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

[Shinra]

Renn's eyes widened at how much presence Topsy commanded, both physical and magical. Renn chortled at how Topsy said: "My name is classified...as in top secret." Because of the phrasing of the last two words but was soon tossed down face first to the ground in front of Andrew and Topsy.

Renn, with his hands behind his back though had to use his own head to get back up on his feet after the keyblade flew down in front of Topsy and he had broken free of his restraints. "I was also sent here on behalf of Ienzo of radiant garden to find out what your world knows about the hybrids and I follow your town's guidelines to the letter and you still apprehend me for a crime I never committed!"

He then gestures to the badge on his shirt before looking at Andrew. "See? Right there. That's my proof too." Renn exhaled harshly. Renn tried to summon his keyblade because he could probably try using it as a conduit for his fire magic to free his hands but it just wouldn't materialize and he whispered. "dang it."

 

[Eternal Dream]

~- Captive -~

"Still proving to be quite the colorful character, aren't you, Flopsy?" Sevastion commented, although he kept himself from laughing at the flabbergasted looks from the guards. While Sevastion found himself to be beginning to give the Magic Researcher some grudging respect, there was much about him that the warrior monk couldn't help but find to be ludicrous; Topsy's sense of fashion, for starters, although it was impossible to gauge just where that crime fell on the scale of sins.

Even so, there were a great many things that the man had brought up that were valid points. The cuffs with their magic restraints were poorly thought out, a bondage that Sevastion could break just as easily as Topsy had, even in his self-imposed exhausted state. But Hybrids were a quite finicky, tricky new species they were dealing with. If these Hybrids were anything like the Kami no Tamashi, especially those that had just Bonded, the results of the host being cut off from its Heartless could be lethal, for host, those around them, or both parties. Susanoo had been bound to Sevastion for over a decade, so the temporary disruption in their link didn't do much more to Sevastion than to highten his fatigue. But Sevastion could sense at least two of these Heartless Hybrids in his group of fellow hostages; Topsy himself, and a boy that seemed to be starstruck by the man in the pink suit.

“Not to interrupt, but has there been a great deal of trouble with...outsiders in this world? I know my own has had its fair share. From what I’d heard, though, I didn’t think that would happen here.”

"What the hell is wrong with you people, and who thought to make these things!?!? Did your researchers think of that, or are you so concerned with who has a visitor's pass that these violations skipped your minds."

"I was also sent here on behalf of Ienzo of radiant garden to find out what your world knows about the hybrids and I follow your town's guidelines to the letter and you still apprehend me for a crime I never committed!"

"It's pointless trying to reason with these men, or to ask questions of them," Sevastion said, raising his voice as he cut across any further complaints. Meeting the eyes of the man that was clearly the captain of the guard, Sevastion directed the words to his fellow visitors/captives even as he watched the guard, "For whatever reason, despite the fact that several of you have this visitor's badge that they keep harping on about, and the rest of us probably had intentions to pick that badge up, it doesn't matter to them. Hell or high water, they intend to bring us in through this idiocy, customs be damned. Some of us in this group have probably even given them further grounding for this trumped up capture, and I will apologize for my part in it. There's no point in trying to do anything but go with you lunatics, is there?"

The man seemed reasonable, but if Sevastion was hoping to get some sort of reaction from the guard captain by riling him up, he was sorely mistaken. The guard kept Sevastion's eye contact for a moment longer before breaking it. "At least one of you seems to be finally seeing sense," the captain called over his shoulder. Sevastion considered breaking the bonds off, if for no other reason than he hated restraints, but a look from the hawkish guard kept him from following through on the thought. Sevastion could be patient. He could bide his time.

“How long have you been able to work with him? I’ve been able to talk with the Astrals since I was five, even though I’m not supposed to be able to. So? How long?”

Seriously, doesn't this kid get the hint?

Sevastion turned to look at the young blonde that had popped up at his elbow again. Pushing aside the vague familiarity, he said, "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to ask such personal questions of prisoners when you're working? It's bad form, boy, and you seem to be in enough trouble with your superior as it is. Leave."

 

[Hazen Gregory]

Topsy sighed, feeling that his outburst was necessary but maybe he was being a bit forward. He did care about the others because they were basically all in the same situation together but he wouldn't take it any further than he had already. Something about the way the darkness had spread after the suicide happened made Topsy feel like his inner heartless had tried to take over but had chosen not to make the attempt after it realized Topsy was still in control. "Geez, you people really are something else." He'd mumbled this under his breath as to not stir up anymore animosity for the ground but still noticed that the mage was fidgeting. He felt bad for the kid because he new that having your magic cut off from you or restrained in anyway could be very painful, especially in a situation where you had nearly used all of your reserves.

The others seemed to be either anxious or bored, none of them had said much so Topsy didn't think it was a bad idea to speak to any of them. He started with Renn, saying, "Just hang in there. We'll all get through this, and you can get a nice rest like you deserve. I know this is a ridiculous situation but maybe we have allies we're unaware of..." He moved closer to Andrew, looking at him so hard that he probably could have burned holes through him...

Being completely random, Topsy reached out and gently took Andrew's hand. He was actually blushing a little bit. [COLOR=#FF006]"You seem to be in good with these guys, can you maybe get this moving forward??"[/COLOR] Topsy smiled and curtly kissed the soldier's hand and winked at him. "A beautiful man such as yourself is beyond these people. Very beautiful I might add." Maybe Topsy was pushing his luck, but something about this guy made his heart and head throb at the same time. Maybe it was just stress and him missing Daaku but it seemed to be much more than that. It was almost as if he could sense that this man knew more about all of them than he was letting on. Topsy could ascertain a bit of information about everyone from the magical particles around but he couldn't explain the sudden feeling of being pulled to the guard.

"I'm sorry for being so forward, I just had to get my hands on you, hopefully you aren't offended dear." Topsy blushed even harder than he had before. "Your skin, it's practically glowing. Maybe I should have let you take me into custody from the start."

 

[Eternal Dream]

~- Irritation... Why Irritation? -~

"You seem to be in good with these guys, can you maybe get this moving forward? A beautiful man such as yourself is beyond these people. Very beautiful I might add. I'm sorry for being so forward, I just had to get my hands on you, hopefully you aren't offended dear. Your skin, it's practically glowing. Maybe I should have let you take me into custody from the start."

Sevastion was starting to think that his effort to control his temper hadn't worked out at all. It probably didn't help that he still felt like he was surrounded by idiots on all sides, not to mention that, despite having them in custody, the guards still weren't moving. It wasn't his place to say anything, really. Not his world, not his rules. Not his circus, and for sure not his monkeys. And yet...

Damn that vague familiarity.

Sevastion moved, earning a glare from the Hawk (he who still needed his neck wrung, as far as Sevastion was concerned), a glare that he ignored as he put himself between Topsy and the young guard Andrew. Using the fact that he had just the barest bit of height advantage, Sevastion gave Topsy a cool look as he said, "I think I might extend some advice to you as well, Flopsy. Trying to seduce a guard that's 'escorting' you? Save it for after this ridiculous business is over, and then do yourself a further favor and turn your attention to someone that's older."

Yeah, Sevastion was really starting to think that he might have quelled the homicidal part of his temper, but he'd traded it out for being tired and cranky instead. Coupled with this sudden irritation with Topsy, and this unreasonable reaction to the man flirting with the guard (there wasn't any chance that Sevastion felt protective of Andrew, was there?), and Sevastion was just over everything. Frustration swirled through his eyes in a vortex of ocean hues, and the monk started to doubt if it was a good idea to have come to Machinecken in the first place. But then again, it's not like he'd actually decided to come here at all; he was just here.

Why couldn't he remember why he was here?

 

[Hazen Gregory]

Topsy rolled his eyes and chuckled as Sevastion decided to move in between he and Andrew. He said nothing and just smiled as the man tried to tower over him, but failed miserably, only having a height advantage of 2 inches or less and giggled at what the man had to say. Not only did it sound like jealous blabbering, Topsy hadn't actually let go of Andrew's hand which he squeezed as Sevastion gave his choice words of 'advice' He chuckled again as he mimicked the overly sour expression on Sevastion's face and then tapped his foot on the ground. He'd caused a minor rush of magical force to blow about Sevastion, nothing powerful or harmful, but certainly noticeable, the ground shook a little. It was really an act of bemusement at what had just happened.

Topsy scoffed and rubbed his fingers slowly over the top of Andrew's had which he was STILL holding onto. "Seduction is an art that I've gotten good at over the years and I'm well inside the circumstances to do so." He grinned at Sevastion. "However, this is in no way an act of seduction, considering where we are and that there is no form of privacy for anything to happen." Topsy eyed Sevastion curiously, "I'm guessing that you don't even actually know what seduction is since you used the term so incorrectly. This would be called flattery, but I'm also being honest."

It was such a strange situation that Topsy felt he had no need to be rude or courteous. Facts were facts. "I noticed the way your cheeks flushed and eyes widened when I showed up earlier Andew, you head turned so fast I could've called YOU Topsy..." Topsy sighed, making sure not to break skin contact with Andrew. "But uh, you don't think I'm trying to actually seduce you right?? I'd probably be a lot more bold and dirty with my words." He beamed as his gaze devoured Andrew before blinking a few times. "You MUST be of legal age since you're part of this world's military or guard division, so I wouldn't get any unneeded ephebophile charges." A low giggle sounded from his throat. "With my luck of course, you're probably like 17 so maybe I SHOULD feel bad...."

"Of course, I'm more than willing to show you new wonders unlike you've never seen before." Topsy looked at Sevastion. "Now that is more of a seduction. I guess I'm going to be ignoring your advice guy. and what's better, you can do nothing about it. Not a challenge but a fact."

 

[Key Wielder]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]There was something to be said for self-confidence. In conjunction with a strong heart and equally fortified light, it had the potential to create one heck of a hero. All the old ones were like that: they believed in themselves and their friends without fail. Well, except that one her mother always cited when she was attempting to teach Yoake a valuable lesson. His confidence, according to her, had been hard-won. He had cultivated too much at too young an age and ended up falling to darkness, forced to start over and earn it back, this time for the right reasons. It was both a cautionary tale as well as one of faith, [/FONT][FONT=&quot]hope[/FONT][FONT=&quot]. If one of the greatest heroes of the Keyblade could suffer such a humbling defeat and claw his way back from it, then anyone could.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Somehow, however, Yoake wasn’t so certain that her fellow prisoners would be so fortunate. Oh, they had the confidence down—in [/FONT][FONT=&quot]spades[/FONT][FONT=&quot], from the looks of it. The problem was that, unlike her personal favorite of the legendary warriors of light, they lacked the wisdom to understand when the words that issued from their mouths were humiliatingly ridiculous. Honestly, Yoake found herself bristling from so much secondhand embarrassment that she had no idea how they could keep [/FONT][FONT=&quot]talking[/FONT][FONT=&quot]. Insulting the guards, screeching about some conspiracy to kill outsiders, waving their weapons around as if people would thank them for it rather than rightfully scoffing at it—and now flirting? That wasn’t even mentioning the nonsensical tangent that had followed, either. Ordinarily, she would have blamed it on age; most of the apprehended wielders looked a bit younger than her, some of them barely even adults. This one, however—this [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Topsy[/FONT][FONT=&quot]? Not quite. In fact, Yoake had a sneaking suspicion that he had a few years on her, although that didn’t seem to matter.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=.SFUIText-Italic]Must I always be the adult in these situations? [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Yoake hadn’t changed since receiving the Keyblade, at least not that she knew of. If the terminal case of crazy that the others apparently contracted was catching, though, she was only that much more resolved to be rid of it. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]If they could speed this process up, that would be [/FONT][FONT=&quot]great[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]“Commander,” she addressed the senior-most official, refusing to acknowledge the prisoners that had gotten her here to begin with despite her desperate urge to say a few words, “with all due respect, perhaps it would be in everyone’s best interests to proceed before anything else goes...wrong.”[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Yes. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Wrong.[/FONT][FONT=&quot] That was a nice, subtle word for it.[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[purgatory]

There was this bar that I always wanted to try in Machineckten Town that was on the rooftop of a four story building. I wasn't per say, an alcohol connoisseur, but theres some things in this world that'll really drive you to drink you know? The image of that guy I met a while ago, the one that even gave me this weird keyblade, hard to say where he went. The bartender was giving me these really weird looks here and there, maybe worried that I had one too many. I was the only one here after all, most people in this town full of unnatural gears and some how stable community were hard at work.

There was a radio that played somewhere in the background, I think the content of my drink was somewhere around 30% alcohol content. A small buzz was somewhere around what I was feeling, no double vision thankfully. My eyes rolled around in the square, guards, guards, and more guards however. The radio personalities were even talking about increasing the overall security, so there was to be expected security detail with a rapid influx of outsiders. Given I'd been here for a while now, I wasn't really on the watch list but I was still basically another tourist on a visa more or less. I let loose a hiccup that trailed to the ears of the bar tender.

"Thats my cue, I'm cutting you off lass."

I pressed my soft hand to my face and let it slide always down to my mouth as I hiccuped. My opposite hand, dug into my pocket and I placed my munny on the counter for the bartender. As he collected it, the man started polishing my last glass. My little beady orbs stared at the counter top a while longer before I looked at the bar tender again.

"So whats the story with this town...*hiccup* they've gone balls to the walls with guards. Crime isn't super high her is it?"

"Lass, who really knows. The king 'round here just likes to keep things orderly. Ye better off avoiding trouble and not causin' it like them folk out there now."

"Now? Like right now...?"

I blinked sliding off the stool and looked over the roof down at the square. There was definitely a lot going on, a big fuss around a couple o' outsiders similar to her and a saturated headcount of guards from boot to helm. I was looking at lightning, key blades, and...bright PINK. Blinking twice before another hiccup escaped my windpipe, I held my head. There was a distinct smell that was about as foul as you'd imagine. If for only a moment, there was a boy slated at the highest high-rise and he stepped to the edge. Darkness billowed out of him, and suddenly as the moments passed I was starting to sober up to realizing "holy shit" went off in me somewhere. I felt prompted to do some insane maneuver to get to him, but I was drunk, I'm not thinking about doing that much prep, it was too much work for trying to relax today.

Leaning over the edge, I shouted up, but he already jumped and...scattered in a brutal way that I couldn't take my eyes off. A storm kicked up, the air got colder in what felt like a matter of seconds, then came...black snow. Darkness...black snow...what in the world happened? Some kind of omen was unveiling itself in Machineckten Town? On the street level, the guards that weren't apprehending the outsiders, were battling smaller heartless, shadows...and they were winning. The fact the heartless even appeared at all, when they didn't in all the time i've been here was definitely strange.

"Ugh...I really don't have time for this. Increased security...a revolt going on, and a suicide...? I need another drink."

The bar tender gave me a hard and stern look as I turned on my heels, even as it snowed and sat right back at the seat I was just sitting in.

"Does this usually happen in your town...? Snow...Vagrants...Darkness?"

"First time for everything lass. Let the guards handle it, it's their job ye?"

 

[TruestSyn]

Syn was pushed into a group with a bunch of other handcuffed individuals. He looked around at them all, a few things catching his eye. What a strange group, a half naked man, a few kids, all wearing the same kind of handcuffs. Were they keyblade wielders too? What were they doing while he was chasing that masked boy and fighting guards? He shrugged it off in his head.

"I can't believe I let myself give up. There's no telling what they're going to do to that boy. And the heartless everywhere? Why were these guards more focused on arresting us than fighting the imminent threat? It got way too cold way too fast, it's hard to believe they wouldn't even try to ask for help. Why didn't I bring a thicker jacket? Why haven't they given prisoners blankets? Are they going to take us to the castle or are they going to kill us all where we stand? Why is that guy naked?"

He muttered like this for a while to himself, keeping his sight on the ground. Syn had a bad habit of muttering to himself since he was a child, in hopes that he would be able to put the pieces together and answer his own questions. He looked more at the half-naked man and tried to assess his position here. He definitely had confidence on his side, but why? He had pulled papers out, Syn saw from a distance, that seemed to be what caused this group to cease fire, that much was certain. Was he their leader? Is this a rebel cell?

Too many questions, not enough answers. The only way to get down to the bottom of things was to investigate. Syn pushed his way forward through the crowd, careful enough to not draw the guards attention and make them think he was trying to escape. If they willingly gave up too then maybe there was a plan. After all, this was an unjust arrest. He wasn't given the opportunity to retrieve his badge before they wanted to arrest him and now with the darkness closing in and threatening the world, their deprived sense of justice was definitely the wrong side in Syn's mind.

"Psst, hey...I don't know your name but something about you makes me think you're the leader of this little cell of resistance...Are you fighting injustice in this town? If you've got a plan I'm all ears, I'm not gonna let this world fall to darkness because these clowns think we need some justification for waking up somewhere I'm unfamiliar with. You say the word and I'll find a way to break these cuffs and try to take em down. From the looks of it, we may be the oldest two here. Who attacks kids? Sorry, I'm rambling again."

He sighed and tried to calm himself down. When his heart raced, so did his mind, and when his mind raced, so did his mouth. He could feel the darkness creeping in with the cold and didn't think this world would be here much longer. They all needed to find a way out or they were going to join the ranks of the heartless. If they didn't take him when they did keyblade trials on his home world, he'd be damned if they'll take him now. He eagerly awaited the response of this man and began making plans to summon a dark corridor if he had to.

 

[Story Keeper]

~- Sudden Uncertainty -~

Andrew had expected the various outraged comments, and he could tell that even his commanding officer had expected it. What Andy hadn't been expecting was for Topsy to take him by the hand, heat crept up his neck to his cheeks. Again, Andy turned his blue eyes away, bowing his head enough that his blond hair fell in front of his face as he listened to Topsy talked to him. He frequently came into conflict with his fellow guards because he was young, and he wasn't old enough to technically be enlisted in the group but his brother and the King had agreed that Andy had too much talent.

Keeping his gaze to the ground, the heat in his face intensified as Topsy practically purred, "Your skin, it's practically glowing. Maybe I should have let you take me into custody from the start."

Eyes darting up to meet Topsy's gaze, the fair skinned boy stammered, "I-I-I-I...." He couldn't think or focus when he was so damn close to near perfection. He closed his eyes, trying to clear his head but he was acutely aware of Topsy holding his hand. Feeling someone move in front of him, Andrew opened his eyes to see that it was Sevastian, blocking his view of Topsy and letting him think somewhat. He heard the stern lecture that was given, and Andy almost laughed at it only for it to come out as a strangled squeak as Topsy asked him a question.

He heard pieces of it, so he had a vague idea but otherwise he was lost. Swallowing to get the cotton to go down, Andy stammered again, "I-I-I'm seventeen sir, but I wouldn't mind-----." He paused, a slight confused look coming to his face as he tried to figure out what he was trying to say. What wouldn't he mind? He wasn't sure, all he knew was that if it kept him near the two guys he was he wouldn't care. Shame made him glance down again at his feet, he was distinctly aware of his boots being different than the other soldiers. They were basic black boots, his was more of a dark midnight blue combat boot.

Tapping one of them against the stones, Andy tried to get his wits back about him but he was too aware of Topsy still holding his hand. Closing his eyes tight, he took in a shaky breath and started to count to ten. His concentration was broken when the girl chose to speak to his commanding officer, drawing his attention from the task he'd given himself.

“Commander, with all due respect, perhaps it would be in everyone’s best interests to proceed before anything else goes...wrong.”

The commander looked at her, evaluating her words before nodding curtly. Andrew knew the look on his face, he expected his orders to be carried out without him needing to say anything. Sighing in defeat, he mumbled, "See you two at the castle," before he regretfully pulled away from them. Walking back over to the commander, Andrew looked at him and saw the glimmer in his eyes that said, "Follow into line and don't act out."

Andrew nodded as the "visitors" each gained a two guard escort. Moving through the streets in careful formation, Andrew kept tossing back looks at Topsy and Sevastian, longing to talk to the two again for entirely different reason. Focusing back in front of him, he listened as the Commander reprimanded softly, "Andrew, you know I see you as a son, and I've done everything to protect you that I can. This time? You openly rebelled against us, questioning the king and you were willing to help off-worlders instead of your fellow residents. What if someone would have gotten seriously hurt, or killed? It would have been on your head."

Andrew didn't say anything, he couldn't. He wasn't able to logically defend himself against the assault. "Realize that if you're lucky the king will just put you under house arrest. If not...."

"What does it matter? I haven't fit in here since I first arrived on this world." Andrew cut across, his anger flahsed in his eyes.

He shouldn't antagonize the Commander. He knew this for a fact.

The Commander quieted down, picking up the pace instead of dignifying his soft protest with an answer. Huffing angrily, Andrew picked up his pace to match, and after a bit, they were at the palace gates. It didn't take long for them to get inside the castle, nor to make it to the throne room where he knew the king would be. They walked into the high vaulted ceiling throne room, where a middle age man stood with his back to them. Andrew didn't kneel when the other guards had, something always kept him from bowing in the presence of the king.

The king turned to look at the group at large, his skin was deathly pale and his dark brown eyes seemed dull while his fiery red hair hung limp to his shoulder. His black battle armor had red accents throughout it, and the glint in his eyes captured Andrew attention once more, distracting him from the rest of the king's appearance. He again couldn't ignore the unease feeling he got around this man, although he knew that this change was only a recent thing. He remembered that the king used to be so full of warmth.

"King Sononea, please...." Andrew began, only to fall silent when he was sent a glare. Backing down, he clenched his fist and bit his tongue to keep from saying anything.

"You are one of my youngest, which is why I'll forgive the disrespect with a warning. You're under house arrest until further notice. Take the boy to his quarters and make sure he doesn't leave them." Sononea flicked his wrist in a dismissive gesture, and before Andrew could react two guards appeared behind him and started to pull him backwards.

The grip they had on him was like steel vices, too strong for him to break, he shouted, "What about them? The majority haven't done anything wrong!"

"Silence! Unless you want the punishment changed for everyone. The guests will be sent down to the jail cell until we have made arrangements to properly question them. Although those two......" He paused for a moment, pointing to Topsy and Jacen, his eyes glittering fiendishly as he continued, "Are to be secured in a higher security cell. Not to mention that boy, put him in with the other of his kind. Dismissed."

Andrew bit down on his tongue hard enough to draw blood, it wasn't fair! He'd just found people he felt like he could truly connect with and now he was being treated like a child! Andrew drew a breath in to yell at the king but the door had shut on him before he could, leading to Andrew releasing the breath as a howl of frustration instead.

 

[Key Wielder]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Dear father and mother, [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]How are you? I know it has been some time since I last wrote—sorry for worrying you. At this time of year, I supposed you would be busy with the village children as they prepare to return to school and didn’t want to trouble you with yet another document to read. You’ve got plenty to be getting on with as it is. I hope that the business is doing well, and that you have had time to relax, papa. I may not be there to send you home when you stay too late, but you still shouldn’t work so hard![/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]What am I doing with myself lately, you ask? Oh, a bit of this, a bit of that. I made it to Machinecken Town, which is a nice enough world. It is nothing like home, but it will do for the time being. There are outsiders here as well, many of whom are wielders of the variety we’re used to. I wouldn’t say that I’m acquainted with them, but we’ll apparently be sharing the same cell block for a while, so it may be outside my control. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Otherwise, things are great. Life as a fugitive is looking bright, and the king is a stoically intolerant man, from the looks of it. Everything should be positively [/FONT][FONT=&quot]wonderful[/FONT][FONT=&quot] here. I’m just [/FONT][FONT=&quot]so[/FONT][FONT=&quot] glad I left home, can’t you tell? Yeah, you don’t need to worry about me. My mission is going just as smoothly as I’d hoped. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Clearly. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Groaning quietly, Yoake dropped her head against the cold steel bars of her cell and closed her eyes to banish the image of her mental letter. This was definitely one occasion she’d be leaving out of the notes she periodically sent home, that was for sure. What would her parents think if they knew that she was a prisoner in a different world? Would they jump to conclusions and assume that she had gone the way of so many Keyblade wielders before her? Or would they take her word for it that she had done nothing wrong and was merely in the most inconvenient of places at the most inconvenient of times? Yoake wanted to say that they would be prone to the latter, but... Well, she had seen the looks in their eyes when her Keyblade had been on display for all to witness. There had been sadness and sympathy, yes, but also suspicion. Their attempts to hide it over the following days had been admirable yet ultimately futile. Just as they had known her since the day she was born, a fact they never let her forget when she had fibbed as a child, she had known them for that long as well. She could tell when her mother’s smiles were feigned and her father’s conversation was stilted; she could sense the tension in the room increasing exponentially when she walked in. While Yoake would never admit it, a part of her felt relieved the day she’d left them—for her [/FONT][FONT=&quot]parents[/FONT][FONT=&quot], not herself. Without her there, they wouldn’t have to be uncomfortable. Without her there, things could go back to the way they were supposed to be. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Writing to them and describing the mess she had gotten herself into? That would only make matters worse. One day, she would be free of the Keyblade and on her way home. And on that day, she would need to be able to show her face to her family without shame. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]There was enough of that in her cell to suffice until then. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Overall, the prison wasn’t as terrible as she had assumed it would be when the king had ordered them to be brought down here. In her mind’s eye, she had pictured a stone box with nothing but a bucket and shackles to ensure that they didn’t move during their torturous interrogations. Perhaps it was a bit childish of her, the thoughts of a little girl whose only experience was in the fables passed down from generation to generation, which was why she had been pleasantly surprised to discover that it was at least slightly better than that. The walls were indeed made of stone, albeit not the jagged sort that would be painful to the touch. It wasn’t an empty cell, though. There were cots in the corners, their mattresses deflated and stained; blankets had been provided, threadbare as they were. A small commode was situated in a far corner behind a screen to offer the illusion of privacy, and there was even a dim light set into the ceiling above so that they weren’t entirely in the dark. All in all, it could have been much worse. It could have been far more comfortable, but they were the prisoners here, deserved or otherwise. Beggars couldn’t be choosers when they would be fortunate to simply make it out of here in a timely manner. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]In her case, anyway. The other wielders would be lucky to make it out of here at all with their behavior. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]At least the obnoxious one was in a separate prison. That would keep the niggling headache behind her eyeballs in check where it grew more persistent by the second. It was a small comfort, but at this point, Yoake would take what she could get. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]The guards that bookended the corridor certainly wouldn’t offer much more. Now that they were back in the castle, they had returned to their usual routine: straight backs, stern gazes, and utter silence. There was no need to ask them for anything when they had been provided with the necessities already, but even if there were, she doubted they would provide any response. They seemed more the type to follow orders and not extend themselves beyond what was strictly required of them. Not like that young guard, Andrew, beleaguered as he had been by the obnoxious one’s advances before they had been escorted to the castle. Whether it was his age or his naïveté, Yoake suspected that he would have been wandering along the wall of cells, speaking with the inmates rather than merely guarding them like he was supposed to. That in itself would have been a greater problem than merely flouting authority: the young and inexperienced were frequently the first to fall to darkness if only because they were so easily drawn into the schemes of others. Wasn’t that what had happened to the legendary warrior? The stories said he was fifteen when his journey began, two years younger than Andrew had claimed to be. At that age, he hadn’t been able to tell friend from foe and had trusted one of the most abominable dark witches ever to have graced history texts. What had happened after was the stuff of nightmares, and Yoake shuddered to think what would have happened if Andrew had been allowed to remain down here with them—or worse, wherever the magenta-clad Cro Magnon was being held. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]No, he was safer in is quarters, just as Yoake was better off avoiding any conversation with her fellow inmates. With any luck, she wouldn’t be here much longer; they would ask their questions, discover that she had nothing to offer, and set her free. There would be no apologies for the inconvenience, of course. Of that, she was positive. Even so, they were the ones in charge here, and she was the one who had been caught with those who broke their rules. She’d take her freedom and run with it, pleasantries notwithstanding. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Nodding resolutely to herself, Yoake glanced around at the other cells before turning to stare at the stone wall across from her. All she had to do was avoid more trouble from these wielders, and everything would be just fine.[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[Shinra]

Mom and Dad would have my head on the chopping block for this...

Those were Renn's thoughts as they trudged along towards the castle finally.Then again the brightest lights seemingly cast the largest shadows.

When they arrived in front of the King he felt a sort of unease fall over him but Renn almost wanted to spit in the face of the king as they passed in front in front of him but the shackles kept draining at him. When he heard the "sentence" he turned to look at his inmates but oddly enough "thunderboy" and "top secret" were being put in higher security cells than he was. But Andrew, tried fighting against the king... sadly though it ended in him being dragged away somewhere else for "house arrest".

As they were dragged along to their cells that's when Renn finally caved in to his fatigue and passed out. He awoke to cold water splashing his face but he soon shot up from the cot to see a guard handing him a bowl of oatmeal. "Eat up... Rumor has it you're up first and we don't want you passing out again..." Renn sighed. "Thanks for the thought..." He took the bowl and spoon then took a whiff. "Apple cinnamon... my favorite..." He remarked. He took a spoonful and the food was a welcome familiarity but he set the bowl aside to cool off for a moment. "Can I just leave it outside the cell when I finish?" "go on ahead." The guard turned and closed the barred door behind him.

As the porridge cooled off,Renn spotted Yoake, the girl he tried to save during the last phase of their little spat with the guards before they were captured, in the cell across from his... He thought she would probably be a good place to start from because he knew she had a keyblade too.

"Excuse me... Miss? I never got your name earlier... I'm Renn."

 

[Key Wielder]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]At first, Yoake didn’t respond, although her eyes were drawn to Renn where he was watching her from across the corridor. He presented a pretty pitiful picture, all things considered: the enchanted manacles Yoake had been lucky to escape had left him looking drawn and pale, and it didn’t appear that the meager meal the guards were handing out down the line was doing much for his complexion. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Her initial instinct was to find some satisfaction in that. With any other wielder, she probably would have. In this instance, however, her sympathy was less tainted by bitter suspicion than was her norm. After all, he was just a kid—he couldn’t be an adult yet, not by her world’s standards. She wouldn’t say that the guards had been wrong for arresting him, not when he had been involved in the rigmarole and was certainly old enough to take responsibility for his own actions, but... Well, perhaps it was more appropriate to blame the company he unfortunately chose to keep. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]He should stay away from them[/FONT][FONT=&quot], she thought despairingly. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Otherwise, he’ll end up in nothing but more trouble.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]It wasn’t her place to order this utter stranger around, though, nor was she capable of telling anyone else what to do when she was so busy figuring out her own path as it was. Cordial or not, this Renn person would have to make his decisions—good or bad—by himself. She couldn’t get dragged in out of pity. She [/FONT][FONT=&quot]wouldn’t.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]For that reason, Yoake first paused to accept a bowl of porridge from the guard that handed it to her through the bars with a quiet word of gratitude, in no hurry to start a conversation. It wasn’t until she was seated on the floor where the bars met the wall, her back propped up against the latter and her bowl settled carefully in her lap, that she formally replied, “Yoake Aki. It’s nice to meet you, Renn.”[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]It really [/FONT][FONT=&quot]wasn’t[/FONT][FONT=&quot], but he didn’t need to know that. If she was lucky, her name was all he’d ask for, and she could continue staring at the walls in peace.[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[Rhapsody]

When everything you touch pretty much up and dies, you don’t have many friends. And not by choice.

Could Cal have tried a little harder to not seem unpleasant? Could she have looked a little more inviting? Smiled more?

Yeah. Probably. But, look, she's not going around judging the choices of a stranger. She's gotten enough of that from everyone else. It's not Classy. It's effing rude.



All kinds of crazy in town today. The hybrid stepped unknowingly into the center of a battle, and her stupid dog had slipped from her fingers in the midst of it all.

And, double hell, what was she supposed to do? Let her good for nothing idiot of a mutt run and roam and get himself killed in this mess of swords and craziness?

Cal grins ghoulishly.

Okay, the chaos does look. Kinda cool. Pretty kick-ass for a Heartless to make their grave in the middle of a war.

But her damn dog is out there and, damn it, she isn't going to let one of the few things she holds dear go SPLAT like a sad pancake. Not if she has something to say about it.

So she chases him through the frenzy.

The little shit is slippery.

Melts into the cobblestones when he sees Cal gain ground, easily twisting through the slashes of claws and swings of blades.

The shadow swims and up, up,up a nearby building with the ease of an eel in water. Then, gone.

Cal clicks her tongue. She has to go up there. Snatch the heartless up before someone flipped their--

A bellow from the rooftop jolts her.

Shit.

Screw the stairs. A portal is summoned with an outstretched hand, and the wave of nausea that follows leaves Cal unsteady on her feet.

Active today, aren’t you, Calpurnia?

The murky voice tickles the edges of her consciousness. Everywhere and nowhere.

“Choke.”

Cal stumbles into the darkness.



...And dives out the other end, snatching a yelping Heartless from the floor.

“Got'chya, little--”

She just rolled into a bar, and it’s as lively as a graveyard. Just one drunk soul and the bartender, who looks ready to throw a glass with another bellow from behind the counter.

“Sorry ‘bout my dog,” she gets to her feet with a mournful sigh. “He’s an idiot.”

The rabid dog snorts and sneezes out a dark snowflake as he's tucked back into the crook of Cal's arm. She croons, scratching her companion under the chin. “Aw, that’s right. Who’s the dumbest li'l shit ever? You are! You are--”

“Ye one of them Hybrids!”

Cal meets the man's gaze. Oh. She knows that trembling look. That accusatory tone that pitches up with rising frenzy. She waves her hand.

“Easy, gramps. Sparky’s good. Friendly. Wanna see?”

Mr. Bartender doesn’t understand what a cute masterpiece of a pet he has the privilege to stare at--instead, he bats away the drooling heartless that's shoved towards his face with a growl. He glares at the pool of purple sludge dribbling from Sparky’s mouth, then snatches a rag.

“Scram. Both of ya scarin' my customer here.”

 

[Story Keeper]

~- An Old Face -~

Henry heard the door open, and a quick glance in the direction showed him Sevastian was the new occupant of the room. Sizing the other man up, Henry slinked backwards as the cell door shut behind him. Watching Savy until their guard left, Henry looked away, pretending to ignore the other man until he was sure the guard was gone.

“Think you can keep Seaweed Brain under control until we get out of here?” Henry snarked, his eyes cutting back to the taller god-host.

Rising to his feet, he shook his wrists and the shackles fell away, including the ones around his ankles. Walking up to Sevastian, Henry stopped just out of reach of the glaive that he knew the other guy could call. “Look, I know you don’t like me for being Ronin, and I don’t like you because of Sea Brain, but I’m not strong enough to get out of here and rescue the other poor souls you dragged in here with you. We need to get out before the guards come for us.” Henry hissed, his eyes darting to the cell door to make sure that they were still in the clear.

Even though he knew by the lack of a guard’s soul around them. It was also how he knew that more people had been brought in with Sevastian, the signatures of their respective souls. He glanced back over his shoulder, seeming to focus on something in the corner before he returned his attention to Sevastian and a very annoyed Susanoo. Catching the rude gesture, the sea god sent his way, Henry said sardonically, “Not interested. You’re not my type.” Focusing back on Sevastian, he put his right hand on his hip and said, “I’m figuring we’ve got five minutes to get out of here before the guard shows up. What do you say?”

~- Broken *OOC: Sorry, this is about to get a bit dark. At least PG-13, maybe more M. Also potential trigger warning, sorry again! It'll be in a spoiler tag.* -~

Andrew hated being put under house arrest. It made him feel younger than he was. Sitting on his bed cross legged, he picked at the fabric of his guard uniform. He enjoyed wearing it, but at the moment it felt suffocatingly hot. Getting up from the twin bed, he glanced around the room. It was plain, just a wood dresser, a simple twin bed and his writing desk. Other than that everything else was bare, turning his back from the far wall he crossed the room to his dresser. Moving through the drawers, he found the outfit he wanted and he pulled it out and went to put it on top of the dresser. Removing his shirt in his effort to change, Andrew ignored the faded scars that traced his navel and the plain silver barbell that rested there from a dare.

His eyes found the simple picture frame on the dresser, it had a photo of him from when he was younger and the ocarina that sat in front of it was a reminder of years past. Reaching out, he touched the white polished ceramic, the blue and black swirls reminded him once more of the ocean at night. Picking it up gently, he brought it to his mouth Andrew closed his eyes and started playing it. The melody that came out was soft, yet had a hauntingly sad note to it almost like a person longing for something that they lost. Hearing his bedroom door open, Andrew placed the musical instrument back on the dresser before opening his eyes and turned to see who'd entered.

Spoiler Show

His stomach knotted into a ball as his heart leapt into his throat. Taking a step back, Andrew bumped into the dresser and froze. He hated the guard before him, what with their dusky skin and their cold grey eyes that seemed to judge Andrew no matter what he did. Their dark brown hair was also always a mess, and he could make out the bruise on the guy's jaw from where Andy had decked him earlier. Squaring his shoulders, Andrew snapped, "What gives you the right to come in here?"

His fellow guard didn't say anything, instead he just locked the door behind him. Shit, this isn't good. Andrew thought, even as he carefully maneuvered to get more space between him and the older guard. Looking around his room for a weapon, Andrew glanced back in the direction of the guard to see that he had moved closer. Stumbling backwards, Andrew nearly fell when the guard grabbed his arm. His heart beat increased to the point Andrew was sure the other guard could hear it.

"Let me go," Andrew ordered, raising his hand to shove the guy away.

The other guard grabbed that hand and brought it over Andrew's head, meeting the other one that had been moved into a similar position. Feeling both his wrists get tangled up in the other guard's grip, Andrew lost his focus. He hadn't been expecting company, so he was thrown off his game, especially with the things that had been on his mind before hand. He was forcefully brought back to the present when his back slammed into the wall, his head bouncing and instantly gave him a headache, leaving him dazed for a moment. "Sonon---." He started, before stopping in his tracks.

"You're really an ungrateful brat. How about I teach you a thing or two?" The other guard laughed.

Shaking his head slowly, Andrew shut his eyes tight against the light. He thought it gave him a clear picture, but he couldn't think. It hurt too much.

His heart leapt into his throat as something tore into the skin on his chest, fidgeting he tried to pull away only for the stronger guard to force him to stay put by pinning him. Opening his eyes despite the light hurting, Andrew opened his mouth to say something else when the other guard swept his free hand to the side. Andrew's world collapsed in on itself as he heard the ocarina fall to the ground, shattering into a million pieces on the way down. He focused on it, all his thoughts fleeing his head at the sight. His soul shattered to match the broken musical instrument, and he closed his eyes to will himself to disappear.

The ocarina had been the last gift he'd gotten from his dad.

 

[Hazen Gregory]

As he continued to hold onto Andrew's hand, Topsy continued to feel flushed, like he'd started to come alive again. It was an intensely odd feeling that Topsy didn't want to question and as these intense feelings continued to wash over him, he almost didn't notice that another man had crept up closer to both he Andrew and Sevastian. The man started to ramble a bit, asking several different questions about Topsy and the entire situation at hand. He'd mentioned justice and even went as far as to suggest that Topsy was the leader of this specific rebel cell. Topsy had to eye this man wearily before actually answering him."No, I'm not the leader of anybody here, I actually work for my world; The Garden's research division and I'm on the inter-world counsel for the s.o.a.d. team" He sighed and whispered in Syn's ear since they were close enough to do so. "Ya know, Secret Operations and Defense."

Topsy felt Andrews fingers move against his and realized that he was stammering something out, barely looking up at him. For a moment, Topsy looked directly into the bright blue pools that were Andrew's eyes as he said, "I-I-I'm seventeen sir, but I wouldn't mind-----."Those simple words made the seemingly frozen heart that Topsy had the past few months seem to melt away. He'd been over the top and maybe a bit ridiculous in his actions but it worked as a cover to his real objectives and motives. Hearing that Andrew wouldn't mind literally made Topsy blush because the young man had insinuated about 20 different fantastical situations that Topsy imagined on the spot. Topsy made sure to remain in skin to skin contact with Andrew so he could leave some if his magic on him. It would come in handy in the future...

Before long however, another woman in the group spoke up and finally got the commander of the guards to start moving them all out and Andrew managed to slip out, "See you two at the castle," as he pulled his hand away from Topsy's. He figured the contact had been long enough but was saddened at having to let Andrew go.

Even though he wasn't re-cuffed using the magical restraints from before, Topsy was still led away with the others and had a guard on either side of him. He was getting a sickly familiar essence just from being around the guards which made him think about the heartless he had within. This also stirred up thoughts about his random and unnecessary recent reactions. He chose to remain silent for the time being, letting his mind play Andrew's answer to him over and over as they all made it to the castle and then were forced to have a silent audience with the king.

Along with the rest of them who were there, Topsy listened to everything that was said, noticing frankly that Andrew was different from the others. He had to be because he was the only one who didn't bow to the king's presence, and THAT was saying something. Even Topsy had dropped to one knee because it was required by his duties of interworld travel and research. An annoying droning had started up again in Topsy's head which he fought to ignore, the voice of his heartless was slowly but surely blocked out in doing so, Topsy missed most of what went on during the audience.

"Although those two.....are to be secured in a higher security cell. Not to mention that boy, put him in with the other of his kind. Dismissed."'Great, so they finally realized the danger or the implication of me being on the counsel. This must have triggered separate arrangements.' Topsy thought sullenly as he and Jacen were lead away with the rest of the group but then taken down a long winding corridor.

"So let me guess, because we are hybrids, we get taken to a more secure location??" The guard didn't answer him and Jacen didn't say anything either. Topsy figured that the restraints that he'd removed had another effect, some kind of auto-osmose spell that drained magic from the being whom was wearing them and powered up the restraints the longer they were worn. After being put on an elevator that went down 17 floors, Topsy scoffed then proceeded out of the elevator where he was taken to his cell. Jacen's was actually next to to his on the left. The bars of their cells looked thicker than what seemed needed, made of a strange metallic substance that was fused with magic. This was most likely for reinforcement purposes but for Topsy it just aggravated him more.

He decided to take a nap to clear his thoughts and after a few hours he woke with a start, rubbing both eyes as he looked around the cell again. Topsy felt that his inner heartless was subdued which probably had something to do with the magic being streamed through the cell and the bars. It actually wasn't something that Topsy had a problem with. It showed that these cells weren't specifically made to go against any magical talents or abilities that he or Jacen might've had. Two things showed this. The first was that Topsy was literally glowing, pulsing with a thin aura of magical force that had continued to be absorbed by him while he slept due to his draw junction. "Jacen, if you're sleeping, get up now because we're getting out of this place." Topsy rubbed his eyes which stopped glowing and waved his hand.

Progonoskes appeared outside of Topsy's cell and glowed, firing a thin beam of light that hit and pierced the lock mechanism keeping both cells closed. "Did they forget we have keyblades?? I didn't even have to bust the place up. Idiots." Both doors slid open and Topsy walked out, motioning to Jacen. "Stay here if you want but I'm getting the f*ck out of here. Too many things don't add up about this place and the people here, ESPECIALLY that king Sononea."Topsy glanced around and suddenly rubbed the side of his face. He'd left something behind with Andrew that he probably hadn't noticed and right now, Topsy knew something was up with the young heart throb, he could FEEL it.

"Damnit. I always end up having to get involved. The King didn't even acknowledge any of us. Are you coming or nah..."

 

[Shinra]

Renn finished his oatmeal. Oddly enough he felt rested and ready after that meal and smiled before looking at Yoake across the way again. "Do you mind if I call you Aki? Rolls off the tongue a bit easier..." As he tried to keep her attention he was actually watching the guard perform his rounds and Renn was preconceiving a plot to break atleast himself, Yoake, and possibly even Thunderboy and Topsy out of here. Then again the latter is probably already doing so. Just as the guard reaches the far end of the hallway of this block with his back turned he whispers: "I'm getting out right now. You with me?" Then his keyblade appears in his hand and he unlocks the door but as the door opens he sees the guard bolting towards the cells. Renn jumps into the hallway and shoots a blue fireball from his free hand at the charging guard, The guard is blown backward and falls on his back unconscious. "There we go! C'mon!"

 

[purgatory]

I'd actually fallen asleep briefly at the counter, I'd forgotten for how long, had to be minutes at the most. The bartender had to of noticed, but this was a bar after all, this happened all the time. The sound of a shuffle, but that other sound was one that no one could ever mistake.

"A portal...?"

My head turned sideways, eyes creaking open as I could visibly make out a portal. Through a woman stumbling through with a heartless of all things. You know, under normal circumstances I'd be a lot more guarded, but theres something about having too much alcohol in your system that really tears the walls down. My head was a bit fuzzy, dazed even, and all the while the old man was throwing a fit. I really only needed to do one thing, and I drew her scent, even while intoxicated it threw me for even more of a daze.

"Hey. Oldman, she's cool. She just came to get me *hiccup* I doubt you were going to walk me home..."

"What're ye doin' lass! Thats a hybrid! Ye ain't scared??"

I started laughing, I couldn't even explain what the hell was so funny. I was definitely drunk, proceeding to remove myself from the seat, when I turned, my key blade swung from my wide hips and got caught on the stool and I landed square on my butt. Part of me just didn't wanna move, but I'd had enough...of the snow, the guards, even the drinks. With enough wriggling and staving to gain my balance again, I did manage to get to both of my feet again. I fumbled forward a bit, and took a few steps towards the woman and her heartless pet. I could tell you exactly what I was thinking, that I was honestly just pretty nosey, but my last step I leaned forward just to make sure I didn't fall over.

"Hey, *hiccup* whats your name?" I said making direct eye contact with her.

"Mine Lass?"

"Not you *hiccup* old man, your name tag says Avery *hiccup* right? I meant her name."

I reached forward to pet the heartless dog, I already knew it's name as she said it. "Sparky right? Your cuuuuuuuu- *hiccup*"

 

[Key Wielder]

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Okay. Yoake considered herself a patient person. When customers at her father’s shop had occasionally behaved rudely towards her or decided they were entitled to things they definitely had no right to demand, she had found ways of defusing the situation without costing her family the business. When other kids at school had made fun of her for being quiet and withdrawn, she had shouldered it gladly in light of what she stood to risk by doing anything differently. Even when she’d left home, she had remained open-minded about the worlds she would explore and the people she would meet. (Well, with the exception of the wielders, who never seemed to change regardless of where her travels took her.) Patience was a virtue—her mother drilled that into her head at a young age. Patience was what made you into a person that others trusted and treated with respect, not fear or disdain. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]That was why she could overlook the insult to her name. ([/FONT][FONT=&quot]Excuse me? How hard is it to say [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Yoake[/FONT][FONT=&quot]? It’s not difficult.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]) That was why she merely rolled her eyes at the way Renn—this [/FONT][FONT=&quot]child—[/FONT][FONT=&quot]sneered at the guards as though he owned the place rather than them. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]When he offered his so-called assistance, though? When he solicited her participation in what amounted to a crime? [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Yoake was a patient person, but she was no saint. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]“No, I’m not [/FONT][FONT=&quot]with[/FONT][FONT=&quot] you,” she spat, edging away from the door towards the far wall of her cell with a contemptuous, humorless huff of laughter. “I swear, you wielders are all the same. You think you can just do whatever you want and that there’ll be no consequences. As if the clock won’t eventually run out for you like everyone else.”[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Yoake glanced to the guard that lay sprawled on the floor where Renn’s attack had rendered him unconscious. Gesturing towards him, she didn’t give the young wielder a chance to reply as she briskly continued, “He was just trying to do his [/FONT][FONT=&quot]job[/FONT][FONT=&quot]. They’re trying to keep their world [/FONT][FONT=&quot]safe[/FONT][FONT=&quot], which is what the Keyblade is supposed to [/FONT][FONT=&quot]help[/FONT][FONT=&quot] them with. But people like [/FONT][FONT=&quot]you[/FONT][FONT=&quot]? You’re the reason wielders get a bad name. You’re the reason I can’t wait to be rid of the stupid thing—all it does is cause trouble!”[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Whoa, too much. He doesn’t need to know that.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Well, it was too late to take it back. And what was the big deal? It wasn’t like she wouldn’t be telling people that was her goal at some point anyway. How else would she figure out how to banish her Keyblade if she didn’t ask the right questions and provide just enough information about what she wanted to get the answers? Sure, it wasn’t something that Renn personally needed to know, nor did she expect to seek help from a kid who probably didn’t understand much about why his own Keyblade had chosen him let alone hers. Regardless, she figured she might as well get used to saying the words. If she had it her way, she’d be doing so much more frequently in the near future. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]For now, she had another mission: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]not[/FONT][FONT=&quot] getting a bounty put on her head the way this fool was bound and determined to. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]He may be a kid, but he’s old enough to be better.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]So, gathering her composure, Yoake lowered herself onto her cot and shook her head, her gaze unwavering where it locked with Renn’s in calm determination. “Call me whatever you want, but I’m not going anywhere. I’ve done nothing wrong, and I don’t plan to change that now.”[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[Shinra]

" Oh I see. You should know that the keyblade only answers to those with strong beliefs and desires. But don't think that I'm just world hopping just because I have this... I came here to find out if I can save my Father from the heartless inside him. Honestly I'm surprised that a fellow keyblader is as hypocritical as King Triton... And honestly I know in my mind and my heart that something is amiss here... And this next statement is complete sarcasm... If you wish you didn't have a keyblade...Just don't use it. But then again it's probably because you have to use it to protect yourself and the people you care for... So don't think that keyblade wielders are a dime a dozen. I mean look at you and me okay? Also I have a feeling this world is going down the drain... So if you can put your inhibitions aside. I have a gummi ship we can get out of here on." But just as he finished more guards started flooding the hallway. Renn unlocked her cell before they got to him but he was able to drive them off. "C'mon Yoake."

 

[Key Wielder]

Going down the drain. Whose fault was that? From what she’d seen when she arrived, everything had been just fine until these guys had shown up. The king was admittedly a jerk, there was no denying it, but Yoake hadn’t sensed anywhere near the amount of darkness here that she had elsewhere before the battle in town had commenced.

But he had had one thing right, if only one. Something was eating away at this world, and as much as she hated to admit it, there might not be time to wait for due process. She could summon a portal, of course, but without a clear destination...

Darn it...

Pointedly not summoning her Keyblade (which was hardly the issue she was dealing with, not that Renn seemed to care about semantics), Yoake approached the door with narrowed eyes.

“Fine. I’ll accept a ride, but I’m not going to stick around if you insist on picking more fights. Oh, and Renn?” she added, raising an eyebrow. “Learn what the word hypocrite means, because you sound confused. It’s not hypocritical if you’ve been proven right at every turn. Wielders do destroy the peace. That’s just the way it is.”

With that, Yoake darted down the corridor towards the exit, and peered out into the corridor beyond. It didn’t look like anyone had noticed the breach in their security yet; there were no rushing feet or shouting voices.

“If you want to get out of here, now would be a good time.”

Dear father and mother,

So, I’ve become a fugitive. Aren’t you proud?