thenearshore | [open] If I could store lightning in jars

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[open] If I could store lightning in jars

Who: Sora & OPEN
Where: The mysterious dark forest that appeared!
When: June 1
What: Bright "fireflies” have been luring gods and shinki alike deep into the forest. People are suddenly drawn to the little spots of light and can’t help but follow. There have been reports of screams and unhappy spirits and people never returning. All you know is that the sun doesn’t pierce the treetops and it’s dark.
Warnings: There's lots of creepy demons and stuff!!

[ A ]

[A sudden cold and heavy rain starts. Light and whimsical at first before it starts to pour down in thick sheets. Gray clouds blanket the sky and the sun is nearly blotted out. The atmosphere suddenly darkens and a chill is in the air.

Through the dark Sora notices some sparks of light somewhere near. They’re like candles flickering and dancing through the haze of the rain. A small smile pulls at his lips as he’s suddenly drawn to them like a moth to a flame. All he wants to do is reach out and touch one. They look like fairies.

You might notice Sora wandering through the rain, a blurry image of him slowly walking just out of your reach. Then he vanishes into the dark forest.]

[ B ]

[Perhaps it is you that got drawn into the bright dancing lights. Pulled into the woods as it makes your heart hammer. All you can focus on is the unseen force pulling your legs as you wander closer to the woods.

And suddenly everything is dark.

Sora manages to catch a glimpse of you before you vanish and he calls out.]

Hey!! Wait!! Don’t go in there!

[And promptly chases after you to stop you from falling deeper into darkness.]

[ C ]

[As soon as Sora enters the woods the rain stops. Or so it seems that way. He can still hear the thundering water in his ears but it sounds muted now. Like someone has put a blanket over the heavens and all he can hear is the thin thudding of the rain but no raindrops touch his face anymore.

He wanders through the woods as he looks up at the treetops to find that small beams of light do flicker through. Weakly, but they’re there. The gloom is still heavy.

His feet take him in a random direction until he spots a figure in the distance… Someone already lost here like him, or is that a tortured spirit...?]

[ wildcard! ]

[something else in mind?]

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[Well, the hug is something new. A good thing but Aymeric doesn't have many people coming up to him and then suddenly give him a hug. But the important thing is that Sora is alright and not hurt. Possibly. He will put his arms around the kid in return because that's normal right?]

Nay, I followed you from the entrance. What made you choose to wander in?

[He squeezes Aymeric almost like he's worried Aymeric will vanish on him. Sora suddenly looks very tired when asked that question and he looks to the side gazing into the dark abyss of the sea of trees.]

I don't know. I don't remember what happened. I only remember seeing trees and then seeing you.

[This place didn't sit well with the elezen. Suddenly wandering off into a creepy forest with no idea of doing it? It was giving him alarm bells and Sora can feel Aymeric's grip tighten. Sure he can be...how to put it...jump in head first but Lightning did say he did know combat and he did see magic from him.

Wait. That is an idea.]

We will leave this place but I fear that the light I used to find you may attract any forces here. Is there any other magic you know of that can create a light for is?

[He shifts to look up at Aymeric and then nods, letting go of the elezen in favor of holding out his hand to ready a spell.]

I've got fire magic? It's more for attacking, I've never had to use it as a light source before.

[Really, most of his fire magic is literally explosive. But maybe he could light a stick?]

We can use that.

[And using only his hands and the small patches of light, Aymeric reaches around to feel a thick and sturdy branch. Sorry tree but they kind of need the light and he rather not aggro the entire forest into having them try to kill them. There's a break and a rip coming from two different things and a few moments later, his arm reaches out to Sora holding a torch holding some kind of fabric.

Actually, it's Aymeric's undershirt. It'll hold the fire better than with just the stick alone.]

Let us try this.

Oh. Yeah! Okay. Sorry about your shirt.

[He's not sure why he's apologizing, but he feels like he should. Sora takes the makeshift torch and holds it carefully at arms length away from the both of them.

He knows his fire safety!

And Sora casts fire. The flame erupts from his hand in a flash and erupts the stick and cloth into a bright flame. He holds it up triumphantly.]

There we go! Now let's get out of here.

[A cluster of fireflies flutter over head. Sora glances at them for a split second before Sora and Aymeric will both hear a shaky voice echoing in the back of their minds.]

"...HOw....dAre....yoU."

Why are you apologizing for that?

[Honestly, it's only a simple shirt. They need the light more than he needs the cover and he does have a thicker skin than what most would assume. But the voice that comes after startles him. Why is he getting the feeling he did something stupid?]

Who's there?

[Is he prepared to fight? Always but up against an opponent he knows nothing of? That may be a bit different.]

[Sora really hates hearing voices in his head. He clenches his teeth and looks around for the culprit.]

Come out!!

[He waves the torch. Suddenly the branch of one of the nearby trees is moving. Moving so fast and coming right for them that it slams hard between the two of them and separates them.

Sora jumps back and slams his back against a tree.

The branch doesn't stop. It sweeps towards Aymeric, intending to slam into him.]

Aymeric!!

[A lesson Aymeric learned while in this forest: yelling 'come out' only makes trees slam into them. And yes, it knocked the wind out of him but he did deal with worse. After all, dragons were a bit more fearsome than branches. When Sora yells for him, thankfully there is some light he is able to use to watch the branch come for him.

And jumps down and rolls to dodge the attack. Ok, this is far enough to deal with this.]

Sora, run!

[Sweet dodge roll, Aymeric. Sora would be sparkling with admiration if it weren't for the trees trying to kill them.

Speaking of which, more branches start to bend and grow, coming down at them in swishing waves.]

On it!!

[He still grips the torch as he runs. He has to dodge his head one second and yelps and jumps skip rope over another. Hopefully Aymeric is close behind.

RUN AND DON'T STOP.]

[Don't worry he is. Those long legs are good for something but some of the smaller branches end up smacking him, enough to give him some cuts. But again, Aymeric pays them no mind as he keeps his eyes on the torch.]

Whatever you do, never look back! Keep forward!

[No he isn't going to do anything stupid yet but he does feel like he needs to give a warning. Hopefully the trees won't do anything like try and pick them up and dangle them or something.]

[That would be just their luck, wouldn't it? Getting strung up by a bunch of branches...

At least that doesn't happen right away.

Sora agrees with the don't look back part. Luckily Sora is pretty reactive and fast. He dodges branch after branch that tries to come down at his head and keeps hopping like a bunny over sweeping roots.

He does miss one that catches him at the back and it throws him forward a few several feet and he has to roll out of it. He loses the torch and it goes out.

Dark again... Running blindly! Sora scrambles back to his feet and starts shooting out fire spell after fire spell just to keep flashes of light going.

Hard mode go.]

Whuaa!!! I hope we're going the... Right way!!!

Hope?

[Considering they lost their only source of light and the other one may make the trees angry, it's a bit of a stretch . And then he sees the fire balls pop out. Don't mind him silently praying to Halone that none of the branches get hit.]

Do you see any openings?

[Sora squints and tries to see anything in the darkness with each flash of light that he makes. He doesn't reply for some seconds as he keeps sprinting.

But soon enough he sees a flash of something that isn't his magic. ... Sunlight? It's hard to tell.]

There!!

[Sora points and changes to that direction. Just as he does two particularly large branches come down and sweep at them both. Sora gets throws down to the ground with a yelp.]

Sora!

[Aymeric hisses as he hears that impact, knowing that will hurt. The group of branches also slam into the lord commander, making him fall to the ground. He can see the flash of light Sora mentioned before and a thought occurs. They may be able to make it quickly if they can run fast enough. But Sora...has shorter legs. This may end up just like during the demon attack and he had to carry him and the little boy.

Wait...!]

Cover yourself!

[And Aymeric extends his arm towards the boy. If he's right and Sora has metal on, there should be a repeat of the wooden dummy incident except instead of wood, it's possible Sora may end up just zooming over to Aymeric. Again, depends if there's metal.]

[Of course this is Sora so his shorts and shirt have various clasps and buckles and zippers. It's just his style! And it's going to save his butt this time.

In the same second that Sora hits the ground and Aymeric shouts he covers his head in a split second decision to trust in Aymeric.]

Whuua!!

[Sora feels the tug of Aymeric's power and gets throws towards the other. Just before a large branch slams down at the spot Sora was just at. Saved just in the nick of time!

Except he goes flying right into his god-son in a flailing heap.

They better not stay in open spot for long, more branches are coming down!]

[Oh good, his idea does in fact work. Aymeric's not even phased when Sora slams into him because once he sees those branches coming for them, he unsheathes his sword and slices through them. No more playing nice, it's time to get out and leave this place. Once he sees Sora out of dodge of the branches (for now), he gets up.]

Take up the back, I shall ensure their focus is on me. We will leave this place one way or another.

[And he starts to run. Aymeric was not joking when he said he would keep the spirits' attention on him; if he did not use Flash as a way, there is certainly Circle of Scorn in which several bright lights come down and attack the branches along with Aymeric's blade. He could handle a few hits just as long as he doesn't over exhaust himself. His main concern is getting Sora out but he knows the boy is a fighter as well. It's just his job to be the shield.

Just hopefully this is enough to get them within range of the exit.]

[Sora scrambles to his feet and follows Aymeric as he's told. His keyblade materializes into his hand and he gets ready to swing at opposing branches too. But it seems like branches start honing in on Aymeric only. They come down in droves as they run but all of them are trying to swipe and swing at the tall elf. Had it something to do with enmity control?]

Keep it up, Aymeric!

[But Sora will still help. He's a capable fighter and he brings his keyblade up against anything that tries to hit Aymeric from behind with stars and sparks flying off his blade.

There's a flicker of sunlight still nearby. They're close to the end of the trees.]

Gooo!

[Exactly that. By keeping the 'hate' on him, Aymeric provides a good service to them both. If it isn't keeping up as a shield, it's hacking the branches. And they are hitting back if the scratches are proof, some deep enough to cause a bit of bloodshed.

But he still runs. Hearing Sora encourage him and seeing the sun come closer, one hand stays close to his body. He may be thinking about Part 3 of the Metal Flight just in case if the forest will try to keep Sora. Not on his watch.]

Are we closer?

[They better be.]

Yeah!

[Sora shouts as he brings up his blade again to swipe at a branch that nearly brains Aymeric. They're honing in fast to the edge of the trees.

Then with a flash of bright light they'll break into a grassy field and one last branch will try and slam down at them but just be out of reach. There's a loud screeching noise as the branch retreats like a snake back into the dark trees.

The instant relief Sora gets has him stumbling as he runs and he trips over his own feet and land face first against the warm grass.]

Ooopphh!!

[They made it. Sora's laughing into the dirt.]

[He's not the only one in the dirt but instead of laughter, Aymeric breaths a sigh of relief as he lets his sword fall out of his hand and away from where he himself lands. Breathing and with his eyes shut:]

That is one forest I will not be making any forays into in the future. Are you hurt, Sora?

[Sora rolls over onto his back and looks up at the cloudless sky. The sun has never felt so good before.

His body is still buzzing from the adrenaline of the entire run.]

I'm fine. I'm really, really fine.

[He turns his head and looks at Aymeric.]

Thanks. For being there for me all the time, Aymeric. I don't think I say that enough.

[That worries him a little. Because what would happen if he wasn't for the next time? Hmm, it wouldn't be good to dwell on that because Sora is capable of defending himself...even if the situation can be awkward.

But he will feel the lord commander's hand on his head. Yeah, you're okay kid. ~~Also the hair doesn't feel so pointy someone lied. Calling bullshit!~~]

I do these things because I care. There is no need for thanks.

[Someday Sora will have a chance to prove to Aymeric that he's strong too and that he can protect Aymeric just as much! He just needs the right opportunity to shine.

He grins when Aymeric ruffles his hair. It's actually quite soft, okay! There is no gel or anything!]

I know, but still. I'm happy we're in the same Parthenon. I'm glad we're like family.

[Or a moment when Aymeric does something stupid. It's kind of surprising that he hasn't gone too far with it since arriving in this world but who knows.]

It would not change even if they were different Sora.

[Highborn or lowborn, bastard or legitimate, elezen or hyur, that did not matter to Aymeric. It goes the same with partheons here.]

...is it strange to say that while we should stand and move more towards civilization, I rather stay lying a little longer?

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oathkeeper - 2017-02-17 00:13 (UTC) - Expand

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