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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 27, 2020 6:43:59 GMT -5
The figure sighed, unamused, obviously not bothered in the slightest by Kujo’s assault —seemingly bored, in fact. The figure then seemed glare back at Kujo’s words, the whip in their hands quick to lash out and try to ensnare him. The attempt was cut short as Jack shot forward, the blade in his hands blinding white as it gathered light around it, his only point of focus beating the hell out of the figure.
M’Lyn had taken the backline, her staff now in her hand as she chanted Medica, healing most of the team’s wounds and playing support. Aladdin tried to help out, but hitting the figure would prove useless, as none of his hits connected.
It was only Jack’s bizarre weapon that could actually harm it, but the figure was doing a decent job at dodging the blows and retaliating.
“Give me” Jack grunted, enraged, “Back” relentless, he swung the blade shimmered in light, “MY FUTURE!” “…So, that’s why you have it?”
Focused solely on his rage against the person who’d robbed his future, Jack was caught off-guard. The figure had leapt away, lashing their whip and managing to ensnare Jack’s wrist once more. Unable to break free from the grip, the teen was thrown across the battlefield, hitting a wall with brute strength and left incapacitated. M’Lyn took no time to try and aid him, calling for Eos and allowing the small faerie to help him back up, a clear concern written behind her usual cold gaze.
“Jack…! Get up…!” Alice said, her voice shivering in fear. “I’m not… Out of the game yet, sis…” Jack managed to draw a bitter smile, his voice easily broken and tainted by the pain. “Still…” “So, that’s why you have it?” the figure asked, “It’s not because it chose you, but rather gave you a chance… Maybe that’s why you can’t unlock its full potential —you need to prove yourself worthy, first…” they laughed after a moment of silence, “But to think —the only reason why you even have the damn thing is because of a mistake you made! It’s almost like that key’s laughing at you, mocking you at every chance it gets to remind you of that failure.” “Shut UP!” “Hey —Jack!”
M’Lyn’s shout dind’t help in stopping the teen, who gripped the blade in his hands firmly before lashing back out into the fight. The searing pain in his body was nothing —not with his anger going all-out. Whatever cut or bruise he would receive next, it would be almost as if it wasn’t there.
Even though his body screamed for him to stop, his heart allowed him to push far beyond his usual limits.
“GIVE IT UP!”
Jack locked in a struggle with the figure, who’d raised their whip and tensed it in order to block the attack, although it didn’t seem to struggle whatsoever. In fact, it seemed amused as they locked gaze with the enraged teen, only able to mock him further.
“We trusted you —everyone did!” Jack shouted, “I trusted you! So why?!” “…You should know. Aren’t you from the same world as I am?” the figure taunted, “Or are you that dumb to figure it out, Polar?”
The pair was locked in a heated struggle, neither side willing to give up, although Jack was leaning towards the losing side. The enemy was far too strong for him to handle —and yet his stubbornness didn’t want to admit said fact.
[Battle! Mysterious Figure of Darkness]
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 27, 2020 11:46:02 GMT -5
As he had anticipated, for some reason his Akogare still had no effect against the projection they faced. Jack’s visible rage was concerning, even if it was justified. People got sloppy when they were angry—they left themselves open and wasted needless stamina exerting powerful moves recklessly. Jack was no different, as Kujo sighed while watching the teen be hurled and slammed! into a nearby wall of the caverns. Thankfully M’Lyn was quick with her supportive healing magic, a skill only she was capable of in this group. ”Jack..! Get up…!” Alice was clearly worried, fear lingering on her voice plain as day.
”So, that’s why you have it?” Causing Kujo to pause, the figure began to spew out information in a taunting manner. It didn’t choose him, but is testing him? What did that mean? Glancing over at Jack’s bizarre weapon, Kujo for the first time was struck with the thought that perhaps this ‘key’ had a mind of its own. Even his Akogare wasn’t like that. Tch—that’s stupid. Of course that couldn’t be the case. Swords and ‘keys’ were inanimate objects. … But hadn’t he just flown here on a magical carpet? One that seemed to think for itself, and act on its own?
”Shut UP!” Jack had taken the taunt, only causing Kujo to grimace as he shook his head. ”Dammit, Jack.” What the teen needed to do was impossible at the moment—take in the situation with a level head. Based on Jack’s reaction to seeing the projections identity had verified they had something to do with his dark past. Of course he’d be angry at a time like this—it was understandable, just not convenient. ”Keep it together.” With a burst of light, Kujo and his Akogare emerged behind Jack, locked in a losing struggle against the figure. He knew his attacks did nothing to harm the projection, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t interact with Jack and his bizarre weapon.
Roaring out a battle cry, Akogare leaned over Jack, an easy feat considering the massive height of the guardian. With both armored hands, the powerful entity of light grabbed onto the bizarre blade currently locked against the figure’s dark weapon. Pushing with all its might, Akogare would aid Jack in breaking and overwhelming the figure in the struggle—its brute strength hopefully able to push Jack’s attack forward and aid him land a devastating blow. ”What? Did you actually think they could win?” Composed and calm as ever, Kujo stood with his hands in his pockets behind Jack, giving the teen a mildly cocky looking smirk.
”Against us?” Forcing a mild sigh of exasperation, Kujo returned his gaze to the enemy—turning into a glare once the figure was in their sights. ”They’re nothing. Just a coward who hides in the dark.”
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 27, 2020 12:25:37 GMT -5
Jack flinched, his eyes widening for a second as Kujo’s Akogare held onto the blade in the teen’s hands and giving him the strength needed to overcome the figure —much to its annoyance. Forced to break their guard, the figure slipped into the dark mist underneath them, reappearing a few steps away, but not completely unscathed.
”What? Did you actually think they could win?” Kujo’s words echoed in the cavern, while Jack breathed heavily for air as the entire exhaustion and pain came ramming in in the blink of an eye. He was exhausted, but he couldn’t give up just yet —he had to win, by any means possible. He glanced over towards Kujo as he spoke, noticing his grin and giving him the backup he needed.
It was clear —Kujo had his back, even if his words didn’t resemble it. His actions did all the talking the man wouldn’t.
“Tch…” the figure clicked their tongue, annoyed, “That key of yours really is something, in the end —even if you’re unable to unlock its true power.” “Givin’ up already?” Jack asked, a faint growl in his voice, but much more composed, “I f*%&ing hate your guts, y’know that? Showin’ up like this after sellin’ us out…” “So? Why should I reason with you, of all people?”
Crash! Sudden debris cut across the room, forcing the figure to step back. M’Lyn had chanted her Stone spell, cutting the conversation short. Her annoyance was clear, but beneath it remained a hint of worry, all the while Eos remained near Jack in order to help him restore the lost energies.
“Take the emotional reunion later —we’ve got a fight to win, remember?!” she urged. “…Right” Jack nodded.
The trio was once more in perfect sync —something that seemed to be a dynamic between them at this point. It was something that just annoyed the figure to no end. The whip in its hands began to swell with darkness, eerie flames covering it as it drew forth power. Bitter, it lashed out towards the group, but Jack was at the ready. The first lash was deflected successfully, but the figure wasn’t giving up. Aiming nowhere, the whip hit the floor with a snap!, allowing the dark flames to spread through and surround the group, separating them all with dark flames. Touching said flames would cause a searing pain, and would act corrosively to whatever touched it —it would devour things relentless, so long as someone tried to pass through them. “I’m not giving you this victory, Polar —that much I’ll make sure of” the figure scowled, “I’ll take this world with you lot in it.” “Tch…!” Jack tried breaking past the flames, unable to do so as they seemed impenetrable. “Stay still, will you?” “C’mon, what are you waiting for?!” the voice inside Jack’s head shouted, “Are you just gonna let her do whatever she pleases?!” “How’m I s’pposed to break through this, then?!” Jack replied exasperated, “I can’t do shit!” “Focus —you already have it in you! Get a grip already!”
The voice was berating, rushing Jack to act. The blade suddenly shimmered with light, catching Jack’s attention. Could he…?!
Determined, the grip held firm, and the teen swung through the dark flames horizontally. The light of the blade cut through the darkness, giving him a moment to dash forward and attack the unaware figure, now standing vulnerable as a more than familiar light appeared at its call. Swiftly, Jack dashed forward, much for the figure’s bewilderment, and slashed once.
The figure staggered back, a clean cut in its chest, glaring at the teen as the flames now slowly faded. Bitter, it glared, but was unable to act —remaining there would only serve to further humiliate itself. The mist disappeared alongside it, only leaving the more than familiar core behind and exposed. Taking no time, Jack held his blade forward, a beam of light shooting from the edge of the blade towards the core, and a click echoing through the chamber as the light faded away.
“You better stay the hell away from this world —or any, for that matter…” Jack vowed silently, “I’m getting back what’s mine, you got that…?”
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 27, 2020 13:57:10 GMT -5
With their combined efforts able to break through the figures guard, Kujo’s confident and smug smirk remained. ”Givin’ up already?” Jack’s rage only caused the man to sigh and shake his head, though he didn’t verbally reproach the teen. Even without all of the details, Kujo understood enough of who this person was to understand Jack’s rage. Hadn’t he held such a rage against the Heartless, all that time ago? Crash! The sudden Stone spell slammed the caverns, causing debris and rubble to fall and litter the battlefield as M’Lyn pressed forward with the assault. ”We’ve got a fight to win, remember?!”
Flames erupted across the area, separating them all as Kujo stood with his Akogare, waiting to find an opening. Tch—they have some annoying tricks. Besides the dark powers themselves, the ability to project oneself and remain unharmed physically was impressive. It was similar to Kujo’s own abilities, if he and his Akogare weren’t tied so closely together. Just how did they get that power…? Obviously it had something to do with the darkness they used—unlike his Akogare, which seemed to be light-based. There’s something I’m missing, here. Grimacing at the thought, Kujo blinked in mild surprise as the dark flames disappeared.
Seeing the figure staggered and wounded, Jack standing before them with his odd sword in hand, Kujo found himself smirking. ’Bout time. It looked like Jack had found his own strength, able to fight an enemy both Kujo and M’Lyn were unable to do much against. As the figure dissolved in a dark mist, revealing the core of the world hidden behind it, the man’s Akogare disappeared as he walked over to the boy who would lock the door. ”Hmph. Not bad.” Still smirking somewhat, Kujo came up beside the teen, raising an eyebrow at him. ”Now to find out where they really are.”
Despite the initial words of encouragement, Kujo was still himself. He couldn’t rest easy or even contemplate this as a victory—not while the true culprit still lurked on some world, plotting. Can’t I catch a break? He knew this was just the beginning. They’d only just started on this bizarre path that lay ahead, riddle with mystery and uncertainty. ”C’mon—we should head back.” Motioning for Jack, M’Lyn and Aladdin to follow, Kujo began to exit the caverns. At the very least, he wanted to get out of the Cave of Wonders. Something about the place unsettled him.
Like it could disappear at any moment.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 27, 2020 16:46:41 GMT -5
Finally over, having made sure that no Heartless could plague the world again, Jack found himself oddly dissatisfied. Now knowing who it was —who the figure’s true identity was—, he was conflicted. Eventually he was going to be asked about it, but he didn’t want to relive those memories ever again —they had haunted him for long enough, and he wanted to forget them. At the very least, the inquiry wouldn’t be immediate, as Kujo rushed them all out.
In a sense, he was right —they were done there. Once more, Jack tucked his hands inside his pockets, mulling over things as they strolled by in his mind.
“…I should probably just stop focusin’ on it…” he thought with a sigh.
He followed the rest without a word, mostly focused on his thoughts, seemingly unable to avoid them. He didn’t want to mull over it, but it was inevitable —he had to get into gear, if he even wanted to overcome those challenges on his own. He couldn’t ignore it any longer.
The outside was pure heat, just as before, but the teen hardly paid it any attention. What was shocking to see was Alice, rushing her way towards them and not stopping until she hugged Jack. The girl just hid her head in his chest, much for his shock, but he couldn’t blame her for it.
He had been slammed against a wall not long ago —his body still hurt all over.
“You okay?” Alice asked, her voice a mumble. “Yeah, I’m fine” he replied, patting her head. “Why’re you here?” M’Lyn asked, curious and even concerned —if the enemy was still near… “…” Alice puffed her cheeks, “I was worried…” “Haa…” “We’re done here, though —we got our mission done” Jack shrugged, “We tackled the world’s core, too —Heartless are a goner here, now.” “That’s good to hear…” Alice smiled, faintly.
The girl’s faint giggle managed to bring Jack to a smile —forgetting the worries that had haunted him from before. Enough to wash away the bitter moments from before, the siblings had pulled themselves back up. Even though Alice’s actions had been rather reckless, the payoff was worth enough.
The Miqo’te looked at the state of the team while the pair settled on cooling their moods down. All of them had some severe wounds, but nothing treatment or magic wouldn’t handle. Still, it was better to lay low for a bit and avoid big fights, before their condition worsened. Huffing softly, she smirked.
“We’re just a bunch of hot-heads, aren’t we…?” she joked, “Ramming head-first into battle… Honestly —we could use some changes, there… That reminds me” she glanced over towards Kujo, “Are you done with those wishes of yours?” “Nope!” the Genie was quick to reply, emerging from the lamp even without being called, “He’s still got 1 left. Why’d you ask?” he asked, elbowing the Miqo’te much for her chagrin, “Don’t tell me you wanted 3 wishes, too!” suddenly, it seemed almost like an idea had struck, “As a matter of fact… Why don’t I give y’all one last wish? Just as a means of saying thanks!”
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 28, 2020 11:05:08 GMT -5
Kujo noticed Jack’s silence during the walk out of the Cave of Wonders, though the stoic man didn’t mention anything aloud. He already knew what was going through the teen’s mind—or at least had a confident assumption. Entering back into the bright sunlight of the desert as they exited the large tiger-like cave entrance, Kujo glanced over his shoulder and up into the glowing eyes of said stone beast. This world was certainly the most unique they’d been to. A town hidden away in a desert, Genies and Princesses and thieving monkeys…it was certainly a bizarre adventure, to say the least. As Kujo turned back to face ahead, the man was surprised to see Alice waiting for them all.
”Why’re you here?” M’Lyn spoke Kujo’s exact thoughts as the two outsiders watched the siblings. At least she won’t have to worry, for now. Sighing a bit as the man shoved his hands into his pockets, Kujo grimaced as he glanced back out towards the desert. But it’s only beginning… Jack would have the hardest road ahead of them for sure—the man hoped the teen was ready. ”We’re just a bunch of hot-heads, aren’t we…?” M’Lyn’s comment caught Kujo by surprise, causing the man to raise his brows—though the Miqo’te wasn’t necessarily wrong. Some were clearly more hot-headed than others—while some were more dangerous due to the fact they refused to acknowledge their own heat.
”That reminds me, are you done with those wishes of yours?” Her question caused the coming smirk to quickly fade into a grimace as the Genie quickly emerged from the lamp to respond. Damn. He had hoped for more time to think of what his last wish would be. ”He’s still got 1 left. Why’d you ask? Don’t tell me you wanted 3 wishes, too!” The Genie’s humorous personality was much more entertaining when he was chiding others. Kujo found himself smirking at the sight of the large djinn elbowing the Miqo’te with enthusiasm. ”Why don’t I give y’all one last wish? Just as a means of saying thanks!” Hearing the Genie offer out a wish to the entire team, both of Kujo’s brows raised in visible surprise as his eyes widened a bit.
”You can—do that?” The Genie’s ‘wish’ powers were truly something else. For a moment, Kujo almost considered wishing for powers similar to the djinn’s own. Tch—don’t be stupid. He’d never rely on something like magic. Not when he had his own strength. The reasons were exactly what he was currently noticing—things like ‘magic’ and ‘wishes’ created too much leniency on responsibility and accountability. If something were to turn bad, one could simply blame the wish, rather than acknowledging their own actions. When the ‘wish’ granted them their wildest dreams, they’d merely squander them and continue to take it for granted, not having worked hard for anything themselves.
So…one last wish, huh? Truthfully, the thought was a relief. Having such powers at his beckoned call was not a weight he appreciated having on his shoulders. But now the question remained: what did he wish for?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 28, 2020 11:32:12 GMT -5
Jack and Alice both turned towards the Genie at the mention of “granting all of them a wish”, both stunned at the suggestion. Aladdin didn’t say anything, only shaking his head with an amused expression, seemingly used to that demeanor. M’Lyn shrugged, already not interested in anything that she could possibly wish for.
Some things wouldn’t change, even if she wished for it —in all honesty, she wanted to achieve what she was after through her own efforts, rather than have them granted.
“One wish, huh…?” Jack’s voice was a mumble, one Alice managed to catch just by being close to him. “Jack…?” “…Sorry, but… The wish I have in mind… You can’t grant it.” “Huh?!” the Genie looked perplexed, “What’d you mean, ‘I can’t grant it’?!” he asked, peeved, “I’m an all-powerful Genie —people search for me to even have those wishes!” “…” Jack drew a smile —one full of pain despite trying to mask them, “What I said —the wish I have in mind isn’t something you can grant… It’d go against the rules you told Kujo, back when we first met.” “Ermm…”
With a sigh, Jack let go of Alice, taking his leave without looking back, much to the girl’s worry, as she watched her brother leave towards the ship, having landed it not too far from where they currently were. M’Lyn also looked his way, but didn’t say anything about it.
It was better leaving him to his own for a bit.
Now without her brother to hang onto, Alice fidgeted a bit, looking around while trying to think on what she would wish for. The one thing she had in mind, the girl wasn’t sure if it could even count as a wish —but she had to try it, anyways.
“Can you, umm…” the girl struggled to find the words, but a quick determination was enough of a push to look towards the Genie with expecting eyes, “Can you make someone happy?” “Alice…” M’Lyn didn’t try hiding her shock, looking at the girl with wide-open eyes. “I… I want to make someone happy —that’s my wish.” “You mean temporarily, right?” the Genie asked, confused. “No —permanently.” “Haa… Sorry, lil’ lady —but I can’t do that” the Genie said, apologetic, “Messing around with people’s emotions is against the rules.” “Hmm…” “…Why’d you have to wish for that?” Aladdin asked, catching the girl’s attention as he placed one hand on her shoulder, “If you want to make someone happy, wouldn’t it be better to do it yourself?” “Hey, Al —don’t take the credit!” “But I’m right, aren’t I?” the street-rat looked at the Genie with a knowing smile, “Rather than wishing for it, one works their way into making another happy. Isn’t that how it goes?” as he finished, he looked back at Alice. “But… What if I don’t know how…?” Alice mumbled, uneasy. “Then you keep trying, until you get it. There’s nothing wrong with some trial and error, right?” “Don’t give her ideas” M’Lyn sighed, unamused, “She’s bound to follow them through…” “Hehe… Then why shouldn’t I?” Aladdin looked at the Miqo’te, smug, “If she’s bound to follow them through, then isn’t that for the better? She wants to make someone happy, so why shouldn’t she work her way towards it?” “You… That’s not what I meant…”
The Miqo’te gave up easily, sighing and looking away as she crossed her arms, waiting for the rest to finish their own business before heading to the ship. Alice was looking back to Aladdin, taking his words to heart, and nodding as he finished. He wasn’t wrong —if she wanted to make someone happy, then Alice had to make her own efforts.
She couldn’t take it for granted!
“…” the girl drew a faint smile as she came to her own conclusion, “I’ll try —I’ll do my best.”
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 28, 2020 12:58:06 GMT -5
Kujo grimaced a bit as Jack explained to Genie why his ‘wish’ was basically useless. It seemed the only thing the teen would wish for was something unattainable. If it goes against the rules… Kujo had come to his own conclusion, knowing that the teen wasn’t the type to wish for more wishes and most likely wouldn’t want to mess with anyone’s heart. Hmph. Figures. Of course the group that actually ran into an all-powerful djinn had little purpose for it. Things weren’t so optimistic as to go otherwise. As Jack departed the group, Kujo watched him silently with a stoney face. Some things even wishes can't fix. Living with that knowledge, that hurt, was bound to make one stronger.
But only if it didn’t destroy them first.
”Can you, umm…” Hearing Alice’s question to the Genie, Kujo gave a small sigh as his face betrayed a mild look of exasperation behind a faint smirk. Of course that’s what she’d wish for. The girl was so empathetic it was almost a nuisance. ”Why’d you have to wish for that?” Aladdin suddenly swooped in with surprisingly wise words for one so young and with a low reputation. ”If you want to make someone happy, wouldn’t it be better to do it yourself?” The street-rat’s words caused Kujo to smirk a bit, glancing over at Alice with a raised brow as he watched her internalize the words and take them to heart.
”Don’t give her ideas. She’s bound to follow through with them…” M’Lyn seemed less than amused, though her own mood only furthered the humor Kujo felt. At the end of the day, he agreed with Aladdin. Some things couldn’t be left up to magic—one had to work at it themselves. Though such a lofty idea as ‘making someone happy’ was far from Kujo’s own goals, Alice’s words did make him think of something. You might not be able to use magic to make someone happy… But there weren’t any rules about using it to relieve someone’s stress a bit, right? ”I’ll meet you there.”
Holding up a hand to the others as they began to make their way to the ship, Kujo turned to the Genie, his usual serious face lined with a newfound determination. ”I’ve decided on my last wish.” Waiting until the others were out of earshot (yes, even M’Lyn, as Kujo knew the Miqo’te’s hearing was above average), the man crossed his arms over his chest, furrowing his brow. Tch—how to word it… He wanted to make sure there couldn’t be any funny loopholes. ”I want to use my last wish to secure someone financially. Make it so they never have to work again. Enough to where they could travel the world if they wanted and would still never have to panic.” Come to think of it, Kujo had no idea what currency was used in this world. Would the Genie be able to do this with someone on a different world?
”They’re not from here, so the money’s most likely different. Is that an issue?” Straight to the point as though he were in a meeting, Kujo waited to hear Genie’s response—knowing better than to waste the wish with poor wording and little information. He’d wait to officially use the wish after hearing Genie’s explanation.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 28, 2020 13:42:20 GMT -5
While M’Lyn headed on and Aladdin decided to leave as well, Alice waited. She still wanted to use her wish —it wasn’t like her to leave something to waste. Even though she knew Kujo didn’t want anyone listening in on what he wanted, she silently promised him to not snitch.
It wasn’t like her to do that, anyways —even if others close to her asked about it.
”I want to use my last wish to secure someone financially.” The Genie nodded as Kujo explained his wish. While the girl tried to ignore it, she couldn’t help but listen in —understanding where Kujo came from. She clutched her hands to her chest, taking a few steps away, but reluctant to going back on her own.
“So, make someone rich, in other words?” the Genie asked once Kujo finished, “It doesn’t really matter, but… Hmm… They’re from another world, you said? I mean —I take it that’s the issue” he shrugged, “How to do it, though…? Of course, it can’t just be bam! A whole lotta cash for you, y’know?”
The Genie looked towards the sky, snapping his fingers as he came across an idea. Enacting his magic, the Genie aimed to fulfill the stoic man’s wish. With a wink towards him, and another snap, the wish was fulfilled.
“You’ll most likely notice once you pay them a visit” the Genie stated, cheerful, “They’ll have so much money, their system might as well collapse” he joked, although perhaps the joke wasn’t inaccurate.
Before he left, he noticed Alice at a fair distance, still clutching her hands as she thought of something to wish for. Noticing the Genie getting so close to her, she bit her lip faintly, but finally having something in mind.
“I know you were listening, lil’ lady” the Genie berated, “It’s not very nice, is it?” “I know… But I don’t want this going to waste…” Alice admitted. “So, you do have a wish that does follow the rules?” the Genie’s question was received with a nod, “Come on, then —out with it!” “…Can I whisper it?” “Eh?” “Can I whisper my wish to you?” Alice asked, a faint smile in her lips. “Okay, fine —a wish is a wish, anyways, isn’t it?”
Giggling, Alice leaned towards the Genie, whispering into his ear what she wished for. It was for someone else’s sake, but following the guidelines this time. She knew her brother better than anyone —Alice would know what he’d like. It was just a matter of making it happen, and for that, she had to get to work.
“…Huh —that it?” the Genie asked. “Mmhmm” Alice nodded, “I know it’s not much, but…” “It’s not even that big of a wish, y’know —that seems more like a favor to me.” “I’m aware…” “Haa… In any case, though…” the Genie winked, snapping his fingers, “For that other wish you had in mind, I wish you the best of luck” he finished with a joke.
Alice nodded, laughing softly as she caught on, while thanking him for the small “favor” she’d asked for. It wouldn’t be immediate at first, but she knew that it would happen —she trusted the Genie enough. Returning to his lamp, now useless for Kujo, the Genie disappeared, not before asking the man to hand the lamp over to Aladdin, who knew what to do with it perfectly. As the silence returned to the desert, Alice fidgeted, looking away.
She knew she was in for a scolding.
“…I won’t snitch…” she said, puffing her cheeks a bit, “I promise… Sorry I listened, though…”
Once the words were exchange, she would head back to the ship alongside Kujo, where the other two would be waiting…
It was time to call the mission over.
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 28, 2020 13:59:14 GMT -5
Though Kujo gave Alice a mild glare as the girl refused to leave, it wasn’t like the man was going to move her by force. Didn’t she know he was just going to bring the lamp back afterwards? Tch, can't I catch a break…? Thankfully despite the more minute details of the wish, Genie seemed to think of a solution rather quickly. ”You’ll most likely notice once you pay them a visit. They’ll have so much money, their system might as well collapse!” The Genie’s joke caused Kujo’s eyebrows to raise. How much money was ‘rich’ to a Genie, again? It seemed the djinn finally noticed Alice’s lingering, floating over to her and offering a berating on Kujo’s behalf.
While the girl whispered her wish to the Genie, Kujo watched with his arms crossed as he thought of his mother. Hmph—I’ll probably get an earful. Knowing the fiery woman, he was more likely to get a fistful. Sighing in feigned exasperation, the stoic man watched as the Genie retreated back into the golden lamp that resided in his jacket pocket. Of course he’d return the artifact to the local—as no one in the Brigade had any other use for it now. As silence returned to the desert, Kujo walked over to Alice, his face a mask void of emotion. ”I won’t snitch…I promise…sorry I listened, though…”
A faint smirk appeared on the man’s face as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Glancing down at the girl, the man raised an eyebrow. ”Whatever. I just listened to yours.” Despite his stoic demeanor, it seemed the man was teasing the younger girl as he began to walk across the desert back towards the ship, motioning for her to follow. Of course, due to the powers of his Akogare, the man's senses were far above that of a normal persons. In the end, the two were square. ”Wasn’t a bad idea.” Similar to Kujo’s own wish—Alice had thought of a way to relieve one’s stress without messing with their heart or emotions. Always a step ahead of the game, it didn’t surprise him that their Navigator had thought outside of the box.
Making the way back together, Kujo would think of the mission’s completion—a weight burdening the back of his mind. It was only going to get more complicated, from here...
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 28, 2020 15:28:38 GMT -5
Alice flinched, her face going red immediately. Hearing that Kujo had heard on what she had wished for —a somewhat petty wish, anyways— was just nerve-wracking. Still, it was a fair enough pay for having listened on his wish. Reluctant, the girl gave up, knowing she wasn’t going anywhere anyways.
“Just… Don’t tell them…” she mumbled.
The ship would be silent, with M’Lyn by the Bridge while Jack was nowhere to be seen. Asking would be useless —the Miqo’te hadn’t seen Jack at all, although her guess was that he most likely headed to his room by himself. Frowning, the girl nodded, heading towards the monitors first to handle whatever info was left to manage.
“All done and good, then… Are we waiting for a mission now?” the Miqo’te asked. “I guess so…” Alice nodded, soft-spoken as usual, “I can’t really predict, but… The other unit should’ve reported by now a Code Yellow…” “Serious —this was, by far, the worst mission yet” the Miqo’te groaned, “Are they all this incompetent?” “Hey!” Alice puffed her cheeks, prideful.
The Miqo’te was quick to dismiss Alice’s bitterness. The girl sighed, returning to the monitors and finishing almost in record time —although mostly it was due to the fact that the information she had to go through wasn’t that much. Once finished, she headed straight for the lounge area, wanting to do something for her brother.
A detail that the Miqo’te noticed.
“Where are you going?” she asked, curious. “…I’ll… Go do something…” Alice tried to lie her way out. “What, exactly?” “…Why do you wanna know…?” the girl mumbled, bitter while puffing her cheeks yet again. “I can’t be intrigued? Oftentimes you either stay here or head to your room —and I can tell you’re going to neither of those places.” “Hrmm… There’s something I wanna do for Jack —that’s all. Is it that bad?” “…Just watch yourself.”
Blinking a bit in shock, Alice was quick to giggle a bit, before heading with a new pep in her step as she headed for the lounge. Knowing that she had M’Lyn’s backup was reassuring, to say the least —the Miqo’te knew when tact was needed.
It was just the way she showed it that caused trouble.
“So?” the Miqo’te asked, glancing over towards Kujo, “I take it you’re all done and good with that lamp? Handed it over already?”
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 28, 2020 16:18:48 GMT -5
Kujo smirked at Alice’s request, giving a silent nod as they walked back to the ship. It was quiet when they arrived, M’Lyn the only one present. Makes sense. Jack would most likely need some time to himself, considering everything that had happened. ”All done and good, then…are we waiting for a mission, now?” M’Lyn seemed to always be stepping forward without a look back. It was a trait that Kujo enjoyed about her. ”The other unit should’ve reported a Code Yellow by now…” M’Lyn’s bitter response would cause Kujo to grin a bit, crossing his arms as he merely shook his head.
It had been an annoying mission—but Kujo at least had gotten some good from it all, thanks to the Genie. As Alice made her way out of the Bridge, the Miqo’te seemed to sense her ulterior motives, a fact that only continued to humor Kujo as he watched silently. She’s cashing in on it quick. Knowing what the girl had wished for, the man merely gave a knowing nod as Alice made her exit. ”So? I take it you’re all done and good with that lamp?” That reminded him—maybe he should act on the wishes granted to him, too.
”Yeah. I gave it back to that kid.” He of course meant Aladdin, but didn’t bother with the name. They’d most likely wouldn’t see the young man again, after all. With the world ‘core’ sealed and the Heartless gone, as well as the other unit having compiled information on this world beforehand, there’d most likely be little reason for the Brigade to return to Agrabah any time soon. ”Couldn’t’ve been sooner, either. That ‘Genie’ was loud.” Giving a faint grimace at the recollection, Kujo masked his thankfulness towards the djinn with open resentment. It was typical for him, really.
”Tch—what a mess.” Scowling as he glanced down at his shoes, now covered in sand and grit from the caverns, the man in lavender sighed as he shook his head. ”It’s about time I get some supplies.” Truthfully there were other reasons the man wanted to pay a visit to his home world, but he was genuinely running low on cleaning supplies for his sneakers. ”If we’re on standby, I’ll head to SanFransokyo.” It had been some time since he’d seen her, after all, and he wanted to see if how the Genie’s magic worked for both of his wishes.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 28, 2020 17:43:06 GMT -5
M’Lyn nodded as Kujo confirmed her suspicions. Although intrigued, in a sense, of what happened between him and Alice, it wasn’t like her to pry, instead choosing to focus elsewhere. She chuckled at the mention of the Genie being loud, although she couldn’t disagree.
Despite the powers it apparently boasted, he sure knew how to make a show —both in the good and the bad sense.
”It’s about time I get some supplies.” The man’s following comment caught her off-guard. Supplies? The Miqo’te tilted her head with genuine curiosity behind her cold gaze, noting how Kujo was looking down as he’d mentioned them. Connecting two and two together, it wasn’t hard to understand what he meant, but the fact that he stated going to his world was another confusing factor.
“How, pray tell, are you planing to get back?” she asked, “Have you asked Alice about it? Is that the reason why you stood outside longer?”
While true that they were on stand-by, it wasn’t like they could simply move about. M’Lyn’s tail swayed from side to side, calmly, although her confusion was obvious, given the fact that she knew nothing on the wishes Kujo had asked for. Alice only knew of one of the wishes, and Jack was in the same boat as the Miqo’te.
There was no way she was getting her answers with someone else.
Alice hummed, pleased, as she saw her wish coming to fruition. Their storage was full —not excessively, but definitely something that was appreciated. With the Genie’s magic having done its work —and it would continue until the end of days, given Alice’s wish’s nature—, she could finally brush something herself, without needing to worry about being one or two ingredients short.
“Thank you very much” she giggled to herself, obviously those words meant to the now lacking Genie.
With those words ushered, she grabbed what she needed. She and Jack had already cooked something savory —so why not something mildly sweet to have a change of pace?
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 29, 2020 10:27:03 GMT -5
”How, pray tell, are you planning to get back?” Of course, M’Lyn’s confusion made sense—Kujo had used both of his wishes in his party’s absence. It was slightly entertaining to see the Miqo’te genuinely confused for once—a faint smirk appearing on his face as he noticed her tail swishing. ”My wish.” Now his Akogare was capable of taking him to other worlds, if the djinn had followed through on their wishes. SanFransokyo was the best way to test out his new power—as he didn’t know if it had limitations. It’s better to test it out with a clear goal in mind… Who knew? Maybe if he just tried it with no destination, it would just spit him out on a random world?
That wasn’t necessarily something he was eager to test, though. ”That Genie was at least useful.” Shrugging a bit, Kujo crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, raising an eyebrow at M’Lyn. ”Why? You need some stuff, too?” Come to think of it, maybe Kujo wasn’t the only one running low on certain things. They had all resided on the ship between missions for quite some time—not really making many pit stops during the worlds they visited, as most were rampant with Heartless or other pests as of late.
Whatever. If his teammates needed some things, Kujo supposed they could come along. Not that he’d intend to take them with him for that visit…not again.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 29, 2020 12:20:58 GMT -5
Genuinely confused, M’Lyn frowned. What, exactly, did Kujo wish for, for him to be so nonchalant about it all? If he hadn’t asked Alice or Jack to get him back to SanFransokyo, then…
How was he going back?
His offer to tag along was surprising, but it allowed the Miqo’te to recover some ground. Scoffing a bit, she shook her head, feigning disappointment. She remained in her place, sitting down while glancing at Kujo, aiming to start some friendly jabbing.
“Unless I can get my hands on some quality crystals, I think I’ll pass” she replied, “Even though I appreciate an open space, I’d rather not give them the wrong impression.”
With a sigh, the Miqo’te stood up, looking at Kujo with a much calmer expression. Refusing the offer wasn’t the end of things, obviously —there were other people completely unaware of what Kujo was plotting, and also people he could extend the offer to.
“…You’ll make her upset, you know” she said with a smirk as she stood up, “I know it’s not something you want to tell them, though. However, I’m aware that you’re not the kind of person who would trample over other people’s business, but perhaps you can try and think it through? On how you’ll leave, that is, and the timing of it all.”
M’Lyn crossed her arms over her chest, walking towards Kujo but still keeping some distance. She wasn’t trying to provoke a jab from him, or a friendly banter. Rather, the Miqo’te was trying to make him realize something —something that perhaps he was already aware of. And if he was, the very least M’Lyn wanted was to be sure of it.
The team trusted Kujo —of that, there was no doubt. Even if it had been only so long, the man had made his place in the team clear. Leaving suddenly without any warnings was bound to be noticed —and perhaps even leave a bitter aftertaste in at least one of the team members.
“You can probably guess what may happen, but…” M’Lyn spoke, “I hope you understand the impression you’ve left in those two. At the end of the day, they’re still kids —even if what they do for a living isn’t normal for a child their age” she finished with a faint smirk, “I’ll keep this issue to myself, unless you take the lead and tell them —that much, I can promise you here and now.”
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 29, 2020 15:44:32 GMT -5
M’Lyn’s comments of ‘crystals’ caused the man’s brow to raise in mild curiosity. What would she use those for? Probably magic, or some other bizarre thing he’d never heard of. It was easy to shrug the thought off. ”You’ll make her upset, you know.” Grimacing at the Miqo’te’s smirk, the man rolled his eyes a bit, though he didn’t refute the fact. Can’t I catch a break? She had a point, though—surely Alice or Jack may want to come along. It wasn’t like he was against the idea, but it wasn’t like the man to typically walk around asking people to do things. ”I hope you understand the impression you’ve left in those two. At the end of the day, they’re still kids—“
Kujo sighed as he rubbed his neck with a hand, a mild scowl on his face as he was reminded of what vanishing out of nowhere might do. ”Tch—what a pain…” With only the mild grumble as a retort, the stoic man waved a hand as though to shoo the woman away. ”I’ll ask them.” Pushing off of the wall and heading towards the door, Kujo gave M’Lyn a faint smirk as he glanced at her from over his shoulder. ”Feels like you’re just trying to get the ship to yourself, though.” With the departing jab, the man left the Bridge, knowing Alice would most likely be busy preparing in the kitchen area of the ship.
Glancing over towards the hallway lined with bedrooms, Kujo frowned, thinking of Jack. … The teen had gone through a lot—forced to confront a past hardly dealt with. ”They’re still kids—“ M’Lyn’s words rang in his mind. Kujo had no idea how to deal with those younger than him. Of course, they still needed to address the identity of the figure—someone only Jack seemed to recognize. Elena may have known the identity, though Kujo would have no means of guaranteeing that until after she had reviewed all of the reports and videos from their devices during their mission. I’ll leave him alone. For now, the teen most likely needed their space and time to process.
He’d extend the offer to Jack, but it seemed Alice would be his first attempt. Grimacing as he made his way into the open area with the lounge space and kitchen, Kujo found the girl he was looking for, busy preparing something sweet, by the looks of the ingredients out. ”You don’t waste time, huh?” Leaning against the counter, Kujo had composed his grimace into his usual stoic demeanor, raising an eyebrow at Alice with a knowing look. Having used the wish for such a communal thing was very on brand for the girl.
”I’m heading to SanFransokyo for supplies later.” He wasn’t used to inviting people to do things without some sort of calloused retort or jab involved—much like how he had extended the offer to M’Lyn. Alice was quite different—needing a certain level of delicacy that only felt like going against the grain to Kujo. ”…M’Lyn said you might want to come.” It wasn’t really an ‘invitation’, the fact only causing the man to inwardly grit his teeth in irritation. Dammit. Not like that. Not one to dwell on defeats, he pressed on. ”We can head out after you’ve gotten some rest. If you want…?” If he could punch himself without alarming the girl, he would. It was certainly awkward, more of a train wreck than an invitation.
Shoving his hands in his pockets and grimacing a bit, Kujo glanced away for a moment and sighed. ”Whatever. Do you want to go, or not?” Despite the man’s gruffness, it seemed he was making an effort to extend the invitation like M’Lyn had suggested. To be honest the man was doubtful if the girl would even want to go—it wasn’t like he thought his world was anything too glamorous or exciting. Especially just going to a few stores and seeing his mom… I’ll have to charge that, anyway. It seemed even if Alice didn’t want to go, Kujo would have to wait a bit. Having abandoned his cellphone in the desk drawer of his room, the man would certainly need to charge the otherwise useless device for when he arrived.
Next is Jack… He wasn’t looking forward to that. Maybe he'd charge his phone before getting the teen...to give him some space.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 29, 2020 16:07:43 GMT -5
Focused as she was trying to bake what she aimed for —a molten cake—, Alice flinched as she heard Kujo walk in. She was quick to turn towards him, her face showing her shock, while slowly she cupped her hands over her chest. Managing to calm down, she tilted her head as she wondered what he was doing there.
”I’m heading to SanFransokyo for supplies later.” Kujo’s intentions, plus the extended invitation, confused the girl, truthfully. The fact that M’Lyn had suggested to him that the girl might want to join confused her further, letting go of her intentions and placing her attention completely to Kujo. “Ummm… Well, I’d like to, but…” the girl looked confused, “How… Do you plan on getting there? …Do you need me to set course?”
Clearly unaware of the wishes they had discussed, the girl looked lost. He hadn’t mentioned anything about paying his home world a visit, even though she overheard his last wish. Although his excuse was getting supplies —something the girl didn’t need—, she had a feeling something lurked underneath.
Obviously, she didn’t want to voice what she thought —afraid of getting it wrong. The world Kujo was from was a wonder to her, from what little she managed to see. Being given the chance to see it again was an opportunity she didn’t want to pass, with reasons.
She wanted to go —it didn’t matter if Kujo had extended the invitation or not.
“…I wanna go” Alice nodded after a bit, her tone determined, “I really, really, REALLY wanna go. Umm…” she fidgeted a bit, looking at the messy station she’d riled up, “Umm… C-Could you… Wait until I’m finished, though? It won’t take long —I promise. I just wanna leave this to him if he ever comes out of his room…”
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 4, 2020 22:33:49 GMT -5
”Ummm…Well, I’d like to, but…” Seeing Alice’s confusion, Kujo recalled that she had only heard one of his wishes. Right. Of course she was confused, much like M’Lyn had been. ”I really, really, REALLY wanna go. Umm…” Her enthusiasm caused Kujo to raise an eyebrow, though her question only caused a faint smirk to linger on the stoic man’s face. ”Take your time. We can leave whenever. The Genie gave me a pretty convenient power.” Giving a shrug, the man pushed himself off of the counter, glancing once more at the array of culinary equipment in disarray in the kitchen. ”Just let me know when you’re ready.”
Waving a hand in departure, the tall brooding man left the space, grimacing as he turned down the hallway. He’ll probably want some time. Though Kujo thought it best to extend the invitation, perhaps he’d wait until it was closer to their departure time. With all of the events that had unfolded in Agrabah, Kujo doubted Jack would be willing or ready to interact with others soon. Tch—what a pain. He’d have to try and talk to Elena at some point, too. Guess it will have to wait, for now. He’d make his visit home first, before speaking with the blue haired woman in charge of their unit. That partner of hers, though… It was the closest thing to his own powers he’d come across since leaving SanFransokyo.
Soon. Allowing the future tasks ahead to remain for another day, Kujo walked to his room, deciding to unwind for a bit before heading out. He’d have to wait for Alice anyway—also intending to reach out and invite Jack once the girl was ready. Can’t I catch a break? He’d prefer to simply avoid the teen, given the circumstances, but M’Lyn had provided a point that was hard to argue against. He’s just a kid, still. Though Kujo was only a handful of years older than the two siblings, he was still technically an adult. Because of that, he had a certain responsibility while on this team. The same goes for her, though.
Grumbling about the Miqo’te in his head, Kujo entered his room, finding and stretching out on the bed in order to allow himself some time to mull over everything that had happened while he waited on Alice.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 5, 2020 4:34:30 GMT -5
Tilting her head at the mention of power, Alice was just as confused, although she would have time to ask later, since Kujo had taken his leave, mentioning they would leave whenever she was ready. She nodded rather hastily, whispering a faint “Right” as he left, and turning back to the messy station.
While she cooked, trying her hardest, Alice thought on Kujo’s words. If he obtained a “pretty convenient power”, then… Would it mean he didn’t need them anymore? The thought was a sour one, since, although faint, the girl had gotten some relation going with her team —one she cherished.
She didn’t want it to break so soon.
“…I’m overthinking, aren’t I?” she sighed, as she watched the puffy cake rise in the oven.
Alice had curled up in a ball, watching attentive as she waited for the cake to be done —just the individual one, since she had meant to do it for her brother. How long ago had she done something like that, though? It felt like ages ago. She sighed heavily, feeling some dread.
One part of her wanted to go, to be selfish and have some normalcy in a world so similar to her own in ways she couldn’t describe. The other, however, didn’t want to be selfish, and wanted to stay by her brother’s side, knowing he was hurting.
And yet, despite knowing that, she couldn’t get the will to go and comfort him —she knew the answer she’d get.
“Why do you overdo it…?” she thought, sullen, “What’s the point on forcing yourself to appear fine, when you’re not…? Jack… What happened to you, back then…?”
It would be about an hour later before Alice finished. Taking the cake out of the oven and placing it in a plate, she looked at the result. It didn’t look bad, all things considered, although it could do some work. Still she didn’t bother about the shape, but was more worried about the flavor. It was still hot —but a molten cake was meant to be eaten immediately, right? Carefully, she grabbed the plate and headed to Jack’s room, knocking on the door faintly to wait for an answer.
“…Yeah?” Jack’s voice came from the door, “What is it?” “Umm… It’s me” Alice replied, “Can I… Come in?” “…Not feelin’ it now, sis —sorry. Maybe later.” “…” Alice looked away, “Should I tell him…?” “I’ll come out in a while, so just… Wait a bit, okay?” “…Umm… I…” the girl fidgeted, puffing her cheeks unwilling to just leave, “It’s just… I’ll be busy later, so…” “…” “…I’ll leave this at the lounge.” “’Kay.”
Sullen, Alice stepped away a bit. A bit teary-eyed, since she didn’t want to leave without notice —she knew he’d worry. But that selfish part of her just screamed to join Kujo in what he wanted to do, and being true to herself, she wanted some normalcy for once.
Was it too much to ask?
She left the plate in the lounge, writing a little note to leave aside it before heading to where Kujo would be waiting. Washing her face before that with a bit of water, and trying to get rid of the weakness that overcame her before, she knocked.
“I’m ready.”
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 5, 2020 12:22:29 GMT -5
Kujo had spent about an hour mulling things over in his room. Truthfully, it was mostly Jack’s current state that had occupied his mind—as well as M’Lyn’s chastising. Tch—he probably doesn’t even want to go. It was one of the many assumptions he’d told himself to justify the fact that in actuality he was merely hesitant to disturb the tormented teenager at so soon a time. Can’t I catch a break? Glancing over at the charging cellphone on his desk, the man sighed as he grabbed the device and glanced at the screen. Since he had let it die, Kujo had received over 50 missed calls, 100 text messages and several emails. They were all from his mom, of course. Kujo literally didn’t have anyone else’s phone number. Before the Brigade, he didn’t have a need to.
See you soon.
The short text was his only response to all of the calls and messages—not evening bothering to read any of them. Knock! Knock! Hearing Alice’s faint fist against his door, Kujo stepped over to the door and unlocked it, allowing it to swoosh! open as he was greeted with the girl’s soft ”I’m ready.” Having decided against extending the invitation to Jack, Kujo nodded as he gestured for Alice to enter his room. Even though the distraction may have been welcomed by the troubled teen, considering how Jack normally acted, Kujo didn’t imagine he’d be too keen on the prospect at this moment. Not like she’ll let that go easily, though…
He was, of course, thinking of the Miqo’te. Knowing her, if she found out that he had left Jack out, he’d most likely have to do a second trip later on. That woman… Kujo oftentimes found his feelings towards M’Lyn range between affection and open rancor. Regardless of which he felt at what time, one thing that remained steady was his respect for her. I’ll make her do the next ‘field trip’. His snarky thought had caused him to smirk as his Akogare appeared next to him in a shimmering light. Glancing over to Alice, the man raised an eyebrow as the tall guardian seemed to grab at the air itself. ”Alright. Let’s go.” Despite having never used the power before, it seemed Kujo’s guardian knew exactly what it was doing—going off of the sole will of its host.
Riiiiiiip! Pulling its hands apart in the opposite direction, the world itself seemed to tear between Akogare’s grip as the being of light pulled open a bright portal in the middle of Kujo’s bedroom. It was large, appearing literally like a tear in a bag, revealing a swirling and mysterious misty light that seemed warm and welcoming. Hm. So that’s how it works. It was good to see that the Genie had in fact not pulled one over on him—not that that paranoia was still prevalent in the man’s mind. The djinn had done good by him and his team, earning his mild trust and some good will, at least. Reaching a hand out to Alice, Kujo gestured to the portal that loomed ahead. ”Come on.” He wasn’t sure what the portal itself would be like—but it’d be best to make sure they couldn’t be separated.
Waiting for the girl to take his large calloused hand, Kujo would lead them through the portal, away from the ship and to his home.
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