candybox | OPEN POST: Terra

[ Let's do the thing BUT YOU COME UP WITH A PROMPT!! ota of course. ]

[ Even if you aren't a real master, Terra you are still his master anyway. Aka hi! Would you like to practice with my shaky riku? ]

[I'm totally for this! Do you have a preference for Riku's canon point?]

[With the date for their Mark of Mastery exam fast approaching, Aqua and Terra have been immersed in their studies, Terra spending his time exercising and pushing his body to its limits to become stronger, Aqua in the library, reading extensive tomes about magic. That means they haven't spent much time together as he'd like, and despite his nerves, he misses being able to just spend time with his friends.

So he goes into the enormous library, finding the lone figure of Aqua and sitting opposite her.]

Hey. Are the studies going well?

[Despite the library always being empty besides the two of them, he keeps his voice down. Master Eraqus, being a man of rules and tradition as he is, is always very strict on that point.]

[ It isn't just her studies that are keeping her away from her friends, but someone has also been secretly working on making good luck charms in her spare time. Sometimes she can be such a girl. ]

Terra.

[ She quietly closes one of the books she had been reading, leaving a small bookmark in place so she knows where she left off for later. Right now, she would like to focus on her friend whom she hasn't had time to sit with and relax. Even if it's for a brief moment before they eventually return to their extensive studies, she welcomes the break with a warm smile. ]

Yes, thank you. But when I think about the other libraries in all the different worlds... it makes me feel like I haven't read enough. We still have so much to learn, even when we become Masters.

It's called a PHS.

[The tilt to Kunsel's head says he finds it only a little bit curious that Terra hadn't known what it is. He'd thought it was common enough technology, but maybe Terra's from one of the poorer or more backward parts of the world where it isn't available yet. (He does dress a little bit strangely.)]

We use it to talk to people across long distances. You can even send written messages for them to read whenever they can. It's convenient if they can't pick up and talk.

[Terra gives a soft laugh.] Aqua, if the Master expected us to know everything about every world, we'd never past the test. We can gain knowledge from other worlds when we get to them, right?

[Even Eraqus and Xehanort still don't know everything about each world, he's sure, even with their incredible amount of wisdom and experience.]

You're right. [ There is a steady, faraway look in her eyes as she echoes his faint laugh, as if she's looking forward to that day. ] I just mean our training won't end after the exam.

How do you feel about it?

I've never been more ready. We can both do this.

[He tries to say it with as much confidence as possible, hands curling into determined fists. Still, it's not a completely honest answer. He knows both of them are capable of it, but his insecurities still bother him. What if his best isn't enough? What if Aqua defeats him? Eraqus would be so disappointed if he failed... and those fears push him to become stronger than ever.]

[Terra turns the little device over in his hands. Hard to imagine such a little thing could do anything like that.]

I've seen something like this before, except it was...

[Magic was what he was about to say, but he cuts himself off.] Well, it was different. What else does this do?

[Different how? It's nearly on the tip of Kunsel's tongue to ask, but Terra probably needs more information first before he could give a decent answer. So instead, Kunsel reaches around to tap a button on the device.]

Each person who has one of these has their own number, and you can record those numbers, along with their name, if you want. It makes it faster to call them, and you don't have to keep their number memorized. Here- [Another button tap.] -you can read old messages people have sent, or delete it if it isn't important to you. Some PHS's can access specific networks, too, but they have to be set up for that first.

[He pauses, checking to make sure that Terra got all that. If he's seen something like a PHS before, he might well have had no problem.]

Any questions so far?

Edited 2015-06-22 22:54 (UTC)

I have the utmost faith that you will make Master Eraqus proud, Terra. I know Ven believes in you, too.

[ Aqua, of course, doesn't know if her best will be good enough either, but she trusts in the Master's judgment - win, lose or draw. ]

He will be there, you know. To watch us.

Even Master Xehanort will be there. No pressure, right? [He smiles sheepishly.]

We have to try our best for Ven's sake. Then he can count on us while he trains to be a Master, too.

[Not that he hasn't counted on them plenty already. But Terra feels like he'd be that much more of a support to Ven if he could become a Master.]

I think I get it. You can use it to talk to people, or write messages to them, so long as they have one of these too.

[He pauses, and frowns thoughtfully.] How far do you think these can communicate? I'm thinking of getting some for my friends.

[Aqua's Wayfinders are irreplaceable, but if they could call each other any time, anywhere, they really wouldn't ever be far from each other. ...That could be both a curse and a blessing, given how much he's tried to avoid his friends lately. But being able to check up on them at the push of a button is a tempting idea.]

That about sums it up.

[He's pleased that Terra's grasped the concept. In fact, he's grasped it well enough to ask a really good question! Kunsel rubs his chin, giving it some thought.]

Well, in theory I suppose there is a range, but the transmitters these days are pretty powerful. I've been able to make calls from all over the world without a problem, and I've been to a lot of places!

[Of course, he's not considering communication between other worlds, but Terra would kind of have to clue him in on that first.]

But if you're looking to get one, I could show you a good shop. It's where I got my own PHS.

Edited 2015-06-25 11:34 (UTC)

[Lea still hasn't figured out this whole time travel thing. The old coot had given him ideas, sure, but between that and the star shard? Yeah. Good luck trying to get two highly unstable things to work. Lea isn't entirely sure if he's actually in the past, and not taking a peek into Xehanort's cluttered, shriveled heart. Now there's a mental image he didn't need.

But he has to try. Has to do something. The guy has the look. He'd recognize that mug anywhere, after spending so much time around it. Sure, he's younger, and decidedly less obsessed with the everloving darkness, but the cut of his jaw, and the set of his eyes? He'd recognize Xemnas anywhere.

Which means that one day, this poor guy is going to make one really bad mistake.

This might be a bad mistake, too. But standing here in a shadowed corner of Radiant Garden making sure his younger self doesn't spot him, watching as Xehanort's future body replacement blindly wanders by...he finds himself speaking up.]

Hey, you. You got a minute?

[Terra might not be obsessed with the darkness, but it's certainly at the forefront of his mind in this world, when he'd succumbed to it in order to rescue Master Xehanort. Then there was the revelation Aqua had been spying on him for Master Eraqus... So he'd agreed to become Xehanort's apprentice instead, that he might better understand his darkness instead of being distrusted and rejected for it.

He was finishing up business in the world before moving onto the next, when he heard a voice. He pauses, and narrows his eyes in the direction of the shadowy alley.]

Depends who's asking.

[Especially if they're a friend of Braig's.]

[He hesitates before pulling his hood back slightly to reveal his face, ducking around the corner to peek at him. It's a strange sense he gets, just by looking at the guy...a keyblade wielder? Talk about a cruel irony.]

...Name's Axel. Heard you're looking for someone.

[As if the guy couldn't act any more suspicious. He had to be hiding himself for a reason.]

Where did you hear that?

[His tone threatened that he'd better not annswer in the wrong way.]

Friend of yours. And would you relax? We've got something in common. [He flicks his wrist outward, summoning his keyblade briefly before releasing it again.]

I've got an important message for you. We can't talk here. Too many eyes and ears, got it?

Only two incredible Masters and a boy who looks up to us. No big deal. [ She jokes, obviously, it's the biggest deal of all deals. ]

He already counts on you like a little brother, you know. That will never change.

A Keyblade?! But how... [Terra stares, dumbfounded. Who could he be an apprentice to that Terra wouldn't know about? There are only three Masters left, -- no, four, now that Aqua has the Mark -- and none of them have mentioned this guy.

But now that he's focusing on it... He can sense the light in this man's heart, bright and strong like a flame. He's surprised he missed it in the first place.]

We'll talk in the waterway. Follow me.

Which is why I have to keep becoming stronger. And I know he really looks up to you, too.

[He glances over his shoulder. Eraqus will probably chew them out if they keep hanging out here and talking...]

Want to go for a walk? Some fresh air will clear your head before you hit the books again.

[Terra's not about to clue him in on the concept of other worlds, either... At least not intentionally. To Kunsel's offer, he nods.]

As long as they're not too expensive. I need to save my Munny for... other stuff, right now.

[Like Potions and spells. Playing around with gadgets could be a waste when he has no idea if they'll work offworld yet.]

I guess that depends on your definition of expensive. I think they're pretty reasonable myself. But either way, it doesn't cost anything to take a look. Come on.

[He gestures for Terra to follow. The shop he's going to is pretty close by, so it won't take more than a minute of walking. Of course, there's a lot more for sale there than just PHS models, but Kunsel knows this store pretty well - probably because he spends a lot more time there than he should, checking out the latest upgrades. He's able to take Terra straight to the counters displaying the different phones available, with little price tags attached to each one.

For Terra's benefit, he points out what he considers are the better options here.]

This model says it's got the best range. This one has extra data storage. You could probably upgrade the data storage on the first one, if you wanted, but it would be an extra cost. And this one and this one... [He goes on.

Hey, it's not often he gets to ramble about his favorite technology to a willing audience.]

[ sorry this took so long to reply to. I'm attempting him after DDD, but I'm fine with whatever. ]

[No worries. We could roll with post-DDD and do something like Riku finally getting to save Terra?]

[Terra looks over the selection, and a lot of the terminology goes over his head. Still, he tries to keep up with the explanations.]

Is data storage important? [He picks up one, flipping it open and turning it over.] I need ones that won't break easily. And do you think they make them in different colours?

[...Terra's priorities.]

Only as important as whatever information you want to keep.

[Kunsel shrugs, because while it's important to him, he knows that not everyone has his same priorities. Although, speaking of which...

He's just going to sideeye Terra for a moment for that last question, before deciding that it's valid enough. Maybe a little surprising. Terra hadn't struck him as the kind of guy who would care that much about appearances. Durability, on the other hand... That comment earns a flicker of a smile. At least they have one priority in common.]

If you're worried about them breaking, I'd go for this one, myself. [He points to a model very similar to his.] They market it as being childproof, but it was made for SOLDIERs in combat. Color selection's a little limited, but there are casings you can get if color's really an issue. Trust me, though. I've heard stories of people bouncing this model off of a Heartless's head without getting so much as a scratch on their screen.

[ She wants to tell him that she thinks he's already very strong, but it would be hypocritical with how much she's been pushing herself with her own studies. Instead she just sighs in exhaustion, realizing how hard they both must have been working. ]

Have I really been in here that long?

[ If she hasn't kept track of the time then it's definitely time to clear their heads, she thinks. ]

You mean you didn't notice? Me and Ven haven't seen you since breakfast.

[He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.]

...It's late afternoon now.

[He realises he might have just as easily lost track of time too, were it not for the fact he was training outdoors. The sooner the exam gets, the more it feels like they shouldn't be wasting any of their time, but even Masters-in-training need downtime.]

Since...? [ Did he say breakfast?

Aqua stands up immediately, but still in a quiet and respectful manner. Following library rules even though they're the only ones in it isn't weird at all. Forgetting the time, however, that's quite undignified, she thinks. ]

I-I was just about to take a break, actually. [ No, she wasn't. Please don't tease her...! ]

Hey, it happens to all of us.

[Except it really doesn't. He doesn't tease her beyond that, though, getting up and turning to head out of the library.]

Ven's with the Master at the moment, but maybe he'll catch up with us later.

[Terra really doesn't care about appearances, but he knows a certain someone who does. And he's sure she'd want their communicators to each have their own colour, so they don't get confused, so he'll get different colours to keep her happy.]

Soldiers, huh? [Terra doesn't get the full meaning of that term, but he gets the gist.] If it's so solid, maybe it really could double as a throwing weapon.

[...Luckily he's joking. After looking at the model a little longer, he decides.] I think this model should be perfect.

[Kunsel catches the hint of the joke in Terra's voice, and feels his own mouth twitch up.]

I'd still recommend using a more traditional weapon. The PHS might survive, but I don't think it would be very effective. [His smile fades to something more troubled.] The Heartless are pretty tough things. [Things they're still trying to figure out how to fight.

Shaking his head, he tries to get back to the matter at hand.]

Anyway, if you go with this model, it'll probably cost you- [He quotes a figure.] If you're good with that, I can help get you set up and started. It'll be good to have someone you can practice call, too.

[ of all the people terra could have met upon arriving in kilarria, it just had to be mathurin; the light elf mage hellbent on conquering the lands and destroying anyone and anything that got in his way. not that terra would know any of that, being so blissfully unaware of the goings on in the war-torn lands of the world he happened to land on during his travels. but mathurin was more than happy to fill him in on the history of this world - or, rather, his version of said history anyway.

he told him of the war between the elves, about how their dark skinned brethren were rising up from the north, planning on overthrowing the light elf cities and destroying them with their destructive magic. he told him that he knew a way to end their reign of terror though - told him of the ancient relic hidden in the mountains that held the secrets to their abilities. find that, bring it to him, and he would be heralded a hero to the people of the entire world.

and we're going to assume he went to go do just that, unknowing that he would have to deal with a certain tiny dark elf standing in his way when he dared to approach the mountain path leading to the aforementioned ancient dark elf relic. ]

Who are you?

[This was Terra's chance to finally do good. He'd help the light elves and protect their lands from the encroaching darkness. He'd enter the very heart of the dark elves' territory, and claim the thing that would stop the dark elves' reign of terror for good... and maybe learn a little about the darkness, and how to control it, in the process. Aqua would probably chastise him for putting himself willingly into the darkness like this, but what did she know? She won't trust him no matter where he goes.

When a tiny elf blocks his path, he stops up short, narrowing his eyes. He won't underestimate her due to her size for an instant, when she's still a creature of the dark.]

Get out of the way.

[It's not a request, and he'll use force to clear a path if he has to.]

[ lioriley frowns, her lines flickering in obvious displeasure at such a volatile response. it's clear in her posture and her tone that she does not want to fight him, with her hands at her sides and no visible weapon in sight. but she still does not move out of his way. ]

I will not. [ cannot. she digs her heels into the snow. ] There is no reason for us to come to blows, ser. Please, turn back now.

Nice words, but how many light elves have you shown the same mercy?

[He frowns. He's not summoning his weapon yet, though. He's willing to let her say her piece first; maybe there's something useful he can learn from her.]

[ they will just frown at each other all day, if this continues. ]

I show mercy to all that cross my path - for I want no part in this bloodshed if it can be avoided. [ as to whether or not he believes that is up to him. she, however, seems genuinely sincere when she speaks. ]

You do not need to be here, ser. I will ask you again - please, return from whence you came and do not look back upon this place.

Edited 2015-07-16 17:40 (UTC)

...Looks like I don't have a choice.

[He summons his Keyblade, assuming a battle stance.] You and your people have hurt enough. I won't let you turn me away, only for the darkness to win!

[With that, he charges, prepared for any sign of magic he was warned the dark elves favoured.]

Wait—! [ lioriley raises her hands up in the universal sign of surrender, and even as terra approaches her with his weapon drawn, the only obvious attempt to protect herself is the sudden flash of color that surrounds her tiny figure. if he chooses to try and strike her, he'll instead hit the transparent shield she just conjured - one that begins to crack each time he hits it. ]

I am not your enemy!

Edited 2015-07-27 16:36 (UTC)

[Terra knows a magical barrier when he sees one, so he stops mid swing, leaping back out of striking range in anticipation of a counterattack.]

You're my enemy as long as you're standing in my way!

[And he raises his Keyblade and slams it into the ground, sending chunks of rock and earth up under Lioriley's feet. He hopes to throw her off balance or at the very least, to force her to move out of her defensive position.]

That's not so bad. I'll take three.

[He says it without missing a beat. It's definitely stretching his budget when he should probably save it for combat-related funds, but...]

The other two are for my friends. So even if we get separated, maybe these will help us keep in contact. [Though it's a huge maybe. As far as he knows, only the powerful magic of a Keyblade master is strong enough to broadcast across worlds, and he's still nowhere near that level.] Why are you being so helpful, anyway? Is there a catch?

[He wants to give Kunsel the benefit of the doubt, but typically, there's a catch to strangers wanting to help him out.]

[Kunsel tilts his head, then offers Terra a shrug.]

Does it cost me anything to be helpful? If not, why not? It's something I'm interested in anyway.

[Technically, though, it is costing him something, if time is considered a commodity. Even if he wouldn't necessarily be doing something else instead, it could still be considered something he's spending without getting anything in return, and that's enough to make some people suspicious.

So.]

If you really want to look at it cynically, me helping you could end up helping me, too. I like making contacts. I like hearing things from them. You never know when you might hear something useful that way that you wouldn't have found out otherwise.

OPEN POST: Terra - Kingdom Hearts

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