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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 23, 2020 12:28:35 GMT -5
Jack dismissed his weapon, pleased with the rather quick fight. As Kujo pointed out, though, the “core” hadn’t shown. Was the Mansion really the place, or was it elsewhere? If the pattern followed accordingly, wherever the Heartless had been gathering the most should’ve been the place where the “core” resided —but nothing had shown.
The chance of the “core” being at the Clock Tower was as good as any, but Jack didn’t think it’d go so easily. After all, that was where they first encountered the figure —the one controlling the Heartless, to a degree. Still remembering the half-assed answer it had given them about that topic, Jack frowned.
“I mean, we could, but… We’ve followed a pattern twice now, haven’t we?” Jack explained, “Both times we found the core, a massive tide of Shadows showed alongside it. It’d be odd for it to break now…” “You’re also mentioning that because of where we first met that individual, right?” M’Lyn asked, “I agree in the fact that it’s as good a lead as any, but…” “We agreed that it wouldn’t make sense for that person to issue a challenge at the finish line, though” Jack pouted, “Not only that… But something’s amiss…” “Hmm?”
Jack stretched his shoulder a bit as he walked towards the gate, his gaze somewhat cold. There was no doubt that they had overlooked something the first time they had gone there, only having been in the Basement, where they gathered intel, and also where the figure had send the small threat message. Was it something aside wanting to meet Jack, that they’d sent that message?
Even though Kujo’s idea could be more than likely, Jack had the feeling that they were in the right place —they were right where the core would show up.
“Jack, what’s going on?” M’Lyn pouted, bitterly. “…Remember that message?” Jack glanced, smirking, “The one that led us out of the Mansion?” “Because you worried for Alice —I remember. What of it?” “It’s just as likely that the reason they sent that message was to lead us away from the Mansion. Remember —we found pretty good intel in that computer.” “True, but…” the Miqo’te’s ears twitched, “Wait…” “We’re listenin’…” “I think I know where you’re getting at” M’Lyn nodded, “With us gone from the Mansion by means of a distraction, they could probably search as much info as they needed. Is that what you’re thinking?” “It’s a plausible idea. They did mention they were here to learn.” “…” M’Lyn glanced at the Mansion, “Even so, should we check the Clock Tower?” “I can search the Mansion no problem. If Alice wants to tag along with me, I’m good.” “Then…” M’Lyn looked at Kujo, “We should probably see in case the core is at the Clock Tower —just to make sure.” “Alright, if we agree with it…” Jack glanced with glee between his two members.
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 23, 2020 17:37:57 GMT -5
”I mean, we could, but…we’ve followed a pattern twice now, haven’t we?” Jacks explanation made sense, though the fact nothing had happened still caused some doubt to linger in the mans mind. Mulling over the details they had gathered, Kujo couldn’t help but click his tongue in annoyance as they seemed to hit a dead end for a moment. ”Remember that message?” Recalling the event, Kujo nodded as he listened to the guy’s lead. What he said made sense—the message had done its job, as it had gotten everyone out of the mansion and back into town rather quickly. ”That said, you think they had time to do that while tailing us?” The figure had been waiting for them at the Terrace, observing their movements. Not that it was the real one…
Whoever the figure had been, they had a mysterious power—Kujo supposed it wouldn’t be impossible for them to be able to jack the computer for information during all the chaos of the day. ”I can search the Mansion no problem. If Alice wants to tag along with me, I’m good.” Despite the fact Jack had returned to his usual self, there was something different about him now, after that event in the alleyway. He seemed more sure of himself, openly relying on his sister’s help as well as having confidence in his own abilities. It was a refreshing change of pace. ”Then…we should probably see in case the core is at the Clock Tower—“ Nodding in agreement at M’Lyn’s suggestion, Kujo looked back to Jack with the barest hint of a smile on his otherwise serious face.
”Hmph, looks like you're on top of things.” With that he turned and motioned for M’Lyn that he was ready to go. Heading back through the forest and towards the town, Kujo had a suspicious gaze as his guard was up in case the Heartless showed up again. Though with him and M’Lyn, there was little to worry about. The golden twilight spilled steadily over the world, remaining unchanged their entire visit. Tch—the hell’s up with this world? Did time just stand still, or something? What was the point of having a clock tower then? It all seemed so normal otherwise…though Kujo supposed at this point in his life he should know better than to trust such superficial appearances. ”I wonder who was using that old mansion...?” He mumbled the thought aloud as him and M’Lyn walked, a brooding look on his face.
It was just a world with a quiet, sleepy town tucked away. It was the mansion that had allured the figure here—as they were after information. But for such an otherwise mundane world to have such a device…it all seemed like the world itself was a ‘front’ for something else. Some deeper purpose they weren’t seeing, or too far outside of to notice. It was like the world harbored some secret that even most locals didn’t know about. ”Tch—can’t I catch a break?” It was never anything easy when it came to the Heartless and these different worlds, that was for sure.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 24, 2020 3:58:06 GMT -5
Agreeing on splitting up, M’Lyn and Kujo left Jack behind at the Mansion while they checked at the Clock Tower. Confident in both her own skills and her companion’s, M’Lyn was without a worry, her ears and tail both showing how relaxed she felt. In a sense, going along with only Kujo was a rather nice change of pace for the Miqo’te who valued a job well-done rather than a rushed one.
Hearing Kujo complain in his usual stoic tone brought a chuckle from the Miqo’te, a veteran when it came to knowing different worlds and different occurrences. In the end, though, she couldn’t blame him for being either confused or annoyed by it all —it was only his 2nd world. Then again, his first impression hadn’t been the best.
“I can tell you’re annoyed…” M’Lyn said, smirking with a light jab, “Then again, you’re not used to seeing different realities to yours, are you?”
The walk towards the Clock Tower through town would be uneventful, no Heartless showing up on their way there or at their destination. It was quiet… Too quiet. Even though the team had defeated the Demon Tide, that alone wasn’t indicative of the threat being gone for good.
It was bizarre, to say the least.
“Oi, you two!”
M’Lyn groaned, already recognizing the voice that spoke —Seifer, along his gang, had come out from the Tram Common. His expression was an annoyed one, glaring at the Miqo’te and Kujo while the ones behind him remained silent, ready to back him up. The Miqo’te sighed, her arms crossed in an annoyed matter.
“Where’s that brat, huh? Went running off to his mom or what?” Seifer asked, sneering. “If you’re here to pick a fight, I’m afraid now’s not the time —we’re busy” the Miqo’te replied, glaring with a cold gaze, “We don’t have time for you —more along, now.” “What if I don’t wanna? I ain’t afraid of you people. You came into my town without showin’ me respect —and that’s a fault.” “Honestly? You probably can’t even defend yourself from a mere pickpocket…”
With a new pep to his step, Jack entered the Mansion nonchalantly. Alice had decided to stay at the Almira to sort the info out, but also because, for the time being, the coast wasn’t 100% clear. If she had to, though, she’d bail it towards Jack, who could also go regroup with her if she got caught in trouble.
The Mansion was just as they left it —messy and torn down, a thin layer of dust above most surfaces. His visor was off, unlike the first time, given that what he was looking for wasn’t exactly scannable. While it meant leaving his sister out of the fun, Jack didn’t want to do something that could worry her from afar —it was best to keep it off, but she could still hear him.
“Where are you going to check?” Alice asked through his com. “Well… The only place we checked was that Basement…” Jack replied, “Where we found the info you’re sortin’ out right now. We didn’t check the other rooms at all.” “You were following a hunch of yours, weren’t you…?”
Jack chuckled much for Alice’s disappointment, all the while he explored the Foyer of the Mansion with a calm pace. As he neared the stairs, a faint movement caught his attention —a silhouette, of sorts, heading inside a room to the right. Although Alice couldn’t see it, Jack could, and something about him struck him as odd.
Had he seen that silhouette before?
Almost mindlessly, Jack chased after it, his pace a bit rushed but not to the point he found himself running after the movement. For all he knew, it could’ve just been a sheet of paper being dragged by the wind, yet something about it didn’t feel right. He went into the door he last saw the silhouette moving, entering a pristine white room. Everywhere he looked, was white —floor, walls and even furniture. The only color in the room were the drawings hanging by the walls —almost childish drawings, ones Jack couldn’t really understand
Where was that?
“Jack, where are you?” Alice asked. “In… A really creepy room” Jack said, smirking faintly, “It’s all white and well-kept —complete opposite from what the Mansion’s like.” “And… Is there anything there?” "So you did follow…"
A somewhat childish voice startled Jack out of his thoughts, quickly turning towards the door now behind him. A boy, not older than 13, was there, an impish grin in his face. His hair was somewhat long and unkept, and his clothes were somewhat worn and ragged —someone who’d lived in the streets, most likely. His dark green eyes locked with Jack’s own as it seemed to tease the unit’s leader in a way.
Jack, on the other hand, was perplexed. It was like seeing a mirror reflection of who he used to be… Yet the lock held tight by a silver chain around the boy’s neck would prove that it wasn’t just a mere reflection. It was himself, back to how he looked all those years ago.
“You’re…” “Hmm? Jack?” Alice’s voice seemed distant, despite the comm being right in his ear, “Is everything okay?” "In the end, I guess you figured out what it was that you should’ve been lookin’ for, huh?" the boy asked with a playful smirk.
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 24, 2020 11:12:08 GMT -5
”I can tell you’re annoyed…” M’Lyn seemed to find his temperament humorous, their usual dynamic bringing a lighter look to the scowl Kujo wore. She wasn’t wrong, though. Seeing different worlds with such different settings and small oddities was something he was still getting used to, despite his cool and calm demeanor. ”Dwarves are one thing…but I figured the damned sky would at least work the same.” Despite the complaint, M’Lyn’s light jab had done the trick of making the man less brooding and annoyed, even if only somewhat. Emerging into the vacant station plaza, Kujo couldn’t help but feel suspicious at how quiet it was. Sure, with the events of earlier it made sense that locals would be wary of going out still—but to this extent?
”Oi, you two!” A sudden shout caused him to turn, a raised brow on his otherwise expressionless face. Seifer and his crew emerged from the Common, though Kujo’s face wasn’t one of recognition. Glancing over at M’Lyn, he noticed the Miqo’te looking annoyed and aggravated, though not surprised to see these three strangers. ”Where’s that brat, huh? Went running off to his mom or what?” He blinked a few times, his face remaining unchanged. For a moment, Kujo crossed his arms in thought. Who’s this clown? The way M’Lyn and the man in the beanie barked back and forth at each other, it seemed clear that the two knew each other from somewhere. Finally turning to his teammate, Kujo gave an annoyed sigh, gesturing at Seifer while also ignoring him completely as he talked to the Miqo’te.
”We don’t have time for you to chat up a friend. You can catch up later.” With that, Kujo gestured for her to follow as he brushed past Seifer and his gang, continuing to ignore them. It seemed their previous encounters had been so insignificant, Kujo had forgotten all about running into the rowdy locals earlier in the day. With everything else going on, their faces had simply fogged from his memory. Tch—is this place not the damned core? As he walked away from the group, Kujo scanned the area, glancing up at the looming tower’s massive clock-face.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 24, 2020 15:02:27 GMT -5
”We don’t have time for you to chat up a friend.”
Kujo’s comment brought M’Lyn back to reality, but after a few seconds of silence, she stifled a laugh. The man in lavender was quick to walk past Seifer without any case, much for the leader’s dismay, his face contorting into anger. The Miqo’te followed along, ignoring Seifer altogether as the pair made their way around.
“Then, if it’s not here, should we go back to Jack and Alice?” M’Lyn suggested, “Since nothing seems to be happening around here…” “Oi, don’t you dare!”
Seifer’s shout stopped M’Lyn on her tracks, as the blonde charged swiftly to attack. With a sigh, the Miqo’te blocked the strike aimed her way with her forearm, not even flinching. Once again, Seifer’s recklessness had costed him his pride. Parrying the attack, M’Lyn kicked Seifer straight in the gut —not too strong, but certainly tough to leave a warning. Seifer’s breathing got cut short if only for a second as he backed, staggering, while M’Lyn, coldly, sighed.
“Honestly, now… Just how low do you want to tarnish your pride?” the Miqo’te asked, “Just drop it —it’s pathetic how hard you try to maintain it. Not even Jack goes that low…”
Without wasting a single second, M’Lyn turned back to make her way back to the Mansion, seeing that nothing was happening at the Clock Tower, other than perhaps a pointless battle against Seifer, who stood no chance against M’Lyn or Kujo.
“Come on —let’s just regroup.”
The boy in front of Jack pulled himself back up, seeing how he was leaning against the closed door, and snickered mischievously. Jack, on the other hand, dumbstruck, was looking with suspicion at the image of his younger self, finding it completely odd to just see himself the way he once was. Given that the visor was off, Alice didn’t know a thing, but hearing her brother’s voice answer a non-existent one was definitely worrying.
“C’mon —did you figure it out?” the boy asked, smirking. “You mean… Where the core’s at, right…?” Jack asked, looking suspicious, “It’s here, isn’t it?” “Yep —you found it.” “But how come it didn’t show up when we beat that Demon Tide?” “Well… Why not watch through the window?”
Jack turned around, finding the window the boy talked about. If it was truly himself, then… Was there a point in doubting? He walked forward to see through the vague white-stained glass, placing one hand as he did so. Nothing seemed out of place… He could see the gates from where he stood, and the unkept garden within the outer walls, but nothing else… Was there something he was missing?
“Jack!”
Suddenly, Alice had jumped from behind him, wrapping her arms around Jack’s neck as she pushed herself over him, catching him off-guard. The pout she wore in her expression said a lot more than words, although Jack was confused at how fast she’d gotten there. He tried glancing over to where the boy stood, finding him nowhere in sight.
“Don’t worry” the voice said with a mischievous laughter, “In the end, I’m just a reflection, y’know? Not really there.” “Ja~ck, what’s going on already?!” Alice berated him, still puffing her cheeks, “No matter how much I spoke, you didn’t answer —you kept talking to yourself… What is it already?!” “Guh —Alice…” “Tell me~!”
Alice was acting like a kid, although in a sense that was a much better attitude than the one she previously showcased. Jack was at first dumbstruck, but with an uneasy and faint smirk, he turned towards her as she let go, scratching the back of his head sheepishly while trying to come up with an excuse.
He couldn’t just tell her what had happened, after all —she would definitely think he’d gone mad.
“Sorry… I was just lookin’ at something…” Jack said, “I guess I ended up talkin’ with myself… Sorry I worried ya.” “Hmm…” Alice placed both hands on her hips, pouting. “In any case, you came here on your own?” “Yeah —‘cause you weren’t answering. Since all the data’s backed up and done, I decided to join. I was scared, but… No Heartless showed up, so…” “I see…” “In any case… What about the core?” “…” Jack looked outside of the window, catching a faint glimmer through the glass, “I found it —it’s just a matter of closing it.” “Good!”
As the siblings left outside, not before checking every room they could of the Mansion finding nothing of interest, Jack reached onto his comm, trying to get in touch with Kujo and M’Lyn.
“Hey, you two —I found it” he said, chuckling, “D’you want to come see or nah?” he asked with a light jab.
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 24, 2020 16:26:19 GMT -5
M’Lyn’s laugh only brought a raised brow to Kujo’s face before he sighed and shook his head. ”Then, if it’s not here, should we go back to Jack and Alice?” His gaze lingered one last time on the clock face, darkening into a faint scowl as he clicked his tongue in annoyance. Looks like he had wasted time himself. ”Oi, don’t you dare!” The sudden shout reminded Kujo that they weren’t the only ones in the area, though he didn’t have to react to Seifer’s attack. Swift and accurate, M’Lyn made quick work of parrying and attacking herself. ”Honestly, now…” At a second glance, Kujo felt like he remembered seeing that sloppy form from somewhere before as he gazed at the frustrated local in the black hat. Oh, yeah. This was that local that had tried to fight with him and Jack before, right?
He had almost forgotten, with how abysmal the man’s energy was. ”Tch—pathetic.” Grumbling in annoyance as M’Lyn led the way, Kujo glared at Seifer and his crew before leaving, shoving his hands in his pockets as he scowled in annoyance. ”Never seen someone so eager to lose before.” Sighing a bit, he decided to shrug it off. They had a ‘core’ to find, after all.
Emerging from the underground path that led into the forest, Jack’s voice crackled over the comm. ”Hey, you two—I found it.” Despite his initial relief at them having managed to find the damned thing, Kujo couldn’t help but also feel annoyed that Jack had found it in the mansion despite nothing having changed after their battle there. ”Yeah, yeah. We’re coming.” Clicking on his own comm device, Kujo had a faint grin on his face as he and M’Lyn walked through the forest. Finally. They were going to have completed their mission—or rather, what it had become. Doesn’t it always go this way? The thought was a mixed one, of both exasperation and humor.
Emerging with the Miqo’te out of the forestry and in front of the mansion gates, Kujo would see Alice and Jack together by the doors. Though mildly surprised to see Alice back out of the ship so soon, Kujo was glad to see that the area was secure otherwise. ”So, where is the damned thing?” Glancing around with a clear suspicion in his narrowed eyes, Kujo finally lingered his gaze on Jack as he crossed his arms. Everything looked the same. Nothing was different. Maybe he was thinking too much about their last excursion…but weren’t world cores typically pretty…obvious?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 24, 2020 17:10:36 GMT -5
Jack and Alice waited as M’Lyn and Kujo returned back. Jack smirked, the blade taking shape in his hands as he spun it around playfully, halting the play as he turned towards a faint glimmer in the sky.
“Up there” Jack said nonchalantly, “We probably overlooked it considering how low it’s been as of late… Y’know? …Let’s put an end to this already.”
The blade in his hands shimmered in light as Jack pointed upwards towards the Keyhole, a determined gaze in his eyes. Both girls looked upwards, Alice looked in some awe as it was the first time she’d seen something like that up-close. Unconscious, she grabbed onto Jack’s jacket, although he hardly seemed to notice, as a faint click echoed once the light dimmed down.
Once more, they had closed the world’s core for good.
“Huh… So that’s how it goes, then…”
Jack flinched, feeling a pair of arms gently wrapping themselves around his neck from behind —but this time, it wasn’t Alice. The girl had tripped back with a quick and startled shout, as the mist stood in between her and her brother, who quickly swung his blade to fend the figure off, missing its mark completely. Easily, the figure dodged the attack, blending with the mist that followed its wake, appearing somewhat afar.
“What—?!” “I see, I see…” the figure nodded to itself, “So that’s how it works… Interesting…” the figure seemed pleased, “What you just did was seal this world’s core, right? The Heartless can’t get to it anymore, and so they’ve left. It did startle them, though —given how eagerly they were preying on it to simply… Have it removed from their sights. Almost as if it was never there…” “How is it that you’re still here?!” Jack growled, stepping forward with his blade at the ready. “Oh, that’s because just the Heartless left!” the figure replied cheerfully, “You never dispelled the darkness completely —you can’t, as a matter of fact!” “…You’re awfully complacent now, aren’t you?” M’Lyn mentioned, wary. “Well, I did say that if you won, I’d tell you info you’d want to hear. In the end, though, I won something out of this, too —more interesting targets, and learnt more about that key of yours!” “So, you’ll leave now?” Jack glared. “Hmmm… Not quite” the figure giggled, “I think there’s one last thing worth letting you know…”
The figure stepped forward, a gesture both Jack and M’Lyn grew wary off. Yet despite the animosity it had shown before, it was, indeed, awfully calm —pleasant, even. It stopped a few steps in front of Jack with a mischievous smirk, contrasted with Jack’s cold scowl. A dynamic that made it look like they knew each other from before, yet Jack couldn’t recall where he’d heard the voice from.
Just who was that?
“If you wanna know more about that key… I’d suggest following the Heartless’ trail, rather than going against it” the figure said, coy, “You just might need to dive deep into the darkness to find that light your ‘key’ resembles… As you are now, you’re just a fragment of that power —and yet it’s strong enough to draw the Heartless greedily towards you.” “Like I’d do that” Jack groaned back. “Well, regardless if you do that or not, the Heartless will be drawn towards you whether you want it or not” the figure giggled, “You’re both a target and a savior —which one you’ll end up becoming, though… Will depend on you.”
“So… Do me a favor and make this entertaining… Polar.”
Without a chance to react, the figure disappeared, before Jack could slash it away. The mist disappeared altogether, leaving the team to solve the shared info for themselves. Alice had managed to stand up, looking with concern as her brother mulled over the last comment.
Polar… His last name that very few people knew about. If they knew about it…
Just how close where they to the group?
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 24, 2020 18:36:22 GMT -5
”Up there.” Following Jack’s rather dramatic pointing, Kujo merely scowled at the faint shimmer in the sky. Given the light show that followed, the man’s suspicions were quelled, though he still gave a mildly annoyed sigh. ”Huh…so that’s how it goes, then…” Adding to his agitation, a familiar figure emerged behind Jack. Tch—I knew they weren’t gone. Grimacing as he took a step closer, Kujo’s Akogare appeared in a burst of light as he prepared to attack, only to pause as Jack acted with his blade. ”I see, I see…” Reappearing somewhat further off from the group, the figure seemed in an annoyingly pleased mood. Hearing how they couldn’t dispel the darkness from this world completely, Kujo’s eyebrow raised as he glared at the figure.
What do they mean? Was there any point in putting any weight into their words, anyway? ”I think there’s one last thing worth letting you know…” It seemed they weren’t going to attack, though something about the figure’s tone and demeanor seemed foreboding nonetheless. Kujo kept his guard up, his guardian hovering at his side with its galaxy gaze trained on the figure. ”If you wanna know more about that key…I’d suggest following the Heartless’ trail,” How was one supposed to follow such mindless creatures? Didn’t they simply attack worlds at random? No, they attack worlds out of balance… Recalling the information Alice had shared with him after first joining the Brigade, Kujo couldn’t help but ponder the figure’s words with a new suspicion.
If someone is controlling them, though…there would be a rhyme or reason to the patterns of attacks, wouldn’t there? Would his own world be included in that pattern? Was what had made this world important that odd machine they had found in the mansion basement? Were the those powerful enough to control the Heartless? The person in black. Though it seemed not to be the figure before them, there certainly was proof of someone being capable enough to control the Heartless, or at least corrupt a world with them. ”Do me a favor and make this entertaining…Polar.” Disappearing as Jack slashed at the air, the figure left with a foreboding warning and an odd farewell. Polar? For a moment, Kujo glanced over at Jack with a quizzical expression behind his eyes before looking between the others.
”Well, looks like they’re gone…for now.” Sighing in mild irritation, Kujo dug into the inner pocket of his cropped jacket. ”You might not know them, Jack, but they seem to know you.” Giving the guy a peculiar gaze, Kujo pulled out a cigarette from a beaten up and worn pack. ”Whoever they are, they got more info’ than us, too.” The fact of the matter only worsened the mans scowl as he took a drag, glaring at the empty spot the figure had once been. Whoever the mysterious enemy was, they not only knew Jack, but had some idea about the odd weapon that had appeared for him as well. They called it a ‘key’? No matter how he looked at it though, it looked like a sword. Thinking back to how Jack secured the world’s cores though, as well as the light show regarding the mansion gates from before, Kujo couldn’t argue with the fact it certainly seemed to function like a ‘key’.
Tch—but did they have the information already, or did they swipe it from that machine? It was hard to say how much the figure knew based on their history opposed to information they were apparently competing for. Looks like I’m not the only one interested. Jack would certainly be drawing more attention from now on, by the sounds of it. ”Can’t I catch a break?” It was just getting more convoluted by the day. That said, they had at least been able to get the information Elena needed as well as secure this world’s ‘core’. It was about the only good outcome to this visit so far. Glancing around the forest, still cascaded in the orange light of twilight, Kujo couldn’t help but resent the thought of seeing another sunset.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 26, 2020 17:36:05 GMT -5
With the figure gone, some of the tension left alongside it, but still wary of the warnings it left behind it. Jack frowned as the blade in his hands disappeared in light, but quickly left it aside to help Alice back up. M’Lyn looked wary, just in case things hadn’t ended properly, although the lack of Heartless and silence of the forest helped her conclude that, for the time being, the threat was long gone.
Once Alice stood back up, Jack sighed, looking back to where the figure last stood, frowning. Just as Kujo had pointed out, whoever that was definitely knew Jack —there was no other conclusion. Yet most faces in his recollection while working with the Brigade were blurry, the only vivid faces being Jake, Lid and Elena. His previous unit, having been disbanded a few years ago, were now a faraway memory, and so were the many Navigators Jack worked with before Alice became a proper one.
Not only that, but how come they knew more about them, when it supposedly couldn’t leave wherever it was? If it was from Milennia, then there would’ve been no way for them to know more.
“Tch… This’s a mess, ain’t it…?” Jack groaned, scratching the back of his head.
Alice was a bit lost, yet the info they had all obtained was more than enough. With the world’s core safe and sealed, they could most likely leave, having obtained quite a lot of information through the computer by the Old Mansion. Yet seeing how serious everyone was made her worry, bringing both hands to her chest with a frown.
M’Lyn was wary of enemies jumping to attack, Kujo was annoyed by it all (although that was mostly a usual occurrence) and Jack was concerned about whoever that figure was —all focused on their own things, while Alice felt left behind.
“U-Umm…” she mumbled, catching Jack and M’Lyn’s attention, “Are we… Just gonna stay here, or…?” “…” Jack blinked a few times, but smiled faintly, “Nah, you’re right —we’re done here, by the looks of it. There wasn’t anythin’ else by the Mansion, so… We got all we could.” “Even though we know nothing about that black-cloaked individual or this recent enemy?” M’Lyn frowned, to then shake her head, “Truly, now…” “There you are!”
A familiar voice added to the sounds of people running the team’s way echoed through the trees, Alice flinching and quickly moving behind the nearest person to her —Jack. Hayner, Pence and Olette were running their way, a faint hint of concern before they all beamed a smile with relief, something the Miqo’te couldn’t help but find odd. Had they really left an impression on them?
Olette was carrying a plastic bag, while the other two were empty-handed. All of them stopped their dash as they nearest the group, although Alice wasn’t really liking the amount of people gathering.
In the end, some things would never change.
“We overheard Seifer mentionin’ seeing you guys by the Clock Tower…” Hayner mentioned, “He kept shoutin’, back and forth… Did you guys find what you were looking for, by the way?” “…” Jack nodded, “We did. How was the trip on your end?” he asked back with a cocky grin. “Oh, right —the Heartless didn’t show up, but…” Pence frowned, “It felt sudden…” “Did you do something about it?” Olette asked, receiving a nod, “That’s great!” “They shouldn’t bother anymore” M’Lyn explained, “I assume things’ll go the way they’re supposed to, without those things squirming around and causing trouble.” “Well, whatever it is you did… ‘Preciate it” Hayner grinned, “And, uh…” immediately, a sheepish expression took over him as he scratched his left cheek, “Sorry I doubted you…” “Is… That the reason you came here?”
The friendly demeanor around her caused Alice’s curiosity to flare, coming out of her hiding behind her brother’s figure, thing he noticed with a laugh and a pat to her head. Alice pouted, embarrassed, although the rest couldn’t help but look at it with unease —Olette, in particular, although a sense of relief was written in her face. Reaching for the bag in her forearm, she grabbed four ice-cream bars and handed them over.
“I owed Alice a treat back at the Bistro, but… Y’know how it ended” the girl explained, “So… After we heard Seifer seeing you guys heading this way… I decided to get all of you something!” “This… Is for us…?” Jack asked, a faint skepticism in his tone. “Yeah! It’s Sea Salt Ice-Cream! Go on —try it!”
While Jack was somewhat suspicious, Alice was quick to swipe in —grabbing the stick in Olette’s hand with surprising agility, to then quickly hide back behind Jack. M’Lyn was also looking curious, although mostly due to the fact that, in her world, she had never heard of “ice cream.” A genuine curiosity took hold of her as she reached for the frozen blue treat, nodding in thanks to the girl. Jack followed suit, grabbing both his and Kujo’s to simply pass it on, although he didn’t expect much from the man smoking to relax.
In the end, to each their own.
“…It’s salty…” Alice mumbled, “But… sweet… It’s nice…” she smiled a bit. “Glad you liked it!” Olette beamed a smile. “It’s good, ain’t it?” Pence asked M’Lyn, who’d given it a bite already. “…It definitely has its charm, I won’t deny it” the Miqo’te replied with a stoic nod, “Although when it comes to sweets… I much preffer Jellied Harcot…” “...Huh?”
Jack bit onto his own ice-cream, a childish memory causing him to smile after the tase. Salty, but a sweet aftertaste… He couldn’t help but recall his past with a fonder expression, wondering just how long it had been since he last did that…
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 26, 2020 19:03:13 GMT -5
”Tch…this’s a mess, ain’t it?” It seemed Jack had little idea about the figure’s identity, not that Kujo had gotten his hopes up. Hearing the others debate on leaving this world or not, the man noticed overgrowth moving and rustling in the forest. Throwing his cigarette to the ground and butting it out with his foot in a swift motion, Kujo’s form began to shimmer slightly as he prepared himself. ”There you are!” Seeing the familiar trio emerge, the aura faded as quick as it came, followed by an irritated sigh. It seemed he had been on guard for nothing. Allowing Jack and the rest to do most of the talking, Kujo couldn’t help but silently respect Hayner’s urge to want to reconcile. It was an honorable move—one the man hadn’t expected from an otherwise obnoxious teenager. Seeing Olette expose an array of brightly colored treats, Kujo raised an eyebrow. Ice cream?
It wasn’t something unfamiliar to the man—but the color of it was peculiar. It was almost the same color as a bright sunny sky—not that this world would know what that was like. ”I owed Alice a treat back at the Bistro, but…” Still, it was way too much ice cream for the girl alone to eat. Hearing that the rest were for them, Kujo couldn’t help but blink a bit in mild surprise. Why’d she bother to do that? It wasn’t like the Brigade had done anything for their sake. They had a mission to fulfill, that was all. Shrugging a bit, Kujo took the ice-cream Jack offered him, figuring it was better than wasting another cigarette. Glaring down at the colorful treat, Kujo took a bite, hoping it would soothe his annoyance.
”It’s salty…but…sweet…” The flavors complimented each other well, Kujo couldn’t deny that. It wouldn’t have been his first thought to add ocean-like salt into a sweet treat—but the effect wasn’t bad. ”…It definitely has its charm, I won’t deny it.” Hearing the Miqo’te mention a sweet neither he nor Pence had heard of before, Kujo couldn’t help but smirk himself as he took another bite—finding himself enjoying the taste despite his lack of expressionism. Guess this makes us even. Glancing at the three teenagers, the stoic man finished his ice-cream, keeping the popsicle stick between his teeth to quell his earlier urge. ”If things pop up later, you’re on your own.” Despite the rather gruff comment, Kujo’s gaze seemed less harsh than usual, the barest hint of a smirk on his mouth.
”You’ll have to get stronger.” He knew the kids hearts were in the right place—but they would have all seriously been in trouble if the Brigade hadn’t come in when they did. Being right wasn't enough. If they were going to keep sticking their noses where it didn't belong, they had to have the strength to back it up. ”Tch—and do something about that loud punk in the black hat.” Scowling at the memory of Seifer, having barred their way multiple times during their trip, Kujo couldn’t help but show his annoyance with the absent local. He wouldn’t have minded it so much if they were actually tough, though. ”Well, let’s get going then.” Glancing over at Jack, M’Lyn and Alice, Kujo gave a gesture towards the forest before beginning to walk back towards the Almira, waving a hand without looking back at Hayner, Pence and Olette. ”See ya.”
With that, the man made his way for the ship. He agreed with Alice, there was little reason to hang around here longer than they had to.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 27, 2020 12:20:53 GMT -5
Jack grinned after seeing Kujo bite into the ice cream, figuring he would’ve refused the offer rather than take it. In the end, it was a nice way to wash the bitter moments away —with a simple frozen treat to indicate their mission’s success, even though it wasn’t planned.
Jack’s popsicle stick had something written on it, unlike the others’ sticks —a “winner” alongside a crown. He tilted his head a bit, frowning, but Alice, noticing the word written on the small wooden tool, lamented her luck. M’Lyn muffled a laugh after seeing the reaction, alongside the other trio, while Jack grinned sheepishly, teasing his sister in a silent manner.
”Tch—and do something about that loud punk in the black hat.” Kujo’s mentioning of Seifer caught everyone’s attention, but Hayner was pumped. Knowing that he had to get stronger, while also having seen the Brigade’s display of strength, the teen wasn’t going to simply let the opportunity slide.
“After seein’ you all in action, I’m kinda eager to getting stronger!” Hayner grinned, “I’ll make sure he’s put in place —just watch!” “You’ll be leaving now, though, right?” Olette asked, receiving a nod from both Jack and Alice, “Will you ever come back?” “Hmm…” Jack glanced towards the twilit sky in thought, crossing his arms as he did so, “I dunno… I doubt it’ll be soon-ish, but… I guess we could come back here eventually.” “…” Alice’s eyes shone brightly, eager, before nodding, “Please~?” “Heh —you’re suddenly no turtle, eh, sis?” Jack teased. “We’ll be waiting, if you ever come back!” Pence waved, “We always stick around the Bistro or Tram Common, so if you ever come back, be sure to look there!”
The Brigade waved goodbye as they left Hayner, Pence and Olette by the Old Mansion —a place they wanted to explore just like the group had done before them. Alice was humming cheerfully, now that everything was all over and she’d gotten a sweet treat while she was at it —a perfectly timed leave. Jack, having his “winner” stick in his mouth, folded his hands behind his head as he looked through the sky, calmer and much more confident despite all that happened.
Yet a faint grim thought remained at the back of his head —one he simply couldn’t ignore.
“Whoever they are…”
The figure had left a rather ominous warning, one that overall didn’t simply leave Jack’s head no matter how much he tried to distract himself. Being at the back of the group, it would be rather unnoticeable, but Jack was wondering whether that figure would be chasing their trail, or go its own path.
Regardless of which option was the chosen one, Jack couldn’t afford losing sight of what mattered to him —Kujo and M’Lyn both had showed him how stupid he’d acted, panicking with stubbornness regarding Alice’s safety. He had to grow stronger, if possible.
“Not only that, but… Back at the White Room…” Jack recalled seeing his old self, smirking with mischief as he was question by an illusion of his past, “What was that all about…?”
By the Almira, things were rather peaceful. No one in the nearby area, be it friend or foe, which meant the ship had gone invisible despite standing still, unlike the prior times. Alice headed first, seeing that she was the one in charge of the ship, yet not of the technical problems —that was Jack’s duty. Once inside, she waited for the rest before taking off.
“In the end, we managed through this whole ordeal…” M’Lyn mentioned, taking a spot besides Alice, who was checking everything before departing. “Well… With more trouble than usual…” Alice mumbled, focused on the devices. “You’re partially to blame, you know.” “I-I couldn’t help it!”
Jack looked over at Kujo, a bit on the sullen side, having taken the stick off of his mouth to look at it properly. It didn’t feel right, just tossing it like trash… Choosing instead to saving it in one of his fenny pack pockets, the teen looked at Kujo, a relieved smile in his lips as he came across a rather funny thought.
“Y’know… If I ever do somethin’ like this again… Just punch me immediately?” he asked, scratching the back of his head sheepish, “Well… Without… Killing me, please…”
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Post by hoodwink on Sept 27, 2020 12:59:07 GMT -5
Despite the fact that the mission had ended with a rather foreboding mystery ahead of them, the team seemed to be in good spirits. Kujo felt a slight inner peace at Hayner’s reaction back in front of the mansion. Hopefully he’ll stick with it. When the Heartless had first emerged on SanFransokyo, how many people would have perished if he hadn’t taken those nightly patrols? A world needed a protector, so long as those demons were at bay. Reaching the Almira with the others, Kujo’s gaze lingered over the forestry around them before heading inside, glancing one last time at the twilit sky with only mild contempt this time. ”In the end, we managed through this whole ordeal…” M’Lyn had taken a seat near Alice, seemingly relieved that the mission was over. ”Well…with more trouble than usual…”
The Miqo’te’s jab at Alice brought a faint smirk to Kujo’s lips as he took a seat himself, leaning back and spreading his arms over the back of the furniture he rested on. Catching Jack watching him from the corner of his eyes, he raised an eyebrow while still chewing on his own popsicle stick. ”Y’know…if I ever do somethin’ like this again…just punch me immediately?” Truthfully, Kujo hadn’t expected such a sheepish yet honest request from Jack. A chuckle escaped the usually stoic man as he shook his head, the jovial expression quickly replaced with a stern look. ”Tch—there better not be a next time.” His expression softened a bit as he leaned his head back, gazing up at the ceiling with a hint of a smile on his face. ”But if there is—I’ll keep you in line.” Deciding that was more than enough sentimental dialogue for the day, Kujo glanced over towards where Alice and M’Lyn sat.
”Well, now that we’re done—how about you debrief us on the information we got, Alice?” It seemed despite his good mood, Kujo was still one to stay serious about tasks at hand. There were plenty of things about the Heartless, World Hearts, Darkness, and Jack’s odd ‘Key’ that he still didn’t understand. Not having been one of the ones on the computer back in the mansion, he was curious as to what new intel their team had gathered. There could be something there that tells me more of what I want to know… Kujo hadn’t joined the Twilight Brigade for nothing, after all. He had his own goals and endeavors planned out. Despite cooperating with the rules and missions of the team, Kujo couldn’t lose sight of his main reason for tagging along.
He wanted to learn more about what was going on, in case the threat ever returned to his own world. There was too much about the worlds, the Heartless, and this odd 'key' that seemed to be an important tool in keeping the 'darkness' at bay. He needed answers, and the only way he was going to do that was by traveling to other worlds.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Sept 27, 2020 16:05:00 GMT -5
Jack was caught off-guard by Kujo’s chuckle, something he never expected to hear from him, of all people. Such sudden and surprising noises, now matter how silent they would be, would end up being the most heard, as evidenced by Alice and M’Lyn also turning towards him. His further smile was also a rare sight —perhaps a reward from their successful mission.
“…Are you sure you’re alright, Kujo?” M’Lyn couldn’t help teasing him, an amused smirk written on her lips, “You’re not hurt or anything, are you?”
Both siblings laughed along, the mood quickly shifting to a temporary bantering one, before Kujo rushed to more business-related things. Alice turned towards the screen, much more cheerful now than before, willing to share all the info she could with the team.
It was her job, after all.
“Well… There’s plenty to look at” Alice mentioned after taking a deep breath, “I’ll have to trim some of it, since I haven’t taken a look at all of it yet…” she mentioned, with a somewhat worried look, “Y’know —to make it easier for all of us to follow.” “In the meantime… We’re takin’ off, eh?” Jack grinned, placing both hands on his hips with confidence, “Well… Until we don’t send a report to Elena, we’re drifitin’ off. No slackin’, though!” “You’re one to talk…” M’Lyn mumbled. “Oi! I’m the one keepin’ the Almira up ‘n’ running, mind you! Else, the thing wouldn’t be able to fly!” “And that’s not an easy task…” Alice added, giggling.
As they chatted along, the Almira took off, having gone already through the hard take-off that the siblings had been worried about before. With their mission done and dealt with, the Brigade bid Twilight Town good-bye, remaining in the Space between Worlds until they would either get instructions from their superiors, or found a world of their interest…
[THREAD CLOSED!]
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