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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 23, 2020 13:03:30 GMT -5
Alice smiled, nodding as she went back inside, holding the small bouquet close to her chest with a newfound glee. It seemed sings were driving smoothly, as she’d been able to cash in more than just a reward. It was almost like floating in bliss —a sensation she could honestly get addicted to.
Leaving Kujo and the Genie behind with no one else to listen in, the Navigator made sure to inform Jack about Kujo’s decision, all the while the man settled on his second wish. Genie nodded along, seemingly unfazed by the fact of there being other worlds out there.
Such was his nature as an all-powerful entity, enclosed in a teeny-tiny lamp.
“Oh, so now it makes sense” Genie nodded after the mention, “Since you’re not from this world and all, no wonder… Meh, issues for later” he waved his hands nonchalantly, listening in closely on Kujo’s second wish.
The statement brought Genie into deep thought. Sure, it would be a piece of cake for him, to grant Kujo such power. The way he worded it was easy to understand, too, in how he wanted to traverse the many worlds out there. Humming in agreement, the Genie sighed.
“Well, can’t say anything against it” he shrugged, “Let’s see… How to make it happen…”
Obviously the comment was a way to kill time —the Genie could give Kujo that power in the blink of an eye. It would hardly be noticeable, though, since it wasn’t something that Kujo could witness immediately. With a snap of fingers, Genie came up with an idea. Why not link that power with that entity of his? Obviously, though, he had to ask on how it worked.
“So, you can probably guess, but this isn’t a wish you can physically see immediately” the Genie informed, “I’m wondering… Would it be the same giving you that power, to giving it to that other power you’ve got? I mean, just asking —sometimes, folks aren’t clear.”
The Genie shrugged as he finished. Regardless of the answer, he was going to oblige, and grant Kujo his wish. Without beating around the bush any longer, magic began to gather in his hands. Genie laid back, snapping his fingers as the magic enveloped Kujo. The misty blue magic quickly dispersed around him, although he would hardly feel any changes occur.
“Well, there ya go —1 wish left” the Genie nodded, “Take my word for it —it’s not some power you can see immediately. Maybe you wanna test it out later, though?” he nudged towards the Almira, “People are waitin’ for ya —it’s not nice to leave them hanging.”
Laying horizontally on the air, Genie looked at Kujo rather nonchalantly. In a sense, he wanted to go and meet with the rest, finding it boring to just stay outside. Again, though, it wasn’t like he could disobey the lamp’s current owner.
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 23, 2020 13:44:36 GMT -5
Genie’s nonchalance about other worlds was a genuine relief and vague annoyance. Kujo typically was the type to account for all possibilities, only to be disappointed at the one he most suspected typically coming true. ”Well, can’t say anything against it.” Despite Genie agreeing to the wish, they seemed lost in thought on how to make it happen. ”So, you can probably guess, but this isn’t a wish you can physically see immediately.” Nodding along, Kujo grimaced a bit at that fact, though he had seen it coming. That being said, it wasn’t as though he doubted the Genie’s powers or honesty. Despite his gruff and slightly uncharismatic personality, the man had decent perception and insight when it came to people’s intentions and words.
He had had to be, after all, considering his own history…
”I’m wondering…would it be the same giving you that power, or giving it to that other power you’ve got?” Genie’s question was a fair one, though it only made Kujo shrug. ”Doesn’t make a difference. We’re one in the same.” Though he wasn’t sure what had awakened his Akogare, over the past two and a half years, the man had come to understand it well enough. It wasn’t simply a part of him—it was him. The him on the inside—the will of the heart itself. How Kujo had come to understand this was difficult to explain, but some things couldn’t be fathomed with explanations alone. After his response, Genie welled up his magical powers, the blue mist beginning to disperse around the man in lavender.
Sure enough, nothing felt different whatsoever. Thankfully it wasn’t a shock, as the djinn had warned him of that. ”Take my word for it—it’s not some power you can see immediately. Maybe you’ll wanna test it out later, though?” Kujo nodded—unbothered by the lack of immediate ‘proof’. Not only had Genie displayed his powers, but they had had the opportunity to cut-tail or betray them by now and he hadn’t. Allowing the djinn to go with Aladdin had been a mild test in that sorts—as Kujo didn’t believe even Genie could deal with the consequences of betraying him. Having showed his faith, Genie had earned a begrudging trust from the man.
”People are waitin’ for ya—it’s not nice to leave them hanging.” Genie’s reminder brought a sigh to the stoic man, who took one last gaze around at the vast desert. I’ll pay her a visit after this mission, then. Now he had something to look forward to, at least. If he had been alone, the man may have even gave a faint smile. ”Whatever.” Walking back up the bridge and into the ship, Kujo would lead the Genie into the common area of the ship, where Alice and Jack (maybe even M’Lyn?) would be, finishing up with the preparations or eating already. Despite his Akogare keeping him in pique physical condition, it wasn’t like the man no longer was human.
The smell of steak and potatoes was a welcome one, even to one as cold and brusque as he.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 23, 2020 15:35:36 GMT -5
At the lounge room, Jack was just cutting into the meat, dividing it in four equal pieces. M’Lyn had apparently been lured in by the smell, as she had to admit the finesse of the teen’s cooking. Surprising, really, given that the life she knew about the two hardly had any mentions of being able to cook. Maybe he was one of those people —blessed in ways that would make certain aspects perfect, although not without their flaws.
A surprisingly accurate depiction, really.
Alice was helping set up, but stopped as she saw Kujo and the Genie walking in, mostly surprised with the latter joining in. Jack had noticed, but didn’t say anything against it. After all… Wasn’t Kujo the master of the lamp, so long as he still had at least a wish left, or he lost hold of the lamp?
It’d make sense why the Genie would follow.
“Should we add a fifth spot?” M’Lyn joked, a coy smirk written in her lips as she closed her book. “Oh, don’t worry about me —just followin’ the boss around” the Genie shrugged, “Although, I’ll admit… That does look like a good piece of steak.” “I’ll be takin’ that compliment, thank you” Jack smirked back.
Aside that comment, he didn’t say a thing, instead serving everyone equal portions. He was happy with the result —a perfect medium-rare underneath a great sear, with golden potato chips with some herbs. While the teen served, the girl brought the plates to everyone, a small smile in her face, but nothing else when it came to words.
She was shy, in the end —it wasn’t like she would open easily.
“So? Why’d you come back so quick?” Jack asked, glancing over at the Genie, “I thought it’d take you some time…” “Meh, not really” the Genie shrugged, sitting down on one of the uncomfortable couches, “It was just making sure things went smooth, right? Jasmine’s back up, and she’ll get things sorted out for you lot. Of course, it won’t get moving until early tomorrow…” “So, we’re playin’ waiting game again… Happens a lot with these kinda things…” “You’re awfully annoyed” M’Lyn mentioned, having taken a bite of her plate. “Well, why wouldn’t I be? Whatever these rookies were doin’ was definitely the worst way to act.” “Rookies?” Alice tilted her head. “Apparently” Jack shrugged, “Aside perhaps Lancer —one of the two we haven’t met—, the whole team’s a buncha rookies. They finished trainin’ not long ago, and then were sent out.” “Hmm…” “Yeah… I can’t tell if standards have been lowered, or if we’re under pressure…” Jack sighed, biting rather bitterly at the piece of steak he’d cut, “Regardless, it don’t look really nice, does it?” “You think we’ll go back eventually?” M'Lyn asked, curious. “Wouldn’t surprise me. For now, though… We gotta wait ‘till this unit’s up and runnin’ again, before we leave.”
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 23, 2020 16:03:47 GMT -5
”Should we add a fifth spot?” M’Lyn coyness brought a faint smirk from Kujo, who had already walked over near where Jack was finishing serving the meat—smelling it with an impressed look on his face and a raised brow. ”You know your beef.” Before the emergence of his Akogare Kujo had always been the type to prepare his own food. Living the lifestyle he had, the man had always prioritized and enjoyed high quality meat. ”Oh, don’t worry about me—just followin’ the boss around.” Genie’s comment made Kujo wonder if the djinn was similar to him in the sense where he didn’t actively require sustenance.
While Jack served, Kujo found his own seat at the table and gave a short nod of thanks to the siblings after getting his own plate. ”So? Why’d you come back so quick?” Jack’s question caught Kujo off-guard as the Genie answered. Truthfully the man had thought Genie had taken his sweet time getting back. Hearing how the process to free the other unit members wouldn’t begin until tomorrow, Kujo shrugged as he took a bite of the steak. ”So, we’re playin’ a waiting game again…” Unlike Jack, the man in lavender seemed unbothered by the wait. For once, he was thankful for the time. He needed it to prepare for his last wish, after all.
Jack’s critique of the unit made sense—Kujo understood why their current mission had the teen so touch-and-go. Of course he wasn’t going to share that fact, though. ”Whatever. We need some time to go over their intel anyway.” Kujo took another bite as he glanced at Jack. ”It'll tell us if they’ve run into anything like what we’ve seen, or are looking for.” World ‘cores’, the overwhelming Heartless, bizarre ‘keys’—there were a lot of things the members of the Brigade still didn’t know about. If the other unit had any clues or other intel on anything hinting towards any of these, it would be worth it.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 23, 2020 16:40:34 GMT -5
Jack sighed, although he had to acknowledge Kujo’s insight. He had only uploaded the data, not rummage thought it. The teen had been hasty in the approach, although mostly because he was more focused on paying Alice back with her reward. It wasn’t like he would focus on info when he already had something else to tackle.
After dinner, though, he had the option to do so.
“You ain’t wrong” Jack admitted, “They might have stuff we don't —that much, I’ll leave room for doubt.” “You really do not trust them, huh…?” M’Lyn asked, amused. “Don’t have to.”
The teen’s reply, nonchalant and emotionless, caught both Alice and the Miqo’te’s attention. It was an unusual occurrence, to see him not care at all about other people —or bother to trust them. While M’Lyn found it odd, given that she had never seen him like that, Alice frowned with worry, but said nothing.
It would only dampen the mood.
Things went back silenly, not even the Genie daring to speak up. Jack finished soon after, nodding with a faint smile as he muttered his thanks, before leaving back to the Bridge. Alice looked with an unamused pout, but, once more, she didn’t say a word. Instead, she focused on what was left of her meal, smiling softly after each bite.
She had to admit that, even if things had gone somewhat sour, the meal was enough to lift her mood. It was just that good…
Slowly but surely, each member would go their ways after finishing their meals. Alice decided to head and sleep, and M’Lyn just resumed with her reading. Jack would stay by the Bridge analyzing the info, without much else to do, not that he wanted to do something else, anyways. He was trying to find anything that could help, although hardly any info the other unit had was what he was looking for.
Nothing about his key, and barely anything about the Heartless —it was, at the end of the day, something he had seen coming.
“How long will it take before I get the answers I need…?” he groaned silently and annoyed.
The was, however, a small log that piqued his interest. It was a log recorded by Lancer, mentioning a peculiar figure that Jack was more than familiar with already. A black, humanoid figure —a projection, of sorts, comprised with pure darkness. Jack gritted his teeth, bitter.
They were there, after all.
“We’ve got no leads on where they could be… I bet Lancer’s got an idea” Jack nodded to himself.
That still left his current options limited —if he wanted to get the info he wanted, he had to ask Lancer himself. Surely the other unit’s leader would be able to guide him to where they last met.
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 24, 2020 11:06:04 GMT -5
”You ain’t wrong.” Jack seemed to admit it begrudgingly, clearly suspicious of the ‘rookie’ team. It made Kujo smirk a bit as he took another bite of his food, holding back a sigh. It made sense—though clearly it weighed on the teen, given his response to M’Lyn’s otherwise good humored jab. Though Kujo could understand Jack’s distrust and didn’t find it too dampening, it was clear both Alice and the Miqo’te felt that it wasn’t a good fit on the teen. Tch—would it kill them to be less carefree? A little cynicism was healthy, in the man’s opinion—especially considering the fact that Jack’s own past had proven to him that he should be cautious. In a way, they were similar in that regard.
Finishing the meal in a vaguely uncomfortable silence, Jack was quick to depart. Kujo kept his mouth shut—not being the type to discuss others when they weren’t present, finishing his meal shortly after. Seeing as how Alice was quick to rest and M’Lyn returned to her reading, the man grumbled a sigh as he made his way into the kitchen. ”Can’t I catch a break?” Then again, it wasn’t like he did much else on the ship—or had much else to do. Only with a bit of resentment, the man began to clean the dishes from the meal made. With how good it was, Kujo knew Jack and Alice had put their all into it. It seemed even if he complained and did things begrudgingly, he was indeed considering them with his actions.
After all, they had become quite the team, as of late…
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 24, 2020 15:20:29 GMT -5
Jack was caught into the info, although as soon as he got an idea, he turned hearing a rather familiar sound. He tilted his head with a frown, wondering who it was. Shutting the screens down for the time being, he headed back to the lounge, only to find Kujo cleaning.
“Y’know you could’ve just left ‘em there, right?” he asked, calmly, “It’s not like you had to, y’know.” “Leave it” M’Lyn sighed, closing her book once more, and standing back up to help Kujo, “Don’t you have things to do?” she asked Jack, as she helped dry the plates and save them in the proper spot. “I got the bits I needed, but I can’t confirm it just yet —need Lancer for that." “In other words, tomorrow… What, exactly, is it that you need to confirm?” “…They might be here.”
Jack’s sudden seriousness caused M’Lyn to glance back, with just if not more seriousness in her expression. There was a hint of fire in Jack’s eyes —one that gave M’Lyn a red flag. The Miqo’te’s ears perked up, finally coming up with an idea.
“What, exactly, are you up to?” she asked, her tone cold. “I ain’t gonna bail on ya, don’t worry” Jack shook his head, “If they really are here, I ain’t gonna chance it. It’s most likely the reason why the other unit’s in such disarray.” “And so, you want to ask their leader about it?” “I can’t say whether they met or just saw ‘em, but I’d like to know regardless” Jack shrugged, “But for that, I need to talk with Lancer. And I can’t go talk to him ‘till tomorrow.” “Will you even sleep through this, I wonder?” the Miqo’te teased, “Or are you going to stay up?” “I’ve got my plans, but rest assured, I ain’t gonna bail on you.” “You’d do better telling Alice than us, you know that?”
Jack chuckled with a smirk as he waved his way out, ready to call it a day. After they were finished cleaning, M’Lyn would leave after Kujo back to her room. Things would go smoothly and peacefully, allowing the team some rest before the break of next day’s dawn…
[TIME SKIP]
Jack dropped out of the Almira, feeling once more the annoying desert heat, yet it had suddenly grown on him. It wasn’t as annoying as before, although perhaps he’d gotten used to it. M’Lyn was just as before, calm and collected despite the heat around her. Alice had decided to stay back once more, mostly because she still had things to do.
“So?” Jack asked the Genie, looking expectantly, “They should be goin’ out now, right?” “Town should be waking up, yeah” the Genie agreed, “If we’re lucky, we’ll meet them at the Palace’s entrance.” “Lead the way, then” the teen smirked. “Ah, well… Then let’s make it quick.”
The Genie whistled loudly, the sound echoing through the empty desert. Within seconds, the Carpet was there, waiting to get going. Taking on a train attendant by conjuring a cap and placing it on his head, the Genie then brought a whistle to his mouth as he played along one last train call.
“All aboard the Carpet Express with destination to Agrabah!” he called. “We’ll… Be using this…?” M’Lyn seemed uneasy. “Hey, any new experience is a good one” Jack shrugged with a smirk, “C’mon —don’t be a party pooper!” “Guh…”
Jack jumped over the Carpet, eager and ready to head out. Once Kujo and M’Lyn were up the Carpet, it would take no time to arrive to the Palace’s Entrance, where Aladdin, Jasmine and the other two members they were looking for would be waiting.
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 24, 2020 17:08:52 GMT -5
”Y’know you could’ve just left ‘em there, right?” Though Kujo had his back to the lounge area, Jack’s voice rang out clear, signaling his return. Shrugging a bit, Kujo was already mostly done with the washing as M’Lyn walked up to begin drying. Giving the Miqo’te a faint smirk in thanks, Kujo waved a hand without turning to Jack. ”Whatever. It had to get done.” Seeing as how he was out here, he either had finished looking over the intel or abandoned it. It was soon made obvious it had been the former. ”…They might be here.” Kujo paused, finally turning in the kitchen to look over at Jack in the lounge, a raised brow on his expression of intrigue. ”You mean that ‘projection’ we ran into?” He seemed to have a look of seriousness on his face equivalent to Jack’s. Elena still hasn’t reached out, either. The identity of the shrouded figure was still a mystery.
All they knew was that they were connected to Jack’s past, somehow. ”What, exactly, are you up to?” M’Lyn seemed less than trustful of the teen’s goals. It made Kujo smirk as he glanced at her, crossing his arms before giving a faint sigh of mild exasperation. He couldn’t blame her, though. Not after what had happened on Twilight Town. ”I can’t say whether they met or just saw ‘em, but I’d like to know regardless.” It seemed Jack had to wait until he could speak with this ‘Lancer’ guy from the other unit. One of the members currently in prison. It seemed they had nothing to do but wait until tomorrow. After everyone dispersed, Kujo would make his own way back to his room, ruminating over the countless mysteries they’d run into so far before eventually falling asleep.
Kujo waited patiently for Jack and M’Lyn, having stepped out earlier in the morning to survey the area and smoke. The desert was as quiet as ever. It was almost suspicious. ”So? They should be goin’ out now, right?” Jack was quick to get down to business, asking the Genie to lead the way back into town. ”Ah, well…then let’s make it quick.” Kujo raised a brow as the Genie whistled, piercing the air and echoing across the vast sea of sand. Upon the carpet’s arrival, Kujo sighed a bit as he glanced at the magical transportation. Can’t I catch a break? Could it really hold all of them?
”All aboard the Carpet Express with destination to Agrabah!” Genie’s costume and grandiose caused Kujo to roll his eyes, though the hint of a smirk played at the corner of his mouth. Would it kill him to be more serious? M’Lyn’s unease only added to the good humor, causing Kujo to raise both brows at the woman with a devious look on his face. ”What? You afraid of heights?” He stepped onto the carpet with ease, his hands in his pockets as he remained standing despite the inconsistent footing. The balance seemed to require no effort, hardly impeding him any as he waiting for it to take off.
Once launching into the air, Kujo would survey the vast desert below as they made their way to Agrabah—watching for any signs of Heartless.
Or the other enemy they’d come to know…
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 25, 2020 6:07:06 GMT -5
At Kujo’s tease, Jack chuckled, trying his hardest to muffle the laugh that had come to him, all the while M’Lyn glared. Despite it not being an ill-meant tease, it sure hit a sour spot. Clicking her tongue, the Miqo’te reluctantly had admitted defeat, although she would surely come with some payback later on.
Once the group landed and rejoined with Aladdin, the other two members would hardly try to hide their surprise after seeing Jack —although most particularly his uniform. Seeing this, the teen sighed, unamused, and looked away for a bit before finally establishing conversation.
First, though, a “thanks” was due to the local who helped them.
“Don’t sweat it” Aladdin waved off, “I said it, didn’t I? I owed them back. Although Jasmine’s more to thanks for this…” he smirked, looking at the princess standing beside him. “So? What’s going on?” the man of the pair asked, his tone calm and collected yet with some harshness behind it. “You’re Lancer, I take it?” Jack asked, “So, you also don’t know what you got caught into?” “Somewhat —I didn’t expect another unit to show up.” “This, again…?” M’Lyn groaned. “Imma skip on the details, ‘cause honestly this has been more than enough of a headache…” Jack shook his head, “There’s somethin’ I want to ask ya. You encountered someone here, right? Someone who framed you.” “Ah —you know who they are?” the girl asked. “Depends. I’ve got no idea on who you saw” Jack shrugged, coy. “…It was like a projection” Lancer explained, “We only saw a glimpse of them, but they were causing trouble alongside the Heartless, no doubt. Before we could catch up to them, though, we were surrounded, and now… We’re here.” “It is them…” Jack brought one hand to his chin, mumbling, “Why would they do that, though…?” “Something up?” “…No” Jack shook his head, looking at Lancer, “I take it you’re done here?” “We were here gathering intel, but we didn’t get much… Most of the time was spent trying to keep it down” Lancer groaned, looking away, “I know what went wrong, though —you don’t need to shove it down my throat.” “That’s good, at least…” M’Lyn said, bitter, “We caught ourselves in quite the mess because of your incompetence.” “Haa…” the girl glanced over at Lancer, “Should we regroup, then?” “Yeah. ...We owe you” Lancer said, walking past Jack, still stoic, “But that’s it —don’t expect any sort of reward from me, you hear?”
With that, the pair left. Corrine waved with an uneasy smile, but Lancer’s demeanor wasn’t one she could fight against, and so was forced to follow. Jack smirked with unease, glancing back as he tucked his hands into his pockets.
“If ya can’t handle the heat, then don’t play with fire, dumbass…” he mumbled. “So? Now what?” M’Lyn asked, “We’re done here. So are we leaving?” “You can go back with Alice” Jack said, looking back at her and Kujo, “We finished the mission, yeah, but Imma follow another lead.” “You don’t even know where they were headed.” “True —he gave me jack shit to know where they are” Jack shrugged, amused, “But if they are here, then I’m sure I know what they’re after. That’s why I’m sayin’ you don’t need to tackle along.” “…You’d go on your own? Are you braindead?” M’Lyn berated, “You are aware that they’re after you, as well, and yet you’d run straight towards them?” “Hence why I’m sayin’ ya don’t need to come along —I can handle it myself.” “I hardly believe you.”
Jack clicked his tongue, amused, but didn’t say much more —his mind was set. There wasn’t a lot stopping him from going after the figure —he didn’t have to protect anyone if he went alone. Obviously, though, that was his view. M’Lyn seemed to think differently.
But it wasn’t part of the mission —Kujo and M’Lyn had no obligation to follow along with the plan.
“Is… This a normal thing between y’all?” the Genie asked Kujo, curious, “Or…?”
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 25, 2020 11:59:04 GMT -5
Arriving in Agrabah near the palace, where Aladdin waited with the other members, Kujo stepped off of the carpet and glanced around at the large royal structure in the near distance. Talk about grandeur… It seemed even if royalty was a more historic concept on his world, it really was alive and present on this one. As Jack thanked Aladdin on the team’s behalf, Kujo’s stern emerald gaze fell on the other two unit members. So—these are the last missing members? Truthfully no one on this new unit’s team seemed to stand out exceptionally to him. ”You’re Lancer, I take it?” Jack seemed over the fact that no one from this unit had had any clue of their coming—or the mess they had gotten themselves into.
Kujo shared the sentiment. ”You encountered someone here, right? Someone who framed you.” Jack had had the same suspicion as him—it seemed they were really on the same page lately. It was somewhat bizarre, but welcome. ”It was like a projection. We only saw a glimpse of them,” It seemed to be exactly who Kujo and Jack were thinking of. Tch—pain in the ass. At least it meant he had the opportunity to cross paths again. He’d settle the score one way or another. If Jack’s bizarre weapon could hurt even the projection, there had to be some loophole he was missing. ”We caught ourselves in quite the mess because of your incompetence.”
M’Lyn’s harsh reproach caused Kujo to smirk as he eyed her, crossing his arms and giving a faint sigh. She wasn’t wrong—it seemed even the other unit members could recognize that. ”Yeah…we owe you.” Departing to regroup with the others, Kujo watched the pair leave with an exasperated gaze, giving a nod to Corrine as she gave an uneasy wave in departure. It seemed their mission was complete. ”So? Now what? We’re done here.” Though their mission was complete, part of Kujo wanted to sniff out the mysterious figure that had plagued them from before. The lack of information they had around such an annoying enemy was a consistent thorn in his side.
”We finished the mission, yeah, but Imma follow another lead.” Jack’s comment caused Kujo’s eyes to narrow in suspicion as he grimaced. Is he really trying this again? He knew what the teen was getting at before he even said it. They had been thinking too similarly for too long, after all. It was bound to end at some point. ”You’d go on your own? Are you braindead?” Sighing as M’Lyn berated Jack, Kujo pinched the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, furrowing his brow in annoyance. How many times had they had this conversation before? ”Is…this a normal thing between y’all?” Genie had come to rest beside Kujo, leaning in to ask his question with a perplexed look. ”Annoyingly—yes.” Despite Jack’s pseudo title of ‘Leader’, the teen clearly had little experience doing any real ‘leading’.
”Getting more intel on that bastard isn't a bad plan—“ Kujo gave a stern look to the teen, crossing his arms and giving a faint scowl. ”But even if your weapon can hurt that projection—it’s stupid to go alone.” M’Lyn had already pointed out why: Jack and his bizarre ‘key’ were the main targets of interest for that weird shade. If Jack was simply being cocky, or ignoring those factors altogether, either way Kujo wasn’t entirely impressed. ”Tch—haven’t you learned anything from the last job?” Rather than a harsh gaze, the man wore one that almost looked more exasperated than annoyed.
Of course, his face remained stoney and stoic, creating a rather brusque vibe to it all. ”If you want to look into it, we can. But if you're planning on running off ahead, I'll stop you.” He was thinking of Alice—the girl’s last question to him. ”Do you know why he does that?” Kujo himself acted in a similar way—but the difference was the situations they found themselves in after doing it. Jack had quite the streak of bad events unfolding after he rushed off on his own. You idiot. Don’t make her worry if she doesn’t have to. Was it simply pride?
Either way, Kujo gave the teen a leveled look—one that showed he wouldn’t be easily convinced to do otherwise.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 25, 2020 12:44:06 GMT -5
Glancing over at Kujo was enough to get the sentiment across. Cocky as usual, Jack simply grinned with unease as both M’Lyn and Kujo seemed against his plan —at least for the most part. The reminder of last time hardly did anything, as Jack simply looked away as the grin in his face vanished.
He did learn —but not in the way the others had expected. It was more being conscious of what he could do alone and what he couldn’t. That didn’t mean he would leave it at that, though —he had to become stronger by any means necessary.
”If you want to look into it, we can. But if you're planning on running off ahead, I'll stop you.” Jack was caught off guard by the last comment, blinking in confusion as Kujo voiced his opinion on the matter. M’Lyn glanced with a bit of skeptical thoughts in mind, but she wasn’t against it. Unable to do much but grin with unease, Jack looked at Kujo with a tease in mind.
“Didn’t think you’d worry ‘bout me” he said, “I thought you just went to the beat of your own drum.” “Much like you?” M’Lyn asked, dumbfound, “Do you know how hypocritical you sound right about now?” “Oh, I’m aware” Jack shrugged, glancing over to M’Lyn, “It’s just odd seein’ you two worry ‘bout someone else, is all.” “Seriously, what’s with you? Have you forgotten we’re a team?” “No —it’s just this ain’t exactly teamwork I’d expect from you two.”
M’Lyn’s emotionless glare only served to amuse Jack further. Even though he was openly teasing them of it all, he had ulterior motives to go behind. He could trust them enough to know that they had his back, but that was about it.
What he was after wasn’t a fight —it was intel. If the projection was there… He wanted a few private words with them, even if the option was a risky one. Stretching a bit, Jack began to head out, glancing over at M’Lyn and Kujo one last time.
“Well, if y’all wanna follow along, be my guest” he determined, “It’s not like I need babysittin’, but if you wanna do it that badly, well… Who’m I to stop ya?” “Seriously —that attitude of yours gets a lashing from my part” M’Lyn scowled, “Are you playing around again?” “Nope —I’m serious. It just feels like this is somethin’ I need to do for myself. But if you wanna tag along —again, who’m I to stop y’all?” “Do you mind if I tag along, then?” Aladdin asked, placing both hands in his hips as he voiced it, “Whoever you’re after is also controlling those things, right? The Heartless, you called ‘em?” “…Why’d you wanna tag along?” Jack asked, curious, stopping in his tracks. “I wanna give them a piece of my mind, is all. They wanna mess around in Agrabah, but I’m not letting them go scott-free —not when I can do something about it.” “Man, Al —you’ve grown a lot, haven’t you?” the Genie asked, proud, “That’s mah boy!”
Aladdin simply grinned wide, and Jack just gave up and allowed him to tag along, reluctant. Even if he was adamant to going alone, he knew neither Kujo or M’Lyn would allow him —they had made that clear from the start. Fighting against it would only serve to prove their point, not his own —he knew it was a fight he couldn’t win.
Still, where to start? The city was large, and searching around for a slippery enemy would be tricky in such a crowded space. Able to blend in with the shadows, the mysterious enemy they were after was a tough one to track —especially given the fact that their devices couldn’t track it whatsoever, as Alice had stated before.
“…Do you have any idea?” Jack thought to himself, aiming to get answers from that voice once more. “Well, maybe” the voice answered quickly, “You’ve been there already, though. There’s so many places they could go.” “The Cave of Wonders? Really?” “You encountered a strong enemy there, didn’t you? Why wouldn’t they be there?” “Then why the hell did that blade not react?!” “…Sometimes, the core won’t show itself that easily. You have to lure it out.”
Jack clicked his tongue as he headed forward, frustrated. If there was something that annoyed him was backtracking —one of the things he couldn’t stand at all. Why did he have to go back to a place he’d already been to before? It never made sense to him. Still, if their enemy was headed there… Why hadn’t they seen them?
“Oh... I didn’t expect you to show up here. Took care of those troublemakers for me, didn't you?”
There it was —the annoyingly childish voice Jack couldn’t put a face with. A voice that was extremely familiar, but he couldn’t recall who they were. Jack glanced up above, finding the figure sitting by the edge of one of the many flat-roofed houses. A crooked smile —much like the Heartless’— was written across their face, looking above Jack with clear pride. The teen glared back, but didn’t move an inch.
“Well, this makes things easier, don’t it? You showin’ up boldly like this…” Jack asked, his tone cold and serious. “Boldly?” the figure asked, tilting its head with glee and giggling, “I’m not sure what you’re getting at…” “Cut the crap —you’re here for somethin’, aren’t you?” “Well, duh. Although… I’m not so sure I want to let you get hold of the core this time —not when I know what happens after you seal it.” “Heh…” Jack grinned, “The more reason to chase after it.” “You think I’ll just let you off like that? The last unit was also a nuisance, sticking their noses in the same thing as you now. There’s a reason why I did what I did —to keep you lot out of it.” “Sorry, but it ain’t happenin’.”
With one hand, Jack called onto the blade with a shimmering light, but the figure was quick to disappear at the sight of it. Still, their obnoxious giggling was heard all over, taunting Jack to no end as his grip on the blade tightened even further.
“Alright, then… Want to play that game again? This time, though…” the voice spoke, amused, “If I win, I’ll devour this world dry, with you lot in it. Try to hurry up —I’d like to give you a winning chance, after all…”
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 25, 2020 13:02:27 GMT -5
Jack’s lackadaisical and slightly hypocritical response only brought a scowl to Kujo’s face as the man shoved his hands into his pockets. Tch—brat. He was definitely a thorn in the man’s side—but it wasn’t nearly as bad of a hassle as it would be if he let the teen go alone. With how worried Alice would be, Kujo would rather tag along for the venture, to avoid further issues down the line. ”Whatever.” Shrugging at the teen’s cocky demeanor, Kujo only seemed mildly annoyed—apparently not letting the teasing get too much under his skin. Clearly Jack was putting up a front for his own reasons. ”Do you mind if I tag along, then?” Glancing over at Aladdin, Kujo raised an eyebrow.
”Why’d you wanna tag along?” Jack seemed just as surprised, if not moreso. It wasn’t every day that people jumped at the opportunity to get involved with the Heartless—or those controlling them. ”I wanna give them a piece of my mind, is all.” It seemed the self proclaimed street-rat found an indignation in allowing another to meddle in his worlds affairs. Huh. He hadn’t expected so much valor or honor from a thief. ”Man, Al—you’ve grown a lot, haven’t you?” Genie seemed impressed as well. Jack seemed to be deep in contemplation—staring off vacantly before clicking his tongue and heading forward.
”Oh…I didn’t expect you to show up here.” The familiar voice caused Kujo’s emerald eyes to snap towards the rooftops of the many buildings around them. Sure enough, the dark figure that had plagued them at Twilight Town was there, sitting with a smug look on their shadowy projection of a face. Though it wouldn’t have taken much for Kujo to reach them—he had already tried facing off against the projection before. Until he figured out what this ‘loophole’ was, his Akogare had no effect. It irritated him to no end, causing his teeth to grit as his fists clenched in his pockets. ”Cut the crap—you’re here for somethin’, aren’t you?” The figure only seemed amused at Jack’s annoyance.
”Well, duh. Although…I’m not sure I want to let you get a hold of the core this time—“ Hearing that the figure knew what happened after these ‘cores’ came to a ‘close’, Kujo’s brow raised in intrigue. Though the figure was quick to depart at the sight of Jack’s bizarre ‘key’, their giggle and voice could still be heard over the din of the city. ”Alright, then…want to play that game again?” Kujo grimaced and sighed, rolling his eyes a bit. ”This asshole and games.” It was never NOT annoying with this person, was it? Despite his increased senses with his Akogare, Kujo couldn’t see the figure anywhere. They were truly gone.
”So—you got a clue as to where they went?” Kujo glanced over at Jack. If the teen didn’t have a lead, Kujo would begin the search with his inhuman speed.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 25, 2020 13:38:02 GMT -5
”So—you got a clue as to where they went?”
Jack nodded, looking towards the exit of the city once the figure left the scene. M’Lyn seemed just as annoyed as Kujo, only wondering what the game would be this time. The leader of the group took no time in sharing the only place they had been to —the only place that could have what they were after.
“The Cave of Wonders —that’s the only place that fits” Jack said, serious. “Why there?” Aladdin asked, “We went there before, didn’t we? And yet we found nothing…” “…Just keep it at a hunch.” “For the love of the Twelve —this, again?” M’Lyn growled, “Once more, your ‘hunches’ kick in, don’t they?” “They haven’t been wrong ‘til now, have they?” Jack asked with a smirk. “That’s not what I meant, you know that?” “Let’s get goin’ —the more time we spent here talkin’, the more chances we’re givin’ them to obtain what they want.”
With that said, Jack stepped forward, a certain rush to his step as he headed out of the city through the turmoil of people. M’Lyn followed with reluctance, and Aladdin had to slip through the shadows in order to avoid trouble. Perhaps he was honorable, but he was still a thief —one the guards wouldn’t hesitate to capture, despite all that he’d done for the town.
Some things would never change —it was just part of the world’s rules.
As they stepped out of the desert, Jack was surprised to find the Carpet waiting for them, seemingly knowing their intentions before they even came across them. Explaining why that was, Aladdin was quick to ease the group into boarding it, to waste as little time as possible in their travels back towards the Cave of Wonders. Once more, M’Lyn was reluctant, but there was so much she could do when it came to her options.
She wasn’t going to stay behind simply because of one ride.
Flying at an impressive speed, the Carpet led them to their destination. From the air, they would see the figure, looking at the tiger-like entrance of the cave. It seemed to notice their presence, however, but it was almost as if it was toying with them —waiting for them just to deter them.
Snap! The dark whip cut through the air as means of an attack, although it would almost seem as a distraction. Jack was quick to notice, summoning the blade to his hands in the blink of an eye and deflecting the attempt of ensnaring one of them. The sand underneath began to shift, rumble and move, as a massive Heartless emerged from the sand before the Cave of Wonders. The figure seemed to sneer, although from a distance it would hardly be noticeable.
“Wanna show me what you’ve become capable of, Polar?” the figure teased, disappearing as the massive Heartless fully stood over the sand.
Out of its six arms, only two of them wielded weapons, although the size of the things would easily allow it to reach towards the Carpet and slash away. Dodging about, Carpet would meet an invisible wall, unable to flee the scene. Sensing unbalance, M’Lyn jumped up, ushering Jack, Kujo and Aladdin to do the same. While the Carpet tried to stay away from damage, the team would be trapped fighting the Kurt Zisa, with the only exit being their victory over the Heartless.
“Tch —bastard…” Jack mumbled. “They’ll stop at nothing to deter us…” M’Lyn said, brandishing a spear, “We’re not here to lose —understood?!” “Right!”
The Kurt Zisa hissed, its golden cobra-like head glaring at its opponents. Brandishing both blades of silver, it slowly stepped up front, yet its massive reach would allow it some room. Not that Jack cared about it, as he dashed forward to fight, his gaze a determined one.
Once more, he wasn’t willing to lose to whoever that figure was —he was getting his answers.
[Battle! Kurt Zisa]
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 25, 2020 14:19:49 GMT -5
”The Cave of Wonders—that’s the only place that fits.” Kujo grimaced. It seemed they’d have to backtrack across the desert once more. Aladdin’s inquiry into how Jack figured this was only met with the usual vague ‘hunch’ explanation. This, too, was typical. ”For the love of the Twelve—this, again?” M’Lyn literally growled out the sentence—her patience clearly hitting its limit. The sight was enough to ease Kujo’s own annoyance at the situation; though truthfully the man had grown used to the teen getting these ‘hunches’. What he was more intrigued about was where they came from. Resigning himself to Jack’s plan, Kujo figured they didn’t have any other leads. It wouldn’t hurt.
And, as much as he’d loathe to admit it—Jack was right. The guy’s hunches did typically lead them in the right direction.
Not that he’d ever tell the teenager that.
Making their way through the city and back to the desert, the Carpet appeared to still be waiting for them. A relief, really, considering the fact only Kujo was capable of traversing the sand in such a short time otherwise. Though the man smirked at M’Lyn’s reluctance, he remained silent this time. His stoic demeanor would never betray if it was out of pity, respect, or apathy.
Flying through the air, it wouldn’t take long for the group to make out the large tiger head that marked the Cave of Wonders. Snap! The dark whip was deflected by Jack’s bizarre blade, Kujo’s Akogare already emerging in a burst of light to hover beside the man who stood on the carpet. Tch—that didn’t take long. As the sand beneath them began to shift, the large presence that Kujo felt coming caused the man to stiffen with a faint grin on his face. It certainly wasn’t about to be a pushover—at least he hoped. The large Heartless that emerged was baffling—adorned with countless appendages that each wielded flashing curved swords. ”Wanna show me what you’ve become capable of, Polar?”
The familiar taunting voice somehow reached them, despite the loud emergence of the Kurt Zisa and the roaring sands shifting and molding like the tides. Though the Carpet panicked, Kujo glared down at the Heartless with a determined look on his face, his hands in his pockets as he leapt from the flying rug. While the others had landed in the sand to regroup and see what this Heartless was capable of—Kujo had chosen to get a firsthand look. Having leapt from the carpet, the man’s foot was aimed in a harsh kick as he and his Akogare aimed directly for the Kurt Zisa’s head!
Of course, with how many arms there were—the man was expecting some resistance or blocking. Expecting this, his guardian waited until the last moment before unleashing it’s Wakeru ability—hoping to either bash through or match the Heartless’ defense with a flurry of his own. Whether the large armed Heartless deflected the attack or not—one thing was for sure: it was bound to draw its attention. Knowing where his allies skills lied—Kujo had grown accustomed to powering through the frontlines to provide either a punishing assault or a much needed opportunity for the others.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 25, 2020 15:53:03 GMT -5
Kujo’s assault was met with resistance, as the Kurt Zisa raised its upper arms in defense and blocked the first incoming attack. The following Wakeru was met just the same, although the flurry of punches would be enough to make a small dent. It would hardly help deter its attention from the Key-bearer, as the Heartless was more than capable of focusing on multiple enemies at once.
Jack was met with one of the blades the Kurt Zisa wielded, forced into a locked struggle, although one he lost. Breaking his guard, the teen was forced on the defensive as the Heartless spun the blades around, the powerful gusts of wind following scratching his clothes and leaving small cuts on his face and arms. M’Lyn dashed forward, using her spear to try and bypass the Heartless’ defenses, but was met with similar resistance. Aladdin tried to support in the charge, but couldn’t go through the Heartless’ thick defenses.
A fearsome enemy indeed.
“Dammit…!” Jack groaned, frustrated, “I can’t do anythin’…” "Fire then, let me take over!"
The grip in the blade was firm as ever, fueled further by the taunting words of their enemy. He couldn’t fall short now —not in front of his allies, and definitely not against their enemies. His ambition to get stronger triggered something, as the blade shimmered in light and shape-shifted, all the while Jack’s own consciousness fell into slumber.
It was time for his other self to join the fray —his much stronger side.
The guns shot forth a myriad of bullets, as the Cheap Shot cut through the Kurt Zisa’s defensive maneuvers while keeping himself away from the battle by a certain margin. M’Lyn glanced over to see him at the distant offensive, only able to smirk with annoyance as she slashed her guard open, jumping back before dashing forward and cutting through the defensive arms with her Impulse Drive. Aladdin followed suit with a dance of swords of his own, not bothered at all by the heating sand underneath his feet.
Forced to break his defensive posture, the Kurt Zisa took off into the air, before spinning quickly and creating a sandstorm, forcing most people to block in order to avoid becoming blinded. Swiftly with the blads creating thick air blades, the Heartless charged forward towards Jack, deeming him the biggest threat. Dive-bombing without care, the Kurt Zisa aimed to force Jack into a defensive or straight up knock him out of the battle, but the teen had another intention in mind. Just as swiftly, the teen rolled to the side, quickly taking off into the air before aiming his guns towards the exposed back. Pulling both triggers, the bullets shot forth, piercing lights attacking the Heartless’ shell and toppling it.
That’s when the unthinkable happened.
Toppled on the ground, the Kurt Zisa seemed unable to move. Still mid-air, Jack began to take aim, but suddenly the Heartless’ head and neck turned towards him, forcing the teen to hold his fire. Their gazes locked for a split second, before the snake-like head snapped towards the teen, its fangs wide open.
“What?!” “Watch out!”
Alice’s voice shrieked over Jack’s comms, overseeing the battle, just as the attack his its mark. Tossed aside to the ground, Jack struggled to recover. The scar that was once closed had opened faintly, two clear snake bite marks on the teen’s face as they bled out mixing with sweat and sand. Jack wiped it all off bitterly, glaring at the Heartless with relentless fury.
“Bastard…!” he growled.
Spinning around, the teen held one of the guns firmly while the other lashed towards the Kurt Zisa, locking onto its head before unleashing his Finishing Blow, dealing massive damage to the Heartless and leaving it open for an attack.
[Battle! Kurt Zisa]
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 26, 2020 9:42:23 GMT -5
Tsking in annoyance as Jack’s sneaky assault was blocked much like his own, Kujo landed in the sand with a scowl on his face. Can’t I catch a break? He wasn’t cowed yet, though. His Akogare continued to throw powerful armored punches, forcing the large Heartless to keep at least two of its arms occupied at minimum with the fast assault. Bling! Bling! The guardian’s fists rang out with light energy after each hit, a battlecry escaping its expressionless face. Eventually overwhelmed by a myriad of bullets and M’Lyn’s attack, Kujo was about to rush in for the opening when the large enemy lifted off of the sand and into the air.
The sandstorm didn’t effect Kujo much, as even with his eyes covered, he could still see via his Akogare. Spinning and creating a whirlwind of sorts, the large many-armed opponent hurled towards Jack, though the teen avoided the worst of the attack. Creating an opening after sustaining some minor wounds, Jack’s transformation had worked in their favor. Seeing the opening to attack, Kujo emerged at the teen’s side with his Akogare at the ready. ”Disappear.” Glaring at the enemy, Kujo readied his next attack as his entire form seemed to shimmer and mimic his guardian’s—the two winding up for a powerful and insanely fast attack. ”Giro—“
A burst of light—flashed in the desert as Kujo and his guardian appeared behind the enemy—their leg smoldering after delivering the guillotine-like kick. ”—chin!” It was his most powerful attack, when it came to raw strength. Faster than the blink of an eye and swift enough to act as a blade—Kujo’s Girochin ability was as impressive as any swordsman’s finishing move. With the aim to slice the Heartless completely in half down the middle, Kujo turned to look at his handy work.
Of course, he wasn’t too relaxed—in case it hadn’t managed to finish the job.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 26, 2020 10:30:16 GMT -5
Jack had managed to stand up, staggering as the wound seeped with blood. While Kujo took the opportunity the teen had opened, M’Lyn took no time to follow suit. Changing the rod in her hands for a sword and a shield, she charged alongside Kujo and his Akogare to deal a decisive blow. Kujo’s hope would hardly be feasible. While the attack did considerable damage, it didn’t cut the Heartless in half by any means. Standing back up, enraged, it conjured a shield around itself, and began to hover around the sand while conjuring magic. Any attack dealt to the barrier would deal little damage —be it from Kujo’s Akogare, to M’Lyn’s sword and even Jack’s light bullets. The Kurt Zisa hovered above the sand, readying various fire orbs that hovered around it. After reaching some distance to the party, they would explode violently, dealing massive damage to anything in its reach.
“You have to dodge it!” Alice said through their comms, “That barrier seems really tough to break through…” she added with worry. “So, we just endure it?!” M’Lyn growled, bitter. “I-I can’t find anything else…! I don’t know how you can break through it…!”
Jack gritted his teeth, the grip on the guns firm as ever. The annoying barrier didn’t stop him at all as he charged once more into battle. Near the Kurt Zisa, dodging past the Firaga Bombs that exploded when too close to him with uncanny speed, Jack unleashed a powerful Thunder III spell, cutting through the barrier with apparent ease, but not breaking it completely.
He wasn’t letting a simple barrier stop him —not when the Heartless had lashed back and opened a scar with a newfound wound. He wasn’t letting it off easily —he had a fight to win.
Despite the fury behind his actions, Jack’s expression was a calm one, cold and emotionless —complete 180 from his usual attitude. The guns in his hands shimmered in light as they shot forth yet another myriad of bullets, trying to support the Thunder III’s spell in breaking the annoying barrier and opening yet another chance of dealing massive damage.
“Hey, what do you think you’re doin’?!” Jack’s voice echoed in his head, “Give me back control —this is my body!” “You need this power, don’t you? But you’re the one not accepting it” the voice echoed, annoyed, “So long as you don’t acknowledge this power as yours, this’ll keep happening.” “Tch… Like hell I’ll let you just waltz around like that! Give me back control!” “If it wasn’t for this power, you’d be dead by now. You know that, though, don’t you?”
Jack’s voice went silent, while the battle hadn’t stopped at all. The teen was rushing at close-range with the assault of bullets, trying to break through the barrier as best he could. The Kurt Zisa, on the other hand, seemed undisturbed as the damage was absorbed by the barrier. Electric orbs of energy soon rose from the ground around the Kurt Zisa, to then shoot forward towards the rest of the team. It seemed like the Heartless still had a fight within it —it wasn’t letting up its relentless attacks.
[Battle! Kurt Zisa]
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 26, 2020 14:19:16 GMT -5
Kujo sighed as the Heartless only seemed more enraged by his attack, despite the damage it sustained. Figures. He never got it easy, after all. As the Heartless conjured a shield around itself, the man in lavender grimaced as he watched it begin to hover over the sand. ”It’s got magic, too?” Kujo’s exasperation was clear in his tone. Seriously—who the hell taught these things magic?! If the man ever found them, he’d make sure to teach them a lesson. Shining orbs began to launch forth from the creature, causing Kujo to leap back as his Akogare shielded him. Missing the point of impact, the explosion did manage to knock the man back, though he didn’t lose his footing as he skid across the sand.
”You have to dodge it! That barrier seems really tough to break through…” Alice’s voice seemed somewhat panicked, though Kujo wasn’t deterred yet. M’Lyn seemed annoyed as well, though Jack was quick to rush in for another barrage. ”Can’t you dispel it, or something?” Despite the chaos of the battlefield around them, Kujo stood calm and composed, only a mild look of annoyance on his face as he glared at the enemy. Jack’s Thunder spells were working a little with breaching the barrier, but seemed to lack the punch necessary. Tch—of course. He had just used his most powerful attack—even his body needed time to recharge before doing it a second time.
If we can’t break through it… There had to be another method, if M’Lyn lacked a magical solution. His contemplation was cut short by the burst of electricity sent out by the Heartless, though Kujo’s Akogare hovered before him, raising its arms as it punched at the magical orb. Even if it would burst on impact, rather than deflecting, the static energy wouldn’t do nearly as much damage as those swords. With its armored fists, the spirit-like entity protected its host as he readied his next attack. Mimicking its hosts movements, Akogare crossed its plated arms across its broad chest, a light energy beginning to swirl around both Kujo and it.
Bling! BLING! BLIIIIIIING! Unleashing his DokiDoki ability, Kujo assaulted the Heartless with heart-shaped light projectiles, all of which would explode and burst on impact.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 26, 2020 15:40:10 GMT -5
Alongside the electricity of Jack’s previous Thunder III spell, Kujo’s DokiDoki would be enough to break through the barrier, giving Jack a chance to retaliate. Bitter yet calm, the teen aimed once more towards the head. While the body was toppled over the sand, the head was once more snapping about, trying to bite on the first newcomer that approached. This time, though, the teen wasn’t going to get bitten on the face again.
He was claiming his payback now.
”Can’t you dispel it, or something?” M’Lyn groaned, giving Kujo the negative. Nothing on her arsenal would’ve been able to dispel the barrier, although right now it wasn’t necessary. In case it came back, though… The Miqo’te seemed to have picked the weakness of the barrier —the same electricity is had tossed at them before.
She just needed to wait for it. She had to be ready, though.
Jack’s bullets would deal enough damage, but still not enough to defeat it. Recovering once more, yet not standing up, the golden head snapped at the unaware teen, but this time, M’Lyn jumped in. With her shield at the ready, she managed to deflect the attack while receiving minimal damage, but not even a thanks was ushered from Jack’s part after the Miqo’te saved him from a nasty injury. Using the opening, the teen rushed forward, closing his distance to deliver one final blow with both of the guns.
The Heartless let out a loud cry as it disappeared into the air, releasing a heart-shaped light as it did so. Jack staggered, both guns in his hands being dismissed in light, finding it hard to keep his footing together. He suddenly couldn’t remember how he’d gotten there, or how the enemy had been defeated —the entire battle was missing from his memory. Exhausted, he found himself falling on his back, feeling the blood seep all across his face. Groaning, he covered the wound with his hands, unable to do anything else.
“So, I’m not even getting a ‘thanks’ for that?”
Jack managed to look towards M’Lyn, who was just as exhausted as him, yet hardly showing it up front. The arm that had held the shield had a slight bruise, mostly covered by the sleeve she wore, but the torn cloth would reveal a bite mark —most likely from the attack she’d covered for the teen. It was hardly a time to rest, too —they had an enemy to chase after.
“M’Lyn…” Jack groaned, managing to stand back up, “Umm… What am I s’pposed to thank you for…?” “You—!” the Miqo’te irked with rage, “You’re joking, aren’t you?!” “I… Does it look like I’m jokin’?” “Honestly? You’re the kind of person to pull a prank at a time like this.” “What was that?” Aladdin asked, just as tired as everyone else, “That wasn’t a normal one, was it?” “Hardly —that was, by far, the most annoying fight yet” M’Lyn growled. “…” Jack turned towards the Cave, remembering what they’d come for, “C’mon —we can’t waste time.” “Excuse me?!”
M’Lyn was fuming —she hardly received the recognition she had expected, and was rushed after a fight like that? While she understood the reason, words of gratitude would’ve been enough recognition. And she wasn’t even getting that… The Miqo’te sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with annoyance.
The Cave wasn’t teeming with Heartless, but the looming presence of darkness would be all over the place —enough to send chills down anyone’s spine. The least injured was Kujo, by a mile —and M’Lyn’s magic had some restoring to do, unable to heal all of them immediately. Yet they couldn’t wait on her magic to be available —they had an enemy to chase after.
The same room where they fought the Martial Monkey was full of black mist —indicating their enemy’s presence. The figure turned towards them, wasting no time in confronting the injured group. Jack’s gaze strengthened itself, griping his fists so tightly, they hurt. Snickering, the figure smirked, looking over its shoulder as it spoke.
“Huh, so that wasn’t enough to stop you?” they asked, “Interesting… Perhaps you are stronger than how you look…” “…” Jack didn’t answer —only giving the figure an annoyed look. “Okay, fine —play this however the hell you want” the figure shrugged, grabbing onto their whip, “I’m not letting you claim victory this time, Polar.”
Snap! The whip was fast, aiming at the teen’s unguarded wrist. Unable to break it, Jack scowled, trying to pull back as the hand ensnared by the whip called onto the blade in his hands, shimmered with light. The figure sneered, and for a faint second, they would all see who it really was.
A girl, the same age as Jack, with short blonde hair and military clothing. Her light-brown eyes glinted with mischief and tenacity —a look Jack knew by heart. Shocked, the teen’s heart quickly shifted all of its focus into a single point —anger.
“You bitch…!” he growled, bitter. “Oh, so now you know?” the figure asked, “Well… No need to beat around the bush, then, right?”
The figure pulled the whip, but this time Jack managed to break free of the grip and avoid being tossed against the wall, much for the figure’s annoyance. It seemed there was no rest for the restless, as yet another fight broke forth.
[Battle! Mysterious Figure of Darkness]
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 26, 2020 16:58:54 GMT -5
Thankful that the barrier broke apart, Kujo aided Jack in his assault as he and his Akogare pummeled at the fallen Heartless from the other side. CLANG! Ricochetting off of M’Lyn’s shield, the snake-like head of the Heartless was soon blasted apart by Jack’s merciless guns. As the Heartless dissolved, releasing a larger and brighter heart than a typical enemy—Kujo dismissed his guardian with a faint sigh as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Tch—so it got her, huh? With a mild grimace, his emerald eyes fell on the Miqo’tes wound. Jack was on the ground, seemingly dazed and out of it for a moment before coming too. ”So, I’m not even getting a ‘thanks’ for that?”
It hadn’t been the first time they’d experienced something like this. Kujo had picked up on it back when they had been on that wild dwarf chase—though it had happened a few times since then. It’s always when those guns appear… Something was happening to the teen, though Kujo couldn’t necessarily say ‘what’. On top of momentary amnesia, the guy seemed completely different during some battles than others. Can’t I catch a break? Shaking his head a bit, Kujo walked over to where M’Lyn stood fuming at Jack, Aladdin coming up in bewilderment as well. ”What was that?” It seemed the local had never encountered a Heartless of that caliber.
Truthfully, other than the bizarre towers of Heartless he’d fought, Kujo had never come across one that strong, either. It seemed each world had something new to offer—though of course the mysterious figure they were chasing after was behind it all in this regard. ”C’mon—we can’t waste time.” M’Lyn continued to fume, clearly unimpressed with Jack’s behavior. ”Don’t bother—it’s just like last time.” Sounding annoyed, Kujo followed Jack’s lead and began heading into the Cave of Wonders. Walking through the open-mouthed tiger head was always interesting, to say the least. It seemed even if it was a nuisance, the man had resigned himself to this task one way or another.
For the most part the caverns seemed deserted. No Heartless impeded their path, the sounds of their echoing footsteps the only audible noise. Despite this, there was a heavy presence of darkness—one that Kujo could feel actively, thanks to his own bizarre powers. They’re hiding somewhere… Finally making it to the large room where they had originally saved Princess Jasmine, Kujo’s Akogare would emerge at his side the moment his green eyes fell on the black mist. There they are. Wearing a scowl as the figure emerged, Kujo’s guardian readied itself with raised fists as the man stood calm and collected, waiting to see what would unfold.
”Huh, so that wasn’t enough to stop you?” Appearing with a snicker, the figure seemed to feign surprise. ”Okay, fine—play this however the hell you want.” Reaching for a whip at their hip, the figure lashed out, Kujo’s Akogare keeping track of the fast movement that wrapped around Jack’s wrist. Before the man could slice the tendril in half, the teen had managed to break free—the figure’s features exposing for a brief moment. So he does know her. Jack’s reaction to the figure’s identity was enough to verify that. The fact they were a girl roughly the same age as the teen wouldn’t do much against Kujo’s conscience, though.
Not after everything they’d already made them deal with.
BLLLLING! Rushing forward within the blink of an eye, Kujo’s Akogare lashed out with a flashing armored fist at a blinding speed. The man stood behind the guardian, glaring at the teen in military clothing as he continued to walk forward at a surprisingly calm pace. ”You’re not getting away, this time.” Even if his attacks wouldn’t harm the projection, as usual, the man knew that Jack’s weapon could. I won’t give her any room to breathe. Regardless of his attacks potency, Kujo would make his Akogare continue to punch and batter at the figure, lunging forward with powerful strikes and following them up with swift combos.
The goal was to put the pressure on. Jack would be able to get an attack in during some point, right?
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