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Post by therunawaygirl on Mar 25, 2022 11:13:59 GMT -5
Returning from a world full of magic, strange occurrences, Gods and powerful warriors, a place where technology flourished was a complete turnaround —yet for some it would be a welcome one, to hear their steps echo against stainless steel over walking over stone or wood. Though the room was dark without lightning, a click would echo after M’Lyn stepped forward a little, lights immediately turning on to reveal their current location —the Laboratory inside the Brigade’s HQ, deep underground Milennia’s streets. It was quiet, but in a sense, such silence was a much appreciated welcome, given that no one other than Lid knew where Kujo and M’Lyn had been off to.
As the mechanic had already told them, she’d left the place before they arrived, everything neatly in place for the next time she had to enforce any sort of maintenance. There was no sight of anyone near, so in a sense, the pair was safe from being spotted and suspected of something —whatever that would’ve been.
Still, they had returned not only because they obtained what they were after —someone had been looking for them within HQ.
“…We should probably go look for Alice” M’Lyn said, glancing over at Kujo, “I can think of 2 places she’s likely to be, if she’s not looking out for us —Navigations or her own room. …I’m alright with either staying together or splitting —but should we choose the later, I’ll go look in her room, since I have access to it.”
The Miqo’te crossed her arms, waiting expectant for Kujo to give an answer, before turning around and existing the Laboratory. The hallways were just as silent, though maybe the reasons behind such silence were not important to anyone. With the dim lights showing the way, it wouldn’t take long for the pair to reach a more open area than the corridor they had just been in. “…There you are.”
The female voice that echoed towards them was a more than familiar voice. The clacking of heels against the steel floor was enough to bring M’Lyn to a halt, though she didn’t flinch nor showcase any emotion as she met Elena head on. As for the woman with blue hair, her expression said it all —she was clearly displeased by something, perhaps even knowing what the two had been up to. She stopped not too far from the two, her chin held high as she crossed her arms with reproach. As for M’Lyn, she sighed with some exhaustion. How many times was she going to be scolded throughout such a short amount of time? First Kujo, then Y’shtola, and now Elena.
Would it go somewhat smoothly sometime soon, or was it going to continue to be a trend?
“I found it odd when I began to ask for you two, but then my partner told me —you left Milennia, didn’t you?” Elena asked straight up, “Don’t try to lie your way out —I can tell just by looking. So, care to explain your reasonings despite the fact that I ordered to not leave until I had directives clear for you?” “Do you really think asking such a thing in the open is a good idea, Elena?” M’Lyn retorted calmly, “Anyone can heard what we’ll discuss…” “Don’t answer a question with a question, M’Lyn —right now, I’m not in the mood in the slightest.” “Yet regardless of your mood, you ought to know better than speak of these things in the open. Who’s to say—?” “Don’t dare finish your thought” Elena threatened, before looking away, “…Follow me, you two —we need to talk.”
Elena turned around and led the way, making sure the pair followed by constantly glancing over her shoulder. She led them to an empty room, much like the board room, yet it was less grand and much smaller than the room where they had first met. Closing the door behind her after Kujo and M’Lyn entered —ensuring they had followed thoroughly—, Elena began her assault, not missing a beat when it came to inquire their recent actions.
“Well? I’m listening —and you better not omit any detail while you’re at it” Elena demanded, “Where did you two go, and why did you ignore my order to stay put?”
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 25, 2022 13:02:56 GMT -5
The hell? Lid had mentioned that they were leaving the lab, but they really turned the lights off? Thankfully, due to his power, he knew they had arrived at the right place. Click! M’Lyn’s steps would activate the motion-light, illuminating the laboratory around them finally. Despite them having secured the crystals from Eorzea, his mood was hardly great. If Alice was looking for them, he was sure it wasn’t about anything good. “I can think of two places she’s likely to be—“
Nodding along with M’Lyn’s reasoning, Kujo shrugged before rubbing his neck. ”I’ll check out Navigations, then…” With a plan in motion the two set to head out. They wouldn’t get very far, though. Barely out of the room, really. Clack! Clack! Clack! Heels hit steel as Kujo realized who it was before their voice had even called out. It seemed the hallway hadn’t been as empty as he had originally thought.
“There you are.” Elena stood before them, her entire face a visage of displeasure. Stopping short of them with her arms crossed, it was clear the blue haired woman was about to share her issues with them. Can’t I catch a break? It really was just one thing after the other, lately. “My partner told me—you left Milennia, didn’t you?” He couldn’t help it, both of his brows raised. Kujo hadn’t expected them to be found out so quickly, or so easily.
“You ought to know better than to speak of these things in the open…” M’Lyn kept herself collected, as to be expected. Reminding Elena of the sensitivity around what they were discussing was essential. Kujo couldn’t have done so politely, grateful for his ally’s tact. There was was a reason they’d been so secretive, after all. Glancing around the hallway, the stoic man’s gaze hardened and narrowed. Though beside herself, their superior found reason.
“Follow me, you two—we need to talk.” Turning down the hall, Elena led both of them in tempered silence as they made their way to a vacant room. It was a standard meeting room, by the looks of it. One most could find in any business. Once all of them were inside, Elena was quick to close the door, turning on them and unleashing their frustration just as soon as it did. “Where did you two go, and why did you ignore my order to stay put?”
It seemed despite her anger, she primarily wanted an explanation. Grimacing while crossing his arms over his chest, Kujo glanced between Elena and M’Lyn for a moment. Good grief.[/b] It seemed like he’d be the one to explain their situation. ”We went to M’Lyn’s home.” He’d leave it to her to fill in any details he was too bothered to mention—including the world’s name. ”There was someone there we believed would have some sort of information for…what we’ve been dealing with.” The pause was mild, but there. It was clear he’d be sensitive with what he said.
Not because of Elena. But because of the potential ‘traitor’ within the Brigade. Sighing a bit, it was clear that Kujo was still annoyed at the whole thing. ”Thankfully, though it was vague, the information’s helped us understand the root of what’s happening.” Gesturing towards M’Lyn, the stoic man tried to sum things up swiftly. ”We were also able to gather some items we believe might aid in stabilizing Jack—or at least buy him some more time.”
For a moment, his jaw clenched, his hands forming fists. Releasing the anger he felt with a sigh, Kujo finished with the explanation—though it still left Elena’s last question in the air. ”As to why we ignored the order…well, that much is obvious. We don’t necessarily have a lot of time here, after all.” He grimaced, thinking of Jack’s condition—of Alice. They still had to find her. ”You run a tight ship, Elena, but not a perfect one. If there’s even a small potential that there’s some traitor skulking about, we had to handle this subtly. With my abilities, we were able to travel out and back without anyone being able to follow or track us.”
He hoped it would suffice. ”Now—where’s Alice? Has Jack’s state changed at all?” Despite having Lid communicate with them via comma while they were gone, it was clear the man still had doubts and anxieties around the chaotic state Jack had found himself in.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Mar 25, 2022 15:31:31 GMT -5
Elena had stayed in place, both arms crossed over her chest as she dug daggers into both M’Lyn and Kujo. She couldn’t help it, really —but she was willing to hear them out. She knew enough to say that neither of them would go out of their way if it was something more personal or selfish —they weren’t like that. Though what it was they had gone for remained a secret for not so long, as Kujo was the one to directly explain their actions in recent time.
At first, Elena was shocked, though she allowed herself to show it for only a few seconds, before returning to a more serious façade and glancing over at M’Lyn, who looked completely unfazed by the admission. While there were questions she wanted to ask the Miqo’te, Elena kept quiet, listening on why they had headed there in the first place.
”Thankfully, though it was vague, the information’s helped us understand the root of what’s happening.” This time, Elena’s surprise didn’t hide immediately, hearing how they had obtained some information that could help them out in regards to Jack, and was even intrigued by the “items” Kujo had mentioned. Though just as quickly, the man in purple changed the topic to explain why they had ignored her orders. Having at least an explanation to their actions, he proceeded to ask the whereabouts of Alice, as well as Jack’s state —though to this, she could only sigh.
“I don’t know where Alice is, nor have I seen her for a bit” Elena replied, “For the most part, I’ve been trying to mitigate the damage we’ve had for a while —Liz knows more than we do, and that poses a problem. Jake and Lid can’t go back to Raven, which means our advances are limited —we’ve tried to contact them, and we’ve been successful for now, but it is still slower compared to Jake being there directly” she took a deep breath, looking away, “As for Jack… Thankfully, after my partner did its thing the first time, he stabilized quite a bit… But he refuses to leave his quarter. I’ve gone to check him a few times just to ensure things are okay, but one thing is that and the other is getting him to move —he refuses to do so no matter what. I know I should be more assertive…” Elena’s hand grasped tighter at her arms, scowling, “But I can’t seem to work my way around him anymore.”
After those words, Elena went silent, looking away with clear discomfort. When had things gotten out of hand for her? She had an idea or two, but sharing it would betray her better judgement. She had to work in a way that guaranteed everyone’s safety —yet while Jack was safe within HQ, he was also a target for Liz to follow, which meant that his presence was an unwelcome hindrance. She sighed, before looking between Kujo and M’Lyn, wanting to have another thing cleared.
“These items you mentioned… Can I see them?” “Well…” M’Lyn looked through the small crystal stash she’d brought alongside her —thankful they remained intact, “I can’t say for certain how effective these will be… But considering your ‘partner’ is a crystal, I figured a crystal of similar strength would do the trick. ‘Tis only a theory for now.” “They’re certainly weaker, but… So long as you know how to handle them, I think it’ll work” Elena nodded, looking at the crystal M’Lyn had passed over, “They may be unable to do as much as my partner did, though, but if you had this idea with that fact in mind…” “I figured as much —yours is a special one, is it not?” “You could say that…” Elena handed the crystal back to M’Lyn, before looking away while thinking, “…I took into consideration your suggestion, Kujo —about either you or M’Lyn staying here to investigate on Liz… Yet something tells me that what you figured out hardly plays in your favor as of now. I still don’t think it smart for either of you to stay here —not only because no one would be able to keep with either of your paces, but also because Liz is very well aware of how screwed we are. If she plays her pieces right, we’re done for.”
“So —I’ll give you the chance to prove me wrong with words, first. Do you still think your plan can work if we do it right?”
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 31, 2022 12:34:32 GMT -5
“I don’t know where Alice is, nor have I seen her for a bit.” Kujo’s heart sank a bit at that. What did Alice want enough to search for him and M’Lyn that even Elena didn’t know? Hearing all of the other problems their commander listed off did little to lift his spirits. Can’t I catch a break?[/b Everything was going downhill fast. “As for Jack…” What Elena said he hadn’t expected. It seemed her ‘partner’ had worked its magic, stabilizing the older teen to the point of mild recovery.
Regardless of that fact, it seemed Jack was unwilling to meet with her or cooperate with their treatment. Tch—damn brat. He’d be more assertive if they needed. For a moment, their boss seemed at wits end. “These items you mentioned…can I see them?” Finally, the blue haired woman got them back on track. M’Lyn obliged, letting their boss know how the crystals were planned to be used. Elena seemed to find it a reasonable idea, though noted how the crystals seemed weaker than her own.
“…I took into consideration your suggestion, Kujo—“ Hearing why she wasn’t obliging such plan, the colorfully clad and stoic man merely frowned. She was right. Though they at least understood the cause, there was no immediate solution coming to mind. “So—I’ll give you the chance to prove me wrong with words, first.” Elena asked him directly if he believed his original plan would still work. Shaking his head, Kujo couldn’t help but sigh a bit as he crossed his arms before looking at his boss directly.
”I don’t think there’s a point in investigating Liz personally. It’s clear that the damned woman is elusive and cunning…annoyingly so.” With a shrug of his shoulders, the tall man rested his hands on his hips, still a little huffing and puffing. ”The nature of this ‘curse’ she placed on Jack, is that it’s flaring up the darkness in his own heart already—throwing off the balance.” Gritting his teeth, Kujo kicked at the ground in mild annoyance as he pressed on. ”Her powers alone are also designed to siphon the energy and life from those around her to amplify herself…”
That had been the hardest pill to swallow. With a power like his Akogare, it was obviously a poor match-up. His guardian exerted light energy and power, only to be absorbed and sucked into her own pool of resources. Though Kujo and his guardian were essentially a non-stop self-sufficient engine, it always would lead to a stalemate. His own power was similar, but too different. He generated power at command, as well as replenished it. If anything, Liz was his perfect enemy, able to siphon it endlessly just as he was able to generate it endlessly.
”We either need a method of quelling the darkness exploding in that annoying brat…” He meant Jack, of course. ”Or we’ll have to find a method to block or ward off our own powers and energy being drained.” Kujo spoke through grit teeth and clenched fists now at his sides. It was clear he wasn’t sure of any abilities or technologies that could aid him in those goals. Tch—if only that obnoxious Genie had asked me for wishes now. It took him a moment to collect himself and remind himself that he hadn’t wasted those three wishes.
”If anything, I have a new plan.” Getting through his aggravation, Kujo pressed on, glancing between both Elena and M’Lyn. ”Unless any of us can come up with a means to solve either of those problems with the resources we have…we should split up.” Despite his sour attitude, he wasn’t about to give up. ”We already have the means to transport to other worlds. If there isn’t something we can utilize here, I can always go off and find something somewhere else that might work for the long-run.”
Jack may have been stabilized, but it was hardly a full solution. It was clear the boy was still afflicted with the darkness unleashed from Liz. Annoying twerp. He’d drag the curse ridden teen out of bed if he had to. Reminded of Jack’s stubbornness refusing to leave the room or be visited, as well as Alice searching for them frantically, the man silently fumed in annoyance towards the teen as he waited for Elena or M’Lyn’s reply.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Mar 31, 2022 13:13:29 GMT -5
Elena couldn’t be more in agreement when it came to Kujo’s statements about Liz’s cunning —a constant thorn on their side. The following explanation with what little info they had managed to discover certainly cleared reasons, though nothing that signified any chances of overcoming the problems then and there. It was clear that whatever answers they needed weren’t anywhere in Milennia —they’d have to search elsewhere. ”Unless any of us can come up with a means to solve either of those problems with the resources we have…we should split up.” Hearing his solution didn’t cement the option of allowing or denying their advances —instead, Elena listened carefully to Kujo’s own methodology. Though the one thing that had bothered her was that, no matter what he proposed, he meant it as if he aimed to going solo. While Elena was somewhat confused by the approach, M’Lyn seemed rather disapproving of it.
“So, that was your plan, all along?” M’Lyn sighed, shaking her head, “Going on your own to look for information we may need, leaving us out of it? Forget whether you’re capable or not —do you remember the one issue we have when travelling separate?” “M’Lyn?” Elena frowned, confused, but quickly reclaimed her calm, “…Then what is it you propose?” “While it is true that remaining here does us no favors, and even becomes a liability… I can’t agree in a solo mission. ‘Twould be plain idiotic for Kujo to attempt something like that on his own —even if he’s capable of such a feat.” “…Because time is taken into the equation? If anything, it wouldn’t be too hard to keep in contact.” “Yet it is precisely time that keeps you from acting, is it not?” M’Lyn glared at Elena, “It is only a matter of time before Liz finds this place out and finished us all for good. What benefit does that do us, if Kujo’s the only one going in search?”
Elena crossed her arms, surprisingly calm despite M’Lyn’s claims. If anything, she hadn’t taken Kujo’s suggestions that way, but it was true that some clarification would be appreciated. Having had a plan of her own, Elena decided to share her own insight on the problem, before they all arrived at a conclusion.
Even if Kujo’s powers were useful on their own, with his ability to travel the worlds without the need of an external vessel and capability to fight without breaking a sweat, maybe things would only escalate further down the road…
“Truth be told, I had a plan of my own… But before I enforce anything, I’m willing to compromise” Elena began, “My plan was for you for to leave Milenna —as I mentioned prior. Right now, Jack is nothing more than a liability —a target within another target. I don’t think it is safe to keep him here for long, because I’m well aware that my partner wouldn’t be able to withstand too many blows at once.” “By that you mean…?” “You are aware that there’s a barrier around the shelter that’s keeping it hidden from the Heartless, so to speak, correct? Well… As you mentioned, time is of the essence —not only do I need to focus on keeping us hidden in plain sight, but I’d have to also worry about Jack’s state should it burst again —and as of now, I’m nowhere near capable of such a feat. Hence, why I suggested going off-world —it’s the only place where Liz can’t reach him.”
“Still… Should there be any problems with any of these ideas… Again, I’m willing to debate and compromise. We’re not at a point where we can afford being picky —what needs to be done has to be done no matter what.”
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 31, 2022 13:33:13 GMT -5
“So, that was your plan all along?” M’Lyn’s initial disagreement caused the man to clench his jaw in mild annoyance. Couldn’t she see he was doing this for them? If they needed something elsewhere, he couldn’t trust anyone else but the Miqo’te to guard Alice and her pain-in-the-ass of a brother. “Do you remember the one issue we have when traveling separate?” Despite agreeing he was capable of the task, M’Lyn hardly agreed with it, explaining why to both him and Elena sternly.
“It is only a matter of time before Liz finds this place out and finishes us all for good.” Kujo’s fists clenched harder at the comment. He hated the level of power the damned witch had.
“Truth be told, I had a plan of my own…” Elena’s words forced his glare away from M’Lyn, raising a brow in intrigue. Hearing how their boss was originally planning for them all to leave, Kujo found himself nodding along in bitter acceptance. Jack was a liability right now. A target. Good grief. He was mildly kicking himself for stepping into something so annoyingly complex. Sometimes he couldn’t help but feel pangs of regret around leaving his home.
Hearing about the barrier around their ship, The Almira, Elena’s plan began to make more sense as she explained. If they were shrouded from the Heartless and Liz while voyaging in the spaces between worlds, it wouldn’t be too difficult for them to still search for something to aid Jack’s condition and against Liz’s siphoning powers. “We’re not at a point where we can afford to be picky—“ Grimacing a bit, Kujo glanced between Elena and M’Lyn before sighing.
”If it hides his presence from her and help us buy some time for you as well as us…” His hands had unclenched, his jaw finally relaxing a bit. ”It’s not a bad alternative—just annoying.” Turning to M’Lyn, the stoic man raised a brow at her. ”How about it? You think you got any more babysitting left in you?” A mild smirk accompanied his jab. ”If that barrier is as good as she’s saying, we could still try to find something to help us against Liz and fix Jack’s state while hiding them.”
It was clear the two had grown closer, after all they’d experienced together. Otherwise he wouldn’t have bothered asking her opinion. What a pain… The fact that they’d both protected the younger ones in the group for this long had certainly cemented something in the man’s cold yet righteous heart.
Whether he liked it or not.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Mar 31, 2022 14:36:03 GMT -5
Finally, a breakthrough seemed promising. It seemed that the compromises made between the three would help some progress to be made, as well as take some of Elena’s toll away from her other worries —though she hid her relief rather well at a normal glance. Uncrossing her arms as she looked at the two, she couldn’t help but blink in confusion once more as Kujo made his assessment.
“While you’re not wrong in your final thought, I think you misunderstood something… The Almira doesn’t have a barrier to speak of —I was talking of the barrier around this place. Rather… I guess it’s us being aware after so much insight… But Heartless don’t seem to appear in the space between worlds. That fact alone helps to relief some stress out of this whole situation…”
Elena finished with a sigh, this time her relief evident. As for M’Lyn, her ears perked up at the man’s jab, seemingly ignoring it as her arms stood crossed. She wanted to reply, sure, but at that moment it wouldn’t be very sophisticated in her eyes —deciding finally to leave it for later. With everything done and settled, it seemed the team would be making progress.
As little as it seemed at first.
“Then… I believe we’ve come to agreement with what to do next” M’Lyn mentioned. “Even if it’s only the start, I’m glad we’re moving in the right direction…” Elena replied back, before following her directives, “Then, your next orders are as follows: take Jack and Alice back to the Almira, and leave Milennia as fast as you possibly can. Jack is not to leave the ship under any circumstance —he’s to stay with Alice no matter what, while you two are free to explore any world you think can hold the information we need. I won’t give you any directives or following missions after this —I’ll leave whatever place comes after that to your discretion. I won’t take part in whatever decisions you make when visiting other worlds.” “And if something were to happen?” “Feel free to contact me or Jake in case anything of importance arises. Right now, this is the only shot we have of turning things around —so while I’m counting on you two, I won’t stand in your way. Should anything happen here, I’ll make sure to inform you nevertheless.”
After a moment of silence and a sight of acknowledgement from M’Lyn and Kujo, Elena excused herself —both from the outburst she had previously, as well as leaving to check onto other things that were of importance. With her now out of the picture and new instructions to follow, it seemed their next course was set.
Now, the only thing they had to do was to first look for Alice, and then go pick up the troublesome older brother out of his self-isolation.
“Well… Shall we go back to what we came back for?” M’Lyn asked, “Let’s ensure Alice’s whereabouts before we do anything else —I believe it to be the best course of action. Oh, and…” it seemed the Miqo’te recalled something, looking over her shoulder at the man who was her partner, “I believe that, out of the two, I’ve been babysitting those two for longer than you have —needless to say, I believe I should be the one to ask whether you’re still up to the task or not.”
With her words now stated aloud, M’Lyn turned to leave the hallway, her next destination Navigations —one of the two places both of them thought Alice could be at. She waited for Kujo before leading the way, wondering what to do afterwards regarding Jack.
It was clear that the boy had been affected by the events that transpired in more ways than one —but his outburst were simply getting annoying. Childish, even. Not used to seeing such a side of an otherwise bright and sharp-witted boy, M’Lyn was at a loss as to how to handle the situation.
She could only wonder what Kujo, of all people, would do to approach the problem at hand.
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 4, 2022 7:04:15 GMT -5
“Heartless don’t seem to appear in the space between worlds.” Elena’s words rang true to his memories. Kujo had flown in The Almira with the Brigade to many worlds already. Heartless were always a problem off the ship, not on it. “Even if it’s only a start, I’m glad we’re moving in the right direction.” Regardless of everything, the woman seemed visibly relieved. For a moment, he couldn’t help but clench his jaw in envy. The pangs of annoyance he felt around the situation was far from abating.
Hearing their orders, Kujo merely nodded in affirmation. It was clear he had no questions around the tactic. He and M’Lyn would work to shield Jack from Liz and the Heartless while scouting out something, anything, that could help. Tch—damned woman. He couldn’t believe all of this was because of some insane b&*#’s grudge towards some twerp. “Right now, this is the only shot we have of turning things around —so while I’m counting on you two, I won’t stand in your way.” The freedom to move on their own was the only plus side to all of this.
Not that the cost really made it one.
“Well…shall we go back to what we came back for?” With Elena having excused herself, Kujo and M’Lyn were left to gather up the siblings and leave. Nodding in agreement, the stoic man shoved his hands in his pockets before sighing. All of this had spiraled to a point beyond reason. “Oh, and…” M’Lyn’s jab was tossed over her shoulder as they collected themselves to go, causing Kujo to smirk before doing something he rarely did.
Barking out a short and gruff laugh, though only for a moment, the man had shaken his head and placed a hand over his face. ”Good grief…just what has my life become?” Underground fighter to babysitter, and it had all started in the span of an afternoon. Who’d have thought? Truthfully, he had laughed at the irony as well as the fact that he must truly be losing his mind with all the bizarre adventures. Otherwise, why would he still be here if he was sane?
”Alright, first Alice—then the twerp.” With their goal set before them, Kujo stopped troubling himself with petty thoughts. The point was that he was here, and he was going to see this through to the end. Whether Jack liked it or not. Confident in his decisions, the stoic man followed M’Lyn to Navigations, hoping to find Alice to clue her in and also figure out why she’d been searching for them…
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Post by therunawaygirl on Apr 5, 2022 12:11:40 GMT -5
It took a while for M’Lyn to catch onto the almost rare sound, but she couldn’t help but showcase her mild shock, though it was quickly dismissed by Kujo’s following words, though they alone were amusing despite the situation. He himself seemed in clear disbelief, but wasn’t he the one who decided to tag along? Looking away and deciding to mention such a fact, the Miqo’te took into account the current mood, else her little jab soured the man’s mood even further.
“Suffice to say, I believe you were the one fighting to join us —not the other way around” M’Lyn shrugged, “At the very least, you had a choice in the matter —a privilege not many have.”
She left it at that, not wanting to dive further, but hopefully she got her point across. Unlike others, Kujo had joined on his own accord —even to the point of debating for his place in the group with Jack, though mildly. It was his drive and will to discover and learn about the Heartless that drove him to travel to the worlds outside, though at that time he didn’t have the power to travel on his own —now, the situation was bound to change, but he still chose to stay.
Maybe like M’Lyn, Kujo too wasn’t going to leave until his part was done. Maybe he was that devoted to something? Or perhaps loyal was the better word.
Walking inside Navigations, the sound that would welcome the pair was the movement of other Navigators going back and forth, some carrying documents while others were tapping away in the monitors, busy with either organizing or gathering intel. One of those people was Alice, of course —apparently recovered from last time, typing away and reading the monitor’s many words almost too fast for someone to catch on. Her back was turned towards the two, though it didn’t take much to make her turn around, as M’Lyn was quick to talk her out.
“You’re sometimes too easy to find…” the Miqo’te sighed, “Are there ever time when you’re anywhere but here?” “Ah —M-M’Lyn…” Alice had turned around, startled, both hands cupped against her chest, “You… And Kujo, too…” she frowned, “…W-Why are you…?” “Weren’t you the one looking for us?” “Well, yeah, but… It… It was nothing…” the girl shook her head, “Sorry I… Sorry you guys had to… Come check…”
The girl was quick to look down, her hands still against her chest, though M’Lyn wasn’t exactly up for the silence. Her arms crossed, she looked at Alice with both a frown and a hint of curiosity, wondering what the girl had been up to while they had left. She looked tired, though M’Lyn wondered if it was true, or if her eyes were playing tricks…
Alice was reluctant to continue on talking, her posture a little on the tired spectrum. How long had she been there, and what had she been up to? Unwilling to be bribed out of her task at hand, it seemed talking to Alice would be a herculean feat…
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 7, 2022 12:27:30 GMT -5
“I believe you were the one fighting to join us—“ It was the truth, not that he’d admit defeat so easily. Of course, Kujo had been the one to propose going with them—but he had not known how far-fetched and ridiculous the ride was going to be. Can’t I catch a break? Despite himself, he didn’t regret his choice. Gaining the knowledge of other worlds and seeing the sights he had had only made him stronger. Tch—not that I’m any closer to my goal.
Entering Navigations, Kujo left the bitter thought at the doorway. Scanning the busy room bustling with active Navigators, the perceptive man had no trouble finding Alice. Much like the others, the girl was busy at a screen, immersed as though a painter to a canvas. “You’re sometimes too easy to find…” M’Lyn and him were quick to make their way to the studious girl, calling out to her turned back.
“W-Why are you…?” Kujo raised a brow at Alice’s confusion. Lid had reported to them that she’d been seeking them out by name, after all. M’Lyn was quick to address the confusion, though the girl brushed it off in a horribly feigned attempt at being dismissive. It was clear she was hiding something. Good grief. Sometimes the girl was stubborn at the worst times.
”You didn’t bother Lid for nothing.” Sighing a bit, the tall stoic man loomed beside her, resting a hand on her tiny shoulder. In direct comparison, Kujo’s hand looked massive next to Alice’s head and frame. It reminded him how young she was, despite any maturity. How vulnerable… ”But fine, if you don’t want to talk, get packing instead.” Removing his mitt from her shoulder and shoving both into his pockets, Kujo turned towards the exit.
He couldn’t say too much here, though he also couldn’t help but throw the girl a bone. Glancing over his shoulder, his emerald gaze scrutinized her closely. She did look tired… ”Don’t worry. He’s coming, too.” Turning to M’Lyn, Kujo jabbed a thumb in the air towards the young Navigator’s direction. ”Help her get her things together. I’ll get him ready to go.”
Grumbling out the last part, he readied himself for the annoying task ahead. M’Lyn could more than likely get something out of Alice, though—he’d only get in the way of that. Instead, the man took it upon himself to get the other sibling prepared to leave. ”There can’t be too many goodbyes. Got it?” Waving a hand in the air as he fully turned his back on the two, Kujo began to make his way out of Navigations.
It was time to see Jack.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Apr 7, 2022 13:38:17 GMT -5
Staying in her place, M’Lyn watched as Kujo walked towards Alice, who continued to look down with her hands clutched against her chest. The girl jumped a little as the man rested his hand over her shoulder, looking over her with his usual stoicism. Though she didn’t reply at first, flustered as she was, Alice didn’t look away, her cheeks reddened with embarrassment. Immediately, as if she realized it herself, she looked down, somewhat thankful that Kujo didn’t want to ask further —and neither did the Miqo’te standing near them.
It was something, at the very least.
“…get packing instead.” The sudden order caught Alice off-guard —almost immediately, she stood up, one of her hands helping her support herself as she looked to the pair with both confusion and fear. Though M’Lyn didn’t seem to react, curious herself as to what Kujo was up to, Alice was concerned over the meaning behind the man’s words.
“What… What do you mean…?” the girl asked, somewhat still in shock, “Where… Where are we going?”
Kujo’s words weren’t directed at Alice, but at M’Lyn, who held no objections to the man’s plan. Instead, her arms now uncrossed, the Miqo’te held Alice with care, calmly yet bluntly explaining the situation at hand to the lost girl. Alice tried to look past M’Lyn, wanting to ask Kujo himself what was going on —but the man was already gone.
Her questions would have to wait…
Kujo’s own way back to where Jack was surely locking himself away would be an unbothered journey —no people to stop him and ask anything, no situations he had to take care of. Closing into the room where only he and the teen had access to, the man in purple wouldn’t have trouble entering, so long as he remembered how to open the door.
Once the door slid open, only silence awaited inside…
Sitting on the floor, with his arms resting on his knees and his head hidden in between the space his posture allowed, Jack was glaring at the ground, away from prying eyes for the most part. He’d been like that for a while —bitter, resentful, anxious, frustrated… The whirlwind of negative emotions had taken him into deep retrospection. His body flinched after hearing the door opening, but the teen immediately groaned and turned his look the other way.
“…I thought I made myself clear, Elena —so why’re you back here…?” Jack grumbled, bitter.
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 7, 2022 14:19:46 GMT -5
Vroooom… As the mechanical door opened before him, stale air seeped from the isolated room. Tch—what a pain. How long had Jack holed himself up in here? The room itself was plain, similar to those on the Almira, though it lacked the usual personal touches of one nestled in. It was easy to find Jack, who sat with their head down against the wall as though one mourning. “I thought I made myself clear, Elena—“
Kujo clicked his tongue in annoyance at the teens bitterness. The hands in his pockets clenched as he attempted to quell the annoyance bubbling from within. ”Looks like that little coma didn’t affect your annoying personality.” Stepping into the room towards Jack, Kujo barked out his retort to get the younger guys attention. ”Quit moping around. We’ve got work to do.”
Now standing before the sitting teen, the tall man looked down sternly before raising a hand and gesturing a fisted thumb towards the door. ”Get anything of importance. We’re leaving.” Without waiting for his response, Kujo turned away and began walking once more to the exit. ”Besides…” Pausing for a moment, he looked over his shoulder at Jack.
”You don’t have time to sit around. Or were you planning on dying without a fight?”
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Post by therunawaygirl on Apr 7, 2022 14:37:08 GMT -5
”Looks like that little coma didn’t affect your annoying personality.”
The voice that answered him wasn’t the one Jack had expected. Glancing just for a little bit, the teen’s annoyance turned into an open scowl, quick to turn away with disdain, not changing his posture in the slightest nor making any signs of having listened to anything else. Instead, Jack continued to glare the opposite way to Kujo, defiant in his own way.
“Great —the one person I didn’t want to see…” he groaned, “Get going, then —I’m stayin’. Imma go my own way, so don’t bother.”
Though Kujo was quick with his bossing around, he did stop to look over to Jack, seemingly waiting to see his own determination —not that the teen would’ve noticed. Instead, only his words reached him, though they seemed to hit a sour spot. Jack’s fists clenched tighter, his body tensing up as if to hold back his anger at those words, even biting his lip to avoid losing his already shattered calm. But those words were too much for him to handle.
“What’s the point of fightin’ now?” Jack mumbled, “It won’t matter —doesn’t matter how much I fight back, it’ll be easy for someone to show up and just… Mess up everythin’ I’ve been workin’ hard to obtain… It’s tirin’ —though it ain’t like you’d ever know what it feels like, huh?” Jack spat out the retort almost tactless, “You haven’t had someone trample over all your hard work before —and certainly not two times… You ain’t me —so don’t try to lecture me ‘bout it.”
The teen continued to look away, his scowl stronger and stronger as he lashed out his frustrations again. He couldn’t help it, however —something he’d thought buried deeply in his subconscious was now surfacing faster than he could cope with. The quickest way to cope with those thoughts was to lash them out, though not seeking pity.
Rather, to push away everyone around him.
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 7, 2022 14:59:14 GMT -5
“What’s the point of fightin’ now?” Jack’s words caused Kujo’s jaw to clench. While the teen continued to feel sorry for themselves, lamenting and shooting out sassy remarks, the tall man in lavender slowly made their way back towards them. “You ain’t me—so don’t try to lecture me ‘bout it.” As Jack finished his soliloquy, Kujo slowly pulled out a fist from his pocket.
”Idiot. It isn’t just you you have to worry about.” His strike was swift—though of course its power held back. Thump! Kujo’s knuckles found the top of Jack’s head, digging in as though a noogie as he grumbled out a retort. ”Quit being selfish. We’re leaving because if you stay here you’ll jeopardize everyone’s safety—you self-centered twerp.” It was clear the younger and smaller of the two hardly understood the gravity of the situation.
”You’re just being a coward.” Growling out his final thoughts, Kujo grabbed Jack by the back of his shirt. With the older man’s size and muscles, it was easy for him to lift the light teen with one hand even without using his special powers. ”If you actually care about Elena and the Brigade and want to protect Alice—move. Your. Ass.”
Shoving Jack towards the door, Kujo released his grip, hardly caring if the boy fell or not. He’d originally not meant to let his annoyance get the better of him—but seeing the teen like that was…frustrating, to say the least.
How could he not think of the bigger picture, in this predicament?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Apr 7, 2022 15:36:08 GMT -5
The hit on the head hardly caused a reaction -almost as if it didn't hurt. Or maybe it did, but Jack was too deep into his darker side to even notice it? Whichever the case, the teen hardly showed signs of reaction, still looking away from Kujo in order to avoid him.
Though the sudden grab to the neck of his shirt startled him, what Jack reacted to the most were Kujo's words. "You’re just being a coward.” As Kujo shoved him towards rhe door, the teen finally lost the one thread keeping his anger from overwhelming him. He quickly turned around to face Kujo, anger vivid in his expret as his fists were clenched tighter than before, standing his ground.
"What would you know?!" he shouted, "I'm the coward in this scenario?! After everything that's happened, I'm the one you call a coward?! Oh yeah, right -'cause everything just so happens to be my fault, isn't it?!"
Though his face evidenced the heated thoughts coursing his head, there was something else lingering behind the teen's gaze -had one been attentive, mybe they would pick it up. His mind now backed up into a fight-or-flight response, Jack was clearly acting on the defensive, but perhaps something else was the cause...
"You weren't there -none of you were!" the teen pointed out at Kujo, gritting his teeth in anger, "None of you went through what I did -none of you know what it felt like! You're not the one who had to watch helpless as they were both shot to death -so stop screwin' with me already! Stop acting like you know me!"
He spat out the comment without thinking. It took him a slight moment of retrospective for him to realize what he'd said -almost in the blink of an eye, Jack's anger had subsided, his face now going pale in fear. Unconsciously he stepped back, his gaze lost as he looked at the ground, one hand helping him maintain his balance by leaning against the wall, while the other covered his mouth almost in a violent manner. It took the teen some effort just to not fall to the ground, but even then his body shook and trembled.
A far stronger emotion had gripped him -one perhaps unfamiliar to Kujo, but some familiarity remained there nevertheless.
Raw fear, gushing out from an open wound.
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 8, 2022 11:31:14 GMT -5
“What would you know!?” Jack spun around, quick to shout as he stood opposed to the exit. The teen had decided to stand their ground—though they hardly had a leg to stand on when it came to being in the right. “‘Cause everything just so happens to be my fault,” Kujo couldn’t help but sigh in annoyance as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his calloused fingers. The teen was clearly too steeped in the darkness being unleashed within his own heart, but it was nothing but a nuisance to the older man who was trying to make him look outside of himself.
As Jack finished his piece, stumbling as though sick, Kujo walked over to him with a stern yet less harsh glare. ”You finished?” It was a basic question, having listened to the teen’s thoughts, he hardly had the time to act therapist. ”You’re not listening, Jack.” This time he knelt down a bit, getting more eye level with the shorter guy as he rested a heavy hand on their shoulder. ”I don’t give a damn about your past. That’s not who anyone is…” He couldn’t help but sigh. Good grief. He was hardly cut out for this. But…he’d try.
”I’m talking about what’s happening now. Right now, that damned parasite has set off an imbalance within your own heart.” Straightening up, Kujo crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at Jack with a sincere sense of responsibility. ”M’Lyn and I have mostly figured it out…but at the end of the day, the longer you stay here, the more of a target Elena and the entire Brigade will be.” This time he pointed at the teen, directly towards their heart. ”Whatever you’re stewing about won’t change anything. We need to take action. I won’t let you sit here and mope when we’ve finally got a direction to go in.”
This time, his hand spun Jack’s shoulder, forcing the teen to look towards the exit. ”If you really want to fix the burdens of your past and change your own fate, greet it head on. You aren’t alone in this, you twerp.” With that, Kujo would give a firm smack! to Jack’s back, pushing him forward. ”If you really want to teach that b*#%& a lesson, come on.”
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Post by therunawaygirl on Apr 8, 2022 12:57:44 GMT -5
Little by little, the noise around Jack blurred and twisted. Some of Kujo's words were lost on the boy, almost as if underwater -diving deeper and deeper into a memory he had supressed for too long. His body froze in place, locked in a panic as he no longer watched the room he had locked himself in. His vision failing and the noise becoming distorted, Jack reacted to Kujo's final push.
The boy stepped away from the exit, looking at the ground with eyes wide open, his hands over his ears as the noises from back then came into recollection. Without even realizing, tears fell down his cheeks, unable to stop himself from diving further into his own heart...
"I... I..." the boy stuttered, stumbling backwards, "I...!" "Jack?! Where are you?!"
The voice that echoed inside his head was too much for him to bear. The grip in his hands became stronger, as if to seal himself from his voice shouting in anguish. It didn't take much for Jack to fall to the ground on his knees, his eyes closed shut and shouting as loud as his lungs allowed. His chest hurt for a moment -the same way as before, as if something was attempting to crush his heart from within- but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt by watching such a moment burned vividly in his mind.
"STOP! JUST STOP!" “Too late, kid —should’ve opened that mouth of yours earlier”
Another voice chimed in, just as his screams muzzled out -his lungs no longer allowing him to shout, desperate for air. Jack shook his head vigorously, trying to shake the thoughts out of his mind once and for all, yet failing to do so. He could feel himself falling deeper and deeper into the same darkness asthat time, threatening to consume him whole.
Yet probably such a thing was a more welcome solution than turning once again into the light.
"Stop... Stop..." Jack continued to repeat to himself in a broken voice, hoarse and silent, "Don't hurt them... Kill me instead... Let them go... Let them go...!"
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 14, 2022 16:03:50 GMT -5
“I…I…” The teen had frozen, stepping away from the exit. With a mild scowl, Kujo crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head with a sigh. Good grief… The kid was hopeless, really. While Jack crumpled into quiet yelps and moans of despair, the older and larger of the two couldn’t help but grind their teeth in aggravation. He’d really been trying here—but there was no getting through to him. Kujo was unfamiliar with the types of trauma Jack was struggling with, but he understood enough to know the teen wasn’t hearing him.
“Stop…stop…” Shaking on the ground, the stoic man in lavender couldn’t help but look at the younger guy with a mixture of pity, annoyance and discomfort. What a pitiful sight… His fists clenched. Liz was the cause of all of this. He knew that and despised the demonic woman for it. Despite that knowledge, Kujo couldn’t help but feel a pang of fury towards Jack as well. ”Keep it together.” Grimacing as his form shimmered, the man grabbed the shambled teen by the arm while summoning his Akogare.
She can’t see him like this… Of course, he was thinking of Alice. What would the young girl do, seeing her older brother in such a state? With a battle cry, the shimmering specter at Kujo’s side reached into the air itself in the room they stood in. Riiiiiiiiiip! Tearing a blinding and shimmering rift in the space, his guardian created a portal. Reaching up to the earpiece he wore with his free hand, Kujo gave a sigh of annoyance and frustration as his voice crackled through to M’Lyn. ”I’m taking him to the ship for now. Let me know when you have everything together.”
There was no point in an explanation. What would he say? What could he say? ”We’re leaving.” Hoisting Jack up with ease due to his own physical strength, Kujo took himself and the struggling teen with him through the portal as it vanished behind them—leaving an empty dark room…
[BREAK]
Within the general common area within the Almira, a loud tear would rip through the modern and minimalist living room. Emerging from the violent portal was Kujo, toting a shadow resembling the teen he’d grown so used to (and annoyed with). ”Settle down.” His tone was gruff, agitation and discomfort written all over his face. Tossing the teen onto the empty and vacant blandly colored couch that sat empty, Kujo’s Akogare disappeared with the portal he’d used to transport them here.
What a mess. The bitter thought hung in the forefront of his mind as he crossed his arms, glaring at Jack with a stern expression rather than a harsh one. ”You need to get a grip before Alice shows up.” Leaning forward a bit, the tall muscular man spat out his next remark. ”Or did you forget about her?” Straightening himself, Kujo sighed before reaching into his jacket with intent. Can’t I catch a break? Pulling out his vice, the purple haired pugilist lit a cigarette, hardly caring that they were within the ship.
He’d need a moment of calm before Jack’s reaction. If he couldn’t get the teen in a suitable state before M’Lyn arrived with Alice, he’d most likely have to either isolate him once more or even knock him unconscious…
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Post by therunawaygirl on Apr 15, 2022 2:52:01 GMT -5
Jack continued to shake his head, eyes shut close and hands covering his ears as if to drown all the sound around him. Ignoring Kujo’s words yet again, the teen was far too gone into his own thoughts to pay attention to anything else. That is, until he was grabbed suddenly by the man in question.
”We’re leaving.” Though the teen certainly tried to struggle the grip, being reminded of times he’d better forget, Jack wouldn’t be able to even dream about overpowering Kujo —not in his current state, and certainly not with his physical abilities, far overshadowed by someone who’d been fighting for a living longer than the teen had. His shouts and begging to be let go hardly mattered, crossing through the portal without being able to leave…
“Let go!”
His voice beyond broken, Jack continued to struggle, his mind panicking as it raced all the way back to that time. He didn’t even notice that they were now in the Almira, not in the room underground Milennia. It wasn’t until Kujo tossed him onto the couch that Jack finally looked at his surroundings, trying to discern what was really going on.
His ragged and hasty breathing slowly but surely began to calm down, though his look was still one of panic. The more familiar surroundings were somewhat a grace to the teen, finally able to calm down and tell himself that things were fine —for a while. Taking a deep breath, Jack looked down, his hands grabbing onto his head with a mix of fear and disappointment.
He knew he’d lost it fast —he shouldn’t have. But it was getting harder and harder to keep quiet about certain things.
”You need to get a grip before Alice shows up.” The reminder of his sister only worsened his mood —evident by the grip of his hands grabbing his hair. Of course, he knew he had to calm down and get a grip on himself —but it wasn’t easy. It never was.
“I know that…” he muttered, “But it’s getting harder… And harder, and harder…” Jack shook his head, “The more I force it, the more it hurts…”
He wasn’t saying things to get pity, of course —from Kujo, Jack knew he wasn’t getting anything other than perhaps a snarky remark. In a sense, it was perhaps a way to cope with what was really going on with him, to understand his current situation —or perhaps, to simply voice it out. Even he didn’t know for sure.
What was he going to do next? Was he going to force himself back up, or was he finally giving up? Jack couldn’t make his mind up, and it was a struggle to move on. It was a struggle to just move at that point, to continue on working, helping people out, fighting… It was getting tiresome on someone who’d seen so many things at such an early age.
“…I should’ve been the one to get shot…” his whisper was a faint noise, his voice so hoarse it might as well not come out anymore, “Not them… Maybe then…”
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Post by hoodwink on Apr 15, 2022 11:55:37 GMT -5
“I know that…but it’s getting harder…” Jack finally seemed to recognize his surroundings. Though the things he was saying were vague, Kujo felt a mild relief at getting the teen to make sense. Tch—it’s not just him. Whatever the boy was struggling from was something resurfacing as well as the imbalance in his heart stirring chaos—and the man in lavender couldn’t help but recall what he’d gathered from others surrounding them. Liz had betrayed them in the past—screwing over not only Jack but also their entire team.
Of course the older man had no clue to the true underlying issue, thinking old troubles had resurfaced from seeing that damned woman again.
“I should‘ve been the one to get shot…not them,” Jack’s voice was hoarse and his gaze distant, but he was there, at least. Kujo sighed a bit, dragging on his smoking vice to cool his head before exhaling once more. ”Survivor’s guilt won’t help you, or her.” Keeping the cigarette in his mouth, the man had leaned forward and delivered a swift and forceful flick! to the teen’s forehead. ”What’s important is that you’re here now, and need to protect her.” Straightening up, Kujo shoved his hands in his pockets, simmering with his cigarette.
”Nothing else matters, especially not the past. Right now—your heart is a ticking time bomb.” Despite Jack’s state, Kujo knew him to be logical. Critical. Thoughtful. Trusting that, the stoic man decided to give him a rope—he’d clue the guy in on what they’d learned. ”What’s happening to your heart is a flux—the darkness from within has been amplified and is readily trying to overcome your light.” Geez, it really did sound ridiculous when he said it aloud. Good grief…[/b] He pressed on anyway.
”M’Lyn and I have figured out a way to stabilize it, for now. But we’re on our way to find a more permanent solution. Until then, you need to strengthen your heart—not give into it.” With a deep inhale, his vice was almost at an end. ”You can’t give up here—especially since you’ll never be able to meet whoever you’re mourning for in the next life proudly if you do.” Kujo didn’t know anything about teammates or partners until the Brigade—but there was a bond he’d grown familiar to losing since a young age.
Family. Community. Support.
All he had had was his mother. The one saving grace. Just like how Jack had Alice. Kujo refused to let the teen cow out now. ”I’ll help you.” Standing before the teen with a look of determination, the man had conjured up a plan of his own. He’d use the powers of his Akogare, as well as the crystals, to support Jack in stabilizing his light in the meantime.
Not that he’d ever done it before.
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