001 // There's a storyline here somewhere [Open]

[twilightskey]

Characters: Roxas/The Little Mermaid and YOU
Campaign: Hollow Christmas Carol, Act 1
Format: I will match
Open
Summary: Exploring the Draft and Sub Quest things!

A: Tombstone Hunting
[Roxas knew that this was what he had agreed to do when he came here, and wasn't one who simply shied away from a difficult task. But as he hunted around the fog-filled forest, he couldn't help but want to be done with this place.]

Hey, did you find any new pieces yet?

[He's been doing his best to put up a tough front, but the way he kept warily looking around and gripped at his arms from time to time betrayed how nervous the creepy forest made him feel.]

B: Collecting Wooden Planks
[This seemed like a task that Roxas was more than capable of helping out with. Though the current was fast, a few pumps of his tail enabled him to fight against it and help whoever he was working with to fish out the necessary planks of wood that they needed. But while his idea to get into the river seemed smart at first, he was quickly seeing the problem with it.]

Ow!

[That last bite almost made him lose the piece he was holding onto, though he had to flick his tail to bat the skeletal fish that had bit him away.]

These things are a nuisance..!

C:
[The group may not have been in the Draft for terribly long, but after a few days of searching for pieces of the set they need, Roxas was quite painfully reminded of a particular "quality" of his essence. Late one afternoon, he will be forced to write a shaky scrawl of a message to anyone who might have their journals on them.]

Could someone come help me? I can't walk

Wildcard
[[OoC: If you have any other ideas or suggestions, hit me up and we can work something out!]]

Comments

[decryptic]

[ As he stops to look at the new message on his journal, 9S hears a distant clacking sound. He turns toward it, and a little blip on his visor notifies him: Human lifeform detected. The outline of a figure on the floor peeks out among the grass and rocks. 9S hurries over, his footsteps rapid until he skids to a stop before Roxas. ]

Little Mermaid?

[ 9S looks over the boy and sees no apparent reason for his ill health, but since this is an urgent situation, 9S kneels to pick him up right away. ]

[twilightskey]

[Roxas looks up as the figure approaches, and relief washes over him. This must be The Scholar that his journal said replied to him. He hadn't met this person before, but Roxas was glad he had found him. He let out a sigh and nods, dropping the two rocks and tucking his journal to his chest; he would need it if he wanted to keep communicating.]

[But before he can attempt to write anything down, the person kneels to pick him up, causing another sharp jab to shoot through his legs. He gripped at The Scholar's arm, a gasp and silent cry of pain escaping him.]

[decryptic]

Oh-- sorry!

[ He mentally kicks himself. He probably could've been more gentle. But at least 9S's hold on him is steady; he isn't the strongest as far as androids go, but by human standards, he's a lot stronger than he looks.

It seems like there's something wrong with the Little Mermaid's voice, so 9S tries to keep it to yes-or-no questions. ]

Should I take you back to town?

[twilightskey]

[Roxas let out a steady breath as the pain began to ebb away. He nods in response to the question; going back to town was probably a good idea, at the very least.]

[When he feels he's able to, he pulls out his journal and begins to write in it, before showing it to his new support.]

Thank you. I don't know what happened. One minute I was walking and the next I got this sharp pain in my legs with every step. I think it has something to do with my essence

[decryptic]

[ When the Mermaid is done writing, 9S begins to carefully walk back toward town, attempting to make it a smooth ride. He slows to read what's written in the journal, because even if he's a piece of tech from the year 11945, he's still prone to tripping over rocks if he isn't paying attention. ]

I'm not familiar with it. What's a mermaid?

[twilightskey]

[He's grateful for the care that The Scholar takes in carrying him. The guy was stronger than he looked, Roxas noted that, and though he occasionally winced with pain he didn't openly complain. Instead, he turned back to his journal to write.]

Half-human, half fish creatures. Think of a human with a fish's tail instead of legs

[He wasn't surprised by The Scholar's lack of knowledge about mermaids. Roxas wasn't familiar with fairy tales himself, save for the few he heard of here.]

[decryptic]

Oh. Then... the fish half of you is starting to take over? Should we get you in some water?

[ It's a bit of a stretch, but it could explain why the Mermaid doesn't seem able to speak. ]

[twilightskey]

[Roxas paused, thinking that over. If this was because of his essence, then maybe it was something to do with his 'fish half'. He gave a nod, before turning back to his journal.]

That might be a good idea. I've been avoiding it lately. Didn't want to get bitten by the fish.

[decryptic]

Oh, I see. I hadn't thought about that.

[ He stays out of the water as a general rule. Water doesn't hurt him, but he's pretty useless in it.

As they re-enter town, 9S looks for a clean spot to set his charge down on. ]

I'm gonna draw up some water for you. It might take me a moment to find a container big enough, but if you need anything, just holler for me via journal. Is that all right with you?

[twilightskey]

[First his Keyblade was stripped from him, and now this. He had agreed to come here and help, but it seemed like his essence was seriously out to get him or something.]

[He held onto his help's arm, letting out a soundless hiss as he was set down; no way to avoid it, but every step or nudge hurt tremendously. Once settled down, he looked up and nodded, offering a thumb's up. He couldn't talk, but he had his journal; it was better than nothing.]

[After a pause, he pulled out his journal once more.]

I'm Roxas

[decryptic]

[ 9S uses his handy dandy medallion to transcribe his voice to text while he dashes around. ]

The name's 9S. Unit Number 9, Type S for Scanner. I'm an android... if that means anything to you.

[twilightskey]

[An android? Roxas frowned, thinking for a moment before writing an answer.]

I don't know what an android is. Sorry

[He didn't have a whole lot of worldly knowledge, unfortunately. Computers he knew, but even with what he knew from his connection to Sora, things like robots and androids were foreign to him.]

[decryptic]

That's okay. It was a long shot anyway. So... Roxas, huh? What's your home like?

[ While he waits for a response, he finds an empty barrel in a shed and unceremoniously helps himself to it. It won't be stealing if he returns it afterward... ]

[twilightskey]

[Home...]

[Roxas didn't reply right away. In fact, if S9 were to notice, he may notice a small, black blot where his quill rested against the page. The concept of "home" brought about such a mix of emotions with it. Technically speaking, he didn't really have a "home" in the traditional sense. The Castle That Never Was had been where he lived, and Sora's heart was where he had originally come from. But if he had to think of what he would call home, well... that was easy.]

It's a place called Twilight Town. It's a bit of a sleepy town, and all the buildings are pretty cramped together, so there aren't many parks or anything. Not unless you go to one of the fancier districts. But there are a bunch of shops to check out, and you can usually find someone to have a Struggle match with in the Sandlot. And if you get a good view, the sunset is really nice to watch.

[decryptic]

That sounds like a nice place.

[ 9S can imagine it. Twilight Town doesn't sound too different from the kind of place he might see in an old picture, or what the shelled-out remnants of a human residential district might have been. But it also sounds like a warmer place than he ever knew.

9S grabs a net from the same shed, then rolls the barrel back toward Roxas. He decides that it'll be faster to fill it with water from the stream running through the village, killer skeleton fish be damned. ]

What's Struggle? I've never heard of it.

[twilightskey]

It is. One of the nicest places I've ever been to.

[He wasn't lying when he said it; he strongly believed there were few places nicer than the sunlit streets of Twilight Town. It was why talking about it left a bittersweet feeling in his gut, knowing that he couldn't go there of his own volition anymore.]

[But he tried not to focus too hard on that, instead turning to 9S's other question.]

It's a competition that's pretty popular there. You use foam swords to try and knock orbs that you're opponent's holding away from them, and the one with the most orbs when time runs out wins.

[decryptic]

[ Roxas might be able to spot 9S as comes back down the village's main path. He rolls the barrel over to the stream nearby and props it upright. With a bit of study followed by a few sharp kicks, he removes a hoop from the barrel and pries off its head. He wraps the net over the new opening to keep any unwanted fish out, tips the barrel into the water, and waits for it to fill up. In the meantime, he checks what Roxas has written and shakes his head. Humans are so strange. ]

That sounds kind of silly. You guys must have had a lot of free time, huh?

[twilightskey]

Haha, yeah.

[Twilight Town was a sleepy town, and had he never been made to realize what was going on, he would have agreed with 9S.]

[He did see the android making his way back down the village path, and he watched until 9S was out of sight. He then turned back to the journal.]

What's your home like?

[decryptic]

Not in great shape. We're always at war, so everything is in disrepair. It's pretty empty, too. This village almost makes me feel like I'm home again.

[ He plucks out a skeleton fish trying to chomp through the net and tosses it away. ]

It's mostly just us androids and Machines back there. I'm still trying to get used to living around humans.

[twilightskey]

Oh... I'm sorry to hear that.

[It didn't sound pleasant, and one look around the village gave Roxas an idea as to what 9S's hometown might look like. It was a little sad to consider.]

What are the machines like? Or other androids?

[decryptic]

It's all right.

[ He isn't particularly sad about how broken down the Earth he knows is. It's all he's ever known, so it just is what it is. ]

All of us androids are made in the image of mankind. We come in all shapes and sizes, just like humans do, and have all kinds of personality types. Our programming and physical specs make us different, but for the most part you'd have a hard time distinguishing an android from a human in a crowd.

Machines are... different. They were made by aliens with the sole purpose of taking over the planet, so they're stupid and simple. They're cobbled together with whatever parts are available, so you get ones stacked with ten torsos and whatnot. They can come in at half your height or as tall as a tower.

[ The barrel is nearly full, so with a lot of heaving and hoing, 9S manages to tip it back up and drag it out of the stream without losing too much water. Phew. ]

I'm coming back now. How're you holding up?

[twilightskey]

That sounds terrifying.

[He's seen some crazy-looking Heartless in his time, but he's never seen one that was ten torsos stacked together like 9S suggested.]

I'm doing okay, but I haven't moved. Nothing else has happened, so I guess that's a positive.

[decryptic]

[ spoilers they're actually kind of cute ]

Great. I'm coming to fetch you.

[ And soon enough, 9S jogs back over! He kneels next to Roxas, pausing this time to give him time to brace himself. ]

Ready?

[twilightskey]

[Roxas couldn't do more than wait, but it isn't long before 9S comes jogging up. He offered him a small smile and a wave, before looking at his legs and letting out a soundless sigh.]

[He nodded slowly, though he did brace himself just in case.]

[decryptic]

Then one, two, three... hup!

[ The hup is more a signal for Roxas than a sign of extertion on 9S's part... He makes the lift in one smooth motion. ]

Man, you guys are pretty light.

[ If Roxas looks like he'll live, then 9S will start marching off for where he left the barrel. ]