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



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Shinra

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Renn darted around with Yoake in tow. "I can say that there were keybladers like that atleast who tried to destroy the peace... Men like Xehanort...But eventually light rose up to meet his darkness...and fix the balance of power again...believe me I was born and raised on the same world that the three paragons were from. So I knew alot about how they defeated him. But now's the time to get out of here." They soon found themselves in the main corridors of the castle and Renn recognized these hallways as ones that branched off from the entrance hall where he had to fight all those guards. His head darted from side to side and the door was begging for them to leave but Renn stopped. "Let's hope that we'll reunite with thunderboy and topsy in a bit..." Then bolted out of the unsealed door.
 

Key Wielder

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“We’ve all heard the stories,” Yoake snorted as she followed Renn through the labyrinth, hopefully towards an exit. “If more wielders were like them, then I wouldn’t feel the way I do. Maybe they’re different where you come from, but in my world, they’re all the same.”


And it doesn’t look like that’s about to change, she mused silently.


Arguing with someone who refused to believe that perhaps not everything they did was fully justified, however, was foolish. He wanted to talk about the old wielders? Yeah, Yoake could do that all day. She would be happy to enlighten him to the fact that plenty of heroes had helped Xehanort at one point or another; she would be quite content to remind him that Xehanort and his brood, for all that they made themselves seem different, had started as mere wielders. They weren’t demons sent from the dark realm or monsters created in a lab. They were Riku. They were Lea. They were Renn. They were that Topsy oddball.


They were Yoake.


But he was young and naive enough to believe that there was a difference, so she decided to hold her tongue for now. With any luck, she’d get off this world on his ship and then head in her own direction. His alleged resolve to save his father was admirable, yet that didn’t mean the ends justified the means. If this world fell because Renn had helped a bunch of wielders start a conflict they had no hope of finishing, then she didn’t want to be on any world they chose to inhabit. Eventually, there wouldn’t be any left. She’d rather take her chances with the Hybrids and Heartless, thank you very much.


And apparently that was precisely what was about to happen.


“Why are we waiting for them?” Yoake hissed for fear of being overheard by anyone who might drag them back to the cells or worse. “We don’t even know that they can escape.”
 

Story Keeper

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Andrew sat on the floor, his knees pulled up to his chest as he tried to calm his nerves. Harley, the guard that had paid him a visit, had left after he’d gotten his point across. Andrew was shaken way more than he’d cared to admit. Looking up, he ran his fingers over the spot that Topsy had held his hand earlier, trying to use the memory to chase away some of the bitter new one. Gingerly climbing to his feet, Andrew carefully kicked the shattered ceramic pieces beneath the dresser. Looking at the clothes on top of the dresser, he took a shaky breath and finished changing his outfit, ditching the guard one for one that was freer moving.

He looked down and scowled, he hated the expose skin that it showed off and the ugly scars. He could see some of the dampness from the new scratches on his chest. Clenching his fist, Andy closed his eyes and willed his magic to go to the area and heal the injury. Opening his eyes after the spell was finished, he didn’t have to look to know that it had scarred over. There was a darkness that clung to the scratches.

Wait, darkness?

Andrew thought over the recent changes to the governing of the guards, and the changes in the King’s mannerism. A curse escaping his tongue, Andrew fled to the door and yanked it open. He hastily scanned down the hallway, there was no guards in sight. Quietly shutting his bedroom door behind him, Andrew sprinted down the hallway. He had to bust the others out, if he didn’t than it’d be an utter disaster. Guilt clawed at his heart for his previous hand in things, and if he could take it back at all he would.

Seeing Renn and Yoake up ahead, he almost considered stopping when Renn bolted for the exit. Sprinting past Yoake, he called, “Get going, don’t end up like the other visitors! I’m so sorry.” He took the stairs two at a time, only to hesitate when he saw the guards that were waiting for him a few floors down. Eyes hardening into chips of ice, he squared his shoulders as one of his fellow guards asked in a fake cheerful voice, “Andrew, what are you doing out? Shouldn’t you be in your room?”

He didn’t see Harley among them, a fact that helped to calm his nerves just a fraction. Looking to the guard that had spoken, Andrew answered cautiously, “Maybe, or maybe His Majesty has given me permission to leave.” His stomach rolled at the phrase he used, and Andrew wasn’t sure what the exact cause was.

Stop thinking about him, you’re just giving him more power. Andrew scolded himself mentally, the briefest flicker of sadness creeping into his eyes before it disappeared. His mask slid into place, concealing his emotions from his fellow guards. One of the guards smiled, their voice like poisoned honey as they said, “Do you honestly think you can fool us, Andrew? We all heard what Harley did.”

The air rushed from his lungs, and Andrew almost took a step back in answer. Looking down at the ground, he saw the black slip on shoes that he’d switched his boots out for. Reaching a sleeved hand out, his fingers became tangled in the soft cotton of his pants. Closing his eyes, he felt the wind pick up in the corridor around him. “You’re right, I can’t fool you, but I refuse to be a part of this Hybrid army anymore. F.ck you all, especially the monster that our king has become.”

He refused to tip the guards off that he’d seen some of the escaped prisoners. A drop of water hit his shoulder, Andrew didn’t pay it any mind though, not this time around. He raised his hand, calling for a gust of wind to send the guards back down the steps. Pulling out a pair of handguns, Andrew randomly took a couple of shots. He heard the cries of pain from the bullets hitting the guards, and he felt them draw toward them.

Backpedaling quickly, Andrew ducked low and fired off a couple more shots. A flick of his wrist sent another gust of wind toward the guards, pushing them back again. He was acutely aware of how tight quarters the area was, something that set him on edge since the only area he had free movement was going backwards, but that’d put Renn and Yoake in danger and he didn’t want that. He’d just have to proceed forward. Calling a gust to him again, he caused it to surround him and serve as a shield of shorts against the incoming attacks.

Andrew also just had to get down a few floors to rescue the others, then it’d be a few more before they could double back up to defeat Sononea.

After all, it was time to kill the king.
 

Shinra

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Renn had heard Andrew. "Fine! Atleast one of these guards is a friend." He yelled back. "Yoake hurry up we need to get to the gummi docks! Also guard-boy! Tell Topsy and thunderboy to meet us there if they don't have a means to get out of here." But as Renn ran as fast as possible he saw guards almost appearing out of nowhere around him. They gathered at the far side of the courtyard. To roadblock him but in his adrenaline rush he could feel his magical affinity heightening. He could feel the heat risng in the keyblade as a blue shockwave of flame erupted from the earth and tore through the group of guards to allow an escape from the castle atleast for now.
 

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Children. She was surrounded by children.


Sighing heavily, Yoake cast a glance in Andrew’s direction before following along behind Renn at a reasonable distance. Ultimately, the guard had to make his own choice, and she had a feeling that he had to have at least some talent if he had been allowed to join at such a young age in the first place. If he was fortunate, maybe he would even make it out alive. That, in any case, would give him a leg up on them.


Renn, it seemed, was in a mood to cause as much trouble as possible on their way out of here. Unlike Yoake, who slipped into shadowed alcoves to avoid detection or merely had the presence of mind to flash the visitor’s badge she was still wearing at the guards, most of whom seemed to have no idea who the actual fugitives were, he was eager to plow right through. No caution, no critical thinking, no forethought at all. Just cast spells and watch the enemy burn.


But wielders are all such amazing benefactors, she scoffed inwardly. Yes, that was certainly true if they were going to count putting these guards out of their misery as beneficent.


Which was why she kept her distance as he led the way to the Gummi docks. The guards were too busy attempting to stop him or get to the castle to realize that they were together, and Yoake made it a point to appear as unsure of what was happening as she possibly could. Yes, she was breaking out of prison when she really should have stayed to leave the right way; yes, she was about to hop on a ship with someone—a group of someones—she didn’t trust in the slightest. That, however, didn’t make her a heathen. Let them criminalize her for fleeing arrest. At least they wouldn’t get her on murder.


She wouldn’t be that kind of wielder.


Unfortunately, that was who she would be traveling with if the size of Renn’s vessel was anything to go by. It was by no means as large as many of the others docked here, yet there was plenty of space for nearly a dozen passengers. As far as she knew, they were only expecting Andrew and two extremely volatile, borderline insane Hybrids. He couldn’t possibly hope to transport everyone out of here...could he?
 
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TruestSyn

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Syn was taken aback a little at the words from the half-naked man. Secret Operations and Defense? That sounds like something he'd definitely be interested in, although he might find himself facing off against the heads if they ever went against true justice. He shrugged and watched the rest of the scene unfold. It seemed really sad that the blonde haired guard was going to be treated so poorly, but since he wasn't really around when this started he wasn't entirely sure he had a place in their despair.

When they were placed in front of the king, Syn could tell that this man held himself above his subjects. This was no king, but a monarch. The first person he planned on visiting once the guards dispersed and he freed himself. Dark Corridors are easy, especially when the cuffs are off. They were placed in individual cells, which was laughable because that made them just spacious enough to be able to act. He heard the other two arguing and having another heartfelt moment. He considered offering some words of encouragement, but he heard the door to the cell swing open and the two run down the corridor.

"Wait, hold on...Did they seriously just bolt and leave me down here by myself? WHAT A BUNCH OF ASSHOLES, man kids these days have no consideration at all. It's like I'm invisible or something."

He let out a sigh and shrugged it off. It's not like he was going to take them with him to kill the king anyway. Without another thought, he put his back against the bars and opened a Dark Corridor to the throne room. There was a hollow echo in the room but he couldn't really see anything. A darkness he was very familiar with. Even the creeping sense of dread that filled the room. Hybrids were present, just like the day he summoned his keyblade for the first time. A wicked grin crept across his face. This was going to be way more fun than he originally thought. He addressed the room, unsure weather or not the king still sat on his throne.

"Hey asshole, nice to meet you. My name is Syn, not that it will matter to you. I've come to end your reign of terror. I can sense what you've done to these people, and it's no different than what my world tried to do with us. The only difference here is what you do to those poor people infected with the heartless. Then you sit there high and mighty while your whole world falls apart. I went easy on your little guards because I knew something was screwed up here from the beginning. They're all a bunch of pushovers and I'm not going to stand by and just let you and your little hybrid farm run rampant. I have friends who live in anguish every day because of those monsters inside of them, so I'll be damned if you get your way."

Syn summoned both his keyblade and dark sword and stood in his battle position. He began to gather his magic around himself to cast some quick spells for his opening salvo before launching into a full blown assault, that was if there actually was anyone else in this dark creepy throne room.
 
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Sononea was waiting for the jail break he was expecting to happen. So because of that he didn't move from the thrown room. He was leaning against the wall, concealed in the shadows when someone finally appeared. He listened to them hollering, ordering him to come out of hiding. He saw them slide into a battle ready stance, he was evaluating them even as he searched for the others that were within his domain. He was a monster for letting the hybrids consume his world was he? The Irish claymore he preferred to use in combat silently formed in his hand, his underlings manifesting in the room and slinking in closer to the target. Remaining hidden, Sononea called out, projecting his voice so as to not pin down his location.

"Is that what you think, you pitiful little Outsider? If so it's adorable, really. Tell me Syn, do you even realize what sort of trap you've walked into? Maybe I intentional sent out my weaker servants to get you here. The boy, Andrew? He had quite the natural talent for picking out good candidates, though he never knew that he was lining them up for the slaughter." He flicked his wrist, a pulse of his power moving through the castle and releasing the remaining prisoners from the cells just as some of his more experienced servants moved to attack them, all in an effort to corral the targets together. The guards within the room rushed Syn, attacking in a faster pattern than the ones before them, showing them to be stronger than the ones than what was in town.

Sononea's eyes switched from dark brown to dark blood red, glowing ever so faintly from his corner. "Why should a Hybrid rule over normal people? If you want to rule a world, you start right at the heart of it." Sononea whispered, a flick of his wrist and heartless appeared within the room. Neo-shadows, Large Body, Fat Bandit, Defenders. There was at least twenty of each.

Sononea was making it clear that Syn had basically entered a kill box by coming in alone. There was still hope though, Syn would just need a lot of luck.
 

Lunarmaster54

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Sitting alone in his cell, Jacen did not take a nap. He sat on the hard bed and wrapped himself in the rough brown blanket provided as his mind churned. From the moment that those magical repressing handcuffs went on him Jacen regretted his choice to follow Topsy’s suggestion. Not because it was the wrong suggestion per say, but because nothing was worth having his magic sealed away.

One of the worst feelings in the world was the cold, drained feeling you get when your magical reserves run dry. It was a rare occurrence, having happened once or twice when Jacen pushed himself too hard while training, or during The Atlantica Incident but it was one Jacen had learned to hate. He felt completely powerless, helpless without the warm flowing energy to call on. Ever since Gomory taught him how to grab the magic, to nurture it, he had felt like he could do just about anything. He was desperate to have them off from the moment they went on and his knees were weak from the moment they were slapped on. It was all he could focus on from then until finally they were taken off and he was placed in a cell next to Topsy’s.

Magic was being broadcasted into the room but it wasn’t to seal his away. It was cold and it pushed at him.

It was keeping Thanatos at bay.

That was good. The last thing Jacen needed right now was for that demon to whisper in his ear. He had been silent since Traverse Town, Jacen could barely even feel him if he wasn’t looking, but at the same time it worried him. Thanatos had been hell bent on taking over his body back then and even though Jacen had learned techniques to keep him back the heartless was smart. It tried to do psychologically what it couldn’t do physically.

Jacen didn’t need that right now. Not when he was so focused on how it was obvious Gomory wasn’t here and he had no idea where to go next to find her. In Traverse Town he had spent weeks fighting Thanatos and dealing with the absolutely crushing loneliness that was her absence. The only thing that really kept him moving was the goal. Get here to Machinecken and find either her or a clue. But those crazy guards? These cells? The cuffs? She wouldn’t let those sorts of things stand. There was something bad happening on this world and the fact that it hasn’t been solved already means that Gomory hasn’t been here.

This trip was for nothing.

Leaving Traverse Town to fend for itself was for nothing.

For hours he sat there, shivering his way into a panic attack as those two facts pounded his heart into submission. He was wasting his time when he should be on the road to find her. His eyes burned as tears threatened to come. For all he knew this delay meant he...would be too late..

But before Jacen could dive down that rabbit hole, Topsy's voice abruptly filled his ears.

"Jacen, if you're sleeping, get up now because we're getting out of this place."

Jacen blinked, looking up as he heard Topsy’s voice. Get out of here? How were they were supposed to do that with those thick bars and locked door? Maybe Topsy was going to rip the doors off their hinges or something. He was probably strong enough to do that sort of thing.

“Did they forget we have keyblades?? I didn't even have to bust the place up. Idiots."

The doors popped open and Topsy stepped out, motioning to Jacen. The teen stood up, blanket falling to the ground. Keyblades. They had keyblades and could have gotten out whenever. Jacen had forgotten about the very important fact that a keyblade could open any lock.

Gods above what the hell was the matter with him?

Also Topsy wasn’t (almost) naked looking anymore. Far from it in fact. He was wearing a very stylish looking suit and Jacen kicked himself for not noticing that either.

“...are you coming or not?”

Damn it pay ATTENTION!

“Yeah” Jacen said, moving towards Topsy. “I’m coming.”

Wherever they were going, it was better than here.
 

TruestSyn

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Syn could only smile wider at this change in atmosphere. It's exactly the sort of thing he liked, him against the odds. It'll be no different than when he had to fight off "heroes of light" as punishment for speaking to hybrids. How dare this man play light of the torture his friends when through, trapped in camps and forced to live in squalor while those who called themselves pure and just sat high and mighty. It put it all in perspective at least, because he got to see the extreme from the opposite side.

It didn't take a lot of effort to fight off the guards attacking him, when light and darkness work together, they're stronger than any force imaginable. It did surprise him, however, that there were then 20 of several types of heartless added to the mix. The more the merrier, as they say. He ducked under a high swipe from one of the guards and quickly jammed his keyblade through the chest, twisting it to try and free the hybrid from the host. Using the momentum, he flipped over the heads of the guards and behind a Large Body, which he booted forward to try and trip up the others. Using this distraction, he wildly swung both blades and moved around the room in what he could only describe as counter clockwise to try and clear up a little bit of the battlefield. Another Large Body approached him, arms out, and he fired a blizzard shot straight at its chest which only confused the poor little creature. He bounced off it's belly in another upward motion and dropped down on another guard, keyblade to chest again. With another flick he tried to release another Hybrid.

"I was raised on a world that feared the darkness so much that they would feed people to the hybrids against their will. Those who were strong enough could fend off the heartless and summon a keyblade, like this one I wield in my left hand. Those who failed would be devoured, but there was still a sliver of hope. Those who survived the Hybrid's control were allowed to live in camps like dogs and used for experiments. Then those who couldn't, perished as monsters. I broke their code by interacting with the Hybrids and realized that they just wanted to be treated fairly, it wasn't their fault they were turned into beasts, and you know what they did to me? They attacked me. Those who called themselves 'good' and claimed that their light made them better than everyone else were no better than the monsters they locked up. Then they attacked me, and the only way to fight the light was with darkness, and that's how I got the blade in my right hand. From that day forward I vowed that I would never consider light or darkness as right and wrong, but what is fair and just. You will pay for your crimes and I will see to it that your heart is lost forever!"
 

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It seemed that things were starting to get a lot more serious as Topsy's senses told him that darkness was rapidly spreading throughout the castle. He literally felt sick thinking about it. He knew that the earlier suicide had something to do with it but for the darkness to take such a strong hold in only a few short hours meant that there was a larger darkness on this world. Topsy should have known from the start, but now he was certain that all of the guards were hybrids. It all made perfect sense. They had been appearing from nowhere it seemed, but in reality they were coming from dark portals. Topsy was assuming that some world wide spell ha probably been cast, lord knew how many innocent people had been killed to support it, or if the guards and king himself were somehow linked to it.

"Good." Topsy liked the sound of courage he heard when Jacen spoke and turned to him with an annoyed expression. Guards had started to pop up from the floor, many of them seeming more dangerous than the guards that had been in the streets. He sighed, taking into consideration the fact that Jacen was his ally, so he opted to try something that would get them closer to their goal...escaping. "Alright, here we go kid. Don't freak out and you'll be okay, I'm not going all out but I'm legit about to use some illegal dark magic.....kinda." Topsy raised his arms up and started to shudder as he began to muster up a dark power that he didn't like to but here it was necessary to escape without being trapped down on the lower floors where they'd been placed.

The massive amount of ambient magic that had been flowing through the lower levels has greatly boosted Topsy's available reserves so he performed grabbing motions at the air itself. When he did this, an actual ripping sound occurred and the space around he and jacen split open, darkness pouring out from the area but somehow staying in place. "Come on. Take a deep breath and don't open your eyes until you feel the ground beneath your feet." Topsy gave Jacen a sound warning and swept the darkness around them, making a portal like movement apparatus that was actually targeting the magic he'd left behind with Andrew. "Hold on, I'm coming for you, I know you're not a pushover but something tells me you need assistance. I won't let you get hurt." The words reached Andrew before Topsy did but soon after, a small dark tear appeared, grew wider and Topsy and Jacen stepped from it. They were less than five feet from Andrew and a number of guards that seemed to still be popping up in the hallway, also running up the stairs.

Topsy's eyes were glowing like they had before and he cocked his head to the side, suddenly feeling a rush of relief when he saw that Andrew was okay. He immediately noticed however that there was a scar on the young man's chest, that had definitely been caused by darkness. He groaned in disgust and walked toward Andrew, motioning to Jacen to keep his guard up as the guards advanced. Topsy however didn't even attempt to fight at first. He had other plans from the start. The tear that Topsy and Jacen had come through hadn't closed, instead numerous pairs of glowing white eyes had appeared in it and then bodies stared coming from it. They looked a lot like shadows but had a more draconian look. Each one was legless and had small nubby horns made from darkness. "Go forth my DRAKLETS..."

On command the adorable heartless started to swarm from the tear which then closed itself and with impressive speed, they started attacking the guards, pouncing on them in a frenzy. Topsy shivered, the glow from his eyes ceasing. He had used a considerable amount of magic to hold the dark tear open and to summon 30 of the drakelet heartless but he could still fight efficiently. He'd gotten lucky with so much magic flowing down in the lower floors. His gaze shifted to Andrew and he tentatively took a step forward and his tuxedo top de-materialized. "Andrew??" Topsy looked almost sad as he reached out and softly touched the jagged scar that was exposed on Andrew's chest.

"WHO DID THIS TO YOU!?!?!" Topsy was so angry that his eyes turned pitch black for a few seconds but then returned to normal. "I'm sorry...I don't know why I feel so connected to you, but tell me you're okay??" He took another step closer and scooped Andrew up into his arms, holding him up against him, cradling him with one arm. He stroked Andrew's cheek. "Sorry," he stumbled over his words, "I-I-I umm I'm here for you, we can get through this together. We can get off this world together. I might be amazing but it took awhile for me to get this way. I'm not invincible. I need both you and Jacen's strength alongside my own." Topsy paused, "But I ask again...who did this to you?? Because I'm going to rip off their face and feed it to Progonoskes." His eyes turned black again.
 

TruestSyn

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Syn bounded off the guard he had just pinned to the floor, he knew he had to start dropping these numbers or else he was going to be toast. A Neo-shadow leapt in front of him and scratched his arm. Using the momentum from the strike, he did a 360 and sliced the creature in half. With a satisfied nod, he threw his keyblade onto the head of a large body and grabbed it as he fell, sliding the edge down along the monster's back and sent it flying with another kick. A Defender raised it's shield and the eyes glowed red. The mouth opened wide and out shot a fireball. Syn reacted as fast as he could muster and struck the fireball back at the creature, but before it could reach the Defender a guard had appeared and took the fireball in the face. A blade whizzed past Syn's head and he whirred around to see a guard almost to his face. The guard's arm was a hybrid claw that swung down with great force. Syn summoned his keyblade back to his hand and blocked the strike. It would be useless to try and use his dark sword on the guards, all it would do is kill the host. He barely avoided a claw from another neo-shadow and rolled under the guard. He did his best attempt at hitting the guard with the hilt of the dark sword and leapt up to try to get another assessment on his surroundings. All eyes were on him and he was going to make a show of it the best he could. He noticed the Large Body he recently kicked over hadn't recovered, so he jumped on its back, bounced up in the air, and tossed his keyblade at it. The Large body poofed in a puff of black smoke and shot another blizzard at the Fat Bandit in his path.

19 Neo-shadows, 19 Large Body, 20 Fat Bandit, 20 Defenders, ??? Guards remaining.
 

Lunarmaster54

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The words illegal dark magic made Jacen’s skin crawl. Even with the kinda tacked on at the end. That kind of magic was easy to abuse and corrupt. That sort of thing forced the sweetest person he knew into an impossible situation where the only choice was murder in cold blood or watch her best friends die.

Side note. Jacen was never setting foot in Atlantica again if he could help it.

So when he heard the ripping sound and watched space itself tear around him and Topsy Jacen couldn’t stop the shiver. Topsy seemed to be too focused to notice Jacen’s discomfort as he told him to close his eyes and take a deep breath right before the darkness was pulled over him like a blanket. Jacen squeezed his eyes shut and kept them that way as the duo...teleported? He couldn’t exactly see what was happening but he did feel a uncomfortable swoop in his stomach. Similar to when you fly a ship for the first time and rise higher and higher into the sky. But suddenly Jacen could feel nice, solid ground beneath his feet and his eyes shot open.

They were in a stairwell kind of place it looked like, and some blonde person with a scar that Jacen vaguely remembered seeing earlier was being attacked. Judging by that nasty looking scar it wasn’t a new development. Midnight Roar flashed into Jacen’s hands as he followed Topsy, letting him take the lead and talk to this person he obviously had a connection of some kind with.

“Go forth my DARKLETS...”

Heartless poured from space rip that had brought them there and Jacen had to fight himself to keep from attacking them. It seemed like they were under Topsy’s control. Which would make sense considering he’s a hybrid and all. Jacen himself remembered controlling his own brand of heartless briefly in Traverse Town. It was a memory he liked to keep squashed down.

“WHO DID THIS TO YOU?!”

Now, Jacen wasn’t really paying attention to the talk between the two. This was a moment between them after all, none of his business. But for a heartbeat, when Topsy’s voice raised and his eyes turned pitch black, the room seemed to get heavy.

It was hard to breathe. Hard to think. Hard to do anything but cower in the face of a power of this magnitude.

“Unfortunately, those aren’t just any three kids you laid hands on..”

But it was over just as soon as it started and Topsy was talking softly again. Jacen could only swallow heavily as he steeled himself for a fight with the guards, waiting for Topsy’s cue as he tried not to shake. He knew he didn’t want to be whoever it was that hurt Topsy’s friend.

He had already seen what happens when you piss off someone that powerful.
 

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Andrew dodged an attack, his shoulder smacking into the wall, causing him to wince internally. Fire crackling in his eyes, Andy cast a fire spell to roast the guard responsible. He quickly followed up with wind magic, fanning the flames and causing it to spread. The guards retaliated with water, drowning the flames and splashing him with it. His eyes grew frosty as he turned water into ice. He looked at the guards, his heart aching for the friends he was fighting. Andy barely had time to manifest his lance, parrying the strike aimed for his face.

A weary look coming to his eyes as he leapt away. How many more did he have to fight? He was starting to get tired and he honestly wouldn’t mind some backup right about then. "Hold on, I'm coming for you, I know you're not a pushover but something tells me you need assistance. I won't let you get hurt."

Andrew heard Topsy and his hand grew warm at the words. He almost thought it was his imagination...until the space in front of him tore open. Blinking in surprise, Andy didn’t move an inch as Topsy approached him. He was vaguely aware of the drakelet heartless (which he found adorable), but he was having trouble concentrating, especially when Topsy lost his shirt. The sadness in Topsy eyes had Andrew looking away. He shut his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts and ease his guilt. A gentle touch made Andy open his eyes, he saw that the sadness had been replaced with rage, startling Andy.

Forcing a smile, Andy chirped cheerfully, “I’m f—-.” Andy stopped, unable to force the lie out. Taking a deep breath, he was suddenly hit by Topsy’s specific scent, a welcomed comfort.

Andrew barely kept from squeaking in surprise as he was scooped up. He wrapped his arms around Topsy’s neck, his face buried into his neck, in an attempt to calm Andy’s nerves. He listened to the stream of chatter, and so much of it echoed his thoughts. Andrew leaned into Topsy’s touch, a faint whimper escaping him at the plea in the older man’s voice. “I’m okay, don’t worry. The scar? It was just...” Andrew swallowed, trying to figure out how to continue. Sensing something dark heading towards them, Andrew called a gust of wind to protect Jacen, Topsy and himself.

“Do you really think anyone will care for you when they learn the truth?”

“Shut up,” he snarled at the voice in his head. Focusing on Topsy, he added softly, “Sorry. I’m fine, don’t worry.”

Returning his focus to the guards, he held out his hand and a fireball sprang to life. Shivering slightly, Andy was acutely aware of his magical reserves running low from all the chain spell casting. Andrew blinked, trying to clear his vision a little bit. “Thanks for the backup, I need it.” Andrew murmured, contemplative of asking to be put down.

~-Watching from the Shadows -~

Sononea didn’t move from his spot. He was analyzing this boy, learning his fighting still as he tried to clear out the field. Sononea sighed, couldn’t the boy see he was in over his head? He’d never survive alone. Looking to the right, Sononea nodded, sending a guard on his way. Focusing back on the boy in front of him, Sononea smiled. It’d be interesting to see how long the boy would last.
 

Shinra

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As He and Yoake had escaped the castle and made it back into town Renn dismissed his Keyblade. He could feel the freezing atmosphere hold the stench of the darkness in the air and it almost made Renn gag at it. He didn't see guards appearing anymore so although he kept his pace from before toward the gummi docks, he had a feeling the guards were pooling back at the castle that he and Yoake had just left.

He hoped that Andrew and the others were okay but he just kept running. "We're almost there! Let's go!" He saw that the metal shells protecting the buildings like before were not activated so he had reason to believe that the gummi docks would've been blocked off if they were. They reached the entrance to the docking building and made their way inside to see that a lot of the gummi ships besides the Corsair were gone. He made his way back up to his ship that was still docked and the ship walkway opened up below the engines. "it's not big I know but it has 2 seats and room for 6 in the cockpit." He stepped inside the corsair with Yoake behind him and as soon as she made her way in he spoke. "Keep the ramp down... We need to wait for the engine to prime but once it does we're out of here in less than a second."
 
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My name?

“Magdelaine,” Cal answers cautiously.

Stranger danger and all of that.

Keyblade wielder or no, Cal’s reluctant to get too impressed by this woman’s willingness to boldly meet her like this, especially given the stinging smell of alcohol that crinkles her nose. The fact that she didn’t run away now only meant she’d run away later.

Happens more often that Cal cared to recount. The idea of adding one more to that counter doesn’t sit well with the hybrid. The icky possibility
of having to smile shake hands and do the “Hi, how do you do’s”... Only to be alone again?

Also, Sparky gets attached too easily. Stupid dog.

Scratch that. He’s already attached. Leaning into the pat given by the woman like a smitten puppy starved for affection,
the traitor.

“Magdelaine. Maggie,” Cal repeats, glaring at her heartless companion briefly. Sparky falls from Cal’s hands. She pulls back her hood, then wags a gloved finger at the woman leaning in front of her.

“I told you, text when you’re ready for me to pick you up. Was lookin’ all over
this jacked up town for you. I’ve got other clients, y’know.”

She doesn’t remember the last time she’s talked to someone who doesn’t drool purple sludge. Someone who doesn’t torment with hellish visions and leech off her life like a parasite.

Cal almost takes a step back for personal space
. Socializing feels so new.

“What the hell ah you two up to?” growled the bartender.

“I'm on the job, gramps New service being tested out. We’re a start-up. Call hybrids to escort you wherever you wanna go. Your own portal chauffeur. Porta-Portal. Tell your friends.”

The bartender doesn’t look impressed or convinced when he meets the hybrid's cool, unmoving gaze. Reaching for something that Cal has no clear view of underneath the counter, but she’s not too focused on that right now. Leaving an intoxicated person to fend for themselves in this mess would be an asshole-move, even for Cal.

And she’s only half heartless.

 

purgatory

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Part of me was trying desperately trying to rationalize, but the alcohol influence takes its toll. Even when sober I'm still abnormally casual, the truth was I'd taken a deep consideration about what I wanted to do before my island went to hell. They say, it's your vision that determines whether you're seen by others as "normal", "abnormal", or just downright "INSANE". History painted me among the abnormal and insane to certain few, I wanted obedience, compliance, a grueling iron fisted approach in some instances, but when your a kid...even thinking like that is pretty abnormal, but thankfully I evolved. My attention floated up from the heartless pup to meet this hybrid's eyes.

"Is it rude to sa-*hiccup* your lying? I get it, but tell me your real na-*hiccup* later ok? Take as much time as you'd like, and thanks Mag-*hiccup.*"

“I told you, text when you’re ready for me to pick you up. Was lookin’ all over this jacked up town for you. I’ve got other clients, y’know.”

I chuckled a bit, this was new for me, but being intoxicated made me a little bit more loose respectively. The way she narrowed her eyes, gave me a divisive feeling, when you endure trauma like that kid from home did, like I did, this is a look people give when they're "losing" things, people, things to care for at an abnormal rate. There was nothing about Maggie I was beyond understanding, but I didn't really know enough about hybrids to blindly judge...especially when humanity is involved, Maggie clearly wasn't a mindless savage. A total stranger just went into my ruse, no questions asked, and they're a hybrid too? Today overall has just been a statement made in this town.

My back was to the bartender, I didn't have an inkling of what he was doing save for occasionally turning my head to make a comment or two in the past couple of moments. I quickly flashed to when Maggie came through a portal of darkness before, that seemed like a neat trick, i've never seen a portal of light before, is that even a thing?

"Porta-Pooooortul...Portugal?" I sounded confused as hell, the word slurring did not help my case.

I'd been around the block since the islands, but there was one place vacant in my mind I'd wanted to look into.

"Halloween Town, can we-*hiccup* go there?"

I wobbled a bit, but stomped hard on my left heel and woke-up just a tad. The sudden silence coming from the bartender after his last comment he made to us both was suspect on it's own. I could hear a really loud tapping, more like trampling of foot steps getting closer and closer. They sounded like they were in a major rush to bust someone, guards?

BOOM. The door came open and men with the king's sigil created a semi-circle between Maggie, Sparky, and I who were closer to the edge of the roof.

"Guards...is it my turn to get arrested now...lame.."

"Thats a hybrid ye morons! OPEN FIRE."

"WAIT!" I shouted throwing my hands up, somewhat awake when I say guns being lifted and readied "Don't *hiccup* shoot *hiccup* Us! *hiccup*"

"On King Sononae's orders. All hybrids are to be eliminated on site indiscriminate of intentions. Ordinance 54, effective immediately from being issued six months ago! Sorry Ma'am, but if you don't move we'll drop you with this Hybrid scrum. Please vacate your position immediately!"

"Vacate...? I can*hiccup*...barely walk haha...no can do. My escort's already been paid...but if you really want me to move."

That entire time I was pressing my back to Maggie, met with a little resistance at first, but all I really needed was to see the bottom of the street (looking for something) and to be touching some part of her body.

"Okay okay, i'll move whatever, it's *hiccup* been fun Avery, we'll drink *hiccup* to you collecting a universal hybrid bounty...probably ne*hiccup*ver."

The flit of light was about as fast as you'd see. We were already on the street level, ankle deep in snow. I couldn't even see where the hell I put that thing a couple weeks ago, but sure enough it was still there, nobody destroyed it yet. I let go of Maggie, and proceeded to pet Sparky. On the streets, the guards were contending with heartless, there...were an unnerving amount of these men here, they seemed to outnumber normal citizens. Quickly catching the attention of Maggie and her heartless dog, same with me exchanging friendlies with said pup. I didn't want to deal with this right now, and I didn't have a transmat set for Halloween Town...yet anyway. I hooked my key blade by the chain to my hip where it always rested.

"Need a traveling companion Magde-*hiccup*laine? Ugh...sorry, I must smell awful..." I said reaching into my side and looking through my fanny-pack for a spearmint, finding two I gave her one.
 

Eternal Dream

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~- In the Blink of an Eye -~

“Think you can keep Seaweed Brain under control until we get out of here?”

Sevastion blinked, pulled out of reverie at last by the question directed at him. Even so, he barely turned to listen to Henry, his mind still on the events from just before the castle. Though he hadn't broken himself out of the magic suppressing cuffs until they'd been removed a short time ago, Sevastion had heard Susanoo howling with laughter at Topsy's insinuation that Sevastion didn't have enough experience to tell the difference between seduction and flattery. Even with the Bond temporarily weakened, he'd heard Susanoo's own crack about Sevastion "Putting the 'monk' in 'warrior monk'." Before he'd had the chance to respond to either one of them, making himself look totally unhinged in the process, a cool, female voice had cut through, one that seemed so familiar that it had made Sevastion stop and take a second look.

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

If the guard Andrew reminded Sevastion of Asuna, then this girl reminded him of his sister Theresa. She seemed to watch them all with a detached disdain, as if their actions only served to strengthen an unfavorable opinion of the lot of them. She certainly seemed to be a stickler for the rules, in any case, and the look in her eyes...

The eyes...

“I’m figuring we’ve got five minutes to get out of here before the guard shows up. What do you say?”

"Damnation," Sevastion swore softly, pulling himself once more from his thoughts. Forcing himself to focus on the now, and not eyes that had been lost for thirteen years, Sevastion turned his attention on the cell door. It was cool and damp in the dungeon where the guards had placed the two of them, and that dampness gave Sevastion just enough that he could work with it. For a moment, Sevastion watched to cell door, while Henry kept a look out for any guards to come down the corridor.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. Then, all at once, the splotched grey iron of the door grew lighter in color, large ice crystals forming on the metal as Sevastion willed the water to turn into ice, turning the metal around the lock to become cold and brittle. Turning his attention away from the water, Sevastion took a single moment to judge his aim, then he kicked out, forcing the door to slam open as the lock shattered beneath his foot.

"Well, that's always one way to get past a lock," Henry snarked, following Sevastion out of the cell.

"You got a better idea? It's not like either one of us has a Keyblade," Sevastion hissed back at him. By unspoken agreement, the two of them kept to the shadows as much as possible, circumventing guards or hiding as Henry detected one coming near them. It was slow going in this way, their progress towards freedom moving at a snail's pace, but it allowed them time to think. It allowed them to try to form a plan.

The further away they moved from their holding cell, and the more Sevastion was able to tune into the river that moved near the castle, the more Sevastion was able to sense from the atmospheric water in the castle. By now, he and Henry weren't the only ones to break out of their cells, something that seemed incredibly suspicious to Sevastion; it wasn't the same kind of suspicious that he felt about the guards. All of them seemed to have a dark energy to them, similar to Topsy and that Jacen boy that had taken a shine to him. That energy felt Heartless in nature, and Sevastion could only assume that they were dealing with an enormous population of Hybrids. This wasn't that, however. Even with how careful they were being, Sevastion knew that he and Henry were having a ridiculously easy time with their escape. It felt almost like a trap.

Even so, there was no way that Sevastion was going to sit still. As the feel of the river strengthened him, he'd sensed another splash of water, one that had fallen on the guard, Andrew. Sevastion still didn't understand it, but he'd sensed the young guard's distress in that single splash, a distress that had Sevastion growing still on the inside, a cold fury building slowly in his chest that refused to be shown visibly or, at the moment, acknowledged. It went back to that first realization, Sevastion thought, as he and Henry rounded a stairwell to find Jacen, Topsy, and Andrew surrounded by guards. When he'd thought about how similar Yoake's eyes had seemed to Theresa's, Sevastion had been struck by a revelation as brilliant and blinding as lightning. It wasn't that Andrew reminded him of Asuna. The boy was brilliant and resourceful, but also cheerful and willing to trust you completely once you'd earned that trust. Sevastion had been able to see all of that in Andrew's eyes as he'd cheerfully asked his questions of Sevastion.

Now, the boy had his head buried in Topsy's neck, and the older man looked ready to murder as he sent Heartless after the guards. Sevastion called his glaive, burying it deep into the neck of one of the guards as that fury continued to quietly build inside of him. That bright cheerfulness in the boy's eyes, eyes that were a brilliant blue, Sevastion hadn't seen those eyes in thirteen years, not since he'd been bound to Susanoo, and his eyes had turned the color of the ocean. He didn't understand it, but Sevastion and Andrew had the same eyes, a recognition that Sevastion felt to his core. Andrew...

His brother...
 

TruestSyn

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A scratch from a Neo-shadow. A punch from a Fat Bandit. A bite from a Defender's shield.

"CURE!"

It wasn't much, but it helped. Syn was used to this, he had the energy to fight ten times more enemies than this. His anger was growing exponentially at the prospect of this king who would let monsters do his bidding. He sliced through another Neo-shadow, flipped behind a Defender and struck it hard, grabbing the shield and throwing it at a Fat Bandit. Two more guards approached. Another chest flick to release a hybrid and a kick to the other guard's throat to avoid using Hero's Despair against someone who couldn't control themselves.

"Look at these pitiful creatures, fighting desperately to please you. Pathetic. They only seek me because of Dragon's Tear. If I sent my keyblade away, who do you think these monsters would target? Who's Darkness is stronger, the wimpy king who hides in the shadows? Or the one who has torn through their ranks?"

Syn had no plans to dismiss his keyblade, of course. He had to make sure to try and release the hybrids instead of killing them. A Fat Bandit began to inhale for a flamethrower attack, but had a blizzard shot shoved down it's throat before it could, dispersing it in a cloud of shadow. The Defender who's shield was taken reached it's companion, but not before being sliced through by the dark sword. Syn knew he couldn't keep it up for too long, especially if the king summoned more heartless, but he wasn't going to stop until the king was killed.

18 Neo-shadows, 19 Large Body, 19 Fat Bandit, 19 Defenders, ??? Guards remaining.
 

Story Keeper

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~- Know You Didn’t Plan This -~

Henry followed after Sevastian, using his abilities to pick out the souls. He was still painfully aware of the dark snowstorm that was raging outside, something that caused him some concern. He looked around them, taking note again of how little resistance they’d encountered on the way up the stairs. He almost bumped into Sevastian, peeking around the taller host he saw the swarm of guards. He saw the blonde that was being held in the arms of another fighter. He also analyzed the souls of the two, trying to determine if they were a threat. His attention was drawn to a third one, a soul that crackled like dark electricity.

Closing his eyes, Henry did a count again. Calling forth his scythe, Henry’s eyes snapped open and he started slicing into the guards that got too close to him. Leaping away from them, he landed with his back to Sevastian and snarked, “You’ve got quite the puppy you need to train. I’m not housebreaking it.”

He blocked the sword strike with his scythe, using the blade to hook the sword and yanked the bladed weapon toward him. It flipped in the air, it implanted itself in the ground and before the guard could react, Henry yanked his scythe across the guard’s chest, causing them to fall to the ground.

“Try not to hit our allies, Death boy.” Sevastian warned.

Henry rolled his eyes, like he’d intentionally kill an ally. Ducking low, Henry kicked out with his right foot as his left hand supported his weight. Springing back to his feet, Henry swung his scythe up at an angle, hitting another guard. He watched as a gust of wind rushed past, ruffling his hair in the breeze. He had a suspicion on who sent it that way. It was followed by a couple more gusts, resulting in the corridor roaring with rage due to the speed of the wind. Raising his voice to be heard of the wind, Henry advised, “Let’s fall back, we’re too cramped here to fight properly.”

He thought he heard Sevastian mutter an agreement, but he couldn’t be entirely sure on it.

~- The Beasts Descend From the Shadows -~

Sononea conjured more heartless, replacing the ones that Syn had destroyed. He did send some of them towards the group he knew was in the stairwell, and even sent some to the gummi dock, figuring that there was some that way as well. He eyed the boy, his heart burned bright with determination, making Sononea long to devour the boy's heart. He closed his eyes, knowing that was the most dangerous part of this fight. He had to continue with it.

Laughing at Syn, he answered, “You, still.” Sononea called up more heartless, replacing the ones that had been killed and then some. The extras though were sent to the gummi docks and to the stairwell with the guard that had betrayed him.
 

Shinra

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As Renn watched the gauge that filled representing the priming of the Gummi ship's engines... He could feel something was off... He noted Yoake's weight but oddly enough he heard powerful steps trekking into the gummi docks. He turned from the console and rushed out to meet Yoake again but he soon spotted three defenders and 5 fat bandits. One of the fat bandits tried launching a fireball at one of the engines but Renn summoned and threw his keyblade to stop it.

"We can't let them damage the engines. Prioritize the Fat bandits."

Renn soon leaped off the landing strip and charged towards the fat bandit that launched the first fireball, and slashed his keyblade downward slamming it on the heartless' head. He ended up behind the bandit and started striking it from behind but one of the defender's shields lunged forward knocking him away. "this isn't going to be easy is it?"
 
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