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Post by hoodwink on Jan 26, 2021 14:46:31 GMT -5
While Tori jumped off of the ship and into the air, Jake and Izzy rushed towards where Cubby piloted the ship. Bzzzzt! ZAP! The Thundaja spell cascaded and snapped down onto the Jet Balloons while the teen’s flaming Keyblade spun across the deck of the ship, aiding the young pirates in getting to the raised deck that held the steering wheel. Crocodiles all throughout the swamp saw the powerful display of magic while fighting their own combatants, some awed while others were too focused on the task at hand. Clang! Skkkrit! Parrying a Pirate Heartless’ sword with his own, Jake kicked the enemy with a booted foot down the stairs, tumbling and crashing into the others. Tu—le—ru! Izzy’s flute sang out, its musical magic halting those who escaped her captain’s reach. It seemed despite their age, the group had fought together before—having their own rhythm and tactics laid out. SMASH! The eye-patched crocodile from earlier emerged from the water, snapping with its massive maw at the stunned and severely hurt Jet Balloons. Whoosh! Dark vapor flooded throughout their teeth as they crunched and snapped the Heartless out of existence, merely giving the crew and Tori a quick glance before turning to return to the rest of the chaos.
It seemed that for now, they were indeed winning over even the more reserved and wary crocodiles, due to how hard they were fighting. SPLOOSH! Swamp water erupted as though a geyser towards the banks, a massive Heartless pouring out and writhing into the air as darkness continued to hang in the air. Hundreds of yellow eyes twisted and snaked as countless smaller Heartless formed the Demon Tower. ”IT’S BACK!” One of the older and larger crocodiles roared out the warning—seemingly recognizing the powerful Heartless. ”What the—?! What is that?!” Jake openly gaped from the ship, while Bucky quivered in terror and Izzy blinked in astonishment, for once at a loss for words. ”Aww, coconuts!” Cubby paled and shivered at the wheel, though his grip remained true as he returned them to their initial course. "SQUAWK! That’s a BIG one!” Flying down from the Crow’s Nest towards the raised deck, Skully had a look of panic. ”We should get a move on, while we can!” The cowardly comment caused Jake to snap out of his surprise—scowling at the parrot before shaking his head.
”No way! It’s just another one o’ those monsters, Skully. We can do this!” Looking at Cubby, the young captain gave a stern nod before pointing at the Demon Tower writhing through the air, readying to loop back and aim towards the swamp! ”Keep Bucky on course. I’m gonna take aim with the cannon!” Thankfully with their combined efforts, only two stragglers remained on deck, quickly dispatched by the fervor and zealous energy of Jake as he worked his cutlass. The battle was only worsening from here. Apparently, the crocodiles had been dealing with this for as long as the Heartless appeared on Neverland, though, speaking testaments to the locals strength and formidability.
[[ENEMIES ABOARD: None]] [[Defeat the Demon Tower!]]
"I'm impressed! Not many can negotiate with the Lord of Birds...let alone an outsider!" The normal sized Neverbird that accompanied them fluttered through the air as they made their way down the mountain. Lightly forested and somewhat rocky, it was tricky to navigate on foot in the dark of settling night. "Whatever. He still shoulda given us a ride..." Sighing a bit, the teen shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, kicking at a rock on the cragged path they walked. "Still, how're you gonna get a whole years worth of stock?" Skunk raised a brow, curious as to how Henoke was to meet the agreed upon payment. The Lord of Birds and the hotheaded boy had argued and shouted at each other on the mountaintops for what had felt like hours. Though the price had been raised due to the conflict, they had eventually worked out a deal. Leaning down, due to how short the younger Lost Boy was, Henoke whispered with a cupped hand, eyeing the Neverbird to ensure it didn't hear him. "I'm not. I'm just gonna leave before he knows." Grinning as though he had come up with the best idea in the world, the teen straightened up, resting his hands behind his head and giving a carefree laugh while Skunk merely groaned and shook their head. "Hey, how come all you birds listen to that guy, anyway?" Glancing over to the Neverbird guiding them, currently fluttering in the air at eye level, the teen tiled their head a bit and raised a brow. "He's a total wad."
Chuckling a bit, the orange bird shook their head and clicked their beak. "Well, he definitely isn't royalty...and he can certainly be a...'wad', as you put it. But, one thing for certain is that the Lord of Birds is an excellent trader." Wanting to jump into the conversation, Fox wore a slightly skeptical look. "Only because he shouts over everyone and doesn't leave room for negotiation..." With a sing-song laugh, the Neverbird perched on Bear's head, who joyfully laughed and seemed to enjoy having a bird on their head. "Exactly, Fox. That's why he's an excellent trader. It's thanks to that obnoxious personality of his that us Neverbirds are able to come and go where we please between all clans and tribes." Sighing and shaking his head, Henoke thought that perhaps the Neverbirds had it tougher than he thought. Glad I don't gotta deal with a lotta lords... Having not met a Lord before, it was kind of a huge let down for the teen, who walked down the cragged mountain path with the others, on their way to where the Fairies lived...
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 26, 2021 15:17:04 GMT -5
Splash! Tori landed on a shallow part of the marshy waters, holding firm onto both weapons firmly despite everything. Her eyes, threatening to shift to purple, were wary of her surroundings, with many crocodiles snapping their maws in attack, while ignoring her for the time being. The Heartless were a much more present target, after all —attacking whatever they saw to claim. For the time being, they were cooperating, which seemed good enough.
“…! That’s—!”
A sudden chill crawled down her spine, immediately focusing on the spot that threatened to boil. Before the Demon Tower showed up, Tori knew it was there —lurking in the shadows and waiting for the proper opportunity to show up. Her initial shock was quickly changed for fierce determination, the grip on both Keyblade and sword as tight as ever.
It seemed that Heartless was a known one —one the crocodiles could do nothing about.
“We can do this!” Jake’s own valiant attempt was commendable, but Tori had to stop the teen from this one. Although the floor underneath her sunk and shifted at her every move, Tori knew how to handle it to get the most out of it —living through many hardships and going through quite the regime, she knew all kinds of terrains in which a battle could take place. A swamp was no different to her.
“Jake —get moving!” she shouted, quickly dashing towards the Demon Tower with uncanny speed, “This isn’t a battle you can fight! Get everyone to a safe place —now!”
There was a subtle hint of anger in the girl’s voice, although most of her intentions were in worries of the rest —pirate crew and crocodiles both. She knew what this Heartless was capable of, and if that held true, then the pirates’ weapons and support would do little to help.
This was a battle that, unfortunately, Tori would take on her own. “Get going already!” she shouted with a growl.
Jumping up in the air to meet with the writhing Demon Tower, still under her Red Moon form, the girl would get as close as possible, before unleashing her Lunatic Red Eyes. The red waves bursting from her figure would do quite some damage, hopefully weakening the enemy if only a little bit, before the battle raged on. She had to take its attention by any means possible, so long as Jake followed her orders.
If he didn’t, then… Well, she’d just have to adapt. But her main priority was making the Demon Tower focus her, before anyone else.
“Hey —I’m over here!”
Slashing once more with both Keyblade and sword, Tori dashed past the Demon Tower and away from Bucky, landing on murky ground, but still without the need to swim. She grimaced a little, knowing that, if she was pushed into a deeper end, then things could get complicated…
But she had to endure it.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 28, 2021 15:36:32 GMT -5
”Jake—get moving!” Tori’s warning rang out over the sound of gnashing maws, splashing swamp and raging battle. The young captain had already made their way to the cannon at the bow of the ship, giving a mild look of irritation and indignation at the suggestion to run. ”You’re underestimatin’ us!” While the crocodiles continued to fight the other Heartless running rampant throughout the marsh, Cubby had steered Bucky back into position, the large cannon in front of the ship aiming at the writhing Demon Tower as Tori rushed forward, going for a quick assault that would hopefully keep its focus. SKOOM! Chunks of the large Heartless shattered off, the Shadows composing it dissolving as the powerful waves from the teen’s attack connected. Though it was a small dent in the otherwise massive construct, it certainly packed a punch, staggering its course somewhat while it writhed and turned towards the source. ”Hey—I’m over here!” Rushing in the opposite direction from the ship and the heart of the swamp, Tori succeeded in causing the Demon Tower to snake and crash through the water towards her, rather than the locals and pirates.
”Tch—she’s reckless…” Skully swooped down to perch on the young captain’s shoulder as they steadied their aim. "SQUAWK! Like you’re one to talk!” Rolling their eyes and ignoring the jab, Jake prepared to fire. Tsssssk…BOOM! Causing the ship to jolt and shake somewhat, the powerful cannonball lanced through the air, hitting the Demon Tower and causing a small chunk of Heartless to blow off—though it didn’t seem to stagger its course. ”What if she’s right, Jake?” Izzy, who had been using her music from the main deck to pacify the larger groups of enemies for the crocodiles, flashed a look of concern. ”About this not being something we can fight…?” Glancing at the massive swarm of Heartless that dove through the air, the pirate seemed hesitant. ”Oi, I won’t hear none of that from my crew.” Turning from the cannon, Jake flashed a stern look. ”Tori ain’t fightin’ that thing alone! I don’t care how many shots it takes!” With that, he was back to work. It seemed Tori would have cover for this fight, whether she wanted it or not.
Speaking of—a gigantic Demon Tower was currently coming her way. Having succeeded in holding its attention, it was indeed rushing at her like a freight train through the swamp and night. Coming at her with full force, hopefully the teen had a plan…
[[ENEMIES: Demon Tower]]
"..." Staring up at the starry sky that peered out between tree leaves on the mountains, Henoke couldn't help but feel an odd suspicion come over him. Something felt...wrong, somewhere. He wasn't sure how to describe it really. It almost felt like when the Heartless arrived, but there were no Heartless along the cragged and rocky mountain path they careened down. "Oi, Henoke! Stop spacin' out!" Rabbit gave the teen a thump! on the back, causing them to shake their head as though awoken from a dream. "Cut it out—I wasn't!" Frowning, Henoke glanced back towards the night sky, unable to fully rid himself of the bizarre sensation. "Perhaps he's reflecting on his actions...I hear you ruined the forests quite atrociously." The Neverbird eyed them with a mixed look that showcased their curiosity and presupposed judgement, something that caused his face to flush and twist into a minor scowl. "Shut up! It stopped burnin' eventually..." Bear patted the teen on the arm, though the consolation only struck Henoke as pity, something that caused him to yank his arm away in irritation. "Well, I'd say the real culprit were the Tribesmen!" One of the Raccoon Twins spoke up in his defense. "Or Bear, for getting us caught in the first place." Skunk was quick to throw his friend under the bus, reminding them all of what truly spiraled the recent events as they continued their otherwise peaceful trek.
"That's right! It's Bear's fault! Bear's Fault!" Laughing and teasing, the other Raccoon Twin poked and prodded at the curly haired boy before snickering and running out of arms reach. Fox merely sighed and shook a head, apologizing to the Neverbird for his friends behavior. "Fear not, child. You boys are a treasure to many on this island. Youth is an important thing, after all." Flapping their wings, they turned their head a bit to glance Henoke's way, with a visibly less impressed look. "You on the other hand...well, aren't you a little old to be setting fires in a forest?" The Lost Boys all guffawed as Henoke swiped a hand towards the bird, who easily evaded him and soared high above his head tsking! with his beak. "Oh, my!" It was then, at that raised height, the Neverbird witnessed something far in the distance that caused them to shout out. Lowering back down, the feathered navigator had a grim expression and a much more serious tone. "We'll need to be wary of the swamps..."
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 28, 2021 16:38:24 GMT -5
The red hue was waning out, and yet despite that, the Demon Tower had complete focus on Tori, who’d taken her distance from the ship and crocodiles in order to avoid casualties. Her gaze, fixated on the Demon Tower chasing after her, was a cold and relentless one. Not one to tolerate an imbalance as it showed, it seemed the Spirit was keen on accomplishing its role.
Beating the Demon Tower right then and there, while keeping the locals safe from its grasp.
The speed at which the Heartless rushed towards her was expected, truthfully —one Tori had foreseen after so many bouts with the Heartless. Having laid on a crouched position after landing, she smirked, ready to meet the assault. A blue flash coiled around the arm where the Keyblade was held, and Tori met the Demon Tower’s attack with her Recall, the blue dragon-like figure snapping its maws as the attack met.
“Get lost!” Tori shouted at the Heartless.
Hopefully cutting through the tide of Shadows that compromised the Tower, Tori would land on a patch a bit deeper than at first —the water reaching her waist easily. Unbothered by such things and instead following the instincts of a hunter, the way she’d been taught growing up, Tori had yet to give up. Despite the red glow around her finally waning and disappearing, she still had a long way to go, unwilling to give up just yet.
Not until her duty was done.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 29, 2021 12:34:13 GMT -5
While Tori countered the Demon Tower’s rush with an attack of her own, Jake had finished preparing the cannon for another round. ”Get lost!” Though the teens attack had indeed caused a powerful blow, the large Heartless continued to reconstruct and writhe through the air as it regrouped, albeit somewhat smaller than before. SkkkkoOOM! Soaring through the air, another collision exploded against the Shadows composing the enemy, chunks blasting away as the ranged attack from Jake and Bucky landed. Though it didn’t seem to do too much damage, it did succeed in staggering the Heartless somewhat, as well as further lessening the mass that swirled and swarmed. ”She’s doing it! She’s really doing it!” Izzy shouted out hopefully, her eyes sparking with a mixture of relief and awe. Jake wore a confidant smirk, preparing the next shot while Cubby too seemed more at ease, keeping Bucky within range but out of harm.
The crocodiles were fighting valiantly, defending the swamp from the remaining Heartless that had emerged earlier in the night well. It seemed Neverland truly had a good amount of protectors at the ready—whether they were friendly or a little rough around the edges. ”It seems I was wrong to mistrust you.” Jolting from the sudden voice, Bucky and the others noticed the large eye-patched crocodile perched in the water near them. With how well the others were doing, as well as Tori and the pirates focusing on the Demon Tower, it seemed they were able to spare the moment. Nodding with an approving glance, the large crocodile swam through the water towards where Tori and the Demon Tower battled. Lowering its maw into the water, bubbles frothed as the large croc expanded nearly three times in size as the swamp seemed to lower somewhat. SKKKKKKKKKSHHHHHT! Shooting forth the swamp water from its maw as though a hose, a greenish-blue geyser soon condensed into a thin and high-pressured jet.
Slicing through the large Demon Tower with the precise water pressure, the eye-patched crocodile soon returned to its normal size as it seemed to rain in the spot above them. ”You have my maw.” It seemed Tori had won the approval of the more distrusting local, who was willing to aid her in the fight. Despite the teens initial worry, it seemed the crocodile was more than capable of fighting with their own means. It was their turf, after all. Writhing as it attempted to reform from the splitting attack, the Demon Tower had further shrunk in size, though it was still at least twice the size of their ship. Swooping out in a circular motion, the large Heartless writhed and splashed through the water, kicking up powerful waves before rushing in for the assault! Darkness erupted from around its form, threatening to lash out at any living thing in sight as the aura erupted.
[[ENEMIES: Demon Tower]]
Green and night blurred past him as he careened down the path at hazardous speeds. Lunging over rocks and swinging off of lower hanging tree-branches, Henoke was already littered with scrapes, cuts and had various forestry sticking out from his already spiky hair as he ran downhill. Thankfully having grown up around mountains and forests, the teen was used to the terrain, though it didn’t help that he was going way too fast, unwilling to slow down or stop. Damn it! Am I gonna make it in time...? The Neverbird had warned them about the swamp, seeing weird shapes and flashes of cannon fire. The Lost Boys had warned him of pirates when they’d first met, explaining how they were natural enemies to Neverland. What ‘shapes’ the Neverbird had described seeing had sounded forebodingly familiar too—as well as the gross sensation that lingered in the air. It's gotta be Heartless…
If the Pirates were attacking the swamps, surely Heartless would show up—they were drawn to things like that, right? Going more with his gut instinct than anything, the teen had made his way into the forests, rushing carelessly through the overgrowth and deeper into the night. WHOOSH! A powerful gust knocked the already careening and hardly balanced boy off their feet, blasted forward as they tumbled and shouted out across the forest floor while the thinner trees bended and the larger ones whipped and swayed. ”You’re far more trouble than you’re worth.” A familiar voice reached out as he felt himself tugged up to his feet and then off of them. ”W-woah!” Still somewhat dizzy from his fall, Henoke shouted out as he realized he was once more being plucked into the air. ”You’re lucky I had been passing by when you decided to rush off.”
It was true; once he’d heard the Neverbird, he’d told them and the Lost Boys to stay put before rushing down the mountain. It wasn’t like he could just abandon the locals of this world to their fate, when it came to Heartless. Plus…he was definitely down to fight some pirates (something he’d low-key been curious about for a minute). ”What’re you doin’?!” Kicking out with his feet uselessly, the teen tried to wave a fist, but both arms were snatched up in the large Neverbirds talons. ”Quiet, fire child. I’ll take you to the swamps.” Blinking in surprise, Henoke looked up at the bird with a confused expression. Eyeing him from above, the large feathered local chuckled and shook their head. ”Don’t mistake me; you’ll either help, or be devoured. Either will benefit Neverland.” The sentiment brought a few yelled curses and more kicking feet as they soared through the night sky under a slivered moon.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 29, 2021 13:38:19 GMT -5
The red hue finally disappearing, Tori found herself in a somewhat tricky position. With the water at her waist, movement was a bit more finicky, and the floor underneath sunk every now and then. Still, she never adverted her gaze from the Demon Tower, smirking as her attack, in conjunction with a cannonball from the ship, had chipped away the Heartless considerably.
Focused as she was with the battle at hand, Tori was caught off-guard by the sudden gush of high-pressure water aimed towards the Demon Tower, following the water level to lower a bit —still not enough for movements to become fluid again. ”You have my maw.” The showcase of respect from a previously wary contender caused Tori’s smirk to widen —confident in their chances.
“It would’ve been easier had it been earlier, y’know” she jabbed, but quickly focused on the battle at hand, “You’d do me a big favor if you keep pelting it with water —that way, not only you’re distracting it, but the water level lowers. I can handle it like this.”
Dual-wielding the weapons with an iron grip, the girl chased forward towards the weakened Heartless, mist condensing around the “fake” appearance of her Keyblade. Jumping upwards to meet with the writhing Heartless, a blinding light shining from the Keyblade as she struck downwards with her Judgement ability —the blinding light hopefully ending the battle once and for all.
Falling back on the swamp’s water with another splash!, Tori began to pant a little bit, having forced herself by a bit. Still, despite the murky waters she was stepping on at the time, it was still enough to refresh the lost energies, waiting on the result of the battle.
If the Heartless was now gone, it’d be easy enough to continue onwards. If it still trashed about…
Then Tori had yet another card to deal with. It would be easy enough with the newly found cooperation with the crocodiles.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 29, 2021 15:32:08 GMT -5
Hearing Tori’s idea for them to support with their jet stream attack, the eye-patched crocodile sucked up more swamp water, expanding in size once more as the teen leapt back through the water and towards the massive Heartless. Skkkkkkkkkkk! Lancing through the air as though a laser, the stream of water sliced and bore into the swarm of Shadows, cutting away small chunks with each stroke. Jake scrambled to finish preparations for another cannon shot while Tori leapt through the air, summoning her strength for a crucial blow. ”Hyaaaaaaaaa!” Henoke hurtled through the air at an uncontrolled speed—their Keyblade in hand as they yelled out and readied to slash at the Demon Tower. SKOOOM! Landing her Judgement attack, the large Heartless would erupt and sunder into countless released hearts as Jake finally managed to fire the cannon. ”What the—?!” Soaring at a steady decline directly towards the ship—now that the Demon Tower was gone—Henoke’s golden eyes widened in surprise as he watched a cannon-ball head straight for him! The two were bound to collide in the air that Tori and the Demon Tower and once occupied!
CLANG! Sparks flew as unbelievably, the cannon ball was hit back towards the crew—Henoke scowling as his arms rung from the impact, his descent halted as he fell towards the swamp. ”Tori, look out!” Immediately having the wrong impression, nearly having himself blown to smithereens hardly seemed to make the hotheaded teen think the familiar pirate ship were allies. ”Hal—HEY!” Roaring out as Henoke stomped and landed on top of the eye-patched crocodile, the large swamp local lashed out with its tail as it writhed to throw the teen off. ”Woah! The lizards talk?!” Surprised to hear the creature talk, the key-bearer used their High Jump to leap off of the crocodile and towards the ship! ”Uh…my bad?” Shouting back to the roaring local he’d stepped on, Henoke was quick to focus back on the ship he launched himself towards, his Keyblade at the ready. ”Alright, pirates! You’re goin’ down!” Landing on the massive cannon that jutted out from the bow, the orange haired boy smirked as Jake blinked in astonishment and surprise. ”Huh?! Who’re you?! Where’d you come from?!” Henoke lowered his weapon for a moment, faltering at the question with a sour expression on his face.
”Tch—that stupid bird just threw me…” Sighing and shaking his head, Henoke was quick to stagger, returning to a battle stance after realizing he’d been thrown off topic. ”Grr...Less talkin’, more gettin’ outta here!” Rushing forward, the teen was quick to slash out—forcing the young captain to backpedal and nearly cartwheel backwards as they fumbled for their cutlass. ”Woah! What?! Why’re you attackin’ us?!” There were still indeed Heartless rampaging throughout the swamp, though their numbers were considerably less as the crocodiles continued to succeed in pushing them out. Talking as he swung his mighty weapon, Henoke glared at the young pirate captain as Izzy and Cubby shouted out, finally seeing what was happening from the deck. ”You’re the ones behind this! Don't deny it!” The hotheaded teen seemed to have simply leapt to the wrong conclusion—quick to fight and slow to ask questions.
Unless Tori intervened…or the crocodiles, it seemed they were going to be forced to fight!
[[ENEMIES?: Henoke?]]
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 29, 2021 15:52:32 GMT -5
”Hyaaaaaaaaa!”
Tori flinched, but didn’t lose focus as the massive Demon Tower released countless hearts, bright in light as they faded away. That voice… Immediately looking up, the girl lost most of the action as it happened way too fast for her liking. She noticed the orange hair blur as the teen jumped into the air with a half-assed apology, immediately taking the pirates as his new target.
While it was annoying to see him fight first and act later, it fell perfectly in Tori’s plan.
Of course, the crew had no reason to know that the orange-haired teen that just fell from the sky was Henoke —Tori’s friend, the one who’d been taking his path along the Lost Boys. Quick to pick a fight with the pirate’s captain, it was clear Jake was caught off-guard by the sudden assault, not thinking he’d be going after them with no clear provocation.
”You’re the ones behind this! Don't deny it!” Following along the “lies” —although tales fit better, given that they weren’t lies per se— the Lost Boys had told them back when they first met, it was clear Henoke considered that the pirates were behind the Heartless invading Neverland. Obviously, however, Tori knew the truth.
But she wouldn’t tell him just yet, instead using the confusion to her advantage.
Quickly jumping back towards the ship, Tori used her Keyblade to clash against Henoke as she arrived to protect the crew, pushing him back with the struggle, her gaze cold and firm. With so many Heartless still battling against them, despite the Demon Tower having been defeated, the chaos was surmounting.
“Jake” Tori said, glancing back at the pirate captain, “Take everyone a bit ahead —I’ll take care of him” she smirked faintly, “…We had a deal, remember? You better stick by it for a little longer.”
She could entrust the crocodiles and the crew to fight the remaining Heartless, having seen their strength already. With that certainty at the back of her head, Tori could focus on distracting Henoke’s fiery rage and misconception, her gaze back to a cold one as she scowled at the teen. She saved her regular broadsword back in its sheath, and now simply wielding her entrusted Forget-Me-Not, the girl pointed at Henoke with the Keyblade, not a single word leaving her mouth now, instead pacified rage aimed directly at him.
If he wanted to fight the pirates, she’d have to go through her, first —it didn’t matter if it was Henoke, or anyone else.
She’d protect those that trusted on her, through thick or thin.
[Enemies: Tori]
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 29, 2021 16:38:59 GMT -5
Clang! Clang! Keyblade struck cutlass as steel sparked in the night, Henoke pushing forward while Jake attempted to parry and flourish on the defensive. The raw power from the teen’s blows threatened to sunder him, though, the young captain steadily being pushed back. Tu—le—ru! A sharp flute note struck the air, a pacifying magic attempting to take hold over Henoke. ”Grr…I don’t think so!” Shaking his head and fighting the effects, the key-bearer rushed forward, aiming a harsh overhanded blow at the recovering Jake. CLANG! Keyblade sparked against Keyblade as Tori intercepted the blow. ”What the—?!” Blinking in confusion for a minute, Henoke faltered, tilting his head and lowering his weapon a bit. ”Tori, what’re ya—?” Commanding the pirates to push on ahead while she remained to fight, it seemed the two were at opposite ends. ”We had a deal, remember? You better stick by it for a little longer.” Grimacing, Jake nodded, though his sword lingered in Henoke’s direction a moment longer. ”Oh…so this’s the guy?” It seemed the young captain was quick to catch onto what was happening. On the other hand, Henoke was beyond confused. ”Huh? Ya made a deal with the pirates?!”
For a moment, his expression flashed into an incredulous one. ”But...they’re the bad guys!” Visibly irked by the teens comment, Jake composed themselves as best they could as they allowed Tori to square off against her friend. Rushing past the two, the young captain made their way back to the cannon, signaling for Cubby to resume course to aim at the nearest Heartless still in the swamp. Izzy watched Tori and Henoke with a conflicted expression from the raised deck , her flute at the ready in case either one damaged the other too harshly. Though he hadn’t dismissed his Keyblade, Henoke had straightened out from his battle stance, scowling a bit while also seeming in disbelief. ”Are you helpin' 'em mess up Neverland!?” Gripping his weapon at his side tightly, the teen waited for his friends answer.
Depending on how she responded—it seemed there was no other option.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 29, 2021 16:53:40 GMT -5
With a sigh, Tori closed her eyes for a bit, steeling herself for her next steps. With her Keyblade still pointing at Henoke as he gawked back in confusion, enough of a distraction to allow Jake, Izzy and Cubby to reorganize themselves with the attacks at the Heartless, and leaving the Keyblade Wielders to do their own fighting. She knew the pirates worried, but truthfully, it was misplaced.
The only reason Tori was fighting now was for a reason, after all.
”Are you helpin' 'em mess up Neverland!?” The girl’s scowl deepen, knowing that that statement was a lie. Of course, Henoke had no real reason to know it was a lie, not having the full story. She noticed his grip tightening around his own Keyblade, but didn’t leave a moment to rest.
“And how can you say that for certain?” she asked back, calm, yet with clear hints of ice in her voice, “Have you seen them act that way? What makes you think they’re the bad guys here?”
The questions she brought up would most likely be dismissed by him —someone who didn’t bother much in thinking things through. In any case, he had the chance to simply not listen, instead allowing his anger to flourish and fight back —something Tori was foreseeing.
In the end, Henoke had pretty clear issues controlling his anger, especially when it came to what he considered “right” and “wrong”.
“In fact… I could honestly ask you the same thing” Tori’s scowl deepened, “Can you say for certain you’re in the ‘good’ side? Because from my perspective, you’re not —you’re the one causing messes and trouble, Henoke.”
The time for talk was over —she’d said her piece. Never looking away from Henoke, she charged forward, Keyblade at the ready before forcing the opposing Keyblade Wielder back, hopefully off-board into the swamp —and with that, clearing the deck from unwanted fighting. Swift combos followed her movement, obviously holding back with the now lack of dual-wielding.
But in the end, it wasn’t going to be a serious fight —not that Henoke could tell. There was no telling what Tori’s cold and focused gaze hid behind, only able to properly see the exterior. And given that Henoke wasn’t one to dig in too deep, there was most likely no way he could tell that all of it was an act —a play, falling perfectly for Tori’s plan.
Odds were that he wasn’t going to fully understand, even after it was over —but there was no time to think about the outcome.
Right now, Tori was keenly set on fighting Henoke head-on.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 29, 2021 17:10:16 GMT -5
”What makes you think they’re the bad guys here?” Tori’s words caused Henoke to stagger a bit, a look of irritation coming over his face as he took a step forward. ”Tch—they tried to blow me outta the sky!” Clearly the teen had his own opinions, due to misunderstandings, but their perception had been skewed none the less. ”In fact…I could honestly ask you the same thing.” Hearing her comment about him being the one causing ‘messes’ and ‘trouble’, Henoke grit his teeth with a look of defiance. ”You listenin’ to those damn birds’r somethin’?!” The conversation was cut short by Tori’s charge, lancing across the deck with her Keyblade at the ready. CLANG! Hoisting up his large weapon in a hasty guard, the hotheaded teen backpedaled, pressing into the railing and threatening to topple over as Tori pushed on. ”Tch—fine!” Flipping over the railing and pushing off from it to launch through the air, Henoke readied himself as he landed and skid in the mucky marsh banks at the edge of the swamp. ”Urk!” Sinking a bit in the unforgiving ground, the teen faltered, struggling to gather his footing.
He wasn’t given much time, as Tori was quick to continue her charge off of the ship, having a much easier time navigating through the swamp. Clearly their years of training had been different—though Henoke was used to having to adapt to all sorts of weird environments worlds threw his way. ”Bring it on!” Smirking confidently, Henoke steeled himself to fight, meeting Tori’s charge with one of his own, crashing through the distance with his Sliding Dash and following it up with a powerful Blitz attack. Around them, crocodiles began to out number Heartless, easily pushing them back towards the forest and out of the heart of the swamp. Some noticed the fighting between the two, though—all of the crocodiles now having recognized the pirates and Tori as allies. Whoever the spiky haired stranger was, they would most likely be viewed as an enemy… BOOM! Cannon fire crackled like thunder as Jake and the crew focused on aiding the remaining locals.
”Skully!” The parrot soared down from the Crow’s Nest to Jake’s shoulder, who remained reloading the cannon. ”Tell the crocodiles not to interrupt them! Tori’s got a plan’r somethin’…remember?” Rolling their eyes a bit, Skully flared their feathers for a moment before sighing. ”SQUAWK! Now I’m just a messenger? …Fine.” Almost sulkily, the parrot flew off from the ship, hoping to spread the necessary word while the battle began to die down.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 29, 2021 17:25:02 GMT -5
Meeting off Henoke’s Blitz would be Tori’s own Keyblade, blocking the attack with a loud clang! of metal and sparks. She noticed the smirk in the teen’s face, only wondering what that meant —not sure if he thought that he was capable of beating her, or simply because of who he was. Whichever the case, it seemed the battle was afoot, leaving little room for nonsensical and unnecessary thoughts like those.
Parrying the attack, Tori would be a blur of motion using her Flash, disappearing from in front and attacking from behind. Aiming for his side, the Keyblade would be swift in motion, and so would Tori —regardless of the damage dealt, she would jump backwards, her back never facing Henoke, instead facing him head-on throughout the entire thing.
Knowing he wouldn’t give up easily, the only option was to upping the pressure to near unbearable levels.
At a fair distance, she would chant Ruinga, the bullets honing straight towards Henoke, mostly as a distraction before Tori would charge again —her movements swift and precise, unlike the brash teen’s usual style.
“That all you got?” she asked, cold.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 29, 2021 17:41:50 GMT -5
While the rest of the swamp worked to regain control and order, Henoke and Tori’s struggle continued on the marshy banks. Going for a vertical slash, the teen wore a look of surprise as the girl disappeared—though his senses weren’t so dull as to be left open as he realized what was happening. ”Hrrk!” Grunting as he spun and narrowly glanced his Keyblade off the coming attack, Henoke grit his teeth and scowled as he regained his footing and swiped out—only to hit the air as Tori leapt backwards. Following suit, the hotheaded teen leapt from the water as the Ruinga spell lanced through the night, erupting on the empty swamp water that had once been where he stood as he used his High Jump to evade the coming charge. ”That all you got?” Tori’s question only caused a confidant grin to reappear as he aimed his Keyblade at her from the sky. ”You wish!” Light energy began to crackle at the dark grey tip before sparking and rupturing forth. Using his Raging Heart shot-lock ability, Henoke’s weapon blast out multiple bolts of light and thunder, exploding at the area the girl had charged at.
”Eat this!” Falling from the sky, Henoke shouted out as he aimed his Keyblade down. He didn’t intend for the spiking attack to hit, though if it dealt any damage it’d be an added bonus. Landing with a loud SPLASH! and causing waves to erupt, the teen unleashed his Quake spell, causing the swamp area they stood in to erupt and geyser forth in a surprising torrent of muck as sections of the earth solidified and spiked upwards as though alive. It seemed despite the boys thickheadedness, he at least had the battle sense to use the environment to his advantage, knowing Tori to have the upper hand in speed when it came to this type of battlefield.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 29, 2021 17:59:09 GMT -5
The battlefield was slowly becoming hectic, with both Wielders moving swiftly to avoid and retaliate. Never one to lose focus, Tori’s eyes were glued on Henoke’s movements, readying him almost a bit too easily. It wasn’t like she could mind-read him, though —her powers didn’t go through that extent. But rather, it was the experience of a Hunter, as well as her observations from the times she fought alongside him, that gave her a slight edge over him.
Her taunt only further fueled Henoke’s energy, as he used his Raging Heart to blast multiple lightning bolts of light. While they bothered her a bit, it didn’t deter her from her focus, enduring through it as the teen followed the attack with Quake —easily dodge-able with a jump. Airborne now, she tossed the Keyblade around her with her Cross-up Magic, before picking it up and clashing with Henoke’s Keyblade once more.
And yet despite that, she was still holding back —if Henoke was smart enough, he’d notice.
Wanting to push the teen to his outmost limits, it seemed Tori wasn’t opposed to using whatever tricks she had on her sleeve —but she was going to hold off on using Illusions and the like. While the fight was serious to a point, it didn’t require her applying so much energy to the point she’d threaten to shatter in place.
Not to mention, there was something Tori was looking for, that she wanted to see surfacing. Whether it’d happen or not, though… It truly depended on the other party, rather than her own side.
It was just a matter of keeping pressure for as long as possible, while giving the crew time to leave once the Heartless were taken care of. If Jake was keen enough, he’d most likely notice that Tori wanted him to move onwards to their original destination, while she stalled for time.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 29, 2021 18:33:49 GMT -5
CLANG! Splash! Keyblades clanged against each other in the night like thunder as both teens sloshed and dove throughout the swampy terrain. Having successfully begun to spread the word that everything was going according to Tori’s plan, Skully continued throughout the now mostly defended swamp. Most if not all of the Heartless were now gone, especially with the aid of the pirates cannon—a fact lost on Henoke as he focused on the battle he was dealing with at hand. The hell’s goin’ on with her?! Unsure as to why Tori was siding with the enemies of the Lost Boys and other locals, the teen couldn’t help but feel annoyed. They had come here together, so why were they fighting now? Why had she picked the wrong side? ”You’re bein’ dumb!” Aiming his Keyblade at her, Henoke fired off a powerful Firaga spell, which skooooomed! and illuminated the night with its arc as it sizzled across the sky, honing in on its target. Short behind it was the teen himself, using his Sliding Dash to hone in with his spell for a double assault!
”I’ll beat some sense into ya!” Popping up behind the spell, Henoke would unleash a powerful combo as he swung through the water. Watching the fight continue, Jake grimaced from the ship, watching the two Key-Bearers exchange blows and leap around each other. ”They’re something else, huh?” Izzy mumbled next to him, watching from the deck now that most of the fighting had subsided. The eye-patched crocodile made their way over to the ship, watching the fight from a distance while addressing the pirates. ”It seems you were true with your words. We have protected the swamp.” Finally turning to look at the young captain and their crew, the large crocodile gestured towards the fighting teens. ”So—this is part of her plan?” Shrugging a bit, Jake sighed and rested his hands behind his head. ”Guess so. Looks like she wants us to split, now that things’er safe…” For a moment, the young captain almost seemed annoyed. ”Don’t suppose ya’d be willin’ to point her in the right direction, after? We’re headin’ to the Fairies. We're goin' around the forest, to avoid the Tribesmen.”
Giving a curt nod, the crocodile lowered itself back into the water, signaling to the others to do the same as they retreated towards the banks. ”You may pass through. From now on, we’ll consider you and yours our kin.” Tick Tock had emerged from the chaos as well, giving a short bow and grin to the pirates as they waved goodbyes and set sail. "Tori, ya better meet us there!" Disappearing from the swamp, they left the two teens behind, fighting in the swamp while the crocodiles settled into the outer rim, watching from a distance. Many were curious...
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 29, 2021 18:51:09 GMT -5
Feeling the frustration from Henoke’s own heart, Tori drew a faint smirk —obviously not really meant in a malicious way, but who could’ve been able to tell its real intentions then and there. Dodging the Firaga spell, yet still not leaving a room for error with her eyes peeled, Tori was forced into defensive maneuvers, blocking Henoke’s combo without a chance for retaliation. ”I’ll beat some sense into ya!” Only able to scoff at the comment, finally sliding back from the strength in Henoke’s attacks, Tori’s only expression revealed amusement, followed by a dark grin.
“Will you, now?” she asked back, “I think it’ll be the other way ‘round.”
His sense of righteousness, as well as his overall short temper, was turning the teen’s confidence into wrath —something Tori had in mind when fighting him. It was the same wrath that he’d already unleashed once, in a time he didn’t want to remember so closely, having vowed to not do the same thing again. Yet, in the current battle, wasn’t he doing the exact same thing as back then? A crucial mistake in his path, one that threatened to repeat itself yet again.
While Tori wasn’t one to fall for such a feat, who could say if it ever happened again?
“You’re losing it…”
The grip in her Keyblade firm as ever, the girl dashed forward, unleashing her Elegant Flurry’s swift combos. She would expect Henoke to block the attacks, knowing that such cheap tricks wouldn’t win her the upper edge —but she didn’t have to use more complex techniques in order to get the job done. Those same “cheap tricks” were more than useful for the current situation, seeing that she herself would defuse the battle after reaching a certain point.
In a sense, it would require the teen in front of her to realize what he was actually doing, but the chances of that happening then and there was low. If anything, she was hoping they would increase after a bit, but she could never tell for certain.
If all else failed, an Illusion would do the trick.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 29, 2021 19:15:41 GMT -5
”I think it’ll be the other way ‘round.” Gritting his teeth in annoyance, it almost seemed like Henoke had forgotten about all else outside of the friend turned foe in front of him. He hadn’t made any observation to the fact that the Heartless were now defeated, the pirates gone. One of the teens many shortcomings, he was only seeing what was in front of him. Tori’s Elegant Flurry would pummel at Henoke’s guard, using both hands to try and force back the blows that sundered off the large weapon—each attack stronger than the next. By the last one, the hotheaded teen was forced to leap backwards, his guard breaking as he winced and skid back in the water. ”Heh—yea right…” Despite the pressure, his eyes blazed with a defiant confidence—unearned and unyielding as he gripped at the bandages around his Keyblade. "You ain't bad, though.” In some regards, it was a sign of respect—in others, he was annoyed at Tori’s own strength. Not only that, the sensation of clashing Keyblades only brought a bitter taste to his mouth. Not one to cope with emotions too well, Henoke’s default typically assorted complex sensations into that of anger or frustration.
”Alright! I’m done playin’ around! Ya had yer chance to explain. I’m gonna drag ya back by force!” Finishing unraveling the bandages around the blade, a loud CLINK! snapped as Henoke ‘transformed’ his weapon, splitting it into two down the middle. Shifting to his dual wielding style, the teen flashed forward in a blur of motion, his annoyance and frustration moving his legs and pushing him through the water with a newfound zealous. Slashing out with fast combos that betrayed a new speed than before, Henoke’s face had reddened somewhat, showing his annoyance with the situation. Of course, he wasn’t aiming to do any lethal damage, merely incapacitate her—in order to figure out what the hell she was doing siding with the enemy. ”Take that!” Leaping backwards, the teen hurled one of his two Keyblades through the air, using his Reflect Raid while keeping himself armed with the other. Not wanting to give her too any room, Henoke leapt forward the moment he landed—dashing through the water to slash out at Tori while the other Keyblade ricocheted and arced through the swamp, threatening her at random curves!
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 29, 2021 19:36:06 GMT -5
Pushed backwards as her opponent skid back, the battle came at a small halt —allowing both sides to recover some lost breath. "You ain't bad, though.” Henoke’s short comment with both respect and annoyance was met with a cold gaze, unbothered by the praise tossed Tori’s way. She grimaced a bit as the teen pulled away all the stops, unwilling to give up, and continuing the assault, forcing Tori back in the defensive as Henoke’s newfound speed allowed him enough movement to match Tori’s own dexterity.
In a sense, she’d backed herself in a corner, but it wasn’t enough to faze her.
However, the speed and precision of the Wielder’s attacks did cause Tori to stagger back, barely able to block the Reflect Raid and the followings slash, and losing the grip on her Keyblade —landing blade in into the murky waters. Moving out of the way without a weapon —given that she didn’t want to use a real sword against him—, Tori found herself dodging attacks left and right, some grazing her as evidenced by the wounds littering her arms and body, although thankfully no cracks.
Those were the ones she had to look out for —but eventually, that worry would disappear, or be the least of her concerns.
“Enough!”
Mist swirled swiftly around Tori, blasting forward and pushing the water in small waves —the sheer force of her real power awakening from within. Having called the Keyblade back to her hand, and immediately changing forms, Tori’s entire being changed attitude —not just the attire turning to greys, but her gaze one seemingly berating the teen in front of her.
With her speed and strength increasing to insane levels, Tori wasn’t going to let it slide —rushing immediately towards Henoke to meet him head on. The reverse grip on her Keyblade allowed her different approaches, perhaps moves the Wielder in front had rarely been against —who knew? Regardless, her approach was different this time around, clear from her attacks as well as body language.
She wasn’t using any of her tricks or spells —going straight with Keyblade, slashing, blocking and parrying. Now aiming to defuse the situation and disarming Henoke, Tori aimed for the grip in his hands, trying to loosen it to toss the weapons aside.
How he would adapt after would change her approach as well —adapting easily to the battle.
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 29, 2021 19:53:32 GMT -5
Grinning with confidence as he succeeded in pushing Tori back, Henoke kept the pressure on. Retrieving the second Keyblade from the air, the teen rushed in as he saw the girl’s own weapon sink into the murky swamp. ”Just give it up!” Between his fast attacks, Henoke shouted out in annoyance, wondering just why his friend was sided with those wreaking havoc. ”Enough!” The familiar mist that swirled around Tori blasted out, pushing Henoke back through the water as he raised both Keyblades in a cross-guard. Summoning her weapon back to her hand, the girl’s form had shifted, unleashing more power than before as Henoke looked on with a defiant sneer. ”Tch—bring it!” As Tori rushed in to close the distance, he’d raise one of his Keyblades into the air, summoning his magic with a shout. ”Thundara!” Bolts of lightning rained from the sky, lancing and sparking against the swamp water with a bursting eruption as a bright light began to surround both of his weapons. Meeting Tori’s approach with his Blitz attack, Henoke hoped to sunder the girl’s assault, countering it with one of his own as he slashed out with both weapons.
Knowing Tori, though, the girl had plenty more moves up her sleeve. Henoke and her had fought on many worlds together at this point. He’d already seen a lot of what she could do. The reverse grip of her Keyblade was a style he wasn’t as familiar fighting against, but it didn’t create enough difference for the teen to shift from the offensive. Following his prior Blitz, the teen spun and unleashed a powerful 360 spin attack, flourishing both Keyblades and splashing out the swampy water around him with its speed and power.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 29, 2021 20:34:09 GMT -5
Dodging the lightning bolts from Henoke’s Thundara —although not completely, given that their random assortment made them hard to predict—, Tori parried the Blitz and locked in a struggle, wanting to push him back and create distance. Knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses made it hard to find an opening —neither side wanting to budge. Causing havoc in the swamp with their blows and spells was meaningless if one side couldn’t subdue the other.
In a sense, they were locked in an endless struggle —one where neither could overpower the other, and bring it to an end.
“Hoping they’re already where they said they’d go…” Tori thought with a grimace, still locking Henoke in a struggle with her, “I should be buying them enough time… But if Henoke’s here, then… Those kids shouldn’t be too far off…”
Tossing a Ruinga spell point-black, Tori gritted her teeth —unsure on how long she’d be able to hold things for. She didn’t want for it to go overboard, obviously, having a group to return to and help out in sorting what was going on out. Agile, she broke out, jumping backwards to gauge the results.
How long would her “plan” hold on for?
“…You really don’t know when to quit, huh?” she asked, calm yet icy, “So long as you believe you’re in the right, you don’t care for things such as ‘allies’ or ‘friends… Do you?”
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