ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 26, 2020 10:25:27 GMT -5
Tori's lack of reaction was a bit disappointing, but not unexpected. A place that knew about Keyblades would know about the powers of light and dark too. ”Still not gonna show me how’ta do those moves, huh?” Yuto shook his head and forced a smile. "Sorry man, I was trained in the old ways." It was an obvious lie, but the man wasn't about to throw someone to the darkness.
Following the two to the Plaza, the man enjoyed the island's afternoon weather. ”This is the Council." Yuto looked at the tall building. It was fairly hard to miss. ”It’s a noticeable landmark if we need to meet somewhere. And also where most things are settled. A government, so to speak." It made sense, the biggest building in town was the most important. As Tori pointed out their next stops, Yuto got the feeling she was having more fun than she was letting on.
The tour was nice. It reminded him of when he ran around his homeworld, showing his friends all the small back road shops and little known hangout spots. Granted, it ended up landing him in more trouble than anything else.
He followed her in the direction of where she said the training grounds were. 'What kind of training do they do?' He would have that and any other questions answered soon enough.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 26, 2020 10:52:42 GMT -5
As she led them down the path, leading to the Training Grounds by the Western Shore, Tori glanced over towards the two from over her shoulder, her hood somewhat helping in hiding the gesture. Even though she couldn’t tell at a glance whether they were interested by it, the fact that they hadn’t said anything so far caused her to smile.
Maybe they were liking it, but simply not wording it aloud, which made sense, really.
“And~ here we are.”
Tori stopped a few ways from the Training Grounds —just an open area, limited by wooden fences and chalk lines on the ground. Near the grounds was a tall and large building, much more modest than the Council they’d just seen, but grand nonetheless —the Academy. Although, being a time where it wasn’t open to visitors, Tori really didn’t see it necessary to show them that.
“These are the Training Grounds —where people come to train and hone their skills” Tori explained, “In fact…” she looked back at the grounds, noticing someone there, “There’s people here, already…”
A pair of wooden dummies stood up, while others were splintered and broken on the ground. The one guilty of such an act was a tall teen, around Henoke’s age, with dirty blonde hair and tan skin. On his upper body was nothing more than a sleeveless vest, his bare chest exposed, while high-waist pants wrapped around with a red cloth and steel boots covered his lower body. Tori smirked, already knowing who that person was.
“It’s useful to come here if you don’t want to get rusty, while there’re no Marks to hunt” Tori explained, “Or if you simply want to exert your limits. Whichever it is, it’s open for anyone, so you shouldn’t have much trouble.”
The boy on the Training Grounds winced, standing up properly as all the wooden dolls were broken apart by his blade. Wiping away the sweat on his forehead, he glanced over to where Tori, Henoke and Yuto were standing, perking up as he recognized one of them.
"Tori? What’re you doing here?” he asked, “And who’re they?” “They’re Henoke and Yuto” Tori introduced, “I’m just showing them around. What about you, Vaan?”
Vaan smiled a bit while saving his sword by the cloth around his waist, walking towards them while resting his hands behind his head. Tori didn’t move from her spot, smirking his way, causing Vaan to chuckle a bit.
“No matter the case, your expression never changes, huh?” Vaan asked, to then glance over at Henoke and Yuto, “Nice to meet’cha. Name’s Vaan, and…” he winked a bit, confident, “Member of the Hunter’s Gang. If you ever need the help of a Thief, I’m up for a challenge!” “Maybe that’s after we get a Mark going on?” Tori teased back. “Well… Ashe didn’t call for meeting until a few days after today, so…” Vaan pouted, “I’ve got nothing better to do.” “Were you training?” “More like trying to see if I can get any faster” he replied with a chuckle, “In any case… You said you were showin’ them around, right?” Tori nodded, “Well… I won’t be finished here for a while, so take care. See ya at the meeting!” “Likewise.”
Vaan waved at the trio, running back towards the splintered wooden dummies and unsheathing his sword once more, chasing after the ones standing a few ways ahead. Tori glanced over at the other two, while pointing the way towards the Shacks.
“After we go there, we might wanna go back to the Plaza and see what Neku wants” Tori chuckled, “He seemed pretty eager about an idea, but I gotta wonder if he’s thought it through…”
“If you guys wanna ask something, by the way, please do. I’m not a mind-reader.”
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 26, 2020 13:08:28 GMT -5
”And~ here we are.” Henoke gaped at the open expanse before them, surprised at how much space people were given for training. ”It’s huge…” It reminded him of the training grounds he and Yuto had run through, back on some nameless world with an abandoned castle. Glancing over at his friend, Henoke smirked and nudged him with an elbow. ”At least this one ain’t filled with Heartless, yeah?” It was funny to recall how they had met. ”There’s people here, already…” He hadn’t noticed at first, but upon closer inspection it did look like the Training Grounds had a dedicated practitioner. ”It’s useful to come here if you don’t want to get rusty, while there’s no Marks to hunt.” Henoke felt his own sword arm itch just watching the boy in the distance practice.
Tch—c’mon Verun… He was just aching to jump in now! ”Tori? What’re you doing here?” The teenager seemed to notice them, calling out to the trio that watched. Apparently Tori knew the boy, calling him ‘Vaan’. He’s got armor…? Come to think of it, it’d be pretty handy to get himself some armor. He had been so into the weapons at Verun’s shop he hadn’t even thought about it. ”Nice to meet’cha. Name’s Vaan.” Henoke smiled and nodded, excited to meet another local. Hearing that the boy was a ‘thief’ caught Henoke’s attention. ”So, they take more than fighters, huh?” He was impressed, as he was never the sneaking type himself. It seemed Vaan was doing speed training—bringing back memories of Henoke’s own training with his master. What pieces he could remember, anyway.
Waving goodbye as Vaan returned to training, Henoke was even more excited now to go to the Guild. ”After we go there, we might wanna go back to the Plaza and see what Neku wants.” Nodding as Tori mentioned adding a stop to their tour after the Shacks, Henoke smiled, taking another look at the training grounds. ”We’ll definitely need to come back here once Verun’s done with my weapon!” He’d need to adjust to using something that wasn’t the Keyblade. He hadn’t fought without it in…well, keeping track of time wasn’t his forte, but a long time. ”If you guys wanna ask something, by the way, please do.” Since Tori prodded him and Yuto for questions, Henoke shrugged, deciding to voice the one pressing him the most.
”Hm…well, d’you think Verun’d make me some cool armor like Vaan’s once I get some Munny?” It seemed at the end of the day, the teen was still just an adolescence focused on their image—regardless of what persona he tried to portray. Jolting as he remembered another question he had as well, Henoke frowned a bit, tilting his head. "Oh...and how do you make Munny here?" Though it was normally something he didn't concern himself with, the teen was catching on quick that everything cost something, and he'd need to know how to gather resources while they were here if he wanted to avoid being a burden to Tori or Neku, or even Yuto.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 26, 2020 14:06:41 GMT -5
Yuto was surprised by the size of the area. ”At least this one ain’t filled with Heartless, yeah?” He laughed at Henoke's comment. Their time in the nameless world was an interesting one, to say the least. "Yeah, but who doesn't like practicing on live targets?"
”Nice to meet’cha. Name’s Vaan.” He hadn't even noticed the man approach from the training grounds. "Oh, hi there." He listened to Vaan and Tori talk about a meeting and marks, smirking at his offer to work with them.
”We’ll definitely need to come back here once Verun’s done with my weapon!” Yuto could almost feel Henoke's anticipation in the air. "Dude, if it comes to it, you can borrow my bat. Its no big deal." Yuto knew he'd be fine without his weapon of choice. 'Besides, I need more practice with that form.'
”If you guys wanna ask something, by the way, please do.” Yuto had a question that had been bugging him the entire time he was in town, he just had no idea how to ask. Now that he was being told he could ask it, there seemed to be no better time. "Uh, yeah. When Neku was showing me into town he told me that the reason people are wary of, well, those things was because of a war. What war?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 26, 2020 16:17:09 GMT -5
”We’ll definitely need to come back here once Verun’s done with my weapon!” Henoke’s cheerful and eager comment brought Tori to chuckle. At every step, he seemed eager to try one thing or another, never really simmering down with the action. Being true to herself, Tori couldn’t wait to see his reaction once the real fun began.
His next question caused Tori to glance partially towards him, showing full attention. Hearing how he wanted armor like Vaan’s, even though it was more part of his attire than anything, while also asking how to make Munny was a good enough transition.
She’d yet to explain all that.
“Well… If you want quick cash, you’d be looking in town for errands or stuff. Like… Helping someone open shop, or being a clerk. They pay well enough, but…” Tori pointed out, “If you want big money, you’d be looking at Marks. If you’re not a person who fights, but still needs a lot of Munny, then you’d be looking at supporting those who hunt, such as being Salve-makers —that is, potions and medicine—, smiths or armorers, like Verun.”
Tori stopped for a bit, wanting to make some things clear. Turning towards Henoke and Yuto with a cheeky smile, she crossed her arms amusedly, wanting to properly introduce them to how people worked there. At least, most of them.
“So, then… The reason I told you to get a weapon? That was so that you could join us during hunts” Tori said, nodding along, “Of course, you’ll pay that custom back, but remember that I told you about liking the way you’d be paying it back” she added a smirk, “Part of the money you’d gain from taking down Marks will go to the Guild, to pay back for the custom, while the rest would go solely to your pocket. I’ll be making sure that part of your reward is taken, but I don’t plan on hindering you much more than that. I’ll make it fair, trust me” she placed a hand on her chest, reassuringly, “But since it pays well, you won’t even notice the cut.”
While she was about to resume her showcase of the town, leading them back to the Shacks, Yuto’s somewhat hesitant tone caught her off-guard. “When Neku was showing me into town he told me that the reason people are wary of, well, those things was because of a war. What war?" The comment alone caused her to blink a few times, only to then lower a bit while crossing her arms once more. Closing her eyes while looking away, her eyes shifting from deep blue to a vivid purple, she smirked.
“So, you’re not aware…” she mentioned, somewhat ominous, “I thought you would, but… Guess I was wrong…” shaking her head, Tori raised her view, “I don’t think now’s the time to answer, even though I know the answer. But… I consider talking about that topic now a bit… tactless” she shrugged, “Maybe later, once we can talk 1 on 1. Right now, though… I’d rather not.”
Now with things settled, she turned back to face the path leading to the Shacks, her pace slow so that the other two could follow. After a few minutes, with the sun slowly but surely announcing the incoming sunset, the trio would arrive at the final building. Mostly made of wood, and part of it standing over the water with the help of wooden sticks supporting them, the Shacks were a place anyone without a home could rest.
“This is the place you two can stay the night in” Tori said, “Being honest, it’s also where I spend my nights most of the time, so… I know the place like that back of my hand” she joked.
“If you guys want to… Let’s fetch you a room before we go meet with Neku back at the Plaza.”
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 26, 2020 16:51:02 GMT -5
”Dude, if it comes to it, you can borrow my bat.” Henoke grinned at Yuto’s offer, wondering how it would feel to be clobbering down dummies or monsters with the metal instrument. ”Well…if you want quick cash, you’d be looking in town for errands or stuff.” Hearing how hunting was the primary means of making big Munny, the teen had an impish look in his face as his determination to fight monsters cemented. Hearing Tori had intended to bring him along for a hunt since the start, Henoke smirked and rested his hands on his hips—taking pride in the fact she knew he’d be up for the challenge. ”Of course, you’ll pay that custom back,” He staggered a bit, realizing that the armor he fantasized about would have to wait. Verun had mentioned that a custom would cost him a pretty penny. ”You’re right…” Oh well, he didn’t expect the guy to work for free. Especially if he was good.
Thankfully it sounded like he’d be able to still put some away while taking on Marks for the Guild. ”I’ll be making sure that part of your reward is taken, but I don’t plan on hindering you much more than that. I’ll make it fair, trust me,” Henoke nodded, thankful for Tori’s guidance. He still didn’t really understand all this currency business. ”When Neku was showing me into town…” Yuto’s question of a ‘war’ brought a sullen look to the teen’s face, who turned away a bit with his hands behind his head. Gazing up towards the sky, Henoke kept himself composed while his heart twisted a bit—thinking of the faces he’d only just recalled, to never be able to meet them again. ”Maybe later on, once we can talk 1 on 1.” Henoke was thankful for Tori’s answer to Yuto’s question, not really being up for discussing the topic at the moment. He eyed her with a worry though, not exactly sure how they were going to explain it to Yuto. He hoped she didn't mention him or his participation...he wasn't sure if he was ready to have that kind of discussion with someone else yet. Tori only knew because she had been there to show him the memories...but normally, Henoke wasn't one to let others into his own private baggage. He tried his hardest to make sure he looked bored, not bothered, as silence fell between the three for a moment.
"C'mon...let's keep goin'." Shoving his hands into his jacket pockets as they continued down the path, he found himself gazing up at the setting sun, forgetting where he was for a brief moment. Chirithy, Master, everyone… Even his own family were nothing but distant and foggy memories now. He himself was nothing but a skewed perception. ”This is the place you two can stay the night in.” Tori’s voice lulled him out of his sullen reflection, causing him to blink in surprise as he found himself in front of the Shacks. Gazing at the wooden building that stretched over the sea, a grin found itself replacing the faint frown as the blessing that was distraction once more gripped him. ”Woah!” When Tori had said the name of the place was ‘The Shacks’, Henoke had figured it’d be small huts like what they had found on the Far Shore. ”Being honest, it’s also where I spend my nights most of the time,” Nodding as she mentioned securing their rooms before going back to the Plaza, Henoke could help but find himself eager once more to see the inside. ”I haven’t had my own room in forever~” He had spent most of his journey hopping different worlds, sleeping in fields, castles or alleyways. He wasn’t sure if it was because he was a Replica or not, but even only a little sleep seemed enough for him—and he could sleep just about anywhere without complaints.
That didn’t mean he’d turn down the idea of a bed, though. With a new pep in his step, Henoke wore a smile as they headed inside.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 26, 2020 19:58:16 GMT -5
“So, you’re not aware…” The comment made Yuto tilt his head. "I don’t think now’s the time to answer...I consider talking about that topic now a bit… tactless" She didn't need to say anymore, he understood. It didn't matter if it was Tori herself or Henoke, but one or both of them had bad memories about it. "God, I'm an idiot. I'm sorry."
He could feel the golden half of his irises start to glow faintly. Realizing what was happening, Yuto quickly looked away. 'There's no reason to be mad about this. I just said the wrong thing at the wrong time, like I usually do.' As if on cue, the glow brightened with the thought. 'Damnit, breathe!' After a moment and a deep breath, the glow finally subsided. "So, to the next stop then?" The man forced a smile.
He followed the two towards their next stop, his mistake still weighing on his mind. '"...we can talk 1 on 1."' That sounded about as good as it always did, which, for him, was never. Yuto shook the thought from his head. This was supposed to be a fun trip, not one filled with pain. ”This is the place you two can stay the night in.” He looked up at the building sitting above the water. It didn't look like much, but it was nice. ”Being honest, it’s also where I spend my nights most of the time,”
The noise that came from the surrounding area was nice, comforting even. 'Maybe I will stay here tonight. It'd be nice to have people around for once.'
Tori suggested securing a room for the night. "Sonds good to me. Henoke?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 27, 2020 3:34:47 GMT -5
Caring and calm, Tori nodded with a faint smile. The mood had turned sour, but only for a moment. She noted Henoke’s mood change, but didn’t press any further, knowing just how much it hurt. She didn’t think it twice when replying to Yuto, really.
It was best to discuss such things 1 on 1.
She perked up after sensing something, but just what it was, she couldn’t tell. Glancing over at Yuto cleared her doubts, but pressing on that matter would most likely make things worse. If anything, she could ask about it later, but right now, other things mattered.
”Woah!” Henoke’s eager expression, a polar opposite of his previous mood, brought Tori to a chuckle. As the mood shifted once more, Tori led the two inside.
The main hall was simple enough. Wooden walls and floor, just like the building’s outside, neatly kept and polished. In similar fashion to main halls from hotels and the like, a counter was standing by the right, but no one attending. Right besides it, a large board, with keys hanging by —some still there, while others missing. By the entrance’s left, a few couches and a table.
“So… I dunno if you guys wanna share rooms or one for each” Tori pointed out, after she walked towards the room board. She pointed out a few keys with distinctive marks, such as color stickers or an added strap, “Don’t take those —they’re rooms that have already been claimed by someone, and live here for the time being. Any other key is fine, though.”
Right on cue, Tori grabbed one of said keys, a tag and a strap alongside it. The name tag had a weird writing one it —one that Henoke or Yuto would be most likely unable to read. Tori, on the other hand, seemed to recognize it immediately, given her nonchalant look as she lowered her hood, finally in an interior after so long.
“…There’s a room right next to mine that’s free, if one of you wants to take it” she mentioned, “Aside that one… Well, there’s a good amount.”
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 27, 2020 4:45:05 GMT -5
Walking through the entryway, Henoke’s eyes lit up as they feasted on the hotel-like atmosphere. Never having been to a hotel or anything of the sort (at least as far as he could remember), the teen found even the more mundane aspects exciting. ”So…I dunno if you guys wanna share rooms or one for each.” Shrugging, he grinned as he eyed Yuto, resting his hands behind his head as he chuckled. ”I’m cool with sharin’. I sleep through pretty much anythin'.” Though he didn’t find himself sleeping often, when he did sleep Henoke typically was one of those heavier sleepers. Sharing a room was also a way for him to ensure he’d wake up on time for tomorrow. Pointing out the room board, Henoke nodded as Tori mentioned not taking other people’s keys. The writing on the odd labels only caused him to furrow his brow, unable to read it.
What kinda letters are those? He supposed it was lucky that up until now such things hadn’t caused issues for him on other worlds. ”There’s a room next to mine that’s free, if one of you wants to take it.” Glancing down the halls lined with rooms, Henoke felt his eyes spin as they danced over the maze spread out before him. ”Hm…” It’d be pretty embarrassing to get lost in a place like this. ”How ‘bout we just take that one, Yuto?” If his friend wanted his own space, he wouldn’t take it personally—though he did low-key find it exciting to share a room with a friend. From his memories, Henoke didn't think he'd ever spent the night at a friends house, seeing as how Shiki seemed to be his only friend back home. Heh...now I've got tons of friends, Shiki. His heart felt light at the thought. This time, he'd hang on to them. He wouldn't make the same mistakes as his old self.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 27, 2020 11:06:27 GMT -5
The group's overall mood changed so fast it would give a normal person whiplash. It wasn't a bad thing, if anything, Yuto was glad for it. He decided to enjoy the rest of the trip with his friends. Entering the building, the man took in the sight of the hotel-esque lobby. It was a nice place, filled with people everyone.
”So…I dunno if you guys wanna share rooms or one for each.” ”I’m cool with sharin’. I sleep through pretty much anythin'.” Yuto didn't mind, after being on his own for so long, it'd be nice to just chill with a friend. "Sure. Just dont expect me to be your personal alarm clock."
He looked at the wall of keys as Tori explained about not taking the ones that were marked in some way. 'I guess that ones hers.' The man noted the strange writing on the tag. 'Probably just her name.' Choosing to not think of much of it, Yuto walked over and grabbed the key next to it. "You said the room next to yours was free, right Tori?"
He tossed the key over to Henoke. "You're gonna need that more than I will." With a wink and a smile, Yuto turned back to Tori. "So, is there anything else we should know before you take us to our room?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 27, 2020 11:46:33 GMT -5
The idea of them sharing a room was a pretty good one, making things much easier for everyone to manage. It wouldn’t be too much of a hassle to set the room so that they could share it, given the fact that the rooms on Tori’s hall were single ones —meant for one person. Yuto taking the keys without even giving her time to explain was amusing, causing her to giggle.
Both of them liked going to their own beat, by the looks of it.
“You two just rush in without even listening to the whole story, huh?” she asked, smiling with unease, but then sighed, amused, “Fair enough. I’ll help you set the room for two, since that one’s a single one. But hey —nothing a futon can’t fix.”
With an award-winning smile, yet a teasing tone behind it, Tori led them through the halls. Along the way, the two would see doors on each side, divided equally by distance, some with a tag by their left side —taken rooms, ones people had already claimed, and were using even until then. They were vague, every 5 or so, given the fact of how few doors there were in total. At the end of it all, stairs leading to a second floor, where Tori led them.
A similar hallway greeted them, but this time, Tori didn’t walk as far, only going a few steps in before ending at a door. A tag besides it that read the exact thing as the tag in her keys would indicate it being her room. Pointing with her thumb at the door next to it, she smiled.
“That’s your guys’ room” she explained, “Imma take a guess and say you don’t know how to set a futon… So…” she held her hand over, expecting the keys, “Let me set it up” she finished, chuckling.
Once she had the keys, Tori would unlock the door and enter. A simple room, with a bed, a desk and a wardrobe. She headed straight for the wardrobe, opening it and grabbing the futon, ready to set it up.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 27, 2020 12:52:43 GMT -5
”Sure. Just don’t expect me to be your personal alarm clock.” Henoke groaned at Yuto seeing through his plan, a good humored smirk on his face as he conceded. "Tch—like I was plannin' on it." Snatching the hurled key from the air, the teen glanced at the odd markings on the label he held. ”You two just rush in without even listening to the whole story, huh?” Henoke grinned a bit, having always enjoyed his and Yuto’s similarities. ”I’ll help you set the room for two,” Following Tori to the staircase, the teen glanced back and forth between all of the doors, finding it all somewhat hypnotizing. ”That’s your guys’ room.” As she mentioned seeing up a futon, Henoke looked away after glancing at Yuto, scratching at the back of his head with a reproachful look as his silence admitted his not knowing.
Handing her the key and following through the unlocked door, Henoke was pleasantly surprised with the simple yet comfortable room they ended up in. ”It looks like…!” A faint smile lingered on his lips as he eyed the furniture in the room. The wardrobe reminded him of his adventures at Beast’s Castle, where he had first met Tori. Seeing her head to the wardrobe, pulling out the futon and preparing to set it up, the teen watched with a befuddled expression. Glancing between Tori and Yuto, Henoke rested a hand on his hip, scratching at the back of his head again. ”Er…should we help?” He still didn’t want to openly admit how useless he’d be in setting it up—at least figuring he could follow her lead.
Glancing at Yuto, Henoke tilted his head a bit, raising an eyebrow. ”You’ve ever messed with these?”
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 27, 2020 13:13:08 GMT -5
"You two just rush in without even listening to the whole story, huh?” Yuto smiled, waiting around was boring for him. Besides, he was fine sleeping on a floor, so any room was technically a room for two. He followed the other two through the halls as Tori led them to their room.
”That’s your guys’ room.” The man looked at the door that had the same markings as the key he gave to Henoke. He caught the orange-haired teens glance and returned it with a shrug. He had no idea what a futon was. In fact, this was the first time he had ever heard of one. The best he could do was assume it was some kind of bed.
Following the two into the room, Yuto was surprised to see how large the room actually was, especially for what was meant for a single person. 'Nice, nice.' He looked over to see Tori take out what he assumed to be the futon. ”Er…should we help? You’ve ever messed with these?” Yuto shook his head. "Sorry, man. It was always either a regular bed or where ever looked comfy."
He looked back over to Tori. "Seriously though, I can just sleep at home and come back to the room if it's less trouble." He wasn't a fan of spending the night alone, but he didn't mind if it was more convenient.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 27, 2020 13:42:22 GMT -5
It didn’t take more than a minute or two for Tori to set things up, although she had listened to their unease comments. She didn’t mind it, really, since the payoff would be worth the trouble. Having everyone on the same world helped save time —time better spent elsewhere, rather than searching for someone in who knows where.
“It’s fine, really” Tori replied, calmly, standing properly back up while answering to Yuto, already finished, “Setting a futon up is no big deal. Besides, it’s the least I can do —you guys will need a good rest once we get hunting.”
The futon set down was simple —a fluffy mattress under a blue sheet, and a pillow at the end of it. Like a sleeping bag, but much more comfortable, considering one of them was sleeping on the floor. Still, neither seemed to mind, so Tori just left it for them to decide later.
She wasn’t going to bother with it.
She headed back out, wanting to meet with Neku by the Plaza. Gesturing at the two to follow, she left the Shacks, her pace calm and collected. Since they already knew where to go, why bother staying there a second longer? There were much more interesting things going on.
The sunset outside covered the entire island in an orange light, people picking up a pace and number on the streets. Most of them were calming strolling by, enjoying the cool breeze that beat the prior tropical heat, cheerful and calm. Tori didn’t waste a single second as she headed straight to the Plaza, the calm pace of the town allowing them to go mostly unbothered.
Neku was waiting by the fountain, sitting at its edge, while a girl around Tori’s age stood besides him, talking with one another. Her orange hair imitated the current light’s color, and her expression —a calm one— nodded along as Neku seemed eager talking. Tori ran their way, but not too fast, while the two perked up after noticing the trio coming their way.
“There you are!” Neku greeted, jumping from the fountain to the floor, “I was startin’ to wonder if you were comin’.” “Like I would leave you to your own devices” Tori teased back, crossing her arms with a smirk, “Since when have you had a good idea, huh?” “Knock it off.” “So…” the girl tilted her head, a somewhat careful tone in her voice, “These are the two people you were talking about, Neku?” “Ah —yeah” Neku turned towards the girl, smiling, “These two are Henoke and Yuto —two people we met today!” “Technically, you… At the very least, I already knew Henoke from before” Tori informed. “Huh?! Then say that earlier!”
Both Tori and the girl chuckled, while Neku was flaring bitterly, a red hue taking place in his cheeks. While Tori kept teasing Neku by poking his cheek, an amused smirk in her face, the girl turned to face the two, cupping both hands behind her head with an embarrassed smile.
“Umm… It’s nice to meet you” she said, a somewhat nervous tone following her words.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 27, 2020 14:27:41 GMT -5
”It’s fine, really.” Henoke felt his excitement spike once more at the mention of ‘hunting’, thinking of what kind of awesome weapon Verun would wind up making. ”I can’t wait for that!” Finishing the futon rather quickly, Henoke watched, grateful that it seemed so easy—though he wasn’t sure if it really was or if it was just Tori’s know-how. He turned to Yuto and gave a thumbs up, a too confident grin on his face for someone who did zero work and relied on his friend to do everything for the two of them. ”Easy ‘nough.” Shrugging as Tori motioned for them to follow her out, Henoke figured he and Yuto could figure out the sleeping situation later. Truthfully, he didn’t really care—as both the futon and bed looked pretty comfy compared to where he was used to sleeping. Hell, anythin’ beats that pod… Though there was a part of him that could laugh at his own joke, another part of him just irritated himself for thinking of it.
Squinting in the setting sunlight, the teen found the golden hue mystifying as it settled over the quieted town. Though there were still people around, it was far less packed than it had been earlier in the day. Stretching out as they walked, Henoke found himself preferring the space compared to the cramped crowds. As they made it into the fountain, Henoke made out Neku sitting on the fountain, accompanied by a girl he didn’t know. She had orange hair, much like Henoke’s own, seeming around Tori’s age. Oh, that’s right! Neku had mentioned introducing them to someone. With a grin on his face, the teen followed Tori as she ran to the fountain. ”There you are!” Waving at Neku as he caught up to Tori, Henoke rested his hands behind his head, relaxing by the fountain as they made introductions.
”These are the two people you were talking about, Neku?” Nodding as Neku introduced them, Henoke couldn’t help but laugh a bit at the dynamic between him and Tori. ”Umm…it’s nice to meet you.” The girl with orange hair seemed nervous, but friendly. Henoke couldn’t blame her—after all, they had suddenly built up a small crowd around the fountain. ”Yeah, you too!” He was glad to be surrounded by so many friends, losing himself in the moment. ”Oh!” Blinking in surprise, Henoke realized he hadn’t caught her name yet. ”What’s your name?” He had been so caught up in everything, he should have asked that first! ”Are you part of the Guild, too?” After meeting Vaan, Henoke was curious about what other types of people were a part of the Guild. If they took thieves and fighters, what other kinds of people did they take? He found himself curious and excited all over again.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 27, 2020 15:35:59 GMT -5
”It’s fine, really.” Yuto felt bad, but before he could do anything, she was done. He perked up at Tori's mention of hunting. Even Henokewas excited at the idea. "It would be nice to be on the other end of that relationship." He hadn't realized he said it until it was out in the open. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice his comment. Letting out a small sigh of relief, he followed the others out of the room. He and Henoke would figure out who would sleep where when they got back.
Stepping outside, Yuto was hit with the light from the sunset. Part of him was glad it was almost night. At this point, night time had become familiar to him, it was a bit calming. The lack of people was a bit of a bummer though. The town seemed like it would have an active nightlife.
Yuto followed the two towards the plaza. Looking toward the fountain, he noticed both Neku and a girl standing next to him. 'He did say he wanted us to meet someone.' He joined everyone at the fountain, taking note of how big the group had gotten. The girl standing next to Neku seemed to be friends with both him and Tori.
”Umm…it’s nice to meet you.” Yuto nodded in response, giving a warm smile. "You too...erm?" They hadn't gotten around to learning the girls name, due to the trio laughing at Tori's teasing Neku.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 27, 2020 16:13:20 GMT -5
The girl smiled, loosening up a bit, seeing Henoke and Yuto’s rather warm welcome. Her hands now raised to her chest while still drawing the faint smile from before, the girl nodded, noting how she hadn’t properly introduced herself.
“I’m Hanaki Mei” she said, “But… You can call me Mei, if you’d like” she giggled, still somewhat red with embarrassment.
Having finished teasing Neku, much for his relief, Tori turned towards the trio after the introductions were properly dealt with. Henoke’s question following his petition for a name brought Mei to perk up a bit, blinking with some disbelief before her smile turned into an uneasy one. Nodding calmly, she answered.
“I am” she replied, “Although most of the time, I’m helping people in town, rather than hunting…” “Mei’s a Red Mage” Tori said, much for Mei’s embarrassment, “Or rather, a trainee to be Red Mage. She’s pretty skilled when it comes to magic!” “T-Tori…!” Mei mentioned, flustered. “Come on —you don’t need to be that shy!” “S-Still…”
Mei clammed up a bit, pouting after Tori’s explanation. Not liking the attention whatsoever, she hid a bit, her hands tight over her chest. Neku patted her in the head, calmly, but it didn’t help getting Mei any less nervous, only further increasing her blush. Rolling her eyes with a chuckle, Tori turned towards Neku —the reason they were all there.
“So, then, mister ‘I-have-an-idea’, what’d you call us here for?” she asked. “Well… We’ll be waitin’ a bit for Henoke’s weapon to be done, right?” Neku asked back, his hands resting behind his head, “Not only that, but we don’t have a meeting in a least 2 days’ time, and there’s barely any jobs to take in town.”
"Point being…?” “I’m sayin’ we do somethin’ together!” Neku pouted, “Since we can’t hunt, then let’s do somethin’ else!” “And I’m asking what it is you wanna do.” “Let’s go to the beach! Just the 5 of us —no one else!” Neku dictated, placing both hands on his hips, “We can show ‘em a good time, can’t we?” he pointed with his nose at Henoke and Yuto, “’Sides, it’s been ages since we’ve gone to the beach, just the 3 of us, for crying out loud.”
After his sudden outburst, Tori flinched back, taken aback by his determination. Mei also flinched, but was quick to chuckle at the sight, silently. Tori took a while before shaking her head in disappointment, causing Neku to blush.
“H-Hey, what’s that for?!” he asked, bewildered. “As usual, you just make decisions in the heat of the moment…” Tori said, disappointed. “I don’t think it’s a bad idea, though…” Mei chimed in, calmly, “He’s right in saying we haven’t done anything together." “You’re following along…?” Tori drew a teasing smile, but gave it up quickly, “I guess you’re not wrong… We could have a day to chill and do whatever, I guess.” “See?!” Neku flared up, “Told ya it was a good idea!” “Don’t get too excited now!” “Then… I’ll make us lunch!” Mei cheered, “Something that’ll keep us up for the entire day!”
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 27, 2020 17:02:24 GMT -5
”I’m Hanaki Mei. But…you can call me Mei, if you’d like.” Henoke smiled and nodded, finding some humor in Mei’s seemingly embarrassed demeanor. ”I am. Although most of the time, I’m helping people in town, rather than hunting…” Listening with blatant interest, the teen wondered what the Guild did for those residing in the town, outside of just hunts. Hearing the term ‘Red Mage’ caused Henoke to tilt his head a little, though Tori quickly cleared up any confusion around the title. ”She’s pretty skilled when it comes to magic!” His eyes lit up once more as he leaned in a bit, an excited and eager look on his face. ”Woah, f’real?!” Magic was his worst skillset. Henoke was lucky enough to have certain affinities with certain elements, making some easier to learn than others. The hard part was really understanding the concept of it all, which was necessary to learn spells rather than let the Keyblade figure it out for him.
”You’ve gotta show me some spells, later!” Already wrapped up in his imagination, Henoke seemed just as excited as he had been after seeing the Chocobos. Seeing her hide away brought a slight smirk to his face, stifling a chuckle as he shook his head. Maybe he was too energetic for someone more in their shell. ”So then, mister ‘I-have-an-idea’, what’d you call us here for?” Tori brought the group back on track. Henoke was curious himself. Hearing how Neku wanted everyone to hang out during the lull they’d be having, the teen grinned as he nodded in agreement, resting his hands behind his head. ”Let’s go to the beach! Just the 5 of us—“ Though water wasn’t Henoke’s most favorite thing, he did enjoy everything else about the beach. That, and Tori had showed him something pretty cool underwater once…so maybe it wouldn’t be all bad.
Laughing at Tori’s reaction, Henoke shook his head, unable to not feel bad for Neku. ”Tch—shot ‘em down just like that.” Glancing over at Yuto, the teen flashed an amused grin as he rolled his eyes. ”I don’t think it’s a bad idea, though…” Mei came to the rescue quick enough, bringing a sigh of relief out of Henoke. I see who the mediator is… He watched in good humor at the three’s dynamic, enjoying seeing Tori enjoy herself with friends so much. She deserved it, after all she had been through. ”Then…I’ll make us lunch!” Mei seemed enthusiastic, seemingly coming out of her shell more now that the group had settled in. ”I’m down—it sounds like fun! Right, Yuto?” Turning to his friend, Henoke smiled, excited at the thought of everyone getting to relax for once.
”We can set up some games, too!” Looking between Yuto and Tori, the teen seemed in high spirits as he grinned. ”I’m sure there’s some stuff we could grab from the shops in town, right?” Not being an avid swimmer, he always enjoyed stuff to do on the sand, too. There was one he played on a beach once, with his past friends. The memory was foggy, but he recalled a tall net in the sand and a colorful ball…
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 27, 2020 18:16:18 GMT -5
”I’m Hanaki Mei. But…you can call me Mei, if you’d like.” Yuto gave another warm smile. "Nice to meet you." He listened as she answered Henoke's question. It' wasn't surprising that basically everyone they ran into was part of the guild. It seemed like you had to be in order to get anything done.
”She’s pretty skilled when it comes to magic!” The man looked over to Mei. She certainly seemed the type. Her and Tori's exchange caused him to just barely hide laughter. It was like looking at him and Nox respectively. ”You’ve gotta show me some spells, later!” Yuto put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Easy there cowboy, one thing at a time." The thought of learning from someone who was actually a student would be fun.
”Let’s go to the beach! Just the 5 of us—“ The idea took Yuto by surprise. When was the last time he just "hung out"? The others were busy talking about the plan, Yuto just stood there taking it all in.
”I’m down—it sounds like fun! Right, Yuto?” Henoke's question brought the man back to reality. He looked over to the teen and smiled before putting his hands on his hips. "We could power a ship with the amount of energy you have, Henoke." He teased his orange-haired friend "But, yeah, I'm in."
Henoke's mention of games reminded Yuto of the Chocobo's they passed earlier that day. "We could also have that race, right Neku." The man was excited to ride one of those things. It couldn't be that hard, not that Yuto had any experience riding anything. "I think it could be really fun."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 28, 2020 1:34:48 GMT -5
Neku was eager, thankful to see that both Henoke and Yuto were on his side rather than Tori’s, although she had admitted the idea being a good one. While everyone enjoyed the banter and what followed, they had to begin planning on what to do.
Henoke’s suggestions came first. The mention of “games” was appealing, but Neku had something better in mind. Or at least, he thought. Still, he didn’t want to shoot the idea down immediately, seeing how there were fun games to do in sea.
“We can try” Neku said, folding his hands behind his head, “Although when you’re at the beach, the best thing to do is have a swim. It’s the best thing to beat the heat! I’ll race ya, if you want” he added teasing. “If only he knew why he says that…” Tori thought, an uneasy smile on her face as she saw the banter.
Mei hummed a bit, listening to the suggestions and thinking while she was at it, causing Tori to tilt her head in curiosity. Did she have an idea? Mei seemed hesitant to share, although given her personality, it wasn’t surprising.
Maybe she wasn’t thinking on what to do at the beach, but rather thinking on what to do for everyone’s lunch.
"We could also have that race, right Neku." Yuto’s comment brought Neku back from his teasing, catching him somewhat off-guard while he lowered his hands. It took him a bit before he realized he was talking about the Chocobos, and how he’d earlier mentioned racing Tori on a ride. He smiled uneasy, shaking his head.
"I would do it, but… The Chocobos that people can rent ain’t exactly… Meant to that” he apologized, “It’d be easier if you had one, but ya don’t… Sorry if you wanted it, though. I’ll help ya get a ride later.” “Well, Gourdy doesn’t like it when her Chocobos are used for chasing, anyways…” Tori rolled her eyes, “If it’s a personal Chocobo… Then I guess the story differs? Never really understood that…” “In any case… We all agree on goin’ to the beach tomorrow, right?” Neku asked, receiving a nod from Tori and Mei, “Then…” “I’ll bring a parasol —I’ve got one in my room” Tori said, “Mei said she’s taking care of lunch…” “I was going to town to run a few more things down, so I can buy drinks” Neku nodded, “I’ll also check in case somethin’ catches my fancy. Y’know —like a ball or rackets.” “So… When do we go?” Mei asked. “As early as possible! So that we can stay the whole day there!” Neku said eagerly, “Obviously, we’re headin’ to the Eastern Shore —near HQ. We all bring our towels, so don’t forget it.” “Uhh…” Tori smiled with unease, catching Neku off-guard, “You do realize that not all of us have towels… Right?” “Guh… Umm… Sorry…” “I’ve got some to spare” Mei said, “I’ll bring them along.” “Say… Do you need help cooking, Mei?” Tori asked. “The more the better. I need to do lunch for all of us, don't I?” she replied with a smile. “I’ll be headin’ off, then” Neku said, “Make sure none of you oversleep!”
With that, Neku waved goodbye, heading into town to fill his part of the deal. Mei and Tori did the same, while they remained with Henoke and Yuto. It was up to them whether they wanted to stick with the two girls or head back to the Shacks.
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