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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 7, 2020 17:59:49 GMT -5
Following along as Henoke opened the door for both of them, Tori hummed in thought for a bit. The fox was leading them through the castle, a guide through the maze that said world was. Not only that, but the way it acted… It was on their side, surely, but why guide them? Didn’t it have something else to do?
“Why’s it here, for starters…?” she wondered, looking at Henoke going through the door, and following, “I can tell it’s someone’s Familiar but… Why is it here?”
Tori squinted her eyes a bit as she crossed the door, opening them back after it seemed to dim a bit. The door behind them now gone, an open forestry opened in front of them, one Henoke was gawking childishly at. She recognized the area they were at thanks to his memories, ones she’d already seen back at the Shore. But something was off…
It wasn’t the real thing. Henoke knew that, right? Then… Why was he so happy all of the sudden? A sullen look crossed her eyes, worrying about her comrade.
Was this how one lost themselves to oblivion?
“H-Hey, wait up!”
Tori had just gotten the hang of things when Henoke decided to run down the path. With no other choice but to follow him, she rushed to catch up to him, not really sure whether it was a good idea or not. The fox was once again missing, although something told her it was worried, as well. It was guiding them through the castle in order for them to not get lost, but Henoke seemed to have forgotten that, instead choosing to follow an illusion instead of something real.
“Doesn’t he know?!”
She stopped her race a bit as she saw the town, taking deep breaths of air in order to recover. She looked at Henoke, much in the same position as her, wondering just what was going through his head.
”You down to explore a little?” His question threw her in for a loop, and she looked down, worried. Even if it was an illusion, it seemed that Henoke was far too eager to explore a place he’d only just recently recalled. Although she was worried, she couldn’t bring herself to shatter his perception. Yet she also found it cruel to keep the truth hidden. Conflicted, she groaned.
“…You know… This…” she began to talk, but shook her head immediately, After a bit of silence, she spoke back with a sigh, “…Let’s just not get too sidetracked.”
She drew a faint smile —a concerned one. Maybe, it was best for him to realize what was real and what wasn’t. Even though the sounds felt real, they weren’t —even if the people seemed real, they weren’t really there.
But just how much of that illusion would be accurate? She couldn’t help but shudder…
Would the world taunt him, the same way she was taunted before? Or would it show him an accurate depiction of how the world was? Worried for him, she made sure to remain besides him, just in case things turned for worse…
“It’s best if someone keeps an eye out for him… Before he loses himself here, never to leave again…” she thought.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 7, 2020 23:31:23 GMT -5
”…Let’s just not get too sidetracked.” Pumping a fist in the air with a childish grin on his face, Henoke drank in the sight of the town. There was a faint smell lingering in the air—the scent of meat cooking mingling with the distant sounds of carefree mirth. It was weird, but exciting, being in a place that felt vaguely familiar yet new. ”Let’s go!” Excited that Tori had agreed to come along, Henoke urged them onward as he ran from the forest into the town. The buildings were modest, most only a single story or two, some wooden while others were crafted from stone. It seemed they had come in through the back of town, as only small back alley roads less traveled stretched before them.
Leading Tori down one of the many cobblestone paths, Henoke’s pace betrayed his joy. I wonder where my house was? He had no distinct memories of such a place, only the forests and the park. Whatever the castle projected, it was showing something that slumbered in a memory long disjointed, something the teen never would be able to see with his own recollection. His pace was quick, but not a run as he made his way through the first alley. The sounds of the town grew louder as the two would emerge into a small intersection, four different streets crossing each other as they passed.
Down one seemed to be the source of much of the mirth, with the smells of food and the sounds of clinking glasses drifting across the afternoon. Another seemed to be quieter, with signs lining the doorways of the buildings, indicating an assortment of small local shops and other novelties. The other two streets seemed even quieter, mostly looking like normal homes. Hm… He wasn’t totally sure which way to go, crossing his arms in thought as he stood in the intersection. In the distance he saw small crowds flowing in and out of buildings—wondering how many places he might have to search for his parents. ”There you are, Henoke!” A sudden voice caused the teen to jolt, spinning around on his heels. "I thought we were gonna explore the forest today?!"
A younger girl, roughly 14 or so, ran up one of the cobblestone roads towards where he and Tori stood in the intersection. Her tan face was framed by familiar dark curls and an emerald gaze. ”S-Shiki?!” Visibly surprised, Henoke took a step back, having only been thinking of his parents. The girl in the blue tank-top and cream shorts finally reached them. Though she had originally been wearing an expression that seemed between a pout and a scowl, once she noticed Tori’s presence, Shiki fixed a pleasant and friendly smile on her face. ”Oh! Sorry, I didn’t think he’d be with anyone. Nice to meet you, I'm Shiki!” Henoke was still a bit surprised. Why is she still...? He had imagined she would have gotten older, since he had. A devious look came over her face as she snickered at Henoke. ”I guess you weren’t lying—you do have other friends!” The genuine surprise in the girls voice brought a flush to Henoke’s ears, an indignant look coming across his face.
”’Course I got friends!” Crossing his arms, Henoke glared at her, though it was short lived. Oh...right. He recalled what little memories he did have—remembering he had apparently been more of a loner as a kid. ”So—why’re you hanging out with this bozo?” Shiki gave Tori a genuinely concerned look, resting a hand on her hip. ”You’re older, too. Shouldn't know better than to mess around with delinquents like him?” Henoke was offended at first, though his confusion halted his anger. Older…? What did she mean? Blinking for a moment, Henoke looked at Tori before turning back to Shiki. He and Tori were practically the same age…if anything, he was the older one! He looked down at himself—everything was the same. Nothing had changed. He was missing something...it was all so weird.
What’s goin’ on…?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 8, 2020 2:42:18 GMT -5
Still with a concerned smile, and somewhat thankful Henoke hadn’t inquired about it, Tori followed along. Somehow, the way towards the center of the town reminded her much of her own world, which caused her to smile faintly. The sound of people was all to familiar to her, as people —albeit reflections— were enjoying the fake afternoon. It was still an illusion, yet she couldn’t help but admit just how real all of it seemed.
She glanced over at Henoke as he crossed his arms in thought, knowing how something was bothering him. Before she could say anything, however, a voice caused them both to turn around, just to see a 14-year old girl approaching them. Henoke’s surprise was clear, but Tori was mostly uneasy.
“So… This is one of his friends…” she thought, calmly observing from a decent distance.
Shiki’s further introduction made her uncomfortable, knowing that, in reality, it wasn’t the real thing. Tori glanced away with a frown, unwilling to talk much. But… She kinda had to act someway, else it wouldn’t be worth keeping Henoke in the dark.
“…I’m Tori” she said after a while, looking away with her arms crossed.
The banter between Shiki and Henoke proved amusing, causing her to smirk, if only fainly. Even with all the teasing, it showed just how close they were —or rather, used to be. Tori glanced back down in thought, wondering just what sort of world Castle Oblivion really was.
”So—why’re you hanging out with this bozo?” Shiki’s question caused her to raise out from thought. Hearing the word “delinquent” being used to describe Henoke, who was seemingly offended by it caused her to smile a bit. Shaking her head, she turned to Shiki, deciding to at least play her part in that illusion.
“I think that your definition of ‘delinquent’ differs from mine” she began, “I don’t consider him one. And…” Tori glanced over at Henoke, “He’s quite nice to hang around with. Maybe you should give him the benefit of the doubt?”
She’d purposely ignored the comment about their age, noticing how Shiki had pointed out Tori was the older one, when, although it was mostly a 1-year difference, it was the other way around. It most likely had to do with how the memory —or rather, world— was being projected.
She’d take the time to explain later. For now, it was better to follow along the game. With a sigh, she crossed her arms calmly, looking between the two.
“So, I take it you agreed on something together?” she asked, with a caring smile, “I’d hate to intrude…” she added, trying to seem polite.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 8, 2020 4:00:31 GMT -5
”I don’t consider him one.” Not having expected for Tori to back him up like that, Henoke seemed mildly surprised as he rubbed at the back of his neck, a faint red creeping into his face. ”He’s quite nice to hang around with. Maybe you should give him the benefit of the doubt?” Shiki seemed to hold a face full of surprise, until it split into a wide smile. ”Ohhhh—so he’s actually shown you his good side!” Henoke couldn’t help but visibly stagger at the blow—this 14 year old was vicious. Tch—she makes me sound awful. He couldn’t remember much about his past though, and some of the newer things he had seen wouldn’t necessarily make him disagree with that.
”So, I take it you agreed on something together?” Henoke shook his head as Shiki nodded hers. ”Yep! I hear there’s a flower garden hidden away somewhere in the forest! Henoke promised to help me find it!” He grimaced as he looked at the young girl. Flowers? Had he really agreed to something like that? Narrowing his eyes a bit, Henoke crossed his arms, a suspicion mounting. ”Tch—I didn’t promise nothin’.” He knew himself better than that. He didn’t make flimsy promises like helping someone find flowers. Crossing his arms, he gave Shiki a stern scowl as the girl stuck out her tongue at him.
”What!? But Toge said if he finds it first he’s gonna ruin it!” Stamping a foot down, she put both fists on her hips as she fixed Henoke with a serious glare. ”You’re not gonna let all those flowers die, are you?!” He felt goosebumps prickling, a shiver going through his spine. Though his mind didn’t recall that glare—it seemed his heart and body had. ”What do I care ‘bout some dumb flowers?” Shaking his head, Henoke refused to be cowed by a little girl. Shoving his hands into his jacket pockets, he turned to leave, motioning for Tori to follow. ”I gotta find my folks…” Henoke shouted out in surprise as he felt a powerful tug yank him backwards, causing him to backpedal and nearly lose his footing.
”I knew you’d understand, Henoke!” Shiki was tugging at his arm, pulling with surprising strength for a girl her size. ”You’re always someone I can count on!” Seemingly ignoring everything Henoke had said, Shiki smiled to Tori as though she weren’t dragging a guy nearly twice her size behind her. ”You can come, too, Tori!” Henoke finally yanked his arm free, fixing his jacket with an irritated look on his face. ”Tch—you’re a pain in the ass, Shiki.” Though his memories of this girl were limited, everything he had experienced (especially now) had cemented that idea in his mind. As though he had just paid her a compliment, Shiki merely shook her head and waved her hand as she began to lead them down one of the cobblestone roads.
”No, you’re just a pushover.” Why was he helping her? Resisting the urge to hit a young girl upside the head, Henoke shoved his hands into his pockets with a huffy sigh. Glancing at Tori with a somewhat defeated look, Henoke let Shiki lead the way. ”C’mon…she prolly won’t leave us alone ’til we do it, anyway…”
Glancing over his shoulder at the town they were leaving behind them, Henoke walked through the tall grass behind Shiki and ahead of Tori. It was a steady uphill towards where the tree-line began, a small dirt path forming naturally in the forest as it met the pocketed field. ”They say the flowers light up at night, guiding the way for those lost in the dark…” Shiki had been spinning her tale after Henoke had stupidly asked why she was so obsessed with the dumb flowers they were searching for. (He shouldn’t have, as he didn’t really care why)
”Toge says there’s lots of monsters in the forest at night.” Henoke couldn’t see Shiki’s face, but her voice betrayed her nerves. ”Tch—don’t listen to that idiot.” Toge was the worst, if Henoke’s fractured memories could be trusted. ”Well—my grandpa told me that Toge’s right…that there are monsters—always have been…” A foreboding sensation came into his heart for some reason, hearing Shiki talk as they continued to near the forest edge. ”He said that the flowers are what keeps them away from town, though.” Shiki glanced over her shoulder, shooting Henoke a dirty look. ”Which is why we need to make sure Toge doesn’t find it.”
Coming to the tree-line, Shiki paused, wiping her forehead and resting her weight on one hip as she looked between Henoke and Tori. ”We can take a break here.” He supposed it wasn’t surprising—it had been an all uphill walk. Sighing a bit despite himself, Henoke scratched at the back of his head, glancing back at the town. Mom…Dad… He didn’t even remember their names—only their faces. Shiki turned to Tori, unaware of Henoke’s somber thoughts as he gazed out at the town. ”So, Tori—where’re you from?” Henoke jolted out of his thoughts, glancing back to Shiki, who had taken a seat in the grass. ”Uh…she’s from...someplace past the Forest…” Henoke stammered a hasty response.
He hadn’t expected a question like that, though it should’ve been obvious. ”Ohhhh, wow!” Shiki’s eyes lit up as she gave Tori even more attention, her face a radiant delight. ”What’s it like?! I’ve never been past the Forest!” He scratched at his cheek with a dismayed sigh, hoping Tori would find some suitable explanation. Things like that were over his head, after all.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 8, 2020 12:04:38 GMT -5
Unable to do anything but chuckle, Tori observed as the two friends disagreed and agreed. Even though she felt somewhat "left out", being an outsider to the scenery to begin with, the spectacle in front of her was more than enough compensation. The moment Shiki grabbed Henoke by the arm, dragging him along and inviting her to join them, was something like a cherry on top —far too funny to simply appreciate it. Helplessly, she was forced to drown her laughter, else Henoke would've gotten on her case as well.
"C'mon...she prolly won't leave us alone 'til we do it, anyway..." Tori simply nodded, following the pair along. Even though all of it amused her, a constant reminder was at the back of her head, clearly visible, telling her to not get carried away and lose sight of what mattered.
Unlike Henoke, Tori was visibly aware of the illusion around them. Yet she found it hard to simply tell him about it.
"It wouldn't do much, anyways..."
She followed up the path, right behind Shiki, and with Henoke by the end. She listended with some interest as Shiki explained the reason why she wanted to go to this flower field, unable to deny her own curiosity about the flowers themselves. Having an idea or two as for what these "monsters" the girl had mentioned were, she gripped onto the hilt of her sword, hanging behind her, as she glanced at it with a faint smile.
"Good thing I still have it..." Tori thought, somewhat relieved.
Even though she had her Keyblade, she wasn't going to show it immediately. How useful it was, then, to have a regular-looking sword for a change!
Having been given the chance to take a break, Tori leanded against the trunk of a tree. Even though she was tired, it wasn't much to deter her, having gone through quite the harsh training back in her own world. While she appreciated the break, it wouldn't take her long to recover and get back in gear.
Shiki's inquiry and Henoke's following answer brought her out of thought, somewhat amazed at how genuine the illusion acted. The girl's further enthusiasm caused her to chuckle, shaking her head before replying.
"It's not much different" she replied, calmly, "We have our own hardships, but we can manage around them" with a faint brushwork of words, Tori began describing her actual world, although obviously omitting obvious facts that would give that away, "We're taught early how to fight, how to fend for ourselves. Where I'm from is peaceful, sure, but only if you know where to stay. One false step in the wrong direction, and who knows where you'll end up next? There's danger almost everywhere and, as such, we were forced to live through out own strength, cooperating with one another in order to ensure everyone's safety."
"Right now, I'm a traveller of sorts" she continued, "I've been at it for a while. While it's hard at first, you get the hang of it fairly easy, and it becomes part of a routine" Tori glanced over at Henoke, still calm and collected, "During my travels, I met him. We got along well, although our first impressions weren't the best..." she added with a chuckle, recalling their time in Beast's Castle.
She nodded faintly before looking at the two, before making her own questions. Some habits never really changed...
"What about you two?" she asked, "How long have you known each other for?"
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 8, 2020 15:12:36 GMT -5
Shiki listened to Tori talk about her home with sparkling eyes, a look of wonder on her face throughout the entire explanation. ”Right now, I’m a traveller of sorts.” Henoke sighed in relief, appreciating how well Tori had answered the question. ”During my travels, I met him.” Henoke grinned a bit, scratching at the back of his head as Tori explained how their first impression hadn’t been the best. It seemed like their time in the Beast’s castle had been forever ago. Henoke found it surprising, how well he felt he and Tori had gotten to know each other in such a short time. ”Wow…I want to travel, too!” Shiki seemed excited, renewed with energy as a light shone in her eyes.
”How about you two? How long have you known each other for?” Henoke looked away, not knowing enough to be of any use. Shiki rolled her eyes a bit, glancing at him before looking back at Tori with a faint smirk. ”Too long. Our moms are friends, so I’ve known him since we were little!” Henoke blinked a bit, all of this being new information to him. ”Tch—can we go now?” Impatient as always, Henoke had a hand on his hip as he gave Shiki an exasperated look. With a faint smirk, Shiki chuckled before giving Henoke a nod, motioning for him and Tori to follow her into the section of the Forest they stood in front of. It seemed they were going in from the opposite end from where they had entered.
Walking through the path, the trio would find the Forest unbothered. If one were observant, they would notice that it was oddly quiet and devoid of wildlife. Henoke was not one of those observant types, though. ”How much farther, Shiki?” Henoke was growing impatient as he groaned—having originally been trying to find his parents. ”Oh, settle down.” Waving a nonchalant hand, Shiki continued down the path without paying him much mind—only causing an irritated look to come across the teens face. ”It should be around here somewhere…” Sighing a bit, Henoke watched as the girl began to search around the path. ”Hm…he said it’d be hidden…”
After a few moments of searching, Shiki shouted out triumphantly as she ran off of the path. Dipping into the tall grass and underbrush of the forest, Shiki disappeared for a moment, to which Henoke slumped over. This is takin’ forever… Hearing the sounds of twigs snapping and branches crunching, Henoke jolted in surprise as Shiki popped out from between two tree trunks sheltered by tall grass and shrubs. ”This way!” With little to no enthusiasm, Henoke rolled his eyes, shrugging at Tori before following. Going off from the path, the teen was surprised to find an overgrown and hardly used path leading to the same spot Shiki had popped out from.
In between the shrubs and overgrowth were the faint signs of a longer path, leading to a cluster of trees in the distance. ”C’mon!” Excited, Shiki rushed onward. Henoke was simply glad to be making headway. Not waiting for Henoke or Tori at all, Shiki seemed lost in the excitement, rushing through the tall grass as she disappeared into the tree clumps. ”Tch—I should just leave her here…” Henoke grumbled as he made his way to the cluster of trees, surprised to see a small clearing sheltered within. Filled with colorful yellow flowers with twisting petals that seemed to shine like the sun, the clearing was littered with long tall grass and dandelions as well. Shrieking in delight, Shiki spun around in the center.
”Aren’t you gonna ruin them, doin’ that?” Henoke had a somewhat amused look on his face, though it seemed like he was trying to not show it. She seemed to not be paying attention to him, crouching down to sniff one of the oddly shaped flowers that seemed to shine despite the daylight. ”They’re so beautiful…” The girl seemed mystified. Shaking his head a bit, Henoke turned to Tori with a sigh. ”Sorry for draggin’ you along for this.” He hadn’t expected such a ridiculous turn of events. A distant shout caused him to pause, tilting his head to try and hear better. ”Oi, I think I heard Shiki!” It sounded familiar…did he know that voice?
”Ha! She led us right to it!” Another voice sounded closer, a loud rustling and snapping of branches reaching Henoke’s ears. Shiki had seemed to hear the rustling, too, pausing in her flower sniffing to stand up with a scowl on her face. ”It’s Toge.” Shaking her head with a frown, Shiki rested her hands on her hips as she glanced at Henoke. ”Sorry…I guess he was waiting for us to come here.” Stretching her arms above her head, the girl grew a confident grin as she looked between Henoke and Tori. ”I think Ryu’s with him. You ready, Henoke?” Crossing his arms, Henoke turned away from Shiki with a scowl.
”Solve your own problems. I held up my end of the deal.” The snapping of branches and rustling grew louder before the sound of footsteps emerged near the trees around them. Two boys around Henoke’s real age appeared, both wearing sneers that irked the teen immediately. It’s them! He remembered these guys! They were older now, but he couldn’t mistake those glares. ”Ha! Carrot-top’s here, too!” The shorter of the two, dressed in a black hoodie and jeans with a red t-shirt that matched his bright red hair jeered, pointing at Henoke as he laughed. He hadn’t heard the boys name in his memory of him, but going by what Shiki had said—this must be ‘Ryu’.
”Figures. They're always together.” Toge had already fixed Henoke with a deadly scowl, his muscular arms crossed and showing intent as he walked up. As tall and built as Henoke was, the blond wore a blue knit hat and a purple t-shirt hoodie, walking across the clearing with Ryu short at his heels. "Same goes for you two!" Shiki stuck a tongue out, pulling down an eyelid for effect. ”Hmph—never seen her before.” Pointing at Tori, Toge’s eyes grew suspicious as they narrowed. He trampled on a few flowers as he began to step into the clearing. ”Stop it!” Shiki was a blur of motion as she ran forward, causing Toge to jump back to avoid her sudden kick. It seemed the girl was quicker with actions than words. ”You just got lucky that one time! We ain't kids anymore! Toge’s tough, for real!” Ryu was shouting and cheering his friend on in an annoying way—at least to Henoke. Seeing the two boys around his own height and age bullying a 14 year old girl? It was enough to make him forget about not wanting to get involved.
”Tch—you really came here to mess up some flowers?” Henoke had made his way over to the three, yanking Shiki backwards by tugging on the back of her tank top. As the girl shouted out and reeled backwards, pushing herself away from Henoke with a scowl, the teen kept his glare at Toge. ”How sad is that? Don’t you got better things to do?” He wanted to avoid wasting more time—but these guys were just…assholes. Seemingly unbothered, Toge shrugged before pointing at Henoke. ”Nah—we gotta score to settle, carrot-top.” That nickname again. Henoke felt his teeth grit and his fist clenched—his irritation rising. ”I don’t got time for this. Beat it.” Turning away, Henoke motioned for Shiki to come with him as he began to walk back towards where Tori was. He couldn't keep wasting time here, he wanted to see his folks.
Whoosh! Hearing the coming attack, Henoke was quick to turn around, just in time to raise his own arm to deflect Toge’s heavy punch. ”Don’t turn your back on me!” The force caught him off-guard, causing Henoke to tumble over into the flowers for a moment before he leapt back to his feet. ”F*&$ing brat!” Sweeping out a powerful kick, Toge seemed far different from how he was a moment ago. It seemed the teen was only composed on the surface. SLAM! Blocking the kick with both of his forearms, Henoke felt himself skid back across the grass, his sneakers ripping up blades and flowers. Tch—this guy!! He was stronger than he had thought. His memories had made the guy seem like a pushover, but it seemed he had some serious power behind his hits.
Henoke couldn’t just summon the Keyblade, though. Not against some unarmed dude, even if they were taking swings at him. Gritting his teeth, he realized he'd just need to fight Toge with his bare hands. ”Hey! Cut it out, Ryu!” Glancing over, Henoke heard Shiki shouting at the boy with red hair, who was already beginning to kick and stomp on the nearest flowers with an annoying sneer on his face. ”Tori, help me get him!” Seemingly unbothered by the fact the boy looked bigger than her, Shiki rushed forward to tackle Ryu while Toge rushed Henoke once more. ”Oi, over here!”
A battle broke out amongst the flowers!
[[ENEMIES: Toge and Ryu]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 8, 2020 15:40:41 GMT -5
Caringly, Tori smiled after receiving her answer. The time to chat seemed to shorten itself, as Henoke insisted on getting back on the move. Already back to full energy, Tori was also ready to keep going, so the idea didn’t exactly bore her. A shame, however, that Henoke wasn’t the one guiding the path, as he seemed to have other things in mind —ones Tori could very much relate to.
“He hasn’t seen them in ages… Only recently remembered them…” she thought, glancing over at him as they made their way through the forest, “It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s frustrated by all this…”
Still following along the teases and banter of the two, Tori couldn’t help but remain quiet, allowing them some time. Although most likely Henoke wanted her to chime in… Yet she wasn’t going to. Not when things seemed far too close for her to meddle with. Suddenly, Shiki seemed to hasten her pace, although Tori and Henoke would hardly follow it, instead keeping their own. Making their way to the clearing, Tori perked up.
Even if it was an illusion, the light radiated from the place, acting as a barrier to keep the darkness at bay. Much like Shiki, she walked towards them, entranced. Ignoring Henoke’s words (although they would hardly matter), she glanced over the flowers, feeling the warmth across her hand.
“Light…” she thought absent-minded, “It can take even this shape, huh…?”
She perked up, hearing someone else’s voice, standing back up almost immediately. While Henoke and Shiki bantered once more, Tori readied her hand near the sword’s handle, ready to unsheathe it if necessary. The pair of boys then showed up, but she wasn’t dropping her guard just yet. She instead gripped the handle, her gaze cold and almost deadly.
”Ha! Carrot-top’s here, too!” Tori spat silently, not really liking anyone insulting others —be it friend or foe. She then met her gaze with the blonde boy —Toge—, and frowned.
“Nice to unmeet you” she said back.
Henoke suddenly stepped through, taunting the pair. Chuckling a bit with an uneasy smile, Tori looked his way, to then quickly glance back at the pair. Once again, the nickname was said, Tori clicking her tongue once more.
Jerks would be jerks anywhere, she supposed —always annoying.
While Henoke took on Toge, Tori was ushered by Shiki to stop Ryu. With a sigh, still holding her sword’s handle firmly, she dashed towards the red-head. Unsheathing her sword, Tori drew it close to his neck, stopping inches away from him. Hoping to catch him off-guard, she smirked.
“You can’t let your guard down like that” she taunted.
With the one hand on the sword’s handle, Tori would then make him trip, making precise steps to avoid further damage to the glade. With her free hand, she grabbed him by the hoodie, unamused.
“So, then…” she said with a sigh, “Do you still want to pick a fight? Don’t blame me if I go all out. I can assure you, it won’t be pleasant.”
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 8, 2020 16:23:00 GMT -5
Ducking under one of Toge’s powerful swings, Henoke rose and slammed his head into the guy’s jaw. !!! It was harder than he had thought, immediately making him dizzy as he shook his head and regained his vision. Toge had only stumbled back, placing a hand to his bleeding lip as he spit on the ground. ”Hmph—chump moves.” Rushing Henoke once more, Toge delivered a fast low-sweep with his leg. Jumping over the attack, Henoke aimed his own kick for the teen’s head—though Toge was quick to raise a hand to grab it. Damn it! This guy…was actually kinda good?! For some reason, it angered him more than the taunts from earlier.
”Woah! Is that real?!” A smile on her face, seemingly delighted, Shiki was amazed as Tori made quick work of Ryu, pinning the guy with her sword before grabbing him by the hoodie. ”Do you still want to pick a fight?” Ryu seemed stunned, gulping as he realized the blade to his neck wasn’t a fake. ”H-holy shit! W—what the hell?!” The teen’s eyes widened as he pulled against Tori’s grip. ”YO, TOGE! THIS CHICK’S CRAZY!” Fumbling to release himself, Ryu shouted out as he felt his knee kick in as Shiki came up from behind, an evil look on her face. ”That’s what you get, you jerk!” Utterly defeated, Ryu seemed to deflate as he edged away from Tori’s sword.
Hearing Ryu’s shout, Henoke and Toge’s fight had paused, both having been taking turns swinging and kicking at each other, seemingly keeping up with the other. ”Ryu!” Ignoring Henoke, Toge pulled out something that glittered in the sun as he rushed to help his friend. Henoke’s eyes widened as he realized the teen had pulled out a butterfly knife, flipping the blade out as they closed the distance. It had all escalated so fast. Thankfully, Henoke wasn’t physically slow by any means—especially after having gained the powers of the Keyblade. CLANG!
Within the blink of an eye, Henoke stood before Toge, his Keyblade drawn and raised. The butterfly knife flew through the air, falling blade-first into the ground far away from everyone as Henoke kept his large weapon held and pointed at Toge. ”You always start shit and take it too far.” Henoke had a serious look on his face—a cold gaze in his eyes that told Toge all he needed to know. ”Now stay the hell outta this garden—and stay away from Shiki.” Seemingly cowed, Toge gaped at Henoke with wide eyes. ”What the…” It was almost like he was dazed. ”When’d you get this strong!? A brat like you!?”
For a moment, Toge clenched his fists at his sides, looking down at the ground with a look mixed with rage and shame. ”C’mon, Ryu. We’re outta here.” Defeated, Toge turned away from Henoke and stormed off back towards the way he had entered, not bothering to avoid any flowers on his way out of course. Ryu looked at his friend leaving, then glanced between the others with an indignant look. ”You’re the one that always takes it too far, Henoke!” Finally breaking free from Tori and Shiki during all of the commotion, Ryu ran off after Toge after giving Henoke a rude gesture.
With a sigh, Henoke’s Keyblade disappeared in a ray of light as he shoved his hands into his pockets. ”Those guys suck.” His comment caused Shiki to laugh, who seemed absolutely unbothered by any of this. ”Seems you made a strong friend.” Clasping her hands behind her back, Shiki gave Henoke a genuine smile for once, instead of her usual teasing smirk. Turning to look at Tori, the girl bowed her head a bit with a modest expression. ”Thanks, Tori. For helping Henoke and me.” Looking around, he was glad to see that despite some of the damage Toge and Ryu had caused, most of the flowers in the clearing were fine, still shining with their own radiance in the dappled sunlight.
”What was that weird sword you had, though?” Inching closer to him, Shiki grew a suspicious face as she leaned in. ”I didn’t know you had something like that!” Taking a step back, Henoke raised a hand to keep her away. ”Get outta my face. Don’t worry ‘bout it.” Mumbling a quick response, Henoke ignored Shiki’s scowl as he turned to Tori, crossing his arms with a grin. ”Heh—you definitely let Ryu have it. I thought he was gonna cry!” He held in a sigh of relief as Shiki giggled at the comment, seemingly distracted from the topic of his Keyblade for now. ”Hm…this place’s kinda weird, though.” Eyeing the countless flowers, Henoke tilted his head a bit in thought.
”It’s like…they’re all shinin’ on their own…” As far as he could remember, the concept of ‘magic’ hadn’t been a thing he had learned until meeting his Master and Chirithy. What else could make flowers glow like this during the day, though? It wasn’t simply just the sun reflecting off of them. They seem…important? He couldn’t tell why, though. ”Remember? Grandpa told me that they keep the monsters away! They’re like something out of a fairy tale!” Seemingly mystified once more, Shiki had crouched down to examine one closer. ”I wish I could take one home to show him…” Turning to Tori, Shiki’s eyes grew hopeful.
”Oh, Tori! Could you cut me one with your sword?!” Henoke brought a hand to his forehead, audibly groaning. ”Wasn’t the whole point to leave ‘em how they are?” Shaking her head, Shiki gave Henoke a scowl. ”One little flower isn’t gonna ruin the whole garden! I’ll take care of it, too!” Turning back to Tori, Shiki smiled and held up her hands together. ”I promise!” Henoke rolled his eyes. ”Why don’t you just pluck it?” He began to walk towards the nearest flower. ”No, you idiot!” Her shout brought a vein to his forehead as he glared at her. ”That kills flowers! You have to cut them and move them into water!”
He shrugged, giving up. He didn’t know anything about flowers.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 8, 2020 16:50:40 GMT -5
Tori’s glare was cold, looking down at Ryu as she was about to sheath her sword back. She then heard Toge shout, causing her to flip and hold her sword out as means to defend herself, but Henoke quickly cut through with his Keyblade. She was thankful, although would’ve been able to deflect the attack on her own…
“I didn’t want him to use that here, of all places…” she thought.
She had feared that the Keyblade would cause troubles inside that illusion, but it didn’t seem to be the case. While the Wielder fended them off, Tori sighed, saving her sword back in its sheath. At least that battle was over…
“All bark and no bite —I didn’t even sweat…” she mumbled, bitter, “There’s weaker monsters that are tougher than those two…”
She perked up as Shiki ushered her thanks, a genuine smile on her lips. Replying with her own uneasy smile, Tori shook her head, relaxing herself a bit before replying.
“It was nothing” she said, “Honestly, I’ve had tougher battles that those two… Pushovers, really.” ”Heh—you definitely let Ryu have it. I thought he was gonna cry!” Henoke’s compliment, followed by a grin, caused Tori to laugh. “Well, I did want to scare him… Just goes to show that those two don’t know when to start a fight” she finished with a shrug.
The trio turned their attention to the flowers. Tori was still mesmerized by it, the light shining through every petal and radiating against the sunshine. She smiled, caringly, thinking on a job well-done, although not for much.
”Oh, Tori! Could you cut me one with your sword?!” It seemed Shiki was more than interested to taking one back home, even though they were there just to watch. She thought about it, before shaking her head.
“It’s best if you leave it as is, Shiki” she explained, “It won’t do it any good to take one for yourself. Besides, a lot of them were torn, right?” she pointed out at the few flowers that had been trampled upon, “They need time to recover, so… Maybe give them some space?”
“In the meantime… Since you know where they are, you can come pay them a visit” she added with a smile, “They’ll appreciate someone keeping and eye out for people that want to step on them. Y’know —like a guardian.”
She chuckled, before turning back towards the town, nudging for Henoke and Shiki to do the same.
“Let’s go back —we have nothing left here to do” she ordered.
She waited for Shiki to walk past them, before grabbing Henoke’s hand, calmly. Looking at him, almost in a caring matter, she asked him.
“Do you want to see them now?” she asked, calmly, “The two people you wanted to see… I don’t mind taking a bit more time, y’know.”
She let go, sensing something nearby. The white fox was back, sitting with its ears down, worried. Tori smiled, shaking her head a bit.
“Just a little while longer. Please?” she begged. “…Fine”
A voice echoed through her head, causing her to smile. Henoke wouldn’t have listened, but he most likely understood the answer, as the fox perked back up and began to follow them, instead of leading the way. Tori turned towards Henoke, and nodded.
“Let’s get going. Okay?”
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 9, 2020 15:17:49 GMT -5
”It’s best if you leave it as is, Shiki.” Though the girl’s face fell a bit at Tori’s dismissal, she seemed to understand once pointed out how flowers had already been damaged. Nodding, she took another longing glance at the flowers. ”You’re right…” Henoke couldn’t help but sigh a bit, annoyed at how Shiki seemed to listen to Tori but ignore him. ”Let’s go back—“ Nodding, Henoke was only a little surprised as Tori grabbed his hand, though he didn’t move to let go. ”Do you want to see them now?” Her question brought a smile to his face as he gave an eager nod.
”Yeah!” He couldn’t help but show his excitement. ”Woooooaaaahhh!” Both Shiki and Tori caused Henoke to turn and notice the white fox, perched nearby with a worried look. ”Just a little while longer. Please?” Henoke raised an eyebrow, seeing Tori ask the fox permission. ”Huh?” Seeing how the fox had quietly drawn closer, waiting for them to lead the way, he was completely confused for a moment. Did it…hear her? Could it understand what she was saying?
”It’s so cuuuuuute~!!” Shiki seemed ready to explode, trying to contain her excitement as she crouched down and eyed the fox with a wide smile. ”C’mere, cutie!” Holding out a waiting hand, Shiki seemed to be trying her hardest not to just barrage the small beast with affection. Henoke laughed, shaking his head as he watched the sight. ”Leave it alone, Shiki. You gotta lead us to my house!” Walking up to the girl, Henoke grabbed one of her arms as he yanked her up (though not hard) and began walking back towards the Forest. His comment brought a confused look on her face, causing her to forget fighting back as she was dragged to the forest path.
”Wait, your house? Why can’t you just go home so Tori and I can hang out with the cute fox!” Henoke shook his head, not even bothering to look back at Shiki as he spoke. ”I don’t know the way.” The girl seemed to hardly believe him, finally yanking her arm free as she paused. ”Did Toge get you in the head or something?” Laughing at her own joke, Shiki shook her head before running up to lead the way out of the small Flower Garden. ”Fiiiine—but I’m gonna pet it after!” Rolling his eyes, Henoke followed along, glancing over his shoulder at the white fox.
What’s the deal with that thing…?
Exiting the forest path and seeing the outskirts of the town ahead, Henoke’s pace quickened a bit. ”Hurry up, Shiki!” The girl was walking at a casual pace, something that had annoyed Henoke the whole way. ”Since when do you rush home?” The girl eyed him with a hint of surprise and suspicion. ”Tch—shut up.” She had a point though, from what little memories were clear in his mind it seemed like he hadn’t been the type to enjoy being dragged back home. ”I just forgot to do somethin’ and don’t wanna get hell for it.” Making up an excuse on the spot, Shiki seemed to buy the lie. ”Heh—you’re such a baby!”
Henoke ignored her, glad that she picked up her pace a bit after hearing his excuse. ”But fine. It would be boring exploring alone if you got in trouble.” Reaching the bottom of the small grassy hill, the trio were greeted once more with the sounds and smells of town—well, the din recreations of them, anyway. Leading Henoke and Tori down a small alley in between two buildings, Shiki continued down an empty cobblestone street. Hm… There was something bugging him, but he couldn’t really put his finger on it. Most of the buildings they seemed to pass were simple ones, not any of the shops or bars he had seen from afar before. Is this where people live? A lot of towns typically had spaces where there were more residential buildings than anything else. As Henoke walked, he eyed them with curiosity, but he couldn’t really look through any windows, only see his reflection shining back.
The sun hung in the same position in the sky as when they had first arrived—though the teen didn’t notice a smaller detail like that. After going down the street for a moment, Shiki turned down yet another small alley. Emerging on a slightly more worn down road, where many homes seemed piled onto one another to form duplexes. The buildings ranged in an array of styles and material, seemingly a ‘hodgepodge’ of all the architecture in town. ”Right here!” Running up to one of the many duplexes, Shiki reached a wooden and stone one that was adorned with an array of flowers and greenery draped across the entrance and front.
A blue door was what Shiki stood before, knocking on it lightly before rolling her eyes. ”The blue door, remember? How can you forget where you live?” For a moment, a genuine look of concern flashed over her face. ”You gonna be okay? Maybe you should rest, after that fight…” Henoke felt a sting to his pride as he puffed his chest up a bit, shaking his head with a scowl fixed on it. ”I’m fine.” As he began to step towards the entrance though, the blue door opened! Standing in the doorway was a woman shorter than he was, with long orange hair and eyes similar to Shiki—yet somehow greener.
”Henoke?” She wore a deep green unbuttoned cardigan, a white shirt underneath and dark navy high-waisted pants. Resting a hand on her hips, she tilted her head a bit, confused at seeing her son before her. ”Why’re you knockin’?” His eyes had widened a bit, his breath held as he realized who stood in front of him. ”Oh, Shiki! Hi, dear!” Giving Shiki a bright smile, Henoke’s mom waved before noticing Tori, blinking in surprise. ”A new face?” Giving Tori a smile of her own, his mom stepped aside from the doorway, allowing space for them to enter. ”You should have told me you were bringing friends over, Henoke—your dad’s still not home, so we don’t have anything cooked!" She seemed to give a nervous chuckle as she scratched at the back of her head, similar to how Henoke did whenever he grew sheepish. "I hope you girls are okay with just some tea and snacks…” Ushering the three in, she stood in the doorway with it propped open for them. Shaking off the shock of it all, Henoke found himself moving forward, his face still betraying some of his bewilderedness. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed the fox nowhere to be found...
Once entering the lower level of the duplex, the trio would find themselves in a modest sized yet comfortable home. With a large open room furnished with a soft couch, a few plants (some dying while others thrived) and a small bookcase filled with complicated looking books and a single table with four chairs. Lit up with a few windows, the living room blended in with the kitchen—a size big enough for two to cook comfortably, but no more. All over the house were assortments of different fabrics draped over the surfaces and small lights framing the windows, waiting to light up like stars once the sun would set. There was a short hallway that led to another unseen room, as well as two doors near the wall by the entrance that led to bedrooms.
”It’s nice to meet you!” Talking specifically to Tori, Henoke’s mother waited by the door, closing it behind everyone as they piled into the home. ”That’s Tori!” Shiki chimed in before Henoke or Tori could do any form of introduction, excited as she seemed to make herself at home, already plopping herself down on the small couch in the living room. ”She’s awesome! Super strong, just like you!” Blushing a bit at Shiki’s compliment, Henoke’s mom waved a hand before turning back to Tori with a smile. ”Tori—huh? It’s nice to meet you. I’m Haruko, Henoke’s mom. Don’t sweat any formalities, just my name is fine.”
Henoke watched the interaction with a stunned look on his face still, hardly moving from the entryway. It’s…really her…! There was a faint stinging in his eyes that he fought back, though he knew his heart was in his throat. ”Oi, you okay?” Waving a hand in front of his face, his mom gave him a worried look. ”He got into a fight with Toge and hit his head!” Shiki chimed in from the living room. Sighing a bit, Haruko rested her hands on her hips, shaking her head. ”I keep tellin’ ya to keep your guard up, Henoke…” Reaching a hand out, she moved some of his spiky orange hair to try and look at his head. ”Hm…have you gotten taller?”
He couldn’t help it. Henoke rushed forward and hugged her as tight as he could, burying his face so it was hidden in her hair. ”Ah! What’re you doin’?!” Pushing away from the hug, Haruko had an embarrassed look on her face as Shiki laughed from the living room. ”What’s goin’ on with you?!” His face and eyes were red, though tears hadn’t yet streaked his face, thankfully. ”I just—“ His voice was hoarse, his throat tight as he fixed a smile onto his face. ”—missed you, I guess.” Haruko seemed surprised, but a good humored smile reached her lips as she rolled her eyes. ”Toge really must’ve hit you hard this time…you’re never this sappy.”
Her laugh filled his heart in a way he hadn’t expected it to. ”Well—I guess you do get that from your father, after all…” As though she had just remembered, she lifted a finger to her lips. "He should be back soon, too." Turning back to Tori, Haruko seemed to compose herself once more as she gestured to the couch. ”Make yourself comfortable!" Making her way into the kitchen, rummaging around for things to prepare tea, she turned her head to glance at Tori over her shoulder with a curious glance. "I don't think I've seen you around town before, Tori…how do you know each other?” Henoke’s mom seemed intrigued. Tch—did I really never make friends?
The way her and Shiki were reacting to Tori made it seem like he really didn't.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 9, 2020 15:52:50 GMT -5
The fox stood near Tori, an unamused look once more as Shiki tried to lure it towards her. Thankfully, she managed to avoid the tails going to her face as Henoke pulled her back, seemingly relieved. Tori chuckled, while the fox seemed relieved for a bit, only to groan back as Shiki mentioned “petting it afterwards”.
Still, it followed along, until at the entrance of the town. Tori noticed how it seemed to search for shadows, surprisingly agile as it made its way past people unnoticed. It was avoiding people as much as it could, not wanting to cause trouble or gather attention. She smiled faintly, knowing that it wouldn’t be troublesome anyways.
If it was that fox in particular, there wouldn’t be a problem.
“I’m glad to see it’s willing to let this slide for a while…” she thought, looking at Henoke as he rushed Shiki around, hiding his intentions fairly well, “He deserves this… Even if it’s not real…” “Even if it’s not their memories, but rather Henoke’s own view of them?” a voice echoed, causing Tori to turn back towards the fox. Did it… Talk to her? The fox seemed to sigh, shaking its head, “Nevermind. I’ll ask it later…”
Tori chuckled with unease, noticing how she’d fallen behind. Quickly she caught up, following the duo along while listening to the sounds the illusionary world was repeating. Such a nice and warm sound…
”Right here!”
As Shiki ran towards one particular door, Tori glanced around. It was an unusual alleyway, as it was mostly calm overall. More used to living in rowdy areas, close to the markets and people, Tori glanced over at Henoke, wondering if he was used to the same thing. Shiki’s tease only further concerned her, still glancing at Henoke with an uneasy smile. Given the fact that he only recently remembered, it didn’t surprise her that Henoke himself didn’t know where his house was. Still, he seemed to handle well, albeit some of his pride being hurt in the process. Tori couldn’t help but laugh a bit at it.
The door opened after Shiki knocked, a familiar face for both Henoke and Tori opening it for her. Smiling caringly, she nodded faintly at Henoke, before turning towards his mother with a bow. Ushered inside, she closed her eyes and silently thanked the fox for allowing them some more time…
Inside was nice, a place Tori was more than comfortable with. Still not taking a seat, Tori brought her hands to her back, calmly observing as they talked with one another. She nodded as Henoke’s mother introduced herself as “Haruko”, agreeing with the formality part. As she turned to Henoke, Tori also did the same, a somewhat worried look in her eyes. It quickly dissipated as Henoke hugged Haruko, only a caring smile remaining.
“…Yeah…” she thought to herself, “This… This is how it should be…”
What would she give, just to do the same with those she cared for! Bringing one hand to her chest, Tori vowed to herself to embrace her friends as soon as she met them again, never to let go of them again.
“The same goes for you, Kosuke…” she thought with a chuckle. Haruko’s words brought her back to the fake reality, noticing her gesture towards the couch. Still not tired, she refused by shaking her head, and remaining still.
“I’m fine, although… Thanks for the offer” she said, calmly.
"I don't think I've seen you around town before…are you new here, Tori? How did you meet Henoke?” Of course —the same question Shiki had asked were brought back again. Laughing faintly, Tori looked back as she thought on how to reply.
Simple things would work… Of course, caring on what words to use.
“I’m not from this town, that’s true” she began, “I’m a traveler —I’ve been at it for a while. During that time, I met Henoke” she glanced at him with a caring smile, “It was odd, really —he confused me with someone else at first… We didn’t get along well immediately, but it didn’t take much to know each other to the point we do now” she finished, chuckling.
She walked closer towards Henoke, with a smile still intact. Chuckling a bit, she patted him in the head, quickly enough for her to not get mauled by him. All of it, with a caring smile —the same one she had back when she promised she’d help him remember.
“Henoke’s had it tough, really —but he’s had me for a while” she said, winking towards him, “He’s been there for me, the same way I’ve been there for him. It hasn’t been much, but… It’s more than enough for what it’s been.”
“Of course, I also have other friends that are waiting for me” she quickly excused herself, “…Even someone I cherish a lot…” Tori looked down, a smile on her lips as she brought her hands to her chest, “…As soon as I finish my travels… I’ll make sure to spend time with him… For now” she raised her view, “I’ll stick around with Henoke for a bit.”
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 9, 2020 20:04:22 GMT -5
Sighing in relief as Tori once again handled the sudden question with ease, Henoke relaxed a bit. Haruko seemed interested in the story, a hand to her cheek with a look of mild surprise. ”Wow—a traveler at your age?” She shook her head for a moment, surely making a face any parent would at the thought of a 16 year old traveling around on their own. Laughing at how it seemed Tori and Henoke hadn’t gotten along well at first, Haruko had a light smile on her face. ”He is pretty difficult.” The teen gave an indignant look hearing those words, only fueled by Tori’s sudden head pat, which brought a faint scowl to his face. He swatted at the air, missing his mark completely. She was too quick for him.
”Henoke’s had it tough, really—but he’s had me for a while” Unable to stay mad for too long, since she was being nice, Henoke merely scratched at the back of his head as he took a seat at the table in the living room, leaving Shiki to take up the couch as she pleased. ”Oh, really? Henoke, you should have brought her over sooner!" Giving her son an exasperated sigh, she shook her head before turning back to Tori with a smile. "Well, I certainly appreciate you lookin’ after him~” Haruko had a slight giggle in her tone, watching their exchange, a devious smile on her face that made Henoke embarrassed for some reason.
”You’re more than welcome to rest here while you’re in town! It’s the least I can do, since you’ve been lookin’ after my son and all~” Haruko beamed at Tori as she began to prepare tea. ”It’s way cozier than that old Inn.” Shiki hopped up from the couch, coming to the kitchen as Haruko offered a cup. Henoke was surprised to see Shiki set it in front of him, not having expected her to be so polite based on all of their other interaction. ”Tch—showoff.” His faint smirk betrayed his good humor, only growing as Shiki stuck out her tongue and went back to grab another cup. For a moment, he watched in silence from his chair, glancing between the other three before finding a smile on his face. ”Wow—I never see you this happy unless we have pork for dinner!”
Haruko had a teasing tone as she leaned against the counter, smiling at Henoke. ”Oi, don’t play around with me—are we?!” For a moment the teen’s eyes lit up, an eager look on his face. It seemed Henoke had completely lost himself to the illusion—forgetting all about being in the castle and caught up in how real everything felt. ”No—you know that’s expensive!” Shaking her head with a hand on her forehead, Henoke’s mom gave off a vibe like she had this conversation every other night. Fixing a scowl on his face, Henoke crossed his arms and grumbled a bit. ”Shouldn’t’ve brought it up, then…” Shiki had made her way back to the couch after leaving a cup near Tori in case she wanted any, sipping on her own tea with a smile that showed her content.
”If you eat nothin’ but pork you won’t be healthy!” Scolding him in front of the others, Haruko wagged a finger with a serious look on her face. Red flushed his cheeks as Henoke looked away with a scowl. ”Tch—whatever…” Laughing, Haruko walked over to where he sat, her own cup of tea in her hand as she ruffled his hair—something that only brought a scowl and a swatting hand her way. ”Ha ha! You’re so cold!” Placing her cup on the table, Haruko swept Henoke into a headlock from behind, laughing while as the teen flailed in surprise. ”What? Are you embarrassed or somethin’?” Openly teasing him, Haruko landed a knuckled fist on top of Henoke’s head, giving him a noogie.
”Urk!” She was insanely strong! He found himself unable to break free. Letting go of her own volition, Haruko laughed again as she draped an arm over Henoke and kissed him on the top of the head. ”Ha! You didn’t tap out this time! You must really be gettin’ strong!” He pushed her off of him, standing up from the chair with his red face as he turned and puffing up his chest. ”I’ve always been strong!” Haruko only laughed more, shaking her head as she took a seat at the table, sipping at her tea. ”Pffft—you’re not as strong as Tori, though!” Shiki chimed in from the couch with a devious grin. Looking at Haruko, she seemed to be praising an older sister as she spoke, even though the two had just met. ”She made Ryu practically cry in a second!”
Haruko blinked in surprise, looking over at Tori before giving a wide grin. ”Ha ha! Well, no wonder you’re able to keep Henoke in line!” His ego had really been taking some blows this visit. ”Y’know, I used to run a dojo~” Haruko leaned forward, a devious look on her face. ”I can always show you some moves that’d really put ‘im in his place.” Henoke visibly staggered as he took a step back, waving his hands. ”What?!” After the sudden proposal, Henoke realized he had just learned something new about his mom. Or rather, remembered something he had forgotten. ”You…ran a dojo?” He scrunched up his brows, crossing his arms in thought as he tried to recall. Nothing came to him.
”Wow, you really got hit hard, huh?” Shiki whistled a little, raising an eyebrow at Henoke. Haruko simply laughed, shaking her head and waving a hand. ”Well? How ‘bout it, Tori? Want me to teach you some stuff that might help on your travels?” It seemed despite being a stranger, Haruko was feeling slightly protective of the girl who had helped her son. ”It’s okay, if you've all got other things to do, of course~” She smiled, seemingly content at the exchange. Henoke caught himself lost staring at her, feeling a light in his heart he hadn’t felt since thinking fondly of his Master. She’s… He was happy—knowing that this was his mom. It filled him with a pride he hadn’t expected to feel.
Enough to distract him from the fact she was openly plotting against him.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 10, 2020 11:19:26 GMT -5
The exchange, overall, was pleasant, but not one Tori wanted to meddle in much. The many comments towards her were dismissed with an uneasy smile and a waving of hands, proving that it didn’t really faze her, while she smiled as she learnt more about then and their world, chuckling every now and then at the interactions between Henoke, his mother and Shiki. She was enjoying the fact that Henoke was enjoying himself, but at the same time, he was losing himself slowly to the illusion around him. A concerned look in her eyes, Tori couldn’t help but sigh, moving the tea cup away from her.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll pass” Tori said modestly, at Haruko’s comment about “teaching her some stuff for her travels”, knowing much more than what she could possibly teach her, “I’ve been fending for myself for longer than what you could imagine —I’m used to stuff like this, so I can manage by myself.”
Once more, she sighed, looking away for a bit before looking at the eyes, a calm yet determined gaze in them. Her arms crossed calmly under her chest, Tori drew an uneasy smile.
“Henoke’s not a trouble-maker by any means” she continued, “I can assure you, he’s not weak at all, nor is he as lonely as you picture him to be” Tori reassured them, “I’m not the one keeping him in line —he is keeping himself in check. He’s grown —and much for the better.”
She glanced calmly towards him, yet a pained smile remained clear. It was starting to be time to break past the illusion.
“…After we spend some time here —mostly after his father arrives” she nudged towards Henoke, in order to make clear who she was reffering to, “We’ll be taking our leave. We’re here to visit, mostly —but we’re focused on other things, as well.”
“Henoke’s been helping me out with a few of my own troubles” she confessed, “Since I’ve helped him with his own, he’s… Most likely paying the favor” she added with a chuckle, “We were just passing by —we won’t be staying here for long.”
With that, she went silent, almost completely aware of the mood around her. Still, it was something she had to do. Subtle, yet clear, Tori needed to make him aware of where they were, and what they had come to do.
She turned towards him, waiting for his own answer. Or at least, a hint that would show whether he was now aware, or not.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 10, 2020 17:15:18 GMT -5
”I appreciate the offer, but I’ll pass.” Haruko smiled good-humoredly as Tori politely declined the offer, much to Henoke’s relief. Hearing her go off about him was pretty embarrassing though, causing his face to go red as he turned away. Haruko’s smile only widened at Tori’s words, glancing fondly at her son. ”We’re here to visit, mostly—but we’re focused on other things, as well.” Tori’s comment brought a confused look to his face before Henoke jolted in surprise. Oh!! That’s right! They were still in Castle Oblivion! For a moment, the teen paused, glancing around with new eyes. ”…” His face fell a bit as he finally remembered the reality of his situation. He had been so caught up in how real everything felt, he had forgotten about their overall goals and the fake-ness of this place.
”We were just passing by—we won’t be staying here for long.” He slowly nodded along with what Tori was saying, a somber look on his face as he sighed a bit, scratching at the back of his head. ”R-right…” His heart was torn—on the one hand, he was glad to have gotten this chance to see everyone, but it felt somewhat hollow, being reminded how none of it was real. But…how is the castle doin’ this? He had hardly any recollection of his family, his home world…how was it conjuring such a realistic replication? ”Huh?” Haruko sighed a bit, glancing at Henoke with a look mixed with concern and affection. ”I guess you never really clue us in on your plans, huh?” Shaking her head a little, Haruko set her tea down before smiling at Henoke. ”You’ve always just blazed ahead, hardly bothering to wait up.” Her words sounded sad, though the look in her eyes showed otherwise.
”Make sure you don’t slow down.” Standing up, Haruko came over and gave Henoke a hug, causing him to jerk in surprise. ”But come back soon, okay?” Stunned for a moment, Henoke merely nodded, unable to speak as he quietly pat her on the back. His eyes stung a bit as he thought of her words. I did come back, ma… Pulling away, Haruko’s face hardly betrayed any of the sadness or worry a mother had sending her kid off somewhere without them. Likewise, Henoke made sure to not betray his own pain—looking into the eyes of an illusion he could only wish to be real. ”Why don’t you go see your father? He’ll still be at work for a bit, but I don’t want you to leave too late!” Shiki bounded up, having finished her tea and placing the cup on the table before rushing to where Henoke and Haruko stood. ”I can lead the way! Y’know, that way I can see you off!”
She had concealed her own emotions well through all of this, too. Did we ever get to ever say goodbye? His last memory of this world had been opening that weird door…what happened after that? Was that when he had arrived at Daybreak Town? His mind was still muddled, causing him to shake his head briefly before giving Shiki a nod. ”Alright…” The door of the home opened, causing Henoke to turn in surprise as his breath held. Standing in the open doorway was a tall man, not nearly as mountainous as in the memory Henoke had of him, but still taller than his own height and much more muscular. He had dark brown hair that was similarly spiky to his own, but shorter. The golden gaze he was met with was all too familiar.
”Speak o’ the devil!” Laughing, Haruko moved to greet her husband, who had just crouched under the doorway to make his way into the somewhat crowded entryway. ”Oh—full house, huh?” A pleasant smile on his face, Henoke’s father was dressed in a simple blue button-up tucked into khaki pants, all underneath a long white lab-coat. Is he a doctor or somethin’? He certainly looked the part, not that Henoke really had much memories of doctors…he was so used to magic, after all. ”Oh, a new face?“ Noticing Tori, Henoke’s dad seemed to throw the same line his mom had at first glance. ”That’s Tori, dear—Henoke’s friend!” Moving out of the way so she could greet him, Henoke watched as Haruko walked up to his dad, their height different very apparent as he nearly touched the roof whereas she had more than enough space.
”Tori, this is Saej, Henoke’s father.” Giving the man a quick hug, Haruko beamed as she made the introduction. ”Henoke’s seein' us off, dear!” A look of surprise came across Saej’s otherwise composed and serious face, blinking as he fixed his son in a gaze. ”Seeing us off? Where’re you going?” Before Henoke could respond, Haruko began to push Saej more inside, towards the chair she had previously been taking up at the table. At first glanced, it almost looked like it would be too small for a guy with his build. ”Oh, settle down! He’s goin’ to help Tori find some of her friends.” Giving Tori a wink and smile, Haruko got Saej to sit in the chair despite his frown.
”And you’re leaving now? You haven’t mentioned anything about this, Henoke…” Seemingly more of a worry-wart, Saej had an openly doubtful and concerned look on his face, causing Henoke’s pride to burn as he scowled. ”Oh, stop that! He doesn’t fill us in on anythin’ anyway!” Haruko laughed at her own joke while Shiki giggled on the couch, eyeing Henoke with a devious look. ”You’ll be the reason he goes grey, Henoke.” Nodding in agreement, Saej crossed his arms with a sigh as Haruko made her way back into the kitchen to prepare another cup of tea. ”Isn’t that the truth? At least Shiki understands what I’m going through…” Henoke glared at the girl, who seemed to simply be on whoever’s side wasn’t his.
Shaking his head, Henoke reminded himself for a moment that this wasn’t real. Don’t get caught up in it again… The sound of a chair scraping against hardwood brought him out of his head, noticing Saej had stood up out of his seat. Walking over to where Henoke stood, he rested a large hand on his son’s shoulder with a sad smile on his face. ”When are you going to stop worrying me so much?” Henoke’s face fell, averting his gaze as he thought of the reality of the situation. Sorry…dad. Within this short time, he already knew how much his dad must have been stressing out over him disappearing. Forcing a smile on his face, Henoke looked back up, hitting the illusional hand away as he tried to resume his own character.
”Tch—stop worryin’. I can take care of myself.” It seemed to work, as Saej had a warmer smile on his lips and a softer look in his eyes as he suddenly gave Henoke a hug. ”That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still rely on us sometimes, though.” Embarrassed, sad and confused, Henoke barely managed to return the hug before Saej pulled away, looking over at Tori with a friendly smile. ”I’m glad he’s helping you, though. I’d feel worse if we raised a son who ignored others in need.” Haruko seemed to nod in agreement from the kitchen, a pleasant look on her face. ”Both of you are still young, so don’t do anything reckless. Okay?” Henoke couldn’t help but smirk as he rested his hands behind his head. Heh—imagine if he knew what we were really doin’… Maybe his old man’s heart wouldn’t be able to take it.
Not that the illusion in front of him was his real dad. Then again, was he the real Henoke? There were a lot of newer thoughts and doubts running through the teen’s mind, which he shook off as he attempted to relish what little he could from this moment. ”Don’t worry, Saej! I’m seeing them off, so I’ll make sure he behaves himself!” Shiki chimed in once more from the couch, kicking her feat lightly with a smirk. ”Ha ha! Thank you, Shiki.” Looking back down at his son, Saej smiled. ”You’ve got some good friends. Take care of them like they do for you, okay?” Henoke grew red in the face once more, looking away from his dad as he scratched at his cheek.
”Yeah, yeah…” Saej chuckled as he took his seat again, nodding in thanks as Haruko came over to hand him his cup. ”Well, will you at least be having dinner before you go?” Saej’s eyes seemed hopeful, but Henoke shook his head, his own face fixed into a frown. ”Nah—sorry.” The man frowned a bit but sighed in defeat as he sipped at his tea again. ”Alright. You better get three square meals in a day, though.” When was the last time he had even eaten anything? He didn’t really feel that hungry either, unless he specifically thought of pork… Is it because I’m a Replica? He was a doll, not flesh and blood like he used to be. Did he even need to eat anymore? Shaking his head from the new wave of thought, the teen waved a hand in his father’s direction.
”Stop buggin’ me, already! I’ll leave now, damn it!” Shiki, Haruko and Saej all seemed to laugh, much to Henoke’s chagrin as he crossed his arms with a mild scowl. In his heart, he felt full from the laughter—but part of him also felt pain, knowing he’d never get to hear the genuine thing again. They’re all… He couldn’t think about that now, not while seeing them. It’d be too much. "Well, do you have any idea when you'll be back?" Henoke shrugged before coming up with a suitable lie to appease the illusion. "Shouldn't be more than a few days. You won't even notice I'm gone..." It was hard, keeping up a front like this while going through many other emotions. For some reason though, Henoke couldn't bring himself to break out of it. Even if it's not real... It felt good to have a small moment that felt like normalcy.
Even if it was a lie.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 11, 2020 5:55:16 GMT -5
Seeing his reaction to her words, Tori simply smiled faintly, a clear worry for him in her gaze. Who wouldn’t be sad, after realizing that what one thought was real turned to be, in fact, an illusion? Looking away, she closed her eyes.
“I’m sorry… For letting you believe it was real…” she apologized in thought, knowing he couldn’t listen.
She couldn’t help but share the sentiment with him —knowing that he’d never see them again, given just how much time had passed. If only she could remember whether his memories met theirs at the Shore… But even then, it would be painful, as he wouldn’t be able to remember at all.
Memories made at the Shore weren’t meant to be remembered. Only she could’ve known.
The door being opened caused her to turn, for a fleeting moment forgetting the feelings in her chest. She smiled faintly, simply nodding as Haruko introduced Saej —Henoke’s father— to her. Unable to really talk in between (nor did she want to), she simply smiled, a somewhat concerned look permanent in her eyes. The mention of “doing anything reckless” brought her to chuckle.
If only he knew what Tori’s world was like…
She closed her eyes as she listened for the conversation around her, acting as a bystander to most of what happened. The emotions around here were genuine, even if they were illusions… All of it was, since the world wanted him to lose his way.
She wasn’t going to allow it, though —she was going to help him remember, but not the way Castle Oblivion wanted him to.
She turned towards the door, waiting for Henoke to follow, while bidding the others goodbye. She glanced over towards him, calmly, yet without saying a word.
It wasn’t right at that time.
She turned back, after noticing the fox stepping back in front of them. Given the fact that the streets were empty, no one seemed to have noticed. It tilted its head while looking at Henoke, its nine tails fanning out behind it, a worried look in its eyes. It seemed to quickly dismiss said worry as it stood up from sitting down and turned around, not before looking at the to follow it.
“This way” a voice echoed.
Tori began to follow it, although slowly to make sure Henoke followed along, as well. It was obvious —he was hurting, even if he wasn’t showing it. But near the actual illusions, asking and talking about it wouldn’t be a good idea.
The fox led them through the streets, its aim clear. It wanted to head back to the glade with the flowers, and Tori had to wonder why that way. Was it because of how “bright” the place was? Radiating with light? It also seemed to be in a hurry, causing Tori to frown as she had to speed up in order to keep up with it.
“You’ve been here too long” the voice echoed again, “At least you’re now aware of what’s real… But that won’t be enough.” “…Huh?” Tori was caught off-guard. “You’re no different yourself —even if you’re aware of what is real and what isn’t, you’re still falling for this world’s tricks.”
Even though she wanted to think about what they were saying, the fox was way too fast to simply stop following it. Even going back up the hill proved to be nothing, just purely by how focused Tori was. Not only was she mesmerized.
She was curious. “I’m shocked to see that you didn’t notice what this place was.”
The voice spoke as they neared the glade, the flowers just as bright as before. The fox sat down, its tails still fanned out, looking at the flowers. Tilting her head, Tori looked in confusion. What this place was? Was it talking about how the light acted? She walked towards the flowers, kneeling down to see them more closely, but the fox stopped her.
“Don’t” the voice said, “You’ll be pulled back in again.” “…Who are you?” Tori said, standing back up and looking at the fox with scrutiny, “And how much do you know?” “A lot more than you, by the looks of it” the voice seemed disappointed, “And you know who I am —you’ve just forgotten about it, is all.”
The fox stood up, walking past the flowers carefully, waiting for the two to follow. Its gaze was now a slightly colder one, warning the two to tread carefully —Tori, in particular. While it wasn’t specific as for why, Tori had an idea.
She’d fall even further into the illusion, even if she was aware it was a lie.
“The door’s past this garden” the voice said, “You two have been in this room far too long —we need to hurry.”
With that, the fox headed forward, with Tori following.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 11, 2020 8:41:31 GMT -5
He knew it was time. Seeing Tori and Henoke ready, his parents stood up, letting Shiki run up first as she gave Tori a short hug. ”Come back soon!” It seemed Tori had made a lasting impression on the girl—or rather, would have if they weren’t an illusion. Punching Henoke on the shoulder, the girl had a mixed gaze that threatened tears or a smile at any second. ”You better tell me all about it later!” Henoke found himself smiling, nodding as Shiki came in for a quick hug before darting out the door, covering her face. Watching the girl leave, he felt a little dazed. ”We love you, son.” Saej and Haruko had come over, both leaning in to embrace their distracted son who would have easily fought them off otherwise.
”—!” He couldn’t really find words—his throat had closed up at theirs and he felt his eyes sting. Hugging back, he simply nodded silently, closing his eyes as he savored the moment. ”See you soon.” Haruko kissed his cheek, causing his face to grow red as he broke away from the hug, rubbing at his eyes quickly. ”Y-yeah…” As Tori bid goodbye, both of Henoke’s parents offering her to return anytime, he took one final glance at the two parents he’d never see again, burning the short time he had spent in this house into his mind. Quietly, the two left, Saej and Haruko waving goodbye until the blue door closed. ”…” He felt like he had just been hit by a freight train.
Seeing the white fox pop out onto the cobblestone street they were on, the teen jolted in surprise as he heard its voice for the first time. The streets were all empty, despite the distant noises of mirth and laughter. The entire town seemed deserted, almost as though the sounds were merely illusionary and nothing more. As the white beast began to dash off, Tori following suit, Henoke took one final glance back at the duplex home with the blue door. G’bye, you guys... Running after them, he chose to focus on moving his two feet forward, rather than think on the roiling emotions going through his heart. There wasn’t time for that. He had wasted enough of it already.
Leading them back through the forest, Henoke found himself eyeing the fox with a new suspicion. Is that an illusion, too? Hadn’t it existed outside of the room, though? How did illusions work in this place? It was all kind of confusing to him, causing the teen to focus on running instead of thinking. It almost sounded like the fox was talking, but it was so quick that Henoke couldn’t really hear as he chased after it. Coming upon the small glade once more, Henoke paused, glancing around as the flowers shone brightly. The sun seemed to be in the same position as earlier, still high in the blue sky above. Finally, the teen noticed. Huh? Haven’t we been here a while, though? Was it something else about how this castle worked?
”…Who are you?” Hearing Tori question the fox, Henoke turned back to the two, walking further into the glade while carefully avoiding stepping on any flowers. Vague as ever, the beast made no sense to Henoke as it continued beyond the glade, expecting them to follow once more. ”The door’s past this garden. You two have been in this room far too long—we need to hurry.” Henoke wanted to ask the fox what would happen if they stayed too long, though there wasn’t much time for that as it was quick on its feet, leaving Henoke and Tori chasing after it once more.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 11, 2020 9:33:15 GMT -5
Quick in its pace, the fox kept running across the forest, every second faster and faster. Tori found it hard to keep up with it, groaning as she rushed her pace as much as she could. Jumping over roots or avoiding rocks —the fox was quick on its own way. Its nine tails had become one once more, acting as some sort of follow-up lead for the two to try and keep up with its speed, although it hardly mattered.
Despite it being quick, it was also patient, stopping its pace every now and then to allow them to keep it in sight.
“H-Hey, you’re going too fast!” Tori shouted. “More like you two are moving too slow” the fox berated back.
Tori clicked her tongue, annoyed by the fox’s teasing, but the creature hardly seemed bothered by it. Deeper and deeper, they travelled through the forest at an alarmingly fast pace, although mostly due to how fast the fox was and how it wanted them to keep up. By the time they reached the door, Tori had to catch her breath, placing both hands on her knees while she begged for air.
“Seriously, who are you?!” she asked, exasperated. “First, we leave this room” the fox said, turning towards them, “This illusion is long past due —any more time here, and you’ll be trapped in its grasp. Doesn’t matter if you’ve realized it’s a fake.” “So, you know what this place is?” “Again —leave first, ask questions later.”
Huffing a bit with a bitter gaze, the fox turned towards the door, jumping through it without a care in the world. With an annoyed sigh, Tori turned back to Henoke, a bitter pout in her face.
“Guess we just keep following it… Whoever or whatever it is…” she mentioned, giving up.
Having recovered her breath, she turned to open the door, waiting for Henoke before closing it back, locking itself as they walked past it. Glancing at it with suspicion before turning to the fox, Tori placed both hands on her hips, a pout still visible in her face.
“So? Now we get to ask stuff?” she asked with a sigh, “Who are you? And why are you helping us?” “You already know who I am, so I won’t answer that” the fox replied calmly, much for Tori’s annoyance, “I’m helping you because, otherwise, you’d lose yourselves in here. Even if you” with its snout, it pointed at Tori, “Are able to tell through the illusions this place sets up, you’re unable to break through, and so, it’ll catch you the same way it’d catch anyone that’s not you” it finished, looking at Henoke.
The white room in front of them was a simple corridor, with one way forward. The fox turned around, but glanced at Henoke by over its shoulder, its purple eyes with a concerned look as it dropped its ears down, worried.
“You don’t really know how that illusion took the shape it did, do you?” it asked, “Those were the recollection of your own memories —that much you’re aware of, right? Even if you don’t recall them now, this world does. It pries into your heart to search what it is you desire most, and creates illusions based on those desires —hence, the reason why you saw that world the way it was.”
“All of it —from how people looked, to how they behaved, to even what happened. Had Tori not been there, you would’ve seen your memories unfold before you once more” it explained, now turning back towards the corridor, “That’s why this place is dangerous to those outside —it lures them into a never-ending loop within an illusion, unable to break past. You couldn’t have been able to distinguish what was real and what wasn’t —your heart would’ve been completely entraced by this world.” “So that’s why you’re here? To guide us through?” Tori asked, crossing her arms. “Mostly because of you, though” the fox’s reply caught her off-guard, “I wouldn’t be able to know where is it you want to go, had I not found you. But since I do, I’ll guide you. So, you better keep up.”
The fox proceeded to calmly walk through the corridor, this time not turning back to look at them. Exasperated, Tori looked at Henoke for some reassurance, before she followed the fox. It was a long corridor, yet one could see the exit at the end of it all —a single, two-faced door. The fox suddenly stopped, growling, catching Tori’s attention. A black mist began to appear in front of them, swirling upwards as it made the shape of a person. Standing in a defensive pose, Tori glared, looking at the figure in front of them. Their face, covered by a black hood and shadows, made it impossible to tell who they were exactly. Their cloak and clothes all were black, and even their hands covered in black gloves at it pointed towards her.
There was no doubt about what the figure was. “…Foolish Spirit” an omnious voice spoke, catching Tori off-guard, “You roam the worlds free, not knowing that said freedom is your downfall… You travel, thinking you help others, only to bring them further into demise.” “Huh…?” “How many lives will you forsake, before you’re satisfied?” it asked, “How many more will you lure into illusions and lies, only to consume them selfishly?” “W-What are you—?!” “It is best for you to return whence you came from” it sentenced, “Forever locked down in the Realm Between, never to interact with our worlds again. No leave, before I send you back where you belong.”
The mist grew stronger and stronger, threatening to consume the room whole. The fox kept growling, louder and louder, while Tori grew frustrated.
Before long, she’d summoned her Keyblade.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 11, 2020 13:25:58 GMT -5
Chasing after the fox proved to be rigorous. By the time the small beast had come to a stop at the white ornate door that sat alone in the forest, Henoke was doubled over panting, much similar to Tori. ”Huff…it’s so…huff…fast!” With a mixture of amazement and irritation, Henoke eyed the fox, wondering what the creature’s deal was. ”Seriously, who are you?!” Tori seemed exasperated, seemingly just as confused about the creature as Henoke (well, most likely less confused, but nonetheless). ”First, we leave this room.” Without giving much time, the fox leapt through the closed ornate white door that sat along the green forest out of place.
”Guess we just keep following it…” Henoke glanced over at Tori with a nod, not seeing much else of a choice, either. Leading the way, Tori opened the door that would lead them back into a sterile white room corridor that stretched forward. As Tori finally was able to ask the fox a question, Henoke couldn’t help but glance around the corridor, shoving his hands into his pockets with a frown. Tch—that’s right…never left… Shaking his head a bit, Henoke was surprised to find the fox’s purple eyes lingering on him. ”Those were the recollection of your own memories—“ Henoke grew a puzzled look on his face. ”Even if you don’t recall them now, this world does. It pries into your heart to search what it is you desire most,” Hearing how the castle seemed to see through his heart, Henoke felt a chill crawl down his spine.
He couldn’t really be nervous though, not with the sudden smile that fixed onto his face and a surprising relief that came over him. So they were in my heart after all? Even though it was a ‘manufactured’ one? The idea made him happy for some reason—most likely taking it as that his bonds with them were so strong it didn’t matter if he had his original heart or a recreated one. They still existed there. Raising a hand to his chest, Henoke smiled before returning to reality, noticing how the fox was still explaining stuff. ”Had Tori not been there, you would’ve seen your memories unfold before you once more.” Listening, Henoke couldn’t help but nod as he agreed. He hadn’t been able to tell the difference—not until Tori had reminded him. Even then, it had been so easy to slip back into it, even with the knowledge that it wasn’t real.
It was all so convincing. This place's dangerous. It wasn’t an obvious danger, such as worlds crawling with Heartless. This world seemed to have a sinister nature lurking beneath its shining white rooms and impressive architecture. ”So that’s why you’re here? To guide us through?” The fox’s answer was rather vague, something Henoke noticed it did every time Tori asked questions about it. It was a little suspicious, but Henoke merely shrugged it off. As it began to walk down the corridor, Henoke nodded and gave Tori a reassuring smile as they began to follow it once more. ”Heh—don’t look so worried.” Talking big despite having been the first to fall for the illusionary tricks, Henoke grinned at her while they walked. ”We gotta guide now, right? So we’ll be fine.” It seemed he was playing it carefree for now.
The sudden growl from ahead caught Henoke off-guard, pausing and jumping into a battle stance as the black mist suddenly appeared. Thinking it to be Heartless at first, Henoke summoned his Keyblade, gripping it tightly with both hands as he prepared for battle. The cloaked figure that appeared caused him to shout out, breaking his stance as he took a step forward. ”Huh?! Who’s that?!” Tori seemed just as confused though, asking a similar question of the cloaked figure that continued to speak in a menacing tone. ”It is best for you to return whence you came from” Hearing that, Henoke’s face twisted into a scowl as he readied himself. ”Forever locked down in the Realm Between,”
Henoke wasn’t listening any longer, knowing too well what this cloaked figure was threatening Tori with. ”Get lost!” Ignoring the growing mist, Henoke charged forward, despite the figure becoming harder to see. Tch—I’ll just make sure I hit ya! With the black mist fogging his vision, Henoke decided to take a gamble. ”Tori! Duck!!” Though his weapon was by no means an ordinary one, he felt the need to shout the warning just in case. Heaving his large weapon, Henoke used his Reflect Raid, allowing his large Keyblade to sunder across the room while it ricocheted off of the walls in the corridor, seeking for the cloaked figure through the mist with each rebound or miss.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Heavy steel grey slammed against white marble as the Keyblade hunted for its prey.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 11, 2020 13:55:17 GMT -5
”Tori! Duck!!”
The warning from Henoke came much too sudden, but Tori managed to react on time. The misty person in black seemed to take a hit, although not really connecting until the last one, where they were caught off-guard and jumped back. Growling, the fox didn’t take long before it prowled to the assault, fangs wide open in order to bite relentless.
“Get away from us!” it said as it jumped towards.
Tori’s eyes widened a bit from shock, but quickly returned back to a bitter expression, shooting a Ruinga spell in support. The cloaked figure created then a barrier of darkness in front of it, nullifying the attack altogether, causing Tori to click her tongue. As for the fox’s attack, it had landed, but it was forced back to the defensive as the figure flailed their arms to get rid of it, a clean bite mark on its right arm.
“Whoever you are, get lost!” Tori said in anger, “I’m not going back there!” “You misunderstand, then, the reason why you were born” the figure spoke, “One such as yourself was never meant to leave that Realm —never to experience the worlds outside of it. One such as yourself was never meant to experience life —never to interact with others, forever alone in that strand of death.” “Shut UP!”
Mist surged forth from Tori, her eyes a vivid purple as she charged forward. The Keyblade in her hand had changed shapes, back to the crystal, reverse Keyblade she’d wielded before. In an explosive motion, she swung the blade downwards, missing its mark but leaving considerable damage. She regained her pose, her anger clear, yet her breathing proved that she wasn’t handling all that power too well.
She was over-doing it.
“T-Tori…!” the fox seemed worried, flinching at the sudden prowess. “I’m not… Going back there” Tori said, readying her blade once more, “I won’t… Let you take anything away from me again!” “…Then your current life might as well be forfeit.”
Tori clicked her tongue as she charged once more, her Keyblade bursting with power. Mist took form of a shield and a current, all at once, as she aimed to strike once more. The figure held their hand forward, a thick black mist aiding them in stopping the attack, and startling the struggle. Using all of her strength, Tori pushed harder, trying to break through their defenses, slowly going berserk.
“Hey, you gotta stop her!” the fox said hastily, looking at Henoke with a worried look, “At this rate, she’ll kill herself! You gotta stop her!” "You believe yourself to be in full control” the figure told Tori, “Yet you never were. A pawn such as yourself should remain just that, not become a person of their own. You were ours to use —no one else’s.” “You betrayed me!” Tori shouted, still struggling, “You knew I’d fail —ever since the beginning! You sent me there to lose, not to stop the damn thing! You then took everything away from me!” a few tears escaped her eyes, “I won’t let you do the same thing again! I WON’T LET YOU TAKE EVERYTHING AWAY AGAIN!”
Tori broke through the figure’s defenses, as light began to gather around her Keyblade. Attacking a few more times, she jumped upwards to deliver a final blow with Judgement.
“I’M NOT GOING BACK, EVER AGAIN!” “Please, stop her!” the fox begged Henoke, a faint cry being heard in its voice.
It was up to Henoke to answer.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 11, 2020 14:31:16 GMT -5
Henoke shouted out as the last hit landed, grabbing his Keyblade from the air while he pumped a fist. Seeing the fox leap forward to attack, Henoke couldn’t help but cheer it on, surprised in a good way at its ferocity. ”Yeah! Get ‘im!” Preparing another charge as Tori shot her spell forth, Henoke was launched backward as his Keyblade met a barrier of darkness, the impact ringing his arms as he nearly fell onto his butt. ”Whoever you are, get lost!” Tori’s anger was palpable, getting Henoke more fired up as he readied his battle stance once more. Hearing the cloaked figure’s reply, Henoke’s own anger flared as he gripped his weapon. Tch—this guy! He glared, unable to forgive someone who had such little regard for others lives.
The sudden mist Tori brought forth caught Henoke by surprise, catching him off-guard as she blasted forward. CRASH! The floor shook beneath his feet as Henoke smirked—watching Tori obliterate a section of the floor. ”Damn, Tori!” The back-and-forth was fast, though Henoke readied himself to charge back in as Tori and the cloaked figure began to struggle between their powers. ”Hey, you gotta stop her!” Hearing the fox’s voice, the teen glanced over his shoulder, a confused look on his face. ”At this rate, she’ll kill herself!” His face grew slightly pale as surprise littered his eyes. ”H-HUH?!” He hadn’t expected that—just what the hell was she doing?! He thought she was winning this whole time! Hearing Tori’s shout as the power between the two exploded, he squinted as a blinding light shined around her Keyblade while she leapt forward to finish off the figure.
”Please, stop her!” He wasn’t sure what was going on—but the fox had said everything he needed to know. Having already started running across the ruined white floor, Henoke’s Keyblade disappeared as he used his Sliding Dash while unarmed to close the distance before leaping and tackling Tori midair, wrapping his arms around her. Thud! Twisting to land on his back, Henoke lost his breath as he fell to the floor, taking the brunt of the fall to not hurt her—though the tackle itself probably wouldn’t have felt too great. It was all he had had the time to think of, though. ”Oi, chill—we got it from here!” He wasn’t really sure exactly why the fox had said what they said, but he glared at the white creature for a moment before getting up, taking a moment to rub at his sore shoulder.
”C’mon—we’re not lettin’ ‘im get away!” Summoning his Keyblade once more, Henoke grew a serious look as he fixed his sights on the cloaked figure. There was a vein pulsing on his forehead as he eyed the reason for his friends pain. ”Don’t think I’m gonna hold back, though.” The words were for the fox—unlike Tori, Henoke’s life was only at risk if he lost. Rushing forward, Henoke aimed his Keyblade to launch a Firaga spell at the enemy before closing the distance, hoping to use it as a distraction if the figure blocked it. ”Eat this!!” A faint light surrounded his dark Keyblade, crackling with energy as though lightning as Henoke used his Blitz ability to deliver a punishing blow.
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