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Post by hoodwink on Jul 10, 2020 14:42:30 GMT -5
Kujo nodded silently to Jack’s comment about them tackling the ‘icky stuff’. ”Even if they became a Heartless, you still pity them?” Kujo found himself between Jack and M’Lyn’s opinions—he, like Jack, did pity anyone who ended up with such a fate. Like M’Lyn though, Kujo would be willing to do the ‘icky stuff’ (as Jack so phrased it) as an act of mercy for one with such a doomed future. It’d be worse to let ‘em live like that… Regardless of how the trio thought—they all came to an agreement rather easily. Jack could try saving the dwarf, and if it failed, he and M’Lyn would provide them a swift end.
”I’m wondering…would doing the same thing as you did in San Fransokyo help never someone before they became Heartless?” It was a good question, one Kujo mulled over as Jack and the Miqo’te talked it over. M’Lyn’s right…it could just ‘get rid’ of it like any other Heartless… Like Jack, Kujo couldn’t help but feel like the odd weapon wouldn’t be so straightforward. What if it didn’t do anything to the Heartless, though? If it was more about ‘walling out’ the Heartless and less about destroying them, then perhaps Jack’s odd blade really could change people’s fates. Exactly how it could do that was a different story, but one Kujo figured wouldn't be answered here and now.
For a moment there was silence among the three as all seemed to dwell on their thoughts. ”Tch—whatever.” Turning away from the other two to face the path ahead, Kujo shoved his hands into his pockets as he began to walk deeper into the dark forest. ”I’ve got my resolve. Just try your thing and don’t sweat the rest, Jack.” It was useless to spend time wondering about it all—much like Jack had said, they needed information to make a sound guess. They lacked knowledge of pretty much any kind around Jack’s odd new weapon—the only way for them to learn was through trial and error.
Emerging from the thickets of the woods after some time of uneventful walking, Kujo couldn’t help but grimace. At this point in, the rotting smell had only grew worse, amplifying once the forest finally opened up and spread out to reveal a marsh-like swamp. All around was mucky water, broiling and bubbling as the gnarled and horrid trees spread out to reveal mushy grey patches of land and thickets of thorned bushes and dark shadows. Thankfully, large lily-pads littered the swampy area, creating paths of sorts for the trio to walk across, as the forest continued on the other side. All around hung mossy and decaying damp wood, bark sloughing off from the trees nearest the water and into the muck to form a stew ripe for the bugs that soared through the heavy and stale air.
”Can’t I catch a break?” He wasn’t the biggest ‘nature’ person, growing up in a hyper-modernized city. All of this wasn’t helping. Stepping onto the lily-pad like pathway that gave and rocked beneath his feet, ignoring the fact he’d have to clean his sneakers when they got back to the ship, Kujo felt a familiar presence once he had made his way out onto the water. Whoosh! Glancing at the emerging Heartless with contempt, the man scanned the area. ”Figures.” Reaching up and pressing the button on the comm device, Kujo decided to rely on Alice once more for ease.
”Alice—anything yet?” He wanted to find the large one fast—if Jack couldn’t aid the dwarf back to their original state…well, he preferred to get his half of the task out of the way sooner rather than later. As the Heartless began to swarm around the trio, some winged while others walked on the swaying and rocking platform, Kujo readied himself, his body glowing with a faint purple aura as his eyes began to change from emerald green into an ever expanding starry field.
[[ENEMIES: 3 Gargoyles, 2 Red Nocturnes, 2 Blue Rapsody’s, 4 Soldiers]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 11, 2020 15:00:43 GMT -5
The trio agreed swiftly, to then proceed deeper into the swamp. The smell became too overbearing as they did so, Jack only able to tolerate it until so long. M'Lyn, on the other hand, was constantly distracted by it, thing that one wouldn't have thought possible. Maybe Miqo'tes were more sensible with their sense of smell, too? In any case, it was clear that none of them were comfortable with the place. One bit.
Jack's scanner was up and running as he looked around the area, trying to ignore the stagnant smell that swirled around him. It was probably a blessing in disguise that Alice wasn't there with them. It wasn't that she would've been complaining about it, as she was mostly silent when something bothered her. But just a relief she didn't have to go through all that, being the older brother and thinking certain things about his role. In some times, he was grateful his sister wasn't on ground duty.
"Nothing yet, sis?" Jack asked, reaching towards her through his com. "I'm running it as far as I can... Nothing" Alice gave him the negative, "Also... Is it really that bad over there?" "Don't even get me started..."
Alice chuckled a bit, amused, only for Jack's displeasure. He saw the lily pads Kujo began to step over, acting as a way through the swamp. As he was about to follow, Heartless decided to jump at them. Narrowing his gaze, Jack reached onto the blade once more, thinking only of how suddenly the Heartless had ambushed them.
"We're onto something..." he thought, almost too absent-minded, but then flinched briefly, "Huh?" "Jack...!"
M'Lyn had gathered all of her strength in resisting the smell as she summoned a pole to battle. Jack took a step over the lily pads in order to fight, while M'Lyn remained somewhat at a distance to support the two while reaching the Heartless with ranged attacks.
That's when Alice almost shrieked through their coms.
"I SEE IT!" Alice shouted in shock, "It's around the area! Can't be too far from where you're now -the reading's super clear!" "...!" Jack glared at the Heartless, "It doesn't look like we can reach it fast enough, though..." he glanced over at Kujo and M'Lyn, thinking on something. "If you've got a plan, better issue it quick!" M'Lyn's words reached him loud and clear, only strengthening his resolve. "I'll scout on ahead!" Jack declared, hitting one of the Soldiers as he did so, "If I do that, then I'll have more time to test things out and see if we can do anything 'bout him! You guys got my back!?"
It was now or never. Jack's gaze was a determined one as he looked at the two one more time, waiting for their answer. Knowing M'Lyn, she was clearly okay with it, giving Jack a window to go ahead and tackle the pressing issue.
It was only Kujo whose say on the matter was pending.
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 11, 2020 16:25:05 GMT -5
His Akogare swinging a powerful axe-kick, Kujo destroyed the nearest Gargoyle swiftly. ”I SEE IT!” Alice’s shout blared over his comm device, causing Kujo to scowl as he began to scan the area once more. What?! He hadn’t sensed an additional appearance—had it been hiding somewhere? There! With the eyes of his Akogare, Kujo was able to make out the silhouette of a large hulking figure in the forested area at the other end of the swamp ahead. ”I’ll scout on ahead!” Jack’s shout caught Kujo by surprise, glancing over at him from over his shoulder. ”If I do that, then I’ll have more time to test things out…”
It made sense to Kujo. Nodding in agreement, he pointed out at the area across the swamp, towards the forest—where the large shadow was no longer visible. ”It’s across the swamp—you better move quick.” Wanting to make a clear path for Jack, Kujo leapt from the lily-pad to deliver a powerful sweeping kick with the aid of his Akogare at the Heartless surrounding them on the ground. ”Giro—“ The kick was wide and arcing, a blinding light erupting as the guardian and host cleared the path. ”—chin!” With the Soldiers and Gargoyles launching backwards, some disappearing immediately, Jack would be able to run across the remaining lily-pads in peace.
Skkkkkkkoooom! Or so he had thought. Fireballs began to hurl through the air, lighting the swamp in a golden hue as the Red Nocturnes cast their magic. Swish! Icicles burst forth as the Blue Rapsody’s followed up the attack, attempting to freeze the path ahead. Grimacing, Kujo sighed as he kept the other enemies in his peripheral. Give me a break, who gives these things magic? It was way more of a nuisance than anything else in his opinion. Glancing over to M’Lyn, Kujo shouted out as he rushed the nearest Gargoyle, gesturing towards the magical Heartless. ”Can you take care of those?” Knowing the Miqo’te had already taken a ranged position, Kujo figured she’d be more than willing to oblige.
[[ENEMIES: 2 Gargoyles, 2 Red Nocturnes, 2 Blue Rapsody’s, 1 Soldier]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 12, 2020 6:40:20 GMT -5
Jack nodded as Kujo showed him the right direction. He looked forward, where he could make up the faint sillhouette thanks to his visor, and made haste. The attack from the Red Noctures and Blue Rapsodies did startle him, but with the blade in his hand, his speed was uncanny.
There was no time to waste in the face of adversity.
"Alice, who're you stickin' with?" Jack asked as he looked forward, dashing through the enemies with the help of the blade, "I'm good regardless." "There guys are mostly small fry -they can handle without me" Alice replied calmly, "Besides, if you can really revert someone from being a Heartless... It's super valuable info." "Heh... Smart ones think alike, huh?"
While Jack dashed through in chase of the sulking figure, M'Lyn's eyes focused onto the caster enemies. Kujo's request was unnecessary, as she readied a Thunder spell aimed at the nearest enemy in the air. She then quickly followed the attack with the help of her pole, propelling herself in the air to deliver a kick at the enemies before inevitably falling back on the ground, making sure she landed on a nearby lily pad. M'Lyn glanced over at Kujo, to then quickly focus on the enemies up front.
"So then... We just focus on taking their attention, correct?" she asked rhethorically, "I'll stand by and support you in case it's necessary. It's about time we end this!"
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 12, 2020 12:56:18 GMT -5
As Jack made his way over the lily-pad trail, dashing across the swamp towards the other end of the forest, Kujo continued to make sure the path would stay clear. While M’Lyn’s Thunder spell crackled through the air, lancing through a few of the caster Heartless, Kujo rushed and pummeled the remaining Soldier into vapor, standing as though a blockade to ensure none would pass. Following her spell with a swift kick through the air, M’Lyn would allow enough space for Jack to make it across the swamp unhindered.
”So then…we just focus on taking their attention, correct?” Emerging from the swamp were the remaining enemies Kujo had left to face, though none were strong in his opinion. The hardest job’s was Jack’s. I wonder if it’ll work… Wanting to back him up as soon as possible, Kujo shared in M’Lyn’s sentiment. As a Gargoyle launched itself towards him, Kujo ducked and grabbed the creatures tail, hurling it directly towards the other oncoming winged Heartless. CRASH! Slamming into each other, the one that was thrown dissolved into dark vapor, defeated. The other hurtled through the air, splash!, right into the swampy muck.
[[ENEMIES: 1 Gargoyle, 1 Red Nocturne, 1 Blue Rapsody]]
Once Jack would make his way across the lily-pad path, they would be able to make out a trampled path that led deeper into the dark forest. Broken gnarled roots and vines betrayed the heavy-footed target, thankfully making the pathway much easier than the others they had encountered in this forest. Despite the darkness that continued to blanket the area, Jack would have the assistance of both his radar and Alice’s tracking—allowing him to keep the figure in check during the pursuit.
It continued to flee deeper into the forest. Jack would have to move quick to catch up!
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 12, 2020 16:36:34 GMT -5
M'Lyn smirked as her attack revealed to be successful, only a few enemies remaining. Having only guessed the enemies' elemental affinities based on their previous attacks, the Miqo'te readied a Stone spell at the Red Nocture, the debris honing onto the enemy with almost flawless precision.
Their job, right now, was to deal with the Heartless in front of them, and then join Jack in support. Knowing the plan as it had been laid down, M'Lyn wanted to waste no time getting it done.
Dashing through the forest's path proved to be an easy task, at least for Jack. The figure seemed fast despite the obstacles on the ground, and said fact caused Jack to click his tongue faintly, frustrated. He hadn't expected it to give him a challenge, but he wasn't about to turn it down, either. His competitive spirit was fueling as he dashed as fast as he could, trying to catch up to it and cut its path abruptly.
Alice's guidance, plus his visor, were a never-failing help. His sister guided him through the best path, as Jack jumped towards the low branches of trees to give himself a boost, or pointing out certain dangerous obstacles in the way. The siblings were both ready to give their all, their spirits fiery with determination.
"You're not getting away!" Jack shouted, trying to see if the figure could react to his voice. "You're catching up to it" Alice informed, "If you can get one more boost of distance, you should be able to cut it off the path." "Where's one?!" "A little further up. Don't give up now!"
Jack nodded after listening to Alice's voice. He soon saw what she'd pointed out to him -another low branch. He rushed towards it, jumping and grabbing the branch before using the momentum to propell himself forward and rolling on the ground to avoid injuries.
He'd gone past the figure as he did so, ending at the opposite end of the path and cutting its escape route. If it wanted to keep on running, the figure would have to find another exit path.
"This is as far as you go!" Jack declared, raising the Keyblade in front of him, a determined glare fixated on his eyes, "If you can hear me... I'm not here to fight you!" he grimaced a bit, lowering his gaze, "But if you can't hear me... Then I'll make it so you do!" "Alright, let's get to it!" Alice said through his com, a fiery will evident in her tone. "Right! Let's do this properly, sis!"
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 13, 2020 1:12:45 GMT -5
As M’Lyn’s Stone spell shred through the fiery Heartless, Kujo wasted no time in closing the distance between him and the Blue Rapsody. Shiiing! Grimacing as he punched through a sharp ice burst, he finally got within striking distance. His Akogare’s range was short, barely 2m, but its power made up for its short range. SLAM! The lily-pad rocked as swamp water splashed from the impact of the punch. Only one more… Just as he turned to eye the water, the remaining Gargoyle launched forth, striking with an insane speed as it spiraled.
”Alright, guess it’s time to catch up.” Within an instant, the Heartless was crippled beneath Kujo’s foot, stomped into the lily-pad mercilessly. As the monster dissolved into dark vapor, Kujo noticed that Jack was far out of view. The swamp had died down, becoming empty. Tch—how far did he get? The guy was fast, he’d give him that. If his plan doesn’t work… They couldn’t waste any time. Knowing M’Lyn to be fast and focused, Kujo bother talking more.
With a flash of light, the man was headed down the forested path after Jack.
”This is as far as you go!” The moment Jack raised the Keyblade, the hulking figure screeched to a halt. Due to the heavy shadows cast in the forest, it was hard to make the figure out, though it’s bright yellow eyes and the faint purple glow from the dark tendrils that formed its muscular form betrayed its movements. ”If you can hear me…I’m not here to fight you!” Still cowering from the blade raised towards it, the large form shouted out as Jack shouted out, taking a few steps back with its arms raised in front of it.
It seemed to be fearful, despite its power and size. Shouting out in sudden panic, the hulking form lashed out with it's talon-like hands at a gnarled and rotting tree. CRACK! SNAP! Sundering to the forest floor between them, the large Heartless leapt backwards, seemingly ready to make for a second attempt at running. In that brief moment, Jack would feel a tug at his heart—a cry being heard from one trapped within the darkest of cages. Almost as though in response, there would be a new warmth to the blade he held in his hands.
It was up to him to answer the call or not.
[[ENEMIES: Dark Figure]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 13, 2020 6:15:36 GMT -5
M'Lyn lowered her guard a bit as the enemies were defeated one by one. Chanting a Medica spell in order to restore some energy to her and Kujo, she was quick to follow him through the swamp. Jack's current state didn't really worry her. What did worry her, however, was just what would happen.
Would Jack be victorious, or would it end up being just another fight in which the had to defeat the enemy in order to proceed? The uncertainty of it all did shake her, but barely.
"If we're able to figure out what is happening..." M'Lyn's eyes focused on the path ahead, "I wonder just how things will change..."
Jack narrowed his gaze, examining the creature in front of him with a clean focus. Its reactions did make it seem as if it wasn't a Heartless, raising its arms in front of it as if searching for protection. Its next move caused Jack to jump back into aggro, as the creature slashed a tree in an attempt of making itself an escape route.
Jack gritted his teeth, firmly hondling onto the blade as he ran towards the creature yet again. Amidst the dash, he stopped in shock. The blade seemed to shudder in his hands, and the faint echo of a voice calling out for him had startled him. What was that?! Alice seemed to notice, and, interpreting it as hesitation, reached for her brother in hopes of giving him another push.
"Jack, what are you doing?! It's gonna get away!" she shouted, her voice worried for both him and the creature. "Just now..." Jack shook his head, and looked at the blade in his hands, "What the hell was that just now?!" "If we don't end this now, it'll get way worse! We gotta do something now!"
Jack shook his head yet again, his gaze now focused at the creature that seemed hesitant to retreat. Could he really do something about it? But if so, how?! He barely knew anything about the blade in his hands, and yet it seemed expectant for something.
Was it really waiting for Jack to save the creature? Who he thought was a dwarf?
Let your light reach his... Rekindle the flame of life with your own. The toneless echoes reached his ears once more. Or rather, his heart. His eyes wide open, Jack looked at the blade, who seemed to shimmer faintly against the shadows in front of him.
It was the make-or-break moment. One second later, and he'd lose the opportunity he'd been waiting for.
Nodding to himself, Jack raised his blade and aimed towards the creature, his face one full of determination. The light around the blade seemed to grow ever stronger, casting aside the shadows around them. In the blink of an eye, the light shot out forward, aiming to dispel the darkness that trapped its prey inside it.
"Alright, let's see what you can do!" he shouted as the light shot forwards.
Alice looked with anticipation from the Almira, her face almost touching the screens in front of her. Waiting for something to happen, she looked as the light engulfed everything, but the image was still clear for her.
This time, it seemed like whatever power had been following her brother was allowing her to see what was happening, unlike back in San Fransokyo, as if sensing her will to help in any way or form.
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 13, 2020 11:52:07 GMT -5
Kujo noticed the broken roots and vines strewing the path he ran on, making the journey easier. Tch—that thing isn’t subtle at all, huh? Winding deeper into the woods, the man’s speed brought him to a bend in the path—where a sudden blast of light caused him to squint and recoil in surprise.
CLICK! The ray of light shot forth, piercing through the large hulking figure of darkness as the forest's shadows seemed to light up for a moment. Stunned and frozen to the spot, the large creature’s yellow eyes bulged before a blinding light surrounded it—blinding all other than the Wielder himself. Jack would see the dark tendrils that had formed the being begin to smoke and smolder, retreating as the purple glow around them dwindled and waned. Once yellow eyes dimmed and began to change back into a friendly blue as the large form began to shrink and revert to its original state.
Within a second, sitting in the forest where the large hulking figure had once been was a dwarf. Wearing an oversized yellow buttoned tunic, the dwarf had a hairless face with chubby cheeks—looking much younger than the others. They had incredibly large ears, nearly the size of their face. Seemingly confused and baffled, the dwarf blinked silently in shock as they shook their head and looked around. Their eyes landed on Jack, to which they merely tilted their head with a confused look, placing a hand on their chin. As the light from the change faded and the forest resumed its dark and foreboding nature, an unfamiliar voice would reach Jack—though Dopey wouldn't hear, still gazing at the stranger in wonder. "Come." It sounded like a faint echo, one coming from deeper in the forest as a gust of wind passed by Jack, heading past him and down the path behind in the same direction.
"It's time to close the door."
Kujo emerged from the bend in the path, immediately noticing a large tree sprawled on the forest path and Jack standing with his blade at the ready. The hell? There was another person there, too, though not one Kujo had ever seen before. They were tiny, much like the other dwarves, though the large ears had made the man assume it was a large mouse for a brief second. Was that the dwarf they were talking about? The one named Dopey? Despite Jack’s weapon being out, Kujo scanned the area, not seeing the large Heartless they were hunting for anywhere. Did that mean...?
”So—it worked?” Walking towards the two with his hands in his pockets, Kujo had a raised brow as he eyed the confused dwarf, looking back to the oddly-shaped weapon in Jack's hand. The hell is that thing? New questions were beginning to form in Kujo’s mind. It really…can change someone back? There was a nagging suspicion he had—that there was more to the equation than he was seeing. If it were that easy, they wouldn't have had to fight any Heartless this whole time, right? It would have been changing people back to begin with instead, wouldn't it? It seemed every step closer they got to figuring something out about the damned thing, it got more confusing.
Tch—give me a break.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 13, 2020 12:40:50 GMT -5
The light did its work, much for Jack and Alice's surprise. Within seconds, the large creature of darkness shrunk back to the size of a dwarf, its blue eyes looking lost at its surroundings until its gaze fell onto Jack. As for the boy in question, he lowered the blade as soon as the light was dismissed, faintly allowing the shadows to return and take their place.
"What the...?"
Jack barely managed to mumble his words when an echo resonated, forcing him to look around in search for its source. Who was that? And what "door" were they talking about? Confused, he tried to locate where the sound came from, unknowing that he alone could hear the voice. Noticing his spastic looking around, Alice asked what was happening.
"Jack, is everything okay?" she asked. "Just now... Didn't you hear something? Or, someone..." "Nope -I didn't hear anything. More importantly, though..." Alice's tone got a bit more enthusiastic, "You did it! See? They're standing right in front of you!" "Ah..." Jack looked back at the dwarf, only then noticing what he'd done, "Huh... Would you look at that..." "Thankfully, I could record until the last second! Wait 'till Elena sees this!"
Alice's enthusiasm caused Jack to smile, albeit faintly. Her cheerful nature always seemed to shine when it was needed most, bringing Jack back to reality. He looked at the dwarf directly, a calm expression written on his face as he approached them.
That's when Kujo showed up, forcing Jack to look back at him.
”So—it worked?” His question echoed through Jack's head, leaving him somewhat confused. Alice, on the other hand, was quick to answer. "Seems like it. At the very least, we found another dwarf, meaning there's just 1 left. If we keep at it, we'll be done here in no time!" "..." Jack looked at Kujo, at first confused but quickly drew a smile, "Seems like I was right on the money -we didn't need to fight at all!" "By the by... Where's M'Lyn?" "Kujo ran off without me" the Miqo'te said with a hint of sarcasm, "He's far too fast for my liking." "Won't take ya long, though, right?" "I'm on the way."
The siblings both chuckled at M'Lyn words. Getting back in gear quickly, however, Jack approached the dwarf calmly, crouching once he got near it, all of it with a smile.
It was about time they kept going.
"Confused, aren't we?" he asked rhethorically, with a cheerful grin, "Don't worry, bud -we're here ta help'cha. I'm Jack. The guy over there's Kujo" he pointed at the man in lavender quickly enough for him to register, "So, umm... Mind if I ask ya somethin'?"
On queue, M'Lyn jumped from a nearby tree to the ground, wincing in exhaustion, although mostly because she had to play catch-up. Glaring at first at Kujo, she was quick to notice the dwarf in the place of the sulking creature of darkness, tilting her head.
"Is that the dwarf we'd thought turned?" she asked, calmly. "Yep! But Jack turned it back to normal! See?" Alice replied. "Ah..." Jack turned towards M'Lyn, and then back to the dwarf, "And that gal over there's M'Lyn" he introduced cheerfully.
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 13, 2020 13:00:46 GMT -5
”Seems like it. At the very least, we found another dwrf, meaning there’s just one left.” Alice’s chipper attitude crackling over the comm device caused Kujo to grin—her excitement was obvious. ”Seems like I was right on the money—we didn’t need to fight at all!” Jack’s smile brought a relaxed sigh to Kujo, feeling for the first time like they were making some headway on this trip. Only problem was, why couldn't the other Heartless be turned then? Could they? There were still a lot of questions around the odd weapon Jack carried. ”By the by…where’s M’Lyn?” The question caused Kujo to pause, glancing over his shoulder with a raised brow. ”Kujo ran off without me…” The Miqo’te’s quip caused the man to chuckle as he shook his head. It seemed he still underestimated his own powers, despite having them for two years now.
”Confused, aren’t we?” Jack seemed to get them back on track, per usual, as he began to reassure Dopey. ”I’m Jack. The guy over there’s Kujo.” The small dwarf blinked as they looked from Jack to Kujo, smiling and nodding at each introduction. ”So, umm…mind if I ask ya somethin’?” At Jack’s question, Dopey merely shook their head ‘yes’ enthusiastically, no words coming from their mouth. A silent type, huh? It would figure that the one dwarf that wasn’t talkative was the one they find when they needed more answers.
”Is that the dwarf we’d thought turned?” M’Lyn arrived, leaping from a nearby tree. The glare she shot towards Kujo caused the man to look away as his smirk grew wider, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned away. ”And that gal over there’s M’Lyn!” Dopey nodded once more, very enthusiastically, bounding up from their spot in the forest. Brushing themselves off, Dopey tilted a head at Jack, tapping his chin. It seemed he was waiting to hear Jack’s question still. While Jack and M'Lyn spoke with the dwarf, Kujo would continue to scan the area with his Akogare's galaxy gaze. Deeper into the forest, where the path renewed its vigorous thorned obstacles, heavy shadows cast absurd darkness throughout the area, making it hard for even Kujo to make things out. There was a feeling in his gut, one that told him whatever was causing this world's turmoil, they would find deeper within.
That wouldn't solve the problem of the last dwarf still missing though, would it?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 13, 2020 15:14:08 GMT -5
"Hmm... No words, eh, buddy?"
Jack tilted his head a bit as he drew an uneasy smile. Things weren't going to be easy, it seemed... But with every problem, there was a fitting solution. If the dwarf wouldn't take, Jack wouldn't force it, instead relying on simple enough questions to get the same results. M'Lyn, on the other hand, while intrigued for what Jack wanted to know, glanced over at Kujo, noting how he was looking around in case of an ambush. Relaxing herself with a sigh, the Miqo'te stood alert, her ears twitching every now and then in wait of a sound to indicate the precense of the enemy.
Still crouched near Dopey, Jack thought a while before stating his questions, hopefully simple enough to be answered with a nod or a shake of the head. It wasn't the first time he'd dealt with silent people, after all.
A intel-gathering spy like him had to know how to work in all sorts of sittuations.
"Don't worry, we can just go with simple stuff" Jack reassured the dwarf, "So... Imma take a guess and say you don't remember how you do here, right?" he waited for an answer before proceeding, "Were you with someone, before you ended up here? We've been looking for someone else aside from you -someone named 'Doc'. Do you know where he could be?"
After finishing, he glanced over deeper into the woods. Whatever voice had spoken to him before seemed to come from there. Or, at the very least, it wanted him to go deeper, to close a "door". What did all of it mean, though? Curious about it all, Jack stood up, hopefully after Dopey answered with simple gestures.
If they were to go deeper, then they'd have to bring Dopey along, regardless of the answers obtained. There was no way he could go back to the Cottage on his own, nor the means to split up and having one of them carrying him there. Although Kujo was the more suitable one to do so, thanks to his Akogare, Jack was betting on the fact that he'd refuse.
Not that he'd blame him for it.
"If I gotta go there on my own, though... At least I've gotten a better hang of things, which I'm grateful for..." he thought, glancing over back at the other two, "Odds are, though, that we'll go together and tackle whatever the hell's deeper inside. I wonder... Will the same thing that happened back in Kujo's world happen here, as well? Not gonna lie, but I'm kinda hopeful it will."
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 13, 2020 22:07:15 GMT -5
”So…I’mma take a guess and say you don’t remember how you got here, right?” Dopey nodded at Jack’s first question, giving a clear ‘yes’ as they scratched the top of their bald head in confusion. ”We’ve been looking for someone else aside from you—someone named ‘Doc’.” Hearing Doc’s name caused Dopey’s eyes to light up as they smiled, jumping up and down. ”Do you know where he could be?” For a moment, Dopey crossed their arms, scrunching up their face in concentration. It seemed that their memory had indeed been muddled, but they were trying their best to get a straight idea.
Kujo glanced at the two interacting from the corner of his eyes. He really makes friends with anyone, huh? Jack had always been a friendly enough guy since the two met—but it was only once beginning to travel with him that Kujo began to see the depths of that. Finally seeming to recall something, Dopey began to hop up and down in place, tugging at Jack’s pant-leg before pointing at the path that led deeper into the woods. For a moment, Dopey seemed to shiver and quake in fear as they peered into the darkness, before shaking their head and giving a determined look.
Without much warning, the dwarf was marching down the path—waving at the others to follow as they continued to point frantically down the path. ”Seems he knows the way.” Kujo watched the dwarf, looking at the others as he crossed his arms. ”We might as well follow him.” Sighing a bit as he realized they would have to play bodyguard once more, Kujo decided it was a better plan than backtracking all the way through the Cottage—especially with how close they were getting.
”Tch—doesn’t look like he’ll wait long, either.” The dwarf was already almost out of sight—rushing down the path with little regard of the terrors that await. Once the trio would follow Dopey, they would notice that the deeper into the dark forest they went, a hue of green seemed to dominate the area. All around them was an eerie glow of the color, though none could pinpoint its source. Alice's radar would detect a large source of darkness from further ahead, at least showing that they were indeed on the right trail. It would appear muddled, however, not giving her a clear or exact depiction of what was awaiting them...
Finally, they emerged from the path into a large clearing in the swamp. Here, the rotting smell that usually clung to the air was thick and heavy—humidity causing everything to feel wet and damp. Where the path ended revealed a gigantic pool of darkness, vibrant with purple hues and swirling black tendrils. Where had once been water now only remained evil. ”Tch—give me a break…” Muttering to himself, Kujo allowed himself a mild astonishment—he had never seen something like this.
In the middle of the pool was an impossibly large tree, rotting and broken in half, though still looming higher than any other in the forest. The trunk alone was wide enough around to house several of the dwarves comfortably. Gnarled and twisted like many of the trees in this particular forest, this massive tree had a cave-like entrance, from which an intense green light gave off soft yet violent rays. At this point, Alice’s radars on the Almira would be spiking off the charts.
Yellow eyes began to team in the swelling pool of darkness that laid before them. Similar to what they had witnessed in San Fransokyo, many shadows began to pile on top of one another as they emerged from the pool, forming together to form a gigantic twisting snake-like being. ”So this is where they were all hiding…” Kujo had thought their journey deeper into the forest had been far too peaceful. It seemed the Heartless had been lurking here, waiting until their prey came closer.
”So—you were able to transmit—er, transform—him back?” A voice stammered throughout the forest, echoing and faint. Dopey jolted at the voice, hiding behind Jack as he began to whip his head around in search. Someone’s here! So was someone behind the Heartless’ odd behavior on this world? Though Kujo turned towards where he had heard the voice coming from—the large Demon Tower lashed forward in attack! BLING! His Akogare shone brightly as it emerged beside him, raising both hands in a guard as Kujo intended on being a barricade for the other three.
If M’Lyn or Jack intended to dodge—they would want to be quick.
[[ENEMIES: Demon Tower!]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 14, 2020 9:34:41 GMT -5
Pleased with the answers, Jack nodded to himself. It was the last question, however, that prompted a rather unusual reaction from Dopey. Before long, the dwarf was jumping up and down, pulling on Jack's pant-leg before running deeper into the forest. At first the boy flinched, but was quick to follow him.
"Hey, wait up!" he shouted as he chased after him.
M'Lyn was caught off-guard by the sudden move, although Kujo's observations brought her back to Earth. She followed along, her ears still wary in case they picked up something moving nearby.
The darkness they were going near to was far too menacing to be ignored, in her opinion.
Back at the ship, Alice frowned. It all seemed so sudden, but what Jack's com was picking up didn't give any good signs. The slow rise of power startled her, only wondering just what lurked deeper in those woods. The fact that she couldn't make it out also worried her.
As the team progressed further, they all looked at the pool of darkness. Alice shook, noticing the immense power it seemed to have. Jack frowned, his gaze narrowing down as the yellow eyes multiplied in front of them. Being the first time before such an enemy, M'Lyn couldn't her but show an expression of shock, quickly growning annoyed as the time passed by.
Their enemy was right in front of them, unwilling to let them go.
"This thing again?!" Jack asked in a groan, grabbing his blade once more. "It's the same enemy you and Kujo fought in San Fransokyo... But..." Alice said with worry, "Why is this one stronger than the last one?" "Dunno, don't care" Jack shook his head, "Right now, we need to beat 'im to the ground!"
Seeing Jack's determination, M'Lyn sighed. It was her first time fighting against an enemy of that caliber, but she wasn't scared. She'd be damned if a Heartless, of all things, frightened her. She summoned forth a staff, her eyes fixated on the enemy in front of them.
A sudden voice caught them all of guard, throwing them out of focus. Who was there?! Dopey also seemed startled, hiding behind Jack in fear while his eyes scanned the area. The boy glanced over at the dwarf in worry, wondering if they knew who that voice belonged to. But the sudden move from the Heartless forced them back to battle. Kujo's Akogare stood in front of them, aiming to protect the rest. Rushing Dopey alongside him, Jack took shelter behind his team member, and M'Lyn followed suit.
"So, do we have a plan this time around?!" the Miqo'te asked, her eyes fixated on the enemy with a hint of hatred. "We just beat it to the ground!" Jack declared, his tone fierce with determination.
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 14, 2020 12:36:10 GMT -5
BLIIIIING! Light erupted at the collision of the massive Heartless against Kujo’s Akogare. !!! It was certainly stronger than the one they had faced back in his home world. Despite his own power, Kujo found himself being pushed backwards slowly, digging his feet into the mushy forest ground—a rage beginning to form due to how dirty they were getting. ”So, do we have a plan this time around?!” M’Lyn hadn’t faced the beastly tower with them before—it seemed even she could be surprised by some things. ”We just beat it to the ground!” Jack’s declaration caused Kujo to bark out a laugh, despite the pressure the Demon Tower was putting on him.
”Give me a break! Since when did you get so macho?” For a moment, Kujo finally succeeded in stopping the Demon Tower, which swirled and roared against his Akogare in protest. Light wounds littered Kujo’s form, a small price for literally trying to grapple the damned thing. ”Tell me—how did you do it?” The same voice echoed out throughout the swamp—causing Kujo to jolt as his eyes began searching once more. Dividing his attention seemed to be the wrong move, though. ”Shit—!!” In that split second, the Demon Tower erupted, roaring with darkness as its size seemed to swell before rushing forward.
Hurtled through the air, Kujo flew past the others, plummeting into the murky darkness that made up the swamp pool. ”Did you ale—er, aid—the others, too?” The Demon Tower raged forward, spiraling directly towards Jack, M’Lyn and Dopey!
[[ENEMIES: Demon Tower]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 14, 2020 15:32:04 GMT -5
Things happened way to fast. Thankful for Kujo's protection, Jack dashed forward with his blade firm in his grasp in attempts of attacking the Heartless in front of them. Leaving the dwarf in Kujo and M'Lyn's watch, mostly under the latter's care, the wielder rushed forward to follow-up and counter its attack.
Then, it all seemed to fly past his eyes. Once more, the voice that they knew not who it belonged to spoke, asking about "how did they do it" and if they had "aided the others". Jack forced himself to the ground, unsure if he could even land an attack as he'd been distracted, his focus landing elsewhere. He was too slow to even react as the Demon Tower attacked Kujo, throwing him up in the air to then fall into the murky darkness.
"Kujo!" he shouted.
The answer had to wait. Jack noticed how the Tower spiraled forth, aiming to attack him, M'Lyn and Dopey. Gritting his teeth, Jack held his Keyblade firmly.
He wasn't going to lose. It wasn't an option. He thought so as he charged once more, his speed increased by the Keyblade's power. The blade crackled with electricity as Jack swung it horizontally, to then soon form an electric barrier around him that exploded. The Shocking Blitz attack looked to make Jack the Heartless' sole target, in order to allow the others to regroup and recalibrate their approach.
In a sense, he was worried for Kujo, hoping he was okay, and mostly bitter at their common enemy.
M'Lyn summoned Eos, knowing her role at the moment being one of support. The fairy swiftly made its way towards Jack, chanting its Fey Illumination to protect him. All the while, she took a good look at Dopey, and ushered him to stand behind.
"The longer you dwindle with us, the more likely of a target you'll become!" she yelled with worry, "Hide somewhere so that it may hardly see you. We'll handle this!"
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 14, 2020 16:46:37 GMT -5
Jack’s Shocking Blitz crackled alight as the Demon Tower collided with the shield. SLAM! Protected, Jack would feel the swampy ground beneath him quake from the sheer pressure of the impact. As lightning coursed through the gigantic Heartless, it seemed to shudder and recoil, swirling back through the air in an attempt to regain focus. ”The longer you dwindle with us, the more likely of a target you’ll become!” Dopey, who had watched in horror at the new monster, snapped back to reality at M’Lyn’s words. Nodding vigorously, the dwarf skedaddled back towards the path they had come from—aiming to hide in the underbrush.
The Demon Tower swirled through the air, recovering from the sudden barricade—taking new aim as it spiraled towards Jack once more. ”What is that glaive—er, blade—I wonder?” The voice echoed, seemingly observing the fight from a safe space. "I've never seen anything like that!" The green light emitting from the tree continued to glow, a new purple one beginning to shine around the tree itself, the two lights mixing to paint a nasty hue over the battlefield as the Demon Tower rushed in to attack! The murky pool bubbled and broiled, a faint light able to be seen from deep below the surface. Any attempt at using the Comm to reach Kujo would only be greeted with a loud static.
[[ENEMIES: Demon Tower]]
Huh? Kujo blinked, though he saw nothing. All around him was darkness—pitch black. He couldn’t even make out his own hand. Where…am I? It felt like he was floating, suspended and unable to find sure footing. Without being able to see, he had zero sense of direction. There was a fatigue that had settled into his bones, though he wasn't sure what it was from. On top of feeling detached, the exhaustion didn't aid him in moving his body. Tch...the hell is this? Something wasn't right...hadn't he just fallen into the water? "Sleep." He hadn't heard anything, but the voice echoed all around him. "Or...will you fight?" Kujo felt the exhaustion settle in further, annoyed at whatever trickery was happening despite the fogginess he felt. Despite the anger and focus he felt, it was growing harder and harder to keep his eyes open.
Emitting a burst of light, Kujo's Akogare appeared, though it's form was far more translucent than usual, flickering in and out due to Kujo's slipping consciousness. With a powerful and swift motion, the guardian of light punched its host directly in the face with its armored hands.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 15, 2020 4:55:05 GMT -5
"God dammit...!"
Jack gritted his teeth, trying to reach Kujo only to be met with static. Giving up with a spit full of anger, the boy focused back on the enemy tackling once against towards him. His blade raised and ready to block, Jack waited for the enemy to strike.
"K-Kujo..."
Alice's voice shook with fear, worried about their teammate. Even though her voice wouldn't reach his com, that just replied back with static, the name just voiced itself out. Still, she had to focus and help Jack and M'Lyn before anything else. Thankful for Jack's visor, she looked at the murky water around them, noticing how it had the same readings as the Heartless in front of them.
"Be careful stepping on that" she advised, "It's got the same readings as the Heartless." "Tch... And Kujo fell in there..." Jack groaned. "Focus on battle now!" M'Lyn shouted, and then looked around, still angry, "And whoever's talking, you'd do best to shut it up, less I do it myself once I find you!" "Imma agree with you there..." Jack thought bitterly, "And this thing's tickin' me off..."
His grip suddenly became tighter, an unknown fury taking hold of him. Why wouldn't he, though? He was, over all, frustrated seeing that he couldn't do much to help Kujo or anyone else.
The more reason to fight back, though, as the blade in his hand began to feel warm to the touch. Something about its light just brought Jack to fight back no matter the odds. And with M'Lyn backing him up, he at least had a decent chance. A far better one than if he were on his own.
"That's it -I'm done with this thing!" he thought, once more throwing himself at the fray with the Keyblade shimmering in light.
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 15, 2020 9:47:42 GMT -5
While Jack charged with his Keyblade, the Demon Tower charged forth to meet the attack. He would feel the weight of a freight truck as the gigantic snake-like being rammed him head-on. The light shimmering around the Keyblade would prove true, breaking through the collision as it sliced through the Heartless, releasing many of the Shadows attached. As the large snake-like Heartless recoiled from the attack, smashing against the forestry at random before collecting itself, more Shadows broke off from the impact, these ones beginning to sense and move towards the Keyblade. Rushing towards both Jack and M’Lyn, the Shadows would leap, lunge and dive into the ground in order to close the distance, their sharp claws at the ready.
BLIIIIING! A burst of light would finally erupt from the large murky pool of darkness, blowing tendrils of darkness through the air and into vapor as Kujo yanked himself free from the darkness’ grip. Give—me—a—BREAK! It took most of his strength to wretch free, bursting forth from the ‘water’ and landing on the swampy forest floor. The man’s nose appeared broken, blood smeared across his face. If I...hadn’t used...my Akogare… He would’ve been trapped. Having used the last bit of energy he could while succumbing to the ‘sleep’, Kujo had used his powerful guardian to ‘wake himself up’—it wasn’t his best plan, but it had appeared to work.
More tendrils snaked out, attempting to pull the man back in—though his Akogare made quick work of them. Sighing as he brushed himself off, Kujo became surrounded in a magenta light as the worst of his wounds began to heal, thanks to his Toshi ability. He couldn’t rest for long—quickly seeing the state of the battle, the man would rush headfirst back into combat. His speed would be slower than usual, his body still sluggish and exhausted despite his minor healing. ”Tch—don’t fall in there.” He still wasn’t sure what had happened to him—but whatever that pool of darkness was, it was bad news.
”We need to find who’s controlling it!” He was thinking aloud as he kicked at the nearest Shadow, making his way towards the Demon Tower. It made sense to him that this Heartless was more powerful than the one they had faced in his home world due to someone else's power. His eyes scanned the area, changing from emerald to galaxy as he began to search the area. The Demon Tower wasn’t giving them much breathing room though, circling back after meeting Jack’s attack head on as it swooped for another blow—this time aiming for M’Lyn! Despite Kujo's speed, the slowness and fatigue he felt was keeping him from reaching his teammates in time.
[[ENEMIES: Demon Tower, 20 Shadows ]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 15, 2020 14:43:30 GMT -5
Jack landed, avoiding as best as he could the dark murky depths surrounding them. The Demon Tower took the hit head-first, a few Shadows tossed around and scattered. M'Lyn kept Eos near Jack, ready to support him at the hint of an injury or fluke.
Then, the shimmering light deep within the darkness bursted forth, Kujo finally free from the darkness' grasp. Both members turned towards him with shock, noticing his body struggle and his clear exhaustion.
"Eos!" M'Lyn shouted.
In an instant, the fae swapped from Jack to Kujo, a healing energy radiating from it as it chanted its Fey Blessing onto the lavender man, hoping to lessen his fatigue. She noticed the charge towards her far too late, only able to raise her staff as a guarding method, unable to dodge in time.
"M'Lyn!"
Jack's shout echoed, followed by the firing of bullets. Once more, Jack's blade has dissapeared, instead replaced by a pair of twin guns that fired at the Demon Tower with no discrimination, hoping to both stop its movements towards his teammate while also making it focus solely on him.
"Stay away from my TEAM!" Jack growled, his guns shooting light bullets with uncanny precision, "Your sole target's me, you piece of shit!"
With that, he was made a blur of movement. The rage at the enemy plus his will to protect turned into unmatchable strength. Closing his distance thanks to his Slide, Jack held one of the guns firmly while tossing the other at the enemy, acting akin as a whip thanks to the chain tying the pair together, and then shot a single, powerful bullet. His Finishing Blow, a strong ability on its own, looked to grab the enemy's attention back towards him.
"Kujo! You're okay!" Alice said, relieved, through the coms, "I was so worried..." "We already had an idea about the darkness near us, so don't fret!" M'Lyn said, "Allow me to support the two of you, and focus on the battle ahead!" "Yeah! Beat that thing to the ground!" Alice followed with a fiery passion, "I'll be on the look-out if there really is someone controlling it!" "Heh..." Jack smirked with malice, "That's what I like ta hear... Let's do this!"
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