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 Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 4:05 pm
[ Maggie : Disney Castle: Castle Entrance ]
"When all this is over, you can," Maggie replied reassuringly, patting the artist on the shoulder.
However, she continued to turn the rest of Kyla's words over in her head, her expression twisting as she ate the popsicle. She didn't address it immediately, but it was clear she was going to speak.
"I dunno how they'll handle missions, I haven't done any field work besides trying to work with you guys again," she said, shrugging slightly as she leaned against the archway, looking into the gardens. She heard an odd zap a moment before, but gave it no real thought. "Still, everyone deserves a second chance. You just gotta work to prove it to them, prove'em wrong! That's why I'm workin' so hard here. I kept... backing out. I need to prove I'm useful however I can."
"Still, have you tried sitting them down and chattin' with'em?" she asked, looking toward her friend. "Or what about Yen Sid? Maybe he could settle things. He's kind of the head brain around here."
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 4:23 pm
[ Sora ; Kairi : Disney Castle : Central Gardens ]
"Okay. And?" Sora said, raising an eyebrow, like what she'd said meant as little as telling him the price of coffee in the Deep Jungle.
Kairi nudged Sora with her elbow a bit forcefully.
"Look," he said, finally sitting up and looking up at Dawn. "You're one person. Even if you'd have been with them until that last, final moment, do you know what would have changed? Nothing, Dawn. Nothing would have changed."
"Get angry all you want. Beat yourself up all you want. But go ahead and paint a target on your chest for the darkness, while you're at it," he said, motioning with his hand toward her heart. "Or you can accept that, like your friends, like me, like so many other people who lost everything, you did what you could, and can only hope to do more now with the chance you're given."
"How many other people were lost? I hear Kyle throw around the number seven billion a lot. How many of them had people like you to take care of them? And how many of those people were lost, too?" he asked, motioning around the garden, as if the emptiness was answer enough. "The darkness didn't stop for them. It doesn't care."
"But you do," he said, and his dark tone took a turn for the brighter. "And you should. I'm not saying let them go. I'm saying stop letting them hold you down, because that's not what they would want. You and the others were given a rare chance to fight back. This sadness won't help get those kids back. You will, and you need to use all that care you have for them as strength, not sorrow."
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 5:31 pm
[Kyla: Disney Castle: Garden Entrance]
I’m always two minds about things.
“I look forward to it.” She smiled finishing the second last lick and bite to her ice cream.
She felt proud of Maggie for trying to hard, and the artist wished only the best for her. When they reached the gardens Kyla looked out at them, it looked beautiful. She thought she heard something but quickly dismissed it, since she was paying most attention to Maggie at the moment.
“I’ll admit it; I just don’t feel like I can. I mean- that’s what I’ve been trying to do this whole time. Right from the first day, I’m just no good with people. I doubt anything I do will be enough. But then again I’m my own worst critic. I’m a perfectionist. I did just that- tried to prove how useful I can be. In the end all it did was make people angry.” She blew a sigh and readjusted her glasses again as they slipped down her nose.
“- I suppose you’re right though. Chatting may be a good idea. I just wish I was that brave.” A sudden laugh burst from her chest-“I dunno Maggie, I think I’d rather stare down Ajora all over again then go talk to Yen Sid.” A shudder went through her body as she remembered what he did to her.
Her skin ached somehow just thinking about it.
“- it’s not that I don’t trust him, far from it. I’m just afraid of what he’ll say. I’m afraid of what they’ll all say, of what you’ll say.” She sighed again and finished her ice cream.
“But again, you’re right. You’re all good people. I shouldn’t be scared of any of you. I’m so afraid of disappointing you guys. Besides… it’s not like I can talk with those who are angry with me anyway. I mean, people are now giving me the silent treatment.”
May be talking with Yen Sid was inevitable, but not right now. That man had enough things to deal with then an insecure girl going through an identity crisis. She’d have to figure this out herself somehow. Or did she? Kyla looked at Maggie cautiously then, then looks each other way for a moment before turning to face her once more.
“For now, if I promise to do my best- could you keep a secret for me?”
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 5:41 pm
[ Maggie : Disney Castle: Castle Entrance ]
"Eh, I dunno, everyone was pretty chill a day or so ago, so you couldn't have messed up everything," she added in lazily before looking to her, curious. "How do you know they're giving you the silent treatment if you haven't tried talking to them? Sounds to me like a case of miscommunication on all sides." It sounded like she hadn't tried yet, but she wanted to be sure. Still, Kyla went on.
"Of course! My lips are sealed~" she said, smiling cheesily as she shoved the rest of the popsicle in her mouth, as if to prevent her from talking.
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 6:16 pm
[Kyla: Disney Castle: Garden Entrance]
"Thats true - then I admit I did try to converse a little today. Remember I mentioned something happened?"
".. and well-
-If you call people ignoring things you say, and treating you like you're a brick wall- is "miscommunication", then I must not be from earth." she chuckled bitterly a little thinking about how Joe acted.
Kyla wasn't stupid, she knew exactly what he was doing- what baffled her was how it seemed that Dawn played along with it. Though Kyla did give her the benifit of a doubt.
Shrugging it off Kyla met Maggies gaze again and giggled at the girls enthusiasm. "-alright, first thing is- I assure you, right now I am in control of the situation, so please don't worry. However, if things get weird in the future, I release you from this promise, to inform others of this secret- asuming I had not done so already myself, or something is preventing me fomr doing so- alright?"
She wiated for Maggie ot nod, before turning around and slowly moving her head over one shoulder to expose her back.
"Tell me..d-do you see anything there?"
What Maggie would see, was something that looked like an ugly battered bruise. However it was darker then normal, lacking the other colors one would normally see, like reds or ugly yellows- this was strictly purple and black.
It didn't look natural.
Something that big should have hurt tremendously but it dind't seem to bother the artist very much at all- which onyl elluded to how unnatural it was.
"Tell me, has it gotten any bigger then just a spot on my shoulder?"
the 'stain' for lack of a better word, was gradiate in texture on her shoulder, blossoming easily over her shoulder blade and crossing down a little towards the middle of her back.
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 6:49 pm
[ Maggie : Disney Castle: Castle Entrance ]
Maggie shrugged in response to the first part. If it had been her, she would have just forced a conversation. Kyla wouldn't, though, so there was no telling how long she'd suffer.
As the artist assured her and reassured her, her gut began to sank. Those kind of words never preempted anything good. And when she revealed the bruise... Maggie knew. She'd been possessed by Diablos. She'd nearly been consumed by one of his dark spells in the forest. She knew far, far too well.
Instead of telling her if it had gotten bigger or smaller--since she hadn't seen it originally--she just sent Kyla what she saw, through the charms. Initially, she wanted to ask what happened, if she was okay. But the artist had already assured her, and reassured her... and wanted it to be a secret.
This was something she wanted.
"Why aren't you getting rid of it?" she asked in a hushed voice; there were people in the garden, and the castle always had ears. "The darkness isn't just... I mean, you were there, in Atlantis. All I did was hear about it..."
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 7:07 pm
[Kyla: Disney Castle: Garden Entrance]
Kyla appreciated how Maggie gave her a look at her own back- it was better than a mirror. To her relief, it was actually a bit smaller than it had been before- if only by just a little. Releasing her long hair to fall back over her shoulders she turned around and met Maggie’s gaze. She owed her an explanation to her thoughts. Maggie had been possessed, Kyla remembered every horrible detail- and then Atlantis. Yes.
“- Atlantis is exactly why I’m doing this. I’m terrified Maggie. What we saw down there was the sum of everything I fear. I mean, I haven’t slept in days, and even now I’m having trouble with the cornerstone helping me.” She kept her voice down looking around again just to be sure.
“- but.. that’s exactly why I have to face this. I know what my replica is thinking to some extent. She knew this is how she can get to me. She knows my fear of the darkness and how perhaps a younger version of me would run away from anything even remotely dim. Which is why I’m almost certain she’ll plan to insert her own darkness into me and find a way to subdue me that way. But… remember Riku’s story. I know how things turned out, but I couldn't help but notice something about his character since then, and it really naggs me even now. I have a thoery his key was a symbolic indicator of someone walking the line between the two forces. I just have a theory he ended up developing a resistance to his darkness somehow, may be it was because he used it so much and got cleansed, or may be it was established sometime during the moments he made to resist it by his will. Well, if I'm right, I plan to do the same thing against Kai.”
She hugged her shoulders-“I’m not saying this isn’t without risk. I understand the risk very well in fact. Which is why I’m going to just leave it be, I’m not going to take any more unnecessary risks beyond this one. I’ll also focus more of my efforts on keeping the light in me in balance. In time, I hope to achieve a resistant to my own darkness before Kai has the chance to use it against me.”
Summoning her book, Kyla opened it and slipped it to the logs covering the moments since Maggie’s departure. She turned to one side so she could look at the various illustrations of their journey. Murals of blended settings, on every page went by in a myriad of colors.
“- I’m dangerous Maggie. This power of mine... if I were to go out of control I could do such horrible terrible things. I don’t want anyone to gain the upper hand and turn my power against everyone. That is exactly what Kai wants. I can feel it. So I’m going to master the part of myself I fear the most. who knows, may be I'll learn something to get some of our comrads back in the process. I promised the nobodies I'll do what I could to help them get their hearts back. I'm not sure how this will apply, except elaborating how the integrity even works.. ”
She turned the pages, showing her Hawaii, the Power Rangers, Atlantica, and then Atlantis.
“I won’t deny this looks like a very stupid idea from many viewpoints. But I don’t know how to explain it, it’s just a heartfelt feeling… this is what I feel I have to do. And, lord willing, I’ll become stronger for it. Though, as I said before.. I promised Riku that I’ll confide in everyone if it’s too much. So.. That’s why I told you. If it seems like I can no longer see that I’m failing at this task, you can tell everyone and bust me. Deal?”
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 8:29 pm
[ Maggie : Disney Castle: Castle Entrance ]
The girl's brow furrowed as Kyla spoke. There was so much she wanted to say, and she was struggling to find the right order.
"Kyla... I..." she started, chewing her bottom lip. "It's one thing to prepare yourself for your own darkness. Kick Kai's a**. But... there's so much more than that, you know?"
"That darkness... Kichi explained it, the way it fought, spoke," she said, crossing her arms over her chest instinctively, as if nervous just thinking about it; the popsicle stick was finished, of course. "Kyla, if you leave yourself open like this, what's stopping those bigger and badder than Kai from just having their way with your heart? They'd smell it from a mile away. And..."
"Look, I'll keep your secret, don't get me wrong. But... as your friend? This doesn't feel right," she said, looking into Kyla's eyes, worry overcoming her expression. "None of it. You making yourself vulnerable, not letting them know when they might be counting on you to have their back... I'll support you, whatever you decide, because I'm happy to be your friend, and you'd do the same for me. But... still, you'll only make your situation with them worse, don't you see?"
"You've got me and Riku keeping this secret from everyone. This darkness that, for all you know, could put you all in danger the moment you leave the Cornerstone's protection. You're not just risking yourself, but them... and you won't tell them?" she said, rubbing her arm and looking away, uncertain. "You were just saying how you want to be a great team player, how they're suspicious of you, and then... well, this... you've got me all worried up."
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 8:33 pm
[Dawn : Disney Castle : Central Gardens]
"But I was there," Dawn mumbled softly, "I did all I could. I tried to protect them. But couldn't.... That is why I blame myself." she sighed shaking her head, "I am a glutton for my own blame though if what happened on the Dutchman is anything to judge."
~'Yeah I'd agree with that statement. You were upset about Ajora taking James and leaving him behind that you started the blame fest on yourself for that. Despite the fact you and everyone else was being held prisoner. There was nothing you or anything you could of done.'~
"All my life I wished there was something more I could do for those around me. To make them happy. The happiness of those around me has always been the most important thing to me. Hell with happens to me. If something goes wrong, I am the first who will take the fall. You can call it one of my many flaws." Dawn paused for several minutes before looking directly at Sora her eyes bright with tears she was holding back just moments ago, "And yes, you are right. There is many others that have been lost. For that, I will continue fighting. I want to fight, for everyone."
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 8:56 pm
[ Sora ; Kairi : Disney Castle : Central Gardens ]
"Good enough," Sora said, shrugging and falling back to lie comfortably in the grass and flowers.
"Just don't forget," Kairi said, looking up at the dancer with a small smile. "If you're with the right people, then you don't have to do anything to make them happy. And taking the fall may make them sadder than anything else. That's what real friendship's about."
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 9:07 pm
[Kyla: Disney Castle: Garden Entrance]
Maggie made a very good argument, and Kyla felt herself nodding over and over with each part.
“I don’t know Maggie. The best I can offer is a promise, that I’ve resigned myself to pulling the plug- if for even a moment it looks like something bigger then Kai has found me. It won’t be pretty.” She said it, but something about Maggie’s words made her doubt their validity.
“This is an injury of the heart I’ve allowed to bleed open... but if it looks like it’s too dangerous I’ll let it close up like it should. Besides, I also have Carbuncle watching over everything in there, she can smell and intruder a mile away.” She put on a grin for Maggie’s sake but it didn’t reach her eyes and quickly faded. Her head lowered, unable to meet Maggie’s eyes any more. Her cheeks went pink.
“…I just don’t want them to see is all.” She whispered for a moment.
“It’s...Embarrassing. I don’t want everyone knowing I’m a mess- what am I kidding they know... Carbuncle blabbed everything and well, it didn’t matter,... no one understood anything.”
“Anyway- this thing appeared during the fight. Before we met up with that… thing.. and nothing happened so far. From everyone’s reaction just learning I harbored Louis, I can imagine they’d probably right me off, right now.”
“So… the moment Louis was taken from me and this thing appeared I knew I couldn’t tell them. There’s a point in ‘how’ this appeared to consider as well. All it took was something external, going in and taking something out. I mean... we could see just from how Rae was taken out, it doesn’t really matter if you have darkness in you, or not. In a moment, it could all be over.”
“-this injury says something about my own heart. If I can’t find the strength to close it up myself then what’s the point of going with anyone at all? What’s to stop someone just cutting their way in and opening it anyway? Darkness or not? Kai no doubt has that in mind. If I had to take myself out that’s exactly how I’d do it. So until I can’t any more, I’m going to do my best and at least rise to meet her half way. I need to find the strength to protect my own heart. This is just one angle I’m going to make sure nobody can use.”
She was losing control of her voice, and she took a moment to take a breath.
“It won’t come to that Maggie- “Even if she had to take herself out in the end. “-it won’t come to that. I have too many good things to hold onto to let this continue forever. So please don’t tell anyone for now. Or nothing I say now will ever matter again.” She looked at Maggie “ If it makes you feel better- I’ll check in on you all the time to let you know how I’m doing. Ok?”
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 9:22 pm
[Dawn : Disney Castle : Central Gardens]
Dawn smiled softly at the two and nodded.
"Sorry for the depressed mood and thanks for both of you hearing me out. I haven't talked to anyone about my nieces and nephew. Not even Bobbi or James. It felt good to at least talk about them and get some stuff off of my chest." the dancer paused a little bit looking at them in their relaxed state before she asked, "Um, you guys okay with me chilling with you or you guys want me to leave so you can go back to being lovey dovey."
She finished her statement with a slight giggle and a wink in Kairi's direction.
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 9:49 pm
[ Maggie : Disney Castle: Castle Entrance ]
There was no changing her mind. Maggie's gaze faltered, and she looked toward the gardens. Her friend was willing to leave the front door of her heart open for anyone to come knocking, just to keep one replica from winning...
Maybe things just seem different now, from the back lines...
"It doesn't make me feel any better, if I'm being honest with you, but I told you I promised, and I plan to keep it," she said, reassuring her friend of that much as she looked over the various flowers blooming in the garden ahead. "It's just... too much."
"I mean, just to start with, Carbuncle--tell Tyvue I said hello--is only as powerful as you are. Merlin explained that much to me, when I asked about mine. It's tied to our own magic," she explained, knowing full well her own Ki-based magic wasn't exactly up to snuff, even by average standards. "So if you can't protect yourself, she won't be much good either, d'pressin' as it sounds."
"Louis, oo, that problem boy's a talk for another time," she said, and for a moment, her face was scrunched in frustration. She had trusted him quite a bit before all this nonsense.
"You keep talkin' 'bout Kai like she's our biggest threat. But we know there's somethin' bigger now, easily. Makes the replicas look like playthings... because they are," she said, thinking back to how they'd described Ajora being possessed. "You're givin' it the red carpet welcome, all to beat your mirror... what's stopping it from making you an upgraded her?"
"You know why Riku was a master before Sora? Because they finally beat the spikehead. Know how?" She finally looked to Kyla, worry still written all over her; this time, though, there was knowledge. "'Cause Sora kept opening himself up to the darkness. Kept stubbornly walking right into darker and darker nightmares, tricked into thinking he could help by doing so," she said, sighing.
"That's how Yen Sid explained it to me, anyway. Their first Mastery Exam." She turned back to the flowers, rubbing her arms some more. "I don't like it, Kyla. The others might be stupid and have their heads up their asses, I don't know the whole story, but at the very least you know they'll have your back... and they deserve to be prepared if your plan goes wrong, or you might take each and every one of them with you. Because the more you tell me about this... It knots my chest up somethin' tight. I feel like I'm gonna lose you to your own tunnel vision."
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 10:12 pm
[Kyla: Disney Castle: Garden Entrance]
Sora got controlled by the darkness? Now that’s news. So the guy wasn’t perfect.
“I don’t think Tyue could stop it, but she could let me know we have company.”
“-As for my replica, I know she’s small stuff in comparison to what else is out there. But I don’t have tunnel vision. Not yet. I just know she’s the only one I can possibly match in comparison, if I set my mind to it, if I cna't do this, there is not way I can possibly face anything bigger.. And... there is... something else too- but that’s for another time.” Kyla caught herself before she mentioned anything about the nameless.
She looked out to the garden again, her brow furrowed. This conversation just got more and more depressing. And the more Maggie talked, the more she felt like nothing she thought or did was right. Maybe she should leave. Just to make sure the worst didn’t occur?
“Well, they already are suspicious of me, that in itself is an awareness. May be its best they don’t trust me, and then keeping themselves at a distance they won’t get sucked in hm? Well… I was thinking it over after all. I still have time to decide before I burn my bridges, or jump off them. I told you, and Riku, that’s enough people in the know that I'm comfertable with, for now. Like I said, if it doesn’t look like this is possible, I’ll pull out.”
“-and despite what you think, I’m not going to just roll out the red carpet, liek you said, it's way more complicated then that. I’m not ‘that’ stupid. That’s why I spoke to Yen Sid about it- ” She pocketed her Popsicle stick, not bothering to look at its fortune and decided to turn away from the gardens after all. Suddenly, not wanting any more company Kyla gave Maggie a nod of thanks for joining for her ice-cream and made motions to leave.
“-I’m going to library; I have a lot of preparations to make.Thanks for the talk, it's given me stuff to think about. I'm sorry I ruined your night Maggie.” Her voice wasn’t cold, but it lacked emotion. Maggie hit a nerve and she didn’t want to worry, or hurt her anymore then she obviously has. So like always the artist withdrew entirely. Hopefully if Maggie found someone else she could be cheered up again.
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Je suis a toi Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 10:13 pm
[ Noelle .:. Prote ~ Disney Castle ~ Fairgrounds]
"WHELP! Since you've offered to be my mode of transportation!" Noelle laughed as her opponent made it into his very last cup. He and his watching companions cheered as Noelle sloppily downed the cup and slammed it onto the table.
"Quick quick, game of two's!" She exclaimed, appearing to be gradually losing her finer motor skills as she grabbed all the drinking horns and picked up a large serving pitcher to fill them before putting them into place, "Anthony on my team and two others on the other end, just jump in!"
Noelle tried not to snicker as Nick threw mocking jabs at her. She was hardly insulted, as his comments were quite accurate. Grain of sand weight. That was precisely her. She tossed a glance over her shoulder at Nick, still trying to be as inconspicuous about acknowledging his presence in front of the others as ******** your COUCH." She giggled at him mentally.
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