[Heart Game - Ed, Maya, Roxy]

[carptricks]

[It's dark. You're trying to move forward, but it feels like your limbs are weighed down by chains and shackles. Still, you push. You push and you pull and those chains are pulled taut and strained until suddenly--]

[Something snaps]

[You tumble forward, wind blowing past your face, until you lose awareness of anything around you. . .]

((another run ran concurrent to this one here))

Comments

[fuhrinkaed]

[I FELL RIGHT ON MY KEYS.]

[Or I would if I had keys.]

[His grip on the tower hands tightens, and he draws a ragged breath. Hurt. That freaking huuurts.]

[But it's not like he can stop just because it hurts or it's a bad day or whatever. GONNA TRY AND FORCE HIS WAY TO A KNEE.]

I... Made... A promise.

I'm... going... to keep it.

1/2

[soulping]

[as he struggles, the figure approaches calmly. the grin is absolutely sinister]

G̻̫̹̅ͮͤȍ̙͇͖̍̓̆o̗̼̼ͤ̽̋̓ḓ̤̦̼̗͇̪̈́̌̿̉͑̀b̲͔ͥ͂ͣͅy̺ͣ̈́e͖̦͈̥̹̻͉ͪͭͣͧ̉̆.

[it lifts a sword high in the air, the blade glinting as it catches the light. and then brings it down to slice through Ed's shoulders--]

[carptricks]

[. . .]

[it doesn't make contact]

[at least, not with any part of Ed. a loud clang echoes throughout the area, the sound of metal on metal. of sword meeting sword]

Ed!

[that's. that's Kaito's voice. that's Kaito, now dressed in a Tiamat scarf, standing in front of the figure with a cutlass of his own in hand, having blocked the enemy's finishing blow himself. the figure's grin is gone, replaced with an annoyed scowl. and although Kaito is crouched underneath the weight of the figure's sword, he pushes back valiantly with his own]

What are you doing out here?!

[fuhrinkaed]

[Oh. I'm not dead.]

[....good.]

Trying to get to your clocktower. You hide stuff, so I figured following the shiny thing that isn't on the given path would be the right way to find them.

...can you gimme a sec? I can barely stand. [Or so he says while shakily finding his way to his feet.] I'll back you up right after the world stops spinning.

[carptricks]

[what, as though Kaito would let anyone die in his own heart?]

Ed. . .

[Kaito says with a huff, before he pours his entire weight into shoving the figure back. "Lila" stumbles away, but it doesn't remain "Lila" for long. it's Nyssa now-- no wait, Poltergeist-- no. . . Snake]

[Kaito swishes his sword at his side, chin tilted up, expression a mixture of worry and determination]

You had the right idea with those clocktower hands! Don't move; I know how to handle this thing now. I'll pin it down for you.

[fuhrinkaed]

I figured--'can't do it alone,' means I had to use a weapon from the heart, right?

Alright. You pin it, I'll finish it off!

[Hes supporting himself on a hand. Shh. Pretend not to notice.]

[carptricks]

[oh he's noticed. and he's made a mental note to finish this quickly. with a breath, he lunges forward, and--]

[well. the real Kuroba Kaito may only know the most basic of swordsmanship skills, but a metaphorical representation of Kuroba Kaito can do whatever the hell he wants]

[the sound of metal crashing against metal fills the clearing as Kaito lunges and dodges and parries and slices at the figure, who does likewise in return. the two individuals kick up snow as they fight, their swords glinting and glimmering as they move. they seem to be pretty evenly matched]

[until the figure-- who now looks like a glitchy Kaito, of all people-- is suddenly slammed against a nearby tree, pinned to it by the hilt of true heart Kaito's sword]

Do it!

[fuhrinkaed]

[Takig a step forward, it's the numb leg, which buckles and he stumbles into just straight up flying at the creature. If his body won't work, he'll make up the difference with magic.]

[WE STABBIN' DIS!!]

[carptricks]

[the clock hands strike true]

[the figure emits a high-pitched shriek, which fills the air and echoes for miles. it's form begins to break apart, like pieces of data disintegrating (think Digimon, here), until it is no more. Kaito breathes out deeply and lowers his sword to his side]

. . . it'll be back. It's never gone for long.

[and then he immediately whirls towards Ed and crouches at his side]

Oi, you!

[fuhrinkaed]

Heheh... Right.

[Collapsing to a knee and holding himself up.]

I'm glad you came when you did. My next plan at that point was melting through the lake and trying to find Splashy Jr. I'm not very good in a melee, especially without information on the enemy.

[carptricks]

[slips his arms underneath Ed's, all that blood be damned. he's helping support you, bro]

The crates and the captain's quarters. They all had stuff that would've helped you out. G-geez, look at you. . . you're freezing.

[fuhrinkaed]

Rule number one: don't move anything in a heart if you don't know exactly what it does.

Besides, I like the cold. [And now that I don't have to worry about getting murdered, maybe I can focus on warming myself again. ...which melts the ice bandage. Welp.]

So anyways, I only had what I was given. That's... how I roll.

[carptricks]

Idiot. Idiot. Those items on the ship are supposed to be on the island.

[. . . the world is starting to fade around you]

Here-- there's somewhere nearby we can go. Some place warm.

[and before you can ask about it, everything seems to fade away into nothingness]

[but at least you wake up]