight. Standing up, the large being roared out in frustration and confusion, swiping at the tall grass surrounding it with its talon-like fingers. Spinning around multiple times, the hulking muscular figure scratched at the crumpled up purple hat on its head. BLING! ZOOM! Shining heart-shaped orbs of light blasted out from the woods—Kujo’s Akogare hovering in the air before its host. The DokiDoki ability collided, though not before the muscular being of darkness threw up its arms in a guard. Skidding back and leaving small trails in the grass, the fore-arms of the being radiated in darkness as those wounds began to heal as well. Kujo's face was as calm as ever as he walked into the clearing with his hands in his pockets, glaring at his new enemy.
”Tch—give me a break.”
[[ENEMIES: Capped Figure of Darkness]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 16, 2020 9:22:52 GMT -5
Jack grabbed Kujo's hand without a second thought, chuckling a bit at Kujo's comments. He was shocked to see him praise Jack, but it seemed to last only a moment before he rushed back to the cottage to M'Lyn's aid. Looking at his crewmember run away like that left a bitter taste, but one Jack could understand in the end.
Looking at Sneezy with an uneasy smile, Jack began to head back to the cottage calmly.
"C'mon, let's get'cha back home" he said, "It'll be fine, so long as you stick besides me. Although... You won't be sneezin' as strongly now, right? Friendly reminder that I got no meds that could help with that..."
While Kujo pummeled the enemy with his DokiDoki ability, M'Lyn swapped the pole in her hand for a pair of daggers before prowling onto assault. Her face was fixated in a fierce rage, already going far past her limits. Even with Kujo there, M'Lyn was far past her patience's limit. Promising to give the Heartless a demonstration of a Miqo'te's fierce determination, M'Lyn didn't seem to hold back.
As soon as she was just inches away from the Heartless, M'Lyn ducked to the ground, aiming to launch the enemy with a kick before slashing away with her daggers. As angry as she was, she still had an idea in mind.
"About time one of you shows up!" she growled to Kujo, frowning.
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Post by hoodwink on May 17, 2020 6:10:09 GMT -5
Sneezy had visibly relaxed after Kujo’s absence—seemingly preferring Jack’s friendly demeanor. ”C’mon, let’s get’cha back home.” Nodding along to Jack’s prompts, the bearded dwarf took one last look around at the ruined garden. ”It’ll take a while to get this place fixed up again…” Sighing a bit at the work ahead, Sneezy chose to focus on the bright sides.
”Well, thanks to you and your friend—at least there’s still a garden to fix!” Sure enough, with the Heartless slain and the darkness shrouding the flowers that littered the torn up valley and stream, Sneezy’s nose no longer twitched with dangerous power. ”Achoo!” He did still sneeze often—but these were at least normal, no longer breaking down trees and echoing like thunder.
Jack and Sneezy’s trip back to the Cottage would be uneventful—at least until exiting the forest and witnessing the battle taking place.
”About time one of you shows up!” M’Lyn’s growl only caused Kujo to smirk as he watched the Miqo’te unleash a wave of stabbing daggers and heavy kicks, causing the sinewy enemy to get hurled backwards through the air with severe wounds steaming with dark energy all over. ”What—was this thing giving you a hard time?” Despite the situation, it was still easy to get into a 'back-and-forth' with the Miqo'te. Having managed to get behind the tall being during M’Lyn’s assault, Kujo struck with his Wakeru—his Akogare pummeling the beings exposed back with a flurry of fast blows.
Stumbling forward and crying out in pain, the black and purple sinewy form dropped to its knees, its body smoldering with energy as it attempted to heal itself. In a fit of desperation, glancing between the two assailants, the purple-capped enemy rushed forward as though to attack before sensing a new presence. As Jack and Sneezy emerged from the forest, the large being halted, whipping its head to look at the two. Within the blink of an eye, the tall being was running. Tripping over itself almost, moving with impressive speed yet clumsy movements, it ran away from Kujo and M’Lyn back towards the gnarled and overgrown path that led into the Swamp. What the—?! Despite his enhanced abilities, the sheer suddenness of the retreat caught Kujo off guard.
He had never seen a Heartless flee, before. Is that thing even a Heartless? It was definitely formed from Darkness—but something about it seemed…off. Shaking the thought off, Kujo was quick to recover as the tall being reached the forest-line. ”Tch—give me a break.” Slipping his hands into his pockets and dismissing his Akogare, Kujo sighed and turned to look around the clearing at all of the unconscious dwarves.
”What a mess.”
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 17, 2020 9:47:20 GMT -5
M'Lyn hardly wanted to reply, focusing rather on the battle ahead of her. The enemy itself wasn't giving her a hard time whatsoever, but she was already past her limit. A second later, she would've probably gone berserk.
However, all of that dissapeared as soon as the enemy retreated, having seen Jack and Sneezy returning from the Garden. Even the boy himself was shocked -why would a Heartless suddenly run like that? Glaring in thought, Jack got ahold of his com, the visor appearing in front of his eyes as he reached for Alice
"Can you try and keep an eye on it?" he asked, serious. "On it" Alice replied, "I got a good reading from it, so I should be able to pinpoint it whenever it shows up again. But... Why?" "Call it a hunch of mine, sis."
Alice simply dropped the issue, returning to her own job as Jack looked at M'Lyn and Kujo. Sure enough, as Kujo had pointed out, it was a clear mess. The dwarves were all unconscious, sprawled on the floor with no signs of waking up anytime soon. Not only that, but the cottage wasn't it the best shape either.
"Ain't this a nice disaster..." Jack said with an uneasy smirk, scratching the back of his head, "So... What next...?" "Should we start by getting them to a safer place?" M'Lyn asked. "That's the thing, though -where is a safe place? If Heartless got here while we were out, when we thought this place was safe... Then where is safe?" "Hmmm..." "I'm also not sure if it's safe to roam about at this time" Jack continued, "Considering the strength of the enemies we encountered before, I'm not sure we can carry any longer before getting in some serious trouble." "Not to mention leaving them here..." M'Lyn looked at the dwarves, and sighed, "I suppose our only choice is to stay here and keep watch. We can rest in the meantime, since only 1 of us needs to keep watch, and we can take turns." "Was thinking that, honestly... Unless you have another suggestion, Kujo..." Jack looked a the tall man, "We stay here, make with what we got and take a break before dawn breaks." "...What about chasing that Heartless?" M'Lyn said after a bit of thought, "It couldn't have gotten that far..." "Call it a hunch, but I think we won't take long in findin' it again..." Jack said, "Somethin' real fishy's goin' on, for sure..."
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Post by hoodwink on May 20, 2020 20:11:09 GMT -5
”O—oh my! I ca—achoo!—can’t believe this!” Sneezy rushed out from Jack’s side, distraught over the havoc that had been wrecked among the clearing. Placing both hands up to his head and shaking it vigorously, the dwarf seemed to be trying to wake himself up from a nightmare. ”Oh…this isn’t good.” Worried and anxious, Sneezy went about rushing around the clearing, checking up on each dwarf he found and making sure they were ‘okay’.
As Jack shared his concerns about safety with M’Lyn, Kujo noticed something by the forest’s edge—where the creature had run off. Walking silently over to the overgrowth, Kujo knelt down in the grass, his eyes narrowing as he lifted up a purple cap. This was on its head—right? Standing up as he looked down at the item in his hand, Kujo turned back to his comrades as he heard mention of sharing watch turns. ”I think we won’t take long findin’ it again…somethin’ real fishy’s goin’ on, for sure…” Nodding in agreement with Jack, Kujo glanced around at all of the dwarves, unconscious and strewn about in the grassy clearing.
Just what was that thing? For some reason, he hadn’t gotten the same vibe he had with other Heartless. Reassured with Alice keeping an eye out for it, Kujo decided it best to not stress too much over things out of their control. ”Phew—everyone see—achoo!—seems to be fine.” Sneezy walked up towards the three, wiping his brow and taking off his brown cap as he glanced back towards the cottage. ”I guess it’s just lucky we still have a home at all.” Despite the positive sentiment, Sneezy certainly seemed stressed and saddened by the state of the Cottage.
Looking back to the tattered purple cap in his hand, Kujo tsked! in irritation before shoving the crumpled head-wear into his coat pocket. ”Give me a break.” Sighing a bit, Kujo made his way to the nearest unconscious dwarf, beginning to lift and move them towards the Cottage. Glancing at Jack over his shoulder, as well as M’Lyn, Kujo made his way into the cottage with two dwarves slung over his shoulders. ”Lend a hand, would ya?” Entering the ruined home, a gaping hole near the door forming quite the spacious living room, Kujo kicked away some rubble and loose debris from the prior chaos.
Finding two chairs to place the unconscious dwarves, Kujo glanced at the fireplace, dark and empty with nothing but ash. Well, this definitely hasn’t gone like I expected… Why was everything eluding them? Something seemed to be surmounting beneath the scenes—but were they getting closer to figuring out what it was? It feels like we keep taking one step forward and two steps back. A sourness had begun to settle in his mood. Reaching into his cropped jacket's pocket, Kujo removed the tattered purple cap, glancing down at it one more time. Why was it wearing this? He'd seen Heartless wear armor, or wield weapons, but never dress up. Why would one wear a hat? A nagging thought kept entering through the back of Kujo's mind:
Was that thing even a Heartless?
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 21, 2020 3:00:33 GMT -5
As soon as Sneezy finished his observation -somewhat pessimistic in Jack's eyes-, Kujo's sudden petition to lend a helping hand caught both him and M'Lyn off guard. Already having picked up 2 dwarves off the floor and headeding inside the ruined Cottage with a sour look on his face, Kujo seemed to be even more perplexed by the sittuation at hand.
And Jack couldn't help but share the feeling a bit. M'Lyn, on the other hand...
"...Oh, come on" Jack said after glancing over at M'Lyn, who seemed to refuse in lending a hand, "Are you that exhausted?" he asked as he picked up one of the remaining dwarves. "It's not that" M'Lyn replied with a groan, "This entire ordeal has caused nothing but confusion... And I'm not in the mood to boggle my mind about it." "You say that, but you ain't helpin' out now..." "Hmph..."
M'Lyn's huff sent a straight message -not to bother her. Jack sighed as he carried the dwarf towards the cottage. That's when he noticed what Kujo had in hand. Leaving the dwarf somewhere else, he walked towards him with curiosity.
"A hat...?" he asked, frowning, "...Looks a bit like the ones these guys wear, doesn't it?" he glanced over at the dwarves.
"In any case... Let's just take it easy for now and rest... Tomorrow we can catch up on whatever's goin' on..." Jack looked over at M'Lyn, who still refused to move, "Keh... At least make yourself useful and light a fire?!"
Having said that, Jack carried the last dwarf back by himself, all the while M'Lyn barely moved an inch. With the Miqo'te clearly bitter about the subject, Jack took it to himself to make things as safe as he could. Given the fact that the fire place was full of ashe, he roamed nearby to grab some wood and sticks. With the help of some matches in his pocket, he tried lighting it, causing a faint flame with a bit of luck.
"...So? Who's gonna start watchin' duty?" he asked cheekily, "If you don't wanna, then I can."
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Post by hoodwink on May 23, 2020 10:06:41 GMT -5
”A hat…?” Jack’s voice caused Kujo to look up from the tattered item he held. ”Looks a bit like the ones these guys wear, doesn’t it?” He had voiced what Kujo was slowly lining together. They took that one dwarf in the mine to that Heartless… If the dark creatures were after the dwarves hearts, that’d be that. The dwarves would become Heartless. Kujo contemplated all this with a grim expression on his face as Jack carried in the last dwarf.
”So? Who’s gonna start watch duty?” Jack, seemingly sensing the dampened vibe throughout the cottage, had already prepared a meager fire and was as cheeky as ever. ”I got it.” Slipping the tattered hat into his coat pocket, Kujo walked passed the unconscious and sleeping dwarves (other than Sneezy, who continued tending to those mentioned) and his teammates out into the night—exiting the cottage through the gaping hole in the wall.
Taking out his beaten up and worn pack of cigarettes, Kujo gazed up into the night sky as he lit and inhaled. ”Tch—give me a break.” A world like this wasn’t cut out for such hardships—in his opinion. All of ‘em are too weak. Frustrated and sighing at it all, Kujo did what he did best—shrugged it off. Getting lost in his vice, the man didn’t need to act too vigilant. His Akogare made his vision far superior to normal humans, even in the dark.
Taking a seat on a piece of rubble imbedded in the grass, Kujo would have an uneventful watch—allowing the other two to rest.
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 23, 2020 15:31:08 GMT -5
Kujo's answer caught Jack by surprise, although not too much. M'Lyn took the chance to rest properly, given how exhausted she was, and how little patience she had at that point. Making herself comfortable on a patch of grass, she decided to sleep as best as the situation allowed it. Jack, on the other hand...
He glanced over at Kujo from his spot near the fireplace, seeing how he was peacefully smoking in a forest. Chuckling at the sight, he grabbed a pack from his pouch, and opened it. He hadn't realized how hungry he was from all the running...
"Hey" he said, walking towards Kujo, and offering some cookies from the packet, "Want one?"
Regardless if Kujo grabbed one or not, Jack proceeded to sit on the grass amidst the rubble, looking at the night sky with seriousness. He didn't feel sleepy at all, despite the constant battles and running. In a sense, the amount of information they'd gathered throughout the journey so far was to blame, keeping Jack's mind racing back and forth in thought. Sometimes, the boy would focus a bit too much on some trivial details.
But that wasn't the reason why he wanted to stay besides Kujo.
"So... Since I didn't get much answers back when we were at your place..." he smiled with glee, "You don't mind a bit of an exchange, do ya? Being honest, I have a coulple questions of my own, but... Not about what you may think..."
"I'd be willing to answer to your own questions if ya have some. I'm always up for something like that! At least, while people ask..."
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Post by hoodwink on May 24, 2020 11:33:36 GMT -5
Sleepy finished finished settling all of the dwarves, who needed the rest more than any. ”Thanks again, everyone.” The dwarf was a little saddened to see the initial exhaustion of everyone, though he too felt the weight of sleep gnawing at him. I guess I can ask them questions tomorrow… Not wanting to disturb the travelers who had so willingly gave him and his friends aid for seemingly nothing in return, Sleepy slipped away to the bedrooms tucked away on the small second floor of the Cottage. We'll have to think of something really nice to get them...
Slouched on the rubble in the clearing, the man in lavender glanced over at M'Lyn, making herself comfortable in a soft patch of grass. She really can adapt to anything, huh? He was still curious about the woman's home world, where supposed monsters and beasts he could only imagine roamed, always waiting to strike. Kujo turned as Jack came up, grabbing one of the cookies with a silent nod for gratitude. And theirs... Taking a final drag of his cigarette before putting it out on the piece of rubble he sat on, Kujo bit into the sweet as he stared up at the sky. ”So…since I didn’t get much answers back when we were at your place…” Kujo smirked a bit, always surprised at how Jack’s energy seemed to maintain, despite the hectic and seemingly long day they had spent on this world. It was certainly going to be the last time Kujo underestimated a mission based on its initial appearance.
”Fair ‘nough.” It’d be good for him to think of other things. He’d been brooding too much over everything, trying to piece it together. “Shoot.” Taking another bite of the cookie, Kujo leaned back, propping himself up on his elbow as he watched the sky, waiting for Jack’s questions.
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 24, 2020 14:14:49 GMT -5
Jack chuckled sheepishly, seeing Kujo's willingness to talk. He had to admit, that wasn't a sight he was expecting, but seeing it with his own two eyes brought some cheerfulness to the boy. Glancing over at the night sky, Jack began to talk.
"I know you came with us 'cause you wanted to help us out, while also finding stuff that may interest you, but..." he glanced over at him, "What exactly intrigues you about the worlds outside your own? Aside the info that comes with it, and the Heartless..." he grimaced at that last bit.
Jack grabbed another cookie, and ate it slowly. While M'Lyn slept silently on the ground, Jack was reminded of a thought he thought long forgotten.
He himself had done that more times than he could could, but not during missions. The sweet suddenly turned bitter, but Jack made an effort to swallow. Why was that bugging him now?
He shook his head silently, waiting for an answer. If he had to admit it, Jack had been shocked the first time he learnt of other worlds, given how Elena and M'Lyn were proof of that, with their magic and trinkets and... "partners", at least in Elena's case.
"Now thinking about it... Elena didn't mention a 'partner', did she?" he asked, "If she didn't, then that must've been pretty damn odd for her..."
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Post by hoodwink on May 28, 2020 18:30:30 GMT -5
”What exactly intrigues you about the worlds outside your own?” Kujo silently chewed on the cookie as he listened to Jack’s question. It was fair enough—thankfully less intrusive than he had thought. ”I'm not really interested in the other worlds for their own sake…” There were other things that had drawn him off of his own world, though Kujo figured this one to be the most prevalent. ”But more to see what’s in them…”
Glancing away from the starry sky above and down towards his own hand, Kujo flexed a grip in the hand that wasn’t holding the remainders of his cookie. ”I thought maybe I’d get answers about my powers, outside of SanFran…” Finishing the cookie, Kujo turned to glance at the damaged Cottage housing the many sleeping dwarves within. Not that I’m finding any answers here, though… So far, he hadn’t seen anything that resembled or seemed akin to his Akogare.
Kujo wasn’t discouraged though—after all, this was only the first world he’d been too outside of his own. Tch—give me a break. He hated things that simply ‘took time’. ”Now thinking about it…Elena didn’t mention a ‘partner’, did she?” The follow-up question caught Kujo off guard. Thinking back to the ‘interview’ he had had with the blue-haired woman over Alice’s device, Kujo played the conversation through his head.
”Hm…no, she didn’t.” Shaking his head a bit, Kujo turned to Jack, raising an eyebrow. ”Well, unless you’re talkin’ about M’Lyn, Alice and you…” They were all ‘partners’, right? ‘Allies’? There were plenty of different words—but Kujo couldn’t understand the importance Elena might have around ‘partners’ specifically. ”Why?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on May 29, 2020 3:38:35 GMT -5
Jack hummed in thought along Kujo's explanation. It seemed reasonable enough, and, all things considered, it wasn't surprising. After all, Kujo himself had stated that his Akogare wasn't normal in the world he came from -of course that would be a reason.
"Well, plenty of worlds in the sky, like how many fish are in the sea or stars in the sky" Jack said, "At least, that's what Elena's told us..."
"Hm…no, she didn’t. Well, unless you’re talkin’ about M’Lyn, Alice and you…Why?" "I see... Hehe..." Jack chuckled, and then relaxed a bit, "Well, you wouldn't know it, but... Elena's also from a different world than us. There's not a lot I know about that, or what she did before, but... She always carries a crystal in a single gauntlet she wears... Apparently the thing talks to her, which is... Creepy..." the boy smiled with unease, "Still, she likes to reffer to it as 'parter' a lot, and often brings it into conversation... It's odd she didn't when she was with you, considering it's almost a habit of hers... Like Lid with her hammer..." he mentioned absent-mindedly.
"Well... You can see we're an odd bunch, but... Hey, beggars can't be choosers. 'Sides, Elena's pretty good doin' her job, so... Even if she's kinda weird at times, she's easy to trust..."
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Post by hoodwink on Jun 6, 2020 14:07:50 GMT -5
Reminded on how many worlds there were beyond his reach, Kujo found himself lost in the stars above. Who knows how long it could take to find the answers he was looking for? Tch—whatever. He’d take it one world at a time, for now. ”You wouldn’t know it, but…Elena’s also from a different world than us.” Curious, Kujo shifted his eyes away from the sky and back to Jack. ”She always carries a crystal in a single gauntlet she wears…apparently the thing talks to her…”
Kujo continued to lean back on the rubble they sat on, though the last comment had caused him to grow alert and sharp. It talks to her? Though his Akogare didn’t speak to him—as it felt more like a part of him—hearing about Elena’s mysterious ‘partner’ was certainly a closer lead than anything else Kujo had come across. The mention of someone named ‘Lid’ only furthered the man’s curiosity. A talking hammer…?
”Well, you can see we’re an odd bunch, but…hey, beggars can’t be choosers.” Smirking faintly at Jack’s comment, Kujo nodded silently—indeed, all of them were odd in their own ways, whether it be through personality or origins. At least it isn’t boring… He was grateful to have met up with the Twilight Brigade—the only access he had had to getting off of his own world. I’ll have to ask Elena about her ‘partner’ later… The blue-haired woman wasn’t someone Kujo really knew, though, making it somewhat awkward to try and have a one-on-one conversation with her.
Sighing a bit as he straightened up, Kujo figured to shelf the problem for later. ”So—Jack,” Staring back up at the starry sky, Kujo decided to shift his attention to a different topic. ”How did you and Alice wind up with M'Lyn? How long have you all been working for Elena?” Though he didn’t know much about the siblings origins, Jack and Alice had told him a little bit of their home world here and there. He was curious how the trio he had met had come to be, though.
”You don’t gotta get into it if you don’t wanna…” Waving a hand dismissively, Kujo wanted to make sure to give Jack the room to decline. It had sounded like they had experienced some hard times on their own home world, thus the man didn’t know what subjects would be touchy or not. There was still a lot for him to learn about the comrades he fought with now.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jun 7, 2020 2:48:23 GMT -5
Jack looked at the sky for a bit after finishing, shifting his glance towards Kujo as he began to ask. He then hummed a bit, thinking on how to answer properly. While it happened to be quite an amusing story, some details were on the more delicate side... If it came to it, then maybe he'd ask a few favors before answering properly.
"Well... It's a pretty fun story, last time I remember..." Jack said with a grin, "Long one, though, so... Yeah."
"I think it was about... A year or so ago? Alice and I had already been working with Elena and the rest of the Brigade for some time by then. It was after I finished getting some camera footage from an enemy facility as per Elena's request. While Alice was checking 'em, with me and Elena in the room, we saw M'Lyn through one of the cameras."
"Now, in the setting we're talkin' about, seeing someone through the cameras of a street ain't a good thing, especially when they're not on the enemy side. So Elena worried about it, and asked me to go with her in order to take M'Lyn outta there before something bad happened. Sure enough, we found her looking aorund, lost and without a clue as for what was going on. While Elena distracted people from M'Lyn, I was tasked with getting her out of view. And lemme tell ya --that Miqo'te sure knows how to hesitate... Then again, you prolly knew after what happened back when you met her, remember? When we fought that bunch of Heartless with the giant one."
"Once we got M'Lyn out of the streets and to a safer place, Elena began her barrage. That's when I learnt about the worlds outside, and also that Elena wasn't from our world. At first it seemed like a fairy tail, but I'm not someone to distrust Elena's words after all that's happened... When M'Lyn caught onto this, she asked if we could help her go back to Eorzea -her world. Elena didn't know where that world was, so instead suggested she helped us first when she could, to a while later give us the Almira, and send us out to gather info, like a few other units on the Brigade. It seemed like a dream, though... Never thought I'd be here, in another world, experiencing so many different things... But it's a nice sensation, despite the trouble it comes with it."
Finishing with a smile, Jack glanced back and forth without moving much between Kujo and the sky. It seemed peaceful, despite all what had happened... Still, knowing the Heartless were eagerly hunting for something in that world meant trouble, but at least they'd found a room to breathe, and instead focus on other things. He'd forgotten how nice it was to talk about certain things other than work.
"Y'know? Now that I'm talkin' about all this... I really miss 'em..." Jack said, "Jake, Elena, Lid... And everyone else at the Brigade back home... It's been a while since any of us has talked with one another... I'm hoping we can go pay 'em a visit some time soon, and not because of Elena handing us a mission there..." he added with a chuckle.
"Now's my turn ta ask, though!" Jack looked at Kujo back, although hesitated for a bit, "It ain't to personal ta ask about how your past was like, right? I mean... The past before the Heartless appeared... You can always say no."
Jack had calmed down a bit, but never looked away from Kujo after finishing his question. Although he hadn't meant to, the conversation had taken a turn to the more personal past of the two. If it came to it...
Jack had the intention to ask Kujo to shut down his com for a bit before proceeding. He didn't like Alice listening onto those kinds of troublesome pasts... Based on experience alone.
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Post by hoodwink on Jun 8, 2020 20:32:31 GMT -5
Kujo nodded silently as Jack prepared him for the long story. Despite the late hour and the busy day, he felt restless and didn’t mind the distraction. Hearing of the first encounter Jack had with M’Lyn, Kujo found himself smirking a bit as he watched the sky. ”Lemme tell ya—that Miqo’te sure knows how to hesitate…then again, you prolly knew after what happened back when you met her,” His smirk turned into a grin, recalling the memory with humor. Indeed—M’Lyn had proven to be wary, though once one seemed to earn her trust, she proved to be a more than valuable ally.
”Once we got M’Lyn out of the streets and to a safe place, Elena began her barrage.” He could only imagine. The blue haired woman had been thorough with her questioning—Kujo had felt the intensity of her gaze through a phone screen. She’s too much like her… An image of Koko flashed in his mind, causing the man to shake his head. Apparently, Elena had kept the fact she was from another world secret—most likely do to the ‘World Order’ that Jack and the others had mentioned. It seemed the woman had always been cunning—though perhaps tactful was a better word. ”When M’Lyn caught onto this, she asked if we could help her go back to Eorzea—her world.”
Kujo glanced over at the sleeping Miqo’te, curled up in the grass during all of this. She’s been lookin’ for her world this whole time… The expanse of worlds was certainly a newer concept to Kujo—Jack had just earlier mentioned how there were as many worlds as there were stars. How long would she have to search? ”It seemed like a dream, though…” It was clear that he enjoyed what he was doing with the ‘Brigade’. Always so carefree. Was that envy he felt, in the back of his heart?
”Now that I’m talking about all this…I really mis ‘em..” Kujo watched as a shooting star passed overhead, thinking of ‘bonds’. Tch—give me a break. They were definitely a hassle, he was sure of that much. ”Now’s my turn ta ask, though!” Jolted out of his own thoughts, Kujo glanced over at Jack as he sat upright, reaching for his beat up pack. Asked about his past, Kujo lit a cigarette as he watched the sky, sighing as he exhaled. ”Not much to tell—my world’s pretty normal…”
Hearing of Jack’s ‘Brigade’ back home, of M’Lyn’s mysterious home world, there was certainly a sense of boredom to Kujo when it came to his own world. He answered my questions, though… Promises were a pain. Taking another drag as he scratched at the back of his neck, he tried to get more in depth. ”I went to school as a kid…though we weren’t learnin' about other worlds.” For a moment, Kujo wondered if any of the more powerful figureheads on his own home world knew of the existence of other worlds. If everyone was attempting to maintain the ‘World Order’, why would the public know?
”Wasn’t really cut out for it, though—” It was weird…he never really talked about himself. Despite Jack’s perfect story-telling, Kujo found himself at a loss for what to say. ”—so I just stuck with what I was good at.” Clenching his free hand into a fist, Kujo glanced down at the scarred and calloused knuckles. ”Before the Heartless showed up, I was just focused on makin’ munny…to help out my ma—“ Though if she had known where that munny had really come from…Kujo had lied without shame. Lying was hardly the worst thing he had done for her benefit.
”Everything runs on munny, on my world.” Taking another drag, his eyes seemed distant as they stared off into the dark and shadowed forest around them. ”But that wasn’t somethin' she ever had. There’s a divide in wealth, back home.” Glancing down at the expensive name brand shoes on his feet, now scuffed and dirtied from the days actives, Kujo found himself smiling in memory. She worked so hard to do the stupidest stuff…
”I did a lotta different stuff for munny—none of it was anythin' she'd be proud of.” For a moment, Kujo paused, looking over at Jack. ”But I quit all that once I finally got my ma setup somewhere nice.” He drifted off, not really sure where to go from there. He wanted to be honest, but at the same time wasn’t sure if he should go into detail. After all, weren’t they some sort of mercenary group now? Who knew if Elena worked for some sort of law enforcement—for the first time during the conversation, Kujo remembered the comm device he wore.
He’d gotten so used to it, he didn’t even think. Too late now… Sighing, he took a drag, waiting for Jack’s response.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jun 9, 2020 4:47:39 GMT -5
Listening closely at the few remarks here and there, Jack was surprised to see the similarity between Kujo's world and his own. Well, most of them, anyways ---there were a few things that differed, if only so slightly. Calmly observing much like his usual self, Jack made a couple mental notes to himself, just in case they were to come in handy later if they talked about stuff like that in the future.
For now, the time to act was now. The night was still, calm and almost soothing, but the alert was still high in case something were to happen. So far, though, there wasn't much to worry about, other than to either keep the conversation going, or call it a day.
"Huh... There's a pretty bunch that I'm familiar with there, for sure" Jack nodded, "Sure, some differences exist here and there, obviously... But it's not like it's unfamiliar to me at all. Heck, even when we arrived in San Fransokyo, there was a sense of familiarity I grew fond of."
"Still... Doesn't look like either of us got it easy, that's for sure..." he followed with a faint smirk, "In the end, each one's got their hardships, huh? Although..." Jack glanced over to Kujo, "I might be wrong here... But every time you talk about other people, you stiffen up a little bit... Not used to socializing?" he asked rhethorically.
He chuckled a bit, remembering a time when Jack wasn't the friendliest of persons at all. Although it wasn't a pleasant memory, it got him far enough until a certain point where relying on others helped him more than relying on himself alone.
"Heh... Yup..." he nodded to no one, "There's certainly traits we share, albeit slightly... I guess M'Lyn was right in that topic...?"
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