Kingdom Hearts: Oblivion

[Oni]

(Forum for Me and Lyrikai. Will post soon)

 

[Oni]

There was something in the air.

The type of feeling that made you double check your pockets on the way out the door even though you were sure you hadn't forgotten anything. The feeling that something was somehow...off. Overcast but you weren't sure if you'd need an umbrella or just a coat.

The people of the town Frasia were a peaceful sort. Everyone knew everyone else and if they didn't they weren't afraid to introduce themselves and invite you to a cup of coffee. They had no worries outside of the occasional disappearing child who turns up again later after having taken it upon themselves to do a little exploring.

Truth be told, this was more common than people realized, but kids were like that. Always getting into something. Imaginations running wild and following their Hearts desires.

Kaiya wasn't so different in that respect. He went to school when he chose to, but spent most of his days in a hideout he'd made behind the giant fake donut that sat on the roof of the local bakery his father owned.

It was a pretty sweet setup, too. He had a mini fridge for snacks, a bunch of little ramps he'd set up to skate on, and if you climbed to sit in the arch of the donut you had an incredible view of the ocean as the sun set over the rooftops. It was here most people found him; napping in the arch, riding his skateboard, but today was an off day. And everyone has to relieve stress.

Crack!

The sound of wood smacking wood sounded through the air as two figures dashed across the roof of the bakery. One skid to a halt in front of the A/C unit, rounding upon their opponent with a horizontal swing if a broomstick, but paused.

Curious eyes scanned the roof before him. Nothing.

"Where ya hidin' Kaiya? Afraid of me kicking your ass again?" The boy said, stick up and at the ready, posture relaxed.

Kaiya came soaring over the steam vent with an overhead swing, "NOT TODAY! NATE!"

As the steam parted, Nate brought his broomstick around to meet the boys with another loud crack!

 

[Lyrikai]

The day started off like any other; peaceful, calm, and maybe a little dull. There was probably school today. Maybe. It was hard to remember sometimes when every day felt like just the same ordinary over and over again, repetitive. School was like one of those things that you'd go to if you were so bored out of your skull that you had nothing better to do. It was useful, and sometimes even fun on the days where there were cool labs or experiments with science or field trips, but usually it was a droll.

Of course, he couldn't complain. What was there to complain about? In a town so calm and peaceful, nothing ever really went wrong. They didn't have epic problems or disasters or people committing crimes.

An awful lot of Fritz's day was spent hanging out on the rooftop hangout, up high where no one really ever thought to look and come after them. There was always some kind of excitement to be found up there, never a dull moment really!

He could always count on friends to keep things fresh and entertaining. Today was no different. Climbing up to the hideout, it sounded like someone fighting. There was shouting, makeshift weapons clacking together. Fritz made his presence known at once with a loud whoop. "Yeah!" he shouted, "Get 'im!" Get who, he did not specify. He could cheer on both sides here. Whoever was the winner, really, would be the one he'd side with! The stronger one, whoever was better, faster, had the edge and the advantage.

Scurrying by, his first order of business was to make it to the mini fridge for a snack and to collapse after a long day of doing absolutely nothing. "So who's winning?" he had to ask, unfazed by any possible maiming that may or may not ever accidentally happen.

 

[Oni]

The difference in skill was made obvious each time Kaiya was parried rather than blocked. Nate was older, more experienced and all that, but Kaiya had talent and a tenacity most wished he'd showed in... just any other aspect of his life in all honesty.

Still, that never slowed him down.

Kaiya's broom was caught along the edge of Nate's as the boy stepped in close enough for Kaiya's messy white hair to brush Nate's cheek as his own momentum was used against him, throwing him head over heels tot he ground with a crash as Fritz scurried past them.

"Shit!" Kaiya grunted, winded on the ground.

"I am. As Usual." Nate chuckled, pointing the end of his stick into Kaiya's chest before the boy could get up. "Good to see you decided to be a delinquent too, Fritz. No Lab's today?" He said, looking up.

 

[Lyrikai]

Having found a drink in the fridge, Fritz was content to kick back and watch the end of the duel, ready to cheer on either Kaiya or Nate, whoever was the victor. He wasn't picky and he didn't root for either side specifically! Rather just instead, he set down his drink and clapped when the battle was over. "Nice moves there. That looked like it hurt." He couldn't help but wince as he regarded Kaiya as he laid there on the ground in defeat with the champion standing over the top of him all proud and glorious.

"No labs," he confirmed a moment later, "Just a lot of boring lectures and a pop quiz so I bailed as soon as I could. Figure you two would be here since I didn't run into you anywhere else." Beverage in hand again, he took a sip. "This is way more fun than a quiz. This beats that any day." Who didn't like watching friends beat the crap out of each other with broom handles! Okay, so maybe he was a little weird for enjoying it, but that was alright. He'd rather be weird than normal and boring and ordinary.

Moving along to lean over Kaiya, he looked him over. "So, you need a hand? Or maybe a doctor?" Maybe the least he could do would be to try and find some kind of ice pack.

 

[Oni]

"Didn't hurt me on bit, actually." Nate said with a shit eating grin that earned a derisive glare from Kaiya on the ground, then stepped back to prop his broom handle up against the A/C while making his way to the fridge.

Kaiya rolled his eyes, looking up to Fritz and holding out his hand to be helped up. "No ice can help a bruised pride..but thanks anyway, man."

Nate turned, cracking open a soda and leaning against a few stacked crates. "To be fair, you're getting better. Almost got the jump on me, if only you didn't insist on announcing your attacks like you were in some kind of anime or something."

"What do you mean? ALL cool heroes announce their attacks." Kaiya objected from the ground. "It'd be boring to just swing a sword without having any style man."

"It'd also keep you alive in a pinch." Nate pointed out.

 

[Lyrikai]

More than happy to help his friend off the ground, he gave Kaiya a good pat to the shoulder once he was back on his feet again. "Well at least you're not hurt," he replied, though couldn't help but chuckle at the situation. On one hand, him actually getting hurt would have resulted in some kind of doctor visit and an awful lot of scolding, followed by the possible dismantling of their rooftop base here. That would have been pretty rotten and disappointing, but, with time, they'd likely have just found another cool hang out that was equally as hidden and well stocked and hopefully with a view just as nice.

On the other hand, he had to shrug through his giggles. "You know, he's got a point there, Kaiya. Sometimes the element of surprise is what wins the day. Loudly announce yourself every time and everyone's always going to know when and where you're coming rom."

He snapped his fingers towards Nate to get his attention, "You know, maybe Kaiya's just being noble and kind, you know! Fair play and all that. No sneaky maneuvers. Maybe he just likes to always make sure the field is fair and he wants his enemy to see the whites of his eyes every time as he runs them down."

Taking a moment to lounge, fingers laced together behind his head, he nodded at his own comment. "I could see it. Why sneak up on someone when you can go straight at them and loudly announce that you're going to get them? Probably scare the pants off people thinking you're either really brave or really crazy."

 

[Oni]

"Right?" Kaiya grinned from ear to ear. "See? Fritz gets it!"

"Don't encourage him, Fritz, his hero complex is gonna get him in real trouble one day." Nate pinched the bridge of his nose with a shake of his head and a laugh.

"Not so long as we've got eachothers backs! There's no trouble we can't handle!" Said Kaiya, swipign his nose with his thumb.

This was nice. A little normalcy to break the funk he'd been feeling since the morning. Maybe today would turn out to be just fine? Time flew by shooting the breeze in the rooftop getaway and thankfully they didn't get rained out. Still chilly though.

"Say, Rei's birthday is coming up, isn't it?" Nate leaned back against the side of a large crate, sipping on a soda. "You didn't forget your own sisters birthday, did you, Kaiya?"

Kaiya sat cross legged, tightening the trucks on his new board. "Of course not, She'd kill me if I did. Only problem is she's turning 16 and I dunno what to get'er. All she does nowadays is sit on the beach and stare at the ocean looking at that charm."

Nate looked over, curious. "The cool one with the spider on it?"

"If by 'cool' you mean 'creepy as all get-out', then yeah. That'd be it." Kaiya rested his tools on the board and sat back to take a breather. "I caught her talking to it a week ago. Shit was spooky."

 

[Lyrikai]

"Oh damn, you have a good point." Fritz laughed loudly, almost wishing he could take it all back! "If I give him too much credit, his head might inflate like a balloon!" While that would have been impressive to see Kaiya's ego manifest so awesomely, it would probably just make him obnoxious and then everyone else would have to deal with him. Maybe the better idea to keep him grounded. "We'll keep you in check, Kaiya. Promise. And watch your back!" He pounded a fist to his chest, "For now, you keep announcing your attacks and I'll be the attacker from the dark. They'll never see me coming."

Leaning back, Fritz took a big gulp of soda. "I need to get her something, too," he said suddenly, "I just have no idea what." Man, what did girls even like anymore? What was a good present for someone who was growing up? Maybe he was overthinking it though, because the remark about the strange charm had him curious.

Quirking an eyebrow, he asked, "Are you serious? She was really talking to that thing? Alright, you got me on that one and I have to agree. That is creepy as hell. I mean.. no offense... But weird." He snorted, "I think she needs some friends." Was that a present that a person could get another person? The gift of a new friend?

"Hey, maybe you could get her a less creepy charm?" he suggested, "One that she doesn't talk to." He giggled, being half serious about it, half only messing around.

 

[Oni]

Kaiya sighed, "Yeah. Definitely not a bad idea."

"She didn't always used to be like this though. When she was younger, Rei had a bunch of friends. Dunno what happened." Nate thought aloud.

"Last thing she said about it was that they sort of 'grew apart'. She gets kind of sad when I bring it up, so I try not to." Kaiya noted, then raised his hand. "Since we're skipping classes I don't see why we can't go look around the market for something neat though. Maybe we'll find something she'll like."

"Count me out."

"What!? Why?" He frowned.

"I've still got some deliveries to make for your old man. Not all of us can be delinquents like you 2." Nate waved off, pushing off the crates. "It's about time I get to them."

Kaiya frowned, but look over to Fritz. "What about you, man? Up for a market sweep?"

 

[Lyrikai]

There was a frown on Fritz's face, but all he could do was shrug his shoulders. "It happens sometimes. Sucks every time, but still happens.. People just change and friends move apart." All he could ever hope for in his life was that it didn't happen to him, and, that if it did, it wasn't abrupt or nasty and didn't start with a fight. Hopefully should he and any of his friends ever find differences they couldn't get over, that they could deal with it in a nice and peaceful manner and just... move along.

On a way more cheerful note, he smirked as Nate promptly excused himself from any further running around and avoiding responsibility. "Sucks to be you," he laughed jokingly, "having to actually do something important. How awful, hah!" Of course, he didn't truly mean it. Even Fritz himself did chores and schoolwork when he really needed to. Hey, it happened to the best of them! Everyone had to do work at some point, right!

Smirk turning into a huge grin, of course, that didn't mean he had any work he needed to do right now. "Count me in! I'm up for hitting the market. I just got here, after all, no way I'm going to get up and ditch again so soon!"

 

[Oni]

Nate crossed his arms, waving off Fritz' teasing with a grin. "Yeah, yeah. You guys have fun and I'll catch you later, yeah?"

Kaiya waved, rising to his feet and giving a big stretch to look into the sky. Still looked like it might rain, but most of Market Street was covered by banners and tarps so it shouldn't have been a problem. "We'll see you later, Nate!"

--

Market Street, like the name suggested, was a collection of street vendors who've repurposed an old street mall downtown. No better place to find what you're looking for in all of Frasia; be it food, trinket, or bobble, chances are there was someone here who was trying to sell it. Today was no different, Market Street was bustling with people walking this way and that looking at the wears and food on offer, undeterred by the gloomy weather.

Kaiya for his part gravited to the food stands, carrying his skateboard under his arm since it was far too crowded to casually roll like he'd been doing when he and Fritz arrived.

 

[Lyrikai]

Heading to Market Street was a highlight to a lot of people's days really. Honestly, in such a quiet place, Fritz got excited about these sorts of trips himself. There were always things to see, and more things to buy. There were great smelling foods and shiny, sparkly trinkets to gawk at, cool games and toys, you name it and Fritz would bet on his life that he had found it here at some point. There just wasn't anything else like it. Sometimes it was like a field trip... except for days when he had no money to spend and was stuck just being able to window shop and admire and dream.

Tagging along with Kaiya, he knew there had initially come here to find a gift, though he couldn't put aside a desire to buy something neat for himself should he spot something he absolutely just had to have.

"Think we have time to stop for a bite?" he asked as he strolled by a stand offering donuts on sticks and something that looked like tea with several slices of fruit in it. "I mean I know we're here to get a gift, but we can eat while we look, right?" Even as he asked, he was already approaching the stand, helping himself to a snack and tossing some money the vendor's way. He wasted little time stuffing his face, munching down quickly on his newly purchased treat.

"So where do we start?" he asked after he chewed for a moment and swallowed.

 

[Oni]

Kaiya took a moment to think.

Food was on his mind but to honest he didn't know if he had enough munny to get a good present AND something good to eat. Better to grab his food afterward.

The problem with that was that at least half of the Markets sold trinkets so picking one that looked good left him wondering if this whole thing wasn't already going to be too much effort. It was for Rei, so he'd suck it up, but what he wouldn't give to be able to just press a button and have the perfect gift arrive on his doorstep in time for her birthday. That wasn't gonna happen though so, here they were.

While he was debating which store to enter, something... strange caught his attention.

There was a man, an office worker by the look of his smart looking suit and well combed hair, who walked up the road at a shuffle. Dragging his feet with a lumbering sway to his head and neck like a puppeteer was dictating his movements. He nearly knocked a sign over when passing an old couple but no one seemed to notice him at all. They walked around him, sure, but it was more like they were avoiding another object than an actual human being.

What was more concerning, was how he seemed to be walking right toward them.

 

[Lyrikai]

Fritz was very happily feeding himself a donut, tossing the empty stick into the nearest trash can after he'd pulled the sweetened dough off and started gingerly picking pieces off with his fingers to nibble as they walked. Licking fingers clean, he wiped them on his shirt a moment later. "Damn,t hat was good! You want me to get you one? I'd be more than happy to!"

Of course, he was way too distracted by his stomach and not letting his brain focus on anything at the moment that it took a bit too long to notice Kaiya was staring at something. Licking one last finger clean, he looked ahead and out into the crowd to see what had caught his friend's attention so wholly if it wasn't going to be the smell of a tasty market treat. "What's the matter?"

Now his eyes caught the man. Stumbling along through the crowd, the guy looked like he was drunk or something, barely able to keep upright and hobbling along like he had nowhere to be but everywhere to go. "Whoooaa.." Fritz took a slow step back. "What's his problem, eh? That guy looks sick. Uh... Why don't we go around him, eh? I don't wanna catch whatever he's got."

 

[Oni]

"Y-Yeah. Not a bad plan.." Kaiya answered as they continued forward.

As they grew nearer, Kaiya felt something distinctly wrong with this man. It wasn't just how he was moving, but there was something else. A smell he couldn't quite put his finger on that caused his nose to sting a little. As they got closer the more potent the smell got until they were as close as they were going to get and started around him.

He looked them right in the eyes, but his were gone. Empty voids that somehow focused on the both of them at once. The man stopped, muttering something under his breath.

"This world has been connected... This world has been connected...This -"

He said it on repeat. Less as a conversation but as a chant. A chant the began to spread to others in the space around them. A few other people stopping what they were doing to turn and face the duo but the rest of the people just kept going as if nothing was going on. Was it a performance or something? What had they meant by 'connected'?

Kaiya didn't have much time to think on it, as there path around the man was stopped by a large woman who'd been passing out ice cream parking her cart right in front of them. When she looked over to them, she too shared the mans black eyes. and started muttering This world has been connected..

 

[Lyrikai]

The closer the strange man got to them, the more and more uneasy Fritz felt. He flinched away involuntarily, lifting an arm either to be a shield or to lash out if this guy tried touching either one of them. The way he shambled was like a zombie and Fritz worried he'd sneeze on them or bite them or something. He wanted nothing more than to back away REAL far and get the hell out of this market as quickly as humanly possible.

As he got near, head turning to look at them, Fritz let out a sharp squeak of surprise upon seeing his face. On instinct, he clung to Kaiya, a fist gripping the other's shirt tight. Whether he meant to hide behind him or if it was a gesture meant to be ready to shove him out of harm's way and use himself as the shield, he didn't know. His brain didn't think that far ahead, just simply that he wanted his friend close in case something horrible happened. The stranger began muttering about the world being connected and he could hear soft murmurs of others echoing the same sentiment.

Fritz looked back and forth between others in the market. "Wh-What the hell?" he gaped, "What are you talking about?"

Now he wasn't about people in the market all chanting like they were possessed! "Y-Yikes, let's get out of here," he urged in a hushed, frantic tone. He started to move, but the path was swiftly blocked by another and he'd half a mind to start shoving his way through. "Just stop!" he shouted at the lady, "Look, we just came here to shop! Whatever you're on about, you just... leave us alone, okay!"

 

[Oni]

Kaiya's brow furrowed as the woman pulled up and Fritz clung to his shirt. glancing over his shoulder at his friend, he knew Fritz and him were of the same mind. Whatever was going on? They wanted nothing to do with.

Defending his friend, Kaiya put out an arm in front of him, clutching his skateboard tight under his other arm. They could theoretically beat their way through the group, force their way to a way out, but these were their neighbors, people they knew well and passed every day. Could he harm someone who didn't harm him? What if they did intend to hurt them now all of a sudden? Could he at least defend them?

Fritz's shout snapped Kaiya out of his thoughts, hoping that somehow his words would reach them, cause them to back off and stop acting so weird. Unfortunately this wasn't the case, if anything there were more of them now. The people who'd been filtering through had stopped, bringing the entirety of the market to a standstill. All watching them. All chanting the exact same thing in that eeries, zombie-like tone. "This world has been connected."

"Didn't you hear him!?" Kaiya growled, frustrated, maybe a little afraid. "He said get out of the way you creeps!"

He stepped forward, taking hold of the cart and tried to shove it out of the way but the woman didn't budge. Digging in her heels and using her weight to push back. "Just. MOVE!" He shouted, but she didn't listen. He'd had enough, sidestepping the cart so the woman and the cart moved pass them and took advantage of her confusion, to round her on the head with his skateboard, bringing her tumbling to the ground as her cart bowled over a few of the others in the way.

"I don't know what's going on, but I'm not gonna let you hurt my friend!" Kaiya shouted, clutching his skateboard like a weapon. He watched as those toppled reached out for something as if it was escaping from them, then made that same inhuman hiss as the shadows underneath them sprouted upward and swallowed them whole. The lady climbed to her feet, face distorted, somehow larger than she seemed to be mere moments ago. Her skin a sickly purple, and eyes now a glowing yellow within the black pits.

The good news, if you could call it that, was that no one was chanting anymore. They only gathered on either end of the road, blocking them off from escape.

 

[Lyrikai]

Fritz was one part terrified of these weirdos that were surrounded them, worried they were going to try and capture them or something, maybe sacrifice them or induct them into a cult he honestly had no idea, and another part pissed that this was just some kind of sick joke that they were trying to play on the boys. Was it because they skipped classes? Was this some kind of prank to scare the pair into going back to school or back home and stop playing around in the market when they had other work to be doing?

Oddly, much as he wanted to believe it was a joke, that strangely didn't seem the case. There was no way these people would go to such lengths just to mess with a couple of delinquents.

They just kept repeating that same phrase over and over. 'This world has been connected'. What did that even mean? Clearly it wasn't a cry for 'Go to School'.

Kaiya took action while Fritz faltered in his thoughts. He jumped back, letting out a loud yelp as Kaiya's skateboard connected with the woman and the woman connected with the ground. Her cart lost all its precious goodies all across the pavement a moment later, taking out several others on its way down, and the nice guy in him wanted to immediately try to help and clean up, but there was no time for that! This woman was crazy! Or possibly ill or drugged.

If things could possibly get worse, chances are they would. That seemed to be a general rule of the universe. The folks on the ground writhed, hissing like beasts rather than people. Swallowed up by shadows that stretched across the ground like they were alive, all Fritz could do was reel backwards before something tried to gobble him up as well. The woman before them became something directly out of a nightmare, glowing yellow eyes and all.

Arms went up, fists clenched, he was ready to fight anything that dared get closer. "Alright! Whatever the hell kind of a game this is, uh... b-back off!" Yeah. Trying to put up a tough front while he was terrified out of his mind was clearly working beautifully. And by beautifully, that meant bad. She just became a monster out of the blue and who knew how many more of these people could do the same thing! "What the hell is going on here! This... This has got to be a dream, right?"

....Right?

This was the last time he skipped class to explore the market! The market was cursed!

 

[Oni]

"I don't know.." Said Kaiya, a bit at a loss. "None of this makes any sense."

The hulked out woman slammed her fists into the ground with such force the asphalt buckled.

"I don't think she wants to talk." He said, clearing his throat. Watching her break into a run right for them, reeling back and bringing her fists down with full intention to flatten them both.