|
|
|
|
|
|
|
phoenixianCrystallist Crew
|
 Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:46 pm
{Bobbi .:. Hawaii .:. Beach}
"He shouldn't be able to do that!" the Archer said in a slightly high-pitched hiss. It was supposed to be a whisper, but kind of failed. It didn't really register that Dani was talking to her privately through the charms, she was mostly thinking out loud right now. "How did he get access to the charms? They were a gift from the Hermit in Narnia!"
Was there some kind of Replica version of the charms, created when the Replicas were? Is that how he could talk over the charms like that? How much was he privy to? Her paranoia had almost tripled because of this, but she forced herself to go back to making the castle. With Dani's help they could probably make it really intricate, with flying buttresses (she really had no idea what those were, but they sounded cool) and things.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 8:03 pm
[Dani :: Hawaii :: Beach]
Dani was starting to realize that Bobbi was not going to calm down anytime soon. She seemed too freaked out to have a rational thought. With a quick flick of two of her fingers, a small bit of water came from the ocean and slapped the archer in face.
“Bobbi calm down!” Dani shouted really loudly in Bobbi’s head “You need to start thinking rationally at the moment. Right now, attacking Ajora is not the best move, however, if you do decide to attack him, then I will help you."
Dani then looked at her two fingers and flicked off some of the water. “Darn,” Dani said out loud “I remember when I used to be a pacifist, I can’t go back to that now.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
phoenixianCrystallist Crew
|
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 8:11 pm
{Bobbi .:. Hawaii .:. Beach}
If Dani had wanted to get Bobbi's attention, she got it. Especially after the sea water went up her nose. She promptly snorted it out and started coughing a bit, but since Dani mostly spoke in her head was able to hear everything the Watermancer said.
"Wh-(cough)who said anything about attacking him? I mean, okay, I did, but I wasn't serious," she protested, both hands flailing at her nose like a kitten as she tried to get the water out of it. "Also..."
She hastily formed a loose snowball in the palm of her hand and threw it in Dani's face, letting the action say all the words for her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 3:50 am
[Alan :: Hawaii, Beach]
Of course Ajora could access the charms. Of course. What a pain.
Could Ajora really hear what they were saying just then? Even if he did have a charm, they were speaking privately. It was possible Ajora was bluffing. It would probably be a good idea, though, Alan reflected, to be more cautious with the charms even still.
Alan opened his eyes and sat up, smirking at the returning Replica (he glanced at the others briefly, but really only seemed focused on Ajora). "Actually, I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 11:33 am
[ Ajora : Beach : Hawaii ]
Ajora couldn't help but snort at Nicholas' 'ignorance'. "This is a frisbee," he said, lifting it up to show Nicholas. "I throw it. You catch it. You throw it. I catch it. That's pretty much it."
With that, Ajora turned the frisbee on its side (so it was vertical instead of horizontal), and tossed it a distance into the air. It was angled so that it would land on or near Nicholas after it's full descent. He heard Bobbi freak out, but did nothing more than laugh under his breath.
"I'm all for the cue-and-eih, so long as we can go back and forth," Ajora replied to Alan without looking at him; he kept his eyes on Nicholas. "You first."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 11:47 am
[Alan ::Hawaii, Beach]
"Alright, then," Alan started. "let's start with the big one: what's your side fighting for?"
He paused, then added: "I mean, in the long term, what are you trying to accomplish? I'm not asking you to divulge strategic information. I'd just like to understand what you're about."
Alan was no longer smirking. He was sitting in the sand, and looking at Ajora with a searching expression, almost like he was testing him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 2:53 pm
[Amy : Hawaii : Beach]
They hadn't reached much of a conclusion, in any official sense, before Ajora came back. Instead of a dramatic return, he had chosen to take the same path the group had come by. A sort of helplessness settled over Amy as she watched him approach. From her experience with Azrael, it was clear she could not defeat a replica on her own, and the group's inconclusive conversation left her with several possible allies, but certainly not the support of the entire group. They didn't want to fight. They wanted to play with sandcastles.
Amy had a mental argument, with herself as a soundboard, about the injustice of being paired with lazy people, and how if the entire group didn't work as a well oiled machine, then what the hell was the point, and yeah she was wrong occasionally, but by God this felt like rape, a gross invasion of their group by this person who openly proclaimed himself an enemy, then smiled that stupid cocky smile that she would, by God, shoot off of his face, but she couldn't because these silly sandcastle loving pacifist, diplomatic, lazy farts wouldn't organize together to chase him off, along with his little dog, too.
At the end of this rant, which was not voiced in any way, Amy felt entirely righteous. Then he spoke– he spoke through the charms. Amy's eyebrows quirked in confusion, and her mouth opened, but to her credit she didn't actually jump. Bobbi voiced what they all certainly must have felt, and Amy for her part was so shocked she had no immediate reply. She was aware that Ajora was looking right at her, and at the moment when her brain was catching up to the full extent of the consequences of him having heard everything, he winked at her. He winked.
He #!@$ing winked.
She decided the world could go to hell, and completely at odds with this thought, she said, "I'll play frisbee. I'm just... going to get something to drink first."
She left for the village. She needed to not care that she felt so helpless and was quickly losing faith in her group. She needed alcohol.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 6:28 pm
[[ Alright, so, here begins the predetermined time skip! We will be jumping, on both sides, ahead a few hours- about 6-ish, if anyone honestly wants a time, so maybe 30 minutes or so before the sun begins to set.
Of course, as per usual, if anyone wants to RP something that happens during the time skip, feel free to do it in the ATE! I know some of the people on the side of the QQ will be wanting to continue the conversation with Ajora, among other things. ]]
[ Narration : Early Afternoon -> Just Before Sunset ]
The hours went by, and what many considered a surprise, they went by smoothly.
The crew of the Black Pearl were allowed safe passage through the seas, their luck with the weather making the trip rather enjoyable. Oddly, they were spared a Heartless attack every way-too-often, as would normally be the case, but they knew better than to wish for normalcy. In the horizon, a small, indistinguishable landmass had just cropped up: Shipwreck Cove. They would not arrive until sunset, which intrigued some of the pirates- before the meteor shower a month ago, such trips would take days, not hours.
The Earthen Rangers of Hawaii were probably most surprised at the peace. No matter how much it made them feel uncomfortable, no matter how tense it made them, Ajora and Azrael were there to stay... but Ajora seemed, for the most part, entirely harmless (Azrael, of course, would likely rip the head off of anyone who threatened him; Ajora merely laughed at such gestures). When asked a question, he'd answer (usually cryptically, as was his annoying way) and ask a question in return. Those who wanted to talk to Azrael could do so as well, gaining what insight he cared to dole out.This went on for hours; it was pretty clear they had no intentions of hostility for the moment.
The sun was mere inches from the horizon now, and within the next hour, would be nearly lost beyond.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Je suis a toi Vice Captain
|
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:17 pm
[Noelle & Prote ~ The Black Pearl ~ Galley --> Upper Decks]
Prote was making a face at Noelle that resembled a freeze-frame of someone about to take a large bite out of an apple—mouth open and teeth bared. The blonde was trying to hide behind her hands so he wouldn’t see her trying to suppress a fit of giggles, but wasn’t doing a very good job. The expression was a large improvement from where they had stared, which was little of anything at all. Prote closed his mouth in silence, pushing on Noelle’s fingers so he could move them and see her face. He was still cold but not unbearably so like hours ago. He had reached a level of stability and was in greater control of his heat intake now.
“That is not it, is it?” The Geist asked.
Noelle calmed some and shook her head. “No, that wasn’t quite a smile, but you’re on your way. You don’t open your mouth that much. Keep your teeth together and pull the corners of your mouth up more.”
“Is there nothing simpler that I can try?”
The agromancer thought about it. How could you get any simpler than a smile? The two of them had been at it for a while now. After what Noelle had found out about Geists, which was a lot, she wanted to see if Prote could make facial expressions. As it turned out, Geists, on an individual basis, were susceptible to certain human “frailties,” as he called them, based on their conditioning. So she tried to get him to make human facial expressions. The first expression they tried was a frown. After a lot of coaching and trying to get him to recall memories of frowning people and mimic them, Prote managed a weak frown. The downward pull at the corners of his lips was there but . . . it still lacked the most important part of a frown—the feeling that was supposed to be behind it.
“Uhh . . . can you cross your eyes?”
Prote did nothing but stare at her. “What emotion does crossing the eyes express?”
“Err, I dunno. Sometimes people do it to be goofy, or to taunt people. Like this.” Noelle smiled and crossed her eyes. She received the same blank stare she’d gotten earlier. “Heh, maaaaybe we should give it a rest. Let’s go up top and see what everyone’s up to.”
The two stood and walked for the exit. They hadn’t spent all their time in the galley, but were there for a majority of the time. After his story-telling, Prote spoke with Noelle about certain human things and questions he had about them. She answered to the best of her abilities, though she felt awkward sometimes. After that they carried on conversations about all sorts of things—it almost reminded her of the conversations she would have with her grandmother on her mother’s side. She greatly enjoyed the deep, often metaphysical conversations she had with her, just as she enjoyed talking to Prote. She was sure he might have been bored with her at certain points because of the difference in their intellectual levels (I mean, come on. He can remember every detail of every moment he’s ever experienced and that of all the memories he’s absorbed. I’m a little out of my league here.), but in actuality his interest never faded merely because he enjoyed studying her as a human, no matter what she was saying. The same was for all humans he came across, though now that they had enough downtime he was able to look past the surface of things.
Noelle poked her head above deck, wincing at the brightness of the sunset. The terramancer could feel them moving closer to earth; after having been so far from it for so long it was hard to miss the feeling of reconnection with it. She looked to the distance and could make out the outline of Shipwreak Cove. Her stomach seemed to churn a bit as she looked onward over the ship’s railing. No matter how long they had been at this she felt that she would never get over her nerves.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 11:12 pm
[Dawn : The Black Pearl : Upper Decks]
Dawn remained on the deck during most of the journey. She did take a few moments to go below deck a few times, just to get out of the sun. One thing about being on sea with no forms of entertainment. It gave someone a lot of time to think. One thing that weighted on her mind the most was how they were going to save James. After her experience with Louis, she knew he could be freed from whatever darkness was binding him to Ajora.
Just how were they going to get James into their hands to do something of the sort? Fight him? Knock him out? Dawn knew she wasn't capible of fighting one of her friends. It wasn't in her to do that. But what else was she to do?
'Darn it. There has to be a way.' Dawn kept telling herself over. But finally let out a sigh, giving it up for the time being. All the thinking was starting to give her a headache.
She soon spotted Noelle as she came up onto the deck. She hadn't gotten much of a chance to speak to the girl at all since she joined the group. Last time she had any real contact with her was during the fight with Kuro Oni at Beast's Castle. After that there was no real chance to talk. For soon after that the girl was gone, chasing after her own replica to retrieve the stolen heart of one of their own. Sure they did speak some after that. But it was no real chance to get to know the girl. James seemed to be friends with the Noelle. No reason why she couldn't either.
Dawn walked up and stood by the girl with her hands on the railing as she looked in the direction of the sun set.
"Um, hi," Dawn said timidly, not sure of what else to say as she looked off into the distance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 11:58 pm
[Kyla: Hawaii: Beach Shore]
For the most part she was pretty proud at herself for now reacting so mentally vocally when Ajora declared their way of messaging via charms was now officially tapped. It sucked, but now it made sense, and somehow it wasn’t surprising either. Just how long could she naïvely think that it would always be so easy? Sooner or later the enemy would find a way to gain some intell. You couldn’t expect them not to ignore those things forever.
When she reached the shore, Kyla threw the frisbee when it came her way, but as the sun began to descend towards the water, she stayed on the beach, allowing the hot air dry her till her bikini transformed into a simple sundress cover like it had before. Very reminiscent of Namine’s if you excluded the cropped jacket shrug her tunic coat turned into.
She sat with her knees pulled into her chest, arm resting across them as she stared out across the water. The sunset was almost heartbreakingly beautiful. She didn’t want to miss a moment of it.
Soon this fragile peace they had would be over, the spell of this semi-holiday would break and they’d be fighting again. She refused to think and revisit the fight she had with her replica in her mind again, but she couldn’t help but turn one of her hands over, expecting to see the hole where she was pierced.
Nothing.
~What are you thinking about?~
‘She’s planning something…’
~ How do you know?~
‘ I would be…what’s driving me crazy is why is she waiting? What’s taking her so long? What is she waiting for?’
~You really think her plans that direct?~
‘ If she really wanted to kill us, she’d so it simply. No tricks, no grand entries, something fast, quick and unseen, like a sniper bullet to the head from 500 yards away. No. She wants us to live for something else. My only thought is, she wants to be stronger, and somehow that includes us being alive. For now.’
~... could it be ‘That’- that she looking for?~
Kyla rested her head on her knees and sighed, and didn’t answer that last question.
~…you have to tell them sometime. Perhaps sooner than later if that’s part of Kai’s plan.~
“I know…”
Tyue, the carbuncle then materialized in her lap, coiling her soft furry body beneath her chin, her two long ears stretched out on either side of her knees. She felt warm, tingly even, like static electricity without the sharp pinch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:57 pm
[Noelle ~ The Black Pearl ~ Upper Deck]
Noelle blinked and looked at Dawn when she spoke to her. The agromancer had hardly noticed her come hear, her mind was far away thinking of other things. She drummed her fingers on the ship's railing and gave Dawn a smile, taking a glance over her shoulder to see that Prote had wandered toward the helm.
"Hey," Noelle replied, feeling a little awkward, "Ah . . . how are you doing?"
The blonde supposed that was a good question. She of course, having been below deck at the time, didn't really know about the episdode with Dawn, Michelle, and Louis. Her question was mainly directed at the girl's emotional well-being. Dawn, from what she had gathered, was very close to both James and Michelle. Losing one before gaining the other had to have been more rough on her than any of the others. Noelle silently told herself to keep an eye on Dawn when she could to make sure she wouldn't do anything too rash. Now was certainly not the time to lose a level head.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Je suis a toi Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:18 pm
[Dawn : Black Pearl : Above Deck]
"Well, I suppose," Dawn said after a few moments before she added hoping that Noelle would catch the sarcasm, "A little pain, a little darkness. And I am just peachy."
Dawn tried her best to smile slightly with a side glance at the girl. The smile escaped her, for she knew right off it was a lame joke. Noelle was no where around for the episode that had occurred hours before. Part of her was glad she didn't. No use making her or anyone else not involved worried, especially when it was all over. Nothing they could do to worry about what was already set in stone.
"What about yourself?" Dawn asked hint of worry in her voice, "You must be worn out, considering all you've been through in the last 24 hours."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:48 pm
[Noelle ~ The Black Pearl ~ Upper Deck]
Noelle gave Dawn a weak smile at her sarcastic remarks, placing her elbows on the ships railing, fingers laced together, and leaning against it. Well, at least she was in high enough spirits to conjure a little attitude, that was good. She had worried that Dawn would be really down, but it was obvious she still had some fight. When she mentioned "the last twenty four hours" Noelle's smile dropped a bit and she returned to staring out at the water. More like the past seventy two hours . . . but only to me, she thought to herself, still feeling a little bitter about it. Looking back on it, it was such a stupid move on her part, one that made her feel a little frustrated with herself. Her emotional impulses got the best of her, and lead her to a lot of uneccessary hardship. Sure, there was an upside to it--she gained a little more confidence and some insight into the way her Replica thought. But at the price of being a bargaining point . . . she would almost have preferred to have been left ignorant. And to let herself be so convinced that she could actually get Rae's heart back; that was what frustrated her the most. She couldn't stand feeling so naive.
"Yeah . . . considering all I've been through . . ." Noelle mumbled absentmindedly after a while, eyes scanning the distance. Memories of the tough times in her life danced in her mind. She considered them on an individual basis, and then as a whole. And what did she have to show for it all? Who was she because of it? So mature, yet still the naive little girl she'd always been? Still unable to control her own life?
The agromancer noticed that she had gone awfully quiet in her musings and jumped a little, coming back to the present. She gave Dawn a nervous smile and rubbed the back of her neck, "Heh, sorry, got a little carried away. I suppose I'm okay. Like you said, worn out, and far from feeling like my normal self, but I'll be fine. It's nothing a little time and rest couldn't sort out. Just gotta keep moving, right?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Je suis a toi Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:25 pm
[Dawn : Black Pearl : Upper Deck]
Dawn returned Noelle's smile with a weak one of her own, "Yeah... Moving forward is always a good plan."
It was Dawn's turn to look off into the distance. Everything, everyone- including herself- was just inking with sorrow. She knew from her own experiences from her own past, it took a lot to just keep going. Though she had never experienced having to fight someone who was like her, but not her. She never had to face something that could only be described as her own darkness. So far she only had to deal with the darkness that was placed in her by Ajora.... and she knew how well that turned out. Dawn had to be weak and give into the pain.
"Dammit," Dawn whispered under breathe just barely loud enough that it would be hard for anyone to hear. She was cursing her own weakness. For herself being weak. If she wasn't weak she would of been able to protect those around her. Not James. Not Shalynn, Eli or Krystal. Not strong enough to fight the darkness that was within her. She always thought she was strong enough to do things on her own. Now she was really beginning to wonder.
~'Don't sell yourself short, Sunlight. You are stronger than you seem to give yourself credit for. As you say yourself, this is nothing but one more rock in your way. You will get over this one just like all the others. Just got to have faith.'~
'You know as well as I do this is different than all that. A lot more is at stake. This isn't about just me. It is about everyone. Everyone that we have lost. It doesn't help that we got walking mirrors of ourselves walking around.' Dawn took a moment to sighed outwardly, 'I guess I should count my blessings I haven't came across one of myself. I'd hate to think about what one of myself could do...'
~'Maybe. But when you get to threw it when that road comes I am sure. Though I don't think you'd have much to worry about if that comes. If you are lucky, it won't be much of a threat. That is if I can judge anything from your airheadedness.'~
'Now what the heck is that supposed to mean?' Dawn couldn't help but feel annoyed by Garuda's comment. Even more so by receiving no answer from her summon.
"UGH!" she finally yelled out using the railing as a boost to lean on as she jumped, "I feel like I am going to scream!" She turned to Noelle, "Come on scream with me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
