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 Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 4:56 pm
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{ ATE : Defining Justice : 1 }
{ Kyle : Beach Heartscape }
{ Cue : Beach Ambience }
The flash of light, after everything he'd already been through, was par for the course--it hardly fazed him. What did momentarily faze him was the sudden feeling of being barefoot, toes in the sand and being lapped by waves, a sea breeze running through his hair.
He inhaled the smell of salt water and listened to the rhythmic crashing of waves before bothering to open his eyes. He recognized this strip of beach far too well, and so he knew immediately that he was in a space of his own heart.
He'd been here sometimes in hazy dreams over the past week. It had been more turbulent, dangerous clouds on the horizon, a panic seizing his chest as he looked for the missing. Now, though, it was peaceful. A full moon in the sky, stars twinkling vibrantly, and in the distance... laughter. His family.
He almost collapsed right there, but he also knew he wasn't alone. And that's when everything clicked.
"So," he started, voice calm and inviting, never taking his eyes off the horizon. "Is this Louis proper, Louis fractured, or one of his shards?" |
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 9:55 pm
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[ATE : Farewell My Friend : 2]
[Louis : Dawn's Heart : Station of Awakening]
"Ehhh?" the boy took a few steps forward tentatively, hands held half way out trying to console the dancer, but... unsure what was best, so never actually touching the shoulders of the girl in front of him on the verge of tears. Instead, he spoke softly with reassuring tones, "No, no no no.Don't be. You did the best you could and that's far more than enough. Don't be sorry."
"Jeez," he chuckled, trying to lighten the air a bit, "Come on, have a seat over by the edge with me. I have some stuff to get off my chest and it's better than standing around awkwardly like this." With that he turned, waiting for Dawn to follow. |
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 10:06 pm
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{ ATE : Defining Justice : 2 }
{ Louis : Beach Heartscape }
"That's quite an odd way to put it. Accurate, but odd. Fitting for you," Louis replied, never moving, so no sounds of footsteps brushing cross the sand disturbed the eb and flow of waves across the ears, "Fractured, chipped... but healing."
"I can feel it- burning in my chest. Stabbing, aching pain like a knife gently pulling free. It hurts so much I'm afraid if it gets worse I'll die. Yet, I haven't felt this alive in so long," his voice trembled, unclear if this was from the pain or something else, "I haven't felt anything in so long." |
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 10:36 pm
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 11:00 pm
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[ATE : Farewell My Friend : 4]
[Louis : Dawn's Heart : Station of Awakening]
Louis sat down on the edge next to Dawn, legs hanging off as he leaned on his knees, staring off in the same endless direction as her. There was a long pause before he began, "I owe you an apology- actually, I owe you a lot of apologies."
He took a deep breath, "As I'm sure you're well aware of by now, I lied. I lied about a lot... the worst of which started right here."
"When you were tortured by Ajora and I saved you... it wasn't sincere," Louis lowered his gaze as one hand rubbed the back of his head, "When I decided to help you, I made it seem like I was doing it out of some benevolent sense of good will... but in truth, it was far from it."
"I'm not a good person. When I helped you, I did so for selfish reasons. You were a means to an end. I thought helping you would earn me the trust of the others. I lied when I said I'd managed to purge Ajora from your body without repercussions but all I did was take his brand onto myself. I smiled to myself at the time, smiled as I lied to your face when I said he was gone... as I proceeded to make alliances to work against you."
"I had the power at the time, I could have obliterated the seal without much difficulty if I'd not been suppressing my magic to hide Mateus' presence. Fooled myself into thinking it was all to get closer... so you would trust me. When in actuality I was only working to further Seymour's goals... following orders without a single care for your well being."
"Every movement, every smile, every step in my dance... never once did I consider the many dance partners I was accumulating who's hearts I might crush beneath my heel."
"And so, here we are, back at the edge of your heart where my lies to you began in earnest," Louis stated, warm droplets falling onto the hand that roughly gripped the fabric of his pant leg, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Do you get it now? You shouldn't apologize. Not you, not after everything I did. You didn't do anything wrong." |
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 11:19 pm
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{ ATE : Defining Justice : 4 }
{ Louis : Beach Heartscape }
"I..." he paused, he tried to remember, but unlike whenever he'd tried before, something, glimmered and rose to the surface of history's deep, black waters, "I remember the attack... it's fuzzy... but I see, my mom. Falling. She was gone. In a blink of an eye she was swallowed up. My dad, his back facing my mother and I as he stood against the flood... even as I tried to tell him mundane weapons would do nothing but stall them a few seconds at best. Then... fleeing. Out the door, through the streets. Calling. Friends, family, loved ones. My phone, worthless."
He paused a bit again and continued, "It's all jumbled, but the pieces are coming together. I see them. Their eyes. Man, beast, heartless? So many, out for themselves. Chaos. People attacking others, heartless swarming, moving like starling murmurations through the skies, descending on groups standing together in defiance. I remember... feeling fear... anger... sadness. I wanted to make things right. I hated being powerless. I couldn't stop people from taking advantage of the chaos. I couldn't stop the heartless causing it. I couldn't save the innocent or kind. The children undeserving of this cruelty. It wasn't fair."
He stopped short, his breath halting for a moment as though seeing something terrifying, "And then it was my turn... and everything went dark." |
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 11:34 pm
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 11:49 pm
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{ ATE : Defining Justice : 7 }
{ Kyle : Beach Heartscape }
{ Cue : Beach Ambience }
Kyle mentally reeled, his head recoiling slightly as he turned to look back at the waves cresting in the moonlight, though his eyes continued to bounce around slightly as if trying to find the answer in front of him.
"I remember... feeling fear... anger... sadness."
"I hated feeling powerless."
"I couldn't—"
"I couldn't—"
"I couldn't—"
"It wasn't fair."
"I fell to my station but... it fell apart—"
He lost hope.
Kyle inhaled sharply, his gaze rising now to the horizon. Was that possible? Was that a thing that could happen? Were these corrupted memories, or actual memories? He said they were coming back, as if they'd been absent before, so...
"... huh."
His stance softened—not quite to a slump, but certainly not quite so upright.
Even on Earth, he had no chance.
How many others...?
He paused again, chewing his lip. They'd all be chosen. But Louis lost his hope before he could even answer the call.
What do you say to that?
"Well, that's all past now," he said, nodding in reassurance, though if asked he couldn't tell you who he was trying to reassure. "Your heart was plagued, but we purged it. I don't know what happens now, but no matter what the future holds, you can walk into it freely. Your life can... your story is back in your hands." |
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Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 12:20 am
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{ ATE : Defining Justice : 8 }
{ Louis : Beach Heartscape }
In the midst of the crushing reality that his world had collapsed around him and he'd lost everyone, Louis heard those shining words and he smiled, "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Kyle."
"At least if I go out... with this feeling blooming in my chest, I go out on my terms," Louis laughed, "You know, when I first met you I had this delusion that I could somehow find a friend in you. That if anyone could understand me, it'd be you. Host of Ultima, scion of darkness, surely he knows what I'm going through. But now, not as a host, an avatar, or through a delusion constructed in my head... I feel you and I really could be friends. You and I, demi-gods and dealt hands of fate be damned, just normal guys. If we ever meet again, in this life or the next, I hope I can be a good friend to you." |
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Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 12:21 am
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phoenixianCrystallist Crew
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Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 12:06 pm
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{ATE: ’Til We Meet Again .:. 1}
{Bobbi .:. Station of Awakening}
It was starting to become a familiar place, the Station within her heart. The golds, the violets, the jewel-bright tones. The echo of her boot heels clacking against the stained glass tiles. She was starting to lose track of how often she dove into her own heart. Once at the start of this adventurous mess, once to talk to Louis, once to fight him, once again to fight the darkness, and now… to talk to Louis. To say goodbye, but hopefully not farewell.
She could see him standing there, where the rose throne had once stood. Wearing decidedly normal clothing, which was becoming a little jarring in this world of Testuya Nomura character designs. Not enough belts, not enough zippers. Perhaps his attire was a little more formal than Bobbi and her jeans-and-a-tee-shirt aesthetic, but at least it wasn’t the armor he’d worn when possessed by Mateus, or the belly-dancer attire, or any of the other weird clothing he’d worn for the last few days. Just the vest, the slacks, the fancy button-down shirt. Brown hair, brown eyes, everything about him so absolutely normal.
"Innocence? Or… Louis?" she asked, mostly trying to decipher if the person before her was whole or not. Her head tilted to the right, an old habit denoting curiosity, as her thumbs hooked through her belts in lieu of pockets. She’d have to have a word with her dressphere about that. |
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Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 1:32 pm
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{ ATE: Heartfelt Memento: Part1}
~ Kyla: Balcony Heart Scape~Cue: Hold the Moment tightly - aka pF- AdLib II
The place felt familiar ….it was a ¾ circular veranda of the castle looking over the lake. It was thawed, and with the night sky above it reflected the countless stars. The structure itself was glistening form the melting ice, cobble stone glossy and glinting. She caught a large piano out of the corner of her eye as she stepped into the cool night air. The moon was so bright, it felt good- seeing them again, the stars…
Beside the piano she caught a familiar figure, lacking all bestial features and was simply a man now, brown short hair, matching brown eyes that she could see as the artist crossed form behind him to lean over the same railing he was.
He wore some kind of semi-formal attire- was he dressed form giving some kind of musical performance? Now that she thought about it, music played a great deal in their battle- and despite its various levels of indescribable torture-… a part of her couldn’t deny the songs beauty, even in its dire themes.
They would stand like that for a time, there was a breeze somehow, it blew against her skin and only then she realized her attire had toned down to its more relaxed state. Her sandaled feet shifted, and she leans forward, dipping her chin onto the top of the sketchbook she still had- no longer a weapon, but rather just as an item... a security blanket, a thing to anchor herself.
Her gaze drifted back to him, making the connection between himself now- and the difference of what he looked like then.
“…you’re not just Esteem this time…
…you’re not Ava Mat either…”
She tried to hold onto this semi-formal stillness. But perhaps buy time wasn’t right.
We cannot stay this way forever.
“I’m sorry. I’m here now. I couldn’t I- I mean…” she fumbled for the words, “- I m-mean.. w-…”
Damnit she Hated not being able to convey her words and feeling properly. That’s why she drew things, they conveyed her emotions far better than words.
“…was I… were we always too late?”
It wasn’t fair… there was so much she wanted to say. So much she wanted to do. After everything they went through, wouldn’t have been easier to hate and be angry- but alas…it just wasn’t IN her. All she could be was sad. And that sadness grew, as the endless frozen moment continued between them. He was there- she was there. They’d come just as they hoped to and suffered countless unspeakable horrors and even death…
What happens now? What happens to him? Her? All of them?? Thinking back to all those memories, seeing his story unfold- would it have been different if he had not been cast across the world, away from the rest of them? Why only him? Something about his origin struck a nerve- something was familiar about it, about the emotion behind it… and just before she could find the connection, the memory, the remnant cut short, distorted and was lost. Her mind couldn’t go there.
“…was I wrong?” what did she mean by that? Even she wasn’t sure. Was she asking if she was wrong to hope? To try? To be his friend? To want to try and save him? To not want to kill him? Did she kill him? Was he already dead before they even got there? Or does… obliterating the semblance of life he had still count as her first friendly kill. Something she never- ever wanted to do. But War was like that. It would make you do things, force you into impossible situations and start a check list of a completly different catagory…
How many more loved ones would she have to kill?
Who was next?
Her friend.
He was her friend right? Nowing knowing how he had reached out to others, seperating peices of himself inot them- had her attempt at helping him, just a ploy? Ava Mat used her naiveity and idealism to try and save others to corrupt her.
Kyla couldn't be sure in her own ideals anymore. Was it wrong to want to protect others, to save them if you had the power to do so? Or was it kill or be killed? How far was too far for people you care about? Or do you let them drown under the weight of their mistakes? All Kyla could think or feel was- if she had been in that much pain...
- no.. she was...Something happened way back there- and she couldn't - cm..ma- t- he - connect
' - thi- aewlignesr isn't... how Akiweff...emflirnegliesrv,....I CAN"t FIGHT YOU!!!!-..sringbv drg sb shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
..shhhhh
..and.. she didn't want to revisit this on any other person. Seeing other people suffer... it hurt. It hurt. It hurt so much. She wanted the pain to stop. If they hurt, she hurt. then was relieving that just a selfish desire of self preservation-ugggggggggggh!!-"uuuuuugh..."
Her frustration turned from mental to verbal as she released her book and grabbed her head with her hands, clenching the hair tightly, bowing over till her head touched the railing. It was so embarassing losing her composure infront of another person too. Her heart felt so tire,d so heavy, so worn and splintered- and aching and it was the LAST thing she wanted to do- lose her composure infront of her frined who..was...
..probably going somewhere she couldn't follow.
"..I'm sorry." she repeated.
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Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 2:11 pm
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{ ATE : Defining Justice : 9 }
{ Kyle : Beach Heartscape }
{ Cue : Beach Ambience }
"In another time..."
Kyle squeezed his hand, his thoughts racing—
Kyle, no.
Why not? If Xehanort can try to rig the game—
You would play god?
Kyle paused. This isn't a finished conversation.
He sighed. "Who's to say for sure? This world's wonky as hell," Kyle said, shrugging; he stated it nonchalantly, but he was more than aware it came off as blindly optimistic. "I don't know what your story holds. I don't know how magic works, or any of this destiny stuff plays out. But I know that Cory somehow came back from the quasi-dead. I know there are literal entities of darkness and now light that exist in this strange universe, literally fighting over the worlds and us. I know we were all chosen, somehow, and it must have been by the light, because even Sora and Riku were warped out at the end..."
He turned back to him. "And I know you were chosen, too. If you hit that dive at all on Earth, then your heart was touched in one way or another, and it was absolutely not by Darkness—not if it wants to erase us," he said, sounding more frustrated now than anything. "There are gods, or godlings, or super powers, and there are literal gods like Calypso, and Hades, and Zeus, and the Fates, and if there is fate, and we are chosen, then I simply cannot believe this is the absolute end of your story."
"It doesn't make sense. This world isn't like Earth. It wouldn't...," he started, though he lost his steam halfway through, chewing his lip, looking down at the sand. "I don't know. I can't know. Maybe I'm wrong and there's something greater than all of this that likes to randomly ******** up the story for no other reason than to make reality have as little sense as possible. But I don't, can't, refuse to believe you're done. Maybe you're being taken from the board for awhile, maybe you're moving on to some different level of the war, but your role was not to fail and fail and fail and die. It doesn't fit."
He paused then, thinking about the end of the battle. How, perhaps, had Louis not failed and failed and failed, they may never have been able to strip the Darkness of all those hearts.
No. We'd have found a way.
He looked back up at Louis, his eyes strained. "It doesn't fit." |
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