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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 15, 2020 7:06:19 GMT -5
Jack and M’Lyn both nodded as they heard Kujo’s question. They were definitely onto something —hot behind the trail of the black-coated individual. Jack’s analysis was trust-worthy —the usage of that computer before them was anything but old. With something so close in range, the tech-savy teen was not going to let it run away.
He was getting the info he wanted by any means necessary. His ambition to know more had only grown stronger after learning of the individual causing Heartless to go hay-wire.
”I’m gonna go check out the rest of this place.” Kujo’s nonchalant comment remained echoing for a bit as the man clad in lavender made his way deeper into the building. Jack resumed his search alongside Pence, who was now back typing and aiding Jack in his quest for information. M’Lyn remained there, keeping a close eye on Hayner if there was anything to be suspicious about, much for the boy’s chagrin.
“Hey, I’m not lyin’ anymore!” Hayner mentioned back. “Yet the fact that you kept quiet about something crucial is more than enough reason to keep you under hawk’s eye” the Miqo’te retorted back, “Even if you’re not affiliated, you’re still someone to be wary of.” “Tch…” “That Miqo’te leaves nothin’ to chance, eh…?”
Jack thought with amusement as he saw M’Lyn keeping Hayner on watch, a faint smirk in his face as he glanced their way before returning to his duty. Breaking through the security was an easy handywork for Jack, whose hacking abilities were unmatchable. With the satisfaction of breaking through and reading the info stored there, Jack’s eyes narrowed down.
His eyes scanned through the text lines, peeled for any key words that would help him line his thoughts further. He was leaning forward without much care, trying to scan as much as he could to then burn it into his memory. All the while, Jack’s devices were copying the data for him, moving the documents and research notes from the computer and loading them back into the Almira’s databases to then analyze further once their mission was done.
Legitimately, Jack couldn’t ask for a better source of intel.
He flinched a bit, after reading something that otherwise wouldn’t catch his attention. His expression changed from serious to somewhat disturber, as he read lines that were all too familiar to him, now that certain things had happened in front of him.
That key of yours is sure capable of a lot of things, isn’t it? I’m curious… How much would it take to force you into cooperating with me? I’d love to see what it’s capable of —it intrigues me. And I can’t help but be drawn towards it more and more as time goes on… Its work is impressive, and I want to see all it can do before I can be satisfied. So then… What do I need to do in order to get your cooperation? Should the girl suffice?
Jack’s entire body tensed up, stepping back from the computer yet never looking away. M’Lyn and Hayner both perked up at his reaction, the Miqo’te in particular with a worried glance, yet hardly showing it. It didn’t take long before Jack bolted out, much for everyone’s surprise. Swiftly, he made his way out of the Mansion towards the Forest, not even looking back to check and see if the rest followed.
Only 1 thing mattered at that moment —one thing Jack couldn’t afford losing, no matter what.
“Alice…”
His thoughts were a turmoil as he dashed his way back into the town, the blade in hand as the many Shadow Heartless that appeared attempted to get in his way and delay him from reaching his destination. The trio of jerks —Seifer along his 2 partners— were trying to fend the mobs off, but they all froze as they saw Jack dashing through. The Heartless surrounding them were quick to take notice of the key-bearer, but without a single word, they were defeated by a swing of the sword.
“Stay out of my way!” he yelled with fury, as he cut himself a path back into town.
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 15, 2020 9:44:29 GMT -5
Kujo stepped into a vacant room, similar to the prior one in design but without the computer modules—without much of anything, really. There was a hallway ahead, odd white pod-like shapes lining the walls, causing the man’s brow to raise. What are those? Oddly enough, there were no Heartless or anything emerging either. Is this place really connected…? His train of thought was broken as he heard the distant squeaks and scrapes of shoes hitting the ground. Thud! Thud! Thud! It sounded like people running up stairs. ”Tch—the hell’re they doing?” Glaring over his shoulder in the direction of the sound, Kujo shook his head with a sigh as he turned and headed back the way he had come. Sure enough, the computer room was now empty, the others having clearly been the ones rushing out. Did something happen? Looking over the room, his emerald eyes paused over the countless monitors—the only source of light in the area.
Seeing the message displayed on the screen, Kujo’s face soured as he glanced to where the stairs were. Key…? Is he talking about Jack? If he was talking about Jack…then ‘the girl’ would be…
With the aid of the powers of his Akogare, Kujo exited the mansion with an incredible pace, the sheer power from his strides occasionally leaving small dents in the softer sections of the earth. ”Stay out of my way!” He heard Jack’s voice as he came upon the entrance to the Underground Passage. Leaping down into the sewers, the man clad in lavender rushed through the concrete tunnel, his Akogare at his side as he finally came upon Jack and the others. Seifer and the others from earlier were busy being swarmed by Shadows, a clear path cut out from the mob as Jack rushed through to get to the town ahead. ”Didn’t I tell you to get lost?” He couldn’t help but glare at Seifer—wondering why someone so weak would keep trying to put themselves into dangerous situations.
His guardian stomped on and punched any Shadow close as Kujo walked by, pausing to glare one last time at the trio over his shoulder. ”Don’t poke your nose around unless you can take care of yourself.” With a resentful gaze, Kujo turned ahead again and sped forward, catching up with Jack as they made it for the town. ”Jack—“ As he reached his teammate, Kujo slowed his insane pace to a normal run, his Akogare floating at his side as it scanned the area for other enemies. ”That message was for you, yeah? The one about a 'key'?” Though it seemed obvious, he wanted to confirm. What had the message meant, by ‘key’? Jack didn’t have a ‘Key’, did he? Just that odd sword. Come to think of it though, it had unlocked the gate from before…though it was about the only thing he had seen Jack ‘unlock’ with the blade. It saved those dwarves though, too. Shaking his head a bit, he looked over to Jack, waiting for his reply as they ran.
After hearing from Jack, Kujo would reach up to the subtle comm device he wore on his ear, given to him by Jack and Alice for moments just like this. "Alice? You read me?" Though his stoic face hardly showed any emotion, he couldn't help but feel a tiny nag of worry tugging at his heart. "What's your location? We're coming to you." He hoped she'd answer, less their worst fears were confirmed.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 15, 2020 10:35:28 GMT -5
M’Lyn, Hayner and Pence had gotten out in chase for Jack as soon as he bolted out, the Miqo’te in particular worried after catching onto what had worried him. It hadn’t taken long for her to realize that what he was worried about most was Alice, and if the message was to be believed…
Then she was also a target for a person’s scheme.
Having barely reacted in time, M’Lyn had no time to properly search for Kujo, instead knowing that he’d follow once he returned from his little excursion. With a blade and shield in hand as they all rushed forward to return to the town, M’Lyn fiercely fended off whatever Heartless dared to cross their paths, keeping Hayner and Pence out of harm’s way.
“Whatever you do, don’t stop until you arrive at the town!” she shouted, not letting go of her weapons as she cleared them a path. “What’s goin’ on already?!” Hayner shouted back, never stopping his dash, “Why’d he run off like that?!” “Hey, wait up!” Pence said, wincing a bit, “You’re going too fast!”
Such comments were irrelevant —M’Lyn had no time to answer them, instead rushing back into town. Kujo had gone past them thanks to his Akogare’s aid, which meant there was no need to worry for him to catch up, already most likely aware of the urgency of it all.
Jack stopped from his dash, looking around while the blade in his hand was held firmly. In that small frame, Kujo had caught up to him, startling him a bit as he turned to face him. He was panting a bit, having gone as fast as he could through the many Heartless that had decided to attack him and delay him from reaching Alice —a clear indicator that things weren’t in their favor.
“So, you read it too, huh?” Jack said, a clear growl of anger in his voice, “Yeah —it was for me. I dunno what the hell they want, but if they even go near her…”
He didn’t finish his threat, not really needing to. While Kujo called for Alice via his com, Jack turned back to the streets, scanning as quickly as he could to find his sister. Where could she and Olette be? His protective instincts had kicked in almost immediately after reading the message, and the only thing he wanted was a certainty.
A certainty that would tell him whether Alice was safe, or not.
“Damn it —I don’t got time for this!”
Shouting aloud, Jack continued his dash. This time, Heartless were roaming the streets, all their attacks aimed at the key-bearer as he made his way through with absolutely no remorse. He had to get to her side, by any means necessary. Whatever enemy stood in his path was just another obstacle he had to take down.
Olette had taken Alice to the bistro, the Neighborhood crowded as if it was lunch-time. Alice was still uneasy, either fidgeting with the device in her hands or looking at the floor, glancing every so often at the path they had taken to get there. Still trying to make her open up, Olette smiled with unease. “Hey, seriously —I don’t bite” she mentioned. “…It’s not that…” Alice mumbled, audible enough for Olette. “Then? …Are you worried about them?” “…” Alice nodded her head faintly, never looking away from her lap, “I usually just… Stay somewhere…” she mumbled. “While they do whatever it is they need to do?” Olette asked, receiving a nod once more, “Doesn’t it get boring?” “…” Alice shook her head, “No —I get to help them while I stay there. I’m their Navigator —I make sure that their path ahead is safe, or inform them about things that they can use for their advantage.” “So, like… A team?” Olette asked with a smile, “Must be nice, huh?” “…It is…” Alice smiled faintly. “Hey, you smiled!” “Huh?” Alice looked up, perplexed at Olette’s reaction. “That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile, ever since we met” Olette replied, “See? It’s not so bad, is it?” “…I guess not…” “So, then —do you want something? My treat.” “You don’t have to…” Alice frowned a bit. “C’mon —I gotta get you to open somehow!”
At first blinking with surprise, Alice relaxed a bit. Olette’s friendly demeanor had helped her open up a bit, although she was still hiding in her shell. Still, with the invitation of “a treat”, maybe she could have some time for herself, while getting accustomed to yet another world she envied.
A sudden shriek perked her up from her screen, while she waited for Olette to get their order. Alice’s eyes widened with fear as she noticed the Heartless once more, crawling through the streets and attacking whatever crossed their paths. Olette stood up at the same time as Alice, both girls watching at what was happening. Alice was petrified, noticing how the Heartless’ eyes focused quickly on her, taking a few steps back in fear, all the while Olette jumped in front of her.
“How’d they get here?!” the orange-dressed girl shouted. She then glanced at Alice, knowing how frightened she was, “Stay behind me, okay?!” “O-Okay…” Alice nodded, terrified.
As she’d stood up, Alice had dropped her device, it now on the floor just as soon as Kujo tried reaching out for her —his voice reaching no one. The Heartless menacingly approached the two girls, their eyes clear with hunger yet with something —or someone— restraining their movements. Alice was shivering in fear as she hid behind Olette, the girl from the town frowning as she stood in front of her, yet still somewhat fearful.
There wasn’t much she could do, in order to keep either of them safe.
“Alice!”
Jack shouted as hard as he could, his despair obvious. He hadn’t seen her anywhere he looked, but following some of the Heartless while the others tried to stop him in his path helped find his sister. Olette was covering her from a mass of Shadows. With a second wind now seeing his sister there, Jack rushed with the blade clutched to his hand, while the other swiped the air in a fan motion, a devastating Thunder III spell exploding in the middle of the mass.
Once the spell hit, Jack slid past the Shadows to end up in front of Olette and Alice, his blade poised and at the ready.
“Get to cover —both of you!” Jack ordered, “NOW!”
Olette nodded firmly, grabbing Alice’s hand and running off to safety, while the Heartless focused greedily at the key-bearer now in front of him, who gave no signs of letting go of his hatred. His hands were gripping the blade’s handle so badly, they hurt, but Jack paid it no mind.
He wanted whoever was controlling the Heartless to pay.
[Battle! 100 Shadows]
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 15, 2020 11:17:32 GMT -5
”So, you read it too, huh?” Jack’s growl wasn’t surprising, considering how he had gotten earlier in regards to Alice and her safety. ”Yeah—it was for me.” His suspicion confirmed, Kujo grimaced at the silence over his comm device. ”Damn it—I don’t got time for this!” They had entered the town, though everything seemed to be chaos. Heartless roamed openly throughout the streets, screams and panic echoing between the buildings. The hell? Hadn’t Hayner and the others said that the Heartless didn’t come into the town? That black cloak, huh? Were they the reason behind this? His thoughts raced as fast as his feet, his Akogare still out and ready, as all the Heartless in the area immediately began to focus on Jack, who was still rushing through the streets.
”Can’t I catch a break?” Kujo lamented to himself as he chased after Jack, keeping his eyes sharp for any signs of Alice or the girl she was with. ”Alice!” Jack’s voice was just around a corner after a small alleyway in between two buildings. Emerging from the alley, Kujo gritted his teeth at the sight before him. An impressively tall and extravagant building with a large outdoor seating area was teaming with Heartless. It was like a sea of black, squirming with countless yellow eyes. "M'Lyn. Watch out." Clicking the comm device on his ear, Kujo had decided it was best to inform the Miqo'te, who was still catching up with the others. "There's gotta be a hundred of them. They're all over town." Despite the situation, he couldn't help but sneer a bit at the thought of her being stuck on babysitting duty. His mild humor didn't last for long. The sight was enough to irritate Kujo to no end. Jack’s Thunder spell showed him where everyone was, allowing the man to leap over the countless enemies as he landed beside Jack, Olette and Alice. ”Get to cover—both of you! NOW!” Kujo looked as calm as ever, his hands still in his pockets as his Akogare hovered before Alice and Olette as they ran with its arms out wide, acting as though a shield for them until they were safely away.
Though any damage done to the guardian was damage done to its host, weak attacks from the Shadows wouldn’t do much against the armor—for now. Thankfully, the Heartless were mostly keeping their eyes glued to Jack, due to his odd weapon…the ‘key’? ”You sure you're not going with them?” Though he spoke to Jack, Kujo’s icy gaze was fixed on the Heartless around them. ”Not like this’ll give me any trouble.” Though it came off cocky—Kujo’s true intentions were pure. After all, he knew how worried Jack was about keeping Alice safe. Even if her and Olette had escaped for now, if the town was teaming with this many of the bastards…
Waiting to hear Jack’s response, Kujo decided to fight in the mean time—or rather, have his Akogare fight. Kujo himself stood still as the guardian rampaged against the Shadows, swinging with wide kicks and powerful punches to aid against the numbers.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 15, 2020 13:30:30 GMT -5
Thankful for the Akogare’s protection, both girls got out of harm’s way —away from the Heartless’ vision. The Heartless that given chase after the two crewmembers had all gathered in one spot, hungry. Jack’s gaze was a cold one, absolutely pissed at the enemies in front of him.
“I appreciate the sentiment, Kujo” Jack said, his grip as firm as better, “But right now, I’m pissed. I’m not letting a single one off!”
The blade in Jack’s hands shimmered with light, as if answering its wielder’s fury. Without second thought, Jack threw himself in for the onslaught. In a blink, the blade in his hands swapped for the pair of guns, shooting forth a myriad of light bullets that aimed at the Shadows around him, relentless and acting as the embodiment of the gunner’s anger.
He wanted no Shadow to escape.
Given that the Heartless had focused from Alice to Jack (and to a degree, Kujo), the two girls were safe for the time being. At a fairly safe distance, they both looked with fright —Alice more so than Olette. Alice’s hands were clasped over her chest, trying to keep her heart from breaking through it with how rapidly it was beating. While Olette was at the ready in case they had to escape once more, the only thing Alice wanted was reassurance.
Memories of a darker time flooded her mind. With such strong thoughts in her mind, Alice closed her eyes shut, curling into a ball.
“Please… Make it stop…”
A few tears fell down her cheeks as she tried to keep herself quiet. A habit of hers, having lived through a place where a single noise could mean the end for one’s life. As if feeling his sister’s fear, Jack’s anger was only fueled further. He shot upwards while he gained momentum, his Bullet Rain taking aim in the sky before they inevitably would fall above the mass of Shadows, clearing most of them in a single sweep.
[Battle! Still a lot of Shadows]
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 15, 2020 14:43:50 GMT -5
”I appreciate the sentiment, Kujo…” He merely shrugged at Jack’s declaration, though a faint smirk lingered on his lips. ”Suit yourself.” It mattered little to him. Either way, despite the numbers, something as small as Shadows wouldn’t hold them up for long. While Jack’s weapon transformed once again, Kujo rushed in with his Akogare, providing powerful and sweeping attacks that would aid in giving them enough breathing room to not be overwhelmed. Kujo grit his teeth, annoyed at not having heard anything from M’Lyn—though it’s not like he was worried. That Miqo’te was crazy strong, after all. Still, where the hell’s this person in black? During the fighting, his emerald eyes would scan the rooftops around them in the town.
He expected they’d be somewhere in an area where they could watch events unfold. Kujo often found that those with villainous intent were also typically egotistical enough to want to watch their plans unfold. Not that he knew much about this mysterious ‘person in black’, other than that they had been causing issues for two worlds now. It’s like we’re just running around, cleaning up after them. The thought irritated Kujo, who grit his teeth and used the agitation to fuel the rage of his guardian, which continued to pummel and kick at the horde of Heartless around them with strong precision and impossible speed.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 15, 2020 15:11:58 GMT -5
The Bullet Rain fell down with impressive strength, gravity pulling the bullets back with lightning speed —akin a light shower. The Shadows that crossed paths with the bullets stood no chance, disappearing in a mix of black smoke and a heart-shaped light as they came in contact with the light. Still, plenty remained —a fact that constantly annoyed Jack.
The things knew they’d be defeated, so why’d they bother showing up? A constant reminder what the only thing keeping him from losing his right mind —someone, acting from the shadows, controlling the Heartless for who knew what plan.
“As soon as I meet them, they’re dead” the boy promised himself.
Kujo would find nothing or no one as he glanced over to the roofs, as he searched for a mastermind watching from afar. The only current enemies were the Shadow Heartless the pair had to face, as the creatures attacked with relentless greed at every given opportunity. Still, they were simply too weak to pose an actual threat.
“Finally, I can reach you!”
M’Lyn’s voice would echo through both Jack and Kujo’s coms, a bit annoyed. On her end, the Heartless had also been relentless, but she had more than enough ability to fend them off on her own. Once she was finally given a room to breathe, she managed to contact the pair that was fighting near the bistro.
"Sorry it took so long, but these pests are annoying where I’m at, as well” the Miqo’te informed, “I take it it’s no different in your end?” “You can say that again!” Jack yelled, “Where are you at now?!” “…Tram Common —not too far from where you are now. I’m headed right there with the two boys!” “Keep ‘em out of harm’s way —Kujo and I got this mob!”
M’Lyn cut her communications as soon as she finished, leaving the pair to fend for themselves. Not that it would be a big issue, as the Shadows’ numbers dwindled as time went on. Jack’s guns shot forth bullet after bullet, non-stop, fueled by the gunner’s hatred and anger.
He wanted every last one of them gone with the wind.
The Shadows were quickly taken care of, either disappearing in a puff of black smoke or releasing a heart-shaped light upon defeat. Jack dismissed the guns, glaring at where the Heartless were last seen, only to turn back as Alice ran his way in search for his embrace —thing he didn’t pry her from.
“You okay?” Jack asked, pulling Alice closer towards him, “I’m here, okay? You’re safe now.” “Mm…” Alice nodded, hiding herself in the hug while holding back her tears, “I’m scared…” “I know —I can tell” her brother reassured her, “But I’m here now, okay? It’s gonna be fine…”
She couldn’t help it —a faint sob escaped Alice’s mouth, letting her emotions out for once. Knowing that the threat was long gone, she could finally release her fears in the form of tears, yet the sounds barely audible even still.
Habits died hard, after all.
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 15, 2020 17:38:28 GMT -5
Kujo’s face soured as no mastermind appeared in sight. Figures. They must be of a smarter sort, considering their elusive nature. Not something he’d expect from someone messing around with the Heartless. ”Finally, I can reach you!” M’Lyn’s voice caused him to straighten up, raising a hand to his comm device in order to make sure to hear over the sounds of combat. ”Sorry it took so long, but these pests are annoying where I’m at, as well.” It seemed she hadn’t been able to escape the fray. Hearing she still had the two boys in tow, Kujo tsked—though it’s not like there was a safe place to toss them for now. Continuing to fight with his guardian, Kujo had minor scrapes and scratches littered along his form, though none were too deep or painful. His Akogare had taken some minor damage during the battle, but so far nothing serious.
As Jack and Kujo continued to fight, slowly the numbers waned until eventually all the Heartless were finished off. He had lost count of how many they had been fighting, giving an annoyed sigh of relief as he dismissed his Akogare, no longer needing it to fight. Seeing Alice bolt out from their safe spot to hug Jack, Kujo reached for his comm device. ”M’Lyn, we’re good on this end. You finish up?” Knowing the Miqo’te was nearby, he wouldn’t be opposed to rushing to the Tram Common in order to offer his aid—knowing and having confidence in his speed. Glancing over at Jack and Alice, Kujo’s eyes showed a tiny glimpse of his concern, though his face was as composed and stoic as ever. ”Maybe you both should head back to the ship? I can go meet up with M’Lyn. The two of us can make it back no problem.”
Knowing Alice’s usual distance from combat, this was the first time since the Underground Passage that Kujo had witnessed the extent of her fear. She clearly wasn’t up for this—whatever ‘this’ would end up being. If they’re still here… He was thinking of the person in black. Whoever was behind this, Kujo was sure there would be more fighting ahead of them. So much for just gathering intel. Sighing a bit, the man waited to hear from M’Lyn and Jack before deciding on what to do next.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 16, 2020 4:17:37 GMT -5
Hugging Alice close towards him, with a tight grip, Jack sighed. Relieved, really, as she was safe, albeit shaken to her core. The only thing he focused on for a bit was her, trying to reassure her into feeling safe once more.
How long had it been, since he last had to do that? Jack couldn’t recall a recent time where he had to hold Alice firm to give her the safety she desired, the most recent time being a few years ago, while they hadn’t met the Brigade yet. Even if the situation was different, their reaction and dynamic hadn’t changed at all.
While he did so, Kujo spoke, mentioning that perhaps Jack and Alice should go back to the Almira. Being honest with himself, Jack had thought similarly, but taking off would prove difficult, based on how the landing had been. If they were to remain in the ship, then it’d be no different from being on field.
“As much as I’d like that…” Jack groaned, shaking his head before looking at Kujo, “It’d be no different from saying on field —we’d be a stationary target. You know how tough it was when we landed —taking off and landing once more would be difficult as needles.”
He grimaced, his only concern at that moment keeping Alice safe —somewhere she could hide in with no one bothering her. The Almira wasn’t that place right now, given the rather bothersome circumstances. At the same time, knowing someone had wanted to do something to her and going all the way as to enter the town, that place itself wasn’t safe, either. For now, the Heartless had left, but who could say when they’d return? Jack didn’t want to risk it a second time, not now that he knew someone wanted to lure him out by any means necessary. But who?
Who would go that far?
M’Lyn, Hayner and Pence didn’t take long to showing up, given that the Heartless had left for the time being. The Miqo’te perked up after noticing the siblings tight together, yet said nothing about it, much aware of the situation. Instead, she turned towards Kujo, an uneasy smirk faintly visible.
“They’ve left for now” she informed, “I took a handful of them before clearing our way, but they seem to have left for the time being. I take it they’ve left here, as well?” “For now” Jack nodded, never letting go of Alice, as he looked towards his team, “We know for certain someone’s watching us, though —we can’t ignore it anymore.” “But we have no clues as for who they are, do we? A vague description as ‘coated in black’ won’t help clear much, now will it?” “You’ve got some explaining to do, though” Hayner shouted, breaking through their conversation, “How’d they get in town?! They’ve never done so before!” “…” Jack glared back, frowning with unease. “Are you the ones that did it? Are you the guys who dragged them into town?” “Now hold your horses, Hayner” Jack replied, serious, “If we were really the ones that dragged the Heartless into town, they would’ve done so already, but they didn’t. Remember? They could’ve easily gotten in with us when we first met —but they didn’t. You know that, and yet you have the guts to say that aloud?” “Guh…” “He’s got a point, Hayner” Olette pouted, “Besides, the Heartless were going after me and Alice —the latter being close to them, right? It wouldn’t make sense for them to chase after her, if they were really the ones controlling the Heartless.” “…You’re right…” “Still, we know someone’s controlling them” Jack shook his head, “The only question is who they are…” A little bit of silence followed before he sighed, looking back at Kujo and M’Lyn, “We need to find this world’s core —and fast. Before the Heartless get to it —it’s the only way we can be a step ahead of whoever’s controllin’ them.” “But where could we find such a thing?” M’Lyn asked, crossing her arms with a frown, “We’ve only just arrived, and we barely know the place as a whole —we can’t say where it could be, can we?” “…” Jack turned towards Hayner, Pence and Olette, a hint of concern in his eyes, “Do you guys know of anything important happenin’ recently? Like… A big event or something.” “No, not that I can remember…” Olette shook her head. “Perhaps a location, then?” M’Lyn suggested. “If that’s the case, you’d be looking at either the Clock Tower by the Train Station, or Sunset Terrace” Pence pointed out as he nodded, “Those two are the only places I can think of that could hold some significance to the town.” “Well… A good a lead as any…” Jack frowned, looking at the group. “You suggest we check those places out?” M’lyn asked, to then sigh, “I guess you’re not wrong —we’ve got no idea on where to head on next or what to do… At the very least, we have something to check in the meantime…”
Jack nodded, and then looked at Alice as she still hid in his chest, a sight he could only smile at with some concern. There was no way around it —Alice had to tag along with them for the time being, in order to avoid a similar situation from happening twice. The thought was sour, but balancing it out with the other options, it seemed the safest. He groaned, glancing over at Kujo knowing he, out of all people, would be the most against the idea.
But Jack didn’t see it possible in any other situation —not if he wanted to keep Alice safe.
“I know you’ll kill me for this, Kujo…” he said, his gaze somewhat troubled, “But I don’t wanna chance somethin’ like this happening again —Alice’s tagging with us, even if I don’t like it. So…” he looked away, scratching the back of his head, “You don’t mind… Helpin’ me keep her safe, right?”
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 16, 2020 9:04:19 GMT -5
Kujo couldn’t help but sigh and nod, crossing his arms at Jack’s response. We should’ve found a better landing spot. Oh well, it was too late for any of that. Seeing M’Lyn emerge brought a grin to Kujo’s face as he raised a brow. ”Thought you were faster than that~” The snide jab was all in good-humor, despite the man’s menacing natural resting face. He and the Miqo’te had built up a rather enjoyable back-and-forth during the short time they’ve been a team, something that was always keeping small moments entertaining. ”I took a handful of them out before clearing our way, but they seem to have left for the time being.” Kujo’s somewhat decent mood, created by the victory, was immediately soured once more. Tch—so we didn’t beat them at all. They were ‘dismissed’? The idea pissed him off. ”You’ve got some explaining to do, though!” Hayner’s sudden shout reminded the man in lavender of the cruel reality that they were chaperoning.
Hearing the teen’s accusation merely caused Kujo to glare before shaking his head. ”This guy’s an idiot…” His sigh was a mixture of hopelessness and irritation. Thankfully the others were quick to refute his tactless guesswork, calming the worst of Kujo’s temper. ”Still, we know someone’s controlling them.” M’Lyn had already pointed out though, a vague description like ‘person in black’ wasn’t enough information to go on. They needed to figure out more. ”We need to find this world’s core—and fast. Before the Heartless get to it—“ The mention of a ‘core’ brought a memory of their last excursion to mind. That tree… The decaying hollowed tree in the swamp had harbored a secret underground chasm, one that had sheltered that large orb-like light that had been tainted…
”If it’s anything like last time, it’ll also get rid of the Heartless.” Kujo spoke aloud while nodding his head, deciding Jack’s idea was the best course of action. ”But where could we find such a thing?” True, it wasn’t like these ‘world cores’ were ever out in plain sight. Tactful as ever, the Miqo’te had soon found the right question to ask. ”You’d be looking at either the Clock Tower […] or Sunset Terrace” Following Pence’s finger with his eyes, Kujo’s gaze flashed a galaxy hue in order to see further than his human eyes allowed. Hm…the Clock Tower doesn’t look too far away… Kujo couldn’t help but smirk a bit at M’Lyn’s reluctance to search the areas, though she agreed nonetheless. ”Well, it sounds like we have a plan.” Elena would be getting a longer report than she thought.
”I know you’ll kill me for this, Kujo…” Curious to what he was going to ask, Kujo narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Hearing how the ‘favor’ was aiding in keeping Alice safe, he was truthfully surprised—though it’s not as though his stoic and gloomy face showed it. Walking over to Jack with a calm pace, Kujo rose a loose fist and rapped his knuckles against the top of his comrade’s head. The force wasn’t enough to hurt, just enough to give a hard Knock! Sighing a bit with a faint look of exasperation, Kujo rested the hand on his hip. ”You idiot. It’s not like you gotta ask for that.” It wasn’t just the fact he did have a soft spot for the shy and soft-spoken girl, but the fact that they were a team. It was no different than him watching Jack or M’Lyn’s back. Though he wasn't the most 'agreeable' person, Kujo wasn't one to go back on his word. He had made a deal with Jack and Elena, and he intended to follow through on it...even if he did make it for selfish reasons. ”’Sides, I still owe her for when that demon of a woman almost broke her phone.” He was of course referencing his mother, Koko, having nearly shattered Alice’s tech during their short yet eventful meeting.
A faint smirk lingered on his face as he peered down at Alice. ”Right, Alice?” Glancing back towards Olette, Hayner and Pence, Kujo shoved his hands into his pockets before muttering to Jack. ”I’m not a babysitter, though.” It was his hint that though he signed up to protect Alice, he wasn’t down to keep having to chaperon the others. Too many people to look over was just setting them up for failure. Especially if the ‘world core’ was anything like the last place…Kujo still remembered falling into that odd dark abyss—though nothing had come of it, he felt like he had dodged some unspoken misery.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 16, 2020 11:48:44 GMT -5
Jack groaned at Kujo’s hit, even though it didn’t hurt much, and swatted his hand away, while the other hand stood in Alice’s back, given the fact that the girl still hadn’t left his embrace, still shaken by the recent events. She had, however, heard what Jack had in mind, and even though she didn’t like the prospect of being in between fighting, it was much better in her eyes to stay with people she felt comfortable with, rather than with total strangers.
Kujo’s words were a mixed feeling situation —on one side, Jack appreciated the fact that he was willing to help him out, but Kujo’s tone and actions to showcase said compromise could use some work. Still, he had mentioned how asking for his aid in that situation was unnecessary, which gave Jack some hope in thinking that Kujo would’ve done so regardless.
”Right, Alice?” His question helped Alice raise her head a bit, as Kujo mentioned the events that happened when they first met his mother. Still somewhat tearful, Alice managed to crack a faint laugh, yet not enough to overpower her fears from before.
“You don’t have to…” she said, giggling while still tearing up.
Jack smiled a bit, somewhat more confident after seeing Alice opening up a bit. Still, Kujo’s mention of “not being a babysitter”, plus M’Lyn’s observations were more than enough reason to split from the trio that had aided them before. True to himself, Jack didn’t want to put anyone in unnecessary danger —Alice being an exception because she was also a target. Glacing over at Kujo with a thankful smirk, he nodded faintly before turning towards the others.
“We split here” Jack informed, “We’re against an unknown and powerful enemy —bringin’ you guys along would be the worst thing to do. I ain’t about to put you all in unnecessary risks.” “…” Olette frowned with worry, “Will you guys be okay?” “We will” Jack grinned as he nodded, “You guys take care, though —the Heartless are bound to come back in search for us.” “You guys, too” Hayner said, both arms in his hips, “If you’re a target for ‘em, then you should also be careful!”
Both Jack and M’Lyn nodded, the former appreciating the parting words a bit more than everyone else. Tapping Alice’s shoulder with a faint smile, they got a move on, following the path leading to the Clock Tower that Kujo had seen before. “…I owe ya one, bud” Jack said after a while, glancing towards Kujo with a smirk, “Even though I have a feeling you would’ve done it regardless… I really appreciate it.”
Alice, grabbing onto Jack’s hand and sticking closely to him, tilted her head as she looked at Kujo, a bit more out of her shell now that she was alone with people she felt safe and comfortable with. Although reluctant to speak, she also felt the need to say her thanks, which came out in the form of a faint smile.
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 16, 2020 12:45:59 GMT -5
”We split here.” Kujo was relieved to have less heads with them—merely giving a stoic nod as means of parting. Wherever the three teenagers were heading, it was bound to be a better destination than where the Brigade was going. Kujo couldn’t help but scan the rooftop yet another time, watching the town around them with suspicious eyes. Tch—coward. He was mildly irritated, wishing the culprit was more forward. Going on a hunt for them would be a hassle. If they even stuck around. Would it end the same as last time? Them chasing after the tracks only to hit a dead-end? As Jack began to lead Alice and M’Lyn towards the Clock Tower, he followed suit, mulling over his thoughts as they walked. ”…I owe ya one, bud.” Jack’s comment caught him off-guard, though for a split second the sour expression on Kujo’s face had waned because of it.
”Yeah, yeah—“ About to deliver some abrasive back-handed remark, Kujo found himself cut short as he caught Alice’s faint smile aimed in his direction. Looking away as he walked behind the two, Kujo merely sighed and grumbled to himself, his face hardly revealing the sheepishness he had momentarily felt. ”Can’t I catch a break?” He had already told them not to make a big deal out of it, hadn’t he? Climbing up the vacant stairs that would lead to the upward sloping street before the Train Station, Kujo couldn’t help but notice how empty the town was now. How long had the Heartless been inside the town? It had taken them some time to get to the Mansion. He wasn’t naive. He knew a reality was that not all townsfolk had boarded up safely. Some of the emptiness was bound to be from the loss of hearts, victims to the demons. It was a cruel reality they lived in, after all.
”So, if it isn’t as obvious as last time—how will we know we’ve found the ‘core’?” Deciding to change subjects as well as get his mind back on track, Kujo asked the group as they walked, though the question was aimed mostly at Jack. The last world they had been to, the dwarves had led them to it, albeit unknowingly. On Kujo's own home world, Jack and him had appeared to just...stumble into it by chance. Both times countless Heartless had been present, which would be a helpful sign...but the man couldn't be sure it would go so smoothly in that regard. Besides, he didn't trust leaving things up to chance. He trusted his own capabilities much more.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 16, 2020 13:16:43 GMT -5
Both siblings chuckled a bit, noticing how Kujo had tripped in his words after seeing Alice’s smile. M’Lyn had caught up on the occasion, simply smirking with unease at the interaction. After all, it was odd seeing Kujo acting that way, given how he would usually remain cold and distant even during missions.
Still, it was a personality they all had grown accustomed to, much the same way Kujo himself had grown used to the group’s dynamics.
“How will we know we’ve found the ‘core’?” The group stopped outside of the Train Station, Jack in particular looking at the Clock Tower looming above it while he pondered. Indeed, with nothing to go on, finding the world’s core —its heart— would be difficult. Having found it mostly with the circumstances going in their favor, there was no guarantee the third time would give them said resolution.
“…I think that blade’ll lead us, if anything else fails” Jack mentioned after a while, “Y’know how it acted, back when we first saw it? It kinda just showed up on its own when we found your world’s core. Maybe it’ll do the same?” “That’d require roaming aimlessly, though” M’Lyn frowned, “Thing we can’t afford ourselves, given our mysterious stalker." “I’m aware” Jack nodded, “I don’t plan on leavin’ this to chance. Your question helped narrow stuff a bit, though, M’Lyn.” “How, exactly?” “Well… It’s my theory, but… I’m sure that the world’s core is either hidden in an unusual area, or in an area of significance within the world itself. Hence, why your question narrows it down a bit” Jack was quick to shake his head as he finished, “I ain’t sayin’ we got this covered, though —there’s a lot we still don’t know about this whole thing.” “Are you basing that on your previous discoveries?” M’Lyn asked, receiving a nod, “Well… If we can narrow down a pattern with a third occasion, then…” “Yeah —wherever we go next that has Heartless issues, we can go straight to their point of focus” Jack grinned, cracking his knuckles, “For now, though, we’ve got to go through trial and error. At least we’ve got a lead or two, though!”
M’Lyn rolled her eyes as he tilted her head a bit to the side, already seemingly expecting Jack’s reaction to be that one. Still, he wasn’t wrong when it came to thought process, thing the Miqo’te could appreciate. If anything had followed a pattern, it was how they’d find the world’s core —it was always located somewhere either deeply hidden, or an important location. Given those 2 cases, exploring the world’s most important tourist spots was an option they had, with a good chance to finding what they were after.
Jack tensed up a bit, turning around towards the brick wall above a cliff, his gaze a bit stiff. Alice tilted her head noticing his gesture, given how close she was to him.
“Jack?” she asked. “…Someone’s here…” he mumbled, a frown forming in his face. “Huh?” “…Someone’s here —and they’re not on our side.”
His fists clenched as his gaze strengthened itself, still looking to where the brick wall divided edge from cliff. A dark mist —a thick one, almost like dense fog— swirled where he was looking at, soon taking the shape of a person. However, given that their form was purely made out of dark fog, there was no way anyone could recognize who they were, or if they were a person at all.
What one could tell, was that they weren’t there to simply chat. Jack stiffened up, keeping Alice behind him as he glared to the figure of fog. M’Lyn was also at the ready, just in case a battle broke out.
“Finally, you arrive” the figure spoke, a rather snuck-up female voice that for Jack was faintly familiar, “It took your sweet time, didn’t it?” “Who are you?” “…Oh, and that girl’s here, too” the figure leaned forward, a crooked smile visible amidst the fog as they ignored Jack's question, “Well, not that I need her anymore —you finally showed up, so I don’t really have a use for her.” “Wha…?” M’Lyn’s face contorted into anger. “So, you’re the one who sent that message, aren’t you?!” Jack growled, readying himself for a fight. “Well, duh —of course I was” the figure shrugged, “That key of yours is intriguing after all, but you’re not the kind of person who collaborates easily. I had to lure you out somehow —the girl was just one of many ways. I didn’t expect you to be with company, though…”
The figure seemed to smirk, which only annoyed Jack further. Without second thought, he called onto the blade, it taking firm shape in his hands as he held it firmly. M’Lyn didn’t summon her weaponry just yet, not sure if there would be a battle breaking out, yet Jack was clearly pissed given that they finally found their perpetrator.
“Ah! That one, that one!” the figure seemed eager, “That’s the key I wanted to see! So, tell me, tell me —what can it do? How strong is it?” the figure sneered, “And why are the Heartless so fearful yet hungry for it? Please, you’ve got to tell me all what you know.”
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 16, 2020 13:54:09 GMT -5
Reaching the Train Station, Kujo glanced around the open courtyard, made of brick and perched high atop the paved hill they had climbed. The Station itself was a large building, with a tall Clock Tower spiking up towards the sky, just like Pence had described. ”I think the blade’ll lead us, if anything else fails.” Kujo grimaced a bit, having seen his suspicions confirmed. They didn’t really have a specific way. ”That’d require roaming aimlessly, though.” M’Lyn was quick to point out how they couldn’t afford to waste that much time on such a tactless plan, something Kujo found himself nodding in agreement to. Of course, Jack wasn’t foolish—he expected the guy to have a plan, considering what he knew of him by now. ”Wherever we go next that has Heartless issues, we can go straight to their point of focus.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t a plan that reassured him much.
”Doesn’t their focus just shift to you?” That odd sword of his always wound up being the focus of the Heartless. It was like they were obsessed with the thing more than hearts. A sudden feeling caused Kujo’s eyes to jolt, peering around the empty plaza in suspicion. ”Someone’s here…” Jack seemed to feel it, too. ”Tch—'bout time.” Kujo’s emerald gaze finally found the odd mist appearing from between the brick wall, his Akogare appearing at his side as he stood calmly with his hands in his pockets. The mist seemed to form into a humanoid shape, though it was devoid of any features. Was this the person in black? Sure, it wasn't what he was thinking...but it did fit the description, for the most part. ”Finally, you arrive.” About to simply rush forward with the intent of demolishing this bizarre visitor, Jack’s question made Kujo wait, silently poised and ready to react.
What the figure said next took him by surprise. They’re…after Jack? Raising an eyebrow, Kujo glanced over at Jack in mild curiosity. ”That key of yours is intriguing after all,” Snapping his attention back to the figure speaking, he noticed that they had mentioned a ‘key’ in their message, too. As Jack summoned his bizarre weapon, the figure’s reaction cleared up the confusion. ”Ah! That one, that one! That’s the key I wanted to see!” Kujo didn’t really understand why they were calling the bizarre blade a ‘key’, but he figured he’d let them talk enough. The fact they were asking about it meant they most likely knew very little—though enough for Kujo to keep in mind not to go too overboard.
Lunging forward with his Akogare, Kujo unleashed his Wakeru ability upon the figure without so much as any verbal warning to his team—moving within the blink of an eye thanks to the abilities the guardian allowed him. Hoping to take the figure by surprise, the torrent of punches unleashed at a dangerous speed. If the figure somehow managed to dodge all of the blows, they would see the brick wall behind them now crumbled and ruined, a cloud of dust and debris spilling throughout the air. After delivering the powerful attack, he would leap backwards, standing calm as always with his hands in his pockets as his guardian hovered in the air next to him, readying itself in a battle stance. He was keeping Alice in the corner of his eye, remembering Jack's 'favor'.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 16, 2020 14:39:55 GMT -5
Receiving no reply from Jack, the figure sighed, shrugging it off, while the boy kept glaring in case it decided to attack him or Alice —or anyone, for that matter. Kujo’s assault caught them all a little off-guard, although given how he’d been annoyed over whoever was stalking them before was enough reason. His Wakeru ability hit air, the figure barely even noticing it was being attack. Jack flinched, noticing the figure seemed oblivious to the damage taken.
Who was that?!
“…Hmm?” the figure tilted its head, and then giggled, “Sorry… Was that supposed to hurt?” it taunted, “Still… That’s also a very interesting power you’ve got there… Equal in strength with the key’s, but ever so slightly weaker… Yet it still calls for the Heartless’ greed” it giggled yet again, “You’re someone they want to devour so badly… So why not give them that satisfaction?” it asked, smirking.
“In any case, I’m not here to fight —I’m here to learn” the figure said, taking a few steps forward, and glancing over at Jack, “So? Won’t you tell me all about that key of yours? I’m very intrigued by it, y’know.” “…” Jack poised himself, making sure Alice remained behind him, as she shook slightly in fear, “I’ve got nothin’ to tell you, whoever the hell you are.” “Aww… Bummer…” the figure pouted. After a bit of silence, it smirked once more, “But what if, say, there’s info in it for you? You tell me what I want to know, and I tell you what you want to know. I don’t mind a proper exchange —I just want to know things!” “Tch…” “You’re doing an awful job, if you claim you’re not here to fight” M’Lyn growled, “Targeting someone in order to obtain a hostage as means of talking with someone else isn’t exactly a very appeasable first approach.” “Oh, come on —you can’t blame me!” the figure pouted again, “There was no other way!” “That’s it!” Jack shouted, “Enough of you!” “Urgh… You’re such a loudmouth…” the figure groaned. Once more, silence followed, before it giggled, "Then… Why don’t we play a little game? Find me at this world’s core. If you can get there before I take it for myself, then you win, and you get good info while you’re at it. If you don’t, though…” the figure snickered, “Well, nothing much to do there, right?” “…What is it you want?” Jack frowned, bitter, “If you’re not here to fight, why bother showin’ up? You’re the one controlling the Heartless in this world, aren’tcha?” “…Yes and no” the figure’s answer caused Jack to flinch, “But I won’t tell much more than that. After all… I want us to play!” the figure seemed to smile, “In the end, though, it’s obviously weighted towards me —the game master. Hopefully, you play your cards properly, as well!”
With a giggle, the figure disappeared, and in its wake, Shadows decided to crawl forth from the ground. Jack kept Alice close to him, while M’Lyn, finally realizing a battle was imminent, called forth her staff, ready to support the team with her magic and skills.
“Alice, stay close, okay?” Jack ordered, his gaze fixated on the Heartless. “Right…” the girl nodded back. “Kujo —try to keep them away from those two!” M’Lyn shouted, readying a spell, “I’ll cover you both” she looked at Jack, “But if they get too close, they’re your job!” “I know that already, ya damn Miqo’te —what’d you think I was up to?!”
[Battle! 15 Shadows]
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 16, 2020 18:52:02 GMT -5
Landing from his backward leap, Kujo grimaced as he watched the brick wall crumble in ruin—yet the shrouded figure remained untouched. ”Sorry…was that supposed to hurt?” Though his Akogare remained, Kujo crossed his arms and merely scowled at the enemy before them. Hm…if my attacks don’t work, they have to be either an illusion or…? Maybe they were merely projecting a part of themselves, rather than the real thing? ”That’s also a very interesting power you’ve got there...” Somehow the scowl on his face worsened as he realized they also clearly didn’t have any information on his own powers—something he was able to control but still hadn’t understood fully yet. ”In any case, I’m not here to fight—I’m here to learn.”
Just because they had similar goals didn’t make them allies, though. M’Lyn was quick to point out that fact—showcasing how their animosity had been clear since the beginning. ”Oh, come on—you can’t blame me!” Kujo tsked at the figure’s clear lack of accountability. Oddly enough, their behavior seemed weirdly childlike in most regards—at least the facade they had decided to show them all, anyway. Hearing the proposed ‘game’, Kujo narrowed his eyes, still attempting to think of something that might hurt the figure. ”What is it you want?” Jack seemed to be at a loss as well. As Kujo finally lost his patience once more, he charged forward just as the figure disappeared, Shadows taking its place among the brick plaza before the Station.
”Tch—pests!” He and his Akogare’s foot slammed down in tandem, shattering a large crater into the brick as countless Shadows would be propelled away, other than those taking shelter in the ground around the area of impact. ”Kujo—try to keep them away from those two!” M’Lyn’s shout caused the man to grimace, already irritated due to the figure’s taunts and annoying mannerisms. Composing himself, Kujo shoved his hands into his pockets as his guardian kicked and punched the path clear as he made his way to cut off the mob. Once he’d made his way a short distance in front of Jack and Alice, Akogare would begin to glow with a blinding vibrance as it crossed its arms before its chest. ”Die.” Unleashing its DokiDoki ability, Kujo was a calm storm as he stood and glared at the Shadows caught in the radiant torrent of heart projectiles that launched forth.
Hopefully destroying enough to give them some breathing room, Kujo would stay on the offensive—controlling his Akogare through his force of will as it would continue to unleash devastating and sweeping punches and kicks at the small Heartless. With M’Lyn’s spell craft and physical prowess, the man was confident not too many would be able to pass them. Any that did—well, Jack had gotten good with that ‘key’ (as the figure had so called it) of his. He kept Alice and Jack in the corner of his eye, ready to retreat and back them up at a moments notice if the situation arose. Thankfully with his guardian doing most of the actual work, Kujo was left standing calmly, able to analyze the battlefield and adjust his positions accordingly.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 17, 2020 3:13:10 GMT -5
Kujo’s attack, along destroying part of the floor beneath him, threw a few Shadows off and destroyed them, his annoyance and anger getting rid of them for good. The ones that avoided the attack by moving through the ground split up, most trying to flank the lavender man from the back, although a few would be caught off-guard by M’Lyn’s Stone spell. The debris scattered and took down a few Shadows in its wake, disappearing in a puff of black smoke.
Whatever Shadows were lured towards Jack and Alice were quickly decimated by Jack’s blade, a single clean swing enough to either step back in fear or simply defeat them, a bright heart-shaped light appearing to quickly disappear. Alice stuck close to her brother as he fended the Heartless away —the ones that got too close, anyways— while she looked around in case one or two decided to flank them. Thankfully, none did, and soon enough the battle would be over.
“Tch… Whoever they were, they ain’t getting’ scott-free from this one…” Jack scowled, dismissed the blade as he did so.
He tensed up faintly, as Alice gripped tight to his jacket, searching for reassurance. As reply, Jack simply patted her head, a faint smile in his lips as he did so, before quickly getting back in gear. He turned towards his team members, now fully focused on winning a game imposed to them. “They’ve left…” M’Lyn groaned, “Who were they?” “Dunno, don’t care” Jack replied, just as bitter, “What we do know, is that we’re racin’ ‘em —the goal being this world’s core. This is a race I ain't willin’ to lose.” “…But the core or whatever is not here” the Miqo’te pointed out, as she glanced over at the torn-down wall, “That much, we’re certain of, yes?” “I doubt they would’ve issued a ‘game’ otherwise. So…” Jack turned towards the Train Station, stretching a bit as he did so, “Well —it’s been a while since I’ve taken a train ride… C’mon —let’s move.”
Jack headed towards the Train Station followed closely by Alice, while M’Lyn waited for Kujo before heading there, as well. Inside was fairly empty, given the recent commotion with the Heartless in town. It’d make sense, really —either people fled as they were attacked, or faced their end. For such a cheerful town at first glance, the ambiance had suddenly turned depressing, something that made Jack grimace.
It wasn’t something new to him, having seen something similar before.
Thankfully for the team, the trains were still running with a constant pace, the sound of the trains echoing through the gallery as they departed or made one last call. Being new to the world they were in, no one had any idea where to head out in order to arrive to Sunset Terrace. The elder brother of the pair headed to the counter, a single person attending even after the Heartless menace.
“…Hello —do you need something?” the person asked, noticing they finally had someone walking by. “Umm… How do we get to Sunset Terrace?” Jack asked, a friendly smile in his face as he did so. “…You take the first line train —it leaves every half an hour. In fact… I think it’s about to depart.” “Ah —thanks!”
Jack waved before ushering Alice to rush towards the tram, not wanting to lose anymore time. Once Alice was inside, Jack turned towards his crew and waved, trying to catch their attention.
“C’mon —it’s gonna leave without you two, otherwise!”
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 17, 2020 12:09:57 GMT -5
With the strength of the three of them, the Heartless were no match, destroyed in record timing. Kujo tsked in annoyance as he dismissed his Akogare, noting how the shadowy figure had managed to escape during the chaos. ”They’ve left…who were they?” Turning and walking back over to his other teammates, Kujo had his arms crossed over his chest as he scowled and surveyed the area. ”Whoever they are…they’ve got annoying tricks.” It was clear that the man was still sour about the ‘projection’ of the person not taking damage. ”Well—it’s been a while since I’ve taken a train ride…” It seemed they had little other choices. The Clock Tower was clearly not the world’s heart, as Jack had pointed out. There was no way the odd enemy would have issued a challenge at the finish line.
Following the others inside, Kujo glanced around at the large and mostly vacant station. The sounds of the train horns and pages over the intercom above were the only sounds for a moment. ”Hello—do you need something?” Glancing over, Kujo saw Jack go up to the counter and begin inquiring about train routes. ”In fact…I think it’s about to depart.” Overhearing how the train they needed was readying to leave, Kujo scowled at the man behind the counter from a distance. He hated being rushed, prone to resisting any forces acting against him. Shoving his hands into his pockets, the man grumbled to himself quietly as he made his way to the train. Truthfully, if it was really about to take off without him, Kujo could just use his Akogare to ‘flash’ over…so he wasn’t really worried.
Once making it into the train, he glanced around, finding a seat before sitting down with a leg crossed over the other, keeping his hands in his pockets as he glanced out the window with a bored look. ”This better not be a dead end.” His threat was aimed at the now absent Hayner and Pence, who had told them about this place to begin with. The first place had been a bust, so Kujo couldn’t help but be more than skeptical about how reliable the teenager’s information had been. Whatever. I guess we’ll see…
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 17, 2020 13:36:51 GMT -5
Once everyone was inside the train, Jack followed quickly, just a few seconds before the doors would close, and the whistle of the train departing would echo loudly in the train gallery. Alice had sat down first, not too far from where Kujo was sitting, while M’Lyn had decided to stand up. Jack did the same, holding onto a steel bar going horizontal near the door.
“Next stop: Sunset Station” a voice announced.
Jack had looked at the speakers as they spread the message, his gaze a bit calmer given the space, yet in his mind, a myriad of thoughts went rampant. More than anything, he wanted to know who the person who’d confronted them was, and what they meant by a half-ass answer when it came to Heartless. They were controlling them, but at the same time not? Jack frowned as he looked out through the window, thinking on how little sense that statement made.
After a bit, he let go, knowing it’d be useless to think about it, instead glancing over at Alice, still somewhat shelled in given that her fear from before hadn’t totally faded yet. It was calmer now, but still somewhat vivid in her memory, and so she couldn’t help but keep tense and keep herself somewhat hidden from the rest. Jack smiled a bit, chuckling silently even, as he eyed his sister.
“Feelin’ any better, sis?” he asked after a bit. “Somewhat…” Alice nodded, not looking away from her lap, “It’s just… I dunno —it’s hard to not think about it…” “Relax —you’ve got us ‘round now, right?” Jack tried cheering her up, “If they decide to show up, then we’ll beat ‘em up in a flash!” “I know that…” Alice smiled faintly, “That’s not what worries me, though… Still, it’s better when you guys are around.” “You’re an easy one to please, aren’t you, Alice?” M’Lyn smirked with some unease, leaning against the wall while her arms crossed, “If any of us are around, you’re more open than usual. “W-Well, I can’t help it!”
Alice pouted, yet still never looking up, a thing M’Lyn couldn’t help but shake her head at, while Jack laughed a bit. She seemed more optimistic, now that they were all together, and Jack was relieved to know that —for a little bit, Alice was going back to her usual self, but the dangers still lurked around. That wasn’t going to be enough to deter him, however, as he was already willing to do whatever was needed to keep her safe from the Heartless.
The train stopped once it was at the destination, a whistle indicating all riders of their arrival. The team left the train as the door opened, Alice resuming her position right near Jack, grabbing onto his jacket just to make sure she wouldn’t split up. M’Lyn looked around, noticing the station they were at, a single staircase being the only way forward.
“So, then… We head onwards, right?” M’Lyn asked, turning towards the rest, “Not like we’ve got another option…” “Nope —we can only move forward” Jack nodded, his face stoic —unusual for him, “This is the only place left, though —so if there’s nothing here… We might be in trouble.” “Then we best find at least a lead or two as for where the core could be.”
With that said, the Miqo’te headed upstairs, the pair of siblings following suit while Kujo finished the line. Just like when they arrived, the orange light of dusk was vivid and bright, tainting everything in its wake a warm color. Jack or Alice hadn’t noticed, and, if they did, most likely assumed it was a world thing.
Just like many other things before.
Sunset Terrace would spread out for them as they reached the end of a seemingly endless staircase. A few people were there, contrasted to what had happened in the Neighborhood and nearby areas in Twilight Town. It seemed like the Heartless hadn’t been in that area…
Yet.
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 17, 2020 15:39:29 GMT -5
With everyone settled into the train, an announcement over the intercom marked their departure. Leaning back in his seat, Kujo lowered his head, mulling over the events that had unfolded so far. There were a lot of variables they couldn’t account for, so he decided to merely mull over what they did know and could find out. Overhearing the conversation next to him, Kujo didn’t appear to pay his teammates much mind, though he did listen as he thought quietly to himself. Gazing out of the window behind him, Kujo found the ride pass him by as suddenly the train came to a stop at their destination. Raising to his feet and stepping off of the train cart, Kujo’s brows raised slightly as he noticed the orange hue around them.
Shouldn’t the sun have set by now? He was still a novice when it came to traversing worlds, having only been to one other one before this. Shrugging the thought off, he followed the others up the stairs, glancing around the new area they were in. It was less vacant than the town they had come from, though not by too much. All in all, this area was peaceful though, not a sign of the Heartless anywhere. ”Tch—if there’s none here, we came for nothing.” It was one of the few times he’d ever hoped to run into the damned things. It really didn’t look like the Heartless had come here, though. The people were calm and complacent, relaxing under a weirdly long sunset. Then again, the town was like that too, at first.
”So—that ‘key’ of yours telling you anything or what?” Kujo had a mild scowl on his face as he shot his question at Jack, glaring at the area around them. If it was a second dead end, he’d silently vow to wring both Hayner and Pence’s necks personally.
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