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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 6, 2020 16:41:43 GMT -5
A barren land, with scattered trees up by hills all dried, dead and wasted. The day was cloudy, not a single sunray being visible through the grey clouds in the sky. Whether the land was imitating the sky or the other way around was up for debate —it was completely dead, deprived of any noise possible. There were a few concrete roads that went for seemingly miles, yet no vehicle traversing through them, only adding to the deadly silence of the area.
At a distance was a city —tall skyscrapers visible even from the outskirts and at a long distance, with smaller buildings closer to the outside rather than the heart of the large megapolis. That was Milennia —once a marvelous city, always opening its arms to people looking for success or just living a life with little to no worries. A city where everyone had equal opportunities, be it for a job, education, health or income. A city that the two siblings knew like the back of their hand when it came to layout, and knew every change it had gone through during the years they’ve lived in it.
Both good and bad —all of it, known to a pair of teenagers travelling outside the worlds, while their home was on a constant cold war.
As the Almira landed, Jack could feel a chill running down his spine. How suddenly they had been asked to return to a world that, as of now, only had bad memories for the teen, had been shocking —almost like a bomb drop. Even though he hated the memories the world had for him to offer, he wasn’t going to abandon the person who’d given him a chance to continue on —he wasn’t going to abandon the people he had both worked with, and had helped him back.
If he could, he would help the Brigade and Raven with all he had —that wasn’t just due to his contract, but also a promise.
The teen didn’t rush out of the ship, but there was a sudden urgency to his step that hadn’t been there before. Maybe it was because it was already explored grounds for him? Regardless, if they were going to meet with the Brigade at their HQ, then they would temporarily leave the Almira behind —and with that, Alice was tagging along yet again.
Of course, the Navigator already knew this —she was the one who’d brought it up. Unwilling to wait for too long in the ship, by the outskirts of the city, with the current situation in that world, Alice was adamant in going, in exchange for being exposed and vulnerable while walking through the city in a hurry. Even though he’d been reluctant, Jack had to give in, mostly due to M’Lyn’s pressure.
“If you have issues being able to fight, then leave it to us while you take her to safety” the Miqo’te had berated, “Is it that hard to ask? You can’t do everything by yourself.”
The thought lingered in his head, causing the teen to sigh. Quick to get back in gear, he headed forward, through the barren wasteland that his city had become. Outside of the city, there was no worry of being found and shot on sight —but inside, the risk escalated like wildfire. With soldiers walking through the streets, either apprehending people or shooting on sight, Jack wasn’t chancing it.
Not that he would’ve to begin with —he knew exactly how to find the Brigade, and the path to take in order to get there.
“…Once we’re by the outskirts, we’re going through the sewers —it’s the only way to avoid unwanted attention” Jack explained, glancing over at M’Lyn and Kujo, “Don’t ask why —I’ve gone through that more times than I care to remember. And in any case, it’s the quickest way to get to HQ —so the less time we take, the better.”
The Miqo’te didn’t say a word, her tail calmly swaying back and forth behind her. While Alice followed close to Jack as the pair made their way closer to the city itself, M’Lyn couldn’t help but worry. Despite Jack’s warning, she knew what sort of world they were dealing with —having found herself in it once before. The experience was not something she would recall willingly, and neither would Jack or Alice.
Being kids themselves, the last thing they wanted was to recall their harsh living.
“…Haa… Let’s follow, shall we?” she asked, taking her pace back up and following the siblings.
Silence followed their steps —and with that, Jack’s expression hardened. He’d gripped his hands into fists, trying to cope with all of the experiences that turmoiled his thoughts at the moment, yet his focus was precise and clear —find a way into the sewers without being caught by military. Hanging onto his jacket was Alice, and yet despite being fearful, her posture was confident, wanting to be for her brother in case it was needed.
Somethings would never change, after all.
Finding a rusted gate leading to the sewers, Jack knelt down and pulled it —the gate coming off easier than he’d expected. He ushered Alice in first before following suit, dropping on the stone floor underground. There was a canal running through 2 “streets” of sorts, with walls and floor of polished stone and acting as a maze. For someone unaware of the world’s layout, it would be a pain to get out of, but not for Alice or Jack.
“Stay close, okay?” Jack asked his sister, before turning towards his comrades, “Follow me —it’s easy to get lost in this place.”
With that, the teen chose a direction to go through, his visor on and allowing him to recall the right path —all while his sister hung onto him with clear unease, but wanting to conquer it for her brother’s sake.
It was nerve-wracking —walking through a now demolished city they once used to call “home”.
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 6, 2020 23:17:52 GMT -5
Kujo grimaced at the sight before him, his hands in his pockets as he stepped off of the Almira’s loading bridge. The hell? He’d seen movies with places like these—abandoned and destroyed metropolis’s, vacant of most human life other than vagabonds and bandits. What was the genre? Apocalyptic? Regardless, the world they had arrived on looked to be in a sorry state, evidenced by the barrenness of the environment and the empty streets leading to a less than lively looking city. When they had been told they’d be meeting with more Brigade members at HeadQuarters, Kujo hadn’t imagined this kind of environment. ”Once we’re by the outskirts, we’re going through the sewers—it’s the only way to avoid unwanted attention.” Jacks comment caused the tall and stoic man to scowl more as his large hands plucked a cigarette from a new and fresh pack from his jacket pocket. ”Sewers? Can’t I catch a break?” Who cared about unwanted attention? Kujo knew there wouldn’t be any force that could impeded them too much—be it Heartless, or Human.
He’d had run ins with his own law enforcement, back on SanFransokyo. Though for the most part, Kujo had been able to evade most conflicts, even before the powers of his Akogare had emerged, he’d fought his share of police officers and armed militants. ”Ha…Let’s follow, shall we?” Brooding while smoking his vice, the tall man glowered at M’Lyn as Jack set the path. ”Tch—if it reeks, I’m taking the road.” Clearly in a foul mood from the start, the man clad in lavender followed regardless, though his harsh gaze and firm frown indicated his displeasure. Really, what kind of shit is this? It was one thing getting sent to random worlds with little information, but another to get sent to one so poor off that they had to take the f&*^ing sewers to move around. He hadn't even gotten the time to ask Elena about that odd 'partner' of hers yet... Step by step, Kujo was regretting his involvement with the Brigade, as he burned through his cigarette in glowering silence.
As the group neared the outskirts, Jack led them to a rusted grate, leading into said sewers. Glaring at the sight, the scowling man threw his butt to the ground, stomping on it with his foot before walking up to the opening—small and cramped for one as large and broad as him. While the others climbed through, Kujo himself glared at the entrance, noting the filth and grime lining the grate tunnel. ”Screw this.” With a burst of light, the man’s translucent guardian emerged at his side, its galaxy eyes devoid of emotion and empathy as its armored fist reeled back. Once the others would make their way through, a quick CRASH! and minor explosion of rubble would greet the Kujo’s entrance. Having created a hole large enough for him to walk through undisturbed, though keeping the damage minimal (in regards to the collateral damage his specter could cause). ”Tch—such a pain.” Stepping into the sewers, his Akogare finished reassembling the rubble—crafting a weak resemblance of the wall that would at least pass a quick glance-over from the outside. Its speed and precision were helpful, in moments like that. His scowl lessened slightly as he noted that the canal was at least polished and clean stone as he began to follow the others.
I swear, if another 'mission' ruins my damn sneakers…
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 7, 2020 2:36:35 GMT -5
Ignoring whatever happened behind him, and instead choosing to focus onwards, Jack paid little attention to Kujo smoking and making himself a path —it would matter little, anyways, given how rare it was for soldiers to step outside the city itself. Most likely, it would take quite some time before their little sneak in would go noticed, but by then they would either be by the Brigade’s HQ, or far away in another world.
Whichever option, the teen wasn’t worried.
Now accompanying the eerie silence of a ghost city was the water flowing down the canal, at a very low level, a faint hum as it echoed against the polished stone. Even though it wasn’t as dirty as it would be otherwise, there was still a faint stench —blood. As the two siblings picked the scent up, their bodies both tensed up.
“...” Jack looked down, before glancing over at Alice, “Don’t worry ‘bout it, okay?” he whispered. “R-Right…”
Once more, things grew silent. Jack seemed to go with the flow as he guided the rest through the labyrinth of stone, but his step was secure and confident. Even if he didn’t like it, Jack had to keep himself up to help out and guide his team. It was his role, after all —whether he liked it or not.
He had to start taking responsibility.
Despite the scent of blood lingering every now and then, they didn’t find anyone on their path. Most likely, the scent came from the water itself, someone's body tossed with little regard for whatever would happen next —although it was already a common occurrence. The only reason it shocked the two “locals” was due to how sudden it would be sometimes.
How long had it been, since they last saw something like that? In their earlier years, Jack and Alice never came across a sight as gruesome as that —mostly thanks to the fact that they would oftentimes hide themselves from anyone and everything. Yet that wouldn’t be enough to settle them down —as evidenced by Jack biting the lower lip fiercely, to the point it threatened to bleed.
“Hey, Jack…” Alice pulled softly, catching her brother’s attention, “Don’t do that —it’s not good for you…” “Ah… Sorry…”
The girl mustered a faint smile, despite faintly shaking —but it was enough to ease Jack a bit, as he resumed his way and expected the rest to follow. His visor showing him the path he’d forgotten due to how long it had been, they seemed to be closing in their distance at a decent pace.
Whoosh! The sudden change in atmosphere as they reached a crossroad caused both siblings to flinch —while the Miqo’te’s ears tensed up and her tail rose slightly. Rising from the ground or materializing in the air, Heartless were the first thing to greet Jack and Alice as they returned to their home world —but it wasn’t a friendly welcome.
“So they are here, after all…” Jack groaned, his fists clenching tightly, “…” he glanced over at Alice as the sword appeared in his hand, “Stay near, okay? There’s no place for you to hide in, so you’ll have to stick by me.” “O-Okay…” “As to be expected, though —considering the world’s state, and added to where we currently are… I’m surprised we didn’t find them sooner” M’Lyn said, cold as usual. “Can it.”
Jack’s snappy comeback caused M’Lyn to smirk as she grabbed onto a spear. The teen was on edge —that much was evident. In a sense of denial, really, after seeing that things in his home world had only gotten worse ever since he left. With the cold war happening in his world already being at a stalemate neither side could break, the presence of Heartless would only make things worse.
Unless…
“Stay near Alice —I can handle it if they keep their distance” M’Lyn declared, her chin held high as she glared at the Heartless, “Just manage whatever gets too close for comfort.” “I know that already!” “…And try to calm down, for a bit.”
The teen glared at M’Lyn, but she didn’t seem to mind, instead quick to focus on the Heartless in front of them. Although small fry in the end, it was still something to be wary of.
Were they on their own, or was someone behind their movements?
[Battle! 5 Shadows, 5 Soldiers]
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 7, 2020 14:34:03 GMT -5
A nostalgic scent invaded his nostrils, one that immediately brought his mind to the past. Blood. Similar to the dingy underground rings he used to fight in, Kujo glanced around at the dark canal, noting how the scent was old and fading, marking deeds already done. … Silence hung in the air, as the stoic man noted the two teenagers body languages in front of him. Though he himself was hardly phased by this environment, other than a mild annoyance from past reminders, Kujo had no illusions about the difficulty being here was proving for the younger of the group. ”They’re still kids…” M’Lyn’s past words rang through his head. It didn’t matter what they’d been through, or what familiarity this barren place had to offer—at the end of the day, Jack and Alice were still recovering from their past, not having healed fully from the wounds in the heart. Tch—what a pain. He’d have to be extra careful, both for external threats and internal. Already the man had witnessed how Jack tended to be his own worst enemy.
Whoosh! A familiar sensation came upon the canal, one that was almost as regular for Kujo by now as the scent of old blood. ”So they are here, after all…” Jack’s groan caused the stoic man to smirk faintly as he summoned his Akogare in a ray of light, the faint aura around the translucent guardian a dim beacon in the darkness. ”There isn’t a place they aren’t, at this rate.” Literally—ever since Kujo had joined the Brigade, every single world they visited seemed to be plagued by the Heartless. Pests. M’Lyn hardly seemed surprised either, the Miqo’te’s realism one of her more appreciated qualities, in Kujo’s opinion. Jack was more uptight than ever, clearly on edge due to both the environment and surely having his unarmed sister in harms way. ”Stay near Alice—I can handle it if they keep their distance.” Having already grown accustomed to the ‘formation’ of their unit, Kujo had begun walking directly towards the mob ahead of the rest of the group, his Akogare rushing forward as it immediately opened the fight with a wide sweeping low kick.
”Not like they’ll get close, anyway.” He almost sounded bored. Keeping his hands in his pockets, Kujo stood imposingly against the Heartless, his specter a blur of motion as it immediately unleashed its Wakeru ability on the groups front! Anything the guardian missed, Kujo himself was an able fighter, able to intercept those trying to get close. With M’Lyn’s cover, there was hardly anything to worry about. Not that Kujo was careless—just calm, alert, and assessing the situation. The tunnel’s helpful… He eyed the ground anyway, knowing that the tricky bastards could go below.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 7, 2020 15:39:41 GMT -5
Kujo’s rushdown would help clear most of the threat —all of the Soldiers caught on the pummeling, but a few Shadows managing to slip past and separate to attack different targets. M’Lyn had been patient, waiting on the enemies to approach before punishing the sloppy attempt with her spear, able to keep distance as the battle raged forth.
With the blade on one hand and the other holding onto Alice’s, Jack was focused on the threat moving through the grounds —Shadows. Alice shivered in fear, but was able to control it to a degree as the Heartless came close. Yet as soon as they surfaced from the ground, Jack had already seen their predictable movement and was able to fend them of with a swing of the blade, sometimes landing the mark while others missing it —but nothing M’Lyn or Kujo couldn’t catch onto. It had become such a dynamic, it almost seemed habitual at this point —especially once Alice was on ground with them.
It wouldn’t take much for them to clear the path ahead, getting rid of all of the Heartless with little effort —after all, they had been purely small fry. Still, their presence alone was enough to put both locals in unease. With the girl shivering in fear behind him, Jack was quick to reassure her —although this time, it wasn’t as bad.
“You okay?” he asked, turning towards her calmly. “Y-Yeah… I’m alright…” Alice nodded, looking up to Jack. “That’s good to hear…”
Patting her sister’s head softly, Jack smiled with relief. Even though the ambiance around him seemed oppressive, it was nice to know that Alice was able to keep up, remaining safe from harm and being able to control herself a bit better. Receiving the praise with a giggle, Alice mustered yet another smile.
So long as those two were together, things would handle themselves just fine.
Alice perked up, rushing a bit ahead and leaving Jack a bit flabbergasted. The girl stopped her pace as the paths split to left and right in a T shape, looking around as if she’d been there before. M’Lyn, wary, kept her spear in her hand, just in case something —or someone— decided to jump to attack.
The world they were currently in required to always be on guard —a second too late could cost a life, easily.
“Umm…” Alice hummed, looking back and forth, “From here it was… Uhh…” she glanced at her brother with some concern, “Left?” “…” Jack blinked a few times, before lightly chuckling as he shook his head, “Right. Once at the T shape, right hand and straight. Still, I’m surprised you remember this part.” “Hmm…” “What is it?” “It’s just… I guess it’s because you would go out more often than me…” “More reason to give you credit for it” Jack smirked, “C’mon —we’re not too far.”
With that said, Jack took the lead once more, regrouping with Alice before heading right hand and forward. With the other two following suit, it wouldn’t take long before they reached the HQ —obviously well-hidden for the untrained eye.
Jack was just hoping there weren’t any Heartless near the secret entrance to it. Although, then again… Wouldn’t Elena’s partner do something about it? She seemed to know more than what she led to believe, after all…
At the end of the way was a square path, circling around the canal and turning back to where the group had come from at the opposite side. Jack headed towards the back wall, looking through the polished stone wall with his visor for a second before passing his hand on a specific part, revealing a hidden pathway. Instead of stone was now walls and floor of stainless steel —a path Jack and Alice took without hesitation.
“Forgot how this went…” the Miqo’te shivered a bit at the echo of steel, “It’s too… Artificial for my liking.” “You never liked the place to begin with” Jack teased back, finally in a better mood. “I guess not… Reminds me of Garlean Fortresses too much.” “A thing from your world, again…?”
M’Lyn growled a bit, causing both teens to chuckle softly as they all walked through the steel hallway. It would be a little while, but in front of them they would be able to see light —artificial, clearly, given that they were now fully underground. A circular platform, with the center missing, would greet them as they stepped out. From the edges of the platform, one could see many floors going down, with people wearing similar clothes to Jack and Alice, although some casual clothing would be visible as well —all of them people either working on living a life anew.
Alice was the first to rush ahead, leaning slightly over the fences helping keep the people out of danger, to look at the many familiar floors going down, and recalling each and every one. The ones further down were the actual dormitories, both for crew and refugees, while the ones up were used for missions and the like.
“Welcome to HQ” Jack introduced, looking at the activity rather than his team, “…This is our home, and also the place we work for. We're bound to meet Elena here, although we were gonna do that from the beggining...”
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 7, 2020 16:52:49 GMT -5
Thankfully the fight ended quickly enough, the small group of Heartless hardly posing much resistance to the group. After all, they were used to the typical ones, at this point, with how often they’d fought them. ”You okay?” While Jack ensured Alice’s safety, Kujo remained at the front of the group, his shimmering guardian scanning the area for more enemies with its galaxy gaze. ”Looks like that was the last of them.” Dismissing his Akogare, the man smirked a bit as he watched Alice rush ahead to scope out the way. Rolling his eyes with a mildly amused look, Kujo followed her, his eyes trained on the shadows in the corners and wary of sudden enemies. ”From here it was…uhh…” Raising an eyebrow, the man witnessed for the first time their Navigator being…lost? ”Right. Once at the T-Shape, right hand and straight.” It seemed in regard to this world, Jack seemed to know the layouts of these canals better than his sister—something that genuinely surprised Kujo (albeit, mildly). ”I guess it’s because you would go out more often than me…”
I get it. So, on this world, Jack had been more of the ‘scout’ or ‘navigator’, rather than his sister. So, they switched roles later on…? Then again, Kujo knew the older brother would most likely take any role, so long as it meant his sister would have the safer of the two. Following the two siblings, the group would finally come across a back wall, which Jack waved a hand over and revealed a pathway. Subtle… It was a good call, for a secret entrance. A stainless steel tunnel seemed to expose itself to them, much to the Miqo’te’s chagrin. ”It’s too…artificial for my liking…” Kujo raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk on his face as he glanced at M’Lyn. She doesn’t like metal? How’d she last in the ship, then? Hearing that it was less about the material and more about a reminder, the man’s faint smirk returned to a blank stoicism. ”A thing from your world, again…?” Come to think of it, M’Lyn’s own history was one Kujo knew little of, too. The Miqo’te’s growl signified that was the end of the subject, though, as the group focused on heading through the artificial path.
In the distance was a light, exposing the larger underground headquarters as they emerged from the end of the path. The large circular platform they ended up on exposed a vaster expansion continuing below, lined with different floors and other people. It’s…like a vault? Interested, Kujo glanced over the edge of the circular platform, his vision enhanced due to his Akogare as he scrutinized and took in the new environment. ”Welcome to HQ. This is our home, and also the place we work for.” Jack introduced Kujo to the area, as he was the only Brigade member who hadn’t been here yet, from the sounds of it. ”We’re bound to meet Elena here, although we were gonna do that from the beginning…” The mention of their blue haired superior caught the stoic man’s attention, who turned away from the vast HQ below and back towards Jack. Elena’s here? So, was this where she always was, anytime Kujo had seen her over their video chat?
”I’m impressed a base this big goes unnoticed, down here…” Though the entrance was well hidden, the fact that such a large HeadQuarters could exist in secrecy beneath a city made him wonder what other things this world had hiding beneath the surface…literally and metaphorically speaking. We better run into her soon. Kujo still had questions he wanted to ask their ‘boss’, specifically around their ‘partner’. Is it really something like my Akogare…? He wasn’t sure—but there was only one way to find out.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 7, 2020 17:31:18 GMT -5
”I’m impressed a base this big goes unnoticed, down here…”
While Alice grew accustomed to their surroundings yet again, helping M’Lyn do the same, Jack turned towards Kujo as he mentioned how a large base like that would go by unnoticed from above. It was true, in the end —with the technology they had, finding a base as big as this one from above via echo resonance would be a piece of cake.
Yet Jack knew why it went unnoticed.
“It’s ‘cause is closer to the outskirts than the city itself” Jack explained, “That’s the only reason they haven’t tossed us out yet. If we were closer downtown, though… They would’ve smoked us already.”
That said, the teen turned around, rallying everyone to follow yet again as they made their way through the vault. Not that much further ahead was a set of stairs, which Jack took down —being on the top floor of the HQ, it meant the only way was now down. The top floors were emptier, with a few people walking back and forth —wearing similar uniforms to either Jack or Alice—, but they didn’t seem to care about them as they went along their way.
“Say, sis?” Jack asked, glancing over at Alice, “Did Elena tell you where we oughtta meet?” “No…” Alice shook her head, “I guess she was so busy trying to get everyone back together that she just… Forgot.” “Hmm…” “Any ideas?” M’Lyn asked, her arms crossed. “Well… She could be anywhere…” Jack thought aloud, “But… I wanna take a bet and say she’ll be at the board room. If anything, we can always ask someone if we don’t find her there.”
Jack shrugged as he finished, clearly not sure of his answer and instead following one of his hunches once again —although this time it wasn’t as bothersome. It was possible Elena wasn’t expecting them so soon, and instead the woman in white and blue was busy elsewhere. Coordinating how things went by, what resources to scout for, what missions to tackle…
Elena had it tough, being the leader.
Guiding the way calmly now, Jack went down to floors a bit more crowded with people of the same uniforms minding their own business. A few looked the team’s way, wondering mostly about Kujo and M’Lyn but not voicing a word. The teen stopped after guiding the group down a corridor with a few sliding doors widely spread out, reaching onto one of them without knocking. A simple touch would be enough to slide the door a bit, stopping as Jack removed his hand.
“It’s… open…?” he asked himself, shocked. “It’s not, usually?” M’Lyn asked. “No” the teen looked back at the Miqo’te, “If it’s open, it’s ‘cause someone’s inside, but…” “Elena, maybe?” Alice asked, tilting her head a bit. “Dunno… Only one way to check, I guess…”
The teen held his hand on the handle of the door, it sliding on its own as it revealed a large room with a single long table at the center, multiple chairs evenly distributed. One of them was being used by a man with greenish-blonde hair cut short and neatly combed back, wearing a leather coat over a dark-grey shirt, and cargo pants finished with yellow combat boots. One of his arms was being kept firm by a cast, and besides him laid a massive hand cannon. Jack and Alice both blinked in shock after recognizing who that person was.
Not Elena, sure, but someone they knew closely.
“Jake?!” “Ah…” the man turned around, a bit taken off-guard by the sudden shout, but immediately drawing a cocky smirk in his lips, “’Ey, it’s you two! Long time no see!” “What are you doing here?!” Jack asked, confused. “Eh… Long story, kid.”
At first shocked, Jack immediately grimaced at the mention of “kid”, causing Alice to chuckle. Jake stood up without help, leaving the massive weapon besides the chair and walking to greet the team. With the hand free of a cast, he placed it on his hip while retaining his cocky smirk —laidback and charismatic as usual.
In the end, he’d technically seen the two grow together —it was a happy reunion, all things considered.
“Hmm… You’ve gotten taller, haven’t you, kid?” Jake asked Jack, who scowled at the mention once again —but was ignored. The man then looked at Alice, “And you, two —you’re a bit more woman-like than before, y’know?” “Ah… Umm…” Alice was quick to blush and look away, “I… I guess so… I-It’s been a while, after all…” “Oi, Jake —knock it off!”
Out of nowhere, from the door, a red-haired girl ran towards Jake, a gigantic hammer in her hand to smack! Jake in the head. The Miqo’te blinked in shock, apparently her first time seeing that interaction, but the siblings both looked with an uneasy smile at the already common greeting.
“Can’t you see you’re making her uncomfortable?!” the girl shouted at the now laying down Jake, “Urgh… Womanizer…” “Nice to see you’re doin’ okay, Lid…” Jack said, amused. “Can it —he’s gotten worse since we last met, I swear…” Lid pouted, although was quick to sigh and look at Alice, “You okay? He didn’t do anything weird, did he?” “No —I’m okay…” Alice said, “Although… Maybe Jake isn’t…?” “He deserves it —no doubt.”
Disagreeing with Lid, Alice puffed her cheeks, quick to go towards Jake and lend him a hand, while Jack remained with Lid near M’Lyn and Kujo. The girl saved the gigantic hammer after reducing its size to a tiny stick —surprisingly, the hammer was made of rubber, and the storing mechanism it had to fold onto itself was even more impressive. Finally noticing the two newcomers to the group, Lid blinked in astonishment.
“Uhh… Are they…?” the girl asked. “I was gonna ask… They’re your team, aren’t they?” Jake asked, thankful for Alice’s help, “I don’t think I’ve met either of you… I’m Jake —the leader for the military counterpart of the Brigade, Raven. The girl with the hammer’s Lid —she’s our chief engineer. Nice to meet’cha.”
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 7, 2020 18:44:55 GMT -5
”It’s ‘cause it’s closer to the outskirts than the city itself.” Jack’s explanation alleviated his curiosity—apparently, the base was already known about, tolerated rather than secret. Curious… Being an intel gathering unit, Kujo wouldn’t have been surprised if the powers that ran the city aboveground even utilized the Brigade, from time to time. ”Say, sis? Did Elena tell you where we oughtta meet?” The stoic man blinked for a moment, before silently giving Jack a mild glare of exasperation. I thought he at least knew where we were going… Hearing how Elane apparently just ‘forgot’ to mention the fact only further deepen the man’s grimace. ”Can’t I catch a break?” The damnable woman was always doing this to them—sending them out with little information beforehand, often times leaving them resorting to ‘winging it’—something Kujo loathed. ”Any ideas?” M’Lyn seemed at least open to suggestions, not that the man could offer any. This being his first time both to this world and in these headquarters, Kujo would be the last person with any idea as to where Elena could be.
Hearing that they’d most likely have the best luck at a ‘board room’, the stoic man was reminded of his home world. In SanFransokyo, there were countless companies and business—his own mother working at one with countless ‘board rooms’. Then again, this is no different from a business… Perhaps the similarity was benign. While they walked, Kujo felt eyes prey his way and towards M’Lyn here and there—though he paid it no mind. Truthfully, even on his own world, the man tended to stick out a bit… Heading down a longer corridor lined with sliding doors, Kujo raised an eyebrow as the group came to a pause, Jack pointing out how the door was already opened. ”It’s not, usually?” Truthfully, he didn’t see the big deal about it being open or not. Regardless, they had to go in if they wanted to figure anything out. As the room was exposed at Jack’s touch, Kujo was quick to notice the inhabitants before the finer details of furnishments. More precisely, he noted the massive cannon resting to their side—immediately preparing to summon their Akogare before hearing Jack shout out in recognition.
They know him? Having seen the weapon first and foremost, he had anticipated the worst. ”’Ey, it’s you two! Long time no see!” Thankfully they were friendly—though it was typical for Kujo to remain suspicious and assume the worst. As Jake got up from his chair, the stoic man noted how it seemed he had been alone in the room. Is he waiting for Elena, too? While the two teens were teased by the guy, Kujo suddenly jolted in awareness, sensing a rushing presence literally from out of nowhere. —?! He had just scanned the area—so where was this coming from? ”Oi, Jake—knock it off!” Crashing through the doorway was a stranger with a hammer that looked almost comically too large for the girl toting it, slamming! Jake upside the head. ”Nice to see you’re doin’ okay, Lid…” For the second time, Kujo had contained his instinct to summon his guardian—grimacing in annoyance as he sighed. Despite the sudden rush, it seemed that the massive hammer was rubber—meaning there was hardly anything to worry about in terms of lethal damage on Jake’s receiving end. Not that Kujo would worry about a complete stranger like that, to begin with.
”Uhh…are they…?” It seemed with the commotion over, the two strangers noticed him and M’Lyn finally. At this point, Kujo had already wound up leaning against the wall, watching the spectacle with raised brows and his arms crossed. ”I’m Jake—the leader for the military counterpart of the Brigade, Raven.” Ah, so that explained the weapons. ”The girl with the hammer’s Lid—she’s our chief engineer.” Kujo eyed the girl with a curious look, his brow still raised. Lid? What kind of name was that? Shrugging the thought off, the stoic man grunted out a gruff response with a faint nod of the head. ”Kujo.” Not wanting to get too derailed with introductions, he kept it brief, quick to get back on track. ”We’re looking for Elena. You two seen her?” He had some other questions, but wasn’t too keen on chatting up strangers. Specifically why a military member would have a rubber weapon… Instead, he focused on figuring out where that damnably vague woman was.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 8, 2020 12:05:18 GMT -5
Alice let go of Jake after he indicated he was doing okay despite what had happened, all while listening to Kujo swiftly introduce himself without beating around the bush. M’Lyn was caught off-guard by it, but was quick to get back in gear as she herself took her time to introduce herself to the leader of Raven and the chief engineer.
“I’m M’Lyn” she nodded, “...Don’t try anything funny.” “Well, there goes my ticket…” Jake shrugged with tease. “Jaaaaaaaaaaakeeeeee…”
Lid was fuming —threatening to pull the hammer and knock the man down again, but was quickly held back by Jack and Alice, all while M’Lyn simply glared back at the nonchalant leader. ”We’re looking for Elena. You two seen her?” Level-headed as always, Kujo immediately asked what mattered, unwilling to put up with the chit-chat the siblings were up to at the moment. Jake, finally getting the hit (that, added to Lid’s threat to hit him in the head again), sighed and nodded, taking a much more serious demeanor.
“So, Elena’s the one who called you back, eh?” the man asked, “Well… I know she’s busy at the moment, but she told me to wait for her here. We were gonna be talkin’ about a few things that have been happening currently…” “Care to fill us in?” Jack asked, “We only know she needs help, but didn’t exactly tell us with what.” “That’s Elena for ya…” Jake scratched the back of his head as he looked away —apparently way too used to the dynamic by now, “…We’re at a stalemate. We’ve tried to break it for a while, but our missions keep getting discovered. It’s like they know where we are and what we’re after.” “Thankfully, both this place and Raven’s HQ hasn’t been figured out” Lid shrugged, “But Elena mentioned that maybe those things are the reason why they figure us out. Everytime we've had to call it off, it's because they show up.” “They… You mean the Heartless, correct?” M’Lyn asked, receiving a nod, “That’s… Odd…” “If they’re being controlled, I don’t see why that’d be an issue, though” Jack chimed in, looking at the Miqo’te, “We’ve seen that happen already, haven’t we?” “Did you see them on your way here?” Lid asked. “We did —at the sewers, after we got in. It wasn’t much, but it’s definitely worrying to see them here to begin with.” “Heartless… Heh, fits ‘em right” Jake scoffed, a bit bitter, “They’re the little pests botherin’ us and keepin’ tabs on us —we can’t move unless they leave us alone.” “So… Wait…” Alice perked up, confused, “Is that the reason why you’re here? You… Can’t leave?” “…We can’t” Jake shook his head, “If those things track us all the way back to Raven, we’re toast.”
Jack grimaced at the prospect, clicking his tongue in frustration. It was, in fact, the worse case scenario —being cornered with no way as an escape. Jake seemed to be in similar frustration, given that he couldn’t return to Raven to continue with his duties, despite the fact that he was most likely capable of contacting them via the many devices the Brigade had access to. Despite being openly bitter that Jake’s previous demeanor, Lid seemed to share the sentiment as well —evidenced by her hands placed on her hips as she pouted.
As for the one outside of the whole ordeal, M’Lyn was outright confused. While calm in her own right, there were certain things she wasn’t aware of, and as such, the approach the Brigade and Raven were taking was nonsensical to her.
“Apologies for breaking the mood, but I’m not sure I follow…” the Miqo’te voiced her concern, “I’ve been here already, but I’m still unsure on what the whole problem seems to be…” “So, the cat ears ain’t just for show?” Jake asked, teasing —clearly, ignored. “…You know we’re at war, though, right?” Jack asked, receiving a nod from M’Lyn. “I don’t see how Jake being here is a hindrance… Or the risk behind it, if anything.” “The military doesn’t know where Raven’s HQ is —same goes for this facility” Jack explained, “We’re mostly by the outskirts of Milennia, where they don’t check as often as, say, downtown. It’s the only reason we’re able to work as it is.” “Alright, then… Why are you all so on edge?” “…If the Heartless are the reason why the missions aren’t going as planned, then… Wouldn’t it make sense?” Alice asked, calmly, “They mentioned it already —how the military seems to always be on point when it comes to our positioning, and only when the Heartless are around.” “It means that someone among their ranks can control the Heartless, and are using them to figure out information they couldn’t be able to obtain otherwise” Jack finished, “Following that logic… If they keep tabs on Jake and Lid when they make their way back to Raven, then they’ll figure out its location and raid it at a moment’s notice —and no one would be able to avoid it.” “Huh —so this is why there was so much noise, coming from here?”
The group turned around, snapped out of track as another voice joined the fray. Calm and collected, Elena was leaning against the door frame and looking at the conversation from a fair distance. With her jacket drapped as a cape behind her shoulders, she waited for the right opportunity to approach the group, taking it off and hanging it by her left arm.
On her right arm, a silver gauntlet held Elena’s partner —an azure shard of crystal, shining faintly and uniquely from the artificial light above. Elena paid it no mind as the shining grew a bit fainter, although most like, it had to do with the current mood.
“It’s nice to see you in person again” Elena said, pulling herself back up and looking at the trio, before looking at Kujo, “And… It’s nice to finally meet you in person, Kujo.”
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 8, 2020 14:57:59 GMT -5
”Well…I know she’s busy at the moment, but she told me to wait here for her.” It looked like Kujo’s initial hunch was right, Jake had been waiting in the board room to meet with her. We’re in the right place, then. Thankfully it seemed Jake had a grasp on the situation already, quick to break it down for the group. It seemed that the Heartless weren’t a frequent occurrence on this world, providing some issues for the teams attempting to complete missions. Heartless don’t track—just chase… Sure enough, his thought process was following Jack’s suggestion. Someone was controlling them. Someone that wanted Raven and the Brigade out of the picture. Tch—probably the city politicians. On his own world, pompous and overly wealthy politicians ran the show—dictating the lives of all who resided in the city. Though SanFransokyo had avoided blatant corruption in office, it wasn’t a concept foreign to him. It seemed Jake, Lid and any other Raven members were forced to sit tight at HQ in the meantime, then, not willing or wanting to risk their own base being discovered and targeted.
”Whatever. It’s the same as usual, then.” Regardless of who was controlling the Heartless, Kujo felt a sense of indifference. At the end of the day, wasn’t this what he, Jack and M’Lyn had grown used to? Fighting Heartless, those that could control them, and sealing off the worlds from their threat. All in a days work, for this Brigade Unit. Rolling his eyes a bit, Kujo wore a sour expression—one that betrayed his mild exasperation. ”Huh—so this is why there was so much noise, coming from here?” He’d been so busy brooding in his sour thoughts that he hadn’t noticed the new entrance emerge into the room. Despite having only seen the woman through a screen, there was no mistaking Elena—not with that hair and the shimmering gauntlet she wore. …? Immediately the crystal drew his eyes, noting how it seemed to give off its own glow. There was something about it…but nothing concrete enough to make Kujo act immediately. He wasn’t the superstitious or ‘hunch’ kind of sort, anyway.
”It’s nice to finally meet you in person, Kujo.” Remaining leaned against the wall, the stoic man gave a gruff nod and slight wave of a calloused hand. ”Yeah.” He wanted to talk to her about other matters, rather than the Heartless—but the man wasn’t impatient, he knew that he’d have to wait for the right time. ”We were just getting filled in.” Pushing off from the wall, now that Elena was in the room, Kujo decided it was time to get to work. Pulling out one of the chairs at the board room table, the man leaned and tipped back in it while crossing a leg over the other. ”So—you want us to deal with the Heartless in order to avoid a direct confrontation with those controlling them, so you don't end up worsening your position with the suits above, right?” Even if they knew those in power were the ones behind the Heartless snooping around the units, it wasn’t like they could attack the military head-on without risking insane casualties on both sides and potentially ruining what little was left of the decaying city. It didn’t take a local to be able to see that.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 8, 2020 15:44:14 GMT -5
Elena chuckled a bit as Kujo offered a slight wave and a gruff as the only response —although it was something she had picked from him long ago, since meeting him. Jack and Alice both tensed up a bit, given the fact that Elena was their superior, whereas Jake wasn’t —and as such, Elena was someone they had to show respect towards, even if the woman with blue hair didn’t see it necessary with the two teens.
”So—you want us to deal with the Heartless in order to avoid a direct confrontation with those controlling them…” Kujo went straight to the chase, as usual, after hearing what Jake had to tell. With Elena there, they would surely be able to get the clearer picture of why they’d been called, right? Jack had been expectant, wanting to know what he’d missed for almost 2 years out of his home and living inside the Almira, travelling worlds and gathering information.
He deserved as much, right? With all of the work he’d put in.
Hearing Kujo’s deduction, Elena brought one hand to her chin, in thought as she listened attentive. The crystal in her gauntlet shimmered, as if wanting to ask the outsider of the world to either correct his assumption or agree from there —but that was the reason Elena always kept her “partner” with her.
“Yes and no” Elena nodded, looking up towards the team, “It’s true that the Heartless are the main reason why we’re against a corner, currently —no matter where we go or what our goals are for certain missions, we’re always forced to retreat whenever the Heartless show up. It’s not because we can’t fight them, but rather, it’s because they’re snitching on us.” “In other words, someone’s gotta be controllin’ them, right?” Jack asked, receiving a nod, “Do you know who it could be? Or… Heck, does your partner know?” “Not exactly —I do know they’re here, but who it is exactly, I can’t tell.” “…” Jack nodded faintly, looking down. “…In fact, I think that’s something we should talk about —don’t you agree?” Elena’s sudden suggestion caught everyone off-guard. “About… Whoever’s controllin’ the Heartless?” Jake asked, confused, “Hold on, Elena —you haven’t told me anything about this… You say you don’t know who they are, but that they’re here regardless. Why’s that?” “…That figure, isn’t it?” Alice asked, clutching her hands to her chest, “It’s the figure we’ve encountered twice now, isn’t it?” “…Alice hit the nail —that’s exactly who I’m talking about.”
A sudden chill rushed down Jack’s spine after hearing the current theory —making his blood boil. Even though he only had an idea on who that figure could’ve been, he had been reluctant to talk about it for various reasons, and still was adamant in keeping his deductions to himself. Yet the fact that Elena confirmed that the figure was, in fact, in Milennia, only caused his anger to flourish.
Elena remained calm, yet noticed Jack’s slight agitation —his fists clenched and his gaze hardened. With a sigh, the woman looked away, until feeling the crystal in her hand shimmering slightly —almost as if it wanted to talk.
“Right… That still doesn’t explain why I needed people back in Milennia” Elena nodded, before turning to the group, “It’s true that you four are infallible when it comes to fighting Heartless, and even to the point of getting rid of them —evidenced by the fact that you’ve done that multiple times already. I’m sure I don’t need to spell it out for you guys, but… This situation can be resolved if we seal this world’s core.” “But are you sure it’s here, in Milennia?” M’Lyn asked, troubled, “Sure, it may solve some of the current issues, but that’s without guaranteeing its location. After all, you should know by now that the core’s location is random, at best —and if this situation is as urgent as you all make it look, then looking around with little to no clues might play against us.” “I’m more than aware of that fact” Elena nodded at M’Lyn, “With what little we can manage from the missions that are successful, we don’t have information on where the core could be —but I’m sure that our current foe does.” “…” Jack looked up, a spark igniting, “So… If we can get it from them…” “…That’s the reason why I called you four specifically —there is a place where I’m certain you’ll get the information we're after.” “But… Why us?” Alice asked. “Because of your brother, mainly —but Kujo and M’Lyn are also valuable allies in this” the woman explained, her expression firm, “My partner’s sensed a particular spot where there’s a large amount of darkness —it may even be the location where this Heartless-controlling individual resides. Regardless of that, I’m sure there’s information we can take for our advantage —but as you can guess, not anyone can go there.” “…I’ll go” Jack nodded, firmly, “I can go alone just fine —if it’s just beatin’ them up and getting the intel, I’m up for the challenge.” “Not so fast, kid” Jake smirked, stopping him in his tracks, “I know this plan a little, even if Elena’s kept it to herself” the man gave the blue-haired woman a teasing look, “This place is guarded —much like anywhere else. You ain’t gonna slip past the soldiers that easily.” “Right —we need a distraction for you to slip unnoticed” Elena finished, looking at M’Lyn and Kujo, “That’s where you two come in —alongside Jake, you can serve as a decoy for Jack to infiltrate and get the intel as fast as possible. Once you do that, you come back here with the intel in hand. With that, we should be able to locate this world’s core, and land a finishing blow to end this stalemate.” “And that would serve for us to deliver a coup de grace!” Lid finished, prideful.
While the mood brightened up with a possible hope of ending the war, Jack’s determination was firmly set in stone. It didn’t matter if he went solo, like the old days, or he had Kujo, M’Lyn and Jake supporting him to infiltrate —he was getting that info by any means possible.
It was his only way to finally atone.
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 8, 2020 16:12:15 GMT -5
”Yes and no…” Kujo listened attentively, rocking the tilted chair back and forth with his foot. If anything though, it was going to be hard to maintain a low profile if the Heartless were able to track them. In that sense, having a vanguard unit such as theirs on the front-lines wasn’t a bad solution. ”Do you know who it could be? Or…heck, does your partner know?” The mention of Elena’s ‘partner’ maintained Kujo’s priority of interests, his eyes consistently lingering over the shining crystal. For a second, he was tempted to pounce on the opportunity, though he knew it would be wiser to stay on focus with the mission. ”That figure, isn’t it?” Alice’s voice broke through the stoic man’s thoughts, immediately stiffening at the mention of the annoying antagonist that had been pestering them as of late. ”Tch—that bastard…” A dark smirk came across the mans face as his fists clenched in his pockets. ”Alice hit the nail—that’s exactly who I’m talking about.” Elena’s confirmation only caused the aura of bloodlust to increase around Kujo as the dark smirk widened. ”So—they’re here?”
A faint eagerness showed in his emerald eyes, ablaze with wants of vengeance. If that figure was really here, then that meant he’d be able to settle the score. Better not be any more damned projections… Elena was quick to continue, elaborating further on why she reached out to their unit. ”I’m sure I don’t need to spell it out for you guys, but…this situation can be resolved if we seal this world’s core.” He grimaced a bit, as once hearing that that person was on this world, Kujo wanted little else to do but seek them out immediately. ”But are you sure it’s here, in Milennia?” Thankfully, M’Lyn’s skepticism shone like a beacon, pointing out how they’d be forced on yet another scavenger hunt. "It’d be quicker to go to the source.” From his seat, he offered his agreement with the Miqo’te, though the ulterior motives were most likely obvious—despite the dark smirk having faded by now. Much to his hearts content, Elena didn’t seem opposed to the idea of seeking them out.
”My partner’s sense a particular spot where there’s a large amount of darkness—it may even be the location where this Heartless-controlling individual resides.” Lowering his chair back to all fours, Kujo leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and interlocking his fingers in thought. So, it can even sense things like that? Though his own perceptiveness was able to be increased tenfold due to his Akogare, due to its limited distance, it wasn’t like Kujo could scout things out with it ahead of time. Just what kind of powers does this ‘partner’ have…? The following plan wasn’t a bad one—though Kujo had his own idea in mind. He’d aid in the decoy until Jack was at the source. That’s when he’d get his revenge. ”Easy enough.” For a moment the man paused, glancing over at Elena and the shimmering gauntlet on her arm. It wouldn’t be an awkward time to ask his question—due to the relevance in the conversation, but the urgentness of the mission seemed more pressing.
”Elena.” Getting up from his chair, Kujo shoved his hands back into his pockets as he readied himself to head out. "When this’s over, I have some questions for you.” Blunt and to the point as ever, he had decided not to let it go by completely—though he was willing to prioritize the mission, in order to enact his revenge. ”Until then—where’s this location?” It was clear he was ready to go—hardly needing any sort of preparation. If anything, dealing with Heartless was becoming as mundane and typical as any other day job for the man. The once bizarre adventure was becoming the norm—less and less seeming impossible.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 8, 2020 16:50:50 GMT -5
Everyone seemed in agreement to the plan, nodding as Elena finished her explanation. The plan was set, and no one seemed to object —while Jack infiltrated the facility, Jake, Kujo and M’Lyn would be playing decoy, all of them supported by Alice as their Navigator.
At a first glance, it did seem like a solid plan.
Kujo’s sudden mention on wanting to ask Elena a few things caught the woman off-guard —everyone, for that matter. Jack had to wonder just what sort of business he had with Elena of all people, more than the rest. Was it something to do with Elena’s “partner”, or something else? He couldn’t tell. “Ah, about that…” Elena mentioned, her expression turning a bit sheepish, “We have the location, but not the layout. Until I get that piece of information, please try to remain within the shelter.” “…Why would you need the layout of the building, exactly?” M’Lyn asked, confused. “’Cause that way, Alice can guide me without losing time” Jack said, his arms crossed and his tone firm, “If I end up takin’ more time than necessary, the chances of being caught skyrocket. Particularly on my end.” “Having a map of the place would help, y’know” Lid pointed out, “After all, if this place is full of darkness —whatever the hell that means—, wouldn’t you wanna know where it’s safe?” “I take it that's more in Jack’s favor than ours.” “You ain’t wrong…”
The teen smirked while keeping his arms crossed —suddenly, his cocky demeanor sparking alight. The Miqo’te rolled her eyes, but didn’t continue with her questions and instead remained silent. Since nothing else was of note —aside waiting on the layout of the facility they were going to investigate—, people were free to do as they pleased.
Obviously, following particular procedures.
“Since right now we’re waiting… Take it easy for now” Elena indicated, “Get used to the facilities again, if you’ll be using them again.” “Do we still have our rooms from before…?” Alice asked, tilting her head a bit. “Yes —you can go back to them if you’d like.” “Should we go there, then?” Alice looked at M’Lyn, her gaze eager. “Haa… Are you that eager to coming back?” the Miqo’te asked, her arms crossed with feigned disappointment, “…I guess it could help learning the place a bit better.” “Yay!”
Alice smiled a bit, excited in a sense to finally be in a familiar space —much for Jack’s amusement, although the teen did hide most of it, only revealing a smirk at his sister’s demeanor. The girl and the Miqo’te left after a while, leaving the rest behind. Lid took her leave a bit after, mentioning how she had something to get back to.
In the end, only Jack, Jake, Kujo and Elena remained.
“…If you don’t have much you want to do, then maybe you can ask those questions you have now?” Elena suggested to Kujo, “After all, we have some time until we get the layout you will need.” “You want us to leave, then?” Jack asked, his arms still crossed. “I take it the questions Kujo wants to ask are of a personal sort, so maybe that’s be the right thing to do.” “Well —I gotta get the cast checked, anyways…” Jake said, stretching what little he could, “Since we’ll be moving soon, gotta be on top shape. Wanna tag along, kid?” “Only if you cut that out.”
Jack scowled a bit as Jake once more called him “kid” —seemingly a dynamic between the two. Once they left, Elena sat down, leaving her jacket over the table before crossing her arms and looking at Kujo, now much calm and collected with a different focus in mind.
“So, then… What exactly is it you wanted to ask?” she asked, “I’m open to any suggestions, at this point.”
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 9, 2020 1:29:12 GMT -5
”Ah, about that…” Hearing Elena admit that not all preparations were set just yet, Kujo would have outwardly groaned if he were a more expressive character. Instead, the stoic man merely sighed, not looking forward to sitting idly by, even if having a map was essential. ”Since right now we’re waiting…take it easy for now.” Frankly, the man wasn’t sure how much more downtime he could stomach. If anything, he’d have preferred having a hand in acquiring the map. Alice seemed eager to be back, something that made sense, given their history. With her and M’Lyn setting off, Lid exiting shortly after, the board room suddenly felt more spacious. ”If you don’t have much you want to do, then maybe you can ask those questions you have now?” Though Elena suggested a favorable idea for him, the man couldn’t help but show a clear exasperation in his gaze. Isn’t she supposed to be getting the map…? Well, maybe after he got his answers, he could push his way into doing that, rather than sitting on standby. ”Alright.” Jack seemed to read his mind, something the stoic man was silently thankful for.
With the J-Gang taking their leave ((lmao sorry I couldn’t resist)), Kujo was left alone with Elena, able to pick her brain about the topic of interest for him. Finding out about his own powers was the entire reason he’d joined the Brigade, after all. So far, this suspicion was his only lead to finding anything remotely similar. ”So, then…what exactly is it you wanted to ask?” Taking a seat back at the table, Kujo crossed a leg over the other, leaning back in it once more. ”That ‘partner’ of yours…” Pointing across the table at the gauntlet the woman wore, his emerald eyes fell on the crystal once more. ”Just what is it? You’ve said it can sense the darkness…that it tells you things. Does it have a mind of its own?” If he was able to understand what this ‘partner’ was, he’d be that much more closer to seeing if it truly was a power like his own. Though his Akogare didn’t have a will of its own, as it was essentially an extension of himself, the nature of it eluded him—truthfully, the man wondered if he’d only scratched the surface over the past two years.
Though he’d figured out how to control and utilize the mysterious power he’d awoken to—Kujo wasn’t blind to the fact that he hardly understood it. Elena’s ‘partner’ was the only thing he’d come across since beginning this bizarre adventure that seemed even remotely close to a power similar.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 9, 2020 5:35:27 GMT -5
Calmly listening, Elena was genuinely surprised by Kujo’s approach, wanting to know more about the crystal hanging by her gauntlet and faintly shimmering as the two engaged into conversation. It seemed calm despite the topic touching what the crystal was, and what it was capable of, its glow now faint while Elena tried to figure out how to answer.
It was direct, really —but explaining things properly might take their time, in the end.
“Well, I assume you’re already aware that I’m not from Milennia —I’m from a world outside of this one” Elena began, “As such, there are some things that might just not make sense… But rest assured, I’ll try my best to be as accurate as possible.”
The woman rested her back against the chair, her arms still calmly crossed over her chest, with the gauntlet now showcasing the crystal at her wrist —a decently sized crystal, of azure color radiating with light. It seemed eager to speak, yet unable to —and therefore relying on the woman in white and blues to translate for her.
Not that Elena was against it.
“…My ‘partner’, back where I’m from, is known as the Azure Crystal” Elena began, “A crystal chooses who they follow, although mine in particular was passed down. Still, I had to prove my worth to become the Warrior of the Azure Crystal… Isn’t that right, partner?”
The crystal blinked as if to reply, causing Elena to chuckle —although her laughter could be associated to the fact that she remembered something fond, despite it being an apparent hassle.
“The Crystals of Light choose those deemed worthy, in order to fight the darkness that affects my world —we fight against the Crystals of Darkness. …In a sense, the Heartless and their darkness is similar to the Crystals of Darkness back where I’m from, and as such, my partner can sense it just as easily.”
Elena grabbed the crystal from the gauntlet, holding it in her palm as she gave Kujo a closer look. The crystal hovered in her palm, a bright and warm light radiating from it, appeased. Elena’s expression was calm, yet a certain firmness was evident behind it as she looked at her partner.
The only thing she had from her own world.
“As the Warrior of the Azure Crystal —as the Precursor of the Aurora… It’s my duty to fight the darkness and eradicate it” Elena nodded, looking at her partner in her palm, “Be it Heartless or any other source, I’ll fight to see the light —and allow those living in the dark to do the same.”
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 9, 2020 14:38:15 GMT -5
”There are some things that might just not make sense…” Elena’s comment merely caused the man to shrug. Frankly, after everything Kujo had learned about since meeting Jack and the Brigade—he was becoming less and less doubtful of things possibilities. That didn’t make him any less suspicious or cynical of them—just more open. ”My ‘partner’, back where I’m from, is known as the Azure Crystal.” His emerald eyes fell once more to the shimmering stone embedded in the gauntlet. So—it is sentient. He was able to feel its power, radiating out, though it wasn't like that helped him much. It just helped him sense its presence, and warned him of its potential. His Akogare didn’t have a will of its own—at least, not in the sense that Kujo could communicate with it. In a sense, it was his own will—though that was too abstract of a concept for him to view concretely. I don’t think it chose me, though… It would imply that the specter existed beforehand. Elena’s crystal was a sentient existence that predated her pact with it. Can't I catch a break? It seemed like his search was going to hit another dead end. ”The Crystals of Light choose those deemed worthy, in order to fight the darkness that affects my world—“ It seemed that the woman was familiar with a threat similar to that of the Heartless, due to her own origins.
As she grabbed the crystal and extended her arm, holding it in her palm, Kujo gazed with a look mixed with intrigue and disappointment. Though it was interesting to witness an entire new source of power altogether, similar to when he had met the Genie, it wasn’t helpful for his main goal. Then again... It was also the first time he'd heard of an active agent of 'Light', like these 'Crystals'. It seemed that because of this Crystal of Light, Elena was adamant on fighting the Heartless, and any other enemies of the Light that aligned with the Dark. He hadn't even known there were other enemies besides Heartless, like that. ”I see…so there are things on other worlds besides Heartless that side with this ‘Darkness’…” Frankly, the idea of these abstract concepts having tangible repercussions on worlds was something still out of a fantasy to him—but after experiencing what he had on his own home world, and his adventures since, it wasn’t like he could deny the idea. ”So, like your Crystal, there must be things on other worlds that side with the ‘Light’, too.” Though Elena’s ‘partner’ was the first time he’d witnessed an example of a sentient ‘Light’ being, the man was building a new hypothesis now. When I summon my Akogare, it’s always radiating a light of some sort. Some of its powers and abilities emitted powerful rays of light, as well.
Was his ability one that aligned with this ‘Light’ side? It was still a vague idea, but in that sense the conversation with Elena had helped. Hm… Jack’s bizarre weapon appeared and disappeared similar to his own Akogare, despite the fact it was a weapon. It also literally shot out rays of light from it. Before the conversation, the man hadn’t imagined these abstract forces to have direct influence and means—though perhaps it was moreso just because of his lack of experience with these matters. ”Alright. That clears it up for me…Thanks.” The word of gratitude fell somewhat awkwardly from his lips, but at the end of the day, this was his boss (for all intents and purposes) and a certain level of respect dictated he at least had to show appreciation for her taking time to indulge him. With a faint sigh, the man raised an eyebrow at the woman. ”Now—about that map…” Pushing himself from his seat and standing up, the man grimaced a bit as he glanced at the door. ”I imagine with both of our abilities, it won’t be hard to get.” It wouldn’t matter if it was a physical hunt or digital one. Though not nearly on the same level as someone like Jack, Kujo knew his way around computers and software more than the average civilian on SanFransokyo. It mostly came from assisting his mother with her work when he was younger, taking it upon himself to aid in the more difficult assignments as he grew older from time to time.
”Where do I start?”
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 9, 2020 15:59:24 GMT -5
It seemed Kujo’s interest was piqued, if only slightly, after Elena finished her explanation. The crystal now back in its place on the gauntlet, the woman took her time before turning towards Kujo, listening to his own thoughts regarding the matter. He seemed to understand most of it, particularly what had been his main focus of interest, yet Elena couldn’t help but feel something else lingered underneath.
Why had he asked all of that?
”I imagine with both of our abilities, it won’t be hard to get.” Suddenly blinking in confusion, Elena took her time to understand what Kujo was aiming at. He wanted to get the map… Himself? Without knowing the city and its secrets? The sudden thought caught up to her, suddenly chuckling a bit as she realized she hadn’t been fully clear.
“I think I gave you the wrong idea…” Elena mentioned, “I already have someone getting the layout —another scout alongside their Navigator, ones I trust wholeheartedly. I’ve been thinking on this plan for a bit, but, as much as I’d like to tag along, I can’t. Not with the Heartless running rampant.”
Standing up and grabbing her jacket again, only to place it over her shoulders, Elena seemed ready to leave, but giving Kujo room to ask anything else. At the same time, she had questions of her own, wanting to enact a fair exchange of information with the man that was the group’s most recent addition.
There was something that intrigued Elena, after all —something Kujo seemed to have, and no one else.
“While I’d like to answer anything you have left pending, I, too, have questions of my own” Elena asked, calmly, standing upright, “If possible, I’d like to know exactly what your Akogare is. I have the feeling that the reason why you asked about my partner is due to your own companion —and maybe knowing a little more about him might help you back. It’s intriguing, really —how my partner reacts to its presence, despite the fact that we’ve never come across something like this…”
Staying in place, Elena crossed her arms calmly, looking at Kujo as she waited for her own answers —or, in the lack of, the indication to simply take her leave. While she was incredibly busy with what was happening, it seemed the woman had enough time to give herself and learning more about the light and darkness around her, as well as the many manifestations they each had.
She’d seen some, after all —manifestations of darkness, both in people as well as the world she lived in. The Crystals of Darkness were only one threat to the always teetering balance between it and the light, and now the Heartless were no different.
If she could get some clues on her end as well… Then things could be different. But she wouldn’t know until she got the answers from the person in question.
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 9, 2020 17:18:49 GMT -5
”I think I gave you the wrong idea…” Elena’s admission of having someone already retrieving the map caused Kujo to grimace and give a faint sigh. So he was stuck on standby, huh? ”I, too, have questions of my own.” Raising an eyebrow, he listened to the woman’s request—a question similar to the one he himself had asked. ”It’s intriguing, really—how my partner reacts to its presence,” So, it wasn’t just him, then? ”Right…” Come to think of it, he and Elena had never discussed his abilities. Kujo had merely assumed she remained informed based on the video footage and reports sent by Alice. ”I was able to tell that your partner wasn’t just a mere decoration, too. It seems like our abilities resonate—I imagine due to their source: that ‘Light’, you mentioned.” Shrugging, the man didn’t put on airs. He was forthcoming with what he knew and what he didn’t when asked directly like that. ”As for what it is…I can’t tell you precisely. It’s not something even I fully understand, yet.” Without moving, a ray of light burst from behind the man as the translucent and armored specter emerged behind him, hovering above the floor as its narrow wings fluttered.
”It isn’t like your partner, though. Your explanation made that clear to me.” Remaining still, Kujo’s eyes remained on Elena as his Akogare hovered away from its host up to 5m (or the end of the room, I’m not sure how large the room is lol). ”It can't act on its own. It needs direction from me. I can either have it mimic my movements, to fight at my side—or control what it does mentally, but only up to about 5m away. It won’t go further than that.” Since he wasn’t entirely sure about its origin, Kujo decided to at least explain what he had found out about his own powers, during the two and a half years it had been since they’d emerged. Akogare hovered back to his side before it seemed to fade with a glowing light—a faint aura shimmering around Kujo as his guardian seemed to go into him. ”Or, I can simply use it to boost my own physical capabilities.” Typically though, he reserved that method for opponents he deemed worthy or annoying enough for him to get his own hands dirty. There weren’t many who had made it to that list. As the aura faded from him, Kujo crossed his arms and gave Elena a faint shrug.
”As for what it is…the easiest way to explain it would be that it’s just ‘me’. Or rather, a 'part' of me, if you can view individuals as parts of a whole.” The moment he had awoken to its power, it had felt like an extension of self, not a separate being. Kujo wasn’t one to believe in superstitions or ‘feelings’ over logical facts, but frankly nothing about his abilities were logical or factual. In the man’s calloused and stoic heart, he knew that the guardian was him, in some abstract sense. The exact details still eluded him. ”That’s why I was interested in your partner. To see if you had a similar power. I haven’t met anyone who has, yet…” Elena had omitted something earlier, too. She had never come across a power like Kujo’s, either. That meant that the extent of relevancy her own ‘partner’ had with his ended after the potential hypothesis of their sources both being this abstract ‘Light’. ”Tch—can’t I catch a break?" It seemed his hunt would continue. For now, though, there was a mission and task to get done on this world. His search would have to wait.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 10, 2020 4:54:43 GMT -5
Elena nodded after Kujo mentioned how he’d learnt about the particularity of her partner —much in the same way she’d figured out Kujo’s own power. It seemed to be resonance of sorts, with the two beings made of the same force —light. Perhaps there was more to it than that, however?
As Kujo summoned forth his Akogare, Elena sensed a surge of power —flinching faintly as the specter hovered near its host. ”It can't act on its own. It needs direction from me.” As if to point this out properly, Kujo’s Akorage hovered away, until it was at its limit of distance —with a little more of the room to cover, but it was still impressive. Yet the fact that, unlike Elena’s “partner”, Kujo’s Akorage seemed to have limits of it own, then maybe things weren’t so simple to understand.
“A part of you…” Elena brought a hand to her chin, deep in thought, “Rather than an external source of power… That is interesting, to say the least…”
What she’d seen was enough to ascertain some suggestions, but nothing conclusive. In the end, it wasn’t something Elena had a prior experience to —and it seemed neither did Kujo, given that he’d admitted that he himself hadn’t come across anything similar before, and still hadn’t. The crystal shimmered faintly, catching Elena’s attention.
Perhaps it knew something Elena didn’t?
“…I see…” Elena nodded briefly before looking at Kujo, willing to share some of her thoughts, “Then it might be just that —a part of you, born out of something. In the end, just like the darkness, light has various ways of manifesting itself, and that can alone can vary.”
”Tch—can’t I catch a break?" At Kujo’s frustration, Elena blinked a bit, before smiling with unease. In the end, maybe he was tired of searching, only to find no answers. The woman understood that feeling all to well —after all, Kujo wasn’t the only one who still didn’t understand his powers completely.
Elena, too, had the feeling that her “partner” had more to show than what she’d seen so far.
“Don’t force it upon you to figure out things as they come —that’ll only make you sourer” Elena advised, “Being honest, I know that feeling all to well. After all, I’m sure my ‘partner’ has yet to unleash its true potential —but I still don’t know how to unlock it” she admitted, “While frustrating on its own, I can’t allow that to hold me back —you’d be smart to do the same, with your Akogare. Surely, you’ll find the answers you're after, although it’s true that no one knows just how long that’ll take.”
With a sigh, it seemed the woman didn’t have much else to say. The crystal in the gauntlet stopped shimmering with a rhythm, now instead maintaining a faint glow that didn’t pulsate as much —tame, knowing there was so much it could do. Still, Elena hoped that, by finding his own answers, Kujo would be able to help not only himself, but others as well.
Wasn’t he working with someone whose powers were also unknown, after all? While she wanted to mention it, Elena thought it best not to. “If that’ll be all, you’re dismissed” Elena finished, “I have work to do. By now I should be getting hands on that layout. I’ll pass it onto Alice first, so that she learns about it before explaining it to you all. She’s your Navigator, after all. Still, I won’t be mad if you ask her an advance” she finished with a smirk.
“Ah, one more thing… Since you’ll be staying here for a bit, there is something you should know. I know this might be bothersome, but for the time being, you’ll be sharing rooms with Jack, mostly because we really don't have much space, currently. Still, if it becomes too much of a bother, feel free to let me know —I’ll find an alternative.”
With that said, Elena took her leave, leaving Kujo to do his own biding. Unable to act as a guide to the facilities, the woman couldn’t exactly help him to learn the new surroundings, but it was simple regardless.
She just hoped he would keep to himself, knowing a few people that would be more than willing to put up a fight.
“So why exactly d’you have a cast, again?”
Jack was leaning against the wall of the infirmary, looking at Jake as a volunteering nurse checked on his injury. While the leader of Raven exercised his forearm to see if anything hurt or bothered him, he looked at the teen with a calm look —all while listening to the nurse’s instructions.
“Nothing too big —just a bad maneuver” Jake shrugged, “I’ve had worse, kid. This is nothing.” “Tch…” scowling, Jack glared, “Maybe you’ll have the worse one yet if ya keep callin’ me ‘kid’.” “You’re still a kid to me, though.” “I’m 17, remember?!” “Last I saw you, you were 15, Jack” Jake reminded him, cocky, “Ergo, you’re still a kid to me.” “Raise your arm, please.”
Jack pouted a bit, wanting to hit Jake as hard as he could while he continued to refer to him as a “kid”. While he watched as the man was practically moved around and acting as a subordinate, following the nurse’s instructions, it seemed the teen didn’t have much to do other than stay at a place and wait. Not appealed by that prospect in the slightest, Jack pulled himself up from the wall he was leaning against, before taking his leave to the hallways of the HQ. He looked around the steel walls and floor, noticing the many people with similar outfits to him and to Alice.
It had been far too long, since he saw such a sight —to say the least, it wasn’t easy to get used to it again.
“I wonder… If they’re around…” the teen mumbled to himself, “If not… I guess I can always check on Lid at the Lab…”
With that, Jack began to move, slowly but surely. He was reluctant to rush down, having been a long time since he’d been there —and as such, an unknown feeling of fear took hold of him.
How would he react, if he met with someone who knew him?
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 11, 2020 13:31:49 GMT -5
”Don’t force it upon you to figure out things as they come—“ Elena’s words rang true, though Kujo’s grimace remained. In a sense, it was what he expected. With the uniqueness of his abilities, it wasn’t like he’d hoped for answers steadily and a wealth of information. Still… Annoyed with himself, he realized he had expected to know something more by now, though. ”If that’ll be all, you’re dismissed.” The idea of waiting around wasn’t a pleasant one, but at least it seemed that Elena would be obtaining the layout soon. Nodding as she explained how she would be sending the coordinates to Alice, Kujo readied himself to leave—though he hardly had any idea of what to do with the extra down time. ”Ah, one more thing…since you’ll be staying here for a bit, there is something you should know.” His grimace transitioned into a faint scowl, but the stoic man nodded nonetheless. Truthfully, he’d never shared a room before, not finding the idea very pleasant (as he was one who enjoyed his privacy)—but at the end of the day, it wasn’t something he’d complain about.
Besides, if they finished the mission fast, it wasn’t like it’d last long. ”Whatever.” Waving a dismissive hand, the man gave a gruff nod as she exited the board-room, leaving him alone in the meeting space. Sighing a bit, Kujo made his way out of the room as well, glancing around the long halls. Pain in the ass. He didn’t even know where his room was. Walking down the hall, the man silently decided it’d be a good idea to figure out the layout of these HeadQuarters, taking his time as he inspected the rooms and halls, making his way through the surprisingly spacious underground lair.
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