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Post by hoodwink on Nov 7, 2020 17:48:44 GMT -5
He noticed the girl seemed silent for a time, gazing off with a distant expression, seemingly staring at nothing. Raising an eyebrow for a moment, Kujo didn’t bother to disturb Alice’s thought—instead continuing his cigarette at a casual and relaxed pace. Seeing her subtle nod from the corner of his eye after a short moment, the man smirked faintly as he butt out the now used up cigarette on the ground beneath the bench, placing the extinguished vice into his empty ice-cream cup. ”Didn’t know you were the type to space out.” His comment was meant in good-humor, a light jab that even reminded him of his and M’Lyn’s dynamic—albeit, a bit more tame. Once Alice’s ice-cream was finished, Kujo would hold his hand out for the cup, taking their trash to a nearby receptacle nearby.
Pulling out his cellphone on the brief walk back to the bench, the man called a generic taxi company in town with decent rates before hanging up and sitting back down on the bench. ”They’ll be here soon.” Glancing around for a brief moment, the man turned to leave for a moment after gesturing towards the road in the near distance. ”Come on. We’ll wait for them over there.” Before he took a step though, Kujo recalled how Alice typically acted in crowds, bringing him to a pause as he glanced over his shoulder for a moment at the girl.
Tch—can’t I catch a break? Then again, was it really the worst thing? If anything, it certainly ensured that she wouldn’t get separated or lost in an otherwise mostly unfamiliar city. With a faint sigh, the man turned back to the bench and walked up to where Alice sat, glancing away as he offered a large calloused hand her way. ”Ready?”
Once making their way to the street, the two would only wait for a short time before their taxi pulled up—a sleek black car with red checkered designs across the side, a cat-shaped sign at the top switching from ‘Vacant’ to ‘Occupied’ as it came to a stop before them. Opening the rear door and standing aside for Alice to get in, Kujo would follow suit as the cab driver greeted them. Not one for needless conversation, Kujo merely reiterated where it was they needed to go before reclining back in the car seat without another word to the driver.
They didn’t have far to go, winding through the busy downtown streets until they slowly but surely left the crowded middle section of the city. Reaching the slightly more quiet yet still lively residential area, where countless apartment buildings and homes sprawled throughout the area, the two would soon come across a familiar culdesac littered with taller and slightly more elegant and costly seeming homes. Pulling up in front of Kujo’s home, sheltered in tall hedges that shrouded the lush garden-like yard and concrete pavilion beyond the gate. ”We’ve arrived.” Polite yet curt, after Kujo’s clear disinterest in talking, the driver dipped their head to the two as they exited the car.
Pulling out a familiar key, the man opened the gateway and would close it behind them as they walked up to the blue two-story building, adorned with a brick-faced entrance and a door painted to look like the sky. ”All set?” Grimacing mildly as he glanced Alice’s way, Kujo couldn’t help but have their last visit fresh in his mind. He wouldn’t spring anything on the girl, waiting for her to collect herself before opening the door and stepping inside. ”I’m here.” Kujo called out as they made their way into the familiar home—the hardwood entryway and high ceiling lit up by the tall windows next to the door, letting in the afternoon sun.
It was time to see the fruits of his last wish. With his ability to travel between worlds granted, Kujo had little reason to doubt the validity of his last wish being fulfilled. Still, it would be nice to get evidence. [[OOC: Jeez, Kujo, just say you miss your mom.]] ”Kuta?! Come in, come in! I just finished the tea!” Grimacing at the recollection of how that had gone last time, Kujo stepped into the living room to their left warily—his eyes scanning for any sign of projectiles. Surprisingly enough, Kokoroki wasn’t hurling anything his way this time—occupied with a now steaming teapot and an assortment of tea-leaves, milks and sugars. Open with the living room and rather stretched out and spacious, the kitchen seemed immaculate otherwise, almost as though no one ever prepared a meal in it.
”Oh! And another familiar face!” Turning from the glass-top stove and facing the two, Kokoroki looked just like when they had seen her before. Having come from work not long ago, the woman was still in her professional attire, a crimson pantsuit and white button-up, though today she wore an ornate golden broach resembling a flower. Her dark purple hair, the same shade as Kujo’s own, was tied in her trade-mark bun, held together with a bright golden clip to match the broach. ”Alice, right?” Not being one to forget a face, let alone a name, especially in her line of work, Kokoroki beamed at Alice with a hospitable smile that would make one almost forget how horrendous their first meeting had been. Well…almost.
”Though I swear a part of our little ‘deal’ was you contacting me often, Kuta…” The tender and warm face she had offered Alice shifted immediately as she turned to give an icy glare to her son. She was as quick to cut to the chase, or get down to business, as ever. Narrowing her emerald eyes, Kokoroki crossed her arms as she stood behind the counter with a raised brow, expectant and impatient. ”Well?” Rolling his eyes and sighing, Kujo motioned for Alice to sit on the long purple couch in the living room they stood in. Taking a seat next to the girl on the couch, he would glare at his mother from his seat before giving her a shrug. ”Connection’s been spotty at best, where we’ve been.” It was a vague lie—though not necessarily untrue. Off world, his cellphone didn’t receive service of any kind.
Now that I think about it… How did the Brigade’s comm systems work? Perhaps he’d have to inquire about that with Jack or Alice, later… ”Hmph. So that was your plan from the start.” With a begrudging look, Kokoroki walked into the living room with two filled teacups, placing them in front of Kujo and Alice on the glass table that perched before the couch. ”You knew you wouldn’t have service, didn’t you?” Her tone was cutting—a sinister edge to it and an unspoken threat in her narrowed eyes as she glared at him over her shoulder, making her way back into the kitchen to grab ‘fixings’ for the tea she had served.
”Tch—can’t I catch a break?” Grumbling in response, Kujo ignored his own tea, leaning back in the couch with his arms crossed, a scowl on his face. ”You’re a pain. I wouldn’t call even if I had service.” The comment caused Kokoroki’s face to fume red for a flash, though her eyes quickly scanned back over to Alice—remembering to contain herself while others were present. ”How rude! I don’t know who’s son you are—because I certainly didn’t raise you like that!” Giving Kujo an indignant look, Kokoroki returned with milk and sugar, as well as her own cup of tea as she took a seat opposite to the two in a comfortable armchair.
”Honestly, is he too much for you yet? I doubt you and that ‘M’Lyn’ have enjoyed having such a rude boy around.” Kokoroki had a chastising tone, openly berating Kujo as she feigned a look of concern Alice’s way.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 7, 2020 18:22:03 GMT -5
”Didn’t know you were the type to space out.”
While it wasn’t meant to come as berating, and more like a jab, Alice couldn’t help but feel berated. Her face reddened, but she didn’t want to look up and reply, instead choosing to remain quiet and taking it upfront. She finished the ice-cream soon after, handing the cup to Kujo once he held his hand to toss it along his own, but she still didn’t move from her seat.
It wasn’t like Kujo was wrong —Alice wasn’t the type to space out much. Sure, whenever certain thoughts crossed her mind, she would focus on them, but past memories weren’t in the mix. She smiled faintly, although with a certain nostalgia hidden beneath it.
How much longer would she have to wait, in order to have her normal life back?
The girl perked up when Kujo gestured to where they had to go. Alice stood up, a bit hesitant still, but given that she’d managed alright so far, she wasn’t too scared. After all, she wasn’t alone anymore, right? Kujo was there with her. Him holding his hand towards her, much like before, caught her by surprise.
”Ready?” Alice looked at the hand that was being offered, before looking at the face of who was offering it, both of her own hands cupped over her chest. It didn’t take long before she took it, giving Kujo a faint nod and smile, but no words spoken.
She had nothing to say, anyways.
Waiting for the taxi would be easy —it was just a few minutes, in the end. Alice got in first, quick to bring her hands to her lap and look down, fidgeting faintly without ushering a single word. She kept glancing about, but always returning to her point of focus —her hands, uneasily playing with her fingers as she tried to distract herself from the overwhelming normalcy.
It just went too far, sometimes, even if Alice wanted to have a “normal” day.
She nodded in thanks when they pulled up, quick to take place behind Kujo, but not holding onto him. The house wasn’t one she’d forget —not with all that happened last time. She frowned a bit, her hands once more over her chest, almost glaring in a sense. Was that hissing that came from her throat, just a second ago?
Alice blinked after she was asked if she was all set, looking away a bit, uneasy and even a bit embarrassed. She just said that she wanted to stick with Kujo —but not really up to the point she’d meet his mother again. There were a few thoughts crossing her mind at the time, but she decided to leave them for later as she gave a faint nod.
Just as before, Alice took her shoes off before stepping properly into the house, never going in front or besides Kujo as she did so, wanting instead to have something to cover for her just in case things went overboard. This time, there were no cups being tossed their way out of the blue —which in itself was a relief.
Hearing Kokoroi’s voice, Alice quickly stood behind Kujo, hiding while glaring at the woman’s way. Her eyes were narrowed, and one could just tell she was annoyed, recalling all too well what happened last time. Silently, she seemed to hiss —although whether that was true or not was up for debate.
”Alice, right?” Hearing her name being mentioned, Alice loosened up a bit. Kujo’s mom… Remembered her? Really? The smile that followed after was short-lived, as the girl was forced to spectate a mother berating her son, which in a sense forced her back into hiding.
Already not a fan of conflict, Alice grimaced. She didn’t like it when Jack got in trouble —of course she wouldn’t want to see someone else getting berated in front of her.
She took a seat after Kujo motioned her for it, her hands clutched in her lap and her face looking down, trying to calm down and get accustomed to the setting. The words seemed to muffle themselves around her, since Alice didn’t want to hear anyone fighting (although deeming the conversation around her a “fight” would be escalating it tenfold). Her hands tightened their grip as she looked away, trying to ignore the open animosity around her (again, though, that was from her own perspective).
“I doubt you and that ‘M’Lyn’ have enjoyed having such a rude boy around.” Alice flinched, quick to look up as Kokoroki asked if Kujo was too much, noticing her face going red again, but she was actually shocked. Still reluctant to come out, she shook her head with vigor.
“I-If anything… He’s gotten along with M’Lyn the best out of the three…” she mumbled, looking away, “Umm… H-He’s not that r-rude, a-anyways…” her voice slowly became a whisper, “B-Because he worries about us, in the end…”
It seemed to be too much —Alice’s face might as well be streaming due to just how red she was, blurting out her thoughts, but she didn’t want to keep quiet. Not when she knew the truth from her perspective —and it wasn’t a wrong thing to do. Just, perhaps, not at the right time.
“T-The only one he’s mean to is Jack… And it’s not even that badly…” she mumbled.
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 7, 2020 21:49:30 GMT -5
Alice clearly seemed caught off-guard by Kokoroki’s quip—something that only seemed to amuse the woman as she gave a coy smirk and sipped at her tea. ”I-If anything…he’s gotten along with M’Lyn the best out of us three…” Alice’s mumbled response caused Kujo to raise an eyebrow at the girl, though he didn’t make any comments. Do we get along? Now that he thought about it, the Miqo’te was one of the only members of the Brigade he hadn’t had an open argument with at this point. If that wasn’t getting along with someone, what else was? ”Umm…H-He’s not that r-rude, a-anyways…” Kokoroki looked more than amused, leaning in with an intrigued look as Alice’s response slowly turned into a faint whisper.
”Ha ha! How cute! Kuta, you’ve softened up, huh?” Seemingly pleased at the information, Kokoroki smiled pleasantly Alice’s way, giving her son a teasing wink as she sipped at her tea. ”T-the only one he’s mean to is Jack…And it’s not even that badly…” Alice’s last comment caused Kujo to snort indignantly, crossing his arms in his seat as he rolled his eyes a bit. ”If I’m mean to anyone—they had it coming.” He only ever berated the temperamental ‘leader’ of the unit whenever their emotions began to jeopardize their unit. To Kujo, it was never unjust. ”Well—I’m glad to hear you’re all getting along~ I was worried things wouldn't be going so well, since I didn't hear from you...” Seemingly pleased with the outcome of her questioning, Kokoroki perked up in her seat as she took another sip of tea.
”Oh! Did you hear? There was a recent raid on a warehouse! Apparently, the place was filled with wild robots! It was all over the news the last few days... Apparently, some hoodlum claiming to be a 'pirate' caused a lot of mayhem! So many bizarre happenings, lately...” Kujo's brows raised. He hadn't heard of anything like that, or seen any newspapers since they arrived. A pirate...? Were those real? Then again, it wouldn't be the first thing that was 'real' that seemed too bizarre for reality, lately. A faint look of suspicion suddenly came across the woman’s face, as though she recalled something previously forgotten. Kujo knew better, though, having grown up with her. She hadn’t forgotten anything—but merely waited for the right opportunity to bring up what she wanted. ”Speaking of which. Something rather…peculiar happened, recently, as well. Perhaps you know about it?” Raising an eyebrow in response, Kujo’s calm and stoic face betrayed no emotion—appearing almost bored more than anything. It worked, then? The man already had a nagging assumption as to what she was getting at.
”My bank account—it’s been beyond full out of nowhere.” The woman’s gaze turned somewhat icy once more as she stared daggers into her son. ”So full, that the system can’t keep up. It continues to raise no matter what. They’ve even tried shutting down the account and reopening it with the appropriate assets—it skyrockets no matter what.” The man silently felt relief at finally having his suspicions confirmed. The Genie was by no means a fraud, after all. ”You wouldn’t happen to know about that, would you?” Apparently unfazed, Kujo gave his mother a shrug—his composure and tone indicating lying to her was something he was more than used to.
”I’ve transferred money to you before. It’s nothing too unusual.” It seemed that was the only answer Kujo would offer her—causing Kokoroki’s already narrow gaze to worsen as her face flushed faintly. ”I don’t know why you think it’s acceptable to—“ Raising a hand, Kujo cut his mother off as he gave her a stern look. ”Can it. I told you after we moved here—you wouldn’t have to worry about money anymore. You chose to keep working to kill the time, but that doesn’t mean I’ve intended to change any of my plans.” It seemed that similar to his mother, Kujo could have a concise and businesslike approach to certain matters, not accepting any negotiation or debate on the matter. It was clearly a closed case, in his perspective.
Both stern individuals glared at one another, the sparks almost visible with the tension between the two—neither willing to back down. ”You better not be doing anything like back then…” There was a menacing tone to the woman’s voice, despite the fact she seemed to finally concede. ”Hmph. Whatever. Think what you want.” Waving a hand dismissively, Kujo seemed over the conversation, finally reaching for the teacup placed on the glass table before him. ”So—how has your ‘work’ been going?” Raising an eyebrow, Kokoroki’s stern and shrewd gaze shifted between Alice and Kujo alike, leaning forward a bit and placing her cup on the table as she crossed her arms over a knee.
”Clearly, it’s lucrative—somehow.” It seemed despite the initial shock of back then, Kokoroki wasn’t the type to disregard evidence she had seen. Having been informed about the Heartless threat, the woman knew what her son and the others were up to—to a certain degree. ”Really, Kuta. You need to get that phone looked at. With what you’re running around doing, any mother would be worried sick!” Apparently over her mild anger and distrust, Kokoroki now had the face of any doting mother. It seemed at the end of the day, she really did care about her son. ”Heavens know you can pay for better coverage! Or an upgrade!” Giving an almost immature pout, she leaned back in the armchair, her arms still crossed.
”’Works’ fine. It’s about as annoying as usual…” It seemed he was ignoring her phone comment for now. The last mission was significantly better than the others—albeit for solely selfish reasons on the man’s part. ”He doesn’t tell me anything!” Feigning distress, Kokoroki turned to look at Alice with an expectant look on her face. ”Alice, you seem like a sweet girl. Tell me, just what have you all been getting into, since then?” Kujo gave a mild glare at his mother, annoyed at her prying. At the end of the day it was to be expected though. Parents worried, after all. At least ones that cared. Sighing in resignation, Kujo leaned back with his tea and his eyes closed, a faint grimace on his face. It seemed he was resigned to allow Alice the liberty to say what she wanted.
Either that, or he was just tired of dealing with his mother. Both possibilities seemed likely.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 8, 2020 3:58:12 GMT -5
Alice fidgeted, uneasy after speaking, and with a face that might as well be a new definition of red. It was probably the same hue as the color of her skirt, but the reason behind it was clear —she was uneasy to have that sort of talk. It was as if she was intruding on something she didn’t like at all, but she had asked to come along, just to make sure she wouldn’t be alone.
She didn’t want to be alone in a world unknown to her —a place she could easily get lost in.
“Being honest, Jack wouldn’t forgive him if I got lost… Nor would M’Lyn…”
The thought allowed her some relief —neither member of the Brigade would forgive Kujo if Alice got lost in a world she was unfamiliar with. Her expression relaxed a bit, but her face was still red, seemingly unable to disappear.
The mention of a “raid” was way too familiar —but only at first. Kokoroki’s explanation relieved a worry and instead brought confusion, but for the Navigator, a proper explanation wouldn’t be hard to find —explaining it would be, though. After all, Kujo’s mother wasn’t aware of the world outside.
“Right… Elena said we’re not the only ones able to travel between world…” the Navigator remembered.
”Speaking of which. Something rather…peculiar happened, recently, as well.” Alice flinched, as though she was the one being questioned, and decided to look away and listen. Hearing exactly how Kujo’s last wish materialized brought some confirmation to how the wishes worked —not that she didn’t know, having had seen how her wish took shape. Still, it was uncomfortable to just hear them argue (which they were not).
Alice sighed faintly, hearing Kokoroki worry. She had a reason for it —it’s not like it was unreasonable. Kujo dismissing it so casually was a bitter scene to spectate, but the girl didn’t want to step into the conversation —already uncomfortable with it. Of course, it wasn’t like she was just going to be there and sit, listening as the two went on.
She was dragged into it whether she liked it or not —the situation made her uncomfortable.
“…” Alice fidgeted, uneasy, trying to look anywhere but at the faces —both Kokoroki’s and Kujo’s, “Ummm…”
Puffing her cheeks, Alice looked away. Jack or M’Lyn would have it easier, there —either by playing a small rouse in the teen’s case, or just dismissing it in the Miqo’te’s one. Alice didn’t have it easy a little bit. As a sole reply, she just shook her head faintly, but without a single word.
Why had she agreed to joining, again? Was it just because she didn’t want to be left alone?
She glanced over towards the teacup, still incredibly flustered. She would’ve picked it up, had she not noticed her whole body was shaking from the anxiety. It wasn’t nice, feeling as if she was the one being questioned…
If anything, it didn’t bring any pleasant thoughts, based on what she had experienced.
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 8, 2020 12:46:41 GMT -5
Kokoroki’s brow raised a bit as Alice seemed to clam up. Noticing how the girl seemed more than anxious to be put in the spotlight, Kujo sighed a bit after taking a sip from his tea. ”Cut it out, mom.” Giving his mother an icy glare that immediately showcased the two’s resemblance, the man somehow seemed almost menacing despite being dressed like a flower and holding a dainty tea cup. ”It’s been the same as usual. We’re traveling, gathering more information on those pests we showed you last time and fighting them when they get annoying.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but it also wasn’t a lie. Though Kokoroki knew about the Heartless, the Brigade had been smart enough to not disclose information about other worlds.
Or Genies, Kujo’s own powers, or the fact that they had a spaceship. Some things were just better for parents to not know about, in his opinion. ”Fiii~ne.” Seemingly giving up, Kokoroki hummed out a feigned sigh as she sipped her tea, giving Alice a small smile. ”Sorry, dear. I didn’t mean to startle you.” It seemed despite the woman’s businesslike attitude at times, she wasn’t heartless or cruel. ”Though I must say—clamming up like that is certainly not ideal. How else will you become a strong woman leading the world one day?” It was meant as reassurance, as the woman gave Alice a faint smirk and sipped her tea once more. ”Anyway, Kuta. I insist—get that phone looked at. It’d be nice to hear from you ahead of time. I’d hate for you friends to think your own mother never cooks, but only ever serves tea!”
Her face was a mixture of indignation and shock at the mere idea. ”I’ll see what I can do.” Grimacing a bit with a sigh, the man set down his now empty teacup on the glass table. ”You’re such a pain…” Grumbling the retort, Kokoroki merely laughed at her son’s comment, seemingly more than used to this dynamic. ”Whatever. I’ve gotta grab some stuff from my room.” Standing up from the couch, Kujo looked over at Alice, gesturing with a short nod towards the stairs back in the home’s entryway. ”Come on. She’ll just hound you more if you stay down here.” Despite Kokoroki’s feigned protest (as it was indeed true), Kujo would usher Alice from the living room and back into the entryway before bringing her up the hardwood stairs that led to the upper level of the home.
At the top of the stairs was a simple yet elegant hallway with a loft space that overlooked the entryway. To their left at the end of the hallway was a shut door, Kokoroki’s room. About midway down the hallway was another shut door, the bathroom. To their immediate right, right at the top of the stairs, was another closed door, though this one was a darker wood than the others, with multiple signs of repair, as though it had been broken a few times. It had mainly been from when he had first awakened his powers and had still been struggling to control his own strength. His mother wanted to get a whole new door, but Kujo liked the wood, so instead he fixed it up himself and it remained. Ignoring the sealed cracks and dented knob, Kujo opened the door, allowing Alice to follow him in as he began to look for what he needed.
It was a surprisingly simple room—similar to the ones on the Almira. There were weight sets and some moderate gym equipment, an unmade bed, and a desk with an assortment of books on top. Other than some necessary furniture such as a dresser and whatnot, the room was barren. There weren't even any wall decorations. ”Here we go.” Reaching into one of the dresser drawers, the man pulled out a long carton box of the cigarettes he smoked, seemingly content.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 8, 2020 13:07:22 GMT -5
Groaning faintly, Alice puffed her cheeks, clammed up as usual. Kujo stepping up to divert attention was appreciated, to a point, but the girl didn’t want to rely solely on him. Why else had she asked to join, if not to satiate her curiosity for a world she barely knew of, and was so intrigued by?
The girl raised her head as Kokoroki apologized, quickly shaking her hands and head as she tried to say that it was alright, but somehow her voice just didn’t come out when it wanted. Giving up rather quickly, Alice clammed back up, still trying to figure out how to get out of that uncomfortable scenario.
“How else will you become a strong woman leading the world one day?” The comment caused her to blink a bit, but was rather wholesome on its own. Seeing Kujo’s mom trying to encourage her, if only for a moment, caused Alice to blush, only figuring out the meaning of those words later. They felt bittersweet, in the end, but to a point, they were enough to push her forward.
“Mom said the same thing…”
Alice’s own mother had been hardworking, trying to encourage her to try and be a bit more outspoken —although that hardly ever happened. Hearing those words again, albeit from a different person, reminded her of those little efforts she used to make before.
Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad, if she tried it again —like a small “to-do” list while she worked.
The girl looked at Kujo as he stood up, gesturing her to follow him, nodding along. Even though Kokoroki’s concern was appreciated, Alice didn’t want anything else that could jump as a topic —honestly knowing what would happen if certain ones jumped in. She would just clam back up again, maybe even grow upset if the topics hit a raw nerve —she didn’t want to cause Kujo’s mother any more worries.
So, she followed Kujo upstairs and to his room. She looked with confusion at the door Kujo opened, but didn’t say much, instead finding herself inside the room. The assortment was shocking —one she hadn’t expected. Then again, Jack and Alice’s own rooms had been the messier sort, back in their own house —with Jack’s room having a few piles of junk he’d rummage through for pieces, while Alice’s room would just have a lot happening in a tidy manner. The thought caused her to smile a bit, as she walked towards the desk with curiosity, looking at the books cluttered on top of the desk.
“So… This is your room…” she mumbled.
It was plain and simple —a room to rest, a bedroom. Alice hummed a bit disappointed at how the bed was unmade, though —she would’ve liked to sit down. The sudden thought caused her to blush, looking away while trying to get a grip.
Why did that come out so suddenly?
“Hrmm…”
Patting her cheeks to try and focus, Alice attempted to think on something else. Once she finished, leaving her cheeks a bit red, she perked up —thinking on something that had caught her attention.
It wasn't the first time something she heard when Kujo was near had caught her attention. After all, it was about his own past doings, about things he continued to keep hidden from the rest. “Right…” the girl turned towards Kujo, a bit taken aback, “When your mom said… That you’d better not be doing anything like back then… She didn’t mean when the Heartless were around, right?” she asked, worried, “I… It’s okay if you don’t wanna answer, though…” she followed, flustered, “But… It’s true that, from my perspective, I… don’t know a lot about you… Whereas you know a bit about me…” the girl pouted, “It’s not fair…” she mumbled.
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 8, 2020 13:35:43 GMT -5
”So…this is your room…” Alice’s mumble caught Kujo’s attention, who raised a brow as he stood with a hand on his hip. ”Yeah. It’s nothing special.” Shrugging a bit, it seemed Kujo was well aware of the rather modest decor—preferring it that way, apparently. Seeing the girl pat her cheeks in an attempt to focus, Kujo smirked a bit before shaking his head. What’s gotten into her? Shrugging the thought off, the man figured it was pointless trying to piece together what went through the girl’s head on his own. ”Right…when your mom said…that you’d better not be doing anything like back then…” She seemed to come out of her shell, though mainly just to stick her nose into his business. The thought was good-natured, causing the man to sigh a bit and give a faint eye-roll.
The girl was too smart for her own good. Indeed, Kokoroki had mentioned his past long before the Heartless had ever arrived on his home world. ”I…don’t know a lot about you…whereas you know a bit about me…it’s not fair…” Her pout and mumbled protest only accentuate her childishness, clearly displeased at the unbalanced scales they had built. Kujo found it both bothersome, humorous and fair. She was right, despite the time he had spent on the team, he hadn’t opened up to anyone about his own history—even when there were times it attempted to come up while they had been here originally. ”Tch—what a pain.” Grumbling a bit as he glanced around the room, the man sighed.
”Yeah. She meant before the Heartless arrived.” Glancing over at his weight sets, Kujo’s face darkened a bit and seemed to return to its usual rigid stoicism. ”I’m not getting too into it, though.” He mentioned the limitation with a slight begrudging tone, though it seemed he was at least conceding a bit. It’s not like he didn’t trust Alice enough…moreso that he doubted her receptiveness to the answers to her questions. ”I used to fight for money.” He wouldn’t go into the whole situation—what with the underground ring, an unnamed crime organization and constantly being hired to protect armed illegal traffickers—all of that seemed a bit too dark to lay on the young girls lap.
Instead, he did what he was used to doing with his mom—he told a ‘half-truth’, as he liked to think of them. Indeed, Kujo had earned most of his fortune by fighting, though it hadn’t always been in an underground arena. There were times he had been hired to fight other gangs in the city, law enforcement officers, etc. It had been quite a busy time in his life. ”She wasn’t very happy when she found out.” Shrugging a bit, Kujo finally glanced back over at Alice, wondering how receptive she’d be to this new information. Not that what we do now is much different…
The only difference was that his targets were beings of pure darkness seeking to devour hearts—not that much different from heartless crooked criminals in a large city, to be honest.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 8, 2020 16:55:08 GMT -5
Seeing how she was getting a reply to her question, Alice stood up properly, one hand clutched to her chest while the other rested at her side, with her curiosity oozing. Silently she listened to the short tale, obtaining even more doubts than answers.
“I used to fight for money.” The answer itself was vague, although Kujo did state he wouldn’t go into details. Still, Alice’s curiosity was far too strong to just ignore, leaning a bit closer as he spoke in short sentences, her cheeks slightly puffed.
Those answers weren’t enough —she wanted more.
“That’s vague…” she said, a slight berating behind her tone, “Fighting for money can mean a lot of things, y’know…”
It wasn’t like she was unaware of the whole thing. After all, didn’t she work alongside a military unit, whose sole work was fighting at every moment with military equipment? She felt underestimated —both due to her background and also due to the current line of work she handled. By that point, she was the Navigator of a bruiser’s unit, to a point —the missions had mostly consisted of keeping track of the Heartless and take care of them if necessary.
Was there really a difference to what Kujo used to do before they met? Or was he simply thinking that Alice didn’t want to know the details? It didn’t take much to connect them to start with…
“…So…” Alice looked down, “That line of work… Did you fight people?” she asked bluntly. She fidgeted a bit, looking away, “…Did you work with the police, too?”
Her question came due to caution —Alice had yet to see policemen in SanFransokyo, so she didn’t know if they were any different to the ones she knew. Always patrolling the streets, apprehending people with little to no reasoning behind it, and taking them somewhere to never see them again…
Was it the same there, or was it different? Hearing how Kujo had fought to obtain money before caused her to be wary. If he used to do the same things the policemen back at Milennia did… Then, needless to say, Alice’s caution would skyrocket.
She couldn’t trust police —not after what she’d gone through.
“Sarah’s taking a lot…”
Holding a ball in her hands, Alice puffed her cheeks as she bounced it again, sitting by the front porch of the house she and Jack had been staying at —the house of a friend of her brother, who took them in after they learnt that the siblings’ parents hadn’t come back yet. It had been about a week since that happened —when the two siblings decided to leave the house for a bit and stay with someone else, since they wouldn’t be able to keep themselves properly fed after some time.
It was tough, but necessary.
That day, Alice had agreed with the other family’s daughter to spend some time, but the girl hadn’t arrived yet to her house —having gone out shopping with her own mother. The thought was a bit poisonous, but Alice made sure to repress it, instead choosing to think on how pleasant their stay had been so far…
Crash! The sudden sound caused the girl to jolt, standing up but never letting go of the ball in her hands, looking with curiosity and worry. She could hear faint shouts at a distance, but shy as she was, she didn’t want to step forward, instead freezing in the porch by herself.
She noticed Jack running her way, somewhat panicked. The girl tilted her head, wondering what happened, but she couldn’t ask when her brother approached —instead forced to drop the ball to the ground as Jack grabbed the girl’s wrist and ushered her to start running.
“H-Hey…!” “We gotta go —now” the boy said, “We gotta hide, before they find us.” “T-They…?”
Alice couldn’t speak any longer, focused on her run and trying to keep up with her brother. Arriving by a back alley, Jack pulled his sister inside, hiding behind a container pulled by against a wall, and shushed her quickly. The girl was frightened, not knowing what had happened, instead trying to leave back to the porch —but her brother denied her.
“J-John’s mom is gonna worry if we don’t show up…” the girl said, uneasy. “…” Jack looked away, troubled, “They took her in —I saw them arresting her and Sarah.” “T-They…? Who’re you talking—?” “Shh!”
Hearing footsteps, Jack shushed his sister again, quickly hiding behind their small cover and bringing Alice towards him to ensure she’d remain quiet —hugging her against him. The footsteps were heavy —most likely adults, walking nearby. They didn’t get too close, meaning they didn’t step inside the alley, but their voices were close enough to know that, if either of the siblings moved or spoke, they would notice.
“Make sure no one remains here” a male voice barked an order, “We were told to clean the area, and that’s what we’ll do. So move it!”
Alice flinched, thankful for her brother’s embrace keeping her neatly hidden and quiet —since Jack had placed one of his hands on the girl’s mouth to stop her protesting. The footsteps soon became softer, until they weren’t in ear’s reach anymore —the adults had left. Jack had a scowl in his face, but after feeling his sister move, he relaxed a bit. As for the girl, well…
She wanted an explanation.
“What’s going on?!” Alice asked, worried, “Arrest them? What happened?!” “…Sarah’s mom and her were arrested —the police just grabbed them and took her into a police truck” Jack said, “I didn’t see John anywhere, but things got violent from what I saw… If this is anything like what happened with Mom and Dad, then… We can’t go back to that house —we need to leave.” “B-But… What if they come back…?” “Alice —it’s not safe here anymore. If we stay here, who knows what’ll happen to us? They might separate us —take us to separate parts. I’m not chancin’ that.” “B-But—!” “I know you’re scared” Jack said, “I’m scared, too —I dunno how thing’ll go from here, but… We gotta make an effort. We gotta start livin’ by ourselves, and make sure they don’t find us. That’s the only way we can even hope to see Mom and Dad again… Okay?” “…” Alice’s eyes grew teary, “…Mm…” she nodded. “Thanks, sis…”
Jack patted his sister’s head, smiling faintly, before holding his hand towards her to continue forward, deeper into the alley —a hand the girl took without hesitation. They were 11 and 9 at that time —they were still kids…
And yet they had no other choice but to start living by their own wits, if they wanted to survive.
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 8, 2020 17:46:11 GMT -5
”That’s vague…” The man couldn’t help but roll his eyes a bit, a smirk lingering on his otherwise brooding face. ”That was the point.” It seemed the vagueness in his answer didn’t satisfy the girl’s curiosity, though. Alice seemed troubled as she contemplated the possibilities. ”That line of work…did you fight people?” Kujo blinked in mild surprise. What else did she think he had been fighting, before the Heartless arose? ”…Did you work with the police, too?” The question caught Kujo off-guard, causing him to raise a brow as he crossed his arms and gave Alice a skeptical look. ”Pretty much the opposite, really.” The local law enforcements were hardly friends of his.
With the shady dealings Kujo had taken a part in, the cops were the last people he ever thought to go near. Even before getting involved in such things, the man always thought the idea of ‘police’ was useless at best. People could handle their own problems. They didn’t need poorly trained hired guns to do it for them. If anything, those that relied on police were weak, in Kujo’s opinion. ”I did fight people, though.” The faint smirk had left his face, replaced by its usual dark stoic grimace. It seemed the man wasn’t necessarily proud of his history. He had done what he needed to—but he had left for a reason, after all. It wasn’t just because of his mother…
Hell, sometimes he had been fighting the police. With a sigh, Kujo waved the hand that held the carton of cigarettes. ”Whatever. It’s done with now.” Turning towards the bedroom door, Kujo would pause as he reached his free hand out to the knob, glancing at Alice over his shoulder. ”Come on. We should get ready to head back soon.” They hadn’t spent too much time here, but the fact they were on ‘standby’ hadn’t changed. They couldn’t just waste away the whole day. They’d have to return to base at some point—Kujo figuring sooner rather than later, considering how drained he normally was after seeing his mother.
Waiting for Alice’s response, the man seemed unwilling to go into things further, for now. Perhaps that hard exterior would soften with time? For now, it seemed Alice would have to be patient and see—if she could.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 9, 2020 10:01:51 GMT -5
”Pretty much the opposite, really.”
Alice relaxed a bit, sighing. Her mind had raced ahead and had taken her to a gruesome thought, although she was happy that her suspicions were wrong. It didn’t matter if Kujo fought people —knowing that it was not a pretty thought anyways. Just knowing that he hadn’t fought the same way as people back at her world was enough to relieve her.
What she knew was enough, for the time being —eventually she’d be able to have Kujo open himself, the same way she would open to the rest, given time.
”Come on. We should get ready to head back soon.” The sudden comment caught her off-guard —she didn’t think they’d be going back now! There were a lot more things she wanted to do! Entranced in the prospect of visiting a world without any goals, and more like a “tourist” visit, Alice didn’t want to leave just yet.
The day that allowed her to return to her normal life hadn’t ended just yet, and she wasn’t about to cut it short.
“Umm…” Alice decided to speak up, “C-Can I ask one last thing? B-Before we leave… I-It’s got nothing to do with what I just asked —I promise!” she added hastily, noticing her face growing red again, “I… I wanna go to a park… A-Any park will do…”
The girl’s face was growing red again —an already known trait whenever she was flustered. But behind that red was a determined look, even if Alice was clamming up again. There was one thing she wanted to do, just one thing.
Would it be too much to spend some time amidst a green scenery? Underneath a tree, sheltered by the shade, and sitting over grass… She’d forgotten all about it, and she wanted to feel it one more time, before going back to the stale white ship.
“…” Alice hesitated a bit, before finally clamming up, “Y-You can always say no… I… I know I’ve been spoiled enough for the day —you… you don’t have to do much more. I-I mean…” the girl pouted, looking away, “Y-You honestly… Didn’t have to do all that…”
Even though she enjoyed it, Alice hadn’t expected Kujo to go out of his way for her —buying her new shoes, allowing her an ice-cream, and through all that, allowing her to stick near him, leaving his sleeve for her to hold. It was a crossed sensation —she was both happy and uneasy about it all. She didn’t know why he was doing it, but the girl didn’t think she’d done something special to deserve it…
The only thing she wanted was to go and see a world she was intrigued by —that was it. She never thought all of what had happened would actually happen to begin with…
Suddenly, she began to tear up —not even she noticed. It took her a while to notice that she was crying, shaking a bit, but it didn’t take long for her to know why she began crying. Alice was quick to try and calm herself down, wiping the tears that fell down her cheeks, a pain-filled smile softly appearing on the corner of her lips.
“S-Sorry… I just… Thought of my mom…” she apologized in a whisper, “I’m not upset by any of this… It’s just… M-My mom used to do this for me, a lot, back home… I haven’t been able to not think of her, this whole time…”
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 9, 2020 13:03:29 GMT -5
”Umm…” Raising an eyebrow, Kujo remained paused at the door. ”C-Can I ask one last thing? B-Before we leave…” It wasn’t like the girl to suddenly speak up—though it wasn’t an unwelcome development. Hmph. She’s finding her voice, huh? Hearing such a simple request on Alice’s part, Kujo gave a humored sigh and a faint smirk. Immediately backpedaling, Alice seemed sheepish, despite having worked up the courage to make the request. Before the man could reply though, her sheepishness began to turn to tears out of nowhere—suddenly Alice stood crying, leaving Kujo blinking in mild surprise and a faint grimace on his face. ”S-Sorry…I just…though of my mom…”
Hearing her explain, Kujo remained silent, his expression blank though his gaze seemed to soften a bit. That’s right… Of course she was bound to feel something—unlike Kujo, the two siblings in the Brigade didn’t have the luxury of being able to see their parents. At least, that's how it seemed, based on how rarely they ever brought up the subject. To be honest, the man wasn’t entirely sure about their familial state to begin with…but based on what he knew about those two and the vaguely dark history they already had, the man assumed the worst rather than best scenario. ”Alright.” With a faint sigh, Kujo walked up to the girl, looking down at her and resting a hand on her shoulder as he gave a nod. ”We’ll go to the park.”
He wasn’t the best at knowing what to say at these moments—but he figured at least the confirmation of doing what she wanted would cheer her up a bit. I was careless. He shouldn’t have brought her here—to his own home, where his own mom was. Next time, I’ll come alone. It wasn’t just wanting to avoid moments like these—but also a genuine lack of wanting to do more harm than he already had. Thinking of their prior engagements on the ship, Kujo was striking out fast. ”Don’t worry about it.” It wasn’t the most comforting statement—but at least he was trying. ”I…think of mine a lot, too. When I’m gone…”
A grimace was on the stoic man’s face as he admitted a secret truth—figuring it would at least show Alice that even if he couldn’t understand her feelings right now, he understood in part what she felt. ”It’s normal.” Shrugging it off—the man couldn’t help but feel an inner embarrassment, though his demeanor wouldn’t betray such feelings.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 9, 2020 14:37:45 GMT -5
Half-way through wiping the traces of weakness in her face, trying to cheer herself up, Kujo’s hand perked Alice to look up. Her eyes were still a bit puffy, but she wasn’t crying anymore —the thought before had simply come at a bad timing, but it didn’t hurt, surprisingly enough. It was simply bittersweet.
”We’ll go to the park.” Alice blinked a bit, her expression relaxed, although she managed to draw a faint smile and nodded in thanks. She played a bit with her hands, stepping back and taking a deep breath, finally able to push past the bittersweet thought. However, it wasn’t that she simply ignored it —rather, she managed to cope with it.
Hearing Kujo’s confession, following him grimacing and even picking up a faint hint of embarrassment, Alice looked lost for a second, but before long, she was smiling again. A caring, lenient smile —one that didn’t reproach anything or shunned anyone. In fact, she found herself giggling softly, finally having an answer for a question that had come to her long ago —from the very first encounter.
“So, you do care…” she said, a mild red creeping through her cheeks, “To think… You kept this to yourself until now…” Alice found herself amused, “I won’t tell anyone —I promise. Even though I still don’t know why you choose to keep that to yourself… I won’t ask more than that.”
Beaming with a smile, Alice’s hands rested on her lap, finally composing herself, plus having the prospect of a walk through the park —one last thing to do, before heading back. She was raring to go, with the image of her mom in mind vividly —a pleasant smile with light-green eyes and hair the same as Alice’s. She missed her… But that only made her want to work harder.
Eventually, she’d see her again —her and her father both.
“Umm… Well… Just in case I need to point it out, but…” Alice mumbled, looking away, “It’s not your fault I ended up thinking of her… It’s not because I saw your mom, either…” she was quick to explain, looking up, “Rather… These sorts of things… I used to do them with my mom, back at Milennia… She was always busy, but still managed to find time for me and Jack… Going out for a walk, buying stuff…” Alice smiled with nostalgia, “It’s one of the few things I can look back to without crying…”
It was the truth —since she’d recalled similar things during her little trip with Kujo through the shops. Eating ice-cream while under a sunny day of spring… It was all too familiar. It was a sensation that brought warmth to her heart —a sensation she wanted to feel constantly, keeping those treasured memories close to her.
“So… Umm…” Alice giggled a bit, “W-Where to, next?”
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 9, 2020 15:54:13 GMT -5
”So, you do care…” Alice’s comment and giggle caused an indignant look to come over Kujo’s face for a moment as he turned away. Sighing in relief once the girl promised to keep it between them, the man glanced back with a slightly less sour face. ”Right.” Was that his way of saying he appreciated it? Hearing how Alice had begun to recall certain things outside of his control was a little comforting, though it was also annoying not having a full-proof way of avoiding such things from coming to the girl’s mind during their short visit. ”So…Umm…W-Where to, next?” Deciding to leave those thoughts for later, Kujo gave her a faint smirk as he shook his head and rolled his eyes. ”The park.”
With that, the man pushed open the door to his bedroom and would lead Alice back downstairs and into the living room, where Kokoroki remained sitting with her tea, browsing something on her own cellphone. ”Alright. We’re heading out.” Looking up from the screen with a look of only mild surprise, his mother gave him a stern look for a moment. ”Hmph. Next time you’ll need to stay for dinner, at least.” The icy determination in her emerald gaze left little room for debate. ”Whatever.” Waving a dismissive hand, Kujo turned to leave, silently resigning himself to dinner during his next trip. ”Make sure to get that phone looked at, too!” Kokoroki’s voice was still stern—though there was also a faint hint of something that seemed almost childish—like someone trying to conceal a brewing tantrum.
”Honestly! Can’t you at least give your own mother a hug goodbye?!” The vein appearing on her forehead was dangerous, her hand on the teacup flexing a bit as the woman silently weighed the pros and cons of shattering yet another glass. They’re easy enough to replace… Sensing the coming conflict, Kujo gave an exasperated sigh, turning and making his way back to his mother and leaning down to give her a hug as she sat on the couch. ”You’re a pain.” With a composed smile, the woman returned the hug in what way she could, sneaking a quick peck on her son’s cheek as he pulled away (causing him to scowl at her). ”Love you too, Kuta!” Rolling his eyes, Kujo signaled for Alice to follow him as he began to make his way back to the house entryway.
”Feel free to visit with Kuta again, Alice! I hope by then we can talk a little more~” Giving the girl a light jest on her way out, Kokoroki winked at her before waving goodbye as the two departed. The sky was beginning to show the faintest sign of orange as the midday began to wane closer towards afternoon. It was still plenty bright though, the wind not too rough or cold as Kujo glanced down at Alice. ”It’s not a far walk. We don’t need to take a cab this time.” Gesturing towards the gate, Kujo led them through the driveway and back out into the culdesac that his mother’s home rested in. Walking on the sidewalk of the residential area, the roads were quieter here, hardly any cars passing by and only faint noises reaching them from those coming home from work or preparing for their evening ahead.
The park he was leading her to wasn’t the one they had been through last time. That one had been a bit more major and well known—even leading to Kujo running into someone from his well-guarded past. Instead the man was now leading Alice to a smaller park closer to the residential district—it had less spacious spots but also had a small playground, swings as well as small picnic styled tables to sit at. There were countless blossoming trees all around, their pink petals vibrant in the gentle spring breeze that seemed to blanket the small park. ”Here we are.” Though it didn’t have as many trails or walking paths as the other one, it did still have some—these ones even in better condition than the more frequently used paths at the larger park.
They also had much more space to themselves. Unlike the large one, this park had barely anyone in it. There was an older gentleman reading at one of the tables, a pair of younger kids horsing around on the playground. Other than that, it seemed to be deserted. The perfect place for someone who didn’t want to be suffocated by a crowd and instead wanted some time merely enjoying the breeze, grass and trees. ”Here.” Leading the way, Kujo led Alice onto one of the many paved walking paths that snaked through the small park, choosing the one that looped around the playground (though not close enough to where the sounds of children playing would be too obnoxious, for Kujo) and looped through many of the blooming trees swaying.
Hopefully the destination suited her.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 9, 2020 16:36:25 GMT -5
Alice followed suit, now beaming with a smile and a new pep to her step. She stopped her pace a bit after spotting Kokoroki by the corner of her eye, saying nothing while she and Kujo talked. She picked up on the hint behind her stern voice as he mentioned getting the phone looked at, only flinching with unease as she had a chill creep through her spine…
Was there going to be a cup thrown their way again? The thought alone was unsettling…
Thankfully the issue resolved itself with Kujo begrudgingly walking towards his mom and complying with the hug, noticing him uncomfortable just by the comment alone, but even he knew how to avoid conflict. It was quick, anyways, and Alice followed Kujo out of the house, not before hearing Kokoroki seeing them off.
“I hope by then we can talk a little more~” Alice blinked a bit, but managed to draw a smile, nodding vigorously at the suggestion. It would be in baby steps, surely, but eventually Alice would manage to feel comfortable even with her around. She wasn’t unpleasant by any means —it was just a bit exhausting to keep up with, that personality of hers.
But in a way, it was like Alice's own mother's personality.
“Umm… I’ll try to be here for dinner, someday!” she said, brightly, “I’ll bring Jack along, too!”
She waved goodbye soon after, putting her shoes back on and following Kujo back into the driveway, noticing how it was slightly orange now. She nodded as Kujo mentioned how they would be walking a bit, not put off by the thought. If anything, she liked the idea —walking around meant she could look around.
The small park was right up Alice’s alley —quiet, with few people, yet just as pretty as the large one they had visited the first time there. The sight was mesmerizing —evidenced by Alice’s eyes shining with expectation. Quick to return her attention to the man besides her, the girl followed him through a path, looking around with eager eyes, feasting on the sights.
It never ceased to amuse her —and she loved every bit of it.
She looked upwards towards the blooming pink flowers, walking towards the nearest one and trying to pick a whole flower for herself, struggling to reach even the lowest branch due to her height. Alice puffed her cheeks, bitter, but she didn’t want to ask for help —not now.
“I wanna take one for Jack…”
Hadn’t she read somewhere that cherry blossoms were a symbol for luck and well-being? Something like that, although childish, was still worth to bring back. After all, her brother wasn’t there to enjoy what she was enjoying.
A little souvenir wouldn’t hurt, right?
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 10, 2020 13:58:30 GMT -5
Alice seemed to be enjoying their peaceful walk, evident by the beaming expression on her face and the wide eyes. Watching her from the corner of his eyes, Kujo smirked faintly as he walked with his hands in his pockets, silently relieved that his choice had worked out well. Seeing her pause and gaze up at a branch far out of her reach (though for Kujo it was basically like eye level if not a little lower—he had to duck at the times the branches of lower trees snaked out into the path), the man raised an eyebrow and followed her gaze to the blossoming petals. She wants some of those? The girl's tastes seemed to range all over the place. Her cheeks were puffed a bit as she gave a tempered glare at the petals out of reach, a sight that Kujo couldn’t help but feel a mild amusement towards.
”Here.” With literally zero effort, Kujo reached out with a hand and plucked a bunch of blossoms from the tree, breaking it at an angle expertly with only two fingers. ”You were trying to reach these, right?” Despite his better efforts, there was the faintest hint of a grin on the man’s face as he offered the girl the blossoms. So even she has here more prideful moments, huh? It was an amusing side to see from Alice—though not in a way that belittled the respect it earned. He appreciated her own form of determination, though hardly seemed to regard it as he aided her in acquiring the gift for her brother unknowingly.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 10, 2020 14:23:57 GMT -5
Alice looked as Kujo brought a bunch of blossoms to her, nodding as he asked if that was what she wanted —although 1 flower would’ve been enough. Still, being offered in that way was nerve-wracking, and Alice found herself blushing somewhat vividly.
Why was it so tough to just focus on something else? Today was really bizarre.
“T-Thanks…” she nodded, holding them gently, “Although one would’ve been enough… Since I’m taking one for Jack and all…” she added with a giggle.
She’d noticed Kujo’s grin, finding it amusing how often he was doing that lately. Even though she knew he wasn’t an outspoken person when it came to how he truly felt, choosing instead to hide his emotions behind a cold and distant layer, the girl couldn’t help but be curious as to why he was simply more… Upbeat, all of the sudden.
Would it be okay to ask, though? Perhaps not. Maybe later, but right now, it was better to enjoy things as they were.
“Now I need to remember how you dry flowers to keep them…” Alice looked away as she mumbled, “’Cause otherwise, it’ll wilt away…”
She hummed a bit longer, finally giving up but not letting go of the flowers, instead bringing them closer to her with a faint smile. The fragrance was nice —subtly sweet and pleasant. It wasn’t annoying to a point, which made it charming. The girl found herself looking at the slightly setting sun, peeking through the buildings and starting to taint it all in a golden hue —having forgotten how it looked altogether.
After a while, Alice sat down, resting her back against the trunk while her knees were up and close to her chest, looking at the sky. It was a scenery she just wanted to enjoy for a little longer… Such was the charm it had for her.
“I forgot how… Quiet a city could be…” she mumbled, “The right kind of quiet…” she giggled a bit, looking at Kujo with a pleasant smile, “Thanks for allowing me to join you. I never said that before, did I? And, well… Thanks for everything else —today was nice.”
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 10, 2020 14:45:10 GMT -5
”T-thanks…Although one would’ve been enough…Since I’m taking one for Jack and all…” Ah, so that’s what she had been thinking. Typical. She was always looking out for her brother, worrying and doting on him. It was a respectable characteristic certainly, though it always mildly annoyed Kujo. Deep down he worried the girl didn’t concern herself with her own needs enough. ”Whatever.” Giving a shrug at her having too many flowers, Kujo seemed unbothered. She could just throw the extras on the grass, for all he cared. They were just flowers. Despite these thoughts, it seemed he was enjoying their time together. ”Now I need to remember how you dry flowers to keep them…” Alice’s mumble caused the man to pause.
”You need to trim off the excess leaves, bunch them together and hang them to dry.” It seemed that somehow, Kujo of all people knew a thing or two about decor and plants. Truthfully, he knew quite a bit of things about most subjects—having always been a fast reader and bored during school, as he would typically finish all of the material before the class would. The man’s brain was crammed with countless knowledge of (in his opinion) a lot of useless things. ”I forgot how…quiet a city could be…” Standing still in the grass next to Alice, Kujo glanced around, noting indeed the tranquility of it all. The only sounds were the younger children playing in the playground nearby, the occasional car passing by in the distance every now and then—though the motor would be the barest echo far away.
”Thanks for allowing me to join you. I never said that before, did I?” Hearing how Alice had enjoyed the day, Kujo nodded, continuing to observe the park rather than look at her directly. ”Don’t mention it.” It had been easy enough, really. Everything but the trip with his mother, of course—but those never went ‘easily’ really. Not in his opinion, anyway. Looking down, he noticed now that the girl had sat down in the grass, seemingly relaxing and content to watch the sunset. I guess we can wait a bit longer before heading back. If she wanted to watch the golden sky turn into its purple and orange tint before the sun began to fall behind the tall buildings, Kujo supposed he could humor her a bit longer.
They would need to return soon, though. Rather than sitting in the grass beside her, Kujo leaned against the tree she sat against, crossing his arms and watching the sky in silence. All in all, he had never done this often when he had actually lived here. It is kind of peaceful, huh? With a forced and mild sigh, the man felt himself settle into an odd sensation he wasn’t familiar with:
Relaxing.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 10, 2020 15:01:12 GMT -5
The girl hummed childishly as she heard the instructions Kujo knew —half of them echoing right, while the rest not so much. Wasn’t she supposed to press them for them to dry? Ah, well —an issue for later. She had to do all that back at the ship, anyways, since she didn’t have the tools for it then and there.
Alice giggled a bit hearing the reply to her thanks, cheerful. With the small bouquet in her hands and curled up against the tree trunk, the girl was happy enough, looking at the setting sun with a calm gaze, enjoying the peace around her.
That was the sort of world she wanted —nothing more, nothing less.
The sky would go from blue to tints of orange and purple —a sight the girl had also forgotten about. At first in awe, Alice was quick to draw a smile, enjoying the view. She wanted those close to her to enjoy it —Jack, her mom and dad, her friends… But they weren’t there. If anything, she could just try and share her perception of the events as best she could.
She didn’t notice at all how she was slowly starting to doze off —typical from her, since every time she felt comfortable to a certain point, or just safe in general, her body would simply start to fall asleep. Her grip loosened and her head felt heavy, but she didn’t seem to notice it at all —mesmerized as she was with the sunset.
It wouldn’t be long before she fell asleep, although a smile would be permanent of her face —evidence enough to determine she was, indeed, having sweet dreams…
“Thanks for this… Kujo… I really appreciate it…” the thought echoed in her head, wanting to say it again and again, but given that she was asleep, perhaps she would need to say it later.
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 10, 2020 15:45:22 GMT -5
Watching the setting sun, Kujo and Alice were soon the only ones in the small park. The only others that had been there earlier left as the sun began to lower—leaving it a small oasis of silence and peace. Always one to enjoy a comfortable silence, the man merely continued to lean against the tree they rested against as he watched the world he had grown so jaded to prior to everything. Leaving was the right choice. Their visit had reminded him of some of the smaller parts of this world he had never paid much attention to before. Would he have paid attention to things like this if he had never left? He doubted it. Experience broadened horizons—that much was evident.
”It’s getting dark.” As the orange sky shifted to a purple, the sun falling behind the tall buildings in the distance, Kujo finally glanced down at Alice. ”Let's go—“ He paused. Can’t I catch a break? When had she fallen asleep? Sighing a bit, Kujo pushed himself from the tree, hands in his pockets as he looked down at the slumbering girl. ”Now she’s too carefree.” He grumbled to himself in the coming dark, a faint smirk hidden by the coming shadows as he crouched down in front of her. Oh well. There wasn’t much he could do about it now. Lifting her from her spot against the tree, Kujo’s Akogare shimmered into existence with a light in the dark.
As the guardian tore a portal into the world with its armored hands, Kujo stepped through with the slumbering Alice, planning on returning to the ship and seeing if Elena had reached back out to the Brigade yet.
Tearing a hole in the space itself, Kujo's Akogare emerged with its host at its side. Arriving in the Lounge area of the Almira, the man stepped through as the portal behind him closed, his guardian dissolving in a ray of light. Alright. Finding a couch to lay the slumbering Alice on, the man straightened and grimaced as he looked down at the sleeping girl. Who knows how long she'll sleep out here. With a begrudging sigh, Kujo removed the cropped lavender jacket he always wore. Draping it over the girl, he scratched at the back of his head while giving her a mildly exasperated look. She better not get it all wrinkled. Resigning himself to the uncertainty, Kujo shoved his hands into his pant pockets, glancing around the room. Figuring he might as well touch base with the rest of the team, the man knew where to go first.
He headed for the Training Room, figuring the Miqo'te would either be there or in her room. Given how Jack was when he left, Kujo figured going to M'Lyn first would be less of a hassle.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 10, 2020 16:33:57 GMT -5
Alice didn’t move at all during her sleep, her smile growing a bit faint but still remaining. Clutching the flowers in her hands close to her chest, she didn’t perk up or say anything as the two crossed the hole back to the Almira. Left alone asleep over the couch, and draped with an improvised blanket, the girl was left alone without a single issue.
Kujo would find M’Lyn at the “training” room, still with her little hologram regime, weaponless. She caught Kujo by a glance, smirking as she leapt backwards before ordering the program to stop in place. Her tail eased a bit as her expression drew a smirk, both her arms crossed as she headed his way.
“Back already? I thought you’d stay there a little longer…” she said calmly, “…Where’s Alice?”
The Miqo’te didn’t need to look much further, perking up as he finally noticed Kujo was jacket-less. Blinking in confusion and tilting her head only so slightly, M’Lyn would finally see Alice asleep in the couch with a calm expression. The sight alone allowed her a sigh of exasperation.
“What, exactly, happened for her to sleep to pleasantly?” she asked, “The only times I’ve seen her sleep so soundly are times where she feels safe or extremely comfortable… How chivalrous of you, by the by, to cover her with your jacket —a true gentlemen, yes?” she teased as a finishing touch.
She decided to ignore everything else, instead waiting on Kujo to move or say something, but wouldn’t give much more than that. She kept Alice at the corner of her eye, just in case something were to happen…
Alice was a bit too close to the edge of the couch —a simple roll would startle her awake.
Jack walked into the lounge a bit late —way after Kujo and Alice returned just as silently as how they’d left, and so the teen was completely clueless, having thought his sister was on her room, and Kujo on his own, too. He was quite surprised to see Alice, of all people, resting on the couch while covered with Kujo’s jacket, sound asleep with something rather fragrant on her arms…
Somewhat tactless, he headed towards her, crouching to judge her expression. He smiled a bit after noticing the girl’s smile, and patted her head softly. The move, although subtle, was enough to cause her to groan, opening her eyes softly and groggily.
“Heh…” Jack smirked, amused, “Mornin’, sis. How was the nap?” “…Jack…?” Alice mumbled, trying to sit back up while rubbing one of her eyes sleepily, “Where…?” “You’re at the lounge. What, you forgot what happened before you crashed?” her brother teased her. That’s when he noticed the flowers the girl carried, “Hey, where’d you get those?” “…” Alice took a while to respond —although when it finally clicked, her face grew red, “T-These are…!” “There are…?” “Hmm…” the girl pouted, disappointed, “These were supposed to be a surprise…” “A surprise? For who?” “…You, obviously.” “…” Jack drew a bitter smile, “I dunno where to grabbed them from, but… I don’t need no surprise.” “Meanie!”
The girl childishly stuck out her tongue, her face still red with embarrassment, but the sight was enough to cause a genuine laugh from her brother. The Miqo’te sighed, a faint smirk written on her lips as she watched from afar.
In the end, the siblings had quite the amusing relation.
Jack perked up as he heard a muzzle coming from his comm —same for M’Lyn. Kujo would hear the same thing through his own comm, and Alice would have a vibration coming from one of her devices. It seemed urgent, based on how constant it was. Without wasting a second, Jack stood up and headed to the Bridge, having a bad feeling about what was happening… Alice, leaving the flowers by a table, was quick to follow, and M’Lyn would join Kujo in the way.
The teen was looking at the screen, trying to turn it on by himself, but Alice quickly helped him get it properly for everyone else. At the other end of the screen was Elena —her stern expression clearly concerned about something. But what?
“What is it?” Jack asked, his tone firm, “This is a first —you, calling us for a mission.” “I need you here —and I mean it” the blue-haired woman spoke, “How long would it take for you to come back to Milennia?” “W-Wai— Millennia?!” the teen seemed to panic, “What’s goin’ on?!” “A lot —we need manpower” Elena shook her head, “We’re being pushed into a corner, and we don’t have enough to confront it. I need everyone capable back here —now.” “…We’ll be there as soon as we can.”
Nodding briefly, Elena would cut the meeting short —already giving the team their next assignment. Jack’s gaze was firm, but if one looked closely, a faint hint of unease would be clear in the teen’s face. Alice’s own unease was clear, however, after having heard their next destination.
It was way too early for them to go back, with the incidents and missions there still too recent.
“She needs us back… That’s not good…” M’Lyn mumbled. “I know that” Jack replied, not looking back. After a bit of silence, he turned to Alice, “C’mon —we’re movin’.” “Y-You sure…?” Alice asked. “Yeah —Elena needs our help. I ain’t about to bail on her.”
The teen would head to where his sister stood, helping her setting course and arriving there as soon as possible, seemingly unbothered by their destination. It had been a while since they were last there… But it wasn’t a pleasant thought —not with their world’s current state.
Nevertheless, he wasn’t going to abandon the Brigade because he was afraid. He had his own troubles to confront and overcome —he couldn’t bail now. This mission was a good chance as any to move forward.
He just hoped things were better than what Elena made them sound.
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