[Thread] - A-Hunting We Will Go

[skyefalls]

Characters: AU!Sora, AU!Usagi, AU!Kairi, AU!Dib, OU!Feather, and AU!Layla.
Where: Anywhere but the Plaza.
When: Early morning, the earliest you can get with the sun fully shining.
Summary: Sora's feeling a little peckish. To get rid of that, he goes hunting. More information in this OOC post.
Warnings: Metaphorical heart-snatching?
Notes: Please specify

Comments

Front of the clinic

[prodigyprincess]

Kairi stood by the doors, feeling a little lighter after having seen Sora earlier. As usual with matters dealing with him, she had been unable to sleep due to thinking of him and trying to repress the jealous best that rose up when she thought of him and her Counterpart. It was laughable, really, being jealous of yourself. What was the point in it?

She didn't know, and she'd wound up staying up the night. Right now, she was standing just in front of the doors, watching the sky slowly lighten up, her back aching, but . . . overall feeling rather light. Staying up for a long time did that since her mind got so tired, she couldn't focus on much more than one or two things - all external. She couldn't focus on her emotions at all.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him, though it was . . . off somehow.

Ah. The other Sora. The one affiliated with Darkness.

The redhead raised one hand and waved, whether he noticed or chose to come over was his choice. She'd decided not to force him to talk to her. If he'd like to, it was his choice, not hers.

It'd be nice to talk to him in person, though.

[skyefalls]

So early in the morning and Sora didn't expect so many people to be up and about. He walked down the paths with his hands in his pockets and mind on whose heart he would borrow - just borrow, nothing wrong with that.

And he took a step and something in the air made him pause. That aura. He could never mistake that aura for anything else; it was an aura he had not felt for several years, ever since she lost her heart through no fault of his.

Kairi was waving at him.

He knew who she was and he had told her what he was and still...? And he had spoken to two Kairis here. He didn't know which one of them but his Antiform side was growling in anticipation. She wasn't his Kairi. No.

He made his way over to where she was and lifted a hand in reply. "Well..." he fumbled for words, "You're up early."

[prodigyprincess]

She glanced curiously at the one yellow eye, but decided to ignore it. He had told her plenty about his life and she wasn't going to ask further. That was how one handled things like this, right? It was best to let them tell you on their own if they ever wanted to.

Kairi shrugged her shoulders.

"I had trouble sleeping," she explained with a shrug and a small smile, "What about you?"

Kairi paused, deciding to make it clear which one he was - she'd seen her counterpart messaging him on the forums.

"I'm the Kairi from Hollow Bastion, by the way. My counterpart has longer hair than I do."

[skyefalls]

"I - " wasn't able to sleep anyhow, thanks,, "was just passing by," he replied, lacing his hands behind his head and staring at the side of her face. "Early morning walk. You know. That."

At her clarification of who she was, Sora tilted his head and blinked rapidly. How did she - "Oh. So you're the Princess one, huh? Guess I should be bowing down."

The longer he stared at her the greater his urge to leech off her heart was becoming. He swallowed painfully and took a step back. She was still Kairi and that familiar face was something he did not want to touch, but still...her heart was still as strong as ever. "You should," Sora muttered, "Go...off...away. Now. Or...something."

[prodigyprincess]

"I know," she said with a small smile, "I've had a few myself."

She made a face at the 'Princess' comment and gave him an unamused look.

"If you do, I'll smack you in . . . " she told him and stared blankly as he backed away.

She didn't run, but she didn't approach either. She couldn't run, she'd likely wind up falling flat on her face when the pains in her burns flared up. Besides that, why would he want her to run?

"What's going on?" she asked, "Is something wrong?"

[skyefalls]

She didn't look like the type of person who could smack him and do any lasting damage, but he shrugged nevertheless. "I might. You know, just to be annoying. You liked me when I was annoying."

There was that overlap in his mind again, between this Kairi and his Kairi. And now that she was asking what was wrong with him, Sora had the biggest urge to tell her everything but it would only end up with her being...hurt. No.

"Everything's fine," he managed to get out, taking another step backwards, but to his chagrin the shadows around his feet were starting to shift. "Don't you have some...where...else to go?"

[prodigyprincess]

She spotted the shadows shifting, a few alarm bells were going off in her head as she did so. That . . . she wasn't sure if that was good or not, but she leaned against the door. Her back was starting to ache again. She probably should lie down, but it was Sora. For whatever reason or for whatever version, he somehow managed to override her common sense.

"I have to stay in the clinic for another week - doctor's orders," she said, eyes flicking back up to his face. She took a tentative step forward.

"Are you all right? Do you want to come in? See one of the doctors?"

[skyefalls]

"No!" He hissed, grinding the palm of his hand into his left eye, aware that his right hand and his face was starting to turn black. "Stay away from me! Don't come any closer, Princess! Run!"

[prodigyprincess]

Kairi stepped back at the change, frightened, eyes wide.

"W-what's going on?" she cried, then thought better and turned to run into the clinic.

Only her effort pulled on still-healing scars the wrong way, sending pain through her body before she got even five steps.

Kairi stumbled from the sudden fire shooting up her back, reaching for the handle of the door and missing before she fell to her knees.

[skyefalls]

And she fell.

If she had successfully gotten through that door, back inside the clinic, he would've summoned enough will to go ad leave but she fell and there was really no choice when your prey is a sitting duck right in front of you, wasn't there?

Sora closed his eyes and flicked both wrists in her direction, her shadow rising up from beneath her feet and wrapping around her ankles.

"On the brighter side," he murmured, "This will make the pain go away, Prin - Kairi."

[prodigyprincess]

"W-what? What's happening?" she asked as she felt something cold rise up her legs and she could feel fluid leaking on her back. Dammit!

Then there was darkness rising up her wrists holding her in place.

And yet the scientist in her was trying to understand what was happening. Some logical part of her brain managing to realize whatever was happening wasn't his fault. He couldn't help himself and he had repeatedly tried to warn her away.

She could be so stupid sometimes.

Kairi swallowed down the frightened lump in her throat and stilled in her struggles, her voice calmer as she spoke again.

"What are you doing?"

[skyefalls]

Sora blinked as she stopped struggling. Like she knew - no, more like she didn't care what was going to happen. That was something new. She did tell him that she wasn't afraid of him, but to be so calm in the face of danger was something he didn't expect.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," he replied sadly as he knelt before her, face-to-face, gingerly putting his hands on her shoulders. "You never did know when to leave me alone, did you? You say you've researched Heartless. There is one compulsion that all Heartless follow, you should know that."

[prodigyprincess]

"I know," she told him quietly, swallowing a rising lump in her throat. She couldn't run, he had her pin and if he was going to truly hurt her, the cuffs would have knocked him out by now.

She struggled a little, so she could sit up a bit more and look him in the face better. If this was going to drastically change her, she wanted to be able to look at him at least and she knew she couldn't escape. He looked so sad right now and she had a feeling she knew why. A pang of compassion went through her chest and she took a deep breath.

"But you would have been knocked out by the cuffs if you were truly going to take my Heart. What is it you're going to do?"

It was cold and she was shaking and there was a look of grim determination on her face even though it was clear she was afraid right now. She wanted to know what was going to happen to her. She needed to know.

d'aww Kairi D':

[skyefalls]

"You know. And still you wanted to..." he looked down. "Still you didn't run away." The grip on her shoulders tightened. "Stupid, stupid, stupid. If you just went..."

"You're seriously asking that?" Sora said incredulously, stealing a glance at the cuff on his wrist. "I...no. I'm just going to borrow your Heart, that's all." He muttered in reply, feeling incredibly ashamed for the first time. She was just Kairi and to tell her something like that was making him cringe with every word. "I won't ask you to forgive me. It's my nature. Now do you understand? You must stay away from me. When you come back to your senses - " Shadows rose up behind him - " - you will stay away."

I'm bawling at the mess Sora's going to be! D:

[prodigyprincess]

She was going to come back to her senses. That confirmation was enough for her and she nodded, reaching up to cup his face in her hands. If nothing else, this would be an interesting experiment and . . . it'd help Sora. She'd be of use to someone somehow.

That alone made her steel her courage for this.

"There's nothing to be mad about," she told him firmly and looked him in the eyes with renewed determination as the shadows rose behind him.

"I'm ready."

>:E

[skyefalls]

He didn't expect her to accept it. He expected her to recoil and try and run away, not that it would do her any good, but she touched his face and said that she was ready. That there was nothing to be mad about and that she was ready and he couldn't quite wrap his brain around what she was saying.

"If you say so, Kairi..." Sora whispered, taking her hands from his face and placing his forehead against hers, both eyes glowing sickly-yellow now. "The darkness will protect you, I promise."

And he poured darkness from himself to her, shadows dancing around them. She would be feeling immense power, sweeping every other thought away...enough to distract her from - no, she knew what was going to happen. He tied her heart to his shattered own and closed his eyes, establishing the connection and strengthening it.

((OOC) Kairi will pass out after this. The next tag I'll do will be end!tag. When she wakes up it will all be over and done with, and Sora will be gone. D:)