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Kingdom Hearts: Apocalypse ~Part 1 Rebirth " Machinecken Town"~



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Tyrant Raver

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Walt saw the ghost dog ran off and proceeded towards the town up ahead; as he closed the distance, a sign that read 'Halloween Town' presented itself before him. The town looked drab and depressing as he entered its premises, mist blanketed the gray and dank streets as if it has never been inhabited for quite some time. The fog was so thick that it even shrouds the makeshift gaslight lamps throughout its entirety.

"Hello?"

Time and time again he would see some commotion just on the edge of his peripheral. But every time he would turn to that direction, there was nothing there to be found. It does not look like someone or... something was tailing him, but rather it was avoiding him?

Walt looked around the near-lifeless town searching for people. But whenever he find someone along the way, they would run away from him as if they were actively avoiding the newcomer. It was not out of spite, but out fear; fear that was not directed to him, but to something else. He stood by the center of Halloween Square, pacing through his thoughts.
 

Story Keeper

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~- Brotherly Love -~

"Truth be told, I haven't, although Asuna has. Is it any good?"

Andrew smiled as Sevastian talked, finding it comforting with the words that flowed from his brother's lips. A sheepish grin spreading across his face, Andy answered, "Yeah, or at least I think it's good. I adore the dynamic with the boys, especially Ronan and Adam's relationship. Ronan might be a little rough around the edges but he clearly cares for others." Andy smiled, clearly happy by the chance to talk about the book. Eyes shining he chatted, "Oh yeah, and Ronan is able to pull things from his dreams. Haha, and the way he jumped to Adam's defense near the end of the book and he proceeded to look after him afterwards? I love it, and Declan's protectiveness of his younger brothers? It's adorable!"

Fidgeting slightly in his spot, Andy was vaguely away of the sigil on his hand was growing warm. It drew his attention to it, looking down at his hand, he traced the symbol again as his mind hurriedly went over the last time to times it'd grown warm. He wasn't in trouble, he was fine.

His breathing hitched as his stomach twisted itself into knots. Topsy was in trouble, he knew it. After all that was the only time he'd noticed it'd activity. Shaking his head despite the fact it made the world spin, Andy clenched his fists and closed his eyes, trying to keep his distress under control. "I think maybe you should read it, I know personally I identify with Adam a tad too much. Especially where...." Andy shook his head, cutting himself off.

He saw the way Henry had disappeared from the conversation, seeming to be searching for something. Leaning his head against the tree as he tried to think, he confessed softly, "He's the first crush I've had since I was a kid. I think that's why I'm foolishly fallen for him so hard. I don't count Ronan, even though if he was real I totally would." Andy gave a sad laugh, his heart aching from the confession. Another thought coming to his mind, a more geninune laugh slipped free as he leaned against Andy, laughing he added, "Are we honestly having our very first brother-to-brother talk under a tree? Haha, I'm willing to admit I thought it'd be different, maybe on a beach?"

Andy caught the look Jack sent them, a puzzled look on the skeleton's face as he tried to figure out what was happening between them, before the skeleton returned his attention to the others and said, "I have a list of missing people back at the lab. Huh, Zero? What's wrong boy?" Jack commented, getting distracted by a ghostly dog that had suddenly appeared.

A strangled cry of happiness escaping him, Andy wiggled a bit in his seat as he noticed the canine. Feeling something brush his ankle, it being warm and fuzzy, he looked down to see one of his tails (the one on the opposite side that he attacked earlier) and his eyes widened in surprise. Pouncing on it, he bit the tip of it as he started batting at it with his feet again. Pausing, he glanced at Sevastian and chirped, "This one has a flavor too!" He returned his attention to attacking the furry member as he tried to ignore the warmth radiating from his hand.

Stopping in the assault against his tail, he rose to his feet and looked around him, trying to figure out what he wanted to do. He was pretty sure it had been at least half an hour since they started talking, it was a struggle not to fall asleep even though he really wanted to. Looking at Savy, he held his hand out for the older warrior to use to pull himself to his feet.

~- Hm, hi? -~

Henry heard the chatter around him, the explanation of what was going on in town. He could tell that another soul had just entered the world, and he was getting ready to go off and explore it, especially since it was close to town square. It was on the other of the square from where they were, so that was why he hadn't caught it before hand. Glancing towards Sevastian, he nodded at Sevastian and held up a finger, alerting the monk that he'd be back in just a moment. Henry slipped away from the group, ignoring the ghostly dog that went flying past him after he was a few feet away from the group.

It only took a few moments for him to reach the center of the square. There he saw a young man there, who seemed to be lost in his thoughts. Walking up to him, Henry pointedly ignored the ghosts that materialized around the square, many of them reaching forward toward him. Reaching the guy, he carefully reached out a hand and tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, you okay?" he asked softly, his eyes guarded as he sized the guy up.

~-Wait a Minute -~

Nana pet the heartless that was in his lap. Joy unfolded through him at Cal's name choice for him, and even choosing to trust him with her own name. Nodding his head, he smiled at Cal and said, "Thank you."

He heard her retort, and it made him laugh, temporarily stopping in the affection given he was giving Sparky. It was warm and musical, a sound that wasn't anything like had been heard from him so far. Looking at Cal with grey eyes, an easy smile spread across his face. "Even so, it was still nice of you."

Nana looked at Sparky, who'd been headbutting him. Petting the dog's head, he said softly, "You're a really good boy, aren't you Sparky? Your mother must be so proud of you." He glanced at Cal, a smile on his face, he took in the owl that was on her shoulder. All of a sudden he wondered when it got there, he couldn't remember seeing it before than. Shit, my mind's slipping. he thought to himself.

Before he knew what had happened, Cal and the owl was gone. Sparky was still in his arm, and he wasn't sure if the dog was struggling to break free. Relaxing his grip on the dog, he didn't know if the dog ran off after Cal, but he knew that if he was he would have went after his human companion. Looking down at the ground, he tried to figure out what he should do next. It would probably do good to check on Krampus to make sure the hybrid wasn't doing anything too disastrous.

Calling a portal, he walked into the hybrid's lair to see that the hybrid was tending to its current prey. Walking up to the creature, he placed his hand on its shoulder and ordered, "Be gentle with this one, you don't want to the fun to end too soon, do you?" Sensing a trace of magic on the prey, Nana took a step forward and sniffed at the hybrid in front of him. There was the sent of wind magic and water magic clinging to him, a look of intrigue flickering in grey eyes, Nana ordered Krampus, "Have at it, but don't kill him. I'm curious to know who he's with and what they'll do toward him." Stepping away from the hybrid, he looked at Krampus and nodded his head before he called another portal and left the area.

~- The Contract -~

Assassin's Keep

Larxen crouched on the branch, pale green flecked brown eyes tracking the target below. The deader moved through the woods, unaware of the pack of hunters that hung around him. Larxen’s eyes flicked to the Nobody that wore green, who was in the brushes on the ground. Raising his hand, he signaled for the green one to hold his position.

He heard the voice that crackled through his intercom, a question of when to strike. “Hold your position, don’t rush this.”

“But….”

“Remember our code, we strike when it’s least expected.” Larxen reprimanded, ignoring the low foreboding snarl that came across the communication device.

Flexing his wrist, he heard the soft shinck sound of the blade sliding out of its hiding place before it slid back in.

“Even so Master Larxen, we must strike soon. Or else our target will get away.”

The voice was soft, only the faintest hint of uncertainty lacing the normally playful voice. Larxen chewed his lower lip, thinking about what to do. “Hold position for a moment longer, Rixue.” He ordered, only to notice that the target had started to move away from them. A soft curse escaping him, he carefully ran along the tree branches, making sure not to draw attention to himself.

He could hear the rest of his team moving alongside him. He heard it when Rixue gave a soft cry of pain, and it didn’t take long for his green clad teammate to run off to check on the youngest of them. Dropping down to the ground, Larxen rolled across the ground before he sprang back to his feet. Waving his hand in the air as he ran, he heard the softest of “thuds” as two more bodies joined him on the ground.

He was breaking protocol, there was a chance that this mission would be botched but he didn’t care. One of his kids was in trouble, so he’d be damned if he allowed it to continue.

“Templars hybrids!” Rixue shouted across the communicator.

A snarl escaping Larxen, he jumped into the air and grabbed a tree branch. Flipping himself into the air, he ran along the branch and found the group of three that was proving to be a challenge for Rixue and her fighting companion. Leaping from the tree, he unsheathed his hidden blades and buried them in the neck of two of the hyrbids. Rolling across the ground, Larxen sprang back to his feet and parried a strike from a hybrid that came up on his left side. Shoving them backwards, he felt the two he’d left behind catch up to him.

“Do you care not to ditch us again?” The older female teammate snapped, her eyes flashing in annoyance despite rage being their red clad friend’s single emotion.

Shrugging his shoulders, Larxen dodged the blow that was meant for his head even as he used one of his hidden blades to deflect the shot. Remembering the original intention of the mission and the one they had planned next, Larxen glanced to his green clad ally and ordered, “Proceed to the next mission, we’ll get this taken care of. We’ll rejoin you in a bit, just get things set up. Rixue, over here.” Larxen commanded, his voice levels even as the purple haired girl rolled over to him.

Putting his back to hers, he continued parrying strikes even as his white and red clad allies fell into formation beside him, forming a box. Flipping his hood, up, Larxen peered beneath the cowl as one of the Templar-hybrids muttered, “Assassin, how many of you are here?”

A secretive smirk coming to his face, Larxen lunged forward and buried his blade into the templar’s neck.

~- The Snake's Next Move -~

Hel tumbled out of the portal, the ground scrapping against her stomach. Springing to her feet, she spun around in a circle. Dark grey, almost black eyes stared back where the portal had disappeared, a snarl of frustration escaping her she felt the weight of her weapon in her hand. Trembling where she stood, she shivered in answer to a male voice that slid through her mind.

"Honestly, you may as well show yourself Artemis. We both know you can." She shouted at the overhead night sky, ignoring the stinging sensation on her stomach.

The war hammer in her hand disappeared now that Hel was out of danger. Exhaling in frustration, she turned back in the direction she'd been spat out, her eyes quickly finding the dark-haired man that stood behind her. A slight smile on her face, Hel trodded over to him and placed a hand on his chest, looking up at the man she asked him, "Where are we? You were the one that called the portal after all!"

She shook her head, trying to hide her frustration from him, even though it wouldn't work. Artemis had been by her side since she was a child, they knew each other in such a fashion that rarely did they actually need to talk. Hearing a rustling in the woods, she almost thought about calling the hammer back but she didn't. She knew that if need be Artemis would protect her, but she rarely let it come to that.

A man walked out of the woods, causing the tiny girl to cock her head to the side. The man didn't seem to be a threat to her on a quick glance, but a look at him had her bristling regardless. Something about this man seemed like Artemis, but not quite as friendly. Catching his gaze, dark grey met lighter grey eyes as the white-haired man sized her up. "You're not a hybrid, but you're a powerful mage. Could it be because of your friend?"

A sharp intake of breath was her answer, her eyes darting to Artemis for an idea of what to do. Her eyes darted back to him, analyzing him closer, she could just see the snake coiled around him. "What's your name?" She asked instead of answering him.

He gave a knowing smile, as if he knew that he'd unsettled her. Eyes narrowing in suspicion, Hel clenched her fists as she waited for an answer. "Ari, but that's not important. Who's your friend?"

"That's not important, what do you want with us?" Hel shot back, something about this guy screamed snake to her. Was it because of her experience with Artemis? She self-consciously reached a hand back, taking the demon's hand into her own and gave it a quick squeeze, taking a great deal of comfort from her fighting partner. Yeah sure, it'd leave her open to ridicule from the sassy spirit, but that didn't matter to her. She just wanted to make sure he was there.
 
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It happens suddenly, and takes Cal by enough surprise to actually pull a strangled gasp from her when she lands on… Oh, shit.

“Hands,” she warns mildly under the gleeful exclaim from Vi, and not like anything else she can say to make this position any less troublesome. Anyway, there’s a distinct softness to Trace’s tone that leaves Cal feeling all kinds of uncomfortable and eager to create distance between them, but also reluctant to voice her usual aggression. It’s a kind of sincerity that whittles away the venom on the tip of the tongue.


Cal merely looks askance at the teasing grin above her. Trace has an odd smell, one that crinkles her nose even if she doesn’t mean to. It really isn’t on purpose--it’s more like instinct, a drive that she doesn’t have control over. Out of reach, it originates in a part of her Dante has better control of. Primal part.

As soon as Cal slips away, she’s taken hostage by more arms, this time looping around her waist and causing the hybrid to release a noise of discomfort from Vi’s sudden embrace. She can’t remember the last time she experienced something as simple as a hug. Not like hybrids are welcomed with warm reception anywhere. Vi doesn’t seem to care. Cal knew that the instant the keyblader stood in front of a gun barrel defending her.

Strange. Between the craziness, she feels like… she’s missing something. But the time between her being sucked into a black hole and being tackled into a hug is, like, less than a minute--she’s only just gathering she’s in a room of some kind, definitely not in Halloween Town.

And now, apparently, it’s time to spill their hearts out. Or at least that’s what Cal guesses... This is.

Trace reveals an uncomfortable amount about himself, and when that concludes Vi goes next in even more intimate detail, ending it with a dire warning of murder towards the male hybrid that threat leaves the girl’s mouth with too much confidence. Cal wonders if she’s killed before. Doesn’t look like it. A young keyblader shouldn’t be eager to make a threat like that, especiallynot for Calpurnia’s sake. Usually she’d mind her own business when it came to these things, but if it concerns Vi, then it’s a slightly different story.

It’s weird being defended like this; Cal discreetly masks the confusing mix of emotions on her face by pressing her chin to her chest. She pushes Vi’s head down to mimic the gesture that almost looks like a bow of an apology towards Trace.

“Quit being dramatic, dude,” Cal grouses at Vi, before meeting Trace’s eye. And there’s an understanding there. “She defended me. She’s good. I’ll vouch for her. If anything goes wrong, blame me.” As far as assurances go, it’s not the most eloquent nor does it deliver much confidence. Trace has every right to be worried about the keyblader. So Cal won’t fight back if something goes wrong, if Vi goes rogue, returns to the Light and renounces her ways. Then again, Cal gave her a promise, and if keybladers these days still believe in principles and are a fraction more faithful towards oaths than Cal, the female hybrid has no doubt Vi isn’t someone to concern themselves over.

That naivety and eagerness is sure to pose some problems, though, and Cal decides boundaries oughta be set now if this Traveling Together thing is gonna work out.

It’s still too soon for affectionate touches of familiarity and companionship, so when the hand wraps around Cal’s and gentle eyes ask for her story, the hybrid slips out of the grip with an uncomfortable grimace but keeps by Vi’s side. Rejecting the offer extended to her is maybe a little harsh, but the world doesn’t work like that. It’s been--what?--just hours since they first got acquainted. She needs a bit more time before casual physical contact becomes commonplace.

Well. That means she’s next, right?

“Calpurnia Magdelaine D’Angelo. Twenty-six. Chick. D-cup. Scorpio. I killed some people a while ago, so now I hate myself. I’d do it again for Sparky.” She looks down at her bandaged arms, her hands. Earlier, her palm glowed with the outline of a sigil when Trace spoke of his background. She hadn’t noticed the sigil on her palm until then, didn’t even know how it had gotten there (Trace, of course, Trace), and that makes it the second or third time today something has slipped under her notice. She’s gotta do better. Even if she’s got travel companions for the foreseeable future, it doesn’t mean she can slack off. If anything, it’s all the more reason for her to be vigilant.

That’s some good advice--where is she, anyway? A quick scan of the room. There’s some writing on a board there from Trace. Cal glances over the other hybrid’s shoulder to a window. A balcony leading to an outside world that of course is unfamiliar to her--what did Trace call this place? Willow’s Keep?Ajar door leading to a bathroom, and Cal is unpleasantly reminded of her own dirtied state...

“There. Now you know everything I know.
”

Lies. She doesn’t tell them that her memories are more or less as hazy as a dream. Memories long turned to sand and always shifting and slipping from her fingers. Impossible to grasp tightly, but teasing her with its definite presence.

She doesn’t tell them that she’s long abandoned any semblance of normal sleeping habits. Sleep means dreams. Dreams mean more of those frustratingly evasive memories. And if they’re gonna come back to her in a torturously slow, piece-by-piece fashion, then she’d much rather just not have it come back to her at all.

She doesn’t tell them, what she does recall from her memories, are of a pitiful life on the streets of an unknown world. She doesn’t tell them a lot of things, because Cal still doesn’t completely, entirely, know how long she’ll stick around. She hates having valuable information about herself in the hands of anyone other than herself. Hates the idea of someone working her in a little dance with strings attached above her.

She’s been wary of Trace from the start.

She recalls his story, and it’s honestly scary how familiar and foreign it sounds to her all at once. Cal doesn’t know Trace. But she does know of suffering, of the hesitation to place trust in someone. All the things that she’s come to recognize, in the rare instances she’s had meeting someone like her, is a familiar story that seems to tie hybrids together. Cal can absolutely relate to some of what Trace has been through. And still, it’s not enough to convince Cal that she can ever hope to develop a meaningful relationship with someone else like her. It’s why, even now in Trace’s self-proclaimed safe-space of a home, Willow’s Keep, Cal cannot, will not let her guard down.

Vi requested they be familiar, and that was a promise Cal wasn’t yet ready to uphold.

Being vulnerable is, basically, freaking scary. Still, she does offer this to Trace, remorsefully glancing at him from underneath a veil of hair. “I know what it’s like, being hated. Judged. Sorry...” Sorry for what? Cal bites her lip, shoves her hands into her pockets, looking between Vi and Trace now. “Sorry for… being an asshole. To both of you.” But as for getting chummy? Shit like that? Too soon. Trace should be able to understand that, right? Considering he’s just as distrusting towards humans. “But don’t kiss me again.
” No, she still hasn't forgotten. And yes, the look in her eye dares Trace to try her. “Don't kiss me, ever. And we’ll be solid.”
 

Deimos

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It was nigh immediate, but Trace could sense it. The gap between him and the both of these women so much so, he was reminded all too vividly why what Kephrii suggested was especially difficult for him. He spoke of nothing that would compromise himself, what would they do, kill his family? Sick joke, but they were long dead along with this world. No, to truly hurt Trace goes beyond any information he gave away so liberally, because he's not worried about really anything being used against him, in time they'd come to understand this, and understand it well.


Vrivianne was full of it, an amateur making a threat to "kill" outright when the smell of blood on her was from Dante. Prior to discovering her with Cal, even aged blood, nowhere to be seen on her. The eagerness to shower she posed, confirmed it's been quite some time since she'd done so, and killing wasn't on the agenda for this trial keyblader. Now, what she said about fencing, thats what he was looking for to validate his state of caution, and he looked no further once it hit his ears. People often said in his field, it didn't matter how decorated your resume and experience was, what was more interesting was your potential compared to someone who had experience. So Vrivianne as a hybrid, the potential she possessed, to trace this was utterly unreal.

He ran his fingers through his spikey black hair and released a heavy sigh. Knocking on the door of his mind, his heartless had been relatively 'good' for a while now. Anti had taken a thwacking or two from the young keyblader, and the heartless was licking it's wounds collecting itself. Having satiated it's hunger from much earlier, it had been resting since.

"I can't even call you a hypocrite selling us a false narrative," Trace clutched his fist and looked at Vi "To me it doesn't matter how you became one, by chance or whatever, you're dangerous."

There was an increasing array of distance growing rather rapidly as Trace was slowly edging away, taking backward steps and reaffirming his stance in their group. His eyes reflected a bit less potently as they shut and his body language shifted from a passive position (arms folded) to a power position (legs apart, fists balled). When he opened his eyes again, they were yellow, and his hair was burning away to a white ashen color as his skin colorized to an even more bronze color than normal.

He took a step forward, but Cal had forced Vi's head down, as if to offer up an apology for speaking with reckless abandon. Trace had just been threatened, the natural reaction confirmed for him that he was only right at least in his mind, in saying what he said from the gate.

“She defended me. She’s good. I’ll vouch for her. If anything goes wrong, blame me.”

Trace scoffs, "A lot of confidence in a little naive fool," his gaze hardened, this was a much different response than hours before from Calpurnia, who quite literally offered up Vi to the wolves. Trace at that moment, did not try to understand the conditions that changed Cal's opinon, even if ever so slightly. "Actions will tell me I can trust her. Nothing more."

He flipped his hood from his navy blue parka, his left hand glided around the side of his head, stroking the bandage and tapping his ear gently. THe hybrid could see that Calpurnia was now visibly expressing confusion, as if her awareness had been in a time bubble, but with how quickly things transpired, he could understand. A lot of information was being doled out, it was only right for him to slow things down.

Trace had already done several things, that had largely gone unnoticed except for a few obvious things. Looking at his thumb from where he'd drawn blood from before, how else did you think he imprinted on Calpurnia? His blood silly. His ears perked up and twitched, Calpurnia delivered her brief. Guarded, as to be expected but she gave him enough to work with and in looking at her he acknowledged as only those two could probably get in the room, this look with non-verbal communication that read,

You don't have to say anything else, I get it.

Truth be told, he really did. Though, there was a difference or even a line to be drawn, he was far more active to the passiveness of Calpurnia. Opposites on the fronts in which they conducted themselves, his observations lead him to speculate but really this was all conjecture, he could only form these opinions of her off the things she's outwardly shown, and he didn't mind a slow grind to understand her beyond that. For all the two of them know, nothing Trace said was of any real value to him besides the theory that started his awful past.

He turned and walked over to the sliding door the lead to the balcony and placed his hand on the glass door, before opening it. Trembling, he could smell it as sweat, hear it subtly and he turned his hooded head. What the hell was going on? Was she actually apologizing? For what? Maybe to the kid, but Trace hadn't been personally offended by anything she said from before, it's a natural reaction to him to respond the way she did before. Though he did acknowledge it with a very slight upturn of his lip, the tiniest smirk you'd ever see.

“Don't kiss me, ever. And we’ll be solid.”

Thats right. He did kiss her, well, he kissed Dante and he never exactly explained why. The guy didn't want to make her several times more uncomfortable than she already was. Yet at the same time, this wasn't exactly something he could promise he wouldn't do. There was something to be said here, Trace was figuring it out rapidly in his head, when he remembered seeing her fist ball when Anti touched her face. That was the perfect thing to do.

PAF!

An alarming strike to himself, Trace used a fair amount of his strength and punched himself in the face, just below his left eye where the scar Anti left him a little over a year ago. He made sure it was hard, even twisting before he removed his hand and a bright red patch of ruptured nerves was left. When the throbbing could be felt, he was satisfied.

"You were taking too long to do it, so I did it for you. Hope thats fine." Trace said calmly before he sighed and leaned in between the threshold of the door.

"Just a few things Cal," he paused, because well, he hits hard as hell and that time there was bone there. "Your companion's M.I.A. again. Second, the kid's already washed off the slobber and blood from Dante." He chuckled at that part, "Third, you were bleeding a lot yourself, if you care to use the washroom, you're welcome to it."

He pushed his back off the door and stepped onto the balcony and leaned onto the railing. "As for me, I need time to think so. Excuse me."
He gave a simple flick-wave of the left hand, before he gripped the railing.

He hopped over the railing and dropped from three stories up. The was a loud earth shattering tremor as the hybrid landed, he was partially transformed from earlier. Little trick Anti picked up inside of Cal's heart towards the very end of their meeting. Trace buried his hands into his pockets and started to walk across the stones of the castle town.
 
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Tyrant Raver

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While Walt was up for exploring more of the decrepit town, it would be pointless if he does not have a destination in mind. He thought he could have at least obtain a grasp to where he was upon arriving at this humble piece of civilization, but it turned out that he was just back at the beginning. It was like from the dull and gray forest, only with infrastructure and remnants of civilization.

He was so deeply absorbed in his thoughts that he unconsciously shuts himself out of the outside world, a troublesome habit he was beginning to develop. He did not even noticed the group of people like him by the distance. It had been a physically and mentally exhausting ordeal for him, he was bothered that he had people looking forward to him back in the previous world.

"Shame... I was looking forward to going back at that shop."

An image of the shopkeeper girl of his age flashed in his mind, reminiscing her company while he was working part-time. She was one of the few people who had been kind to him ever since he arrived in some unknown place. As he was about to take a break on the nearby bench, there was a sudden tap on his shoulder.

"Hey, you okay?"

"OH SHEESH!!!"

Walt was startled, he was easy to be caught off guard if he was in such a state. His sudden reaction accidentally set off his prosthetic arm, which was also his keyblade, with a sudden flash of light with a buzzing static current; it was like a split-second flash from a camera, but with an audible crackling sound. He frantically shook his arm to get rid of the violent reaction as if he's swatting flies all over him.

"S-Sorry about that. It does that... umm... sometimes?"

He dusted himself off and turn back to this stranger, finally someone in this town approached him.

"I'm actually just got here. I was trying to figure out the way back into Trousel Town. I came here just asking for directions."

Walt himself was unaware that he was in a completely different world from where he was previously in. He thought that he was just tossed into a far outskirts of the town, though he really was not. Being lost and clueless seemed like a recurring theme for him.
 

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Ok, maybe what I said was going a little over the top. I definitely suspected that I pissed off Trace a little bit with my death threat, I mean, look at him. It was visible in his overall appearance, his hair turned white, eyes yellow, and skin even got darker. Berating me further, similar to when we met, I started to feel next to this threat...there was just something else he wasn't telling me. I could feel Cal's gloved hand pressing my head down from my left side.

“She defended me. She’s good. I’ll vouch for her. If anything goes wrong, blame me.”

Talk about unexpected, it was weird not being...thrown under the bus for the umpteenth time today by Cal. To be fair, a lot of the things I did for her today, I could vaguely remember thanks to the fact I've been drinking. Why did I defend her so much anyway? First the bartender, fighting against calling me baggage, and even being told to get lost. All of these things really hurt me more than I openly admitted, more than I openly expressed because the emotions attached and reactions were dulled by the alcohol. Story of my life of simply just not being good enough for someone or something.

Trace...definitely hated people it seemed. His extreme skepticism of me, felt as though it hadn't completely changed, I couldn't understand why he spoke to Cal completely differently. Wasn't he human once? Weren't they both human before? I don't know, I just felt really conflicted and I kept my head down a while longer.

Listening to Cal give a brief of herself, it was fairly short, sweet and to the point. I was sure of one thing, just like at the bar, that wasn't the whole truth. Someone like me probably couldn't get more out of her without seeming like a pest about it, bad experience so far.

The most ground breaking progress we've yet seen today.


“Sorry for… being an asshole. To both of you.”

No way. I definitely had to be dreaming here! What she said next, blew me out of the water.

“But don’t kiss me again.”

My head perked up, and my face was riddled with confusion. I was asleep for a while, so I don't remember anything that she was talking about. That maniac did what?

I didn't even realize how red my face was, before I heard a gruesome sound of Trace punching himself in the face. I was alarmed, even more confused, but his comment was directed at Cal. She didn't exactly sound happy to be kissed in the first place, the things he said were weird to me. I looked away from both of them, the bird was perched on my shoulder this entire time, it was like it could shift it's weight and even it's presence. I gave a cautious finger to rub it's chest and a hooting sound it released before ruffling it's feathers.

(let it be known, Vi doesn't know Dante tried to kill Trace o~o;)

I watched as Trace left us with some final words of information. Sparky wasn't here, and the blood and slobber was from who? That part I focused on because I was equally confused about it. The last thing I needn't concern myself over, it wasn't meant for me. As I watched Trace jump over the railing, there was a loud boom as he hit the ground. Part of me was secretly hoping he broke his legs...but it seemed unlikely, I don't know the first thing about how a hybrid's human physiology is effected by the heartless, but he had to be somewhat durable to hit himself with that much force.

And just like that, he was gone, and Cal and I were in his room just us. Just like before we met him, and this the first time we've been secluded to ourselves since we met. My hands rested in between my lap and my fists were balled, I was tense somewhat during this entire chat we were having.

"Cal," I said still looking at the wooden floor, "Thanks for apologizing." I had a bit of a light smile, surprisingly not forced.

I proceeded to get up and went to touch the door of the adjacent room the two of them would be using. "We'll talk later alright?" I was looking with a mother's concern at her arms that were bandaged and where blood had soaked through and my face crinkled a bit. "Shower first. Rest second."

The door opened and then closed, I slid down the door and curled up into a ball placing both hands around my ankles briefly. We were all in our heads with skepticism, every last one of us was, I could read our faces and gestures from all my years of fencing training. I was extremely inexperienced at making life-related decisions, but for what it's worth it's brought me two people...I haven't really had anyone since the outbreak. It's been a troubling and yet lonely year and then some for me, i squeezed my ankles a little firmly and then I finally got up and dropped onto one of the two beds and buried my face into the pillow. Every fiber of my being just wanted to scream, from holding back a lot of frustration, anguish, and struggle prior to this debacle happening today to flip a lot of it on it's head.

So whats going to happen now? Where...are you.

I mouthed the words of his name in my head.
 
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Ðari

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The portal of darkness tore into the scene.

A single step, bold with the clack of heels. Steel, appropriated into a full casing, metal that wrapped beneath both calves, it could shift into a fuller look of a boot on a whim, but heels were the more provocative option. The form that emerged from the portal took the shape of a woman. A dress of lime green, with a seem cut over the upper left thigh that extended with a 6 inch dip between her hip. Over the same thigh there was a strap, with a bag in which she stored items such as potions, makeup, etc. There was a V-cut in the chest of the dress, the burst from how it fit was what appeared to be uncomfortably tight.

There was a doom and gloom to this place. It was overtly grey, and quiet for it looked like she was in a forest of some sort. The sound of barking, a yip or two, past the decrepit trees there was a dog. Not just any dog, it looked like a heartless of some kind. A hand tossed and ran through her red hair as she flicked it back, breaking the silence.

"Handsome pup. C'mere." She whistled, kneeling down to take the dog into her arms.

There was a brisk wind, picking up with a slight sensation that accompanied it. Giving the woman chills, goosebumps entrenched her skin, as she nestled the heartless pup in her cradle. This place wasn't as dead as she initially thought, the air she was picking up carried multiple signs of people only just recently being here. Short on time, she put the dog down and proceeded forward. Wagging her finger in front of it's nose before poking, clearly, it had an owner. From the corner of her eye she could see a name-tag of sorts, who'd personalize a heartless...?

Sparky. Utter nonsense, the woman roamed through what looked like an opening in the forest and left the heartless dog to it's solitude. There was no need to destroy it, though a quick kill would get the blood flowing. As if nuanced, the metal clicking of her heels filled the woods until she broke the trees and set her sights on the graveyard.
 

Key Wielder

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[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Honestly, Yoake couldn’t have thought of a more perfect distraction if she’d tried. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Mysterious disappearances, inane questions that didn’t actually target the root of the matter, the group dividing up at random to investigate whatever they wanted at a given moment—it was all staged so wonderfully that she couldn’t help but take advantage. These people weren’t friends; they couldn’t even hold a conversation without trying to one-up each other in some way. Their actions had led to the destruction of a world, Hybrid-led or otherwise, and they didn’t care at all. Instead, they... Actually, she couldn’t figure out what they were doing. In her mind, they all melted into a blur of voices and color that zipped here and there regardless of reason and sense. A boy who jumped into some sort of romantic whatever-they-were-going-to-call-it with a grown man that was practically a stranger. A brother who seemed to utter a new name every twelve seconds. A so-called scientist out to avenge his father. A Hybrid that needed some serious therapy.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]It was time to go. The last thing she needed was to get further entrenched in their problems.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]That was how she found herself wandering the Hinterlands on her own, planning her next move with the others left behind. She hadn’t said anything, not goodbye or even a warning that she was leaving. It wasn’t like they’d miss her, if they even noticed in hindsight that she was gone. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]That was how she heard the snap of a twig and wheeled around to find nothing at her back. She wasn’t stupid, though. This place was eerie, but there was a stirring in her heart and a warning in her head that told her this hadn’t been the direction to go.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]That was how she felt the wind knocked out of her as something solid and dark collided with her chest, and then nothing at all.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]***[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]“There you are. I was wondering when you were going to show up.”[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Yoake‘s eyes blinked open, slowly adjusting to the brilliant sunset that greeted her from across a shimmering, glittering horizon. She’d never seen the ocean before; her village was settled in the mountains, and it was much too far to travel to the nearest sizable body of water on a whim. That didn’t mean she hadn’t pondered what it would look like, though, her mind conjuring images of beauty and serenity that she almost wished she could make real. Ultimately, however, imagination was simply that. There was no turning it into reality, just as there was no denying that this was the most spectacular sight she had ever encountered.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]If her companion registered her awe, he was kind enough not to point it out. Instead, he waited patiently at her side, leaning against the bent tree with his arms folded. The pink-orange light of twilight reflected off his black leather coat; it illuminated the looping, swirling sigil on his back and turned his silver hair a magnificent shade of red to match the flaming sea. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]“So, this is it?” he asked. His eyes never left the curve of the horizon, but she knew he was aware that he’d drawn her scrutiny. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Shrugging a shoulder, she turned to follow his gaze and sighed, “There are worse ways to go.”[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]“Guess you got what you wanted in the end.”[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]That much was true. Where she was going, she had no need for a Keyblade or any other weapon—or so she hoped. Reaching out with her mind, Yoake couldn’t even sense its presence; she knew without testing her theory that it would not appear in her hand now no matter how passionately she called.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]And that was all right. Here, on the cusp of light and darkness with the Dream Eater who had always taken the form of one of the legendary heroes for some reason, it was hard to muster much regret.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]In fact, she only had one: that she hadn’t gotten to send one last letter to her parents.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]“You’ll look out for them, right?” [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]He didn’t ask what she meant, though it appeared that he already knew. Nodding, he finally met her gaze to assure her, “If they ever find their way into the realm of sleep, I’ll be here. Until then, I’ll keep an eye out.”[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]It was more than Yoake knew she had a right to hope for, and tears welled in her eyes not out of grief for what she hadn’t gotten to do, but out of gratitude for what someone else would manage in her stead. They were partners, her and this Dream Eater that had appeared to her when she’d needed him most. They didn’t always get along; bickering was a familiar language whenever they spoke. But he would be there when she faded away. That, too, was all right.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]“Thank you.”[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]“You’re welcome.”[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]A[/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]moment of silence, a passing breeze that spoke of what was to come. And while she knew that it wasn’t really him, that her mind was conforming to an image that had always brought her comfort, Yoake called to him as the world around them vanished into oblivion:[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]“Goodbye, Riku.”[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]His words followed her into the darkness: [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]“Goodnight, Yoake.”[/FONT][/FONT]
 

Shinra

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Renn kept his eyes on Jack as he spoke but something was itching at the back of his mind. As soon as Jack was finished he spoke again. "But that seems weird that the latest victim was not one of this world." He had heard Topsy's scream. But Renn's eyes darted around. "Where's Yoake? oh no not her too? we just lost Topsy and now Yoake? she should've stayed with us! We don't know who the kidnapper is yet so they're still on the loose!

Renn bolted out of the town square towards the Hinterlands. Running on all fours due to his newfound instincts he ran much quicker, He Growled to himself as he crossed the threshold of the hinterlands: "That Idiot!" She may hate having a keyblade and hate us by extension but that doesn't me we shouldn't help where we can! and right now the best way to help is to stick together...Just as He arrived he saw what seemed to be a horned type of creature dragging Yoake into a corridor of darkness. His desperation welled up into him as he called upon his keyblade to focus his magic. The negativity empowered the magic with a unknown force and the flame that launched toward the creature was a black mass of energy, but it never landed. The creature, the portal, and Yoake were gone. He had no idea what to do and his anger pooled with his sorrow and he screamed wordlessly to the dark sky. His newfound form lending to it, turning his anguished vocalizing into a howl.
 

Ðari

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douche

There was a slow clap happening in the in the hinterlands.

These people from that group were certainly unique, one of them, passing her by at first as if to stem herself from the group. The redheaded woman wasn't hidden behind any trees, or obscured from vision, the young woman genuinely seemed lost. Her eyes didn't really indicate she was even aware of where she was, or where she was headed. Taking note of this, the redhead was only a tiny bit more forgiving. A turn at the heel, there was a snap in the forest, the trees rustling only to show there was just the woman and the heartless pup there. Yet, not quite, something dark and solid penetrated through her back and the redhead simply looked on into complete astonishment as her chest permeated a deep crimson. It was delicious.

Shuddering in chills. It was always a potent feeling, she didn't know or understand what had delivered an assured fatal blow to the woman. Perhaps it was karma, or even more broad a thought, destiny that this were to happen. The redhead would not mourn this woman, she was definitely a face plastered over Machinecken Town. Leaning over her, there was something that unearthed through a portal of darkness and she instantly jumped back. Her body being taken away, there was another one coming, male this time.

Ears perked, her eyes steadied, again, this one looked completely absent to her being there. Eyes locked on the now dead woman, and whatever abhorrent figure was taking her through the portal. If you're curious to the redhead's reaction, it was stilled, but intrigued, that was one less she had to kill to be truthful. She turned and raised her right leg, with a swift motion, her green dress fluttered and a sound of clanking and air pressure building around her thigh at a quick motion to bust through the attack while a mini vortex was held in place, trapping around her thigh and slowly moving down to her calf.

"Since you don't seem to care who's in the line of fire. Here, let me show you my disdain. Catch."

You could hear it in her voice, she was pissed. The vortex moved all the way down her leg until it compressed itself into a ball of hyper-fast moving air that floated just at knee height. With a quick rotation she boosted her spin with air, and put a lot of power into her right calf, kicking the ball of air at the male, or beast for that matter as the monster behind her disappeared into the darkness with the dead woman's body. Not like it mattered, if he swung at it, it'd come apart and spread like a roll of barbed wire and cut everything outward like an Oster brand blender. Smarter to honestly avoid it or let something massive tank the hit for him. To think, he could've used that girl's body a a shield, it wasn't like she was using it anymore.
 
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Shinra

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His scream was soon overwhelmed by the sound of what seemed to be a orb of air coming at him. He dodged the attack by jumping to his right. "My bad. I was trying to kill that goddang bastard that got away! Now if you know where that Abomination went tell me where he is so I can rip his horns off with my own two hands and shove them down his throat! He deserves nothing less for his crimes!" Renn stands back up on his two feet again and but something was different, Among the gray color of the trees, smoky tendrils of black snaked from Renn's form. "Last warning..." His breathing was strained as if he was fighting with himself.
 

Ðari

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He went with the obvious option and she was still irritated. She wasn't a keyblader, she wasn't even a fighter, she was a hitman, and his face was bounty. End of story, money was money, to whatever ends anyone had to go they didn't push far enough compared to the redhead.

"Don't know what your talking about. Don't care." she said flipping her hair. "You look like hammered shit, I'd ask if you're ok, but it seems redundant when I'm only gonna make it worse."

She licked her lips, that compressed ball could still be heard whirring around in the forest, it wasn't done. Almost on a boomerang effect, it swung back and twisted around the kid, barely avoid a swipe against his tendrils that weirdly spawned, which would've effectively ended him if it DID hit. Circling around, the woman caressed the ball of air in her hand and started to inhale. The ball expanded and got bigger and bigger as she was taking away the oomph of the orb and dressing down the potency of the speed and power in place for a more indirect and sinister approach.

The ball grew and expanded like a balloon, coating in the presence of multiple different gasses. Clearly she couldn't just let this boy go off on a terror of halloween town, not looking like he was in his right mind. A mercy was necessary, that and, she wanted to slaughter whoever was left, getting edged out by an amateur would go against her pride. Crushing her hand, the now gigantic ball of air decompressed and expanded in all directions. The composition of the gasses dulled the senses and was laced with a sedative to knock the kid out harmlessly.

Either run or sleep. Basically it. She rolled her eyes, releasing an exhale, the air within a 1-meter radius of her was always purified, she walked through the vapor and gas completely undeterred.

"Just go to sleep kid. Your huffed up on some kind of power trip and I'm not having any of that shit today."
 

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"wh-what do you mean 'make things worse' ?" the lethargic feeling was already sinking into his body but he had a instinct to back off... Then he noted that the woman was unfettered by her own effort. She either has some sort of immunity to the chemicals she's using in the air... or... maybe she's purifying the air she's breathing...

"Fine but so you know... This form was given to me when I stepped upon this world... It seems to have enhanced some aspects of me and dampened others." He then bounded out of the hinterlands and returned to the graveyard but he was feeling really sluggish. "But what happened back there? My emotions... poured a new pool of strength into my magic... But it was different.... not like back in Mech town when I leveled those guards though... wait... the emotions... were of... loss... of desperation... of fear... The magic... was Dark... I used darkness!" He then looked at his hand. "I hope... I'm able to control it."
 
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Deimos

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What exactly was going on with Trace, it was anyone's guess. It was very clear he was insane, and he never diminished this fact or even attempted to down play it. He's played the role of executioner on this world, on other worlds, and shown no remorse in the face of hate for what he was. Hybrids, how he loved hybrids, how he fawned and pined over the very dogma of lifting his kind to a proper state of elevation. Nodding to this serene thought, there was an image of Calpurnia that flashed in his mind.

He touched his cheek, rubbing it lightly. It wouldn't heal so long as he was in some form or another in Anti-Form, or even partially transformed into it as he was using a different variation. Groaning, the hybrid started to think hitting himself with nearly 60% of his physical strength was a bad idea as he twinged from the throbbing.

These women were starting to subtly change him.

He couldn't stop thinking about them, what to do with them...about them...how would any of this even work? Neither of them trusted him, and it didn't likely seem as though it would come anytime soon. Calpurnia was rather abusive to Vriviaane, and Trace the same to Vrivianne, yet the girl against better judgement stuck around. Giving her every opportunity to flee, that she obediently in her own naive way, ignored. This was troubling, but the more he thought and thought and thought about it, the bigger his headache became.

"I just don't understand. Either of them..."

There was a sharp thud from his heartless core. Anti was finally awake now.

"Trace."
the heartless voice pinged through his head.

"Yeah?"

"Turn the girl...she's invaluable."

Trace stopped walking, he couldn't just talk to himself, not like the consumed hybrids were gonna try him. Anti's proposal was sound, and given Trace had more information on Vrivianne, he wholeheartedly would consider it.

"Not my call to make, we agreed Calpurnia would decide her fate."


"Screw what Cal said! You're going soft because of another hybrid?? Where is that ruthless killer underneath all of--"

It wasn't the time to argue. There was a scent in the air that just didn't belong on willow's keep...and it was also human. One...two? No Five. Five humans in total. Trace didn't remember there being factions of this size last he was here, but there were camps set up outside of the castletown's perimeter, out in the glade. Humans knew better than to come in here, the consumed would rip them apart but these guys were on the high ground. High, well above Trace, and he looked up to see one dude with red hair, a bandage, scar under his eyes, and a baton resting on his left shoulder.

"Well if it isn't the little devil that ended this world. File reads: Wendell Blake. Threat Level: RED. Man oh man, why do we get the difficult jobs. Tseng? Rude? Elena? Cissnei? Old man Veld just wants us to level the playing field so they can take back the world, it what we were hired to do after all."

The short-haired blond smacked the red-headed male.

"Reno. Are you trying to give away all of our information for free??"

Trace was impressed, so, THATS who he was dealing with. He sucked his teeth, he remembered when these idiots were employed by the power company that Kephrii took over. They weren't all too impressive then, just a bunch of corporate suits, he wondered if their position evolved at all since then.

"Humans. Why does it always have to be humans...why...why...WHY. WHY! WHYWHYWHYWHYWHY!!!!"

He started to release his madness as a pressure that filled the air similar to when he was in the hinterlands in halloween town. Trace jumped from the spot he was standing and pushed himself forward in a straight line passing many buildings in the direction of the Cistern.

"Whoa! Don't let him run! Everybody get on his ass man!"

The five of them like they weren't even there, vanished from sight pursuing the hybrid.
 

Hazen Gregory

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A slow but steady droning of water splashing down in small drops echoed in Topsy's ears as he came back to consciousness. He felt terrible for starters, both having a dull ache going through his head and a sharper pain that radiated from his back all around his torso. "Uuugh, the fuq??" Topsy sat up and gazed around the vicinity he was in. He was so groggy that for several seconds, the man was almost certain that everything he was experiencing was still a dream until a slender woman whom was obviously stitched together came forward from the group of monsters, misfits, zombies and other disturbing creatures. She looked sad, bored and worried all at the same time so Topsy wasn't sure what to make of her, or the situation until he knew more.

"I....I'm."

"Topsy??" The woman answered for him, "Yes I know who you are. It was all you kept yelling after Krampus brought you down here. His influences are even more frightening on stronger individuals it seems." The woman rubbed her forehead and knelt down to Topsy whom was still slouched in an old rusty chair. She reached her hand out and he responded by taking it, shivering at the cold touch of undead flesh. "I'm Lady Skellington; Jack Skellington's wife but you can just call me Sally ok??"

Topsy let go of her hand and grimaced at the wound that was still healing on his back and chest. "Ok Sally...can you tell me what is going on here??" Topsy looked around the room to see that most of the town's residents were present in this subterranean area but none of them seemed to be doing much of anything other than pacing back and forth. To Topsy it seemed like they were all under a spell of some sorts but there had to be more to it than that. The silence was making Topsy ache more.

"Well. I guess that this is the simplest explanation. Over the past month in preparation for the holidays, Jack and Santa were going back and forth about ideas and how to make a 'dual-holiday' if you will." Sally looked exasperated, "Jack as his usual self wanted to do everything and ended up getting Santa...angry." She shrugged, looking at the dusty floor. "After that, Santa vanished and the disappearances started happening. They were random at first but then it seemed like it was going from individual to entire households." Topsy looked on trying to keep a straight face. "I'm aware that the thing that is keeping us down here calls itself Krampus and he is experimenting on the town residents. Most of us have already been taken away and returned in a state like...them."

Sally pointed around in no single direction, motioning to the mass of staggering and slowly shifting residents. "Hmm, so whatever he's been doing results in this state. Can you tell me anything else??" Topsy eyed Sally curiously before standing to his feet, wincing and pacing around.

"Sure." Sally mused, "There are only four of us who have returned the same. I have no idea why nor do I recall what Krampus did to me. The kids won't talk about it either."

"Kids?? What kids??" Topsy needed answers. He had to get back to the others and get to the bottom of all of this before it got worse.

Sally sighed, "Lock. Shock and Barrel....They're around here somewhere."
 

Story Keeper

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~- So Much More -~

Henry jumped away when the man’s weapon activated. Shooting him a look, Henry dusted off his clothes as he answered, “The world you’re on is Halloween Town. I can’t tell you much beyond that and that people have been getting abducted recently. I’m new to this place myself. I do know that it seems like one of our own has been captured too.”

Henry glanced away, an unreadable look on his face as he added,”The rest of my group is on the outskirts of town if you’re interested.” Despite talking to the man, his mind was on the soul that had just passed on to the afterlife. He knew that it was female, but he couldn’t pinpoint which soul it was, he hadn’t been close even to them.

~- Not Again! -~

Andy moved closer to Jack once Sevastian was on his feet, making note that there was only three of their group present. Anger unfolded in his chest at this fact, why couldn’t they understand that they were stronger together!? He looked at Jack, a hard look in his eyes as he spat, “Enough idle chitchat! Do you have any valuable information or not!?”

The stress from the last few hours was starting to show through. Jack didn’t react to his complaint as the skeleton answered, “Apparently a hybrid named Nana showed up a few weeks ago along with one named Krampus. The disappearances started then, they should have the answers for you.” With that Jack walked away from the three.

A huff of frustration slipping free, Andy kicked the dirt. His eyes snapped to Leyla, trying to figure out if she was truly trustworthy. A sigh sliding out, he walked up to her, a faint trace of violet in his eyes as he examined her face. A gentleness covered his annoyance when Andy asked softly, “You doin’ okay?”

Leyla looked at him, a confused look in her eyes before she covered it up again. Andy almost laughed as she said, “Yes, I am. What about you?”

Shrugging in answer, Andy shot a look over his shoulder. “Decent. Hey Sav, tell you what, I’ll give you an hour and a half AFTER we find the others.” Sevastian scowled in answer, clearly not happy about Andy moving around with the concussion.

“Not what I really want, but I’ll take it. How are you with magic?”

Andy laughed, finding the question funny because of his skill with it. Getting himself under control, he answered, “Skilled, wind magic is my favorite but I’m good with all types.” Sevastian nodded in satisfaction at the answer, and Andy turned to face the two warriors with him. Opening his mouth to say something, Andy closed it again as he felt something form beneath his feet. Before he could investigate it though, darkness was reaching above his head as he fell. A yelp of surprise escaped him, his hands reaching out to keep him from falling. Wrapped in cold and his eyelids growing heavy, the darkness making his head swim. Closing his eyes for a moment, Andy slipped beneath the surface of awareness.

~- What Happened to the Furchild? -~

Nana watched the two in front of him. He could tell at least the girl was weary of him, given the narrowness of her eyes. He could see the tension radiating from her, he understood it as his own muscles were taut like a bowstring. His attention was diverted back to the woods, the sounds of battle causing him to wonder it. Sensing a familiar presence, he held out his hand out, palm up.

A couple of minutes passed, and then a portal opened up in the sky. Reaching out his other hand, Nana wordlessly caught the lump that fell from the dark mass. Bringing his arms back to his body, he looked down at the heartless that was in his arms. Nana smiled and proceeded to scratch the canine behind the ears. “Hey Sparks, who’s a good boy?” He cooed affectionately.

Glancing at the two in front of him again, Nana tried to figure out what they were thinking, and how likely they were to attack him.
 

Ðari

Look at you, armor-less
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>LMAO NAH<

Waste of time but whatever. The woman compressed the gasses, green in color into a moving moving fog that visually obscured her from view. The damning thing was in that mess she put on a gas mask, there was even a distortion in her voice that was blatantly obvious. Sound was the key here, his voice was far, but his footsteps largely impeded further and further away.

"Looks like he ran away. I'm not chasing him," she said with a sigh and flicking up her hand lifting the bank of gas. "The fog bank, however, is."

Similar to what she did with the ball, she compressed it to a decent size, 5 times the size of the original airball, and kicked it off her armored leg. The sound of mental clinking from her steps, was so loud, she wasn't paying attention to really anything besides being a complete asshole honestly. Once the ball hit the graveyard, she dunked it dead into the ground and detonated it to literally fill the entire area within seconds.

"Well. I feel better now." she looked around for the dog who had a distinct scent that carried off the wind and noticed it was next to "something" else. The first time she'd noticed it, a dark portal? Similar to one she went through, but the mesh was much smaller and it seemed to even alert the heartless pup as unwarranted. With keen reflexes, she used the springs in the toes of her steel heels, and ejected herself with a quick burst of speed to jump towards the dog and hands not quite touching but following through the portal.

Too much motion in one sitting, she plopped out off to the left, her dress overturned over her leg a bit exposing her entire left thigh as she sit on the dead ground. Without looking up, she could instantly tell this wasn't the hinterlands, rather you could see the hinterlands from here? Looking up a hooded figure gaping mere feet away from her. Her look inquisitive, not one of terror or reluctance, and she stroked back her bangs and spoke.

"Hello. How long have you been there?" she said speaking directly to the figure holding the heartless pup. "You like to kill stuff too? Why else would ya be here. Your outfit screams death and destruction."

Rather barbaric, if you asked her what her favorite past time was, it wouldn't be murder, thats her second favorite. First? Sex. Obviously.
 
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Tyrant Raver

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“The world you’re on is Halloween Town. I can’t tell you much beyond that and that people have been getting abducted recently. I’m new to this place myself. I do know that it seems like one of our own has been captured too.”

Walt was paying attention to this particular youth, up until he uttered the term "World". His expression went wide awake as he heard that, visible disbelief can read from his face. He restrained himself the impulse of shaking his conversation partner and decided to poke more into this matter.

"Wait... hold on. Did just say---'world'? I don't quite follow you."


Indeed he was confused. Earlier when he was wandering through the labyrinthine forest or the Hinterlands it did felt like he was in an another world. The boy was practically saying that Walt was in a different world, literally.

”The rest of my group is on the outskirts of town if you’re interested.”

"I... well... If you don't mind my company, I don't see why not?"

Walt was about follow up with a question but decided upon himself to withheld it for a bit. Maybe following them would be the most viable option he has at the moment. He was still at a disbelief, having felt like what this boy just said a few seconds ago flew over his head.

He then went over his unusual prosthetic arm again, clenching it close and open and even cocking its joints. To keep it from accidental bursts like earlier.
 

Deimos

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There was a rough tapping across the stones. Trace slid around the corner and blitzed through the resevoir. Thats right, rushing water being pushed through by a huge turning wheel beside a metal pylon. Why was he running in a town that belong to him and hybrid kind? Why? There was a pick up of air, breaking into a really violent sound, it sounded like a loud flapping noise.

PERTAPERTAPERTAPERTAPERTA!

"What the fuck. A helicopter??"


At that moment, Trace had stopped and three of the five jumped out and landed on the bridge he was standing on. One had a grenade in his hand, Trace instantly understood they meant business and he hadn't had time to properly rest before going all out in this current situation, so he had to play this carefully. He kept his guard and stood in something of a feral position, his yellow eyes tensed up with a fierce glare.

"Easy. Easy. We just wanna talk yeah?"

"Are all you humans quick to flap your gums? Not interested dude. Take off or get taken."

The red haired Reno fluttered with a bit of farce anxiety, it was written in his eyes. "Yeesh. Lighten up, no fights need to break out if ya just hear us out. You can do that...right?"

Trace winced, cutting his eye sharply at Reno, before his head turned and noted the smiling faces of Rude and Cissnei. The helicoptor with the other two was still circling them from a safe distance. It gave him an out, just destroy that and they'll forget all about pursuing him. Alternatively, the consumed would surely notice, and without needing to say anything more, so came the darkness that was Willow's Keep for a reason. A punch hitting the bridge, and destroying it causing all four of them to fall into the flowing current of the reservoir.

Dunked under the water, Trace swam as quickly and furiously as possible towards the darkside that shattered the bridge, but rockets from the helicopter hit it' chest like a bomb. His eyes widened in disbelief as the towering powerhouse of a heartless fell over like a freshly cut tree, and splashed a wave pushing him further down into the water. Holding his breath a second time, he swam furiously, this time away and eh was looking directly at the three turks, all wearing masks underwater.

FUUUUUUUUCK!

He was tired, he was short on breath and time. He clutched his right hand, and the heartless sigil burned on it's surface as if he were putting out a distress call, projecting his location. Opening both of his palms he formed small orbs of darkness and started toss slow moving ones to create a mine field of dark orbs in the water between himself and the turks, before turning and swimming towards the surface. Diving down, there was a mesh of black, it looked like a fellow consumed hybrid, Trace looked on as it's chest radiated with the sigil. The hybrid swam towards the consumed and just like the darkside, a bullet hole punched through it's head, next it's body, it extended it's arms to intercept the bullets from the helicopter's machine turrets. This distract was enough for the remaining three to navigate around Trace's dark orbs, fasten him in a net, handcuffs first.

A grappling hook shot up to hook around the leg of the chopper, and it was fastened to Trace's bound body, being pulled out of the water, lifting himself and Reno, and two more grappling hooks shot out of the water toting Rude and Cissnei.

"Shouldn'ta ran. They NEVER get far, don't s'pose you got a way outta this mess?"

Trace smiled. "Maybe I do. Just maybe. Worried? I'm not." He then remembered he still had Vrivianne's marker from halloween town, only had to hope she was paying attention to the charm he gave her.

"Your consumed hybrid buddies ain't gonna help you pal. Get cozy, we're taking you back to our camp."
 

Shinra

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Renn's temper was getting the better of him because of the chemicals spreading through the graveyard. "Now I know that girl is trying to keep us out of those woods..." He clenched his teeth. He then summoned his keyblade. "I'd say we need someone to clear the air here... hopefully someone back in our group knows air magic or something like that... " He backed off toward town and reunited with the group. "ugh... does anyone here know what's beyond the woods? because some chick forced me back this way with this weird cocktail of chemicals in the air, does anyone know air magic to clear or purify the air in the graveyard?
 
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