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

[UrabaiN]

[ Daniel ~ Shipwreck Cove ~ Top Floor, Red Rose Entry Ramp ]

Joe was either playing dumb or truly didn't understand how it happened. In this case it was just a little too perfect to be a fluke. One thing was for sure, he wasn't lying about being the all brawn and no tactics guy. Daniel worried for their future, again, and the frown on his face did little to mask that.

Before continuing anymore discussion he turned to Tseng, "We may want to call in our coordinates to HQ, no telling how long an EVAC will take before it arrives--" Daniel glanced back to Joe, grinning slightly, " Not everyone has access to teleportation"

The Turk thought carefully for a moment before locking eyes with the Earthling's new leader. His priorities were with ShinRa for sure, but with an enemy like 'Darkness' itself?

"Where did you live? Before the Earth was destroyed.."  

[AldrickZearse]

[Joe: Shipwreck Cove: Red Rose Entry Ramp]

Joe frowned at Daniel's frown. The hell was that guy frowning about? Was there something wrong with being a brawler that he didn't know about? Joe didn't even want to guess what the problem was, here. He was too tired.

"Yeah, well, teleporting isn't exactly normal for a lot of us." He kind of looked off into the distance at the question about where he lived. "As for that...does it matter?" He...kind of didn't want to think about it. What was left behind...ripped from him.... "I'm here, now. S'all that matters."  

[Jeimuzu Kuro]

{James : Red Rose : Galley}

James looked over at Bobbi briefly, he hadn't exactly been anticipating that she would try and join in on the conversation, he had to wonder what her thoughts were on darkness as well. When Noelle began speaking again though, he returned his focus to her. He listened intently as she shared her opinion with him regarding the darkness. He agreed with her entirely, all of her points made sense to the corsair and he felt the same way. The fact that Riku had checked to make sure her heart was in the right place before he began teaching her was also reassuring, surely Riku would do the same for him if he did ask for his help. The keyblade wielder would know if learning to control the darkness was really the best course.

"Yeah, I agree with you on all counts there. We definitely have to be careful, it doesn't matter how experienced we may become with it. The Darkness will still always be as unpredictable as it has been," the corsair stated before giving Noelle a small smile. "We'll help keep an eye on each other alright? Just like we have up 'til now."  

[phoenixianCrystallist]

{Bobbi .:. Red Rose .:. Galley >> Shipwreck Cove .:. Outside Red Rose}

The foundations for BLTs and bacon burgers were all laid out, so Bobbi stood and patiently waited for the meats to finish cooking, turning them over occasionally. She frowned a little when Noelle referred to her darkness as a "stain," but since she was facing the stove they others probably didn't see it. She turned the bacon over one last time and tested the patty as James spoke.

"Kuro, you know damn good and well that if you put one toe so much as an iota out of line I will smack you six ways from Sunday," she said casually as she flipped the burger patty. "And I gotta say this, and you guys can take it or leave it as you want since I haven't been through what you have, but... Why do you treat the darkness in your hearts as something, well, bad? Everyone has that darkness, it's part of who we are. I don't think treating it like something foreign, like something wrong that needs to be controlled is the best mentality to be in. Unless the darkness you have was forced on you by something outside of yourself, why not embrace it the same way you embrace your light? You just wouldn't be you without both of them, you know?"

The patty was done, and Bobbi finished making up the burger for Joe and the BLTs as she continued to speak, and stacked a few sandwiches on three separate plates. She balanced them on her forearms as best she could, and walked by the table her friends were at. She set a plate down in front of each of them, and looked them both in the eye, managing another tired smile.

"Just food for thought," she said before heading over to Dawn with the third plate and setting it down. She then went back to the stove and counter, made up a plate of the burger for Joe, and arranged the bacon, veggies, mayo, and bread on a larger plate so she and Daniel could make their own BLTs to their taste. Bobbi was pretty sure she was the only one weird enough to put pickles and onions on a BLT, but hey, you never knew.

She gathered up the plates and made her way out of the Galley and back to the ramp, where she saw Joe and Daniel chatting. Whatever James and Noelle had to say about her little comment, well, she wasn't too worried about hearing it. She'd said it more for their benefit than her own.

"Here you go!" Bobbi sang as she handed Joe his bacon burger on a plate. "I'm proud of myself; I've never done a cheese-in burger before!"  

[Enji_Chou]

[Axel: Shipwreck Cove: Outside Red Rose]


Axel had been quietly watching the earthlings interact as things unfolded. Since Ajora expired- supposedly, again- couldn't be sure since his body was dragged off somewhere by none other than Seymour and Kuja. He wasn’t surprised, he could smell a rat a mile away and they both REEKED.
Still if they were to give him the benefit of a doubt it wasn’t like Axel had any right to judge, just as long as they stood out of his way then he didn’t really have a problem honestly. Everyone seemed sullen and just worn out in more ways than just physically and perhaps he was better off being spared that.
Still, if he was to earn their trust he had to try and at least fake some empathy. A smack on his shoulder and the red head was greeted by his old comrade again. “Yo- Demyx,” he replied, elbowing the guy gently in return, “ Didn’t see you, what rock did you crawl out from under huh?”

“As for the baby sitting- meh... could have gone better.” Axel then went into a somewhat good reiteration of the events that transpired, consisting of Atlantica, Atlantis, Ajora, Ultima Ajora, Kyle gone Paladin, BUT ugly entity incarnate, final confrontation, some…tense awkward moments, then everyone dragging their miserable butts back home, not quite sure they really won anything.

“-Everyone’s really tense,” he mused stretching his arms over his head, “- so frankly you and I are better off, as for the rest...I’m hungry. Want to grab a bite? Fighting Entity of Darkness incarnate makes one famished.”
At that moment Bobbi reappeared with food!

“Ohohoh…if I was really a b*****d I’d snatch myself one, but frankly the new leader might kill me on sight.” He smirked.

“Hey!” he called toward the archer, “ Got any more??” he layered that last part with a honeyed tone.
 

[Enji_Chou]

[Kyla: Red Rose: Kyla’s Room > Top Deck/ Front]


Terror pumped through her veins and in desperation to get some air Kyla fled her room. She didn’t wan tot go outside to the ramp, but the windows were not enough- so the artist decided on going up to the top deck.

Carefully, avoiding glances and eye contact till she found the ladder leading up, Kyla scaled the steps till she poped out the top. Instantly the cool air greeted her, and she could smell the salty air again. She breathed deeply as she rose to her feet and began walking down the side towards the front of the ship. She slipped down to the small space at the very front of the ship, where one could look out over the front nose point.

Giving the direction of the ship, it was a lovely view of the ocean. Kyla gripped the railing with sweaty palms and looked over the side; the wind blew her loosened hair around her face in a mess. The world plummeted down into the surf below and looking back up the world stretched out like a massive sheet of sea and wave detailing beneath a wide morning sky. The sun was a golden disk making the clouds turn rosy pinks and orange against grey and Kyla slipped down to her knees against the barrier, resting her forehead against the cool metal surface.

When she could finally hear her breathing slow down and her heart with it Kyla stood up and sat on the nose of the ship, sliding her seating to one side allowing her to look over at the world without any barriers in her view point. Taking her book out, she began continued to update her information- especially concerning Kai’s message.

Don’t think too hard yet-


She warned herself, less she get all panic again and just focused on what the message would mean. Kai knew about the Nameless. She had the original of the picture. What would ‘retracing’ mean to her?’ To them?
 

[Je suis a toi]

[ Noelle ~Shipwreck Cove ~ Red Rose: Galley]

Noelle furrowed her brows at Bobbi's response. She was telling them to allow something that could overtake them to go unchecked and run rampant within their hearts. To embrace the Darkness in their hearts would not be as commonplace as accepting ones flaws or faults, as Bobbi appeared to think. The blonde looked at the girl like she was crazy, watching her as she left. It was perturbing to see that she had such a misunderstanding of what Darkness could do to a person. Was she not there when Kyle embraced so much Darkness as to turn and attack her physically and verbally?

"Maybe you should talk to her about that." Noelle said, turning back to James, "It doesn't seem like she understands the situation in the slightest."  

[Enji_Chou]

[Kyla: Shipwreck Cove: Red Rose: Top Deck/Front stern]

It felt good up there with the wind around her, the more she took in the view the better she felt. Like all the things of last night and earlier this morning were just a hazy nightmare she woke up from.

~ Why are you leaving it there? you know it's there.~ Obviously Tyue was talking about the mark on her back.

Kyla didn't answer straight away, she turned back to the place in her book, near the beginning where the page was torn out. "..it's the only way I can find her."

~You should talk to Riku about it, sooner or later they're going to notice you know?~

"I can't I... I just can't right now. "

~If you don't go to him, he might come to you.~


"That's always a possibility. Maybe before, but not now. Things have changed, and I changed in everyone's eyes, he may not care anymore. Or he's figured by now I have some kind fo agenda. Riku is a kind person, he wont just leave things alone for too long if he think it would endanger people, but if he knows enough from observing me, he knows I wont let it get that far."

~ you mean Kyle right?~

"Heh, guess they are kind of a like in some ways."

~ What about Joe? Or Noelle? Or Bobbi?~

" Noelle... is a complex type of person. From what I've observed she's taken the choice to master her darkness out of necessity as well, she's the kind of person who will take this kind of thing with grave seriousness: depending on her point of view she may think I'll be too much of a danger to stick around- but that option is null and void in light of the current events so either she can keep it to herself but refuse any further cooperation, may even opt to take me out if I get too much out of hand- ..or confront me herself and force a resolution or removal. Despite any misunderstanding between us, Noelle is a good person too. She doesn't like seeing people in pain. but she's also a no-nonsense kind of person. Kinda like my mother was. Tough love.
Joe is the same. Especially now."

~ He's changed...~

"Indeed.. he's a Leader now." Kyla began jotting down more notes into the roaster of personal biography's base don observational info under the people currently in her party." With all that entails."

Sighing Kyla stretched her arms over her head. Bent her back a little and twisted in place. Man she was getting tired. It was getting harder and harder to concentrate. Kyle was right..she was running on empty now.

"... well, for now-if I'm lucky, the rest wont care much. Everyone is battle worn. Kyle's...he's wearing those bandages for a reason. You saw how he was gripping his own arms right?"
~ Yes.~


"I have an idea of what's under there...
"As for the darkness.. I'm sure Kyle will sense it eventually if he hasn't already. He'll know there is probably a reason too for my actions. Once you're touched by the darkness you never forget it I guess."

With a finger she traced the illustration, every sharp curve and bled stain. Kai did well, it was almost a perfect copy. But Kyla knew her own work.. they maybe identical in some ways, but an artist ALWAYS knew their own work.
"..she's out there. Lost in the darkness. She's in hell right now Tyue.. and I put here there."

The summon hoped up onto the railing side and sat with half of her body draped in Kyla's lap. ~ So you intended this from the bgining. You let the darkness touch you, because you needed to. You plan to go after her don't you?~

"Either I find her, or she'll find me... and kill everyone and everything that get's in her way."
 

[Jeimuzu Kuro]

{James : Red Rose : Galley}

James' attention shifted to Bobbi yet again as she called him out by his nickname Kuro, threatening, or rather promising that if he got out of line that she would be there to put him back in line, only in her own way. It was one of her usual threats/promises that often made him want to say "I would love to see you try." However, he would never actually say that out loud to her, then she continued to talk regarding the darkness, and while she was correct that it was part of everyone's heart, the darkness that they were dealing with was an entirely different manifestation. This darkness could corrupt and even destroy hearts, and she wanted them to let it unguarded? He wanted to get her attention and tell her to look in his eyes and tell him that. However, she had left after giving her two cents, getting the food she had been making and even putting a plate in front of both of them and then after looking both of them in the eyes with a smile, left. The corsair had to wonder if she had even seen the abnormal color of his eyes, or if it even registered in her tired mind if she had.

The Lunar Gunner turned his attention back to Noelle, suggesting that he talk to her about it. "It's because she hasn't experienced it for herself really, or if she has she hasn't realized it. She doesn't understand that we're not just dealing with the darkness that is everyone's hearts. For her sake, I hope that she never has to experience this situation. I'll try explaining it to her, though it's hard to say if she'll really understand it."

James took a deep breath to let out what was supposed to be long yawn, a sure sign of his fatigue. However, his breath stopped short as he felt an ache in his chest, he raised his right hand up to his chest to rest over where he could feel the raised edges of the burn scar and winced.

"My chest must still be tender from the brawl I had with Kuro Oni," he explained, sure that Noelle would wonder what had just happened as he gently rubbed at his chest trying to soothe the pain.  

[UrabaiN]

[ Daniel ~ Shipwreck Cove ~ Top Floor, Red Rose Entry Ramp ]

It seems he struck a soft spot.

"I grew up in the bible belt of America, in South Carolina. Raised by my father; a Republican with a healthy love for capitalism." Daniel shifted his weight a bit, "I have always respected the men and women who work hard for their futures."

Daniel hoped Joe would understand to some extent why he respected ShinRa, and why he was asking the question in the first place.

The Turk turned to see Bobbi approach, food in hand for Joe, and a large plate of assorted fixin's for BLTs. His stomach growled in happiness.  

[Je suis a toi]

[ Noelle ~Shipwreck Cove ~ Red Rose: Galley]

Noelle shortly glanced to Dawn, who was the only other one in the galley. She wasn't sure if the dancer had been listening it all. If she had, Noelle could only hope that she hadn't taken Bobbi's stance as well. It would do anyone well to misunderstand what they were up against. The blonde's attention was turned back to James as he complained about his chest.

"Do you need healing?" She asked, appearing concerned.  

[Kaegoe]

[Dawn : Red Rose : Galary]

Dawn listened quietly to the conversation between the others in the room. She vaguely looked at the sandwich Bobbi gave her. She though her stomach ached, she ignored it and turned back to the other two. Dawn blinked when James mentioned about his chest aching. Dawn's mind briefly flashed to when he was taken under Ajora's control.

Before the dancer knew it she was approaching them slowly. Worry on her face, "Do you mind if I look at that?" she said hoping that he didn't have what she thought.  

[Jeimuzu Kuro]

{James : Red Rose : Galley}

In the course of the conversation, James hadn't forgotten that Noelle mentioned that she had basically become a white mage now, he just hadn't considered it a possibility that perhaps she could help when he brought it up. So her response had surprised him a bit. The corsair had to think about a response for a moment, he was concerned about showing Noelle the scar that was no plain as day on his chest, but at the same time he had to see for himself if it was that, or if he was still just really sore from his battle. He looked to Dawn and nodded her head as she too showed her concern about it. He had been about to show it anyway.

"I received some healing from Beatrix as I was coming to after my battle, but it's possible it wasn't enough," he stated as he reached up to unbutton his shirt. "It had been aching before, but it didn't feel this bad. Maybe you can do something about this...," he concluded as he undid a few more buttons.

It admittedly felt a bit awkward, but it wasn't like he was going to have to remove his shirt entirely. He only undid enough to reveal the burn scar of Ultima's seal, red and raised upon his chest, his eyebrows furrowed though as he saw what was beneath the scar. A deep bruise, almost black had formed since the last time he had looked, which hadn't been all that long ago.

"I know bruises sometimes take a bit to develop, but that wasn't there before...," he stated, clearly a bit shocked and a bit worried. He had never seen a bruise that deep before, especially on his own body.  

[Kaegoe]

[Dawn : Red Rose : Gallery]

Dawn mumbled a string of curses in a soft whisper as she saw the outline of the seal as flashes of the mark that she had previously flashed in her mind, "Damn not that," Dawn said both worried and upset, "Hope Ajora is rotting in hell for this..."

The Dancer looked closer at the injury. It was defiantly like the seal she once had, but it was burned on. Though if it was anything other than what it looked, she was ill equipped to say.  

[AldrickZearse]

[Joe: Shipwreck Cove: Red Rose Entry Ramp[

Joe shifted his eyes to Bobbi as she approached, carefully tasting Daniel's answer as he took his burger. "Looks good, Bobbi." It did, even if he didn't sound that enthusiastic. Still, as glad as he was for the food, he was still thinking about the Turk's answer.

"Mm. That's nice." What else could he say? He didn't want to dwell on his own stuff, he didn't want to insult Daniel, not really. But he also didn't really want to learn personal stuff about the Turk.

If they had to fight, it was more beneficial to Joe that he was less human...wasn't it? He was tired of the 'fighting "Allies"' though. He'd rather they didn't, but ShinRa could become an enemy. And he couldn't risk weakness for the group,

He didn't mind being the bad guy, the cold one, if they could all survive and live.

The monk took a bite of the burger, a little bit of ketchup oozing out. And he moaned. "Oh, god, this is good, Bobbi. Beef and cheese and yes." And he took another huge bite.