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Post by hoodwink on Mar 15, 2023 15:27:13 GMT -5
Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Vasch quickly readied himself as he watched the shadowy figure begin to split apart and form into multiple dark drakes after taking the barrage of attacks. Thankfully it seemed his assault had at least managed to do some lasting damage, at least. This is becoming a pain. Despite the ex-Master's own speed and power, the shadowy figure that had pulled itself into multiple drakes had proven to be a swift opponent, too. Vasch worried about being able to take on both enemies while protecting the unconscious Machiko—the target of this unknown enemy.
Bzzzzzt! Crack! Snapping with electricity, the Lightning Drake twirled and spun as though a top—charging directly for him! The Odd-Jobber cursed at the speed of the demon, noticing how the Flame Drake was going for Machiko at the same time... Thinking quick, Vasch used his Keyblade as a pole-vault, launching himself up and over the oncoming Lightning Drake and escaping the brunt of the charge. Some of the snapping electricity would singe and pierce the armored man as he leapt clear over the spinning drake, rolling and continuing to run towards Machiko, but he fought through the pain shooting through his torso and shoulders.
GRRRROOOOAAAAR! A rumbling roar caused him to stagger in his stride as the Flame Drake was pelted with a powerful ray of light. Merlin had stepped in, protecting Machiko and pushing the enemy back! "About time." Despite the gruff words, Vasch smirked and flashed the wizard a brief 'thumbs up' and gave them a nod. He could focus on one while Merlin tackled the other...the tide was turning!
Spinning around to focus once more on the Lightning Drake, Vasch decided to use his new found range to his advantage. Winding up his arm, the White Dwarf began to radiate with a light energy once more before the armored man hurled the rusty weapon as though a boomerang!
Vasch used his Strike Raid on the Lightning Drake, unconcerned about the ability's lack of defense with the amount of distance he'd put between them...
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Post by Machiko Tetsu on Mar 15, 2023 16:17:51 GMT -5
Merlin waved his hands about with his next spell, a massive wave of water moving to crash into the flame drake. It attempted to freeze the water over, but Merlin accounted for that and had a portion of the water jettison forward so when it did freeze it turned into a massive icicle, impaling itself and dispersing into shadow. The lightning drake turned to come back at the ex-master but it was slammed by the keyblade and as it was dazed it came back to slam into the back of its head, dispersing it next. Three of the serpent sigils collapsed onto the ground, fading into nothingness. Merlin looked over the slumbering Machiko with a sigh, then looked to Vasch with a concerned stare. The barrier faded, the enchantment wasn't restored however, he would need to reapply it as he used his wand to prop Machiko up into a seat.
"The Warring Triad. Those are the hearts that reside within Machiko."
He'd elaborate, bringing the table back along with more chairs for them to all sit in. Tea was offered of course, his face looked rather grim as he sat.
"When Radiant Garden was quickly turning to the point of Hallowed Bastion, three keyblade wielders came to me seeking knowledge on how to attain power to fight back the darkness. I had told them there was nothing that could be done other than to flee and train. They didn't take this for an answer, instead they all went to Xehanort, Ansem's apprentice to seek the power they inquired of. Within each of them he housed great darkness, but as you are aware he was seeking proper vessels for the coming conflict. However, these three ended up instead as an experiment, what would happen if three hearts were wound together within a vessel of another heart of pure light?"
He'd sip his tea, then looked to Machiko again with a frown.
"The answer was it could work. The three hearts would feed on the darkness provided by the vessel and exchange it between each of them. An eternal battery of darkness, so to speak. But as you know, darkness exists in each being and is needed to maintain the balance of oneself. What happens when someone is devoid entirely of darkness? Well, they begin to forget memories that were harmful, even if they would be best to be confronted. Their mind begins to slip away, until they become nothing more than a husk. Think of nobodies, except what Xemnas told them about their emotions being actually true."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 15, 2023 19:31:23 GMT -5
Watching intently as his Keyblade found its mark, Vasch heaved a sigh of relief as the Lightning Drake was vanquished. Catching his returning weapon, the armored man grimaced at the state of the Training Room—singed, marred and punctured in countless places. What concerned him more was Machiko. She was still unconscious, aided by Merlin's magic into a chair to rest. "The Warring Triad. Those are the hearts that reside within Machiko."
Hearts...? You mean, there's more than one in there? The wizard's sudden answer caught Vasch off-guard. Shouldering his rusty weapon, the wavy haired man walked over to where Merlin now sat at a summoned table, sipping tea. The tale the wizard began to speak of referenced names and events that had occurred long before Vasch had emerged from that realm—many many years after the War.
'Xehanort' and 'Ansem' were names the ex-Master had only heard second hand, or read about. He'd never experienced the fabled Master gone rogue for himself...luckily. The guy sounded like bad news. "These three ended up...as an experiment." Gritting his teeth in indignant anger, Vasch's mismatched eyes fell once more on the unconscious Machiko.
Listening to the true nature of what the skater was intended for, the ex-Master began to understand what had happened earlier in the day...why the Heartless had all but ignored the Keyblade. There were four hearts in one vessel? That's too much, for anyone to handle... What kind of sick joke was this? Machiko was turned into some battery?!
"What happens when one is devoid entirely of darkness? Well..." Merlin finished his explanation, though Vasch couldn't believe his ears. No one should be able to be devoid of light or dark—it just wasn't in human nature. Without one or the other, the wizard was right: people would lose themselves. They'd become akin to the husks left behind after victims lost their hearts: Nobodies. In the end, she'd lose herself! He hardly knew the woman, but he couldn't just sit by and let that happen...not when he should have noticed something was off to begin with. Could this have all been avoided if he'd been less hungover or less neglectful in the morning?
"So—it's true. She has more than one heart...and they're all draining her like leeches?" Vasch hardly understood the emotions coursing through him, but he felt the blood beneath his skin boiling. It wasn't right, messing with people's hearts and lives like that. Looking at Machiko, the wavy haired man grit his teeth before picking up his rusty weapon and looking at it as though it were the source of his annoyance. "With so many hearts intertwined...there's no saying what will happen if I try to remove them by force with the Keyblade."
Once more, his old weapon had failed him. Looking back to Merlin, Vasch fixed a determined look onto his face. He thought of Leon's words from below, when the two had spoken in the Waterway. "There has to be something that can sever the bond between their hearts...without hurting her own. Either on this world, or another." His eyes narrowed at the old wizard, scrutinizing. Other than Radiant Garden, there had to be some other world that could offer the right resources for Machiko to be freed of this parasitic bond...
"You know, don't you?"
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Post by Machiko Tetsu on Mar 15, 2023 19:57:53 GMT -5
Merlin sighed, he knew Vasch would draw conclusion and he was always smart that grump of a keyblade master. He'd nod, standing up to pull a tome from a nearby bookshelf that had the shape of a heart with wings sprouting from the center. Opening it, he'd point to a section within the book that began to explain sleeping worlds.
"Machiko is currently in a state of slumber. Using the power of waking, you could venture into her heart, go through each of the Triads to resolve their plights. If you so choose, perhaps you could find replicas to house their hearts within. But seeing as time is of the essence, you may also simply remove them so that they might rejoin the lifestream. The issue is, the power of waking being used for three seperate hearts will take a toll on your own heart; you will need to fortify yourself. I do not have the means here at my disposal, nor at Radiant Garden. No, you will need to go to Master Yen Sid."
Merlin pushed the book toward him for him to hold onto, perhaps to use for his own reference.
"I know you harbor disdain for the other masters, but if you wish to keep your charge alive you will have to do as I instruct you. From Machiko's condition I don't see her waking up for a good while, the longer she sleeps the more vulnerable she is to the Triad. If I had to guess...she has..."
Merlin began to draw numbers with his wander which quickly became quite the equation till he got to a number.
"Fourteen days. By then she will become the husk I warned of and her heart will have been reduced entirely to a state of Oblivion to feed the triad for an eternity."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 16, 2023 9:44:40 GMT -5
Watching as Merlin pulled a book from one of his many shelves, Vasch couldn't help but feel like this he was the butt of some cruel joke. This was supposed to just be a delivery job... Instead, he'd run into something well beyond the everyday he'd worked so hard to build for himself. Fate was malicious and unforgiving. "Machiko is currently in a state of slumber. Using the Power of Waking, you could venture into her heart..."
Listening to the wizards suggestions, the ex-Master sorted through the options in his mind. I'd like to find somewhere to store the hearts, but... The Triad wasn't to blame for all of this—it was the bastard who'd performed the expriment to begin with. Though it wasn't Vasch's wish to simply release the hearts trapped within Machiko back into the dormant Kingdom Hearts that awaited all loose hearts...he realized he might not have the time for any other solutions.
"You will need to go to Master Yen Sid." Everything stopped—for a moment, the armored man wasn't sure if he'd heard Merlin correctly. "I know you harbor disdain for the other Masters, but if you wish to keep your charge alive..." Clenching his jaw and making a fist, Vasch looked away and towards the slumbering Machiko. He hadn't seen Yen Sid since before his time as a Merc-for-Hire, shortly after finding his home in ruins. It had been the argument that led to him relinquishing his title as 'Master'...the first, only and last time he'd ever met the older man draped in stars. "Fourteen days. By then she will become the husk I warned of..."
"Tch—damn it. This is one huge mess." Glaring now at his own hands, specifically at the rusted Keyblade he carried, the wavy haired man couldn't figure out where everything had gone wrong. Why'd she have to end up at my door? Vasch couldn't help but feel like he was the last person cut out for this task... "The Power of Waking hasn't been as reliable for me, these days...as you know, my connection with the Keyblade's been—er, well, less than great..."
It hadn't left him now, at least. Why was that? He felt uncertainty lingering in his heart, the shadows of doubt eating at him. Despite this fickle feeling, an underlying feeling had cemented itself, too. It was firm, giving an otherwise weary and unsteady heart direction for the first time in years. "Fine. I'll meet with Yen Sid...but only if he comes here. That bastard isn't the only old man refusing to leave his castle, you know." Shouldering his Keyblade, the man in the dark haori looked to Machiko once more.
"I'll do it. I'll dive into her heart and release the Triad..." He felt tired. It was less from the battle from before and more the weight of responsibility he began to feel weighing on his shoulders. It was a weight he hadn't felt for nearly a decade... "I'll have to prepare...I don't trust this to go well." Rubbing at his temple, Vasch turned back to Merlin.
"I'll take her back to the office and make sure she's able to rest and stay safe there. The First District is quieter than the Third, after all...in the meantime, can you work on gathering whatever information you can for me about this Triad and convince Yen Sid to come meet me? We didn't exactly leave on good terms..."
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Post by Machiko Tetsu on Mar 16, 2023 12:27:55 GMT -5
"It will be difficult, you know how he is wanting to remain where he feels comfortable to look over each of his problems. But, I will try. Perhaps he will understand time is of the essence and he will acquiesce to just get this going. I am sorry about all of this, my boy. If only I had known before I brought her up to the room, I might have set more parameters..."
He'd murmur silently, sighing as he began to weave a spell, more than likely to arrive at the tower to speak to Yen Sid. This gave time for Vasch to pick the slumbering girl up, Rocker stood on Vasch's shoulders, staring down at her, they had been noticeably quiet.
"Poor Machiko. I was hoping I could help make this less severe, but now we really are pushed into a corner. I'm sorry to involve you in this, Vasch. I know you just wanted a simple life."
Rocker flopped onto his shoulder, Machiko would not be much of a fuss on their way back. Rocker was silent for a long while before speaking again.
"You must be wondering where I come in, in all of this. It's a long story, but what I can say is that I have been her guardian ever since she began. I've taken her to wherever her heart desires."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 16, 2023 13:00:38 GMT -5
"I will try." That's all either of them could do, really. Vasch couldn't help but share Merlin's sentiments—if either of them had known more, maybe all of this mess could have been avoided. If there was one thing the ex-Master had grown accustomed to, it was the fact that there was no turning back time, though.
"No use worrying about that now..." Sighing a bit, the armored man bid the wizard farewell as he stowed the White Dwarf onto his back. Though he was unwilling to dismiss the weapon, in case it wouldn't return his call later on, he could utilize its minor magic in some handy ways still... Moving over to where Machiko sat slumped over in the chair by the center of the room, the Odd-Jobber grunted with minor effort as he hoisted the sleeping woman up and into his arms.
"I'm sorry to involve you in this, Vasch." Rocker perched on his shoulder, emerging after the fight had settled down. The ex-Master shook his head at the apology, making his way out of the Training Room and down to the first floor.
"I did want a simple life...but I chose to not ignore her. That's on me." He really had no one to blame but himself, for getting involved. Vasch could have easily ignored Machiko, or left the reckless woman to her fate back in the Second District plaza. It was his own actions and choices that led him here now...that had woven their paths together like this.
"You must be wondering where I come in, in all of this." Leaping down the makeshift ladder of crates leading back into the Secret Waterway, Vasch was curious about Rocker. Hearing that the red panda was the woman's 'Guardian', taking her to other worlds based on her hearts desires—the ex-Master felt a pang of nostalgia as he looked down at the sleeping Machiko in his arms.
"Hm...so, you're kind of like a Chirithy, huh?" For once, the wavy haired man chuckled. Reminded of such sad thoughts, he quickly clammed up, hopping through the Waterway until he stood in the Alleyway behind the Hotel in the Second District. "Wasn't it tough? She seems to have a knack for ending up in trouble..." Trying to shift the subject to focus on different thoughts, Vasch kept an eye out for potential threats as he walked through the night at a steady pace.
He was careful not to jostle Machiko too much.
"How'd you two find each other, anyway?" Maybe hearing a bit about someone else's story would help him forget some of the memories surfacing around his own.
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Post by Machiko Tetsu on Mar 16, 2023 13:36:48 GMT -5
"I'll be honest with you, for some reasons unbeknownst to me I am aware somewhat of my origins. Machiko's heart was once housed within a boy, the boy was named Mako. My body."
Rocker let that set in for a moment as they began to make their way, it seemed for once the world wanted to give the pair a break.
"When Xehanort began his plot, he housed her heart within mine. We would fight constantly for control, but there was something about her that I couldn't shake. Her life had never been her own, I saw the past years of hers which were all fraught with torturous traumas, the girl has suffered in ways you cannot imagine. So, one day as my parents and Machiko within my body went to the zoo, I took my chance to inhabit a creature that would accept me. I became the red panda and gave Machiko my body so that she could live in peace, I'd look over her as her pet. The problem was Machiko is very perceptive, she knew that the body she had was not her own and she desperately desired to be who she once was."
As they closed in on the house Rocker was silent, as if trying to gather their thoughts. Once they entered and Machiko was settled down, they spoke again.
"Through some digging we found the laboratory within Radiant Garden. We saw her body, who she really was. I could sense there was something amiss, but Machiko was far too excited and abandoned my body to enter her own once again. The issue was the Triad had been slumbering within her for the longest time, and while things began normally, each venture we had she was beset by more and more enemies. My body is still there but it is currently in stasis, I will return to it in time, but I wanted to maintain this form due to how much easier it is to get around. Xehanort is a horrible man, he knows people desire to be who they wish, to be whole, and he uses that desire as a means to further his experiments; even now that he is gone."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 16, 2023 14:40:05 GMT -5
Thankfully, it seemed the Heartless hadn’t gotten a chance to regather in the Alleyway since the last battle had taken place. “Machiko’s heart was once housed within a boy, the boy was named Mako. My body.” Vasch paused as he emerged from the Alleyway into the First District, surprised by Rocker’s explanation. So, the red panda perched on his shoulder had once been human? Not only that, but Machiko had once resided in their body before her current one? How had that been the case? “When Xehanort began his plot, he housed her heart within mine. We would fight constantly for control,”
Walking past the Item and Synthesis shop, beyond the First District’s own courtyard alight with lanterns and the warmth of lively locals and cheer, Vasch’s own heart was sinking. Xehanort… It all seemed to center around that one enemy from the past. Hearing how Rocker had relinquished their own body for Machiko’s sake, the Odd-Jobber was genuinely surprised. Just why would he go so far, for her? How far back did the two go, before the evil mastermind had been involved—for Rocker to go so far for her?
“The problem was Machiko is very perceptive, she knew that the body she had was not her own…” He imagined that would be tough on anyone: not feeling like themselves. In a sense, he could relate, though of course not fully. He hadn't felt like himself since that day, though... Contemplating the history that was being explained to him as he came upon his own home, Vasch had left the door closed but unlocked. Keeping Machiko in his arms as he used his armored foot to open the entrance, the ex-Master hoisted the slumbering woman into the messy and dimly lit home-office. Spreading the unconscious skater out on the worn-in couch, the middle aged man placed her skateboard underneath the coffee-table for safe keeping before thunking! down his Keyblade next to the front door.
“Through some digging we found the laboratory within Radiant Garden.” Closing the door, Vasch staggered through the somewhat dark home and made his way into the grossly unorganized kitchenette as he listened to Rocker’s continued explanation. Squatting down beneath the counter and rummaging through the mini-fridge, the wavy haired man pulled out a can of beer—the brand a local one signifying its source to be cheap but efficient. “My body is still there but it is currently in stasis, I will return to it in time…” This whole thing was a lot more complex than he’d imagined…
Leaning against the counter, Vasch popped! open the can tab before gulping down the frothy cold liquid. Sighing in relief as Rocker finished their telling of information, the ex-Master couldn’t help but agree on one thing: this ‘Xehanort’ did indeed sound like a horrible man. Thankfully that bastard’s gone, by the sounds of it… It did little to take the weight off of his mind, though. Taking another deep gulp from the can, the armored man rummaged through his pockets for the beat-up pack he kept inside his haori.
”So—you two’ve had it rough since day one, by the sounds of it.” Why couldn’t the good guys ever catch a break? Did Fate really always have to be such a cruel adversary? Resting the can down on the counter, Vasch pulled out a vice from his pack and lit it using the old rusted lighter he’d acquired from Cid, ages back. Inhaling deeply, the middle aged man stared up at the dark ceiling for a moment. People shouldn’t go around messing with other people’s hearts… This was just another good example of the ‘why’ in all that. He reached for the beer once more, taking another deep chug.
Pausing for a moment, Vasch raised an eyebrow before turning to look at Rocker with a curious expression. ”Wait…how come that animal body’s easier to move around in? You telling me you couldn’t go to different worlds before you did all of that?” Now that he thought about it…he was kind of curious as to how Machiko and Rocker had gotten to Traverse Town and other worlds, to begin with. He traveled to other worlds using the Keyblade and the Lanes Between. Others, like Leon and his crew, relied on Gummi Ships—some, like Merlin, had the luxury of magic.
Was there something else about this red panda that he wasn’t privy to?
He still had to go collect his fee from the triplets…but they finally had a moment of down time. The older man wanted to use the precious few seconds to drink and smoke in peace—feeling like he hadn’t gotten a chance to relax all day. It wouldn’t hurt to learn more about his latest ‘employee’ and their comrade. He hadn’t expected Rocker to be a human before, either, let alone for the two to have shared a body in the past. Guess I got a little too used to talking animals, before…
Just what the hell was his life becoming?
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Post by Machiko Tetsu on Mar 16, 2023 15:17:35 GMT -5
"Perceptive as always, Vasch. Indeed if this were any other animal, I'd not be able to do as you speak of. However."
Rocker stood up on his hind legs, showing a symbol of a heart flanked by the wings once more, the Dreameater insignia.
"Keyblade wielders who wished to linger the world and not pass on are known as 'Dreameaters'. This will usually give oneself entirely to become one. However, while I had accepted what I would become, some form of voice intervened, it was serene and I still do not know who it was to this day. However, the panda and I connected and accepted their role as a vessel for a dreameater. Normally dreameaters cannot manifest past slumbering worlds, this loophole allows me just that and as such I maintain the abilities most dreameaters might possess."
The panda settled down onto the table, looking to the beer then back up to Vasch.
"Do you have any milk I can drink? Water is fine too."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 16, 2023 17:29:42 GMT -5
Seeing the Dream Eater insignia on Rocker, Vasch blinked in mild recognition. How had he not seen that before?! Though not an expert in the matter, the ex-Master was familiar with denizens normally residing in the Sleeping Worlds. There hadn't been much knowledge or focus around them, during his own time as a Master—but after his time as a Merc and the recovering state he'd discovered Traverse Town in a few years ago...
So...the pact provided a loophole, huh? It was interesting, but also concerning...just who else could utilize these types of gaps in the Realms? If others like this 'Xehanort' were out there causing mischief... Vasch shook the thought away, finishing the contents in the can. That was a problem for other people, like the Masters. He was just an Odd-Jobber, now.
"Do you have any milk I can drink? Water is fine too." Rocker helped pull him from his thinking as he tossed his vice into the empty can he held. Crouching down and digging his way back into the mini-fridge, the armored man grumbled a bit as he noticed its lack of contents.
"Er...Urgh!" Nope. That was definitely expired. Pulling out the first clean bowl he could find, Vasch filled it with water from the sink, shoving a clear spot on the counter to place it. "I have to grab my pay from the triplets anyway...I'll stop at the store on my way back. Watch over the place while I'm out."
It would be good to run what errands he could before Yen Sid arrived, anyway...
((OOC: P.S Vasch won't actually do a whole shopping spree post lol I'll just be skipping that))
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Post by Machiko Tetsu on Mar 17, 2023 13:33:46 GMT -5
Rocker sat idly on the table, glancing over to Machiko every so often with a heavy sigh. If there was only something he could do to make things better. Although he jumped as soon as Merlin appeared within the room, glancing about and nearly stumbling over the mess. Huffing, he lifted his wand as the room began to organize itself in a way he saw as organized, that being the traditional sense which would probably have meant Vasch would have no idea where anything was. Taking out a crystal orb he'd place it down onto the nearby table, tapping at it and waving about. Soon enough, Master Yen Sid became visible, just as Vasch had entered his home from grocery shopping.
"Vasch. Ready yourself, I've a great deal I must disclose with you and little time to waste. You will listen, if for only Machiko's sake and the potential catastrophe that could follow in the wake of such a passing."
Rocker moved to the table once again, sitting on it to stare at the crystal ball. All the while Merlin conjured tea and a cup to settle into one for himself and the other two, sipping silently.
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 17, 2023 18:46:41 GMT -5
Vasch grimaced as he walked through the First District, his mind heavy with everything that had happened. Carrying a small brown paper bag filled with an assortment of random items from the small mart near the Inn, the ex-Master had only barely found relief in the payment the triplets had made. At least their squawking was distracting... The three young ducks who ran the Item Shop in town were lively, that was for sure.
Thinking about what was still left to do, the armored man finally made it back to his small bungalow. "I'm ba—" Vasch was surprised to find his home/office in an unrecognizable state. Everything was so...tidy! Merlin stood inside, a crystal ball sitting on the table, already waiting for him. "Oh...you're here." His mismatched and lifeless eyes looked around the small home. "Couldn't drag the Master from his castle, huh?"
Guess the crystal ball had a point, then...
"Vasch. Ready yourself," The wizard was quick to get to business, not even giving the Odd-Jobber time to put his bag away in the tiny kitchenette. The ex-Master didn't complain. He looked at Machiko, slumbering on the couch—Vasch knew what was at stake, here...
Tossing the bag down unceremoniously onto the desk in the room opposed to the 'living space', along with his Keyblade, the man in the dark haori went and crouched next to the coffee table housing the crystal ball. "So, what? He'll appear in here, I'm assuming?" Sighing a bit, Vasch reached out a hand to tap on the artifact with mild impatience.
"Oi, Yen Sid—you're there, right? You're probably still pissed and all...but help me out, here. We've got a situation—it's a long story, but the gist of it is: I need to use the Power of Waking to release the hearts of the 'Warring Triad' from Ma—a slumbering vessel, before they disappear..."
He hoped the Master would set aside their old argument for the sake of helping an innocent in need.
Besides...would someone like Yen Sid really hold a grudge?
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Post by Machiko Tetsu on Mar 17, 2023 20:26:46 GMT -5
"Yes. Merlin appraised me when he arrived at the tower. I cannot leave due to needing to be here for whenever a student or master requires my assistance. You will need to steel yourself before you delve into Machiko, traversing three hearts is very difficult. Not to mention when you attempt to maintain your own whilst traversing each of them. In Radiant Garden they have been committing to experiments that have been giving Kairi insight into where Sora might have gone. There is a chamber there that we could put Machiko within, they also have a place where you might begin your journey into the space. However, you still must prepare your heart."
Yen Sid gestures to Merlin, who then places that selfsame book her spoke of earlier.
"To begin, you must have a point and time you connect within the sleeping world. Perhaps a memory, or perhaps another heart to anchor you home. Another, you must also make certain your bond with the keyblade is sound. In order to do that, you must also venture into your own heart; seek that darkness within yourself that is making the keyblade doubt your current state. The White Dwarf has been denying you, but perhaps once you completely reconcile it will align with you entirely. To be honest, you have a long path ahead of you. But each step must be taken and in that order. If you are prepared, take Machiko and follow Merlin back to Radiant Garden."
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Post by hoodwink on Mar 18, 2023 11:29:12 GMT -5
Sure enough, the wrinkled Master's face quickly appeared within the frame of the crystal ball. "Merlin appraised me when he arrived at the tower." Vasch felt a mixture of emotions, seeing Yen Sid again...even if only a small miniature projection. Hearing the Master mention a 'chamber' that could house Machiko safely in Radiant Garden, the Odd-Jobber's heart sank.
Seriously? He'd just gotten done chewing out Leon. There was no way he'd get a warm reception there. Why was he constantly forced to be made the butt of the joke, these days? "You must also make certain your bond with the Keyblade is sound." Yen Sid knew about the state Vasch and the White Dwarf were in...hell, that had been what had brought the ex-Master to that bizarre castle to start with!
His mismatched eyes fell on the rusted weapon in question, leaning against the magically tidied desk across the room. Repairing the bond...it was something Vasch had already failed at before. What would make now any different? "To be honest, you have a long path ahead of you. But each step must be taken and in that order." Sighing, the ex-Master pushed up from his crouching position. Walking over to the resting Keyblade, he'd grab it and raise it up for a moment, looking at all of the rust, dents and markings that marred the surface.
At least it was here, now.
"What other choice do we have?" He didn't have time to think about his mistakes, or regrets. Fourteen days. Less, considering how time seemed to be fickle between the Realms. For the first time in years, Vasch was feeling...pressure. "I was hoping to handle this here, but...I'll walk over burned bridges, if I have to." Scratching at the back of his head, the armored man was glad he had very little pride left. He'd need to be swallowing it all, to tackle what was coming. "Thanks, Yen Sid." Even if it wasn't perfect...the old Master hadn't owed him anything. Vasch appreciated his aid in the chaos...well, truthfully he'd relied on it. Taken advantage of it, even.
"We can't just leave Traverse Town unprotected, either. After taking us there, can you watch over this world for a while Merlin?" There were still others guarding this world, fighting back the threat of the shadows that lurked...but his talk with Leon had made him paranoid. Vasch trusted Merlin, seeing the wizards power first hand over his short but important time rebuilding a life in Traverse Town.
Once that was settled, the ex-Master would manage a simple but efficient sign for his front door. "This is a job, you know." He looked at Rocker as he spoke, placing it on the front door before closing the entrance without giving it any ceremony or final look. "Machiko's putting me through hell! Once I fix her up, she's working off this debt if she doesn't have the Munny, you got that?" Vasch's barking tone barely disguised the sentiment in his heart.
He wasn't going to let his past get in the way this time. Not when someone in front of him was in need. That was what he promised himself when he opened his Odd-Job shop in Traverse Town, after all. Don't worry, Machiko...you won't become another regret. He knew it was a confidence he hadn't earned or deserved, but Vasch let his heart focus on the task at hand as he went with Merlin and Rocker, taking Machiko to another world he had some history with...Radiant Garden.
A sign on the small Odd-Jobs building front door would read: "Out on a Job. Leave requests with Merlin. -Vasch."
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Post by Machiko Tetsu on Mar 18, 2023 11:48:40 GMT -5
"Of course lad, as you might recall I consider Traverse Town a home of my own! I will make certain there won't be any heartless running amuck. Well, in any large capacity."
Beginning to wave his wand as he began to conjure a portal, which would take a moment so Rocker and Vasch could speak. Rocker stared at Vasch as he spoke of recompense, although he could see the ex-master's eyes wandering and shifting. Vasch could swear that Rocker was smiling somehow, speaking softly within his mind.
"She is good to her word, she'll do her job and then some. But first we need to make sure she's here to do her job, no?"
The portal was opened after a short while, Merlin gestured over the two to enter the portal. Machiko would be floated through and settled within Vasch's arms to carry via Merlin's magic. The portal closed behind them, the store silent. Until they might return again.
[CLOSED]
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