melodiesoflife | Event || The Night of the Thirteen Moogles

Event || The Night of the Thirteen Moogles

Characters: Everyone!
Where: Aqures Ixen (Old Observatory, others).
When: Night from the 31st of October to the 01st of November.
Summary: Midnight is approaching, ghosts are everywhere and clouds are slowly gathering above the old observatory... What does it all mean? This post is open to all characters, there are no sign-ups for this.
Warning: The destructor has come.

Mingle || Before Midnight
Confrontation || Midnight
The Cursed Heroes
King Moggle Mog XIV

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[In and around the hospital - Open]

[Ventus has seen better nights, but he's seen worse ones, too. One might not guess it from the looks of him -- decked in his armor, minus his helm, with a number of nasty gashes and burns on the plates and more than a few bloody scrapes and scratches on his exposed face. He's clearly tired, but it's honestly more emotional than physical; gone is his usual cheer and optimism, replaced by solemn neutrality at best, heated sorrow at worst.

Even so, he doesn't stop moving throughout the night, having stationed himself in the fifth district to try and help with stemming the tide of cursed Heroes. Given the limitations of his equipped Jobs, it's no easy task -- at best, he can only really play keepaway as a distraction to divert the zombies' attention, flitting in and out of sight thanks to his Time Mage abilities. It's better than nothing, but it's taking its toll -- physically as well as mentally -- and he can only hope that those fighting King Mog defeat the source, fast, and put an end to all this.]

[Streets, vs Kairi - closed to Saori]

[The brutal encounter with Sora rattled him bad, and that's putting it lightly. Ever since then, every step Ven's taken has been plagued with thoughts and worries and questions, doubts and regrets and uncertainties -- but the best he can do is make sure no one else gets hurt, or worse, and if he has to suffer through the discomfort of seeing familiar faces transfigured like this, so be it. It's not as though anyone will shake him as badly as Sora did.

Or so he thought.

When he hurries after the sound of a scream, he's painfully aware that he could end up squaring off against a total stranger or someone he knows -- but he doesn't expect to find a stranger he knows.

The girl is instantly familiar. His age, long red hair and a pink outfit -- but the same dead eyes and unnatural skin when she turns toward him, her head snapping in his direction unnaturally fast. Ven's positive he's never met her before -- never spoken, never even seen her that he can remember.

And yet her name's on his lips before he even realizes.]

Kairi?

[Another scream -- but this time it's Ven's, and it's a cry of pain rather than terror as he's suddenly hurled backwards, slammed full in the chest by one of those strange and powerful spells. It knocks him clear across the street -- and for the second time in the last few months, he's thrown backwards through a window, the shriek of shattering glass loud enough to be heard up and down the block and beyond. He lands in a heap of broken wood and glass, a cafe table having broken his fall. It's going to take him a moment to right himself, but Kairi isn't waiting. She crosses the street in a shambling beeline.]

VEN?!

[Saori heard the screams and activated [Shushin] to rush to the source. She barely got a glimpse of the attacker due to her increased speed but sent a clone to distract them. With a worried look on her face, she went over to Ven and helped him. Perhaps out of motherly habit, she helped brush the broken pieces of wood and glass off of him.]

Is anything broken? Are you alright?

[It was only then she turned her head to see who did this to her 'adopted son'. Eyes went wide in show. It was about a year ago but she remembered the girl who was one of her first housemates. If Kairi was here then that would mean....A lump formed in Saori's throat but she stood up. The clone disappeared as fast as it appeared.]

Kairi? Damn it. I wish didn't have to be like this.

[Even though she had a proton pack, she quietly pulled the katana she had out of its scabbard. She took a deep breath and stared down at the enemy. While it was tempting to attack now, she waited for Kairi to strike for the sake of landing a powerful counter once evading the attack.]

[Ven was winded, bruised, and aching all over, but otherwise it was nothing he couldn't shake off with some effort. Saori's appearance surprised him, and there was a bitter blend of relief and concern. He was glad for a familiar face -- one that wasn't possessed -- but at the same time, he didn't want anyone else caught up in this.]

Thanks -- I'm okay. [Tiny bits of glass fell from his hair as he shook his head, gathering his bearings as he also looked across at Kairi -- the girl he knew and yet didn't. One of Sora's friends, he realized.] You -- you know her?

[As Saori drew her sword, Kairi held out her hand -- and for the second time tonight, Ven watched, stunned, as a flash of light indicated a summoning--]

Keyblade?

[Another wielder? Swallowing his shock -- partially -- Ven leapt through the cafe window to stand tensed on the sidewalk, his own Keyblade gripped tight.] Saori, be careful! She has her real powers -- the Keyblade's too strong for us like we are now!

[As quickly as he was talking, he barely got that out before a Blizzard spell was cast in their direction.]

Move!

She was one of the first housemates I had when I first came here, actually. That's pretty damn dirty to do this to them.

[She was about to ask what a Keyblade did exactly other than its strange appearance, but there was that incoming spell headed their way. The buff she cast was still in effect so evading the Blizzard spell wasn't a problem. Without looking, she pulled a bottle out from her waist bag. She still had some potions to spare and he looked like he was in need of one. She tossed the glass bottle to him.]

Ven, drink this if you need to! I'll hold her off.

[She did notice how tense Ven was when he saw Kairi with a keyblade. With her free left hand raised, she cast Ninjutsu and bright red fire leaped at the girl. She wouldn't just leave it as that though. As Kairi would be distracted by the attack, Saori swung her katana when she was in range to strike.]

Just what can this Keyblade do?

[Ven snatched the bottle out of the air with his free hand, his other still gripping his own Keyblade tight. Kairi didn't seem to feel the Ninjutsu as it hit her -- she didn't even reel from it despite how strong it looked, and at the last second she blocked Saori's blade with her own.

The answer to that question was far from a simple one, and Ven didn't have time to go into it. As he cast Slow on Kairi, he called out,]

It's strong -- we can't destroy it and we can't get it away from her! [Even if they could, she would still have magic, plus whatever weird powers she'd been given by the thing controlling her.] We can't lock her anywhere, either!

[Trust him on that, not!mom -- he took a second to quickly down that potion, and meanwhile Kairi cast another wave of dark energy, this time at Saori and at point-blank range.]

[The combination of Slow on Kairi and Saori's Shunshin on its last legs made it easy for her to get out of the way but not without taking some damage. The attack just grazes her but it still managed to get a few cuts on her cheek and right arm from it. Nothing bone breaking, but it still managed to draw some blood. Unfortunately since that did count as a hit, she couldn't use her Transience skill to counter. She was sent back a few feet but kept her stance.]

So that means we got to hit her fast and hard. Forgive me, Kairi. I'm gonna have to cut you down.

[In all honesty, it's something she would ask others to do if she was in a similar state. For Saori, to lose control over the mind and body by force is one of the worst things anyone could ever do towards another. She gripped her katana tighter and reactivated Shunshin once she felt the effects fade away. Rather than go straight into attack, she circled around the impostor at high speed. There were brief flashes of steel as katana met keyblade.]

Cut her--?

[It was a terrible thought no matter how he looked at it. Whether they were dealing with a good friend or a total stranger was irrelevant, because all the Heroes cursed by this thing were in the same predicament. If anything, Ven should have felt reluctance to hurt an innocent person, maybe a bit more so because they were dealing with a friend of Sora's.

And yet the very thought of having to hurt Kairi in particular seemed to break something inside him. Stranger to him though she was, there was more than just sympathy in the pang that struck his heart right then.]

Wait -- no!

[--but Saori was already moving, and Ven winced as their blades clashed. He couldn't let this become a second Sora. For Saori's sake, but Kairi's, too.

He hurried forward while Kairi was distracted, coming up behind her as Saori had done. He'd seen firsthand that normal blows were nowhere near enough to really hurt these Heroes, so maybe if they could wear her down quickly, there wouldn't be any need for anything else--

Ven's timing was perfect, the opportunity right there, an extremely simple maneuver for his skill level -- and yet, as he brought his Keyblade up and around, intending to slam the blunt handle into Kairi's side and knock her off her feet... he froze up mid-swing. It wasn't a conscious decision -- he body simply stopped moving, as if something or someone unseen had intercepted him perfectly, or a Stop spell had caught him halfway.

And then the feeling hit him -- a wave of shock and remorse, recognition and reluctance, so sudden and heavy that Ven nearly stumbled over himself, his grip on his weapon loosening.

Why--

It's Kairi--

I would never--]

Agh!

[He reeled backwards, hand pressed hard against his throbbing forehead. His head, his heart, everything hurt -- not totally a physical pain, but also the ache of sadness, of loss, of anxious love and emotional denial and why did he feel like this--]

[Well, she didn't mean cut her to death, but enough to incapacitate her for the time being. When she heard Ven's reaction, she changed to the duller side of the katana blade. If push came to shove though, she couldn't make promises regarding the safety of her opponent. The moment Ven staggered back, it equally made him easy target for Kairi. She deflected Saori's next attack to push her back a few steps. Soon her keyblade turned and swung towards Ven. Saori's eyes went wide in fear as the scene unfolded. Glass canon status be damned, but she couldn't ignore this. ]

Like hell, I'm gonna let you do that!

[Still riding the height of her speed buff, she ran over to Ven. She held onto the boy, back facing Kairi and braced for impact. The force was enough to knock the two onto the ground. The incoming keyblade struck Saori's left shoulder instead of Ven's face. Saori grit her teeth in the hope she wouldn't yell out in pain.]

Ven, are you okay?

[With head and heart both reeling, it was hard to process anything. The first thing to register through all the painful static was the winding impact of hitting the ground, several of his bruises and cuts throbbing sharply -- but being against a Keyblade, Ven already knew he'd gotten off lucky.

Saori's voice broke through his stunned confusion and he reacted with a start, realizing just what she'd done to protect him.]

Saori--!

[Past her, however, he could already see Kairi about to follow up with another attack -- one that could probably kill them both, given the weapon she was using. He twisted quickly out from under Saori, nearly falling over as he forced himself up onto one knee -- but Ven managed, and Keyblade met Keyblade as he brought his weapon up in both hands. The resulting clash seemed too loud, somehow, too high in tone for metal-on-metal. His arms shuddered under the impact, but Ven carried through, taking advantage of the difference in their speeds: he rotated his grip, locking the teeth of his Keyblade against the body of Kairi's, and twisted hard with all of his strength.

The effort wrenched Kairi's weapon from her hands -- and while Ven would never have done so under normal circumstances, he reached out and snatched her Keyblade from the air. Even through his glove, he could feel the familiar hum of warm life in that hilt; her Keyblade was alive, as it should have been, not dormant and empty as his was now. Kairi's response was to cast another dark-aura spell -- but Ven had chosen right, and he blocked the attack with her Keyblade rather than his own. His balance wavered and he stumbled back a few steps, but the Keyblade held fast under the assault.]

I can't hang onto it for long!

[He chanced a concerned glance back at Saori -- only for another spell to hit him and redirect his attention as he blocked again. Whatever magic these Heroes had, either it wasn't affected by Slow all that much, or the duration of status effects was reduced dramatically. Whatever the case, nothing good.]

Can you stand?

I can. Can't say the same for her now. Don't worry, I'll just incapacitate her.

[Well at least that didn't hurt as bad when her soul and body got ripped apart by force. It still hurt like hell though. From what she could tell, her shoulder wasn't broken, but close to dislocation. Too close for comfort, she thought to herself as she got up.

The usual warmth in her kind eyes went cold. The boy who she valued as an adopted son, while clearly capable in battle with how he turned Kairi's weapon against her, was in trouble. Kairi just made a powerful enemy.]

I may not be a goddess here, but I can still show you Fortune Doesn't Favor Fools!

[In the distance, the sound of fox cry could be heard. Ven wouldn't have to worry about defending himself from Kairi now. In a fast blur, Saori charged at Kairi only to sweep-kick her at her legs. With her balance thrown off, it gave Saori the opening she need to throw Kairi skyward. Saori jumped as if she was back in her Dragoon class and followed. Even with the opposite side of her katana being used, it's evident the flurry of attacks is working. The more she attacked, the higher they went into the air. At the last second at maybe twenty feet in the air, it looked like it was over but a shimmer of light appeared behind Kairi that turned into Saori. In that brief second, a sad smile was on Saori's face.]

Kairi, if it's really you, I hope you can forgive me for this.

[With her apology said and done, she slammed both of her feet into Kairi's back and sent her flying back down to the earth. Saori made it back down, landing on her feet with the grace of a cat. True she wasn't able to use all of her powers in that window of time her limit break provided, but she hoped it would be enough to stop Kairi from attacking them. She looked behind at the impact crater where Kairi should be.]

D-did it work?

[Even with Time Mage and Haste at Ven's disposal, Saori was still a blur. In one moment both woman and girl were in front of him; in the next, they were airborne. He instinctively leaped back, both Keyblades still in hand as he watched with a blend of torn concerns. Concern for Saori, hoping she got out of it okay -- and concern for Kairi, underlined by that strangely foreign yet familiar feeling that he couldn't quite place, the desperate hope that the real Kairi inside that shell couldn't feel and wouldn't remember any of this.

He had to look away when Kairi was slammed down into the road, although part of it was to close his eyes against the small wave of dust and debris that the impact created. When he looked up again, there was Saori, looking well. He jogged over to her with a weak smile, glad for her safety, at least.

At the question, Ven followed her gaze. There was neither sight nor sound for a few seconds, and he dared to hope that Kairi had been knocked out and nothing worse; but then the Keyblade in his left hand suddenly flashed, jerking itself from his fingers with enough force to make him stumble forward a step. As soon as it was out of his grip, it disappeared in a flash of light -- and a matching flash could be seen in the depths of that crater.]

...No. [His answer was deadpan as he glanced up at Saori.] Listen -- she's a Keyblade wielder, but there's something... something's off. [He was paying attention as they fought, and during Saori's Limit Break. There had been openings and opportunities, spells and maneuvers that other wielders -- seasoned wielders -- could and would have used in those situations -- moves that Terra, Aqua, or himself surely would have, and the one-sided fight with Sora earlier proved that he'd earned the title as well.]

She should've been a lot stronger, but -- she was mostly using brute force and those weird dark spells.

[He was doing his best to talk quickly, but movement could already be heard from that hole in the ground, and soon the top of Kairi's head was visible as she shambled her way upward. Wounded and slowed, but still coming. Ven looked at Saori again and cut to the chase.]

I think -- it's hard to say for sure, but she fights like she's still in training or something. She caught me by surprise the first time, but -- I think I can keep her distracted. I can keep her attention and buy you and the other Heroes some time. If I keep my distance, I should be fine.

Tch. That still wasn't enough, huh?

[She wasn't sure why exactly wasn't enough. A god's strength was powerful and yet Kairi still managed to get up. Was she getting soft or did something from tonight's events made Kairi even more powerful? Ven's observations and plan stunned her.]

Are you really okay with me leaving, Ven? Just don't linger here too long. If there's a window of importunity, make a break for it. I don't want to hear that we lost you tonight.

[She pulls out two more potion bottles and presses them into his hands. Once she's sure he has them, she plants a kiss on the boy's forehead. If she had her powers back, it would've blessed him but the sentiment was still the same. It would've been easy to object to leaving Ven behind like any well-intended parent would, but after what she saw here, Saori knew Ven could hold himself in a fight. She did often state she hated the idea of children being dragged in as new Heroes of Light, but she realized not all of them had to be coddled like newborns and Ven isn't one of them.]

When this is over, I was thinking maybe we could adopt a pet or two for the house. But let's save that until after we deal with this. Do we have a deal?

[Ven nodded once, firmly, to say he'd decided. Even here, stripped of his usual speed and agility, he could run if nothing else, and one of his current Jobs was good for that, at least. Unlike Sora, Kairi seemed at least somewhat predictable -- and the fact that her Keyblade hadn't rejected Ven as soon as he touched it was a good sign. He wasn't just acting sure of himself for Saori's sake; he was confident he could survive this.

So he took the potions and the kiss with a grateful smile, and it was sincere despite his sweat and blood and mangled armor. He couldn't help looking a bit surprised at that remark, but then only nodded again, more gently.]

Deal! I think I know just where we can get some, too. [Kairi was just about level with them again, her Keyblade held in both hands. Ven turned to face her, holding his own Keyblade up -- one-handed, backhanded, but with a learned degree of expertise to it that the girl lacked. Whether that was more so a fault of her current state, he couldn't say, but he would take advantage of it all the same.]

Stay safe! I'll see you soon!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Event || The Night of the Thirteen Moogles

Ventus | here and there

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