Kingdom Hearts : Heartfelt Adventure {Day 8 ; Invite Only}

[Kaegoe]

[Dusk : Dark Margin : Dark Beach]

"Freedom my a$$...." Dusk hissed hearing the conversations that were going on behind her. The male who removed some sort of circlet from his head joined sides with the man in the suit like a little puppy crawling to it's master. While this girl was holding a conversation with him. While she didn't seem to know herself.

Dusk turned to look at the group that lined up around the area. A few others were also there, without those strange circlets, but there were several others who still had them.

"So let me get something straight. We are free. Why should we follow you? Not as if you have anything you can offer us that we can't get ourselves." the dancer said in a cold voice to Ajora.  

[fractalJester]

[ Ajora ; Celia ; Lettie ; Zexion ; Bal-Hur : Dark Margin : Dark Beach ]

"Well, besides safety in numbers and the increased likelihood of success and reward, there is no reason," Ajora said, turning his head to glance at Dusk, an amused glance on his face. "You'll find I never once said you should follow me, only that it was an option."

"It really depends on what your own plans are," he said, and once more turned to Amy, or rather, the Replica With No Name. "If at any point you plan to cross the 'good guys'-" he said, using air quotes. "Then being alone would be nothing short of suicide. We're powerful, not omnipotent. That's why the others and I are allies- also because I have connections with those even stronger than myself."

"However, I do understand the importance of freedom, which is the very reason I'm freeing you all. I could have had the lot of you as slaves and you'd be no more than playthings," he said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly with a small chuckle. "And yet, here I am and, more importantly, here you are. I expect no repayment, either- if you want to leave, then you're free to do so. The choice is yours."  

[Kaegoe]

[Dusk : Dark Margin : Dark Beach]

"I don't need you or your connections," she said, "Nor do I have any wish to show you any repayment for the crap you've done. I am not going to throw myself into your shadow, and allow you or anyone to take away from my freedom. I take orders from no one."

With those words, Dusk opened a dark portal and disappeared.  

[fractalJester]

[ Ajora ; Celia ; Lettie ; Zexion ; Bal-Hur : Dark Margin : Dark Beach ]

Ajora sighed, though it sounded more relieved than frustrated- he even let his shoulders sag, as if releasing tension. "Oh thank God, I don't think I could have stood another few minutes of her pissiness. Did you know she threw a shoe at me? And a fan? I swear, that girl? She's got issues."  

[AldrickZearse]

[Bal-Hur: Dark Margin: Dark Beach]

The gargoyle in human form blinked as he silently watched all the replicas take off the crowns, and watching Ajora carefully. This was...interesting. Was Ajora so confident in his new power that he was doing this? Or...hrm...those crowns would be interesting.

Striding over to Celia, Bal-Hur held out his hand with a grunt towards the slave crowns. He seemed to want at least one for himself.

[Joe: Hawaii: Mothership Mess Hall]

The fighter blinked at Kyle and Mathy. Well, apparently they knew each other. Interesting. Though when Mathy asked in his speedy manner if anyone else he knew was around, the male frowned. As far as he knew, these people were the only survivors. Sure, there might be more out there, but how would he know for sure?

He grew quiet, just watching and listening once more....

[Lexaeus]

And then, there was a giant sitting across from Axel, eating his pasta but staring into the Flurry's eyes with the stony intensity of the very Earth itself.  

[RhikoDemson]

[[Louis : Hawaii : Village -> Mothership Mess Hall]]

The arcanist's gaze rested on the girl, "Good to hear you're alright," his words seemed sincere, but to the keen listener, his voice was empty, no actual concern. Next without much thought on the matter, he nodded at her suggestion to wash off the blood they'd collectively shed throughout the battle, "Mmm, you're probably right... might help to get rid of this blood... well... at least what bit will come off."

Louis tried to stand, bracing himself on the slab of cement wall behind him as his lightheadedness was finally subsiding, "Come on. We don't want to keep the others waiting too long."

((Skipping to cover the rest in an ATE))

-------------------------------------------------------

The arcanist joined those in the mess hall shortly after everyone else had arrived. His appearance hadn't much improved from earlier minus a pair of clean hands and wet bangs over his face. Aside from those things, the rest of him, quite bluntly looked like hell. His clothes were slowly but surely beginning to look completely ruined. Without magically repairing clothing like the earthlings, his retained the scars that were luckilly healed the magical means, telling the unforgotten tales of each previous encounter.

His right sleeve, stained and pasted against his arm could not be cleaned by water alone attested to the wound that once covered Sarike's back. A hole in his jacket and undershirt also stained the same color with a clear view to his chest beneath spoke of the arrow that pierced his chest not long too long ago. Then his pants, with its edges tattered and tears running horizontally over his knees, thighs, and calves, recited his battle against the avatar of Chaos.

Wordlessly, Louis took a seat among them and listened to the conversations taking place, though he couldn't really concentrate on any given one of them with much interest, after all, he was coming in on the tail end of most.  

[Enji_Chou]

[Kyla: Mothership: Mess Hall:]

It was simple things like eating this delicious food which reminded Kyla that she indeed human, not just some chosen heroin in a story, just some new character in a game that apparently was more real then she could ever fathom before. Like everyone else in this room- nobodies included, she was a living being that needed time to rest, and gather nourishment. It just so happened she has the weight of her world on her shoulder too... and even that would have to wait till her body was able to keep up again.
It seemed almost unreal to transition from flying around in a mecha, blowing up enemies in the sky, nearly getting killed by- by her, and now here she was sitting down to a home cooked meal.
And apparently with a friend.
“Jenny-” she looked into the serene face of Sirens partner as she sat down beside her.
“- Of course. It feels like we’ve not seen each other in years, I’d like to catch up- even though I think this is the first time you and I have ever spoken like this.”
It was around that time that Louis came in.. looking like.. like he’s clothes had been run througha blender, pulled out and put right back on him!
“One sec-“ she excused and spoke up across the room towards him.
“Anou-... Louis?” she hoped he could hear her, she waited till their eyes met before continuing “-After dinner, if you won’t mind I can take a look at your clothes and fix them up if you’d let me.”
With that said she turned back to her conversation with Jenny once the boy responded.
 

[Enji_Chou]

[Axel: Mess Hall: Mother Ship]

Talk about an ear full to match a mouthful. He didn’t know what to make of it. This sort of call required something like instinct, or a gut feeling, both of which he lacked. It sucked. In all honestly he didn’t know what to think either.

This wasn’t the first time an answer was waved in front of his face like that. No doubt it came with a catch- obviously the girl wanted his and Demyx’s complete allegiance in return for helping them. Then again what of real value came without a price right?

It wasn’t an unreasonable price, but in a way ti seemed beyond his grasp. What these kids wanted was loyalty, such a thing required a true grip on the value of loyalty, a sentimental recognition that meant something person to the one being loyal. Ina way, he could never – ever- be truly loyal to anyone.
Could he?

‘ Am I just making excuses? Is it because I really don’t want my Heart back Hard enough?’

One could argue he was too used to his new life, his powers. If he became human, wouldn’t that mean he’d be just a normal human again? Would he even remember what happened after all these years?

Memories. Now there was a clue for him. Once upon a time there a boy, who bore so much value on the idea of memories. No matter what he wanted to be remember, by name, by face…

‘ He became obsessed with being remembered.’

..by actions?

What a legacy he made for himself now.
Axel seemed so immerced in his musing, it took the “-stony intensity of the very Earth itself.-“ to wake him back up to the world around him.
The Flurry would then sit there with his mouth full of food, looking back at the ‘Silent Hero’ with a kinda ‘What?’ look on his face.
 

[LavenderSakura]

[Jenny :: Mothership :: Mess Hall]

"Thank you, and I know, I feel really bad about it, goodness knows I meant to talk to you days before this," Jenny blushed and smiled sheepishly as she took a seat beside the pictomancer. It was embarrassing, before Kyla left for the Queen's Quest Jenny had never gotten a chance to sit down and just talk with her. She knew she wanted to, she was interested in not only her art but her way with words. If she could, she wouldn't have minded just sipping at tea and having a sketchbook party- just like the ones she used to have with her friends back home. The mage smiled ruefully; how carefree she had been, to doodle to her heart's content like that. Maybe, if there was more time, she could propose the idea to Kyla to just draw together. Take their mind off of the heavier events that had unfolded around them.

As if acting of its will, Jenny's hand reached in her pocket and took hold of the folded piece of paper. Kyla's art, her parting gift to her. Suppressing the nostalgia, Jenny turned to Louis as Kyla spoke and frowned sadly. The outfit he had put together before they left the train was in tatters. The shreds of purple and black almost unrecognizable. Perhaps, if she were to rewind time- then Kyla offered to mend them. With her talented skills, Jenny had no doubt she'd be able to fix them up to tip-top shape; it was just a shame that Louis didn't have a dress sphere. Surely there were more brutal battles to come. Maybe there was a charm for such things, Jenny thought absentmindedly as she scooped a forkful of pasta into her mouth.  

[LavenderSakura]

[Alice :: Dark Margin :: Dark Beach]

A dark portal opened a little ways away from the shoreline, and Alice stepped out just enough to witness Dusk's outburst and exit. Rage-quitting already? The animator suppressed a laugh at the situation, how embarrassing it was, to lose one's cool like. To twist the face with emotion was to give in and allow everyone else to see what was on your mind. Alice gained the knowledge firsthand from the Earthlings. It showed that you were weak. Alice knew, that Dawn's replica would not last long with that attitude.

She wiggled her toes in the sand, feeling the grainy particles melt in contact with her skin. New replicas were useless, but Ajora seemed bent on their existence. Auburn eyes scanned over the shoreline and they narrowed at the number of bodies. They were missing some, especially if their copied all of the Earthlings that had joined after Halloween Town; surely Dusk wasn't the only one to leave. Maybe the others had just as horrible a temper as the not-so-graceful dancer.

"A dancer that can't keep her composure, pity~"  

[fractalJester]

[ Kyle : Hawaii : Mothership -> Mess Hall ]

"OhGodpleaselemmeliveI'msorry," Kyle said, being immediately crushed by Matthew's bear-like vice. He did, however, put his own arms around the man; Matthew was probably one of the few people on the team actually taller than him. "You'remuchbiggerthanmeIthinkIjustlostarib."  

[AldrickZearse]

[Lexaeus: Hawaii: Mothership Mess Hall]

The Silent Hero kept glaring at Axel, before stabbing his piece of lasagna quite forcefully. Slowly he raised it to his mouth, and chomped down on it, before chewing it every slowly. Almost...threateningly.

He never broke eye contact with Axel.  

[Enji_Chou]

[Axel: Mother Ship: Mess Hall]

Ok, well this was... awkward.
What was he so mad about? Sure they had a bit of a rough start together...
- they were in a completely different situation now, that's water under the bridge right?

It's not like he can actually feel bitterness about that either, so honestly he was wasting his time 'acting' like he was angry... just like Axel was wasting time 'acting' like he was confused- because he was angry.
Ok so maybe they're both acting accordingly, but in reality well..ok maybe it was more confusing then it looked.

Ok, well for the sake of those involved, the Earthling kids, the fate of the world, wasn't it they DUTY to set aside their differences- as if they had them- and work together for the greater good.
So with his mouth full of pasta Axel made the first move.

"Waasmmm-up, *gulp* Lexaeus, good food neh?"

 

[Enji_Chou]

[Kyla: Mother Ship: Mess Hall]

While she waited for Louis's response, Kyla marveled how reassuring it was knowing she wasn't the only one who felt that way, but Jenny did too!
In fact now more than ever Kyla realized how important taking time to get to know everyone involved in this really was. It made sense. This whole universe ran on the value of these heartfelt relationships... to deny reaching out between those around you seemed useless.

"To think.. I never would have tried this before. Not until that day when we were all on the train."
It was Joe. He snapped her out of it. Made her realize in the end she was only hurting herself and others by being so negligent.

 

[Psalm Grasshopper]

[ ??? : Dark Margin : Dark Beach ]

It was true, she realized, listening to Ajora–she was powerful. It was a new feeling. She felt powerful both magically, and physically. Like she could punch a guy and it would actually hurt.

... It was a good feeling.

And then she laughed. "A shoe? What did she hope to accomplish with that?" It was a pretty ridiculous thought. I'm mad, eat my boot to the head!

Now, what should she do with her... freedom?