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Post by anja on May 5, 2012 20:22:59 GMT -5
Anja cocked her head at the name Sora blurted out. "'Heartless'... is that what you call those foul, black creatures made of Darkness? So they are here as well as my homeworld..." Anja looked down and clenched her fist. Darkness had its tendrils in too many worlds. Something had to be done about it. She calmed her rage, though, years of experience aiding her restraint. She then put a hand over her breast and bowed to the group. "I am Anja. It is a pleasure to meet you all, if what I gather from your words, that you oppose the Darkness, is true." She resumed her normal posture and planted her sword in the ground. The sword itself was not particularly large in size, being the size of a broadsword, but Anja herself was a rather small girl, so the sword looked quite big in her hands. Regardless, she did seem bothered by its weight, even when it wedged itself in the cobblestone of the Traverse Town street when she planted it.
"I have journeyed far from my home world of Ivalice for a long time. It is good to see creatures again who are not these 'Heartless.' Though I can destroy them with ease, they seem too numerous or too tenacious to keep down. Perhaps you could tell me mo-" Anja immediately saw Terra reach for her rapier out of the corner of her eye and turned her head to her. While Anja's instincts told her she should draw her sword, Anja preferred to think things through. It was always possible that Terra had reached for her blade as an instinctual reaction. If that's the case, Anja thought, Then I should not begrudge her for clearly being fearful. Anja then walked over to Terra as nonthreateningly as possible, sword sheathed and in her hand. She then stopped before Terra and offered her free hand to shake. "I do not desire to harm you, Terra. I would never draw my sword on a fellow Light dweller unless I were directly threatened. I do not see you attacking me, so there is no need. Do not fear." Anja then gave Terra a small and comforting smile.
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Sora
Keyblader
-The Key to Everything-[M:300]
"It's just...they really need me. I have to go. I am who I am, because of them."
Posts: 407
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Post by Sora on May 6, 2012 9:45:16 GMT -5
[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] I'd hate to keep you all wondering
I'm constant like the seasons, I will never be forgotten man
Well, enough about the Keybarer's new clothes. Considering this would be a rare chance to catch up with his friend, Sora decided to make a suggestion. "Hey, Donald! I know you're probably on a mission for the king, but... why don't we go traveling together for old time's sake? I've got this guy with a gun that Leon sent to keep an eye on me, but he's not the one and only Donald." he laughed, working in Donald's self-introduction after his mention of the man called Laguna. It would be great to go on a adventure again like the last two times, and Sora found himself thinking of Goofy. He hadn't seen his friend too long ago when he asked the same question, but Goofy had to cut the journey short and disappeared, probably back to Disney Castle.
There was a look on Terra's face as Sora explained, just before the new woman's appearence... once that was not reassured or comforted. He had meant to try to make her smile because he sincerely wanted her to be happy, making her happy would have made him happy in turn he had soothed someone, but he felt like he had failed. Is she one of the people whom I have to heal their sadness? he wondered. Even if Mickey had written out a letter for him to find those people, he didn't feel he was obligated to do it as a quest; he really did want to make people's lives better and make themselves feel content. Maybe that was why he seemed to form bonds so easily, and it was definitely not the keyblade, but before he could say anything he had greeted and introduced them all to Anja.
"Yep, that's the Heartless all right..." he paused, looking at the fist Anja made bewilderingly, before she finally introduced herself in turn. "Nice to meet you, Anja, Well... the Heartless are made from the Darkness, so yeah." he somewhat agreed, not deciding to get into specific detail, as he thought about Riku's darkness and what he had said to Xemnas that it was more about who was hiding in the darkness than the darkness itself. He was about to consider and tell Anja he had been to the world called Ivalice before, when she cut herself short, and addressed Terra behind them not to be afraid of her. Turning around, he looked at the taller girl with concerned, deep blue eyes as he thought about her less-than-happy expression before that seemed to speak a thousand words more than she was speaking.
"Hey, Terra.. are you okay? Something on your mind?"
TAG Donald, Solus, Bonnie, Terra Branford, anyone new that wants to join! SONG Courtesy Call by Thousand Foot Krutch NOTES Ugh, so tired and ill. x__x |
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Post by Donald & Goofy on May 6, 2012 10:45:18 GMT -5
Donald turned to look to Sora as he spoke, wondering what the boy in red had to say to him. There was so much they needed to catch up on, but they might only be here for a short while, and the idea saddened Donald a little. This didn’t show though when Sora gave hi suggestion to Donald, prompting a bright smile to appear on the duck’s face. Getting to travel with Sora again, after all these years? Well it would be great to have happen! Donald did actually miss Sora a lot, and he missed their travels. That, and it’d be the perfect excuse to keep Daisy at bay! Donald jumped for joy and hopped around, fists swinging happily. “Yeaaah! That’d be great Sora! Gotta have me to keep you out of trouble and backwater worlds!” he said, grinning like a mad man at his reference back to Deep Jungle and their friend Tarzan. That had been a rough time, but they had grown enough to look past it and even joke about it afterall. “Maybe we’ll even find Goofy! The trio reunited!” he exclaimed, striking a pose once more, as it seemed it never got old to Donald, then laughing happily.
Donald then focused back to the new woman and Terra, noting Terra’s sadness. Donald waddled his way up to Terra alongside Anja, looking up to herand tilting his head to the side a little. Her sadness reminded him of all those years ago, when Sora, Donald, and Goofy first met in Traverse Town. He was reminded of how sad Sora had been, how distraught he was. Putting on a wide smile, Donald beamed it brightly at Terra. “Don’t be sad! Worlds, like Gummiships, run on happy faces and smiles!” he said, doing his best to try and get Terra to smile. Something clearly seemed to be eating away at the woman, and it caused Donald to feel eaten away at too. Sadness reflected Sadness, so happiness had to reflect happiness right back to counter it! It was the only way that things could be done! “Please be happy?” Donald asked, batting his eyes to try and accentuate his asking to make her smile. Smiles were always happiness deep down after all, right?
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Terra Branford
Hero
[M:0]
?People only seem to want power. Do they truly want to be like me??
Posts: 13
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Post by Terra Branford on May 6, 2012 14:20:33 GMT -5
The words helped, as they always did; only a distraction but nevertheless were enough to draw, Terra, back to reality. This particular one had Anja, coming towards her in a passive and rather gentle manner. What's more, she could see what had been so desperately veiled within Terra's eyes: fear. Yes perhaps she did fear, but only because she was not sure what else to feel. In fact, was it not odd that the others were not more reserved in the company of what could only be an assumed angel or fallen god? In some manner the being of light had indeed come from the sky above; she had even transformed a feather into her person, and yet what radiated and remained true was the insistence that fear did not have presence in the current situation and nor did it have to have one. At this notion, Terra shook her head and when a hand came forward, she took a step back whilst relieving her own hand from the rapier at her side as a sign of good faith; however, still unwilling to accept the offered hand, she only looked at it with a vacant expression as if she was unsure of what was expected of her. She knew the gesture of course, but by not taking to it it would be rather hard to see past superficial confusion.
Suddenly they were all around her: Sora, Donald, Anja, trying to reassure her; trying to make her happy as if anything was ever that simple. Happiness just like any emotion, was far more complex than what could be revealed by a few expressions and the smile that they wanted from her. Besides, the sadness came from a past that could not be changed, memories wherein that could no more fade than the nature of the heartless and those that saw in a dim view only as monsters. Yet, why did she find that she could smile at the batting of Donald's eyes? Why did she let out a few giggles when he waddled over? It made no sense for nothing had been changed, but in a short-sighted way their actions had stirred tentative, albeit, fleeting joy. Perhaps their attempts warranted and meant enough to ease the leaning of the tower of questions within her mind. For that moment, everything that she doubted no longer mattered.
“Are you hiding anyone else, Sora?” She attempted humor looking towards him, although she had never been very good at it. Most of the time it came out rather awkward and this was no exception. Only after replying did she realize how odd her response was, after all it was not as if Sora had summoned them all here. All things considered, it did not mean what she truly wanted to say either. What she had really needed was for them to understand just why she was taken aback by the arrival of so many. At first there were two, then three and now four all somehow arriving in the same short time span. How could one's breath and feet not be swept away in the commotion? In that way, she admired Sora whom seemed able to just accept that things happened this way. And maybe, sometimes they really did, however it just did not feel natural, rather, normal. At least this would be able to distract them from what was really on her mind: the Heartless; yet she had stumbled miserably with those first words.
“Uh, what I mean is: is there anyone else out there?” She rose her voice as she cupped her hands around her mouth to amplify it. Afterwords she laughed at herself, mostly for them but at least a little for herself to lighten the tension and the mood. Still, she did not get that loud; soft spoken and timid and she knew it. Not as though being loud and deep-toned would have made much of a difference, in fact in Anja's case it could have been a lot worse. After all, she and the rest of them were only a few feet away from Terra. By this display her face had brightened and no longer stoic, she felt they deserved a little bit of an explanation. Something that was a little more than her playing off her own negative connotation of the situation. “Look you need not worry for me; time alone often leads to more thoughts than anything else,” she explained. “I was just lost for a few moments in them and I apologize if that caused you to fret.” Really this was the kindest way to say, she did not want to be opened up like Pandora's box and nor would it benefit any of them to do so. However, it was a lie.
Relaxing her posture she gave them all a once over, lingering the most on Anja whom had risked more than any of them would ever realize by approaching her first. For a few seconds Terra had thought she wanted violence but the words that followed did not match the intentions she saw within the eyes of the one that came from the sky. The half-esper's own power still remained restrained but she would not let any of them onto how close it had been to being unleashed. In truth she did not understand why she had wanted it to, but she did know that when it did she would have been in control. Yet, in that control her choices would have been rather limited.
Those with power are burdened with how they use it, and within Anja she had seen a shadow of a man she had once known. They were the opposite in every way possible but the darkness she implied needed to be purged was no different than how Kekfa thought that the world needed to be purged of all life. Just because one is of the light, it does not make the actions they take upon those of their reflection: those of dark, instantly wrong. The Heartless might be base and instinctual creatures, but they were once people and if destroying them kills the soul, then it would be just as wrong to eliminate them as it would be to murder a child. For that reason she had asked Sora what would become of those that were released not by a keyblade but by her own rapier and magic.
The flood of emotions broke then and Terra stepped forward determined, sizing herself against Anja as if the fear she had shown before was all a facade. “What if I were to tell you I am of the darkness you seek; I suppose you would wish to kill me?” In her eyes flared anger, anger that had not been present before and was by fact far more threatening than the fear that which had drawn her hand upon her rapier in the moments prior. Strangely enough, as though she would not need it, her hand did not make for the blade and instead her arms rested loosely at her sides. Then, she stepped back, as if that anger before did not have intentions beyond getting to the truth behind the woman that came to them in a blinding light. Holy she might be, but at what price . . .
“I knew a man like you – took pride in eliminating his enemies,” she muttered bitterly. “You want to know the difference between you and him . . .” as this was not a question that needed an answer, she went on. “He saw everything as his 'enemy' and wished to destroy it all – down to the last child, wherein you only wish to destroy darkness. In your self-righteousness, you are the same as a mass murderer. Kill them (heartless) without remorse if you desire, but do not pretend you are doing 'right' when no one knows their fate. They had loved ones, memories and things they would have died to protect!” With all said, she was breathing hard, her body shaking but most importantly the invisible weight that seemed to be pressing down upon her was gone. She stared the woman opposite of her down and added one final insult to the wound she had opened. “What about now,” she returned to a soft-tone. “Are you unable to see me striking against you?”
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Post by anja on May 6, 2012 15:18:38 GMT -5
Anja was joined by Sora and Donald in attempting to calm Terra. Apparently, she had been lost in thoughts and did not mean to make them fret. While she had not taken Anja's hand, she lowered it and nodded in understanding. That's when Terra accused Anja of taking pride in murdering, of taking the lives of those once human. After Terra finished her accusations, Anja bowed her head... and then sighed. How many time had she heard this? Of course, it was an argument not without merit and she herself had argued with herself over this many times over her long career. She looked Terra dead in the eye, but kept her gaze as gentle as possible. "My apologies, madam, if I've offended you with my words. Perhaps they were a tad blunter than I would've preferred. If you will, allow me to explain myself further."
My job as a Paladin is to defend the innocent and destroy those who would do harm. I am a Defender of Light against the Darkness. Now, I cannot deny that there is Darkness in all of us or that there may exist, especially in these worlds unknown to me, that there are those use the Darkness for good. However, I have not met them. However, I also do not seek to kill everyone simply for having some Darkness within them. If I were to do that, then you would be correct and I would be no better than any mass murderer. It is why I have not raised my sword against Donald or Bonnie or yourself. Or even Sora here. After all, his Heart is one bathed in Light, but there is always a chance for Darkness to seep in and one would want to prevent that by any means necessary. But I do not believe in such a barbaric belief. There is always a chance for someone to redeem themselves. I have seen this time and again on the battlefield and off of it."
"Now, as for the Heartless, I cannot deny your words. I, too, have seen what happens to someone attacked by the Heartless. I do not enjoy sending an innocent into Death's clutches. But I am a Defender first and a warrior second. When someone changes into a Heartless, they are changed irrevocably into something that only seeks to steal Hearts from others. It is tragic, but I do not have the power to change them back to the people they once were. I assure you, I would do that instead of destroying them if I could. But... I cannot. What I can do is defend others from the Heartless. Which, yes, means I must destroy them. Is there no one in your life who you would protect by slaying a monster, Terra?" Anja took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts again. She was not angry with Terra. In fact, she had expected this when starting her journey, knowing that there would be few who agreed with her mindset. It was part of the reason she worked alone.
"This brings us back to your original question, Terra." Anja said. "No, I would not destroy you. You have done nothing wrong in my eyes. You have not raised your sword against me nor anyone else here. In fact, I would go so far as to say that you are innocent. And even if you were guilty of some crime, I can see that you do feel remorse for it. So unless you want me to destroy you, then no, I would not, Terra. I understand if you don't believe me. They... They do not train soldiers to feel remorse for their actions." Anja turned and started to walk off, before stopping. "Also, it is impossible for you to be the one I seek. His voice was definitely an adult male's, possibly in his middle ages. So unless you are a good impersonator, I sincerely doubt you even know the one I seek." Anja started to walk off again. She needed to get going, anyways. Evil didn't vanquish itself.
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Post by Bonnie (149) on May 7, 2012 8:30:55 GMT -5
Bonnie listened to Sora comment on how he could apparently call Stitch there. Maybe she should ask later, but then again... what about Lilo? She was hoping to find Clyde rather. The conversation went quickly further as Sora explained about the Keyblade.
A sudden flash of light did surprise Bonnie when Anja made her appearance. For a moment, she thought the cops had suddenly appeared, but instead there was the winged figure. That's definitely not the police, she thought as she listened to the figure's strange words. The winged woman was addressing Sora, so Bonnie ignored the bit and just stood there for now. Being introduced to the woman, she sort of turned a bit away to try and check her bag for something like shades in case the woman flashed up again.
Hearing all the explanation about Heartless, Bonnie figured it was something to watch out for. Black creatures of darkness weren't things she liked to run into while looking for Clyde, unless the creatures carried something worth for the taking.
While the four had been talking quite a lot, Bonnie walked back now wearing some black shades. “But these Heartless.. are they, ya know, beyond saving? Aren't there someone searchin' for a way to save them? It'd do a load for a lot'a people, if they'd be saved.” it just sparked some curiosity from the green alien.
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ooc: hope I followed everything.. my router broke, just gotten a new one and working..
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Sora
Keyblader
-The Key to Everything-[M:300]
"It's just...they really need me. I have to go. I am who I am, because of them."
Posts: 407
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Post by Sora on May 9, 2012 11:14:11 GMT -5
[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] Let's leave no words unspoken, and save regrets for the broken
Will you even look back when you think of me?
"That's great! Alright, the whole trinity back together again!" Sora cheered, and was glad Donald was spreading that cheer, by at least trying to cheer up Terra. Even if Sora failed with his boyish charms and sometimes goofy faces, at least Donald was adorable and cute in his own way. He got a few giggles out of Terra, so that was a relief. He relaxed a little for Terra being happy again, and was glad Donald was there. It would be excellent to have him back in the party, for more reasons than just helping people cheer up, even if that was the goal of their journey.
As Terra asked her question, the bright smile Sora had on his face slipped away for a moment. He raised a fingerless gloved hand up over his chest where his heart was, and closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the words Terra had just spoken just now.
“Are you hiding anyone else, Sora?” And for some reason, he had felt his heart resonate to that, not because of anything Terra had said to upset him on purpose. But as soon as the whisper of an echo in the back of his heart had spoken up, it was gone again in a heartbeat, and Sora returned to his senses. "Oh, you mean anyone like Stitch? During my journeys, yeah, I made a lot of friends out there that I can call upon to help me in times of need. So there are people out there, maybe some bad guys; but good people who mean well too." he chuckled at Terra's question a bit, the smile he had appearing once again.
At Terra's words she had experienced loneliness, Sora's heart couldn't help but grow even bigger, and go out to her. No-one should have to feel that sting; knowing you weren't connected to someone, but even worse knowing that no-one was there for you. He walked a bit closer to Terra slowly, still attempting a heart-warming smile. "I'm sorry to hear that, Terra; but if you want, you can join my circle of friends. Donald's in it, and he knows just as well as I do that even if we're feeling alone and lost, we can always know that we're there for each other. Like a light shining in the darkness, we're never alone; our hearts our connected, and I learned that even more so know is true more than anything else that a light shines deep within the darkness of everyone's heart that never goes out. Our friends are our strength, and we want it to be yours and everyone's, too." he smiled, and almost felt tears misting in the corner of his eyes, thinking about all the times when he almost lost all his friends, and how endearing and supportive they had all been that they had been there for him even when things looked their darkest.
The reason, of course, was because of Terra's sudden shift in expression from timid and shy to sudden anger. It had been in response to Anja's own reassurance, but something had triggered Terra's instant aggression, and Sora cautiously put the arm not holding his keyblade in between Terra and Anja as if to hold them back from one another.
"Hey, don't fight! I'm sure Anja didn't mean to upset you, Terra. I'm sorry if my answer to you wasn't what you wanted to hear; there was this one thing that a wise friend told me once." he sighed as he looked at Donald with a knowing look, hoping he would soon know what he meant, and also felt a little disheartened at Terra that his attempts for her to be content with them were not succeeding.
"Listen... I questioned myself once too, about defeating the Heartless. What if all I did to stop them was all for nothing... what if I couldn't use the keyblade, if it meant I was only hindering the very people that needed help? We didn't know any better, we still don't... no-one does. But... my wise friend said that I have to, because if I don't do anything against the Heartless, they'll just keep on hurting people." he finished, remembering what Goofy had said after they were transported away by Maleificent from the Battle of a Thousand Heartless.
The look on his face was a mixture of guilt and pity, perhaps even tortured agony at his actions in hindsight; it was bad not knowing where the hearts went if it wasn't back to Kingdom Hearts to turn back into a person, but it was worse not slaying the Heartless and letting them spread and multiply. He looked at Anja after she spoke, her words prompting for him to say something in response. "It's true; there's darkness in every heart, and as long as there is there will always be Heartless. My friend Riku, he had a lot of darkness in his heart, but it took him a long time to conquer it and use both his light and darkness to help the people that needed it. Including me. He also reminded us that it's not always the darkness we need to fear... it's the people hiding in it that we need to be wary of. And a long time ago, I even... turned into a Heartless, in order to save someone very important to me. And I would do it a thousands times over, just so I could restore her heart, and I never expected I was going to come back from falling through the darkness. But her own heart saved me and brought me back... I heard her voice... and it only proved to me that all our hearts are connected, even more so. So, even those that use darkness, or have been in the darkness aren't all evil." he smiled, feeling as if he had gotten his point across, while also calming everyone with his touching story of self-sacrifice. "And I'm sorry Anja, but I'm not sure who the one you seek is could be, without anything else you might be able to tell us about him."
He looked at Bonnie as she finally spoke up, and smiled, as if sadly trying to reassure himself more than anyone else there.
"Well, if I can be honest with you guys... a whie ago there was this group called the Organization, and every time I released a heart from the Heartless, they would collect it. Somehow whenever a large group of hearts is collected, they form a big heart-shaped moon called Kingdom Hearts; the heart of all hearts. The hearts I released from the Heartless went there, but since they were using it for their own gain, that Kingdom Hearts was eventually destroyed. But there's still a Kingdom Hearts out there, the heart of all worlds instead of the people's hearts... the hearts have to go there to be born again. Or even the hearts the worlds each have... I just know it. Right, Donald?" It was doubtless that everyone would soon have questions to follow up, such as about the Organization, Nobodies that he had been avoiding as a large subject, and Kingdom Hearts.
He and Donald didn't have all the answers from slaying Heartless and collecting the Ansem reports, but... he felt like he had the right ones, and what he was doing was right.
TAG Donald, Solus, Bonnie, Terra Branford, anyone new that wants to join! SONG All I Want by A Day To Remember NOTES If only I had this thread after Axel's heart was restored, Sora would know he was right. xD;;;; |
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Post by Donald & Goofy on May 9, 2012 11:55:46 GMT -5
The Whole Trinity together again, Donald had to certainly exclaim a Yeah for that, and he did, releasing a loud “Yeah!” in agreement to Sora and chuckling after. It’d be good to see Goofy again, to hear from the dog and get him to join. A thought briefly occurred to Donald. “Goofy might be visiting his son Max!” he thought, not remembering that Sora had yet to meet the younger Goof at all. It was a potential though, since Goofy hadn’t gotten to see his Son for a while, and he might be overseeing his son as he grew up. Though, to think Goofy as a Dad was always kinda funny to Donald, even if he had his own Nephews to deal with.
Donald stopped being so cheerful though When Terra began her barrage of questions. Donald had seen his venture to try and cheer Terra up as successful, and it seemed to be so, but whe he got closer, he had also sensed something. He was trained in magic, and didn’t quite sense it normally like others, but there was an energy coming from Terra that even the mage Donald could feel. Was it her emotions? There was power from her, and truth be told it frightened Donald. When she ranted to Anja, Donald stepped back, bumping briefly into Sora and glancing to him. The firl was emotional and powerful, but she was clearly hurt. She had been hurt in the past, that was why she was so questioning, so pained. How could they help with that? They couldn’t really, And Sora did his best, bringing up stuff alongside Anja. Donald stayed quiet for the moment, nodding when Sora meant to include Terra in his circle of friends, and then quacked as he turned to look to Sora at the mention of a wise friend.
Donald remembered that moment clearly. The only thing he remembered clearer was the pain he felt when Goofy had looked to have died. Goofy… he may have been a Goof, but he was still a wise man, as Sora put it. He had a way with words others just simply couldn’t comprehend it seemed. Donald smiled and nodded, now really missing Goofy more than ever. A tear formed in his eye as he remembered seeing the unconscious, thought to be dead, form of Goofy laying there amongst the gorge… it was painful.
He thought more as Sora continued, mentioning his turning to heartless, and the people with Hearts of Darkness who proved helpful. “Malificent and Pete too,” Donald said once Sora had finished, looking to Sora briefly with his own knowing look, then continuing. “We thought them so dark and irredeemable, unable to be helped and with no chance of turning them to the light… and yet, they saved us. Back in the Castle that Never was, they helped hold back the tide of Heartless as he fought to stop the Organization, despite before having kidnapped so many people and plotting against us… in the end, they helped us.”
Donald listened to Sora once more, Nodding when he asked. It was really the only logical conclusion, that hearts returned to Kingdom hearts to be reborn. How else did so many people come back, so many worlds return after the heartless took it? There was no other way to explain it.
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Terra Branford
Hero
[M:0]
?People only seem to want power. Do they truly want to be like me??
Posts: 13
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Post by Terra Branford on May 9, 2012 17:00:57 GMT -5
Terra blinked; she barely heard Sora when he put an arm between them. In the moments before, he spoke of friendship and had not been entirely wrong about it either. Time was frightening that way. It could morph memories, second-guess events and in the brightest of moments, it could snuff out all light and hope. She had had many nights there (Traverse Town), yet the ones she kept were not those that came with normalcy: a routine in which she could live by. No. She remembered the nights she awoke in a cold sweat; she remembered those nights wherein warmth was stolen; she remembered the past as if it was real, only to know it never would be again. They were gone. However, she was not. Something so simple as a fact,but marginally more than life itself. Why had she been spared;why did the Tower stand; why did her powers return? Questions that could never been answered, but still were able to keep her up into the wee hours of morning light. Her say was done, and thereafter Anja explained, all the while with Sora between them both trying to still a tide not under his own volition.
A Paladin, she called herself. By definition: warrior of light or bringer of redemption. It seemed contrary to one that would slay darkness, simply because it 'twas. Yet, Terra did not interrupt and instead listened as the words tumbled on. She could have said something – perhaps she should have – but her breath faltered becoming steady, and the anger that had been moments before,staggering about and mixing with her own power, had slowly begun to fade. She saw the way Donald shied in fear, and in that moment looked to the ground. Control. Moderation. All things she had learned but still she could not convince herself fully that others would not fear the truth about her nature. They were more understanding if anything, but the truth in this case would be to hard to explain. In fact, it was because of this truth that she had feared Anja, thinking that the Paladin had saw what lay deep within and determined that Terra was the host of a monster. A monster that in turn needed to be destroyed.
Then came the question; the one that had been yearning and dying to come out. Anja spoke it so plainly that Terra almost responded violently. One look at Sora stilled that flush of red upon her face the glare within her eyes. If she let go now, he would fall victim as well. There was no one, no one left, why was it so hard to understand that? In slaying a monster to save another, there must always be the other that realized, what if that monster could be turned back; what if that monster was no more a monster than you; what if it really saw humans as the monsters and was only protecting what he or she felt was right? If any of that was true, how could it be right to kill to spare another ? Yet, in every statement, Anja spoke true, there could be no denying that. She believed in what she was saying. Terra opened her mouth to speak, or to scream but did neither. She let the question pass as if it were rhetorical. Her eyes then fell towards the ground as she listened to the rest of what came.
A soldier . . . she chose that path. A memory flashed, with Kefka, with she and the rumbling of magitek armor. Colossus rains of fire and blasts of ice and electricity came with the cries of men. Soldiers are not taught remorse, had been the trigger. She had not been either, but she could no more stop herself than understand what she was doing. Defeated in both reason and in this case emotion, Terra, stepped back her eyes glossed with the start of tears. For whatever reason however, they did not fall. In the next few moments as Sora took control and Anja turned away, Terra calmed her mind and her body. His words explained doubt, and surprisingly enough it was Sora's own doubt that she was able to relate to. What she needed was not false hope but reality. And the reality that came with the Heartless could not be changed or completely known. The hearts that were released could go anywhere. Point proven by a group called the Organization. From the sounds of it, they had essentially manipulated Sora into harvesting hearts that they could use for their own benefit. That more than anything was what she feared: the manipulation. She did not want to fall prey anymore than she wanted anyone else to. The keyblade in all its glory called for action, but did Sora choose those actions for himself or was he forced to do so by a righteous obligation?
Again she wanted to speak, make everything that she had made wrong, right. Yet, the words did not come and Donald spoke in accordance with his friend. All they wanted was the warmth that came with friendship and somehow through that they were able to stand against the darkest of foes and face down problems that truly had no solution. Once, Terra had done the same, but at that time she had not been alone. Now, the dispatching of heartless was as empty of soul as the souls themselves that were either freed or obliterated by her spells and blade. Anja had not been wrong, Terra had taken several Heartless and slayed them to protect others. However, that did not eliminate her humanity nor the conflict that came along with it. They of darkness were not all evil; they could be misunderstood and as Bonnie mentioned they could even be saved. Sora had said he himself had been one and through the love of another had returned. Perhaps the hearts that were lost were not really lost at all, but waiting for life to begin again.
“That's how I came to be here,”she blurted out without thinking. “Darkness . . . it took my world, and I was sent here.” Most of the confidence had slipped from her voice. As sudden as her anger had been, it had just as quickly be stifled and turned back into a twisted morph of fear and sheer timidness. Donald had been right in assuming that her emotions came with power and now as he felt before, he would surely feel that same power ebbing away. It flowed away from her dissipating into some far off distance as the conflict within herself simmered down into nothingness. “If you allow,” she managed, “I would like to have friends again. And Anja,” she went on. “You are wrong, the blood of many stains my hands. I am far from innocent. If the body is a vessel of power, I allowed that power to be controlled and because of that, hundreds died.” Falling silent, she too turned away, not bearing to look upon Sora or Donald and managing to avoid contact with Bonnie as well whom had finally managed to grab which she sought from her large pouch.
“It's hard to believe, but all that happened a lifetime ago,” this she said aloud but she did not realize it as she looked up at the twinkling skyline. Would it be wise to linger her much longer, she wondered. If the Heartless were not drawn by such a gathering would they not feel the clashing surge of power from an argument? The last thing she wanted right now, was another battle. Fighting, she did not mind but at the same time she would never seek it out for her own amusement. The well being of others came first and the fear she held for the repercussions of her actions, was too great to challenge head-on. Two-years gone and had anything really changed? No. However, perhaps now they would. She had after all, met a key-bearer . . .time fades but sometimes change comes instead.
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Post by anja on May 10, 2012 12:06:10 GMT -5
Anja turned to face the group to find the group and found that Sora and Donald had come in between the two girls. She sighed. Had she really offended her that much that such measures needed to be taken? The Paladin walked over to Sora and gently placed a hand on Sora's arm, lowering it. "I appreciate your kindness, Sora," she said, "But I need no one to defend me. Terra has every right to speak her mind. In fact, I would rather she did that than hide her feelings. So many people do that and it eats at them from the inside out. Besides... such people as Terra keep those of us in line, so we won't forget what our true goal in life is." Anja then walked over to Terra and placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
"There are few in this world who can rightly say they are entirely innocent, Terra. I, too, have done things I regret. Things that I am not proud of. But there is something that seperates us from the monsters. That is the ability to feel guilt. To feel remorse and repent. Sora's friend, though he had fallen, was able to repent for his actions." Anja gave Terra another small smile. "You feel remorse for what that power you wield has done. Your words and your actions reflect that. You are no monster now, if ever you once were." Anja then got in front of Terra and like before, held her hand out as a gesture of friendship. "You wish for friends. If you want, allow me to grant that wish of yours. Perhaps then, we could understand each other better."
Sora then remarked about the villain she sought and shook her head. "He concealed himself well. I only know his voice, I'm afraid. It matters not, you do not need to concern yourself in my affairs. Though, your help is not unappreciated. Thank you."
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Post by Bonnie (149) on May 11, 2012 7:38:22 GMT -5
Bonnie listened the the explanation and wondered what this Kingdom Hearts does. Of course, there was always a price people paid for certain information and she figured she had fallen into something big here. It appeared to her that they didn't know everything yet, so it was possible there was still a lot to find out if someone wanted to know more.
“So if ya kill these Heartless and the hearts gather somewhere. Isn't there the possibility that there'd be some people that might be making use of it? Ya know not where this gather point is, so there'd be endless possibilities, ya should try and go after that. If'n the hearts don't get reborn or n'thing, they could be just becoming new Heartless or the people might turn in something more sinister,” she said, not truly knowing what of it could be true, but still wanting to make a suggestion.
Looking at Anja and Terra, Bonnie thought about just leaving the group for now as she didn't want any trouble. If things were going as they were now, she was going to head off and say 'bye' as she'd go search for Clyde or some sort of spaceship.
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Sora
Keyblader
-The Key to Everything-[M:300]
"It's just...they really need me. I have to go. I am who I am, because of them."
Posts: 407
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Post by Sora on May 11, 2012 9:18:06 GMT -5
[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] All I want is a place to call my own; and heal the hearts of everyone who feels alone
With your hopes up high and your head down low
In all their years of traveling together, Sora had never heard Goofy mention anything about having a family of his own. "Goofy has a son!?" he gasped with some surprise and wonder, feeling incredulous towards why Goofy had suddenly become so secretive towards him and not Donald. Maybe because Sora had been away, and too busy, on his Mark of Mastery? Or maybe Donald knew all along and never thought of talking about them, even if they were personally in their thoughts, like Daisy was to Donald and his family and friends had been to him? Yeah, that must have been it, and the keyblader decided to sink into warmer, more positive thoughts. It never even came to his mind that his son might have had a reason not to have been seen around his dad when he was ever at Disney Castle, either.
It took a moment for the words to come from Terra, but they spilled out, and Sora realized just how rare it had been to see the girl giggle at Donald only moments ago. It seemed like no matter what he tried to say to comfort her, nothing could change her way of thinking that what Sora had done in slaying the Heartless and not thinking of the repercussions was wrong, and only when she did finish speaking did Sora fully understand her reasoning behind it. "Terra... it's not your fault you were controlled, I'm sure." he began, lingering doubt in his tone that he was unaware Terra associated herself with him, trying to form the words to say. He had seen the tears form in her eyes before she turned away, and he felt the emotion was contagious as he felt his own eyes began to water from seeing how emotionally scarred and tormented Terra was, giving Donald a side-hug when he saw it in his big blue eyes too before stepping close to Terra with a sorrowful look he was sure was not his own.
It wasn't until Anja spoke that some of her words struck a chord with him, because he knew they were correct. "Anja's right; Riku wanted to make up for all the bad things he'd done, but he didn't want to show his face to anyone, because... he'd take on the face of the enemy." he considered, and the words had a double-meaning, but it would require more information on what that meant that was irrelivant. "...but, we accepted him back even if that was true. Terra... you might have taken the lives of a lot of people that was out of your control... and doubt yourself that you're not guilty. But the fact that it hit you this hard... you're a good person for having the ability to care so selflessly about others." he realized truthfully as he said it, and a smile formed upon his lips again. As Anja put a hand out for Terra to shake, Sora stepped around to stand next to the female paladin and extended his own hand out in friendship, but in a circle so if they wanted to they could stack their hands upon each other. "Of course! If you're feeling unsure, or you need the strength to face what's ahead, you can count on us as your friend. Donald included; you don't have to be alone." he smiled, but left a space so that Bonnie could shake his hand and also ask for Stitch if she still wanted, too.
"No more sad faces, okay everyone? You've got friends out there who care for you, and when you think about it, that will make you smile." he ended on a positive note, trying to cheer everyone up... including himself.
TAG Donald, Solus, Bonnie, Terra Branford, anyone new that wants to join! SONG All I Want by A Day To Remember NOTES Aww, Terra and guys, please stop being so emotionally torn up. It's making me feel teary. ;~; |
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Post by Donald & Goofy on May 11, 2012 11:18:59 GMT -5
Donald may not have thought Max’s existence much to be all frantic about, especially with the boy going through his awkward teenage years, but Sora’s exclamation did bring to light a few things. For one, the fact Max was now getting old enough to begin venturing on his own. For another, it was that max really hadn’t ever come up as a topic of conversation before. Sora at least knew of Donald’s nephews from encountering them, and he knew of Scrooge also from encountering him, but Max had been left back at the academy in Disney Castle for so long. It was a wonder why Sora, if he ever visited Goofy before at Disney Castle, didn’t meet with Max before. A question to be solved later though, even as Donald nodded to Sora’s exclamation. He’d have to make not to bring Sora to Disney castle and have the two meet at some point. Maybe Sora could even convince Max that his father wasn’t so goofy.
The situation with Terra and Anja was becoming climactic, but at least it seemed to be dying down, or had the potential. Terra confessed about her world being taken by Darkness, and in that, Donald chimed up quickly. “Sora can help get it back! He saved tons of worlds before!” to accentuate the point, Donald grabbed sora’s arm and shook him a bit to show that Sora was the kid for the job, even if not a kid anymore. And Sora did save a lot of worlds, even now to as worlds like Hollow bastion were being rebuilt, only because Sora opted to go and reclaim it years ago.
Donald stepped in with the others, offering his own hand as a sign of friendship, the fear he had felt before seemingly replaced with happiness from nowhere. “Friends to the end, like me and Sora. Always together in our hearts, never alone, there when you need them most!” he said, trying to help echo Sora’s own positive note.
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Post by ramza on May 11, 2012 14:02:07 GMT -5
Ramza was quite new to the concept of inter-world transportation, but, after having once utilized a portal into a graveyard of foreign vessels capable of propelling themselves through the air and having to fight his sister, who had been possessed by an ancient evil which had posed as the savior of Ivalice, he supposed that such a concept would not be so far-fetched. Truthfully, if he had heard another tell a tale such as his, he would find its details queer, for the sound of it was but a fabrication; the reality, however, gave him trouble sleeping at night.
But this was neither the time nor the place for sleeping, as, having strong-armed his long-time friend Mustadio Bunansa into crafting for him a vessel from mysterious blocks that had perforated Ivalice in recent years, he had been capable of leaving the world, and thus finally escaping the persecution of having been branded a heretic by a corrupt church.
Travel in the comical vessel was more exciting than he had first imagined, namely because he had been on edge ever since an enormous space monster with a hole in its head and human-shaped teeth had attempted to eat him within five minutes of having left his world.
Ever since then, Ramza had traveled on in expectation of yet another, larger terror, hell-bent upon gobbling up his ship and ending his self-imposed exile in search of a more hospitable place. It wasn't that he particularly disliked Ivalice, but being recognized for an outlaw with a bounty upon one's head is a disappointing monthly occurrence; even when you've been declared dead without a funeral.
Ramza's reminiscence was but a few moments of introspection, as this new world was so wonderfully different that he could hardly fathom it, even with his eyes wide open. Feeling as though he walked within a dream, he was tempted to pinch himself, but thought better of it. His booted feet had no particular direction in mind, merely walking around aimlessly as he gaped at Traverse Town's wonderful differences from his own homeworld.
Ramza's hand rested gingerly upon the haft of his blade; not out of particular need to utilize, but because that he had become so used to drawing it that it had become like a nervous habit for him; and being introduced to a strange environment was indeed a reason for slight anxiety.
Ramza tossed his head backwards, getting his bangs slightly out of his eyes as he approached a large doorway. Expecting it to be difficult to open, upon trying the handles he realized that it was surprisingly mobile; its hinges must have been oiled recently. (Or so Mustadio might say; at this point, Ramza would be nodding his head every 3 and a quarter seconds to maintain the illusion of empathy.)
Ramza was incredibly surprised whenever he found a large gathering of people in front of him; and not all of them human in stature. There were two creatures, one a duck, though it wore clothing and wielded a scepter of some kind, and the other an unknown species with a green appearance. Ramza stared only momentarily, and his eyes passed to others within the group.
He had only caught a few snippets of their conversation before his eyes fell upon a blonde-haired woman with armour and a sword. His heart skipped a beat, and the tingling sensation that resembled butterflies began churning within his stomach. Despite the conversation they found themselves deep within, he approached with the intent of greeting this woman, his arms out-stretched wide and a grin upon his face.
"Agria--" It was only when he had practically stepped within the confines of the circle they had formed that he realized his faux pas. His cheeks aflamed, and he turned his head away, scratching his head in an awkward fashion. "My apologies, sirs and madams. I mistook one of your number for an acquaintance of mine. [/color]" It was only then that recognition of the words that the duck had spoken sunk in, that one of their number had saved many worlds. He looked at the spiky-haired boy, and he raised a gloved hand to his chin, eyeing him carefully. Re-evaluating the group, it became aware to his expert eye (as a recruiter), that the entirety of the group was comprised largely of combat veterans, of varying degrees of experience. A curious thing, as the town appeared to be so peaceful; so the only logical conclusion would be that they were also foreign to this world called Traverse Town. Ramza's blush had quickly faded away, and he felt more in his element alrelady. " In order to apologize for my previous blunder, I freely extend my services to you, for whatever task you hope to surmount?[/color]"[/blockquote]
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Terra Branford
Hero
[M:0]
?People only seem to want power. Do they truly want to be like me??
Posts: 13
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Post by Terra Branford on May 11, 2012 22:07:25 GMT -5
[OOC: Sorry for the lack of quality in this post. I had to rewrite it after my computer crashed and had to further edit it still after the fact when I realized that another person had entered . . . randomly. That said if anything below causes confusion let me know and I'll try and fix it right away.]
Everything seemed so familiar; everything seemed so different. Yet, these strangers held their hands out in unison. In a touch, Terra's shoulder first quivered, sending a chill down the back of her spin and raising the hairs on the back of her neck. A natural response of indicated fear, or perhaps repulsion. It was neither, but its suddenness had surprised her. From it however, resonated words. Ones that were meant to put an end to a potentially climatic and hostile situation. They wove a web of personal belief, reassurance and the knowledge that comes not with age but instead through experience. Remorse, the Paladin said it separated those that were monsters and those that were not, from each other. And through it, a person even so taken by darkness could find in themselves some manner of redemption for their previous acts.
Sora broke in. There was that term again: Control. The nicer brother of manipulation, which suggested that in order to keep balance, certain elements of the universe needed to be monitored and used to meet various goals and or statures. Such could corrupt even the most noble with the responsibilities that came with that power. Still, as he talked she realized how foolish and trite she had been. They had meant her no harm from the start. And yet, she could not so much as believe her own eyes. Emotions that betrayed her, brought back the dead and in this case some of which that may not in fact be gone. In truth, that was the root of everything: the Tower is destroyed; the Tower stands. A fracture in the mind that occurred right before darkness swelled and took the World. Two realities, both true and both not.
Terra allowed herself to be turned around but kept her gaze down upon her feet. Tears had not fallen, but the crescents of her eyes were red with them that were withheld. After all this time she had grown so little. She could have left this World but had not. There were ships that she knew of that departed day after day, week into next . . . all those with others that had been forced here in their own endings. Still, she decided to stay. In fear, her mind convinced her that everything which came before was not real. Kefka in his seemingly infinite power had never been defeated. He had only allowed her to think that. This notion held the most truth, for if the Warring Triad had been destroyed she would no longer have power; she would be human. Memories had more power than she could understand. Especially if they could not be trusted.
When her head rose, their hands and arms were together, all reaching out towards her, she could not help but muster a smile. Otherwise, it just would not have seemed right. They were trying so for a time why should not she? As confused as the past couple of years had been, this was the only time she had not been locked within herself. She was sure that through whatever means, that this was actually happening and not some illusion brought on by a certain, self-proclaimed God of Magic. Before responding, she reached her own hand up and brushed a few stray locks of emerald hair away from her forehead. There was nothing there but flesh and that was important. As it lowered, her opposite hand reached out and was placed upon Anja's. Not as a shake, but instead in a way that they all could be connected for a moment. “Friends then,” she replied, “although 'tis not isolation I fear . . .” she halted but did not remove her hand, finding the warmth to her liking.
Cut off.
Another, it hardly could be coincidence, but someone else had approached and Terra immediately drew in upon him; she gazed just beyond her company. Protected by those that stood around her, she could barely make him out as he walked but one thing was for certain: he too was some manner of soldier. Actually, he bore the looks of Edgar, of course minus that flirtatious personality judging by the manner in which he spoke. He seemed to think they gathered to form an alliance to take on some sort of endeavor. Since she did not know how long he had been there, it was very possible that the individual had misheard bits of their conversation and determined that they were in need of able-bodied warriors. If she had been alone she might have addressed him, but with so many she shied and did not speak further. She did however, retract her hand as he entered their 'circle.' Just in case, she wanted to have the use of both hands. Timid she may appear, but foolish she was not. In place of teary-eyed redness was a look that could pierce even the stoutest of armor. Not that it was stern, rather direct and observant; one which she had learned long ago was best when studying someone or something new. After the loss of her memories, there was much she did not know and a keen eye was useful for picking up on the smaller details of life.
Reality was strange like that. For two years she had been drifting and floating above herself. Interactions between those that came and went had barely held any importance other than monetary gain and livelihood. Living in Traverse Town was not particularly common, many came but mostly they came and went as quickly as they had arrived. However, in one day everything was strong and vibrant with life and powerful souls, filled to the brim with energy. In such moments all worries faded and what remained, was just the still and calming wonder. Sora, Donald, Bonnie, Anja and now another. If she had not known better, a force much like Fate may have been at work, linking events by the tinniest of threads. Those threads would become the base in which mending could begin.
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