estoria | ( mini-plot post: open to all )

Entry tags:

( mini-plot post: open to all )

Who:

jawdacity & all of cerealia!
When: towards the end of the event (so this won't conflict with any event threads you may already have going). 2-3pm.
Where: Abandoned village + surrounding jungle
What: THERE ARE EXPLOSIONS. And mushrooms.
Rating/Warning: Possible NSFW for gore?

Details about this mini-plot HERE

"World of Loudening Screams" (Watch on YouTube)

(theme song of this post, courtesy of

moribound.)

[ it's another muggy, meandering day in the jungle; nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. ]

IN THE VILLAGE

[ if your character is near the center of the village, they'll bear witness to the curious sight of a herd of shuffling mushroom beasts. in terms of threat level, to the experienced hunter they may have ranked low on the scale: slow, lacking an external fang or claw, they seem to be interested only in their endless march forward.

but, if your character is close enough, they may catch sight of a red-haired young man, a manifesto of anger written across his face. one breathless moment, the calm before the storm, and then he hurls a metallic pair of gloves at the closest beast, the gloves trailing arcs of flame.

what may strike your character first is the searing heat, the thrum of the earth below their feet. the whole village is demolished in a moment, the dying cries of the beasts rising above the din. the explosion lasts much longer than it should, the line of mushrooms going up one after another.

if you're too close, you might be torn in two. you might lose a limb, or two, or three. you might go deaf, you might lose your sight. you might lose all your eyelashes, your clothes. maybe the bag of mushrooms you'd collected for dinner is now little more than ash.

keep running. the smoke trails into the air. someone is screaming. the smell of charred meat follows you even after you disappear into the jungle. ]

IN THE SURROUNDING JUNGLE

[ if your character is close enough to the village, they'll feel the blasts, one after the other. the jungle is on fire, quickly spreading. maybe you'll hear the screaming, too; maybe your lungs will fill with smoke. maybe you'll run into one of the last mushroom beasts, fleeing from the explosion only to trigger a lesser one in the depths of the jungle.

it came from the village, didn't it? maybe someone you love was swept up in the explosion.

if you manage to escape the stampede of terrified jungle beasts (some of which may stop to crunch you up as a quick meal as they dash away from the blast), maybe you can venture closer to see what's happened.

or maybe you should get as far away as possible. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[the monsters steering clear of them makes riku's goal a lot easier. even so, not too close by doesn't mean no danger exists so keeping watch still can't hurt. if they stampede this way, hiro and tadashi's remains might get trampled. one might not care one way or another, but the other, the living and breathing one, will. when so caught up in an emotion, caring about what goes on around you doesn't happen easily.

hence why it's almost surprising hiro notices the unofficial watchman. the kid's move observant than expected. it's impressive, really, to notice anything when so wrapped up in grief. riku's gaze remains focused on a few monsters that run by a good distance away just in case they chance their course. keeping watch is part of the reason for being turned away; the other part is to be less of an intrusion than he already is. no reason to watch a kid mourn exists.]

Don't worry about me. Just get out everything you need to.

[no pity or no words of comfort; only a silent implication exists behind those words, one of 'i'll make sure you have the chance to get it all out'. his voice might be a bit more gentle than normal, but nothing else.]

[Being trampled might not be so bad right now, but that's also not a good thing to be thinking about. Tadashi wouldn't want him to get himself killed, too. Riku's job is still important. It's a little easier to be in touch with what's going on around him considering he's done this before. It's the combination of being a scientist and being in this situation before that keeps him on guard and alert even while he's sitting on the ground next to Tadashi's body. The fire and smoke is less but it's still going. They can't stay here forever, but he has some time to figure things out.

It helps that Riku isn't looking at him. It helps a lot, actually, because there's some self-awareness that he looks completely crazy talking to Tadashi like he's still there. In response to Riku, he just pushes Tadashi's shoulder again, disappointment crossing his features. It's not disappointment in Tadashi. It's in himself for letting this happen.

"What were you thinking, knucklehead?" It's said to Tadashi, shaking his head slowly. "If you programmed Baymax with over ten thousand medical procedures, why didn't you think about programming him with some kind of revival program." He doesn't say anything else for a long time, mostly just staring at Tadashi and letting his thoughts circle around.]

Aren't you worried about the monsters coming after you, too? [That's said to Riku. He appreciates it, don't get him wrong, but part of his new role now is to protect everyone possible. That includes someone watching over him.]

[time passes in an odd mix of too slow and too fast. the smell of so much burnt stuff, burnt flesh, only adds an unpleasantness to the atmosphere that'd probably make a lot of people go the other way. riku doesn't mind, however, and remains firmly planted in place while allowing hiro do what he needs to do. no thoughts about the kid being crazy or anything even cross his mind. grief is grief. people deal with it in different ways and shouldn't be judged for it.

and then the kid worries about him in the middle of it. very admirable to show concern for someone else in a situation like this, but definitely unnecessary. riku continues surveying the surroundings while replying.]

Monsters never scared me before and they're not about to start now.

[the whole 'monsters lurking under the bed thing' never got to him as a kid, either. it was always fun to scare sora with it, though. just to reassure hiro and get attention off him, riku summons his keyblade.]

Especially not while I have this.

['so no need to worry about him' remains unspoken but heavily implied. with this, not only does he have the strength to protect himself, but to protect anyone else who needs it. it's his duty not only as a keyblade master, but his duty as himself.]

[Riku did you really think that summoning a keyblade would draw his attention off of you? You're hilarious. Instead he lifts his head a little higher to get a better look, though one of his hands is still curled around Tadashi's and not letting go anytime soon. Even with Tadashi gone, he can anchor himself right here and assure himself that at least he'll be safe. If Hiro doesn't let him out of his sight, it'll be fine.]

You have one of those, too? [It's a careful, curious question. He doesn't know how special or rare the keyblades may or may not be, but he's seen one before thanks to Terra.] What exactly is it? I mean I get that it's some key sword or key blade thing but...[The rest is a mystery.]

[hey, he hoped okay? he had no idea the hope would be in vain!

riku pauses, his gaze finally shifting over toward hiro. part of him wants to say now isn't the time for asking that, but who is he to judge what is and isn't right? if hiro wants to know then why not? maybe a little casual conversation right now could do some good. mind made up, he lifts the keyblade a little so that hiro could get a better look.]

You nailed it with the last one. It's called a Keyblade; it gives me the strength I need to protect not only myself, but others, too.

[it gives him the strength he so long desired. part of him still questions whether or not he's worthy to wield it after everything that's happened, but questioning worth won't prevent him from doing what needs to be done. when a kid is clutching a burnt corpse while monsters run around nearby? yeah, protecting said kid is gonna happen without much of second thought.]

[In a way, this is actually the most perfect time for him to be asking. Science, technology, and new knowledge is always the best way to help him calm down and ground himself in reality and the Keyblade is definitely new to him. He doesn't move from his place but he's craning his neck a tiny bit to get a better look. It's different than the one Terra had but the design is similar enough that he understands they're from the same place at least.]

Terra has one, too. [It's a subtle question of "do you actually know Terra" that he doesn't ask.] His is different though. Does yours open portals?

[The longer he talks to Riku, the more he's settling in and accepting the reality of the situation. So there's that. Good job, Riku.]

[the settling definitely doesn't escape notice. well, if keyblade chat will help in a situation like this then riku is all for it. telling hiro everything ever can't happen, but mentioning some of the more basic, less disturbing of the world order aspects can't hurt.

wait, portal? keyblades can do stuff, but making portals isn't reall-- unless... riku allows a momentary frown to slip out. terra has darkness within him so could he have... no, focus. worrying about the potential state of terra's heart can come after hiro's been helped out. this is why, rather than letting some of his concern show, he reverts back to a more neutral expression.]

Yeah, there's three of us here who use them. [a reply of 'yeah, i know him' in other words.] They all look different based on the person they belong to and got a couple nifty abilities.

[is making portals one of those, though? he only recently became master so maybe it IS an ability he doesn't know about, but it might also not be. riku doesn't say as much, instead pausing and pursing his lips a little. yeah, he needs to ask. how to word this in a way that won't draw unnecessary attention...]

When did Terra open up a portal?

[Basics are good. The whole "heart of darkness worlds being swallows everybody's a face-twin in your best friend's heart hotel" probably wouldn't be a good thing to discuss.]

Really? [That's news to him. He knows about Terra and Riku now, but...who's the third? (He's unaware Roxas is the last of the trio. He's met Roxas, likes Roxas quite a bit, but that piece of information hasn't exactly come out.)] So they're kinda customizable is what you're saying. That's kind of awesome.

[And by "kind of", he means "extremely." He doesn't think the question's weird, so he shrugs a little.] A few days before I met you? Terra and I were doing something together with a couple of other people, and he used his Keyblade to fight and open a portal so he and Baymax could escape. It's been a few weeks now.

Kind of, yeah. [denying the awesomeness of it won't happen. keyblades ARE awesome, end of story. he glances down at the keyblade for a second before sending a small smirk over at hiro.] Want a closer look?

[is that offer what it sounds like? yup, it is. riku's offering to let the 'kind of' cool thing be held. what's the harm in it? plus, it might help brighten hiro's mood a teeny fraction more. things riku will never admit to being: a complete and utter softie on the inside.]

Was that when he landed in the hospital?

[The answer is "uh, absolutely!", but he's hesitant to leave Tadashi's side just yet. His free hand flexes though as though he's trying to summon the Keyblade to him even while he nods his head.] We definitely don't have anything like that back home. Trust me, I would have built something better by now if we did.

[Riku, you're a good dude. Even if he's not actively moving to grab it he's shifting to sit up a little taller and leaning over Tadashi to see.]

Guess he already told you that story? Terra, I mean.

[if one of them won't move then the other will, namely good dude riku. the small sign of eagerness to give it a hold serves as a silent okay to come closer. riku does exactly that, crouching a little to make sure the keyblade is within hiro's reach. a small laugh comes at what he says. something better? so cocky, kid. ...not like he can talk, really.] Sorry to burst your engineering bubble, but these things can't be built.

[trust him, he would've done that himself way back when he was desperate to get his hands on one. it would've saved him and everyone else so much trouble if you could just make the things instead of being worthy and strong hearts and all that good junk. ah well, he's got it now and he's damn proud of it.]

I caught him at the tail end of his hospital stay. You guys must've been in a pretty tight spot.

[Thank you, good dude Riku. The moment Riku's closer he's using his free hand to reach out and wrap around the handle of the Keyblade. The weight of the weapon surprises him and while he can't actually swing it from his position he moves it slightly to see how the balance shifts. Way to Dawn is interesting in its design, he thinks, (not that he knows it has a name) and his hand moves to gently swat at the keychain dangling from the end.]

If they're not built, then where do they come from? [Maybe that's a hard question. If he knew Riku's history he'd shut up but instead he's a curious teenager with big ideas and a bigger brain with an insatiable appetite for understanding the world around him. That includes giant weapons.] I get that not everybody has one, but if there's more than one they have to come from somewhere.

[At the mention of Terra's hospital stay he nods slowly.] We didn't have much of a choice when the security robots started attacking. Terra got shot early on and we did what we could until he opened the portal and Baymax flew him out. Did he tell you where he was when all of that happened?

[so much like a cat with the swatting. luckily, even riku has better tact than to say so right this instant. luckier still is that line of questioning doesn't bother him nearly that much. his past is part of who he is and all that good stuff. middle of the jungle while trying to help someone else not be too distraught isn't the place for being self-depreciating, anyway.

he speaks while staying crouched a little while and watching the poking around at the way to dawn. considering this response and how curious he seems about all the parts, giving hiro a closer look was the right way to go. maybe it's a little fun seeing someone be so fascinated by it, too.]

They're drawn to strong hearts.

[and that's about as simple as it gets, even if the reply itself probably will raise more questions than it answers. if heart's strong enough then, congrats, you may get a keyblade; if a heart's too weak then it can choose someone stronger to wield it. it's all about that heart.]

You raided CERES' HQ, right?

[Without really thinking on it, Hiro's fingers are idly touching Tadashi's hair while the other hand is fixated on the keyblade. Keeping himself grounded in reality two different ways. It's the only thing he can do, and he knows that even with everything dying down Tadashi's body will disappear in a few hours. He's taking advantage of it this time.

This was absolutely the right way to go. The explanation earns Riku a skeptical look, Hiro's eyebrow arching a bit.]

Strong hearts? [What does that even mean? Physically? Emotionally? What? He wonders if that means someone like himself or Tadashi would be able to obtain one. It seems too simple.] It's a weapon. How can it even tell something like that? I mean there're stories back home about how there used to be this hammer or whatever who could only be wielded by whoever it deemed worthy but…it's still just a story.

[That doesn't stop him from continuing to admire the design.] Anyway, yeah, that's right. We were on a rescue mission to save the Bridge. My friend Korra and I found her right after we sent Terra out to get to the hospital.

[skepticism like that is almost expected. yeah, strong hearts and all sounds cheesy, but it's a real sort of cheesiness. strength of heart: both so simple and so complex. he'd scoffed at it before, deluding himself into believing his own heart was more than strong enough when it wasn't. gaining that strength of heart lead to gaining the strength worthy to wield a keyblade.

riku keeps his gaze on hiro, but notes the movement in his periphery. it gets no comment or attention. playing spectator to that feels outside his place.]

A story that's not that far off. [he'll have to ask the details about this story later. it sounds worth a listen.] Whoever has a strong enough heart might be worthy enough to wield one. If their heart grows weak then it can find someone stronger.

[ah, the bridge and the rescue mission. that rings a bell. he's already heard bits of this story from another source. so terra had gotten involved with that, huh?]

The Bridge is what those other spirits turned the city into an aquarium over, right?

And if the original owner's heart grows strong again? Would the Keyblade come back to them and leave its new master, or would another one form? [He offers a very hesitant smile at least.] I think you know how crazy this whole thing sounds, dude.

[He scrunches his face in thought before nodding.] Yup, that's her. She's really important to them and when we broke her out of the CERES tower they took her away and disappeared. She seemed pretty happy to be with them again though so they must be special to her, too. I didn't get a chance to ask all of the questions I wanted. ...she said that we would be rewarded for our help, but I'm not sure this is what she really meant.

[the topic now definitely hits closer to home. it's... surprising, really, how little it bothers him. talking about it now, after having gone through everything, lacks the same difficulty as it might've even a few days ago. it's a good feeling, if a feeling riku never expected to feel, the feeling of being comfortable with what happened and accepting it.]

Depends on how much it likes the new master and the strength of their heart. The keyblade makes the choice; the one who wields helps the choice along. [the hesitant smile receives a laugh and grin in return.] You don't even know the half of it, kid, but I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

Probably not, unless her idea of reward is a glorified reality survival show.

[who knows, maybe there's some hidden cameras around here somewhere and they're all being taped. either that or these spirits just suck at the whole rescue thing. both are equally possible and both equally annoying, if way past that with what happened with the explosion and all associated with it.]

What sort of a person is she, anyway? The Bridge.

[Part of him wants to argue that he's not a kid and that he's totally a tiny adult at the ripe age of 14…but it doesn't seem that important in the end.] Guess that means you can't bribe the thing to choose you. I don't think I've met weapons that're that sentient before besides robots…you've met Baymax. He's not exactly normal either.

[That is to say that he gets it, dude. There's a lot of weird stuff he couldn't make up if he tried either.]

It might be her idea of freedom. On our own, free to do what we want without being monitored and watched? But kinda sounds like someone else interfered with her plans instead. [A beat.] She's kinda regal, I guess? Pretty proper and she definitely has very specific wants even if she's vague in her requests. And for being an alien she's really pretty. She almost looks kinda human with some extra parts. I hope we get a chance to talk to her again.

[17 year old wise man says that you still have a long way to go, young grasshopper.]

He's definitely something. [like something you'd find roasting over bigfoot's campfire (giant marshmallow and all).] But yeah, you've either it got or you don't. [riku straightens upright.] And when you got it... [he stretches out his hand, the way to dawn suddenly flashing out of hiro's hands and popping up in his. handy, right?] You always have it.

[sorry for stealing the awesome toy away, but it was for the purpose of demonstrating said awesomeness even more. doubly awesome is the feeling of it returning to him so easily. times like this, times when it returns to him, really drill home the point that this keyblade is his own.]

You and me both. Having a one-on-one chat with her could help clear up a couple things.

[or only raise more questions. both seem equally likely.]

[Riku he's already had one family member roasted over an open fire, let's not imagine the same thing happening to Baymax. There's a light grin because he can't disagree that Baymax is certainly something...but it immediately turns into a shocked and indignant response when the Keyblade disappears from his hand right back into Riku's.] Hey! [He tries to will it to come back to him but obviously it won't. It's not his to have. Way to Dawn belongs to Riku and in Riku's hands only and for that reason he slowly drops his hand. Even if he's pouting a little now.

Way to burst his bubble, dude. But it is incredibly awesome.]

I don't think we'll ever get a one on one now that she's free. She's always going to be with Maris and Caeli. Does that really count as one on one?

[oh, good point. but come on, baymax as a s'more would be the best halloween costume! a teeny, amused laugh comes at the 'hey'.]

Yeah, that was about my reaction when that happened to me.

[and, you know, throwing a temper tantrum right after and then giving in to the darkness, but those are unimportant details. if there's ever another chance, maybe he'll give hiro a real showing of what the keyblade can do, world order disrupting stuff aside.]

Even a spirit has to get tired of being babysat all the time. We'll just need to catch her on one of those days.

[Don't give anybody any ideas, man. Hearing that Riku had a similar reaction at least gets Hiro to ease up and he grins slightly. Okay. If it'd happened to Riku and he managed to get a Keyblade later, then there's hope. That's how he sees it, anyway.]

Looks like things worked out for you anyway though. [We don't talk about the darkness and temper tantrums. Hiro has a few stories of his own that aren't exactly pretty. Still, Riku brings up a good point about the Bridge and he hums in agreement under his breath.]

I don't know if she sees it as babysitting, but you're right. She can't be watched all the time. We can probably plan on catching her alone sooner or later. I hope. And if we don't get to before we get out of here then we'll have to find her in the colony. Up for the challenge?

[come on, let a guy have his ideas!! but good. that grin and the hope is what riku was aiming for. bad as this situation might be, that's a nice sign that the kid'll be fine.]

Yeah, but it took a while to get here.

[in other words, don't give up on stuff no matter how impossible. and also steer clear of weird hooded guys who promise you power. those are just bad news always.]

I'm game, but it's not a challenge without a little wager.

[might as well make finding her fun. and maybe also make it a little fun for hiro, too.]

[The nice thing about Hiro is that he's had practice dealing with the hard knocks and he knows he'll always turn out okay. And the other nice thing is that it's usually dudes in kabuki masks that turn up, so he won't have to worry about that. He gets the sentiment of what Riku's saying though. He can at least appreciate that.

As for a wager...hm.]

And what sort of wager would you be willing to play for? You know, just so I don't ask too much from you when I win.

[wow. riku snorts a little, clearly more amused by the attitude than anything.]

Man, and I thought I had an ego.

[14 and already with such a big head. it is, of course, riku's duty as a keyblade master to deflate that a little!! ...while having a big head himself but that's with reason. the reason? he's just that awesome. and modest, so so modest. as for the wager, well, hiro's not a hard read.]

An hour of free play with this. [holding up his keyblade to emphasize what 'this' is.] No magical disappearing this time.

( mini-plot post: open to all )

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