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Post by JeY k on Mar 16, 2021 18:29:57 GMT -5
Ah, always good to be back.
Traverse Town was his her home after all of this time spent in this strange realm she knew at the Kingdom Hearts universe. If she tried to play that card with anyone she would just be deemed a subject of insanity. That was true anyway however; for her own little reasons that other would discover if they were to interact with her. She didn't really go out of her way to make friends, but she loved going out of her way to have a good time. It's all she has left for the most part. Accepting loss, moving on, starting a new chapter.
She wasn't a king, or even a boy anymore for that matter. After she escaped her own special hell, she eventually ended up here - a fitting home for the quintessential lost soul. She has a permanent resonance in the land of the lost. It was a long story, but she'd tell you if she had time. The story she wouldn't explain though is why the use of female pronouns is more appropriate now. She's been gone from Traverse Town for quite some time on a little adventure now, and coming back she would be practically unrecognizable.
JeY was our subject today - instead of a man of average height and young-aged body, a woman of similar proportions came home today. She wore the same clothes, but augmented for her new curves. Her hair was much longer and had gleaming streaks of azure instead of the colored tips she had with short hair. Her pants were now an elegant skirt and her boots rose up a little higher to be closer to her knees. The dead giveaway was her eyes - anyone familiar with JeY's eyes would definitely recognize her with a second glance and of course the questions were inevitable.
While not able to feel emotion, she didn't feel like she had to patience to immediately face these questions head on (maybe even with a spot of dread) so she opted to meditate out of view for a while and get a lay of the land. When she closed her eyes, she could see everything. The entire town was an outline of energy glowing with hot spots of activity.
'What's going on today? How's the town faring these days...'
She's grown to be a bit of a protector too whether she would admit it or not; if there was trouble, she'd be the first to know and probably the next one involved aside from the troublemakers themselves.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 16, 2021 23:06:12 GMT -5
”Yer in Traverse Town. It’s a world for those who’ve lost their home—or’re just lost in general.” The older man grunted their retort, the toothpick between their teeth flicking and swaying with every word. Sporting a simple white t-shirt with a large yellow belt and blue jeans was Cid, sporting their usual shadowed jaw from a quick and impatient shave, a pair of goggles covering their forehead and forming the base for their somewhat receding yellow hair. ”I told ya, I ain’t lost!” Henoke groaned, grabbing at his spiky orange hair as he stomped a foot on the hardwood shop floor. The hot-headed teen stood in front of the green counter, barricading the older shopkeep who stood with their arms crossed, seemingly growing tired of the conversation. ”Well, if yer here, kid, then yer lost.” The comment was tossed without a care as Cid waved a hand impatiently. ”I ain’t a kid! And I ain’t lost!” Truthfully, Henoke was somewhat embarrassed—he ended up on this world thanks to the unpredictable power of the Keyblade; one he himself lacked the ability to control.
In a sense, Cid was hitting a sore spot for the mostly trained Keyblade wielder. ”Suit yerself.” With a gruff snort and shrug, the older shopkeep grimaced before gesturing to the double-doors that formed the entrance and exit to his small accessory shop. ”I gave ya yer answer—so scram. This here’s a business; buy something, or beat it.” Gritting his teeth, Henoke slammed his fists on the counter, leaning forward and glaring. ”Yo, what’s your prob—“ CRASH! Clang! The teen’s hollering was interrupted by the loud clatter of an assorted display that his banging on the counter had knocked over. Countless expensive looking bangles, earrings, rings and other accessories clattered from their carefully organized perch—many scuffing and clattering against the wood, rolling to unknown crevices of the store. ”Er…” Henoke blinked with a dumbfounded expression on his face for a moment, seemingly at a loss for words.
”Are you kiddin’ me, ya brat?! Yer payin’ fer those!” With an angry scowl, Cid leaned over the counter, a powerful arm gripping Henoke’s jacket collar as his other calloused hand pointed at the fallen display. ”What?! It’s your fault, for bein’ a jerk!” Besides being irritated at how Cid was treating him, there was also the fact that the teen had no where near enough Munny to cover the damages. Those accessories looked pretty expensive, after all… ”I don’t know who ya think ya are, kid, but ya got another thing comin’ if ya think yer off the hook that easily!” Throttling Henoke over the counter by his jacket, Cid shook and screamed at the teen who wore an indignant expression. ”If ya can’t pay, you’ll work!” Breaking free from the jostling, Henoke staggered back, a defiant look in his golden eyes. ”What?! I ain’t workin’ for you! It’s your fault! What kinda lousy shop is this?!” Giving the older man a rather rude gesture with his hand, Henoke darted for the double doors.
”Oi, get back here!” Hopping over the counter, Cid moved at an impressive speed for how old the teen thought they were. Shit! I can’t use my Keyblade on ‘im… Grimacing as he pushed open the doors and rushed down the shop stairs, Henoke emerged into the plaza of Traverse Town’s First District. The quiet night scene would be interrupted by the sounds of harsh footfalls on cobblestone and the shouting of two voices as Cid gave chase.
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Post by JeY k on Mar 17, 2021 8:56:13 GMT -5
THUD!
Unless Henoke could react in a split second and stop on a dime, the very stoppable cannonball was inevitably meeting the very immovable post.
Moments ago, JeY was scouting the area. Well, let's revisit that actually - you know when you get back from a long vacation and you just want to lay in bed for a while? This crazy guy woman was immediately diving into the equivalent of a day-job. She was looking at the queue of work and deciding if there was anything worth tackling! Well, as a cosmic being who doesn't sleep or eat and is the host of an inexhaustible source of energy, there's no real reason to need to relax right away.
Back on topic, seems Traverse was right where she left it for the most part. Nothing that needed immediate attention. The population count was higher than usual for sure though. Maybe she could check in some familiar faces and see what they were up to; of course, maintaining her desire to stay hidden she was just going to spy from afar out of morbid curiosity. Let's see... Cid was the closest, why not start with him? She honed in on his aura, and oh my gosh he might be a cranky old man but he was glowing with anger. It wasn't too hard to figure out he was chasing someone.
Alright, time to come out of hiding prematurely then.
In present time, JeY would suddenly appear directly in Henoke's path with the intention of being way too close to react. She fortified herself with a thin, transparent layer of Create energy to bolster herself to being the equivalent of a concrete wall. When he was going to hit (definitely not an if) it was going to suck - I mean, have you ever ran full-force into a solid wall?
She didn't say anything, only offering a brief glance to him as he fell, then looking over at Cid who caught up in no time. "Oi! Thanks! Little bugger was gittin' awa-- Hey, you're a familiar face! Aren't you... Wait a sec, JeY!? Since when are you-- when'd'ja grow that super long hair and that... well forgive me for being rude but that rack!?"
As to be expected with anyone familiar with JeY's M.O., her expression remained unchanged despite the colorful commentary. "It's me. We can talk about that later. What's the situation here?" Welp, getting right down to business as usual! Cid was easily convinced, especially when she spoke. Nobody could fake that dry, absolutely emotion-void signature monotone that JeY had, even if it was brighter and higher pitched now.
"Right, right. This little punk ruined one o' my displays and bolted before I could make him pay!" Cid's mouth was shaped into a perpetual growl, selling that he was genuinely upset. Seemed like a reasonably believable story.
JeY turned her head and looked down to the teenager and awaited his reply. If Henoke looked back at her face, he'd see a cold and vacant expression that told absolutely nothing about how she was feeling, but her eyes were a deep and mesmerizing abyss that told countless stories of anguish, suffering, triumph, and a burning lust for power.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 17, 2021 13:17:11 GMT -5
”I said cut it ou—OOF!” Henoke had been shouting at Cid from over his shoulder while running down the main plaza steps of the First District and into the center. With how fast he was moving, as well as not even looking in front of him, the following SLAM! Thud! and accompanying groaning ”Ughhhhhh….” were inevitable. Feeling like he’d just been hit by a Large Body’s charge, Henoke had plopped directly onto his backside and sat dazed with stars in his golden eyes on the cobblestone. ”Urk—what the…?” Finally able to see past the stars, the hot-headed teen immediately looked up to see what he’d run into, only to find out it was a who—a woman close to his own age, if not a bit older, wearing a rather cold expression devoid of any remorse for barging into his path. ”Oi! Thanks!” Cid had managed to catch up before Henoke could shout out at the woman who’d slammed into him—though he glared at her from his spot on the plaza ground as the old man finally caught up.
”Hey, you’re a familiar face!” Hearing that Cid apparently recognized this stranger only caused Henoke’s glare to worsen, realizing most likely he’d be getting no support here, if the two were pals. ”Wait a sec, JeY!?” The older man’s confusion caught the teen off-guard, who raised an eyebrow and tilted a head. Is it a reunion, or not? Hearing how apparently JeY appeared rather different, Henoke finally bolted up to his feet with an indignant look on his face as he staggered and heard Cid’s surprise. This old dude’s a perv?! Regardless, it seemed whatever the stranger had appeared like before, their appearance was different enough to catch an acquaintance off-guard. ”What’s the situation here?” A dry tone, one devoid of any emotion, responded back—seemingly unbothered by the surprise on Cid’s part. Scowling a bit still, Henoke crossed his arms, eyeing JeY with a wary look. Somethin’ ‘bout them ticks me off… It was like staring at a fish or something. Henoke hated fish, and the water.
”This little punk ruined one o’ my displays and bolted before I could make him pay!” JeY’s gaze immediately shifted to Henoke, a fact that caused him to stagger indignantly once more and point at Cid with a defiant expression. "That ain’t fair! Who puts a bunch’a fragile shit on a counter-top?! Get a real display, you cheapskate!” The teen’s comment hardly helped his case, causing the older shopkeep to shout out indignantly and wave a fist. ”It’s your fault anyway, for bein’ stingy with directions…” Not that he was 'lost', of course. He'd just never been here before. It seemed Henoke had little remorse about the events that had transpired, believing himself to be in the right in this situation. Whether JeY would see it that way however was uncertain—though it was very clear Cid didn’t feel that way, as the old man was seething and preparing to throttle the hot-headed teenager once more. ”What’s your deal, anyway?” Glancing over at JeY, Henoke scowled a bit with an annoyed flare in his eyes.
”Don’tchya know, you’re s’pose’d ‘ta say sorry when you run into people…” This ‘Traverse Town’ was already a pain in his ass—once more causing the orange haired teen to silently curse the Keyblade and those that had hoisted it upon him haphazardly. Tch—Chirithy’s lucky I just hate the Heartless… That’s right, he wasn’t at the whim of the weapon he wielded. He was allowing it to drag him to other worlds because that’s what he wanted to do!
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Post by JeY k on Mar 17, 2021 14:26:57 GMT -5
"Hey!! Ya little punk, I oughta--" Cid began to shout at the kid for his utterly miserably defence, but was cut off by JeY raising her hand with her palm out with the universal signal to 'stop'. Cid grumbled, but obliged. He knew if anyone could fix the situation, it was her, one way or another.
In regards to the kid, there was some good news and some bad news (and some even worse news, if you can believe it). In fact, it was the kids lucky day: JeY has already made the decision to cover his debt and let him off the hook - she was rich as hell with nothing to spend the munny on. He was just another angsty teen with an attitude toward everything; she knew the type. Completely harmless in its own regard. So the bad news? She wasn't going to lead with forgiveness. Nope, he'd have to earn it. JeY was going to teach him a little lesson in humility first.
The even worse news? JeY loved messing with people, especially when they were perfectly susceptible to the art of trolling. It's been a while since she was able to let loose on an unsuspecting soul without any permanent repercussions. Poor Henoke was about to take the brunt of JeY's sadistic policy to push people for the sake of seeing their reactions, all in good fun, but not for the victim. Plus it's good for an angsty soul to get put in its place every once in a while.
"Here's my deal kid." She completely shrugged off his demand for an apology. "You're going to pay the man back every drop of munny he's owed. Or..." It wasn't like her to trail her sentences, but showing was better than telling: and Henoke was in for a show. Normally flashy antics aren't part of her deal in real combat situations but they were so much fun to pull off if she believed her audience would be genuinely impressed. She had no idea what to expect, but she'd make her point stick one way or another - if it wasn't a fancy sword trick, it would be another superpower of hers.
JeY held her arm out to the side, and with a twangy metallic sound, a sword began materializing in her hand from handle to blade tip in a quick cascading animation. It wasn't just any sword though - this thing was a massive claymore! Almost as wide as her arm-length from her elbow and about just as long as she was tall. It was made from a swirling dark-pink energy; unnatural and cosmic. This was one of her two signature Zweihanders.
Once it finished forming, she twirled it with just one hand above her hand for a couple rotations, using the momentum to launch the blade high into the air where it rotated once more and landed effortlessly in her other hand where she crossed it in front of herself twice with two more graceful flicks and then slammed it into the ground, getting the tip of it lodged in the pavement precisely between two bricks and let go of the handle, allowing it to stand on its own.
"I have two of these blades; if you can land a blow on me with that one then I won't use the other to cut off your limbs and sell them to repay your debt."
Cid seemed silent this whole time despite looking like was about to comment at one or two of those moments, but something managed to hold him back throughout JeY's display. It was a bit uncharacteristic, since cutting off limbs seemed to go too far.
Should the boy actually try to lift the Zweihander lodged in the ground, he would discover two things. One, it was really stuck. Two, if it managed to budge and he actually managed to get to the part where he can lift it, it was really heavy. That blade was an extremely dense, compact cluster of Chaos energy, and probably weighed double of Henoke himself; despite how effortlessly JeY threw it around previously.
If he tried to run instead, JeY would warp in front of him at every turn blocking his escape.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 17, 2021 16:33:56 GMT -5
”Here’s my deal kid.” JeY had silenced Cid with a simple gesture, though their addressing him by ‘kid’ caused Henoke to scowl indignantly. ”You’re going to pay the man back every drop of Munny he’s owed. Or…” Hearing the mention of repayment, the teen staggered a bit, not having much (if any) Munny on his person. Twwwwaang! Suddenly a sword had materialized in the woman’s extended hand, seemingly from nowhere. W-woah! Calling it a ‘sword’ was an understatement—the blade was an impressive piece of craftwork, easily twice the size of Henoke, who stood gawking in disbelief. ”How’d you do that…?!” There was a hint of admiration in his tone, despite himself. In a sense, the teen was somewhat awe-struck—both by the fact such a huge weapon had been created from thin air in the blink of an eye, but also as a genuine fan of huge swords. Whoosh! SLAM! Twirling the massive blade with ease, JeY slammed it into the cobblestone, rupturing a massive fissure that shook the area somewhat.
”I have two of these blades; if you can land a blow on me with that one, then I won’t use the other to cut off your limbs and sell them to repay your debt.” The challenge caused Henoke’s still somewhat awestruck expression to change into a scowling glare. Tch—underestimatin’ me, huh? Who the hell was this chick, anyway? She just showed up out of nowhere, backing the old guy? ”Fine! Have it your way.” Flashing a cocky grin on his face, the teen cracked their fisted knuckles. Of course, Henoke had a weapon already—a rather good one, as a matter of fact. A Keyblade. Unable to refuse such an open challenge though, it seemed he had resolved himself to not using it—instead, he chose to tackle JeY’s taunt head on. ”Don’t cry if I break it, though!” Rushing forward across the ruined cobblestone with his Sliding Dash, Henoke appeared where the sword remained lodged into the ground within the blink of an eye.
”Let’s do this!!” Pumping himself up as he roared out, the teen’s hands gripped the large handle of the massive weapon, every muscle in his body tensing as he felt the resistance and the weight. This’s….nothin’!!! With one deep breath he continued to heave the massive blade out, a grating SkkkkRreeeeeet! accompanying sparking metal against stone. ”Heh—easy!” Despite the confident look on his face as he hoisted the Zweihander in both hands, readying a battle stance, a faint trickle of sweat ran from his brow down his face, his exhale heavy. Clearly, it had been lodged in deeper and was heavier than he’d even anticipated at first. Now that I got it, though… Just one blow? They weren’t taking him seriously at all. ”I’ll show ya…” Spreading out his feet as he swung the large weapon to his side, a faint golden energy sparked and cracked around his form as though lightning while he fixed JeY in his golden glare.
”…what I’m made of!!” Unleashing his Zantetsuken, the boy blurred across the battlefield as a gusting WHOOSH! accompanied the fast strike. Normally a move that evaded eyesight, the weight of the weapon had indeed slowed the teen down somewhat—though only enough to where the attack would be seen by those who didn’t blink. It was a move passed down to him from his master—one he’d spent years training and honing. A difference in weapon wouldn’t shake the force and precision behind it—not that he was sure if it landed or not. Having emerged on the other side of the battlefield from the lunge of the attack, Henoke spun on his heels, keeping the large Zweihander ready as he looked around the battlefield for JeY.
Did it hit?!
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Post by JeY k on Mar 17, 2021 17:24:51 GMT -5
Well, if the boy wasn't paying any attention to the weight and interactions of the blade whatsoever, he would have absolutely no idea if the strike hit at all. If something felt off during the attack it's because there most certainly was. When he turned around, he would've observed JeY in the exact same position as when they started and completely unscathed. If Henoke was paying attention, he would've noticed that the blade passed right through JeY as if she didn't even exist.
This was probably her signature move; Chaos powers looked like any other loser shooting energy blasts, but to become perfectly intangible while being perfectly perceptible was something that JeY had never seen mastered quite like she had. The blood of her ancestor Shadow Beings were the source of her gift, the Shadowmode. Timespace is a such a fickle beast, it doesn't bend its will to just anyone.
Without even turning to face him, JeY projected her voice a little louder in hopes he could still hear her. "Since I'm impressed you could even lift my sword, I'll give you two more tries." JeY remained perfectly still. It was true Henoke surprised her with his raw strength, but it only made her more perceptive to his aura and give him more credit. Bit of a mistake, the boy shouted his whole life story through a megaphone with how easily he let his aura glow with his true intentions. There wouldn't be surprises from here on out.
But she did have a plan, having perfect knowledge of his aura and intentions, it wouldn't be difficult to set up a scenario to try to make him regret shouting about 'what he's made of' when it was actually he himself who was clueless. The next strike would get blocked by a single finger, hardened by both psychosis-body and Create energy to prevent it from breaking the skin; the force of the strike suppressed by her own uncanny strength projected into one little digit. In the third strike, JeY would mentally dismiss the sword at the last second, attempt to catch the boy in his momentum, if succeeding then throwing him over her shoulder and laying him flat on his back.
And no - none of that was fair in the slightest, but that was his fault for not negotiating more specific rules to the challenge.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 17, 2021 23:13:20 GMT -5
”Tch—“ Gritting his teeth as his gaze fell on JeY, standing perfectly still and unscathed exactly where they’d began, Henoke’s grip on the large Zweihander tightened, the weight seeming lighter than before as his anger flared. They’re fine?! Whatever powers this woman had, they were tricky, that much was clear. ”Since I’m impressed you could even lift my sword, I’ll give you two more tries.” She didn’t even bother glancing over her shoulder to look at him. ”Why, you little—!” Staggering in a moment of irritation, Henoke’s face flushed a faint red as his gaze hardened. ”Good! I was just gettin’ warmed up, anyway!” What the hell was going on?! He knew his aim had been true—so why were they fine?! There’s no way I missed… He had struck the exact spot they were standing now. ”Grr…you ain’t seen nothin’, yet…”
With a look of determination, Henoke ran forward, raising the large weapon to his side and aiming it ahead—aimed to spear JeY where they stood. Bzzzt! Snap! A golden electric-like energy flared around the weapon for a moment—an inconsistent aura agitated by the irritation that was coursing through the boy’s veins. Whoosh! Closing the distance, the weapon flared brighter as the golden energy sparked alive, Henoke’s Blitz attack slashing downward… SHING! Only to meet a single raised finger. Huh?! How were they doing that?! The teen’s confidence aside, their strength and power were nothing to scoff at—let alone the lethalness of the weapon and attack they used. What’s goin’ on?! Though the air shook from the force of the blow, the already fissured cobblestone rumbling as loose debris flew from the impact—JeY remained perfectly unscathed.
”GRAH!! WHAT’S WITH YOU!?” It was unlike any force he’d ever come up against. Never before had the teen used such strength and seen no effect, even on enemies that weren’t Heartless. Losing his cool, Henoke’s face flashed a violent red as a vein pulsed on his forehead, lunging backwards to prepare yet another strike as his vision began to blur and his fury surmounted. ”GET OUTTA MY SIGHT!” Roaring out as though a wild beast, a powerful aura erupted around the teen, his spiky hair flowing violently in the gust as orange and gold sparks surrounded the flickering aura around his form. Enraged and going full-throttle, the large sword in Henoke’s hand burst alive with fire as he lashed out with his Firaga Break. Skooom! WHOOSH! Just as he swung the weapon in a powerful horizontal slash, it disappeared—leaving the berserking teen unarmed and wide open as his empty hands swung through the air, far away from their target without the sword’s reach.
SLAM! In one swift movement, JeY had lunged in to close the distance, grappling the gaping and clueless Henoke while hurling them over their shoulder despite the teen’s heft. ”Ack!” Thudding into the harsh and fissured cobblestone plaza ground, Henoke’s white eyes somehow glazed over as the red flush in his face vanished—a ghostly and empty expression replacing it as the wind and soul left his body for a moment. It had all happened in the span of a second—maybe less. Through the teen’s raging adrenaline and fighting spirit alone, they resisted the threatening unconsciousness that would most likely have consumed most by now. ”Urrghh…” Groaning and dazed, Henoke lay in the cobblestone, his vision stars as his eyes fluttered open. Coughing and sputtering as his breath returned to him, it took a few moments for him to collect himself enough to sit up, swaying slightly.
”Y-you…prick…” The teen’s speech was slurred and sloppy—almost as though they were drunk.
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Post by JeY k on Mar 18, 2021 0:38:32 GMT -5
So predictable. JeY remembered when she was just like that; if she was capable of expressing emotion, she might let out a little laugh at the thought of being messed with in that regard. It definitely happened to her in the past, and the experience was adequately humbling. She was ready to make nice - but first, the nail in the coffin or this entire show was all for naught.
"Which arm are you more attached to..." A smaller sword (but in essence was still a gosh darn big blade), her odachi, appeared in her hand. "Right or left?" She raised it in anticipation of his answer to cut whatever the opposite side of his response ended up being. Well, if she were actually interested in removing limbs. After the pause at the apex of the swing, the sword vanished.
JeY held out a hand to help Henoke off the ground.
"I'm joking. It would be such a blatant waste of potential to sever your limbs now. Get up." Once the boy was up either by accepting her hand or otherwise, she'd try to wrap her arm around his shoulder tightly to prevent his potential escape and turn towards Cid.
"Cid, like I mentioned, I'll cover the damages. Just go to the moogle and tell them how much to take out of my account." The blonde man nodded, grumbled out a few expletives about rowdy, ungrateful teenagers and went on his merry way to collect a sudden inheritance. He wasn't happy about his merchandise being messed with but at least he wasn't going to be utterly set back by some broke punk. He was surprised at JeY's generosity; the 'fellow' (as he wasn't sure what to refer to her as anymore) had always been helpful to the town in such mysterious ways but never made it rain cold hard cash for citizens.
Anyway, back to the matter at hand. JeY would release her grip if it persisted and turn toward Henoke. "You've got some moves, but you're terrible at reading your opponent. How long have you had experience fighting?" This is the part where the monotone girl indulged her curiosity. She felt something off about him, something that made him relatively unique compared to most other people. She was interested in his origin and where he obtained his power.
There was also the question of how someone like him got here; JeY had some context from the bickering between Henoke and Cid, but definitely still had some blanks to fill before there was a full story. JeY offered to walk while they talked to fierce young man.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 18, 2021 12:44:48 GMT -5
”Which arm are you more attached to...right or left?” The icy question followed by a second sword materializing in the woman’s hand caused Henoke to snap back to his senses. Tch—shit! He’d accepted the challenge, but really hadn’t expected to not be able to land a single blow. She was serious ‘bout that?! Refusing to show his surprise, Henoke’s face grew grave and serious as he took a deep breath, apparently giving the question a very short moment of thought as he sat up in the fissured crater of cobblestone he’d been slammed into. ”…Right…I guess?” He could use both arms when fighting, due to his Keyblade’s nature. Guess I could hold one in my mouth’r somethin’… Hadn’t he seen a comic character as a kid do that? Whoosh! The sudden arc of the blade swung down after his response, causing Henoke to grit his teeth and shout out as he prepared to take the blow—it seemed the boy was reckless, but had their own sense of a warrior’s honor about them. They hadn’t protested to having lost, knowing they’d agreed to the battle instead of paying Munny they didn’t have.
”I’m joking. It would be such a blatant waste of potential to sever your libs now.” The sword stopped short, dissolving similarly to when the Zweihander had before. Blinking in visible surprise at the hand offered out to him, Henoke looked up at JeY with a clear look of dumbfounded-ness. ”Huh?” He hadn’t fully recovered, though his body reached out for the hand offered as though on auto-pilot as his gold brown eyes remained glazed with confusion. What’s with her?? His head was swimming, hardly noticing the arm wrapping around his shoulder to deter any possible escape. ”Cid, like I mentioned, I’ll cover the damages.” A stagger of surprise once more escaped him as Henoke’s head whipped around, blinking at JeY in disbelief. They’re gonna pay?!?! What the hell was going on?! Why'd they fight him in the first place, then?! Cid seemed to have his own thoughts on the matter, though the older shopkeep grumbled out an acceptance eventually, shuffling off away from the small ruined section of the First District Plaza as he made his way to collect the insurance.
”You’ve got some moves, but you’re terrible at reading your opponent.” An indignant look flashed across his face as Henoke finally recovered from the whirlwind around him. As JeY released their grip around his shoulder, the teen would turn their head and cross their arms, scowling a bit as a vein mildly throbbed on their forehead. ”Tch—“ First they were fighting him, then saving him—now they were raking him over the coals for his technique? ”How long have you had experience fighting?” Yeah, something about the monotone way she spoke still ticked him off. Gritting his teeth a bit, Henoke stomped a foot on the ground, pointing at JeY with a frustrated and confused look. ”Hold up! What was all that?! Why didn’t you take my arm?! Why’d you pay for me? Who are you?!” It seemed the boy had countless questions, still rushing with adrenaline from the flurry of events. One thing was for certain—whoever this ‘JeY’ was, they were insanely strong. Possibly stronger than anyone Henoke had ever faced—including his own Master.
I don’t get her deal, but… If there was anything that could distract and entice the hotheaded youth, it was certainly the promise of more power. She’s nothin' to scoff at. Waiting for JeY to answer some of his own questions before he answered hers, Henoke glared and fumed, wondering just how someone could obtain such powers and what their role here was. Though he wasn’t the sharpest tac in the box by any means, Henoke knew one thing for certain—the Keyblade brought him to worlds in trouble. Was this person an ally, or foe, when it came to that balance?
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Post by JeY k on Mar 18, 2021 13:36:47 GMT -5
It was entertaining the strange woman to no end despite this being a story she's read so many times before and has even lived through herself. Henoke was like all the others, yet still performed the same song and dance with his own little flair that made it interesting. She could see all of his responses and reactions coming a mile away but that never made it boring to watch. She could drink up this boy's enthusiasm for a while yet. While she was done playing devil's advocate, she wasn't done playing in general.
Then came the naturally predicted swarm of questions. He was certainly chatty for someone who almost had their limbs cut off.
"Who I am isn't very important, but for those such as yourself who are uneasy without a real answer, I'll admit I'm this world's guardian; in a matter of speaking." It wasn't really the truth, but it wasn't really a lie either. It was never an official title, but the monotone girl had found that when people couldn't accept that some questions didn't have answers, this explanation worked the best at both quelling them and respecting her abilities. 'Guardian of an entire world' wasn't a title to scoff at, but if she wanted to make that her official reputation with the locals, she would easily get away with it if she tried.
"I heard a little of your struggle with Cid earlier, I'll try to answer all your questions as concisely as possible." The nonverbal offer to walk and talk became more of an unspoken demand as she gestured himt o follow with her hand and began moving anyway. If he wanted to listen, he better keep up! "You're in Traverse town. I've met your type before, you're here and you don't know why. Usually, the world you resided in was destroyed or your soul became lost during travel and ended up here. If you're not physically lost, then spiritually you probably are." To JeY, one of these two things were true. Even if Henoke wasn't physically lost, she believed his soul was even if he wasn't aware. He'd have to find his own way through his own personal struggle, even if JeY did give a little push.
"My intention in regards to your arm, I was never going to take it. I was testing you. As a guardian," she used the term again and bared its weight in full without any hesitation despite not being the happiest about it, "I protect the inhabitants. I can tell through our 'duel' you are not evil, and what happened with you in that shop was an honest mistake. I'm covering your debt with the caveat of a warning. Don't expect something so generous next time."
Throughout their conversation, JeY directed them both along the pathways to a food joint at a brisk pace, right about now they would arrive at the door. "I bet you're hungry from all of that excitement. I encourage you to have a meal, on me as well." Okay, maybe the kid would be skeptical about more free handouts. "I have questions I'd like answered as well once you're content, feel free to accept this as an exchange for your information."
JeY was playing her cards pretty close to the chest despite how fast and loose she seemed to be with the direct answers to his questions, but it was true there was information being withheld or certain stories not being elaborated to a satisfying degree. Well, in fairness, 'what was all that' is an incredibly vague question that doesn't even need to be answered relative to proceedings of JeY's little 'challenge'. She said it up so he'd fail no matter what, she was looking for how far he'd actually get. Being able to lift her sword in the first place was a spectacular feat in itself, then given a limited opportunity to land exactly one strike, how would he proceed? Well, that was failed miserably when he sought outlandish head-on approaches. She likes to joke that she could do all of that with her eyes closed, but nobody realizes that closing her eyes actually makes her more adept at combat, so being able to read him using her physical eyes spoke worse about his strategic ability.
No matter the results of the 'delinquent test', he was already passing the worthiness threshold of her curiosity radar by copious amounts, another thing that doesn't happen easily. If this boy was any bit clever about how to work an angle, he could probably get away with murder in her witness.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 23, 2021 23:50:31 GMT -5
Is she even listenin’?! JeY’s blank stare devoid of any emotion as the teen had shouted out their questions only caused Henoke to grit his teeth. ”I’ll admit, I’m this world’s guardian.” It was hardly an answer he had been expecting. For a moment, he hardly seemed to register the words. This worlds…guardian? Blinking in surprise, Henoke’s jaw went slightly slack as he staggered back. F'real?!? He’d never heard of or seen a guardian that was anything like this. Tilting his spiky head a bit, the teen’s face betrayed their hesitation. ”Hm…well, you are strong…I guess.” Crossing his arms and scrunching up his brow in thought, Henoke’s rusted mental gears clanked and clattered as he forced them into motion.
”You’re in Traverse Town. I’ve met your type before,” Thankfully, if JeY had picked up on any of the teen’s mental turmoil and uncertainty, they hardly cared to show it. ”If you’re not physically lost, then spiritually you probably are.” What the heck was that supposed to mean? ”Spiritually…?” Groaning in frustration, Henoke grabbed at their spiky head before sighing and shaking his head at the woman in front of him. ”You ain’t makin’ any sense, lady…” Hearing how they were testing him with the fight from before, JeY worked in piquing the competitive teen’s interest. ”I can tell through our ‘duel’ you are not evil, and what happened with you in that shop was an honest mistake.” It wasn’t what she said, but the way she said it that made Henoke completely unsure if she was complimenting or mocking him. The following warning only caused the teen to stiffen before glaring silently. Tch—
Unfortunately, one of the boy’s weaknesses flared as JeY mentioned free food. When was the last time he’d eaten? Why hadn’t that been a pressing matter up until now? ”I have questions I’d like answered as well once you’re content,” Regardless if it was JeY’s intention or not, their cover of the ‘exchange’ made it possible for one as stubborn and prideful as Henoke to allow themselves to show their temptation. ”Hm…well…” Images of pork and remembered scents of fatty meat sizzling over stovetops caused a faint grin to linger on his watering lips. ”I guess if yer offerin’…I can always go for a pork bowl!” Chuckling as though a child in a market finally allowed to select a sweet, the once fiery and hotheaded teen was now pacified and amicable. It seemed how to win over their favor was rather easy. ”Hehehe~ Lead the way!”
Though distracted by fantasies of skewered meat and fatty grease, it was clear that JeY’s mention of being a ‘Guardian’ had worked wonders for their persuasion against the false key-bearer. Wherever she chose to lead him, Henoke wore a somewhat foolish broad grin as he walked through the quiet and somewhat empty town of hodgepodge ‘locals’. Glancing around some of the small shops in the First District, the boy’s face would flicker with looks of curiosity ever now and then. Weird…how I’ve never heard o’ this place. If this truly was a world full of ‘lost hearts’, why hadn’t his Master or Chirithy mentioned anything? Such a gathering place for hearts would surely have some part to play with the Keyblade, wouldn’t it? Then again, there were countless worlds even his Master didn't know of, at the end of the day. Geezer's're useless. Unable to hold onto the train of thought for too long, Henoke shrugged it off—figuring that most likely he’d simply forgotten or hardly paid attention. His memory had been pretty funky, since waking up in that bizarre castle….
Was it a castle? The thought was gone as quick as it came, as the scent of food wafted its way into the teen’s nostrils, dominating his attention.
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Post by JeY k on Mar 24, 2021 17:39:13 GMT -5
Patience is definitely one of JeY's strong suits. Hearing that she isn't making sense didn't deter her explanation from a single stride. Even though the boy seemed lost, the seemingly young woman was well aware that the pieces would fall into place in time. That's usually how it goes for individuals on a spiritual journey whether knowingly or otherwise end up. The realization of growth happens and then bam they were on that journey this entire time. Maybe she wouldn't provide the answers here, though coming to Traverse town invited him to receive direction and have a path forward. Having a path would mean he's no longer lost, even if he hasn't totally found the destination yet. "It won't be clear at first, but I trust you can figure it out in time."
Ah yes, the oldest trick in the book. Food. The two arrived at a nice place in no time considering how close to the main square they started in, to which she opened the door and held it open behind her for Henoke, they grabbed a table, and JeY waited for the boy to become acclimated. Maybe he needed to look at the menu, maybe he couldn't focus until there was food actually waiting. She would let him speak if he had any thoughts between ordering and receiving food while only responding accordingly, not eager to add to the conversation any further than necessary while he was distracted.
It was blatantly obvious however that JeY herself was abstaining from any nourishment. No food, no beverage.
"I hope it meets your standards." She hoped that she didn't need to explain that she was referring to his meal. "I'll start will some easier questions. Where are you from? What do you remember before you arrived here?"
This should be fun. Hopefully the pieces were in place for the young man to fully cooperate with her line of questioning. The opening act was nothing, however, in comparison to what she planned to try to find out. She just needed him to be comfortable with the idea of a Q&A first, easy and innocuous questions would hopefully pave the way for a psychological advantage in terms of answering things he probably wouldn't if they were frankly asked up front.
JeY also silently enjoyed the boy's reaction to her 'guardian' claim. The best part about the whole situation is that nobody who was familiar with her existence would even argue it despite the fact that it's never been formally arranged. There might be some initial hang up regarding her new biology and appearance - hard to imagine if the more regular folk would be more or less excited about a monotonous overseer if they were a girl instead. She wasn't hung up on the details; yet. She had a nut to crack, and that nut was peacefully gobbling up a delicious professionally-prepared meal. It's not every day a person bolstering an aura like Henoke's wanders into town or causes trouble and she was prepared to dig deep.
Maybe this is what she missed most while being away for a while. There would be so many interesting people getting lost here and JeY got to meet all of them and discover what made them tick. While she selfishly pursues secrets to regaining her own lost power and hopes that one day she'll get the jackpot and a lost soul who has such a secret ripe for the taking. Fascinating souls came in all shapes and sizes. Rowdy teenagers were no less valuable than a crash-landing angelic manifestation of light and darkness regarding what's at stake!
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 24, 2021 20:03:34 GMT -5
Leaving the ruined battlefield (aka: a mildly destroyed plaza) behind, Henoke followed JeY’s lead to the nearby restaurant, which held countless patio tables and chairs for those dining outside—not that there was anyone. That was, until the teen stepped through the open doorway, leading into a simple yet cozy pub-style establishment. ”Woah!” Mildly surprised once the service would emerge, Henoke chuckled sheepishly while scratching at the back of his spiky head. Guess it isn’t a ghost town, after all… Other than Cid and JeY, Henoke hadn’t seen another soul in town yet—though the server that led them to their quiet table was proof that there were indeed more locals strewn about. ”I hope it meets your standards.” Though it was hardly a fancy establishment, the teen had been elated at seeing spicy BBQ pork on the menu—immediately demanding two servings from the server after they’d settled in.
”Ohhhhh, yeah!” Once the food had arrived, the teen’s golden gaze widened as their mouth watered. Intoxicating scents of sizzled meat and sauces nearly drowned out JeY’s voice from across the table. ”I’ll start with some easier questions. Where are you from?” It wasn’t until then that Henoke noticed the woman hadn’t ordered anything for herself, causing him to raise an eyebrow as he worked on chewing and swallowing the large mouthful of pork he’d immediately bit into. ”What do you remember before you arrived here?” Scrunching up his brow in concentration, the hot-headed teen finally managed to gulp down his mouthful, trying to sift through the scattered and foggy memories in their mind. ”Hm…” He’d been on a few adventures since waking up in that bizarre castle with white walls…
Tch—wait! If they were a guardian of this world, it was fine for him to talk about his adventures, right? Chirithy and his Master had always nagged him about maintaining the ‘World Order’ (whatever that meant), basically demanding that he didn’t blab about the Heartless, Keyholes, Keyblades, any of that. ”Well...before here, I was somewhere with a lotta lost kids. Me and my friend, Kosuke, had to help ‘em get back home. It got pretty crazy, I guess…but it worked out well!” He left out the details about the Heartless, Spirits, and other nonsense that had occurred during. Flashing a broad smile, Henoke took another bite of the barbecue in front of him. Kosuke… A new friend, though one that he’d gotten along with quickly. For a moment, his face grew faintly somber. He’d promised to help them find someone important to them—what was their name again? Tori. That’s right! He had to make sure to remember that. Maybe they’d know somethin’ about that…? Eyeing JeY for a brief moment, he shrugged the thought off, swallowing their bite and working on the next question. There was time for that, later.
”I’ve been on a few adventures before that…but stuff gets kinda hazy before that castle…” Realizing what he was saying as he said it, Henoke blinked for a moment, almost as though surprised. ”Wait…was it a castle?” He’d been to a castle before—where he met his friend, Yuto. That castle wasn’t where he woke up though, was it…? His new friend hadn’t been there right when he woke up, had they? ”Urgh…” Wincing as though in pain, Henoke’s free hand rose to their forehead, their pork dropping from their other hand with a clatter on their plate. What’s…goin’ on?! For a moment, searing pain had ruptured behind the teen’s eyes. Shaking it off, recovering themselves with a faint sigh as they ran a hand through their spiky orange hair, Henoke glanced back up at JeY with a somewhat sheepish expression.
”Heh—my memories been kinda funny, lately…” Trying to play it off, the key-bearer waved a hand before digging into the pork once more, quickly recovering their earlier demeanor and enthusiasm. ”Sho’—how’z’vout’chu?” Speaking between bites, in a way some more proper folk might consider rude, Henoke gestured at JeY from across the table with the piece of pork they held. ”If you’re this place’s guardian…have you just always been here?” Finally gulping down the bites, the boy was able to talk properly. Their golden eyes flashed with curiosity. Of course, it was no surprise that the hot-blooded teen would be intrigued by someone as strong as JeY. Wherever they were from, or whatever their story, Henoke felt there was something he could pick up on if he heard it.
Something that would lead him to greater heights and power.
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Post by JeY k on Mar 24, 2021 21:59:32 GMT -5
At first, it seemed like the boy was holding back in his description about helping the lost kids, but there wasn't enough conclusive evidence to suggest that it was intentional. Where there was really no mistaking that he was withholding was mentioning a castle and things getting hazy. JeY's expression remained totally unchanged from a stoic stare as she contemplated what he meant exactly. She was familiar with certain landmarks, and a 'castle leaving memories hazy' could hardly be mistaken from the main example.
So maybe it wasn't an accident that he ended up here. She was hoping to answer 'how did you get here' with the 'last memories' thing but if he's here more on purpose than anything then of course her asked question failed. At the very least, she could actually kill two birds with one stone with a bit of a follow up here - one, get the information she was more interested in more directly, and two, get him to open up a bit more if he wasn't being fully genuine.
However, in order to get that chance maybe she'd have to quid pro quo first by indulging his own curiosities. They were harmless ones, after all. "I'm not from here, but it's become where I stay by default. I was on my way to where I originated and my journey got cut short here." Now, how to segway this properly? Human interaction isn't something she's normally putting much thought into - she'll speak her mind and hope others follow suit, but she's met too many people recently that her icy barriers began collapsing and perhaps being more favorable to others has become somewhat prioritized. She had Angel to thank for jump-starting that initiative, as well her in-universe alternate self giving her a more nostalgic perspective.
"I'm starting to think you didn't get here by accident however, unlike me. How did you end up in this world? You can be direct, I'm well aware of and have visited the vast stretches of universe." Now JeY had to be the one to hold back, maybe traversal through the worlds was a tricky topic to people like Henoke, but crossing through entire universes and dimensions was a harder pill to swallow even. She couldn't immediately admit that she was from an alternate universe quite yet, not until she gauged his 'knowledge in geography' to put it lightly.
"I might also be able to help with your memory issues." She wasn't a master in terms of messing around in people's heads, but the Light-leaning aspects of her powers allowed her to infiltrate the spirit of others if they were willing, being able to communicate directly with the soul. The essence of this ability allowed her to read the aura of individuals with exceptional clarity, but what people project beyond their barriers is the only thing she can get for free. Souls are not so open an vulnerable that she can tap into them willy-nilly, even with her Dark-leaning powers. That kind of power; the ability to break down and eat away at a soul directly, had to be specialized. It wasn't impossible to accomplish, but it was one of the very few things out of JeY's expertise.
A willing soul on the other hand? It was an open book, but there was still a very limited array of access. She would do the equivalent of reading a book behind a glass case, not able to affect the story or tear up the book entirely but with some mental telekinesis she might be able to reconstruct a page or two if the bits were floating around nearby.
"There's also the possibility of teaching you how to read your opponents better. I doubt I'm the first humanoid you've crossed paths with in which you've drastically underestimated them, and I assure you... in this macrocosm, I won't be the last."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 25, 2021 12:44:50 GMT -5
”I’m not from here, but it’s become where I stay by default.” Listening to JeY’s somewhat vague explanation as he chewed on his pork, Henoke nodded his head with a somewhat perplexed expression. Huh…so even guardians can come from other places? Then again, it sounded like this world was different from others he’d been to. A place for the ‘lost’ (excluding him, of course—that was simply a mishap of the Keyblade). It did remind him a bit of Prankster’s Paradise, in the sense where all of the young kids there had been lost, too ((well, more like kidnapped…but you can peep that escapade in the archives)). ”I’m starting to think you didn’t get here by accident however, unlike me.” Gulping down their absurdly large mouthful, Henoke raised a brow and tilted his head a bit, blinking in mild confusion. "How did you end up in this world? You can be direct,” Hearing that JeY had also been to countless worlds (that’s how the hot-headed youth equated such a massive concept like ‘universal travel’, as they could hardly wrap their head around that) came as a relief.
Henoke wasn’t good at watching his words, anyway. It was much nicer to be able to speak freely. Before he could answer, JeY was quick to remind him of all the countless ways she could help him while he was here. Mackrel…cos’em? Some of the words they said flew over his head, causing a somewhat blank look on his face to emerge as he tired to focus on the parts he understood. ”F’real?! You’re down to help me get stronger?!” That much he’d pieced together easily enough, clearly enthusiastic as his golden eyes alit with fire. The teen suddenly bolted to his feet, his hands on the table as he leaned forward with a broad grin. ”Let’s do it!” Having forgotten everything else on his mind beforehand once the prospect of training had been brought up, Henoke shoved what little remained on his plate into his mouth hastily and with little grace before grabbing at JeY’s arm. With the boy’s strength, if they had been a normal person and not an insanely powerful otherworldly entity, they’d have been yanked out of their seat on the spot due to the level of excitement they now had.
”We can use that big empty lot again!” ((The plaza, Henoke. What you’re referring to as a training field is literally a peaceful public space used to greet new travelers and welcome locals home. Cut it out.)) It seemed unless JeY intervened to get the boy back on track, some of her questions would have to wait. Clearly, Henoke was one easily distracted and prone to tunnel vision.
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Post by JeY k on Mar 25, 2021 15:28:29 GMT -5
Yikes, looks like he was too eager to receive some more handouts before paying his fair share. Surely JeY wouldn't have to remind the boy that the price of his food was the very information he was neglecting to provide? Well, once Henoke got up it was immediately apparent - the grip on her arm would be met with a reflexive reaction of her lifting her grabbed arm in response and return the favor by restraining him from getting too far.
Odds were, JeY would win that miniature impromptu game of tug-of-war.
"The pork bowl tasted pretty good right? Tell me, what was the agreement we settled on?" While incredibly patronizing, young boys like Henoke probably didn't like to be told what to do. In fact, that was exactly what lead to the issue he was facing in the first place before the stoic woman intervened! This offered him a chance to think about it for himself and realize that they were far from done here and if he was to get what he wanted, he should probably cooperate.
"There's plenty of time to do everything, I assure you."
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 3, 2021 21:28:35 GMT -5
”Huh?” Blinking in surprise at the sudden resistance as his intended stride halted and his body yanked backwards, Henoke blinked, turning to JeY with a perplexed look. It was clear that they’d already forgotten about the conversation taking place the moment they’d thought about training. ”The pork bowl tasted pretty good, right? Tell me, what was the agreement we settled on?” The sudden reminder caused the teen to stagger—a mixture of embarrassment and indignation on his face as he turned away, releasing his hold on the woman’s arm before crossing his own. ”Er…” Furrowing his brow and tapping a foot impatiently against the floor, Henoke struggled to wrack his brain and remember. "Oh, yeah! You were askin’ me how I got here…” Glancing around the nearly deserted restaurant, the teen’s face flashed with a look of doubt. ”Hm…how ‘ta explain it…?” There was no way he was going to admit that he couldn't control his Power of Waking to a complete stranger. He had to think of something else. With one more look around, Henoke grinned a bit as it seemed the coast was clear—the only worker that had been helping them wasn’t currently in sight.
Shiiiiing! A bright ray of light would burst forth from seemingly nowhere, a hefty steel grey Keyblade appearing in Henoke’s outstretched hand. ”With this!” Holding up the long bandaged weapon, the boy wore a haughty grin and puffed up their chest a bit before dismissing it in a similar fashion. ”The Keyblade takes me ‘ta all kinds’a worlds. This one was just the next stop, I guess.” For a moment, he flashed a look of annoyance, resting his hands behind his spiky head and rolling his eyes. ”But it usually just means more Heartless...” Wait, had he said too much? For a moment, the teen stiffened, attempting to hide their uncertainty from JeY as they thought back to Chirithy and their Master’s teachings. Uh…well, they’re this worlds Guardian, right? So…it should be fine? Shrugging the thought off, it seemed Henoke wasn’t bothered by it anymore. In some senses, the boy was too carefree with his own responsibilities for his own good.
”So—?!” An eager fire flashed in his eyes as he gave JeY a broad and fool-hearty grin. ”How many more questions before ya teach me some cool moves?”
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Post by JeY k on Apr 3, 2021 22:00:31 GMT -5
Right, a keyblade. That part seemed pretty straightforward based on his aura - there was never a bright flashing light on an indicator called 'keyblader' for these things but there were always certain recognizable patterns. JeY could tell he wasn't exactly a a normal human either through the same pattern recognition, but it wasn't an intriguing enough difference to pursue. She definitely had her focus on his arrival, his origin, and his goals; that's where the 'munny was to be made' in a matter of speaking. Not literally though, she had all the munny in the world. If she invested in a bat-like costume it would be accurate in more ways than one.
"So you didn't choose to come here, is what I think you're saying, but this is where your keyblade guided you. I've been away for a very long time, I suppose there would be a higher accumulation of Heartless than normal, but I did not detect any anomalies that needed immediate attention."
Hopefully that line ensures the boy that JeY has done her homework and knows more about the situation than she might be letting on. However she was further away from her goal. She started off with softer questions to push him in the right direction so he could potentially give her the information she's looking for without pushing him to close up and lock her out immediately but it was obvious she needed to be more direct to accomplish anything. His eagerness to 'train' made it easy - the door was wide open to the point of there no longer being a door, instead their connection was practically a hallway at this point. She predicted there's not much he'd hold back if it meant he loses his opportunity.
"I was also curious to your origin, but I believe I'm content based on what you're holding in your hand. To me, you're practically a local anyway. Keybladers are unique to this universe. You wield some more unconventional power compared to the others I've met here but I'm well aware there's a wide array of variance and the uniqueness of your aura alone doesn't guarantee its totally foreign."
Yikes, maybe she was starting to think a little out loud toward the end there and perhaps didn't need to speak so much. She really was getting softer. Was it being a girl now influencing her behavior? Or maybe having a human body for as long as he's had? Being closed off for so long before he returned to the 'Kingdom Hearts' universe was showing signs of being undone now that he's properly geared in society... Only question now, how long before she experiences genuine emotion again?
Either way - revealing his keyblade told her far more information than Henoke planned on sharing. Unfortunately for him, her curiosity even died a bit, but she wasn't going to go back on her word. Like she said, there were no immediate threats to face and she wasn't interested in hopping around the various connected worlds quite yet, not until something really piques her interest. Might as well spend time pushing someone as gifted as this boy further in the correct direction. This place could use stronger warriors. Granted her justification for stronger warriors was a moot point - the threat on the forefront of her mind was not something that could be handled by anyone she's met in any remote sense. Well, not anyone she hasn't killed to dissect their power for herself.
"I had other questions, but your keyblade answers them and more. Let's go somewhere... where you're less likely to cause extensive damage to your surroundings."
JeY extended her hand and swirling vortex of energy in the shape of an ornate greek-style door manifested in front of Henoke. The energy shone bright with primarily a dark pink hue and subtle swirls of yellow and violet shifting chaotically through the structure.
"Through here, please." JeY would have to go last, due to how her portals consistently closed behind her as she went through. Once he stepped through, he would find himself in somewhere that resembled 'an endless rolling meadow'. The sky was a thin layer of clouds with light easily shining through them and it was a warm, moderately dry air with a light breeze. The ground wasn't totally flat but not the horribly bumpy - just a very wide gradual grade going up and down throughout. IT was covered in a short, soft grass and various-colored flowers stretched throughout the whole thing.
The stoic girl would follow close behind and the door would vanish. "What do you know about auras?" She wouldn't give him any time to think about his situation.
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 4, 2021 12:42:21 GMT -5
”So you didn’t choose to come here, is what I think you’re saying,” JeY’s perceptiveness caused the orange haired teen to stagger, an indignant look on their face as they were caught red handed. Hearing how the ‘Guardian’ had been away for some time, Henoke flashed a doubtful look at their mention of not noticing anything that required ‘immediate attention’. ”Ain’t the Heartless reason enough for…’immediate attention’…or whatever?” He didn’t get it. If there were Heartless here (not that he’d seen any yet), wouldn’t the Guardian of this world want to get rid of them ASAP? ”I was also curious to your origin, but I believe I’m content based on what you [were] holding in your hand.” JeY’s manner of speaking made it hard for Henoke to focus on what they were saying, hung up and confused on the vocabulary on how they said it. Though it was helpful that showing her his Keyblade had cleared up many of her questions, the teen barely understood what questions had been answered and the significance of her little ‘slip’ towards the end.
”Tch—ya talk funny. I don’t get what yer sayin’.” Giving up as he sighed and shook his head, Henoke shrugged it off. ”Let’s go somewhere…where you’re less likely to cause extensive damage to your surroundings.” Whatever the case, JeY seemed to be content for now, ready to leave the restaurant and finally get to the good stuff! Immediately forgetting his prior agitation and confusion, Henoke wore a wide grin as his golden gaze flashed with the spark of youthful energy and excitement. ”'Bout time!” The doorway that JeY conjured caused the teen’s eyes to widen in surprise before he shouted out in excitement, hardly concerned for the details or the whereabouts of the portal as they immediately charged through without a second thought. In a sense, the boy was fearless—which also tied hand in hand with his recklessness. Henoke’s instructor’s would never once describe the wielder as ‘brave’, as one had to feel a sense of fear to be brave. Instead, what they dubbed the boy’s heart held rather than courage was sheer ignorance and reckless abandon.
A light breeze prickled back of his neck as his open jacket billowed and flapped, his spiky hair bristling and fighting against the wind. ”Woah…” Opening his eyes, which had needed to adjust from Traverse Town’s starry night-scape, Henoke took in the lightly clouded sky and swaying green grass and peppered flowers around him. ”What do you know about auras?” JeY had emerged through the same doorway, though it was nowhere in sight now, quick to hit the teen with a hard question right out the gate. ”Auras…?” His face hardly tried to hide the annoyance he felt at the question, having hoped to start things off in a more ‘lively’ manner. Scrunching up his brow in concentration, Henoke wracked his fractured memories and foggy brain for any information. ”Er…oh! That’s the energy that shines ‘round stuff, right?!” Opening his eyes and turning to look at JeY, the teen puffed up his chest a bit while crossing his arms victoriously. ”It shows up whenever I’m really focused, or mad—but enemies can use ‘em, too.” He’d seen more powerful Heartless and even some allies of darkness utilize eerie auras, ones that shown with sickly pale green or a violent dark purple.
Though he stood confident and proud, the truth of the matter was that Chirithy or his Master would easily backhand the boy for how little he seemed to be able to remember about a topic they had certainly taught him in depth about.
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