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Post by hoodwink on Jan 12, 2021 13:41:06 GMT -5
Isolated by sea on all sides, a lush forested island almost seemed to rock and sway with the waves. Loud seagull squawks created a sporadic and deafening symphony on the sprawling beach shore that sprawled out around the edge of the island. On said shore, a bright burst of light would flash within the blink of an eye—two teenagers around the same age (at least, appearance wise) emerging seemingly from thin air. ”Ugh—more water?!” Grimacing a bit, Henoke, the louder of the pair with vibrant orange hair that matched his checkered pants, crossed their arms and rolled their eyes at the beach-esque scene before him. Thankfully, the hotheaded youth found solace in the fact that most of the island seemed to be a more familiar setting for him—heavily forested with verdant trees and lush bushes and overgrowth sprawling all throughout. Some of the trees almost seemed alive, with peculiar shapes and insane heights that Henoke had never seen before. Where are we…? Though used to the fact that the Keyblade’s unguided destination typically spit him out in random worlds in need, it wasn’t like he wasn’t curious about the new worlds he hadn’t seen yet.
”You ever been here, Tori?” After glancing around the large island they were on, the teen raised an eyebrow at his friend. The two had been adventuring together for some time now, though it wasn’t like Henoke knew of every world Tori had ever seen or been to. If it was new to both of them, it’d be that much more exciting—hopefully! Sounds of lively birds and gushing waterfalls in the distance echoed throughout the forested island, mingling with the steady crashing waves lapping in from the ocean surrounding them. Compared to the last beach the two had been to, it’d be a refreshing contrast. Waiting for Tori’s response, he rocked on his heels, resting his hands behind his head as he gazed up at the clear sky—bright with the shining sun and hardly any clouds to block the light. Seagulls flew high above, circling and looking for any scraps to dig into, not that Henoke could tell the difference between birds. To him, they were all just loud, squawky, and feathered. Seems peaceful…? Despite initial looks, the teen had been a Keyblade Apprentice for long enough to know that Heartless could lurk anywhere—he wouldn’t let his guard down. At least, not all the way.
So far though, it just seemed like a normal island. What was the deal? ”Woah! What’s that?!” Having been looking around, Henoke visibly staggered in surprise as he pointed out in the distance. Far along the shore edge, perched close to the sandy coast but not too close as to ruin it’s bottom, a large ship rocked peacefully as it anchored in the ocean water. Having grown up inland, Henoke’s travels hadn’t introduced him to a bonafide pirate ship like the one he was running towards across the sand. If Tori had more experience with water vehicles, she’d most likely recognize it as such due to the spacious two-deck build, the large striped sails sporting a golden emblem of a skull with cross-bones. Above the Crow’s Nest was a white flag, waving yet another skull and crossbones as well. A large cannon protruded from the bow of the ship, a peculiar design most likely unfamiliar. Henoke was fueled by his curiosity, happy to be able to run, after their last venture, eager to get a closer look, as the ship was far off in the distance, making the details only visible closer up.
Hopefully Tori was used to the teen’s rampant amount of energy and fickle moods—otherwise she’d find herself abandoned by the distracted Keybearer almost immediately.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 12, 2021 14:30:06 GMT -5
Having closed her eyes after the flash of light from Henoke’s Power of Waking, Tori didn’t know what to expect of the world the Keyblade had chosen for them. Given that they weren’t using Tori’s own power to travel through Rifts, they most likely arrived at a world neither of them had been to before —and so, the girl had allowed herself to be surprised by the choice.
”Ugh—more water?!” It took some effort to not burst out laughing at the teen’s commentary, instead keeping it to a mild chuckle muffled with a hand —fitting for the more perceptive of the pair. Tori drew a smirk as she glanced over at Henoke, recalling their last world, and wondering how the experience had affected him, both for good and for bad.
Regardless, his dislike towards water in general had been more than established —a fact she was going to use for ammunition, whenever the opportunity rose.
As soon as she realized where they were, Tori’s expression turned from amused to a shocked one. She looked around, stepping forward for a bit as she felt some familiarity from the setting —a large island, with a forested area in the middle, surrounded by sea. Lively birds flew by, chirping happily, contrasting to the echo of waves crashing against the sand. The girl frowned a bit, trying to pick the one sound that would determine everything for her —only to find it nowhere.
“…It would’ve been too good to be true…” Tori sighed, shaking her head before looking at Henoke, “Nope —never been here before.”
It was too peaceful for it to be her home world, despite the setting being extremely similar. Even though the sand and sea were familiar enough to reassure her that it wouldn’t be tough to travel throughout that world, Tori had a slight hope that it was her home world —the one she’d met Neku, Mei and the others at the Guild. But, at the same time, she understood how selfish it was to desire that.
After all, wasn’t she travelling to find them, in order to return together to their home?
Deep in thought, she didn’t notice Henoke pointing out the ship at the distance. She noticed too late the ship rocking near the shoreline, with the flags swaying with the wind, displaying their more than recognizable emblem. It took no time for Tori to realize what it meant —a pirate ship.
She staggered as she saw Henoke making a run for it towards it, fueled by curiosity of the things he knew nothing about due to his background, as well as fragmented memories. Not only that, but he seemed more than grateful of being able to run once more —having grown tired of the tail that compromised his lower half in the world before this one. Without waiting for her at all, the teen was off.
“Henoke, wait up!” Tori shouted, running after him, “Don’t go there!”
There was a hint of annoyance in Tori’s tone and expression —exasperation, really. Henoke always did that to her, running off when his curiosity took the best of him. At times, it was okay —at others, annoying. And on rare occasions, dangerous. This time, it was probably the last option.
“That’s a pirate’s ship!” she warned, “Don’t go there!” she added, beratingly.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 12, 2021 22:44:02 GMT -5
”Henoke, wait up!” Despite Tori’s shout as she chased after the hotheaded teen, Henoke continued onward, hardly paying it any mind. Too often the type to beat to his own drum, the orange haired boy was fearless as he continued his quick pace towards the ship. Nearing the section of shore closer to the ship, Tori’s shouting finally broke through as he paused, his eyes brimming with excitement and a large grin broadening across his face. ”That’s a pirate’s ship! Don’t go there!” Raising an eyebrow, Henoke looked back at the shouting girl currently running after him. A blank look of confusion came across his face at the mention of the word ‘pirate’. That said, the boy had at least heard of the word ‘ship’ before—but typically it had been around vehicles able to traverse to different worlds. ”Huh…so that’s a ship?” Shoving his hands into the pockets of his blue jacket, Henoke walked closer towards the water, able to view the pirate ship easier now. ”Why’re you so worried?” Raising a hand to his brow, in order to shade his eyes from the sunlight raining down on them, the teen squinted his eyes as he peered across the water.
”Looks empty.” Shrugging, some of Henoke’s excitement seemed to dampen a bit, kicking at the sand as he frowned. ”Lame…” Before Tori would be able to answer his question after catching up with him, sounds of branches breaking and rustling leaves broke out throughout the shore, a distant shouting able to be heard. ”This way! I know I heard something earlier!” An unfamiliar voice rang through the shore, coming from the lush and verdant forestry further from the water. People? Was it whoever owned the ship? Snap! Crack! The rustling in the forest was now visible from the shoreline, as a troupe of young boys emerged in animal furs and a hodgepodge assortment of clothing. All of them were younger than Henoke and Tori, hardly appearing like they had even hit their teens. ”Ah! Pirates!” One of the boys, tall yet stout with curly hair poking out from beneath their bear furs, shouted out, pointing at Henoke and Tori with a look of surprise. ”Pirates?!” Another boy clad in fox furs blinked in astonishment before noticing the ship anchored in the water beyond the shore. ”These’re our woods, pirates!” One of the boys in rabbit furs puffed up their chest, brandishing a slingshot and preparing a small stone. ”Get lost!”
The other boys yet to have spoken nodded in agreement with their friend, preparing slings and makeshift spears of their own. ”Tch—we ain’t pirates!” He still wasn’t totally sure what a ‘pirate’ was, but clearly on this world, it seemed the locals weren’t fans. Flashing the younger boys an indignant look, Henoke gestured a hand towards the ship in the distance. ”We just wanted to check out that ship!” Well, he had wanted to check out the ship. For a moment, the boys in animal furs hesitated for a moment, glancing at each other with raised brows. ”Then how’d’ya explain those funny clothes?” Pointing at Henoke and Tori, the smallest and seemingly youngest of the troupe, dressed in skunk furs, seemed skeptical. ”We’ve never seen you ‘round the Neverwoods…ya must be pirates!” This time a boy in raccoon furs piped up, one of the two—though both were identical, so it wasn’t like one could keep track easily. Henoke seemed to lose his patience, gritting his teeth together as his face flushed the barest hint of red, stomping a foot as he waved a fist at the troupe.
”Shut up! I told ya we’re not! Ya lookin’ for a fight?!” His retort caused the boys in animal furs to shout out, preparing their own weapons as Henoke and them glared between each other. It seemed if Tori didn’t step in, the rash teen was more than likely to clash heads with the brigade of youths, rather than act their age and be the proper role model.
[[Potential Enemies: Lost Boys!!]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 13, 2021 3:34:55 GMT -5
Tori sighed, still with a pout in her expression as Henoke didn’t recognize the word “pirate” —but he did recognize the word “ship”. He seemed disappointed, looking at the ship at a distance and finding it empty, although for Tori, it was a relief. If what she knew about pirates was true, then they didn’t want to actively seek them out —despite the fact that both teens were capable of fighting, pirates were known to use dirty tactics if it meant winning.
Besides, avoiding unnecessary fights meant they got to save stamina for the bigger ones —it was the best move for the time being.
”This way! I know I heard something earlier!” Following along the breaking of twigs and rustling of leaves, a voice shouted from nearby, catching Tori’s attention. Before she knew it, a bunch of boys wearing animal furs with a messy appearance had shown up, way too young for her liking. Weren’t they practically kids? The fact that they referred to Tori and Henoke as “pirates”, using the teens’ clothing as evidence, caused her to frown in confusion.
Wasn’t that jumping into conclusions?
Henoke’s shouting and bitterness got him a smack! on the head —with Tori less than amused about it all. Her pout evident, berating, was all the sight he needed to know in order to understand that he was getting out of line.
“I can’t tell who’s more childish —you or them” she berated, “Really, now —is fighting the only thing you think about at all times, or do you try to be sensible every now and then?”
Still, he had a reason to be angry, and Tori was on the same boat as him —just not showing it as loudly. With a sign, she lowered her arms, looking at the bunch of kids with a conflicted expression. They were just kids, still —picking a fight with them might as well be called bullying. But how to avoid it? They already looked ready to fight with… Slingshots and made-up spears that looked like they could break at any more.
How could they persuade them? It’s not like they could just tell them where they were from… Right? Despite the fact that they said how neither of the teens were familiar (which wasn’t wrong), something told her that maybe they could slip by unnoticed —if she thought her words correctly.
A single lie in her testimony could break their entire case, given that Tori was a horrible liar.
“…Still, it’s true that this is our first time here…” Tori said, her arms crossed calmly with a conflicted look, “We’re not pirates, though —despite what you think. We’re…” the girl looked away, frowning, trying to think on what to say to not slip up, “…We shipwrecked, and we’re now stranded here. As we are now, we can’t go back from where we came from… But we’re not looking for trouble.”
Seemingly content with her words, Tori took a deep breath, glancing around the shoreline and into the island that promised to hide so many secrets. Looking back at the young troupe, she tilted her head.
“By the by… Where is this, exactly?”
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 13, 2021 12:59:35 GMT -5
SMACK! The sudden thwap! to the back of his head caused Henoke to stagger, rubbing the back of his head as the boys in animal furs began to guffaw. ”I can’t tell who’s more childish—you or them. Really, now—is fighting the only thing you think about at all times?” Tori was quick to step into the necessary role, berating the hotheaded teen as he scowled at her and crossed his arms. ”Still, it’s true that this is our first time here…” Raising an eyebrow, Henoke paused, having gotten ready to chew the girl out. Instead, her sudden explanation intrigued him. Unlike Tori, he wasn’t nearly as imaginative. In a sense, the boy was honest to a fault, far too bold in many of their actions. Man…this ‘World Order’ stuff is tricky. Frowning a bit at the thought, Henoke found himself silently glad for Tori’s ability to think on the spot…despite the earlier thump to the head. ”Shipwrecked?” The boy in the bear furs with curly hair tilted their head, glancing over at the ship in the distance. ”So that one ain’t yours…?” With a look of confusion they glanced to the other boys. ”So, you’re sayin’ you’re not pirates, but castaways?” The youngest and smallest of the troupe, the boy in the skunk furs, perked up a bit.
”Hey, that’s like us!” One of the twins in raccoon furs piped up, lowering their raised slingshot, their face brightening a bit. Henoke was unable to tell if it was the first one that had spoken or the second. Unlike the others, the boys in rabbit and fox furs still seemed a little suspicious, not fully lowering their own weapons. ”By the by…where is this, exactly?” Finally, all boys blinked in astonishment. ”Rabbit…if they were pirates, I think they’d know where they are.” The young boy in skunk furs tugged at the rabbit furs the other boy wore, seemingly convinced. ”Yeah! They’re castaways!” Cheering, both boys in raccoon furs leaped and hooted, finally abandoning their weapons. ”You really don’t know where you are?” Crossing their arms, the tall and skinny boy in fox furs sighed, shaking his head. ”You’re in Neverland, a paradise for us kids!” With a smirk they struck a pose, seemingly confidant in the statement. ”But you’re not kids…” Rabbit still seemed slightly distrusting, raising an eyebrow. ”Peter was older, too, though!” The boy in bear furs piped back up, seemingly wanting the conflict to be done with.
”How old was he, again…?” All boys lapped into silence for a moment in thought. Henoke blinked, dumbfounded. With six of the young boys, the conversation had gone all over the place, and all they’d gotten was a name. "Neverland?” It was a weird name. Glancing over at Tori, the spiky haired teen shrugged. Before the conversation could continue, an all too familiar sensation would break over the shore, a recognizable whoosh signaling the presence of the coming darkness. ”Ah! The monsters!” Scrambling as a unit, the boys in animal furs collected up their weapons once more, tripping and pushing all over each other in panic. ”Quick! The treehouse's safe! Fightin’ ‘em doesn’t do nothin’!” Acting as a guiding voice, the boy in fox furs directed the others while Rabbit scowled at the coming Heartless that were beginning to emerge on the beach-front. Shadows crept along the sandy floor, darting with a nimble speed as Barrel Spiders rolled and scrambled near the hearts they sensed. So they are here! He hadn’t put down his guard fully, but with how caught up in the moment he’d been, it had taken Henoke a second to summon his Keyblade, preparing himself for battle.
”C’mon, Rabbit!” Fox and Rabbit, the boys aptly named for the furs they wore, were the only boys remaining. Trying to urge Rabbit back, who was firing slingshot stones at the Heartless uselessly, they glanced over to where Tori and Henoke were. ”You guys, come too!” Blinking in surprise, Henoke found that all the rest had already vanished back into the forest. ”Huh? But we can fi—“ Before he could finish his sentence, the boys were suddenly cut off from the forest, some of the Heartless having slipped past in the chaos. ”Damn!” Even if his first impression of the group wasn’t the best—it wasn’t like Henoke was the kind of guy who could just leave a bunch of kids running around a Heartless infested world. SHING! Using his Sliding Dash to clear the distance, he sliced at the coming Heartless, forcing them back as he stood in front of Rabbit and Fox. ”Tch—looks like you’re stuck with us ‘till this is over!” Thankfully, the safest place they could be was with them, considering the two teens power and experience. Hopefully, if they fought and defeated the Heartless here and now, it would mean the safety for the other boys that had already fled. Thankfully the enemies were only numerous, not strong. Rabbit and Fox were at least quick on the update, sticking near Henoke and lobbing projectiles uselessly when they could.
[[ENEMIES: 7 Shadows, 5 Barrel Spiders]] [[Protect Rabbit and Fox!]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 13, 2021 13:51:15 GMT -5
Relieved to see that the more important parts had been believed in —although they weren’t lies to begin with, Tori sighed with a smile, her arms still crossed calmly. She noticed how, apparently, the troupe of kids in front of them were also “castaways”, but while she was curious about the reasons behind it, she decided not to ask, nor to pry in their memories.
“Maybe later, if there’s time for that…”
”You’re in Neverland, a paradise for us kids!” The name of the world, as well as its description, caught both her and Henoke’s attention, by the looks of it. Hearing how it was a paradise for “kids” was even more confusing, evidenced by the fact that Tori tilted her head in confusion. Glancing over at Henoke, she found that he’d been glancing her way back with a shrug.
“…What are you looking at me for?” she asked back, pouting.
Whoosh! Perking suddenly as a chill crept down her spine, Tori turned around at the presence of darkness, her gaze taking a stern look at the Keyblade answered her call. The Heartless had shown themselves once more, apparently already a known nuisance for the ones living in Neverland. The kids were quick to flee, ushering them as well to bolt from the battle.
However, the kid named Rabbit —fitting due to what he wore—, seemed to differ, pelting the Heartless with useless pebbles tossed with his slingshot, while the rest were quick to flee from the scene. Cut from their path, Fox and Rabbit were blocked by Heartless, although Henoke was quick to jump in to help, leaving Tori with the ones that had approached from behind, instead of taking a head start and try to chase after the ones unable of proper fighting.
A more than common tactic used by those lurking in the dark.
“Think you can cover them?!” Tori asked, glancing over at Henoke as the grip in her Keyblade strengthened, “I can take care of this lot —piece of cake!”
Confident, she readied herself, before bolting forward with her uncanny speed. The Keyblade in her hand shimmered in light, faint mist gathering around the blade as she used Flash to get behind one of the Barrel Spiders —quick to strike horizontally and land a fatal blow. If any Heartless dared to strike while her back was exposed…
The girl smirked, loosening the grip on the fantasy blade as she spun around, grabbing onto the trusty Gemsteel blade hanging on its sheath to slash away and create distance. Now dual-wielding both Keyblade and sword, Tori was ready for a challenge.
Not that the Heartless were much of a challenge —it still helped to practice.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 13, 2021 16:39:49 GMT -5
”Think you can cover them?!” Tori’s shout caused Henoke to nod in answer, though he frowned as he slashed out at a Shadow. Truthfully, the teen wasn’t used to defensive measure. Sure, he’d protected locals from Heartless before, but it wasn’t like he enjoyed having to hold back and take the more patient role of the two. As Tori’s Flash ability worked in slicing at the Barrel Spider, the girl’s other sword would work in parrying a coming blow from a nearby Shadow. Unfortunately, the fatal blow dealt to the barrel-like Heartless caused it to explode with a fiery vigor—threatening to harm Tori unless she had some sort of barrier or quick-use protection spell. ”What the hell!?” Having never fought Barrel Spiders before, Henoke’s eyes widened a bit as he staggered, seeing the Heartless explode after being hit. Some of the very same Heartless were making their way for him and the boys in fur, too. I can’t deal with ‘em up close! While protecting Fox and Rabbit, Henoke would have to make sure that he didn’t defeat the exploding Heartless in melee, less the locals got caught up in it. It was slightly tricky, but nothing he let get him down.
”Take this!” Stabbing his large and hefty Keyblade into the sand beneath him, the teen unleashed his Quake spell, rupturing the sand with a harsh stir directed towards the coming Heartless. Succeeding in tripping up the rushing Barrel-Spider, Henoke and the younger boys laughed and hooted out victoriously as the creature crashed and exploded into two Shadows. With Tori’s swift dual wielding and Henoke’s might, it seemed the enemies would surely be defeated and the young boys saved. ”C’mon! We can run now!” Fox was quick to dart out from the safety of Henoke’s reach, Rabbit still firing the occasional projectile from their slingshot as they chased after them towards the forest. ”F’real?!” Visibly annoyed, Henoke had just finished clearing up a path to the forest from the enemies that had already been attacking them. ”Oi, wait up!” Reaching out as he spun in the sand, the teen was left watching the two boy’s backs as they darted into the thick overgrowth.
”Shit! C’mon, Tori!” With the path to the forest cleared on his side, Henoke was quick to give chase to the fleeing boys. As the orange haired teen dove through the overgrowth and into the forest, Tori would sense coming reinforcements as more small portals of darkness appeared on the shore. A small troupe of Pirate Heartless were quick to leap into battle, their curved swords flashing as the Barrel-Spiders and Shadows turned towards the remaining heart that hadn't fled. It seemed if Tori wanted to get to the forest, she'd have to fight her way through! Would she be able to make it in time, though?
[[ENEMIES: 2 Shadows, 3 Barrel Spiders, 3 Pirates]]
Breaking through the overgrowth, Henoke's sneakers hit a dirt path lined with roots and vegetation. On all sides of him was the forest, tall and lush trees shading them from the bright sun above. Before he could take in the site that reminded him of home, the teen shouted out as he witnessed Fox and Rabbit running through the winding path, already pretty far ahead. Damn it, they're quick! Henoke wasn't slow by any means himself, either. With a competitive fire in his eyes, it seemed the hotheaded teen was so focused on not losing the young boys that he hadn't noticed Tori unable to follow him into the forest. "Oi! Get back here, you idiots!" Hollering loudly as he ran after the two, the teen began to venture deeper into the forest, songbirds and small critters creating a choir of distress at the sudden chaos within.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 14, 2021 1:40:41 GMT -5
“Shit—!”
Unable to block or parry the explosion her attack had caused, Tori was tossed back. While not lethal damage, the wounds did sting, some singed patches of skin in her arms and a few in her face. Being now further away from where Henoke, Fox and Rabbit were, Tori struggled to get back up, having lost the grip on her regular broadsword, although the blade laid close to her. Panting, she glared at the Heartless around her.
“C’mon, Tori!” She would’ve followed after him, if it weren’t for her wounds as well as the Heartless now showing up. Gritting her teeth, the girl grabbed both Keyblade and broadsword one in each hand, the Keyblade held with a reverse grip.
“Get going —I can handle this!” Tori shouted, glancing over at Henoke as the Heartless surrounded her, “As for you… Now, I’m pissed…”
Even though mist rose from around her, with violence and strength, Tori’s outfit and Keyblade didn’t change at all —although they threatened to do so, with the image flashing for a second with misty illusions. Not healing her wounds just yet, since she had a feeling that things would get more and more violent, Tori began her retaliation.
Obviously, using the knowledge she now had to her advantage.
Since the Spider Barrels would explode upon defeat, it was better to take care of them at a distance, although she could also use that explosion for her advantage, to clear most enemies near them.
Tori lunged forward to the Pirates swinging their blades first and foremost, ignoring for the time being Shadows and Spider Barrels —enemies she could take care of later on, by using the explosions to her advantage. She had to think her movements now, knowing that some enemies were volatile.
Water shifted behind her, raising quickly before Tori unleashed her Flood spell, the wave crashing down onto any enemy in front of her, all while she had a close eye on the movements after the attack. If she wanted to win, she had to make it quick.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 14, 2021 13:46:01 GMT -5
As Tori deflected and slashed at the sword-wielding Heartless, her Flood spell would succeed in crashing against a handful of the enemies, giving her room to breathe and analyze the situation calmly. Though the Pirate Heartless were quick to leap back onto their feet, rushing back across the sand with flourishing slices, the Barrel Spiders seemed to struggle from the water spell. Not only were their thinner legs tripping up in the wet sand, but completely soaked, their main powers were essentially useless. Shadows leapt through the ground, the first and weakest of attackers to close the distance once more. Slashing out towards Tori with their sharp talons, the Pirates were closing in, utilizing the smaller Heartless’ assault to spread out and surround Tori!
[[ENEMIES: 2 Shadows, 2 Barrel Spiders, 3 Pirates]]
”Ow!” Fox groaned, rubbing the spot on their head where Henoke had landed their fist in a noogie type fashion, grinding it into the furs the boy wore atop his head. ”Why’d you run off?! We had it under control!” The teen stood fuming in a vast opening in the forest, guarded by thick and sturdy trees on all sides of the small clearing littered with shrubs and bushes. In the center was a massive tree, so large that other branches snaked to it and seemed to connect from the top where a large opening gaped in place of a usual tree-top. Fox and Rabbit had been chased by Henoke all the way here, through winding paths in the forest that had blurred by him during the run. To be honest, he had no idea how far in they had gone, or what directions they’d taken. ”Grr…Tori’s gone, too.” Sighing in annoyance, the vibrant haired teen crossed his arms, glaring down at Fox and Rabbit. Though Fox looked reproachful, Rabbit’s defiant glare only irked Henoke further. Damn it… It wasn’t that he was worried about Tori necessarily—he knew the girl was hella strong. How am I supposed to find her?
Never having been to this world before, as well as having been too focused on keeping the boys in his sights, Henoke hardly knew where the shore was from here. ”Um…the Neverbirds can guide her!” Fox perked up a bit, offering the idea with a confidence that the older teen could hardly believe in. ”Neverbirds…?” How the hell were birds supposed to help? ”It’s not my fault! Fox is a coward!” Rabbit was quick to throw his friend under the bus, puffing his chest up a bit. ”I wanted to fight, too!” Groaning, Henoke ran a hand through his spiky hair. ”Whatever. You two’ll have to help me find her, then.” The idea seemed to cause Rabbit to perk up with excitement, while Fox deflated and grumbled with a doubtful look. ”She probably won’t stick around the beach, if those monsters’re there…” Despite the annoyance the comment brought, Henoke couldn’t help but wonder if Fox had a point. Would Tori simply stay in place, waiting for them to go back? Probably not… Knowing her, she’d most likely be trying to find them, somewhere in the forest.
”Y'know, we're lookin' for something that'd help you find her fast...”
As Tori continued the fight on the shore, a sudden gust of wind would brush over her as a squawk ruptured from above. ”SQUAWK! Told ya, Jake! There’s fightin’ near the ship! SQUAWK!” Circling not too high in the air above the battle was a green parrot with bright tail feathers wearing a black bandanna, talking as it observed the battle below. A rustling in the forest overgrowth would be able to be heard over the din of battle, coming from a different section further off than where Henoke and the others disappeared. Shwing! Slice! Leaves and overgrowth fell as the flash of metal gleamed from the carved entrance. ”Ahoy! Need some help?” A boy a couple of years younger than Tori, most likely 13-14, appeared wielding an ornate cutlass. Adorned in a long blue coat with golden shoulder pads and a blue captain’s hat with a red bandanna underneath, the stranger was quick to rush across the sand. ”C’mon, guys!” It seemed they weren’t alone, as they shouted over their shoulder. ”Aww, coconuts!” Stumbling out from the forest and tripping into the sand was another boy, a little younger than the first, dressed in a blue vest and red pants with a blue bandanna with messy orange-brown hair poking out from beneath.
”We got your back, Jake!” Leaping out over the stumbling younger boy was a girl around the same age as the boy in captains clothing. Wielding a flute in one hand and wearing a small pouch around her neck, she also wore a bandanna, bright pink that matched the shirt she wore with puffy sleeves and purple pants. Poking out from the bandanna were stray strands of brown hair, a long ponytail whipping out from the back. Tu-le-ru! With a sharp note from the flute, Tori would feel a calming sensation wash over her as she was surrounded in a green light, having been the target of the new strangers Cura spell. Leaping into battle beside Tori, the boy in captains clothing, ‘Jake’, slashed back at the Heartless with his own sword, while his companions seemed to play more supportive roles from the back (actually, only the girl did—the boy in the vest seemed to be trembling in the sand, trying to collect and assortment of parchments…)
[[ENEMIES: 1 Shadow, 2 Barrel Spiders, 2 Pirates]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 14, 2021 14:14:29 GMT -5
Landing after the Flood spell, with some of her energy replenished thanks to the splash soothing the singed wounds, Tori didn’t let up. She noticed that the spell had been rather effective against the Barrel Spiders, dampening the gunpowder that made their explosive —and therefore, safer to attack at melee-range. It also meant that she couldn’t use the explosion for her advantage, but that would be considered later.
Taking off from the ground in order to avoid the Shadows lunging towards her, Tori wasted no time, tossing her Keyblade as it imbued itself in flames, the Fire Toss aiming to create some distance for her to recover enough stamina lost already. With the broadsword firm in her hand, she fended off the Pirates surrounding her, the Keyblade returning to her in a flash of light regardless of the damage done to the Shadows it was aimed towards, quickly used as both a shield and a weapon to beat her enemies to the ground.
Focused as she was, she didn’t notice the parrot talking above her, observing the battle as well as informing someone else. She only perked up as she felt magic surrounding her, healing her of the previously made wounds. Turning around in shock, she noticed someone else fighting alongside her, with a sharpened cutlass in hand, wearing a red bandana under a captain’s hat, and a blue coat befitting a sailor.
Playing support was a girl around his age —the one who’d casted Cura on Tori, and behind the two was a boy perhaps a bit younger than all of them. Tori glanced over her shoulder towards the newcomer as they both were surrounded by the remaining Heartless.
Were they the pirates commanding the ship sitting at the shoreline? If so…
“I can’t trust them —not wholeheartedly…”
Pirates were not to be trusted, if what she knew was right. Still, they had helped her when she could’ve used a hand… So maybe they weren’t that bad? In a sense, didn’t she know “friendly” Thieves, back at her home?
It could easily be the same with pirates in this case.
“…I guess I’ll take you up on the offer” Tori replied, a cocky grin plastered in her face as she turned around towards the Heartless, “But don’t expect me to thank you for it —I can easily take care of them myself.”
The grip on both blades firm once more, Tori dashed forward, meeting with the remaining Pirates’ swords. Swinging the Keyblade first, she let go of it mid-attack to shoot forward a Ruinga spell point-blank, before following up with the regular sword for a definitive blow or a push.
Wanting to end the battle already, in order to search for Henoke and regroup, Tori didn’t waste any punches against the Heartless —even if they were pushovers.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 14, 2021 15:31:42 GMT -5
”I guess I’ll take you up on the offer.” As Tori and Jake fought side-by-side, the pirate gave a hearty laugh as his sword swiped and locked with another. ”You’re strong, huh?” With a confidant grin of his own, the pirate broke free of the struggle, kicking the armed Heartless back as they swung a powerful overhand slash to finish it off. ”Fine! See if I use magic to help you out, again!” Sticking her tongue out at Tori, the girl pirate’s playful smirk seemed to betray the humor in her quip—it was clear she wasn’t being serious. Having defeated many enemies herself, Tori would find the remaining Heartless easy enough to finish off. With Jake’s extra sword on the battlefield, it only sped up the fight as the boy seemed capable with the sword they used, despite the Heartless’ movements throwing him off every now and then. With the teen in pink’s support magic, neither up-close fighters would find themselves harmed by the end of the battle.
”Wow! You were amazing!” Running up to the group as the last Heartless was slain, the younger boy toting countless parchments beamed at Tori. ”Even stronger than Jake, I bet!” The added jab towards the boy in captain’s clothes came from the girl in pink, who also came up to where the two had been fighting once the battle was over. ”Cut it out, both of ya! Jeez…” Sighing as he sheathed his cutlass, Jake gave Tori a friendly smile before raising an eyebrow. "You were really good, though! You fight these things before or somethin’?” Tilting her head a bit, the girl piped up with a worried look. ”These monsters weren’t here, last time we came here…” The other boy in the vest lamented, stuffing their many parchments into their pack all the while. ”None of the routes I have’ll work, with those things crawling around!” Perking up for a moment, the girl in pink took a step forward, pushing past her two companions while holding out a hand to Tori. ”Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! I’m Izzy!” Gesturing to the boy in the vest, Izzy was quick to follow through. ”That’s Cubby!”
Giving a meek yet friendly smile, the navigator of the group gave Tori a small nod and wave. ”SQUAWK! What about me?!” Swooping down from the air and landing on Jake’s shoulder, the green parrot’s feathers puffed up for a moment, flashing Izzy a dirty look at having been forgotten. ”Name’s Skully!” Giving a short bow with a wing, the parrot seemed to calm down after having introduced itself. ”You didn’t even give me a chance!” Izzy pouted at the parrot before sticking her tongue out and giving them a dirty look. ”I’m Jake, these guys’s captain!” Flashing a bold grin, Jake puffed up his chest and stuck a thumb to it for emphasis. ”That’s Bucky, out in the water! Best ship around!” Gesturing to the anchored ship in the distance, the young captain flashed Skully a worried look. ”Hey, go check up on ‘em, would ya? They’re probably lonely…we'll catch up.” Giving a small sigh, Skully nodded before jetting off from Jake’s shoulder and flying out towards the ship.
”We shouldn't talk out here, since it looks like they can show up anywhere. Let's go to the ship!” Turning back to Tori, Jake raised an eyebrow while tilting a head. "You flown before?" Izzy stomped a foot in the sand, waving a fist at her captain. "Hey! We don't have much left, y'know! That's the whole reason we're here!" Cubby put a hand on the girl's shoulder, shaking a head before pointing out to the ship in the distance. "We need to get to the ship anyway, though...remember? If the usual paths won't work, we need to find Marina. Her and the other mermaids'll know a way, I bet!" Waving a hand to quiet the other two, Jake gave a stern look to both of them, putting his hands on his hips. "Knock it off! The point is, we can't just hang around here." It seemed whatever the case was, the group needed to return to the ship, where they also wanted to talk to Tori. That being said, apparently it had something to do with flying...?
"Hold up, flyin'?! Like, birds flyin' kinda flyin'?!" Henoke gawked at the group of boys sitting around inside of the makeshift home within the large tree in the center of the forest clearing. Having shown the teen the way inside through the sneaky branch paths lurking high above, the Lost Boys had showcased the home where they were able to rest and talk. It consisted of one large room, with a dirt floor able to be dug into, large mushrooms sprouting out in different sections acting as stools that the boys in furs lounged on. Being a bit too big for such 'furniture', Henoke had sat in the center of the room, where a large Nevertree trunk perched as though a table. "What'dya mean, we can fly?!" Many of the younger boys snickered at the teen's reaction. Having questioned Rabbit about what they were seeking, the boys had divulged some incredulous sounding information. "Yup! Bonafide pixie dust will let anyone fly, so long as you believe!" Fox grinned wide as they discussed it, rubbing their hands together. "Just like Peter!" Bear piped up from their spot on a mushroom, beaming at the memory of this fabled 'Peter'. "Fairies are sneaky, though! It's not easy to find where they live..." Rabbit furrowed their brow with their arms crossed as they admitted the difficulty of the challenge. "But, if we're gonna protect these woods, we're gonna need some o' that dust..."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 14, 2021 16:06:52 GMT -5
Making quick job on the remaining enemies, it seemed “Jake” was able to hold his ground, alongside the girl in pink casting magic in support —something Tori found herself relieved by, despite being reluctant to accepting a pirate’s help. Once they were on the clear, Tori’s Keyblade disappeared in a flash of mist and light, while, after a little swordplay, the broadsword returned to its sheath. She glanced over as the smallest of the group ran once the battle ended, still with a somewhat skeptical gaze. Even despite the friendly dynamic they had going on, and their apparent age being that younger than Tori’s —she couldn’t fully trust them. Regardless if they helped out, she couldn’t. A faint glimpse, however, caused her to change her mind —perking up as they introduced themselves to her.
…Were they just pirates by the title, then? Was being a pirate similar to playtime, taking on a role but not really acting upon the actual meaning of it?
“Explains the attitude, I guess…”
Once the introductions were over —even the ship’s—, Tori looked down for a bit, thoughtful. Her chances of regrouping with Henoke did increase considerably if she recruited a local’s help. That, and learning about what was happening with the Heartless, as well as finding the Keyhole’s location. Debating her options, it seemed reasonable to join them.
“Let's go to the ship!” As Jake handed over an invitation to join them, a comment caught Tori’s attention, as she raised her gaze to blink dumbstruck. Did… Did they ask her if she’d flown before?
“Uhh…” Tori for the first time was truly astonished, “I… I think I would remember flying before… Are you serious?” she added, confused.
They rushed the invitation a bit —with reason, really, since the Heartless could arrive at any given moment. Knowing this, Tori took the invitation, despite still being a bit wary of it all. But the advantages that meant tagging along with a local overpowered her suspicion. And even then, if they pulled a dirty trick under her feet, couldn’t she just turn it around?
“Right… Name’s Tori” she introduced herself.
Once at the ship, Tori looked at the shoreline, and past that, the forest where Henoke had run off alongside the two kids in animal furs, frowning. Where had he gone? Was he okay? He was behaving, wasn’t he? Even though she was confident in the teen’s abilities, Tori also knew of his short temper.
She just hoped he didn’t get caught in trouble before they could regroup…
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 15, 2021 15:01:04 GMT -5
”Uhh…I…I think I would remember flying before…” Her question caused Jake to give a faint chuckle and smirk, resting his hands on his hips. ”Sure am! How’d’ya think we’re getting back to Bucky?” Izzy rolled her eyes, grabbing at the satchel she wore as a necklace while Cubby’s eyes lit up with eagerness. ”Right…Name’s Tori.” The group paused for a minute, a sheepish look coming across their faces in unison before the captain recovered himself. ”Ah, sorry ‘bout that. Nice ta meet ya, Tori!” Reaching into the small sack, Izzy flashed and waved a hand over Cubby—a bright sparkling shimmering with light falling over them as they shouted out gleefully. ”Yeah! Meet ya there!” Right before Tori’s eyes, the young pirate bounded off of the sand and soared directly into the sky and over the water. Making their way to the ship in the near distance, the young pirate collided with the crow’s nest—a loud ”Aww, coconuts!” echoing over the sea. ”Ha ha! He can never land right.” Rolling her eyes, Izzy shook her head before walking over to Jake, reaching back into the small sack to expose another pinch of sparkling dust that she sprinkled on him.
”Show her the ropes, will ya?” Receiving a stalwart salute from Izzy, Jake sighed in relief before jumping off of the sand and soaring through the air as well. ”Don’t worry, I’m a great flier! Just hang on!” Reaching back into the sack, the girl sprinkled both herself and Tori with the dust. Rising off of the sand, Izzy hovered with a bright smile on her face, clearly enjoying the sensation as well—much like Cubby had. ”C’mon!” Reaching a hand out to Tori, it seemed she would receive her first flying lesson!
”Alright! We got a plan! Let’s go!” Eager and confidant as ever, Rabbit was quick to leap onto their mushroom stool, pounding a fist to their puffed out chest. ”No! None of that made any sense!” Grabbing at his spiky hair as he shook his head, Henoke scowled at the boys in the room. There had been a chaotic torrent of information hurled his way—all of which he was trying to get a grasp on. ”What’re fairies?! How’re birds s’posed ta help?! I don’t get anythin’ you’re sayin’!” In unison, many of the Lost Boys groaned and sighed, putting their hands up in the air. ”You’re hopeless.” Skunk turned their nose at Henoke, who’s face flashed red as he waved a fist at the youngest of the group. "Shut up!” While the two threatened to clash, Bear hopped in, a helpful smile on their face as they pushed at both teen and child alike. ”Don’t fight, you guys!” Fox crossed their arms, flashing a worried look while Rabbit came up beside them, watching as the Raccoon twins leapt in to join the rough housing. ”Is he really gonna be helpful?” Despite the boys bravado, it seemed he had his own doubts.
”He can fight those monsters. That’s what matters.” Grimacing a bit, Fox sighed, deciding it was finally enough. "Alright, break it up!” Shouting out as he made his way towards the now growing pile of rough housing boys, Fox worked to gather order as Rabbit merely shook their head and placed a hand over their face.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 15, 2021 16:34:19 GMT -5
Silent, blinking in shock. That was Tori’s expression as she spectated how Cubby flew right in front of her, after Izzy handed over what seemed to be glitter powder. What was going on already? What was that glittering powder that gave them the ability to fly? Her curiosity picked to a new extreme, she looked at Izzy as she sprinkled the same glittery powder, although unlike the girl in front of her, Tori didn’t feel much change, other than perhaps a small sneeze.
”C’mon!” Izzy’s hand was held towards her in a reassuring manner, all while she hovered near her. Glancing at her own hands, Tori wondered. She’d caught a glimpse or two of memories, but making sense of them took its time.
What was this about… Believing, anyways?
“…Is it those kinds of powers, then…?” Tori realized a trick, “It’s whenever I trust my power… That it’s at the strongest… It’s when I believe in it, right?”
A faint smile drew itself in the girl’s lips as she recalled what her master once told her —being strong didn’t rely solely on strength alone. Belief, too, was a part in growing stronger, and therefore improving. It was belief that brought her this far, after all.
Something like believing in her capability to fly now would be easy, right?
As she recalled those little secrets, Tori would begin to hover, similarly to how Izzy was hovering. It would take her a while to realize what she was doing —flinching as she noticed that her feet were no longer touching the ground. Plop! In a second, Tori was back on the sand, sitting down with a sheepish expression.
“Okay —so that’s how it works…” she chuckled, “Lose faith… And you fall down to the ground —noted.”
Laughing a little while longer, Tori brushed the sand off of her clothes as she stood back up, looking at Izzy with confidence and a hint of eagerness, ready to get lessons from the expert flyer. She could at least admit that, even if she got the trick to flying, Tori was not an expert on it —it wasn’t like swimming or running.
It was a whole new experience —one she was willing to make the most out of.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 16, 2021 14:56:02 GMT -5
Izzy watched with a widening grin as Tori began to slowly lift off of the sand. Plop! Spinning in the air, the pirate giggled and nodded as the teen noted the ‘rules’ of flying. ”You’re a quick learner~” Flying around Tori in a circle for a moment, both girls would continue to sparkle and shine with the fairy dust used. ”Right! You just have to believe! After that, the rest is easy! You just know what you wanna do, and do it!” Despite the vagueness of the explanation, Izzy twirled through the air with ease, flying higher above the treetops while seemingly relaxing back, lounging as they moved with their hands behind their back and a foot kicked up into the air. ”All you gotta do is use your imagination!” It seemed unlike other moments on other worlds—Tori would have to let her heart guide her in the ways of the air. Whoosh! Below on the shore, a familiar presence soon returned, sensing the hearts lingering near. Heartless began to emerge on the beach, causing Izzy to groan and scowl as she pulled the flute from her belt. ”Alright! Lesson’s over! Let’s go, go, go!”
Tu—le—ru! Sharp notes from the flute filled the air with music, magic weaved through the instrument as the Heartless paused and jolted in place for a moment—seemingly stunned. ”C’mon!” If the teen was to learn, it was now or never! Thankfully, Izzy lingered nearby just in case, ready to try and fly with the teen in tow if she had to.
”Like I said though, it’s just what the Neverbirds told me!” Henoke grimaced a bit, having heard Skunk’s explanation. So…this world’s got ‘clans’…and they’re fightin’? It was somewhat familiar sounding to his days training with the Keyblade, when he’d been placed into a House with its own separate Master. ”We typically chase off the tribesmen no problem…but we’ve never had problems with the Mermaids or Crocodiles.” Fox stroked his chin, thinking aloud. ”Those monsters showed up not too long after that!” Skunk was quick to keep the conversation on track. "And that’s why you’re lookin’ for fairy dust? To beat the Heart—er, monsters, that come into your forest?” Henoke caught himself, keeping the ‘World Order’ in mind. Nodding in agreement, the Lost Boys cheered out as the teen seemed to finally be on the same page (it had taken some time, having to explain what a ‘crocodile’ was—as for Mermaids…well, he’d had more than enough of those for a while). ”If ya can fly, there’s no way you wouldn’t be able to find yer friend!” Rabbit grinned confidently, hoping to get the teen to agree.
He and Fox had seen how he handled the Heartless back on the shore. Having someone who could fight would definitely be a perk. ”Flyin’ would be pretty cool…” Grinning with a vaguely mischievous look, Henoke snickered to himself as he imagined Tori’s face upon seeing him fly. ”Alright! I’m in!” Leaping to his feet and pumping a fist against his chest, the teen grinned and nodded at the three that seemed to lead the troupe of Lost Boys best. ”But…how’d’we find where the fairies are?” Tilting his head, Henoke crossed his arms and raised a brow. Hadn’t someone mentioned them being hard to find? ”The Neverbirds’re our best bet. Info like that wouldn’t be something just any of ‘em had, though…” Skunk seemed to be scheming, clearly the ‘idea’ role of the group, despite their age.
”We have to go to the Main Nest! To the Lord Bird!”
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 16, 2021 17:06:50 GMT -5
Tori nodded at Izzy’s words, despite the vagueness of the explanation. It seemed like her “hunch” had been correct, though —through belief alone, and imagination, she would be able to fly without any sort of problem. Izzy’s guidance seemed to settle that resolve, although the want to execute it with ease would be disrupted by the appearance of darkness.
Groaning, Tori scowled. Did the Heartless not realize who they were messing with? Or were they just that eager to pick a fight? Tu—le—ru! With the sound of the flute stunning the Heartless temporarily, Izzy gave Tori a good enough room to just bolt. There was no time to waste, and it was better to avoid fighting for the time being, since there were more important matters to attend to.
Making use of the window, Tori smirked, turning towards the ship, and without any warning, jumped up.
“If you think you can do it, then do it right!”
The words echoed in her head as they encouraged her to go through it —believing in the now obtained ability to fly. Sure enough, after jumping up into the air, Tori remained hovering, looking from above at the Heartless that emerged at the beach —helpless to simply look as their prey escaped.
“Huh… It’s really that easy…” Tori smirked, proudful, “Then… Let’s do a little practice…”
Excited to test the new skill, Tori decided to play around a bit before properly jumping into the ship. Keyblade in hand, she flew forward, wanting to rush through some numbers before anything else. Reaching point-black distance, Tori tossed her Keyblade, imbued in flames, as her Fire Toss tried to create some distance, before the blade returned to her hand as she jumped back and towards the ship.
All of it with a confident smirk, enjoying the new thrill that flying brought with it.
“Sorry —I kinda had to” Tori admitted, sheepish, “C’mon, let’s get going before their numbers grow!”
She landed on the ship’s deck, waiting on Izzy before they all took off into the sea. Leaning over the fence, Tori looked at the island as it would move around, her eyes feasting on the sights of birds, trees and mountains, all surrounded by endless sea.
Just like home.
Despite the familiarity of it all, however, she had to constantly remind herself that this wasn’t a known area —and as such, she would need to be careful.
She just hoped Henoke was also okay, with those kids in animal fur outfits… Then again, why would he not be?
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 17, 2021 11:19:52 GMT -5
”Sorry—I kinda had to.” The teen’s sheepishness earned a chuckle from Izzy, who nodded in agreement as Tori began to fly back towards the ship. It would be a short flight across the water to the pirate ship anchored and rocking on the waves. Upon nearing the ship however, the teen would notice a new voice echoing across the sounds of crashing water as they landed on the wooden deck with the others. ”Oh! Is this our new friend?” The ship itself seemed to shake a bit, the voice coming from the bow. ”Yeah, Bucky! This’s Tori!” Cubby smiled as they sat on the ship deck, sprawling out a large map and pouring over it for a moment. ”Nice ta meet ya, Tori!” With a faint shake once more, the ship seemed in a happy mood as the loud clanking! of anchor chains could be heard being hoisted up from below. ”Cubby, navigate us to Mermaid’s Lagoon!” Standing above the main deck on the raised deck that held the steering wheel, Jake wore a broad grin as they steered the ship. Sighing a bit, Izzy crossed her arms as she gave an exasperated look to her companions. ”So, I guess I’m left explaining everything?” Both boys gave the girl a sheepish grin, chuckling a bit and rubbing the back of their heads—but by no means refuting the fact.
”Whatever. It’s not like either of them would do a good job, anyway!” Turning to Tori on the deck, the pirate tapped her chin in thought before beginning. ”Well, I think I mentioned it before…we’re here to get more of that dust we just used to fly.” Tugging at the small sack she wore as a necklace, Izzy shook it, emphasizing how floppy it was at the moment. ”We’re nearly out. I don’t know about you, but treasure hunting is a lot easier when you can fly—don’t you think?” With a faint grin, Izzy rocked on her heels for a moment, furrowing her brow in thought. ”To be honest, though…we only came back to Neverland recently. The usual routes Cubby marked on the map were full of those weird monsters…” For a moment, her face showed her worry. ”We’ve never seen those here, before. It’s been a little while since we last stopped by, but they just…don’t fit in, I guess?” It was clear that despite not knowing about the Heartless, Izzy had enough sense to know that these were certainly not natural enemies found on this world otherwise. ”That’s why we’re gonna find Marina!” Jake shouted out over the wind that passed over the deck and through the sails as they began to set off. Clearly, he’d been listening in anyway.
”Right. The mermaids have always been kind to us. We think they’ll be able to fill us in on what’s going on, and find an alternate route to get the fairy dust!” Grinning widely, Izzy seemed confidant in their plan. ”You seemed to handle ‘em pretty well—“ Despite being on the higher deck, with how close the wheel was to the railing that overlooked it, it was easy for Jake to jump in and out of the conversation, apparently. ”You've seen ‘em before, yeah?” It seemed despite his rather friendly and carefree attitude, the captain of the pirates was perceptive.
The sun speared through the leaves of the forest top, the overgrown forest path Henoke walked on pleasantly shaded and comfortable. Birds sang in the trees while the occasional critter allowed its head to poke out, curious about the band of marching boys trudging through the otherwise tranquil forest. Leading the pack was Rabbit, thumping their chest with a fist that held a makeshift spear. Having finally settled on a plan, the Lost Boys and Henoke were heading to the NeverNest, lair of the Lord of Birds. Never met a lord before... He'd met a Princess once, and a Prince. Were those the same thing as a lord? "What's this Lord o' Birds like, anyway?" Walking with his hands behind his head, the teen raised an eyebrow at Fox, who walked beside him. "Hm...how to say it...?" The boys retort caused Henoke to tilt his head further. "For starters, he's not even a real lord. He just makes everyone call him 'Lord of Birds', if that gives you an idea." Skunk was quick to offer their own suggestion, causing Fox to hum in agreement while the Raccoon twins snickered and Bear groaned. "He'll talk yer ear off, if you let 'im. Repeats the same old stories, too..." Bear seemed rather forlorn that they had to pay this 'Lord' a visit.
Thankfully, after the last few worlds he'd been to, Henoke hardly found the idea of talking birds unbelievable. How many worlds had weird or bizarre happenings, like this?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 17, 2021 11:54:30 GMT -5
“Whoa —what?!”
After landing on the ship’s deck, Tori flinched as the ship spoke and shook unnaturally, not like she’d expect after cutting through the sea. Only able to draw an uneasy smile as the ship introduced itself to the girl, she simply nodded back, unsure of how much logic would be changed in that journey.
Already flying was an endeavor to believe in —and now a talking ship?
“This is gonna be a weird one, for sure…” Tori thought, amused. Turning around towards Izzy as she asked whether or not she should explain whatever was left —with the other two boys doing not much to help her—, Tori listened closely. She perked up as the pirate mentioned being low on dust to fly, and needing to restock, so to speak, on that supply. Adding the fact that they admitted having returned only recently, Tori tilted her head.
Were they… From another world, too? Asking it would be to obvious, surely, but she still wanted to now.
“So, wait… You’re… Not from the island?” she asked, “Then… Where exactly are you from?”
Having asked that, the information came back alongside it, as well as listening to the problem. Sure enough, the Heartless weren’t a normal threat, having caught the pirate trio off-guard upon their return. Explained the comment about the routes earlier, too —no matter where they went, the Heartless seemed to always show up.
Tori brought a hand to her chin, thoughtful after listening to the issue at hand. Seeing that they were currently headed towards a person —or rather, mermaid— named Marina with the intention to figure out what was happening on their end was enough for now, but it wasn’t like Tori would simply leave it at that.
She could help them explain a few things.
”You've seen ‘em before, yeah?” Smirking at Jake’s perceptiveness, it seemed the opportunity had shown on its own, rather than with Tori bringing it to notion. Lowering her arms to her side as she looked up towards the pirate captain, she nodded —unwilling to keep things hidden for the time being.
“Sharp, aren’t we?” she teased, “…You’re right, though —I have fought them before. Me and the person I was tagging along with. In fact, it’s because of those monsters that we split up. In a sense, the reason why I’m tagging along with you three is because my chances of finding him increase with someone who knows the area, rather than being on my own —but it doesn’t mean I won’t lend you guys a hand.”
Transparent as usual, the girl said all what she had to, but still not fully done. While she replied to the question at hand, wanting to say her piece, Tori also had a few things bothering her that she wanted to ask —and the chance right now was as good as any.
“To be honest… I’m also not from the island” she admitted, “Both me and the friend I got separated from —we’re from someplace else. So I’d appreciate it if you could clear a few things for me…”
“For starters… What’s this dust you used, Izzy” she looked at the girl as she wondered aloud, “Being honest, I’ve never head of something like dust that can give someone the ability to fly, albeit once they believe in said ability. So, I’m curious…”
“Also… You said you’re pirates, right? Is there any possibility you have rivalry with people living here? Like… A group of kids, wearing animal furs?”
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 17, 2021 13:06:02 GMT -5
”Sharp, aren’t we?” Tori’s tease caused Jake’s grin to broaden as he steered Bucky through the waters, sailing parallel to the island for now. ”You’re right, though—I have fought them before.” Hearing how the teen had originally had a partner they’d been separated from, Cubby gasped with a frown as Izzy tsked and rested her hands on her hips. Nodding as Tori explained how she’d be willing to help them in exchange for her tagging along, Jake pumped a fist in the air. ”Ha ha! That’s the spirit! Stick with us, and I’m sure you’ll run into your friend.” It seemed the captain felt rather confidant about that fact. ”To be honest…I’m also not from the island.” The teen’s comment caused Izzy to chuckle and shake her head. ”Most people aren’t, besides the real locals, like Marina and the mermaids!” It seemed this was a world where people could come and go, even before the Heartless threat appeared. "What’s this dust you used, Izzy?” With a playful smirk, the pirate tugged at the sack on her neck, removing the necklace to hold it up for a moment.
”Fairy dust!” For a moment, she paused, realizing this was by no means a thorough enough explanation for what the teen had intended. ”Fairies, like the Mermaids, are real locals of Neverland. They can fly, and are magic!” With a childish sparkle in her eyes, it seemed Izzy was a rather big fan of these Fairies. ”The dust on their wings can be collected, and if someone believes, it let’s them fly!” Hoping that it would suffice, the pirate seemed pleased with herself as she put the necklace back on. ”Also…you said you’re pirates, right?” The question about the rivalry caused Izzy to blink in surprise for a moment, while Cubby snickered to himself and Jake groaned audibly. ”It’s not our fault! That no-good Hook’s the reason!” Scowling as he steered the ship, it seemed the captain had some strong feelings about the rivalry that had formed. ”There was once a bad pirate who would mess with the Lost Boys and the residents of Neverland all the time…” Izzy sighed, shaking her head as she explained. ”We chased him off a long time ago, but none of them trust any pirates, anymore.” Jake scowled and spit over the side of the ship, clearly having sour memories of this 'Hook' character. A sudden squawk pierced the sky as Skully swooped down to land on the young captains shoulder. "SQUAWK! Enemies in sight ahead off the starboard bow!" Cubby yelped, clutching at his map while visibly quaking a bit. "There's no way we'll dodge them with this wind..." Jake grit his teeth for a moment before shouting down to the main deck where Tori and Izzy stood.
"Izzy! You got any magic to put some extra boost in our sails?" Rolling her eyes, the pirate shook her head and wagged a finger at Jake. "I already told you, I only know a few spells, and none of them are that convenient!" It seemed unless Tori had any means of giving the ship an extra boost herself, the group would soon find themselves under attack...
"Back off!" Swiping out at the Heartless wielding a curved sword, Henoke spun on his heels just as a Shadow tried to claw at his back. Deflecting the attack with one of his own, the hotheaded teen leapt over a bush that the Raccoon Twins were currently hiding beneath, landing in front of it as he slashed out once more with his large Keyblade. "Tsk, can't any o' you fight?!" Fending off more Pirate Heartless, Henoke was currently a ball of motion, constantly having to move to the next area of the forest in order to ensure another Lost Boy's safety after nearly every attack. "Shut up! I'm tryin'!" Rabbit seemed indignant as they fired another rock from their slingshot, only to watch it bounce off of the nearby Heartless uselessly. Idiots! You can't fight them with sticks and rocks! It wasn't like the boys would know that, though. Having spoken with them in their home, Henoke had learned how the Heartless had been a more recent appearance here. "Whatever! I'll just beat 'em all!" With a competitive smirk, the teen gripped his weapon with a new zealous, heaving it in heavy arcs against the coming enemies with a cocky laugh.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 17, 2021 14:01:46 GMT -5
Welcoming the information as it came, it was nice to see how open the trio was —from cheering when she explained her motives, to being more than willing to explain what Tori didn’t know about. Hearing how most people weren’t locals to the island —instead only mermaids and fairies, amongst other creatures of fantasy— helped understand a bit. The fact that Tori came from another world wasn’t one hard to cover, since most people were already from different places to begin with. That alone was reassuring, meaning that most things of the World Order wouldn’t matter, so long as she kept an eye on it.
Izzy’s eyes shone with excitement as she explained what the glitter in her pouch was —fairy dust. Nodding along at the explanation, Tori smiled. It made sense that fairies would have something like that, although the girl was unsure on how the pirate trio collected it… Despite being able to pry into their recollections, Tori wasn’t sure if she’d find such information based solely on that.
”It’s not our fault! That no-good Hook’s the reason!” Hearing the reason why pirates weren’t exactly welcome in Neverland thanks to a person nicknamed “Hook”, Tori frowned. It seemed that gaining the people’s trust when it came to the trio she was currently travelling with would be a tough one —and if Henoke was truly with the “Lost Boys” for the time being, what would happen if they re-encountered alongside their current party?
“It might be troublesome… But I don’t stand a chance if I go solo…”
She’d have to come up with something —an idea to turn the tables around. But how? And how would Henoke, of all people, react when they met again, if she was tagging along with pirates that, albeit friendly, were frowned upon? Those thoughts were abruptly torn asunder as the parrot squawked enemies at a distance. Izzy’s complaint after Jake’s question wasn’t exactly good news —there was no way to turn the ship around to avoid a fight.
But Tori knew that —she, too, had no means of changing their current course.
“Stay on it!” Tori shouted, looking at Jake, “If it comes to it, I’ll be able to fend them off!” she looked at Izzy, confidently, “I hope I can count on you for support —properly, this time. Just ignore what I said when we first met, is all.”
Tori finished with a wink and a grin, before turning around to meet the enemies that would inevitably board in assault. Holding onto her broadsword’s handle with one hand, while she called onto the Keyblade with the other, the girl was ready to meet the assault head-on, protecting the ship and those unable to fight as she did so. With two blades instead of one, as well as Izzy’s support, surely they could protect the ship from anything.
“I can still fly, can’t I?” she looked at Izzy, “Or does this have a time limit of sorts?”
Depending on the answer, Tori’s strategy would shift alongside it —but her priority would remain protecting the ship from any sort of attack that came to it. That much, she was leaving no room for doubt towards.
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