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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 7, 2022 4:34:29 GMT -5
After hearing every word Kira had to say, Tori’s conscience had shattered, unable to cope with even the possibility that she’d proposed. She couldn’t refute it, not with what little she had, without knowing who she truly was. At first her gaze had frozen in front of her, looking past Henoke and the silver-haired girl, though eventually she meekly lowered her eyes towards her hands, noticing how they were shaking in fear. Her view suddenly became blurry, tears rebelling against her wanting to hold them back, falling down her cheeks without opposition nor sound.
She felt like a child again —a small, defenseless girl, constantly observing yet unable to do anything to change the outcomes she continued to witness. All alone, in a silent, empty shoreline, where nothing but memories remained. How many of those memories were there because of her? How many lives had her actions, or inactions, caused? The thoughts became unbearable, shattering slowly but surely what sanity remained in her heart.
“Even if what yer sayin' was true, I'd forgive her!” Thought the sounds around her had dulled and drowned, somehow Henoke’s voice felt clear. His statement caused her to raise her head up, caught off-guard by his own thoughts. He’d… Forgive her? Even if she’d been the one to take his life? It wasn’t simple like that —even if those she’d hurt forgave her, Tori wouldn’t be able to cope with the guilt.
It wasn’t the first time she’d done so, after all. How many had been hurt because of her? She didn’t deserve it —none of it. The forgiveness, the company, the succor… She deserved none of it.
“I'm here, y'know!" The words echoed loud in her heart, recalling the pain shared all the way back then. As Henoke further tried to reach out to her with words, trying to remove the poisonous taunts settled into her head, Tori went back to that moment. She’d been the one to hold him, to ensure he didn’t suffer… To reassure him, that he was okay. That he could make up for those mistakes, for those words and actions. But… Was she eligible for that? Was she someone who could make up for those actions, that hurt so many people? There was still hesitation, so much she didn’t know…
As for Kira, the way Henoke had turned a complete 180 with her taunts aggravated her —evident in her gritting her teeth and her grip on the Keyblade becoming firmer. Her red eyes shone with anger. She hadn’t expected him to refute her words, even if he acknowledged there being some truth to it. Once again, her objectives had been thwarted.
“You’re… Annoying to no end…” she groaned, “Forget you being naïve —you’re a suicidal idiot… And a useless puppet!”
Instead of dodging Henoke’s assault once again, Kira’s annoyance pushed her to clash against him. The dark aura around her was strong, increasing her power far enough to at least match to Henoke’s current burst —thought perhaps, with a little more effort, she could overpower him. Blocking the attacks of the teen with her own Keyblade, Kira seemed more than willing to push him back and end him —evident in the ferocity behind her attacks. This time, she was holding nothing back.
“Disappear already!”
The mist flickered and burst around her Keyblade, aiming to create an opening with brute strength. Tori perked up after noticing something within those strikes, and eventually understanding what its aim was. Yet still hesitant and fearful, she couldn’t bring herself to stand back up, forced to once again watch as she remained on the sidelines…
[BATTLE! Kira]
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 8, 2022 21:03:36 GMT -5
Tori didn't respond or seem to move, but he wasn't able to focus on his friend how he'd like to while fighting. "You're a suicidal idiot...and a useless puppet!" CLANG! Sparks lit as Keyblades clashed, the woman's strength exceeding her appearance as Henoke was blocked blow for blow. Even the ricocheting Keyblade did little, clattering behind Kira uselessly on the concrete floor. "Disappear already!" Slashing out with new vigor, she caught the devilish teen off guard with the sudden explosion of power as a dark mist erupted forth.
Shouting out with effort, Henoke threw up a hasty cross-guard, the second Keyblade reappearing in his grasp with a ray of light. "Urk -- woah!" Blasted backwards from the force of the assault, the spiky haired warrior was blown off their feet. Tumbling and thudding against the lobby floor, the teen kept a firm grasp on his weapons as he managed to roll back onto his feet.
"I ain't no one's puppet, lady!" Wiping a small amount of blood that had burst from his lip during the fall, Henoke's eyes flared with their usual competitive and confident spark. There was something else there, too. A seething anger, slow to build but quick to devour. Kira's words had hit a sour chord for the boy, despite his bravado. It didn't help that she had said what she had about Tori, either. Looking over to his friend, the teen spoke up in another attempt to help them gain heart. "Tori, I know you! You wouldn't'a axed people that didn't have it comin'!"
It...well, it was hardly great logic, but it was his.
"'Sides...I wasn't perfect, either..." The teen's gaze darkened as his focus solidified. Reminded of what he was fighting for and what his goals were, it seemed Henoke was renewed with fighting spirit and determination...aaaand rage. "Let's see how ya like this!" With a vicious snarl, the horned paladin ran forward once more, throwing their weapons a few paces ahead of them. Whoosh! Whoosh! WHOOSH!
Grasping the weapons by the loose bandages flying freely from the guards, Henoke was spinning the Keyblades, using them as though whips. "Firaga!" As he closed the distance to Kira, the teen's spell would blaze at each weapon tip, before bursting haphazardly against one another. "EAT IT!" Combining their spell with their bizarre tactic, Henoke's weapons erupted in a blaze, the new length of each allowing him to fight from a mid-ranged distance.
Unleashing his half-schemed Firaga Leash, the chaotic warrior began hurling swift blazing attacks from sporadic directions!
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 11, 2022 12:12:39 GMT -5
Henoke’s words, this time, hardly managed to reach Tori, far too deep into her own guilt to even listen to any sort of reasoning, no matter how right it was. It was one of Kira’s objectives, but the orange-haired teen’s defiance hardly helped with her impatience. Him trying to help Tori gain her footing back also wasn’t helping, her red eyes glaring with annoyance and impatience. The worst of it all, while she knew her words had reached him and made him doubt, the overall effect wasn’t the expected one.
The outcome was far from ideal, especially with some defiance still standing.
Though the Keyblade Wielder’s approach was unconventional enough to catch most expert fighters off-guard, Kira was hardly going to fall for it. She readied herself, of course, her dual grip on the crystal Keyblade firm, yet her eyes never looking away from Henoke. Noticing the sparks of flame in the teen’s Keyblade bursting to life, she retaliated swiftly with her own schemes —charging forward, while casting her own Reflective Barrier, aiming to mitigate the most of the teen’s damage dealt to her. Having fought him once before, she was adamant she knew all of his tricks.
Most of them were sloppy, at best.
“Playtime. Is. Over” she stated, aiming a direct hit to the defenseless teen, “This time, you’re not getting away —I’m ending this here.”
The Keyblade in her hands flickered with darkness, bursting full with power. Kira’s red eyes were looking straight at Henoke as she readied her Sleep Dive, closing the distance and aiming to trap the boy within nightmares. At the very least, if only his body slept, then no resistance would remain, allowing her a swift finish to the job, to then continue with her own chores remaining. Given that Henoke had forsaken all of his defenses in the sloppy assault of lashing and whips, closing in would be easy enough for Kira.
All the while, Tori was still unmoving, still on her knees contemplating her own doubts and fear. Still shaken to the core, no words had reached her, unable to cope with the possibilities stated and with no way of refuting them. If she truly had done that, then no matter how many times people forgave her, she wouldn’t be able to handle it. She’d wanted to help people, not hurt them.
Yet, if all this time she had done nothing but hurt others… Was there a point in changing that now? The sudden burst of darkness was enough to force her to look up —only seeing Kira ready her ultimatum with the battle, firm on ending it then and there. Paralyzed in fear as she was, Tori’s body hardly moved, but her heart was screaming for her to move, to block the attack and protect him. It was difficult enough to get it together —even more to stand up and fight again. But… She couldn’t stand seeing someone else being stolen right in front of her once again.
That thought was far worse than any crime she might’ve committed before.
It all happened in the blink of an eye, but she’d managed to do it —between Henoke and Kira’s Keyblade was Tori’s own, struggling to push the silver-haired girl back. Startled as she was, Kira lost the struggle fairly easy, but quickly regained her footing as the darkness dimmed slightly. Her red eyes glared, finding Tori’s own gaze showing a purple defiance and anger, but deep within all that was doubt and solitude —what she truly felt.
“Hmph… I didn’t think you’d be able to stand up, but nevertheless what I said worked…” Kira said, rising a pleased smile, “So you’re willing to continue with the endearing role, after all… Despite knowing you’ll never actually achieve it.” “…Can it —get lost already” Tori muttered, “I can’t stand you being here a second longer —so either leave now, or I’ll make you.” “Guh… As much as I want to finish things here and now… I gain nothing by fighting you like this —and since you’ll just keep your little doll there safe no matter what—” “Henoke’s no one’s doll! Stop saying bullshit!” there was a break in Tori’s voice as she shouted, a burst of mist slowly rising around her, “I don’t give a damn what you say about me, but you’ve got no right to treat people the way you do! I could care less if the person’s real or just a replica of their old self —they’re still people!”
Kira remained there, her chin held high as she looked at Tori after she’d finished her piece. Though faint, the silver-haired girl noticed her break —evident in her tears and body shaking, despite looking down to the floor as if to hide her true feelings. The sight alone was reward in itself, as Kira drew a sly smirk before dismissing her Keyblade. Glaring over at Henoke, still with her triumphant smile, she decided to throw one last taunt before disappearing.
“You’re lucky —having someone willing to play puppet master as much as Tori does. I guess it means that, in someway, she still has some use of you —but eventually your utility will run out. I hope that, by then, you realize who your real enemy is.”
With a last obnoxious giggle, Kira jumped back, a quick Rift opening for her to disappear in. The scenery flickered, the sound of something shattering echoing through the halls —and with it, Tori once again fell to her knees. She was panting, her body still shaking and tears still falling, as the Keyblade disappeared from her hands. Yet despite all that, she couldn’t utter another word.
There were still doubts echoing inside her head.
“…Why…”
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Post by hoodwink on Oct 11, 2022 12:38:51 GMT -5
Flaring in a roaring flame, both Keyblades lashed out. Though a unique tactic good at catching foes off-guard, the teen was more used to fighting Heartless than people, his new technique still sloppy and leaving him wide open to countless opportunities. CLANG! Gritting his teeth as he watched Kira's magic conjure a reflective barrier that tossed his weapons away uselessly, Henoke scramble to gain control of the weapons now needing new rotation to be effective. "Playtime. Is. Over."
Having clattered to the floor, the horned warrior tried to recall the Keyblades, letting go of the bandages and reaching out with his hands as he moved to re-summon them. Whoooosh! Kira was already rushing forward, the powerful darkness surging around her exploding around her weapon as it swiped towards him... Shit...! He was wide open! Without time to do anything else, Henoke roared out as he braced himself for the head-on attack, only defended by his arms thrown up in a cross guard.
Closing his eyes, he grit his teeth for the expected pain to come...
CLANG! Metal clanged and jarred as Henoke opened his eyes in surprise. Tori stood there with her Keyblade, struggling against Kira before her back. "Tori...!" He wasn't sure how she'd gotten there, but relief was clear in his voice. Whatever she'd been dealing with, she'd been break out of it, even if only for a moment. "Can it -- get lost already." Only further angered by Kira's words, the nine-tailed teen had found their conviction. Defending him and saying what she said about Replica's caused the paladin's heart to swell and his righteous anger once more was lit anew to defend his friend.
Summoning his Keyblade once more, Henoke prepared a fighting stance as the evil woman tossed more harsh words their way. The devilish warrior was surprised to see Kira dismiss her weapon, glancing at him with a familiar look of malice. "You're lucky--" While she badmouthed Tori and himself once more, the teen suddenly realized what was happening. "I hope that, by then, you realize who your real enemy is..." Shouting out and running forward with his weapon, he tried to rush her once more.
"Oi, hold it!" Sure enough, just as he sprang forward, the woman had already created a Rift. Leaping backwards and disappearing within a moment, Henoke was left swinging at the air where she'd once been. "Damn it!" Stomping a foot on the ground, the teen whipped his head around, looking for any sign of her...but she was gone. Once again, those threatening his friend and other worlds slipped through their hands.
"Why..." Hearing a faint thud, Henoke turned to see Tori on her knees once more, looking down at the floor. With a sigh, the boy allowed his weapon to dissolve in a ray of light before scratching at his horned face. Quietly, he walked over until he stood before her, leaning down a little while offering a hand.
"Hey...c'mon..." He wasn't sure what to say. Knowing Tori, he was sure she was beating herself up over Kira's words -- even if if the woman hadn't had any proof. "Ya can't listen to her, y'know? She's just like the others..." He thought of Adrien bitterly. "They try to get in our heads 'bout all sort's'a stuff. Ya can't let 'em get to ya." Waiting to see if she'd bite, Henoke left his hand out for her.
"'Sides, we still gotta help Boo and the monsters, right? It sucks that she got away...but the next time we run into her, we'll be ready!"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Oct 29, 2022 15:42:37 GMT -5
Tori shut her eyes closed, trying her best to keep herself in a more so calm disposition, but it was way too hard when the situation around her only showed her the doubts inside her head. Her fists clenched, her head refusing to look up even for a minute, all the while Henoke did his best to get her back up. His own unease regarding the situation seemed obvious, unsure on what to bribe Tori with, but it wouldn’t matter.
The doubt had already settled in —for good or bad. There was no changing that anymore.
"They try to get in our heads 'bout all sort's'a stuff. Ya can't let 'em get to ya." Unfortunately, those words weren’t what Tori needed to hear. It wasn’t the words themselves that had caused her to doubt —it was her own lack of knowledge, made evident to the otherwise confident teen. Even though there had been times where she doubted herself, this time wasn’t like before.
The doubts and unknown this time carried a far heavier burden, and being unable to prove or disprove them then and there made it all the harder to continue on.
“…don’t…it…” Tori mumbled, shaking her head, “You don’t get it… Why…” her voice now cracking, a faint whisper, “Why… Are you still here…? Why are you… Still following me…? I’ll only… end up hurting you again…”
The suggestion to continue on with what they were originally there for was certainly a welcome distraction, but Tori was unsure if she would be able to keep on with everything that had happened —especially if Henoke was going to continue on with her. What she once considered a confidant was slowly turning into a source of doubts, and she couldn’t help but be distracted and frightened by the possibilities that it hid.
“Ah —there you are~!”
There was the sound of wings flapping in the air, a familiar voice echoing cheerfully in the empty hallways. An orange bird, familiar to both teens, was quick to fly over to the two, quickly considering the scenery in front of her. Tori seemed to notice almost immediately, looking away with a frown before composing herself with a deep breath and standing up to greet it, not even looking at Henoke while she was at it.
Right now, there were other things she’d rather focus on.
“Hmm? What’s going on here, with you two?” the bird ask —the sweet, sing-song voice quickly revealing its identity. “Nothing, just forget about it… More importantly, where were you?” Tori asked, her tone stern. “Well… After you tried to break the Illusion, there was a rather strong reaction… When I came to, I was outside of these tall buildings, so I had to come aaall the way back. That being said… You did it, sweetie!” “It wasn’t… Exactly planned, but… I guess I did…”
Tori looked away with an uneasy smile, as if she tried to hide the truth almost too obviously. Of course, it didn’t take long for the bird to notice, its blue eyes blinking in curiosity, before it turned towards Henoke, seemingly hoping the teen could clear the air.
“Would you be a dear and tell me what happened? Tori clearly is hiding something, but I don’t think she’s willing to talk about it…” she asked in a whisper, “Though, you’re free to keep silent, too. I have the feeling I’m getting to nosy anyways…” a giggle followed her comment, yet there was clear concern in its voice as it made its request clear.
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 10, 2022 12:59:06 GMT -5
Henoke grit his teeth in frustration as his words fell uselessly against Tori's ears. The girls own doubts and fears closed her off to her friends reassurances and the rowdy warrior had never been great with words to start. For a moment he stood there, hands clenched at his sides as he silently cursed Kira, the woman who had caused the turmoil and fled. "Ah--there you are~!" A song-like voice filled the vacant lobby as Sharih's Familiar soared through the factory, returning to the scene and fluttering to Tori's side.
Though breaking out of her despair for a moment to address the situation, the spirit barely spoke, her tone stern and serious. Henoke grimaced, crossing his arms with a sigh as he watched. "Would you be a dear and tell me what happened?" This time the bird addressed him, a quizzical and concerned look in its gaze as it hovered midair.
"Tch, one o' them Traitor's showed up...Kira." Henoke grumbled out an explanation, his expression dark as he looked away. "She was behind the Illusion 'ta begin with. We fought and she said a bunch'a shit 'ta Tori that messed with her..." Though he felt guilt and shame for not being able to stop Kira and help Tori by himself, he couldn't disclose everything to the Familiar.
Some of the details were too personal...
Those things he decided would stay between the two friends. "But none o' that matters now! We gotta find Boo and the others and stop the Heartless still, remember, Tori!?" Turning back to his friend, Henoke tried once more to urge her back to action. If words wouldn't help, maybe he could get her to focus on those in front of them.
Those they could still save...
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 1, 2023 22:14:05 GMT -5
"Tch, one o' them Traitor's showed up...Kira." The pheasant blinked with its eyes wide open, surprised to hear the name of the Traitor who they’d encountered upon arriving back at the entrance. Though the fact that they were behind the Illusion seemed obvious, what she was most worried was the matter of “Tori being messed with”, which in a way explained her sudden mood. The pheasant glanced over at her, for once in seemingly her lifetime looking with evident concern, but the flames of optimism were quick to burst back with Henoke’s words.
They still had others to help —they still had the Heartless to take care of. Wouldn’t that be enough of a distraction for the moment?
“…He’s right, y’know” the pheasant spoke, smiling faintly, “I’m sure you’re of the same mind —to focus elsewhere while we still can.” “…” Tori looked away, still somewhat sullen, “I get that, but…” “You’re not going to get anything done on your own, let’s get that straight~” the pheasant chuckled, “We might not have Spirits to worry about, but Heartless are still a decent enough threat —we can’t take them lightly.” “…”
Once again, Tori barely spoke, seemingly still bothered by the words spoken to her a few minutes ago, and the pheasant realized it a bit too late. There was no changing Tori’s stubborn mind for the time being, troubled as it was with the hurtful comments the Familiar barely knew of but could take a guess at. It was as if she’d gone back in time, surrounded by sea in a small, isolated island, looking upon the memories of the fallen without being able to interact and help those who continued to fight. The same look she had back when that happened, with the pain of loss and frustration heavy in her heart. Giving up rather quickly, the pheasant sighed.
“Look, sweetie —I might not know what exactly you heard, but…” the orange bird began to speak, “I think Chise said it best, back then —you’re not at fault for what’s happened so far. You were just… Unfortunately roped into a whirlwind of bad events, but you never did anything wrong. Say what you will and what you think, but I’m not going to change my mind over that, and that’s final. And I’m dead certain both Chise and Dantès both agree with me on that one.” “…Sharih…” Tori looked up, her expression still down, still conflicted. “That’s not the expression I want to see, and you know that well. A smile doesn’t hurt anyone, even if it’s a small one!” Sharih puffed her cheeks, peeved, her wings flapping with annoyance, “Come on, now —you can cry all you want after we win the war! This was just a battle, but not a decisive one. And even then, we’re still winning —so chin up, get yourself back together, and let’s take care of the rest of the troublemakers!”
Once more, Sharih flapped her wings loudly, before soaring back towards the entrance of the building, making sure the pair of monstrous teens were following. Her bright blue eyes were a piercing gaze, her bubbly personality still there, yet an even stronger determination shining through, knowing that now was the time for a charge. Standing by the exit of the Laughing Hall, maintaining her flight, she urged them once again to action.
“I saw a pair of monsters and a small child while I was looking for you —and I clearly remember where they were at. I’m sure that’s what you want to start with, right?”
After the tease, Sharih continued to lead the way, knowing the pair would follow. Tori couldn’t deny her logic, after all —they hadn’t lost everything yet. Though her doubts were still there, and her insecurities now hurting her more, she couldn’t give up now. It still stung where it hurt most, and it really made her want to tackle things on her own, but even if she tried, Henoke and Sharih would be right behind her. Yet, even with all that…
Words trying to cheer her up would only cause her more harm. With so many doubts and unknown surrounding what little she knew, causing her stances to slowly break away, Tori couldn’t tolerate another word that would be to ease her pain, for she feared the worst.
That, someway, somehow, she would once again hurt those around her —those she was still trying to keep safe and help. As she followed Sharih back to the entrance, her mind telling her of the rational thinking of the other Spirit, she began to think on ways to tackle the problem on her own, ensuring that none around her would need to fight…
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 2, 2023 15:51:35 GMT -5
Henoke sighed as he stared at his friend. Still slumped on the factory floor, Tori seemed more in her head than he'd seen her in a while. Next time I see her...! The horned teen was fuming at the thought of Kira, having worked her way into his friends head and heart so easily. Who was she, to undo all the hard work Tori and him had done to push back their shaky pasts and fight for a better future?
Thankfully, the Familiar's cheerful words were getting through more than Henoke's own had. While Sharih used the connection between herself to coax Tori out of her slump by controlling her bird Spirit, the rowdy warrior kept a lookout for Heartless, enemy Spirits and any signs of other Traitors who may be lurking.
Grrr...just what're they after?! It bugged him, how they just showed up and got in his and Tori's way randomly. Thinking about it only made his head hurt, though. It wasn't like he could come up with anything and they had enough to worry about on this world already.
"I saw a pair of monsters and a small child while I was looking for you--" Henoke shouted out excitedly, taking a step towards the fluttering bird with a new gleam in his four eyes.
"F'real?! See, Tori--we ain't got time to sit around!" His heart ached for his friend, it truly did--but it also roared in an impatient fervor with the information Sharih gave them for the locals needing protection. As Tori began to move at his and Sharih's urgency, Henoke grinned wide. It was a wicked thing, with the world's 'camouflage', but surely the feelings in the boy's heart got across.
He was proud of his friend, pushing on despite the hurt they felt. It took a specific type of strength to do that. He knew from experience...
Summoning his Keyblade, Henoke followed Sharih and Tori, his mind focusing on the task at hand. Don't worry, Sully, we got yer back! Mike and Boo certainly didn't look like fighters, only making him run faster on the concrete. Every now and then, his vision would shift to Tori as they traveled through the Factory.
Henoke wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he had gotten to know his friend well. He could sense she wasn't over whatever she was feeling due to Kira's words...but he'd have her back for whatever was to come.
Whether she wanted him to, or not.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 3, 2023 12:42:27 GMT -5
The trio made it safely to the Entrance of the building, back to the Main Hub with the many pathways opening as they arrived. Tori eased her dash early, while Sharih and Henoke continued, for she had noticed the pair of monsters and Boo all seemingly in wait. Though it was nice to see they were safe, she’d made her mind clear now. She knew she had to push forward from the words spoken to her earlier, but Tori was adamant in keeping her distance now. It would make things easier for the long run, after all.
Sharih noticed soon after that Tori hadn’t dashed to the monsters’ encounter, but she herself had to keep her distance, given her current form. Speckles of mist helped her enshroud her presence within an Illusion, ensuring that Boo, Sully and Mike wouldn’t see nor sense her, but Henoke and Tori could still interact with her —at the cost of being seen as “delusional”, but was that truly an issue?
Boo was the first to spot the pair of monstrous teens, cheering loudly and running to their encounter, though Tori only mustered a faint smile, aiming to hide her pain and still keeping her distance for a while longer. Hearing the small girl’s shouts of joy, both Sully and Mike turned to the teens, silently relieved to see them alright as well.
“Guess you’re stronger than ya look —though it took ya more than a few seconds to show up…” Mike teased a little, “So? If I were a betting man, I’d say you solved something.” “Well, when it comes to those silver-ish things, I guess” Sully mentioned, chuckling slightly, “But that just left the other bunch.” “Yeah, yeah —the ‘shadowy-looking monsters’ we heard from Celia earlier today. Ya worry too much, pal.” “It’s ‘cause Boo’s here, Mike.” “So the Spirits are done and dealt with… It just leaves the Heartless…”
While the monsters continued to mention on the occurrences that had happened while the Keyblade Wielders fended off the Spirits, Tori took a look around, trying to spot even the slightest hint of darkness that would lead her and Henoke to where the Keyhole of that world was located —or at least, the closest possible location. On purpose, she remained where she was, away from the group, with Sharih having noticed it, but remaining hidden within her own Illusion. Of course, the woman knew why Tori was doing that, having known her since she was but a kid herself. Deciding to leave her to her own, she approached the group, still hidden, making sure not to miss a single detail on the conversation…
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 3, 2023 13:20:45 GMT -5
Henoke shouted out as Boo and the colorful monsters came into view. Relief flooded the rowdy warrior’s heart as he rushed forward to greet the motley crew, a fanged grin forming on his transformed face. He hadn’t really thought about it too much while they were gone, but the teen realized he’d been worried more than he’d known about their well-being. Maybe it was because of how young the little girl, Boo, was? ”Guess you’re stronger than ya look—“
Mike’s comment cut Henoke’s trot short, forcing the demonic looking teen to stagger with their Keyblade before making it to the group. ”Oi! Can it, pin-ball...!” Stamping a foot, the spiky haired teen glared at the green monster, snorting and turning away instead of closing the distance. It was their own little act of defiance. Henoke still listened as Sully explained how the Spirits were gone, though the Heartless still roamed around the Factory freely. Tch—at least that means Kira’s gone fer sure… It was a hollow victory, though. He glanced over towards Tori.
Henoke hadn’t noticed it at first, but his friend was hanging back from the group. Off to the side, Tori scanned the area while Sharih monitored from a medium distance. Sighing a bit, the orange haired teen shook his head before tapping his Keyblade against his shoulders impatiently. ”A’right, here’s what we’ll do…” A devious look flashed across his face. Turning back to Sully and Mike, the devilish paladin had hatched a plan to accommodate his friends sullen mood and the maze that was the Factory.
”Mike, you’ll lead Tori n’ I to where all the monster’s are. We need ‘ta go where all of ‘em gather the most! That should help us either find what they're lookin' for, or at least beat the crap outta their leader...” He shot a look over to Tori. He knew that it was a reckless method, but if they didn’t know where to start looking for the World Heart, they might as well start with where the most Heartless were. ”You know this Factory pretty well, yeah? Sully can protect and guard Boo in the meantime. Find a good spot to hide and keep watch…he looks like the better fighter, anyway.”
Inside, Henoke was jeering and sneering at Mike. Sure, he had actual confidence that this was a solid enough plan. He also wanted to cause the small green monster a little bit of grief and stress. Dragging the little guy along for a monster hunt sounded like a good way to do just that…
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 3, 2023 14:06:54 GMT -5
”A’right, here’s what we’ll do…”
This time, it was Henoke who took the lead, though Tori was only going to follow through for her own reasons —for once, she wasn’t chiming in on the Keyblade Wielder’s suggestions. Sharih had approached the group, still flapping her wings to keep her flight, listening attentive to the proposal. The only one who found themselves distracted from Henoke’s plan was Boo, given she hardly understood most of what was going on. Instead, her waddling had brought Tori to her attention, noticing how she was quite a few ways ahead. It was mostly curiosity that drove them, but the small girl ran her way to the furry teen, receiving little interaction in return from Tori. Instead, she forced herself to look away.
“Fwoof mad…?” Boo babbled, puffing her cheeks.
On the group’s end, Mike seemed a little discouraged by the plan, hearing how he was going to be the one guiding them through the Factory while Sully babysat Boo, but he couldn’t oppose the reason he came up with. Sulley could keep Boo better in control, while Mike himself knew he was more of a joke. Before Sullivan could say anything in opposition, having the feeling Mike felt dragged around, the one-eyed monster shrugged.
“I mean, either I do a lousy job babysittin’ a kid or I do a lousy job at guiding you both…” Mike said, “Sure, I know the Factory like the back of my hand —but that won’t guarantee anything, pal.” “Then you’ll go with them?” “Eh —I can see them bein’ able to keep me safe. ‘Sides, Boo listens to ya better, so it’ll be easier to keep her safe that way.”
Hearing the decision, Tori sighed, walking past Boo and grouping up. Her face now stern and her heart steeled, she didn’t want to waste any more time, instead needing something to lash her frustrations at. Of course, Boo didn’t like the interaction at all, quick to chase after Tori and pulling her tail, tugging it towards her. The furry teen fought hard to keep her balance, as well as her patience, but it wasn’t easy moving Boo away. Of course, both monsters noticed, but before they could do anything, Sharih came to the rescue, still hidden. Thought Henoke would see the pheasant using its wings as if they were hands to loosen Boo’s grip on Tori’s tail, what the rest saw was Boo simply losing her grip purely out of tiredness. Soaring once more, Sharih then simply moved closer towards Henoke, winking playfully after her small intervention.
“I think we better get going, before Tori really loses it…” she whispered, “She might seem calm, but we can both tell she needs to focus elsewhere, right sweetie?”
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 3, 2023 15:12:59 GMT -5
While Boo tried to figure Tori’s mood out, Mike and Sully came to terms with Henoke’s reckless plan. ”Sure, I know the Factory like the back of my hand—“ The devilish teen smirked. Even if it couldn’t guarantee anything, it was a start. With the two monsters in agreement, it was settled. Henoke could get his mild revenge and finesse a guide all at once!
”Eep!” Hearing the child squeak out in surprise as they tugged on Tori’s tails, the warrior turned in time to see Sharih wrangle Boo from the teen. Sighing a bit, Henoke crossed his arms and shook his head, watching his friend with a look that seemed torn between worry and impatience. Just what’s she thinkin’…? Usually, Tori was the more patient of the two. It was clear by the look on her face though that it was taking all of her willpower to put up with Boo’s antics.
”I think we better get going…” Sharih whispered a warning in his ear, reading the room similarly. With a small nod, the horned teen kept his Keyblade on his shoulder as he barked out orders to the monsters around him.
”A’right, let’s get movin’! Sully, most o’ the enemies’re small fry…but if any huge one’s show up, just take Boo and book it. You don’t wanna mess with any o’ the big ones by yerself.” Especially if he was stuck protecting the kid. Without proper weapons, the large and intimidating monster might as well be as defenseless as Boo when it came to some of the mightier Heartless. ”Mike, time ‘ta lead the way!” Using his free hand, Henoke grabbed the top of the small green monster’s head, lifting him up with his muscles easily and setting off in whatever direction the protesting monster pointed out. The spiky haired teen surely looked a menace, with a small one-eyed monster in one hand and an odd shaped weapon in the other, marching through the factory with his many horns and scaly skin.
Surely they’d be able to find the World Heart this way, right?!
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 4, 2023 13:42:06 GMT -5
Thankful for Sharih stepping in, Tori took a small sigh, while Henoke spoke out orders that were somewhat precise, but definitely helpful. Of course, the only one who wasn’t pleased with the arrangement was Mike, but even he had to admit there was no workaround the whole problem, and as such he had no choice but to comply. Sully nodded at Henoke’s warning while he picked up Boo, cradling in her arms as she seemed somewhat sleepy —probably Sharih’s doing with a small speck of magic, after she gently moved her away from Tori. In any case, that small mystery aside, it was better to move sooner than later.
Absorbed in her own determination, Tori was the one taking the lead with her steps, as if she’d been there once before, but she never went past Henoke or Mike. Instead, she was following them along purely for directions, thing Mike was giving out with faint reluctance, but then again, he couldn’t complain.
The only thing that felt odd in that scenario was Tori’s expression, and Henoke’s commanding hand almost forcing him to be at the front line. Eventually, as they went down the Hallway opposite to the Laughing Hall, Mike was a bit forceful to getting Henoke’s hand off of him, before looking at the metal doors in front of them. They were large, similar in size to the entrance to the Laughing Hall, and once more there was a console near it with buttons, the more obvious one being arrows pointing up or down. Near were plenty of empty canisters and some neatly packed in rows and stacked one over the other, unlike the chaos the Keyblade Wielders had seen earlier.
“This is as far as I’m willin’ ta go, pal” the one-eyed monster explained, “I’m not goin’ anywhere near there, that’s a guarantee!” “…Why not?” Tori mustered to ask, curious for his reasoning. “Look —I was just followin’ on what I heard from someone I know. Though lots’a folks have seen those shadowy monsters throughout the Factory, it’s only been glances at best. But” Mike emphasized, “Apparently they show up pretty often at the Power Plant, and especially around the Service Area, which is close to the Warehouse. And guess what’s stacked there, big shot…” “These canisters, right? The ones you use to store energy with?” “Glad ta see you’re still sharp. Exactly as you said —we keep the leftovers of a day’s work at the Warehouse. Dunno what they’re doin’ over there, but I’m not going anywhere near the Warehouse if it’s the last thing I do. So…” the green monster turned to the iron doors, and stood near the console, “I’ll just be sendin’ ya there! The path’s pretty straight-forward, so you shouldn’t get lost.” “Well, at least he’s earnest…” Sharih commented, chuckling. “…It works, still —makes things easier on our end.”
Tori’s comment was somewhat cold, shocking Mike slightly as the furry teen stepped forward, looking only forward. The one-eyed, green monster scratched the back of his head (or body? Who knows) in confusion at her actions, but seeing that at least one of the pair was just willing to go on without him was a slight reassurance. He then glanced over at Henoke, but didn’t say a thing.
Tori, on the other hand, would.
“What are you waiting for? Let’s go.”
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 4, 2023 18:30:41 GMT -5
Henoke had marched on confidently at first, toting Mike in one arm and his Keyblade in the other. While the protesting monster gave reluctant directions, the fiendish teen noticed their friend’s steely persona. Tori wasn’t always one to be as energetic or outgoing, especially after being put in a sour mood…but something about her seemed different. It’s not like usual. Even in the past, when Henoke hadn’t managed to cheer her up fully, she’d trudged on and managed to put together some semblance of her usual self. The gait the fox-like girl strut with had a distant and somewhat robotic stance to it, almost like she was barely aware they were there at all—or like she didn’t want them there to begin with.
”This is as far as I’m willing’ to go, pal.” Finally after some exploration, Mike put his foot down (well, he had been up in the air, but the point was clear). Making enough of a scene to cause the group to halt, the one-eyed monster explained how the Heartless all seemed to mainly gather ahead, at the Warehouse. Raising an eyebrow, Henoke glanced between Mike and Tori, even looking towards Sharih for a moment.
”F'real—gettin’ cold feet? I told ya my plan from the start, y’know…” Grumbling a bit, the spiky haired warrior put the local down. He didn’t really understand Mike’s reluctance to follow them. The way Henoke saw it, the monster knew where they had been heading when he’d agreed to guide them. What safer place to be than with them, anyway? "Y’sure ya wanna try and find Sully all by yerself?” The warning was layered in a teasing jab, but the concern was real.
Even if they weren’t at the Warehouse yet, it wasn’t impossible for a stray Heartless or two to be wandering. It was clear that the boy was doubtful about Mike managing his way safely on his own. ”What are you waiting for? Let’s go.” Tori’s voice cut through the conversation, curt and impatient. Though Henoke himself was normally prone to being rash and pushy, the teen couldn’t help but flare a bit at how brazen his friend was being.
”Yo, quit it.” Despite his anger flaring up, the teen kept his voice mostly calm. The two had been through a lot recently. Having recently fought in Neverland, it was clear that Henoke didn’t want to butt heads so soon, even if it was just a misunderstanding. ”I get it. Yer pissed about Kira, but Mike helped us out. If there are a bunch’a Hear—er, those ‘shadows’—in this Warehouse, we gotta look out fer the people here, 'specially one’s who help us out, right? I don’t wanna just send ‘im off with nothin’ to protect ‘im…” Turning to Sharih, the teen sighed, knowing he probably looked crazy to the small monster who couldn’t see the Spirit. ”Would you tag along with him? Just ‘till he makes it back to Sully and Boo?” If she obliged, the boy would feel relief, able to charge head-first with Tori to the Warehouse and get to the bottom of why the Heartless were after the bizarre energy these monsters gathered…
If not, well…maybe he could still convince Mike to come with them—even if it meant butting heads with Tori.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jan 4, 2023 22:27:24 GMT -5
”F'real—gettin’ cold feet? I told ya my plan from the start, y’know…” Somehow, Henoke’s grumbling caught Mike off-guard, but more than that it struck a nerve. Snorting lightly, the one-eyed monster crossed his arms, though he kept his only eye on the horned teen like glue. Sure, he’d agreed to the plan and wasn’t exactly getting “cold-feet” as it were. It was more a matter of self-preservation —if they still needed help, he wasn’t going to bail on them now.
“Last I heard, ya wanted me to lead ya where the things gather most” Mike emphasized, “This is the place —ya just gonna walk in deeper, but again, the path’s pretty damn straight. Ya can’t get lost on the way to the Service Area, trust me that much.” “Sweetie, I think he has a point…” Sharih came to Mike’s defense, much to his ignorance, given she was still in hiding, “Let’s just leave him be, and we handle our part of things!”
Stating their pieces, it seemed Henoke was at least allowing the chance, though the quick retort he shot at Tori was a bit unnecessary, at least in the pheasant’s eyes. His suggestion to watch over Mike as he made his way back was tactful, thankfully, and Sharih seemed amicable to the idea, nodding along the teen without any hesitation. All the while, Tori remained waiting, slightly glaring at Henoke’s way as he seemed to handle things well. There still remained pain, but maybe it was because of Henoke’s retort that her expression had soured. All in all, there were many factors that could be the cause for Tori’s wariness at that moment.
“Well, how about…” Sharih hummed playfully, soaring playfully, “I do you one better? Fufufu… I’ll have Kiara keep an eye on him, while I stay with you both. Don’t worry —my Illusions are as safe as they can be!”
Mist swirled gently around the pheasant, still invisible to Mike, who only looked quizzically at Henoke after he’d made his request, wondering who he was talking to. Surely not to the one other person they were with. However, his confusion quickly turned to shock as the orange pheasant made itself visible to him, flapping its wings as its bright-blue eyes locked gazes with him. Immediately, Mike pointed at it, shocked by the sudden reveal, as well as the completely freaked out, given that the pheasant was anything but a monstrous creature. Gentle, warm orange feathers, an elegant crest forming on the back of its head —its long orange wings guarded with gold at its limbs, with a clear Spirit’s Emblem on the left wing’s underside, and the long tail of orange and magenta feathers flowing against the breeze.
It was clearly not a monster, which in itself was somewhat funny, given that in other settings, a monster would be the reason for shock.
“W-Where’d that thing come from?! It wasn’t there a second ago!” Mike shouted, before turning at Henoke, “Oi —that thing with’cha?! What’s its deal? Where the heck did it come from?!” “…You should follow it” Tori sighed, having turned her gaze at the console, “It’ll guide you back where Sully and Boo are at.” “So, you do know what this is?” Mike asked, confused, “Where’d it come from, then?” “You shouldn’t bother yourself with that. You’re better off going back now.” “Sheesh…” the one-eyed monster looked at Henoke, “The heck happened when we split off? She wasn’t like this before, was she…? I know when I’m a bother, but now… Feels like she’s just pissed off over nothing…”
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Post by hoodwink on Jan 12, 2023 21:02:18 GMT -5
Despite Mike’s argument causing Henoke to glance at him skeptically for a moment, Sharih was quick to soothe the hot-headed teen’s doubts. Only when she agreed to have Kiara keep the cyclops safe while sticking with the two for reinforcements did he cave to her whims. Since the local monster still couldn’t see the spirit, it would most likely look like the boy was stubbornly steaming before finally sighing a bit and finally turning to the green monster. ”Fine. Fair ‘nuff…”
As Sharih summoned forth the orange pheasant, Mike gawked, replacing Henoke’s vague frown with a wide smirk. Since everything on this world was monstrous in appearance, the rather mundane looking bird was apparently freaking the small green local out, which the warrior was enjoying. ”W-where’d that thing come from?!” The reaction finally caused Henoke to laugh, shaking his head while fighting to keep his Keyblade shouldered. ”Oi—that thing with’cha?!”
Collecting himself a bit, the spiky haired teen rubbed at his nose a bit as he grinned at Mike. ”Yeah, ‘ta make sure nothin’ bad happens on yer way back.” Tori gave another short and blasé response, causing the fiendish warrior to ‘tsk’ and roll his eyes a bit while Mike seemed to falter.
”Sheesh…the heck happened when we split off?” The cyclops looked to him for help, but Henoke simply shrugged before snorting and scratching at his head in annoyance.
”Tch—just a bunch’a annoyin’ stuff…” Pointing to the pheasant Sharih had summoned, the teen forced himself to smile a bit at the short monster. ”Don’t sweat it, though. It ain’t gonna stop us from kickin’ ass! You just focus on gettin’ back and helpin’ Sully keep Boo safe, ya hear?” With that, Henoke gave one final nod to Mike before turning to follow the directions they’d been given. ((OOC: This is assuming Tori and Sharih had already started down that way. I kinda figured they did based on the post’s direction lol))
As he headed towards the Warehouse, Henoke couldn’t help but eye his friend with a mixture of emotions. He was annoyed at how she’d been acting, sure, but primarily he was worried. She clearly wasn’t over what had happened between her and Kira. C’mon Tori, keep it together, will ya? She was a hassle, sometimes. Not wanting to let him in, or let him help, but knowing full well he wasn’t the type to simply back off or stop tagging along.
Whatever was down the road ahead, they’d face it together. Just like all of the other hard truths they’d had to come toward and put behind them. Nothing had changed.
Right?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 19, 2023 15:49:23 GMT -5
Seeing that there was literally no other way, and having made his choice, Mike seemed to deflate a bit, but accepted that he was better off following the “weird” bird that had suddenly decided to appear. He glanced once to see the pair go off on their own, wondering what the hell had happened while they split, but not wanting anything to do with the shadows that he knew lurked nearby, he hurried his pace.
Tori, in the meantime, had fiddled carefully with the panels, opening a door to an elevator of sorts, and waited for Henoke to hop in before it closed and led them further down a floor. While she was being lenient in regards to letting him tag along, knowing he wouldn’t exactly quiet down if she refused, Tori couldn’t —or rather, wouldn’t— utter a single word his way, less glance at him from the shoulder. It was hard, with what she’d come up in her heart, but pushing him aside now would only give her more of a headache than anything. Of course, Sharih noticed this demeanor, more worried now than before seeing as how it wasn’t changing in the near future, but they had other things to focus on at the moment.
The elevator door opened, revealing the Warehouse —thousands and millions of metal boxes, stacked one over the other, reaching an impossibly high ceiling. The lights were dim, their focal point only making light circles in regular intervals, though barely lighting up anything outside their path —the perfect place for shadows to lurk in. Yet despite that, no Heartless was immediately attacking them, though the presence of darkness was clear, putting Tori’s neck hairs on edge. Who wouldn’t be tense in that situation, really?
“It’s… Surprisingly grim…” Sharih chimed in, trying to ease the mood, “Though, for a place that is apparently plagued with Heartless, there’s certainly a lack of them…”
The pheasant-disguised Spirit flapped her wings in slight agitation as she kept herself in flight, before deciding to rush forward a little to scout their surroundings. It left a small window of opportunity, should Henoke wish to confront Tori about what was going on, but the girl was oblivious to such a scheme, if it was Sharih’s intention to begin with. The woman had decided to look ahead, trying to figure out why there were no Heartless ambushing them head-first.
Perhaps something else lurked deeper within?
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 20, 2023 14:38:06 GMT -5
Running after the others, Henoke gawked at the large elevator doors that hissed open as Tori pressed buttons on the control panel. The worlds machinery was all pretty high tech, considering the teen's point of reference. That mixed with the sheer size of everything tended to leave the devilish boy rather stunned at times. Stepping into the metal box, Henoke grimaced a bit as it rattled shut and lowered them all deeper towards their goal.
Mike wasn't kiddin'... Something in his heart was warning him of what was waiting for them, years of prior training had allowed it's Replica the experience needed to tell him they were indeed going in the right direction. Despite Henoke's confidence in his own abilities, doubt lingered inside, his gaze switching to Tori for a moment once more. Tch, is she really gonna be okay? It was more than a distraction. Every other thought, the warrior was preoccupied by what the Traitor had said to his friend.
As the elevator doors opened, Henoke could feel the heavy presence of darkness all around them. Gripping his Keyblade tight as his jaw clenched, the teens eyes hardened as he took in the dark Warehouse before them. Despite the obvious presence, there were no signs of Heartless, yet... "What a dump!" Wearing a confident smirk, the devilish teen kept his battle stance ready as they exited the elevator, shouting his bravado to any who were watching them. He'd make sure that they knew he wasn't afraid!
“It’s…surprisingly grim…” Sharih seemed to dislike the environment, too. Glancing around the impossibly vast Warehouse, stacked with countless metal boxes and not decorated with much else besides bare concrete and shadows, Henoke couldn’t help but agree. It was a depressing place. No wonder the Heartless like it. They were so annoying, liking places that were creepy, or depressing, or just kind of a bummer overall. While the other Spirit flew on ahead, scouting out the barely lit area, Tori and Henoke were left walking along the path that the florescent lights illuminated.
It was a path of light, bright circles placed in a straight line from where the elevator had dropped them off. What it led to, the spiky haired warrior couldn’t see yet, even with the extra eyes this world had given him. Walking side by side, all that could be heard for a moment were footsteps in the silence. Ugh—this is annoyin’! Truthfully, Henoke wasn’t sure what to say to Tori, right now. Glancing over at his friend for a moment, the boy’s mouth scrunched up as though he were about to talk a few times, but every time he thought about it, he continued to lapse into silence.
It was unlike him. Usually, Henoke had no issues speaking his mind. Saying what was in his heart was easy.
Lately, he wasn’t too sure, though.
Not only had he found out through his more recent adventures that his own heart had been fabricated, an artificial experiment made by some shady organization, but he himself had done some bad things in his past lifetime, too. Well, not really him, but the ‘first’ Henoke. He refused to call them the ‘real’ one, otherwise that meant he himself was ‘fake’, which he refused to believe. All of this made it hard for him to console Tori right now, who was dealing with something similar to what he himself had experienced.
She had comforted him during that time at the Shore, when he had first learned about his real identity as a Replica, recovering memories about the life his own had been built off of. What he now dubbed his ‘Past Life’ had been hard to watch and harder to come to terms with. He’d fought with his own friends during the Keyblade War, something he still struggled to find forgiveness in at times. How am I s’posed to help her with that? He could hardly help himself…but Henoke was hardly the type to quit or be cowed so easily.
”Oi, Tori…” Henoke was still walking, keeping his Keyblade in hand, refusing to look her direction at first. His voice seemed somewhat distant and soft compared to usual. ”I dunno what’s goin’ on in yer head right about now, but I’m sure it ain’t good, after everythin’ that went down earlier.” Sighing a bit, the teen glanced up towards the vast ceiling that practically disappeared from their view. ”I meant it, when I said none o’ that matters now.” He glanced her way finally, though it seemed he was still struggling for words as they walked.
”Whatever happened in the past…it’s in the past. Even if it was bad, or ya feel like stuff’s yer fault…all we can do is move ahead, yea? We’re here now, fightin’ the Heartless and tryin’ ‘ta help people. That’s what counts. Ya got yer goals. Don’t lose sight of 'em.” Giving her a grin, Henoke bumped his free fist against his chest. "I told ya I’d help ya out, and I meant it! I don’t care about yer past any more than ya care about mine! We can help each other do better stuff, ya know?”
For a moment, Henoke seemed mildly embarrassed, looking away and scratching at the back of his head. ”Tch—I just mean…don’t let stuff bother ya. Ya are who ya are now. Just focus on what’s in front of ya and don’t sweat the rest, right?” It was clear he was fumbling now, shaking his head and running off ahead to where Sharih had been flying. ”Whatever! Just focus on the battle that’s comin’ up! We gotta save this world before we do anythin’ else, ya hear?!” Running ahead, the teen hoped his words helped. He'd done all he could do for now.
They had to focus on fighting the Heartless and finding the Keyhole!
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Post by therunawaygirl on Feb 20, 2023 15:59:45 GMT -5
”Oi, Tori…”
Though absent as she was in her own thoughts, somehow Henoke’s attempts to catch her attention were enough to make Tori stop in her tracks and turn around him, only to notice that he wasn’t looking at her. Why had he raised his voice? Weren’t they focused on something, right then and there? He continued to walk a little further, though his step seemed to slow down —maybe due to the weight his words carried? Once again, he was trying to get her look past the poisonous words that Kira had said to her earlier, but they had already grown root inside the girl’s heart, making it difficult to remove them from her mind. He seemed to struggle with his attempt, though granted he was trying his best –something Tori was willing to appreciate.
”I meant it, when I said none o’ that matters now.” Finally, he turned to face her, though it seemed to only last a moment, as Tori looked down in thought. The following words only cemented what she’d already come to realize in her head —but it didn’t change her determination. To move ahead… To not lose sight of her goals… It was hard, but… Henoke wasn’t wrong. Sooner or later, Tori knew she had to move forward —but it was the how that troubled her.
Suddenly, or perhaps as expected, Henoke looked away, flustered and clearly losing steam. Finishing in a somewhat coherent arrangement of words, with an added fumble fit for Henoke, the boy decided to rush ahead, looking for Sharih and perhaps something to kick —maybe something to fight, too? Seeing him run off, Tori remained in place, ensuring that the words she’d just heard weren’t being ignored, but slowly giving her the faint hope that, just perhaps, her method was the best one…
“Not lose sight of my goals…” Tori glanced over her gloved hand, her palm open, “Then… What I’m doing, right now… What I have to do… That’s the right thing… Isn’t it…?”
Sharih had gone around the Warehouse a few times, but was still uneasy about the fact that no Heartless seemed to be around. Was that because she was exploring? Because a Spirit was lurking around, apparently looking to pick a fight? To a point, the thought offended the woman disguised as her Familiar, puffing her chest and seemingly pouting as she flapped her wings in agitation. She regained her usual demeanor after hearing footsteps rushing closer towards her —shocked to see Henoke on his own. Realizing quickly that Tori wasn’t with him, the pheasant flew down to meet him, clearly about to chastise him for it.
“Oh, why would you ever leave Tori on her own?!” Sharih began, “I was just going to see —you didn’t have to follow me! I would’ve gotten back to you two in a heartbeat if something were to happen!”
If Henoke was even the slightest bit attentive, perhaps he could’ve guessed that Sharih was pouting at him, puffing her cheeks as her wings continued to showcase her agitation. It didn’t take long for her to calm down, though —something that was apparently fickle in Sharih’s personality. It didn’t matter where Tori was, right now. What did matter was where the Heartless were —they hadn’t yet revealed themselves. Or so she would’ve thought…
Darkness seemed to burst forth, perhaps at the presence of the Keyblade nearby, but it was as if the Heartless that had been lurking for so long had finally found a reason to show themselves. Slowly coming out of massively dark portals, a massive Heartless was ready to fight against Henoke and Sharih —armored in iron, wielding a sword in one hand, and a drill on the other, and was easily ten times Henoke’s side, just barely scratching the ceiling of the Warehouse. Sharih blinked in confusion, seemingly distraught by the Heartless’ side, but she wasn’t cowed whatsoever. Upon closer inspection, the pair would notice a peculiarity the massive Heartless had —it wasn’t just a big Heartless, but rather, it was multiple Heartless commanding the gigantic Iron Giant. Flapping her wings quickly, Sharih got ready for a fight.
“Hopefully we’re able to defeat it before it becomes too much~!” she said, her bubbly tone back in place.
[BOSS! Iron Giant (Heartless locations: 1 in the head, 2 in the chest, 2 in the arms)]
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Post by hoodwink on Feb 21, 2023 13:08:18 GMT -5
Henoke’s face was still flushed a bit as he ran on ahead, following the lights splayed out on the Warehouse floor acting as a path. His mind was full of thoughts regarding his friend, his heart full of doubt, which is why he hardly noticed it when he practically ran right into Sharih. ”Oh, why would you ever leave Tori on her own?!” The disguised Spirit was quick to chastise him, startled at his presence almost as much as he was by hers.
”What’d’ya mean…? She’s right—huh?!” Henoke staggered in surprise as he had turned around to point at where he’d been sure Tori would be trailing behind them. Instead, there was only empty space and shadows, much like the rest of the Warehouse. ”What the hell!? She was here just a second ago!” The spiky haired warrior groaned as he whipped his head around, trying to spot any sign of his friend. Damn it, Tori! Where’d ya run off to?! There was no sign of her. He and Sharih stood alone in the empty storeroom.
”Ugh…I must’a messed up!” Sighing a bit, the boy slumped, feeling dejected and frustrated. Just as he kicked at the floor, cursing at himself in for letting Tori out of his sight after saying a bunch of stuff he should have kept to himself, Henoke felt something change in the room they were in. A seasoned warrior when it came to the Heartless, the devilish boy felt a surge in the presence of Darkness as pools in the shadows formed and released something monstrous.
A massive Heartless clanged! and scraped! its way into existence, sword and drill in hand. Despite the Warehouse’s impossibly large ceiling, the armored enemy seemed to impose itself against it with its height. Henoke shouted out in surprise, readying his battle stance as he assessed the foe before him. He couldn’t spare any more thoughts for his friend until he and Sharih defeated this thing!
”Hopefully we’re able to defeat it before it becomes too much~” The disguised Spirit still had a bubbly tone, despite the situation. It caused Henoke to grin, his own bravado flaring up as he thought of Boo, Sully and Mike, as well as Tori.
”We’ll finish this quick and save everyone!” Roaring out with vigor, the teen hoisted his own heavy weapon up and rushed in. Always the vanguard, the warrior was hardly daunted by enemies larger than himself. Bigger they are…! Aiming for the large Heartless’ head with his Keyblade, flames lit up the darkness as they crackled at the weapon’s tip. ”Eat this!” Casting his Firaga spell, Henoke hoped the homing ball of fire would help disrupt the enemy’s vision with its eruption, even if the damage wasn’t severe.
While his magic spell flared across the dark, Henoke continued to run towards the giant. As he ran, his dark grey Keyblade began to crackle with a bright orange energy that seemed to snap like lightning, gathering in strength until the entire weapon shimmered a brilliant gold. Closing the distance between them, Henoke lifted his Keyblade as he summoned strength for his Blitz ability. Hopefully, his Firaga spell was at least working in distracting the Heartless inside the head, in time for him to get an opening to get close enough to attack the demon up-close.
Using his High Jump, Henoke leapt and slashed out as hard as he could, his Blitz attack illuminating the battlefield with an eruption of brilliant gold!
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