[Thread] What have we here?

[thieveryofstars]

Characters: OU!Jing, AU!Zelos, maybe others later
Where: Commons near Ast
When: During the Yuuko plot (obviously), after this post and Zelos' fortunes
Summary: Jing begins to fulfill Aeon!Mint's request by taking the powers of others affected by Yuuko's magic.
Warnings: Read this OOC explanation for more info.

Comments

[twilightshero]

Sora was as unconscious as he had been since the cuff had knocked him out earlier that day. His friends had left-- only for a minute. Kagura, and Roxas-- AntiSora was somewhere. Sora didn't know where. Awake or asleep, it wouldn't make much difference. He didn't move, either way.

[thieveryofstars]

Fools, all of them, Jing thought disdainfully, slipping down the main corridor of the Ci building. He'd known simply from the lack of anything new posted about the developments in his messenger that they were hiding things from him. And while that didn't surprise him, it did somewhat annoy him, as it made his job of tracking down these wayward powers of Yuuko's more time-consuming.

So he'd simply "borrowed" Kir's, and lo and behold, a new wealth of information for him to peruse. It had not taken him long to locate a helpful list and, after committing it to memory, returned the stolen messenger to its place. I may need it again, he mused, which was the only thing that kept him from remarking on a number of entries

[twilightshero]

Sora cringed, a groan coming from his lips, the closest thing to a sound he'd made since this mess had started. What was going on? He blinked heavy eyelids, fingers tangling themselves in the sheets. He wasn't even standing, not even fully awake, and he's never felt so dizzy in his life.

Which way was up? What about down? "Stop it," he mumbled, forcing his eyes to open. His head felt like complete mush, and he wasn't sure of what he was doing-- if he was even doing something.

It was apparent, however, that someone else was there. Sora let his vision focus with a mild look of horror on his face. What was going on? And then he cringed again, the world tilting too much for him to actually keep his eyes open.

He made a weak motion to push Jing away-- leave his heat alone!-- but it was severely underpowered for what he was really capable of, his body stiff and not complying with his want to get the other away, knowing it was important, but not knowing why.

"H-help," he said weakly.

[thieveryofstars]

Jing's intangible fist closed around what he was seeking and pulled free a shining orb almost identical to what he'd taken from Zelos.

So he wakes...

Jing fixed his eerie eyes on Sora. "It's nothing you'll miss, judging by your ever-so-lively state a moment ago."

[twilightshero]

Sora pressed his hand to his forehead, his other hand pushing himself up. His heart still felt like it was in turmoil, without the dulling edge of sleep to help him keep his thoughts straight.

"No, that's not yours!" It wasn't his either, it was Yuuko's.

Just how the hell he'd gotten it, he didn't know, and he wished he hadn't, but he knew he was supposed to keep it safe. He couldn't fight though-- yes he could.

They keyblade appeared in his hand with a metallic clink. "Give it back," he said unsteadily, pointing the weapon at Jing.

[thieveryofstars]

Jing actually laughed at that, although it was a heartless (no pun intended) sound. "Nothing of what I have is mine, this is nothing new," he replied.

When the keyblade appeared, Jing's eyes narrowed. "I'm satisfied with what I've already taken, so don't be troublesome now. If anything, you should thank me, unless you wanted to stay comatose forever. If that's the case..." He raised his right hand, palm outward to Sora. His eyes contracted like a cat's, and glowed. "Let me help you."

[twilightshero]

Sora narrowed his eyes, swaying a bit when another wave of disorientation hit him. Hopefully, though, that'd be the last of it.

"Yuuko gave that to me to watch for her," Sora said, poised to lunge for Jing. "I don't want to be asleep-- but I want to help her."

He didn't think Jing was going to give it back, and Jing didn't understand that not having it-- well, that didn't make things easier for him at all. So, he lunged forward, swinging.

God, it hurt!

[thieveryofstars]

Even so disoriented, Sora's movements spoke of practise and mastery over the unusual weapon he handled. Had Jing been his usual self, he might've one day enjoyed sparring against such a partner.

... partner? Another word that sent an odd feeling through him.

Sadly, however, Sora's skills were badly compromised, and with a swipe of his own sword which shot out of his sleeve, the keyblade was disarmed and sent clanging across the floor. Another quick movement and the sword was at Sora's neck.

"You are all very, very annoying."

[twilightshero]

Sora looked at the sword for a moment, taking a step back, as if he were giving up. He didn't want to make any mistakes-- Yuuko had trusted him enough to give him a piece of her power while she waited to come back. Sora couldn't lose it!

With a whooshing sound, the keyblade returned to Sora's hand in a flash of light, and he swung, using the surprise as a way to knock Jing's sword away from him. He didn't realize, however, that it was buckled to his arm. But he managed to knock it out of his own way! And he swung again.

Sora didn't give up easily, even when everything seemed to work against him.

[thieveryofstars]

Sora's rather unique way of recovering his lost weapon indeed caught Jing by surprise, and when he knocked Jing's sword away, it was released and shot back into the sheath. Thus he was weaponless in hand when Sora came at him again, and did the first thing that came to his mind: caught the keyblade as it came toward him.

The magic in his right arm gave him the strength to stop the keyblade; however its sharp edge opened a gash across his palm... yet no blood flowed out.

"Error in judgement," the thief hissed, and released the keyblade to thrust his hand against Sora's chest -- this time, it did not sink in, but a great rush of energy flowed directly into him.

[twilightshero]

That-- Sora yelled! It hurt, and he was knocked back against the wall once the initial shock had worn off. Normally, he would have bounced right back after it...

But the day had hurt so much already, his heart was in too much turmoil to do anything about it, to have his normal stamina, and his body was in too much pain. What was he supposed to do?!

The keyblade vanished from his hands. "Nngh..." Sora said, glaring at Jing with all of his might-- which was next to nothing by then.

[thieveryofstars]

Jing seemed agitated, more by the fact that Sora continued to remain defiant than by anything else. "Learn your place!" he snarled. "I did not come here to fight with you. Stop putting yourself in my way!"

[twilightshero]

"It's because you're taking something I want to protect!" Sora said back, pressing against the wall, pushing himself up. "I won't let you leave with it!"

It wasn't a matter of fighting. It wasn't a matter of Sora being masochistic. Sora wanted to help his friend, and he wasn't going to just let Jing leave.

[thieveryofstars]

"You cannot take back what you lost!" Jing shouted. "If you wanted to protect it, you should have been stronger. You failed! That is your own fault! Come at me again, I swear you will not walk again. That is your decision, so stop making such stupid choices!"

[twilightshero]

Sora was too weak to fight anymore, but he called the keyblade one last time, just enough in him left to cast it-- he felt so weak, it was going to hurt, he knew it.

"Thunder!" Sora shouted, aiming the spell at Jing, and almost as soon as the spell finished, he fell to his knees.

Spent.

[thieveryofstars]

When the keyblade appeared, Jing knew Sora was not going to listen. Sure enough, he summoned a spell -- and Jing was rather shocked when it sent a strong shock through him that continued for several seconds until his own power recovered, counteracting the energy until it fizzled out.

That... was not according to plan, he thought wearily. Enough of these games.

He moved to where Sora knelt, and a sharp blow to the head rendered the boy unconscious -- not that he couldn't have waited another minute and had that accomplished for him anyway. But he felt perfectly justified with the blow.

I should kill him for being so troublesome! he thought furiously. It is his own fault! I would have let him stand down!

His sword blade shot out again, his eyes narrowing as he regarded the unconscious form before him...

Moments later, he left Ci-Ennea.