luministi | ❧ Lost in the Dark

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❧ Lost in the Dark

[A soft rhythmical chiming can be heard from Filippo's pocket. All conversations halt as he holds up a hand to pull out his CAT device, switching an alarm off.]

Ahh, time's up. [He turns to everyone, clapping his hands once in front of him.] Well. This has been lovely, and I believe everyone who is willing to let bygones be bygones is ready. [All of like...one person] You know...I'm glad we had this chat. We should have had it sooner.

Oh well. Can't live in the past.

[All of a sudden, there is a flash of light and those who weren't by Lab #4 or had left will suddenly find themselves with the others--but no one is by Lab #4 anymore. Filippo stares for a moment before stamping his foot and shouting] No! No, this isn't how it was supposed to go! Ferran? Ferran! [He glowers, but his expression quickly turns to fear again as he hastily pulls out the yellow device to teleport away--but it falls from his hand, clattering to the ground. Before him stands Nathan, who has simply reappeared again--and he looks pissed.] Look...it's nothing personal, okay? [He starts to back away, stumbling into the lab.] I had to knock you out somehow and he's never told me if tranquilizers work on your kind! I would have used those inste--

Where are they, Resarci? I'm not in the mood for any of your doubletalk or lies. I've had to listen to enough of your shit and his for far too long!

[Color flares in Filippo's cheeks] I don't know either! If I did, I wouldn't have been yelling at him.

[Nathan lunges forward, grabbing Filippo's suit lapels.] What were you planning to do before, then? Don't think for a second that they believed you were going to send them home.

[Filippo tries to pry his suit away, but the grip on it is too tight] If they did, then I have some tubs of elbowgrease I can sell them too.

Where were they going?! [Nathan's hold shifts closer to Filippo's neck, cutting his air supply.]

[Filippo's face slowly starts to change colors, his voice hoarse as he tries to speak] F-Ferran's been preparing to move everyone to a different universe to continue his playtime with them. All I had to do was lure them to this lab and open the way to Lab #5.

[Nathan relaxes his grip a little.] We were trying to find that lab anyway! All you had to do was just wait for us to get there on our own. Why interfere?

Because he needed to discredit you even more. Why should they trust you implicitly when you still haven't told them everything? When you've failed to save them so many times? When--

Enough! I'm taking you into custody and you're coming with me right now. We need to find them.

And you think I'm going to just help you?

Yes. [He removes a pair of special handcuffs from his pocket, cuffing one over Filippo's wrist--and then his own.] Yes, I do.

[As for what happened to the otherworlders...]

Plot Details: Lost in the Dark

not a single thing

Mostly

think

This plot has no end date. It'll keep going until one end is reached.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Fortunately all his sniffling is noisy enough that it shouldn't be hard to figure out his approximate location. Also he's much, much, much more willing to explain things to Xion.]

Keep coming this way, this way!

Me and Resarci, we were so close to figuring out how to reach a peaceful conclusion to all of this. But... But then he just left me here.

And I hit a wall while I was trying to follow something.

It's going to bruise!

[Flynn can't help rolling his eyes at Ichijou's whining. Here he was trying to check on him, and this is all the thanks he gets! It's almost like they don't get along or something.

Flynn grins a little bit at the thought despite the circumstances.]

Good to hear from you, Red. I can tell you're thrilled to be here, too.

I think I've found the big, bad wall in question.

[ He pitches the last comment toward Xion's tapping, just in case she'd rather do it his way and keep a solid point of reference beside her.]

[Xion nods, and then realizes they can't see her.] Okay. Thanks. I'll be right there... I think.

[tap tap tap t-tap. The Keyblade hits the wall. Xion reaches over to touch it with her free hand, and then follows it towards Ichijou's voice. She doesn't think Resarci was being honest with Ichijou, but she doesn't have the heart to tell him that right now.]

What did Resarci do...? His hands were where we could see them.

[That flash of light, though...]

Oh, I'm absolutely exuberant about it. [Sniff, sniff~]

And I'll have you know, Mister Rider, that there are at least two walls. I know because I hit a wall once, twice immediately after, then when I tried to follow something that rushed past, a third time.

Could all of us have ended up here? Terezi could probably tell us exactly what kind of place this is. I doubt that the dark is holding her back.

[With a sigh;] I just don't know why Resarci would do this! Or what exactly he did, even. He told me that he had some special measures that he could use if we threatened him, but he should know that I wouldn't do something like that. I even said that I'd make a cake to share with him...

But after that little alarm went off it sounded like he had been planning to do something like this all along, the way he'd said that time was up and all.

I just don't understand.

[Even though *everyone* is probably here, he's obviously taking this very personally.]

Here's a thought: maybe Resarci was lying.

[Flynn follows Xion's tapping, not too perturbed by the darkness anymore now that he's got a point of reference.

Talking also helps him get his swagger back. So he keeps doing that, gesturing vaguely even though not even he can see it.]

Novel as that idea is, I don't think Resarci's our big problem here. If memory's serving me, when something like this happens, nothing good comes after it.

We should probably try to find some light before any other alarms go off, don't you two think?

Edited 2012-10-21 05:02 (UTC)

[The closer she gets to Ichijou's voice, the less she uses the Keyblade and the more she uses her hands to feel her way. She doesn't want to accidentally hurt him when she finally finds him. Her foot nudges into something solid and soft, and she sinks to her knees, reaching out with her free hand. She touches what she thinks is Ichijou's shoulder.] It's okay... I'm here now. I found you.

[She squats next to him, giving his shoulder(?) a comforting squeeze. She takes a moment to turn everything over in her mind. She can't help but grimace a little.]

He's right. Ichijou, I know you trusted Resarci, but... We'll never find out anything if we stay here. Right? We need to find the way out. [There has to be a way out. There's always a way out.] We'll find it together, okay?

[He hardly responds to Xion touching him, other than moving to wipe off his face - not that anyone could see it.]

It wasn't even trust so much as... I had this idea of him that I'd completely fallen in love with. Ever since I first spoke with him I just had this feeling, an intuition, that we were practically the same on the inside. Like soulmates or something.

[Now his voice is starting to take on that crooked note of insanity that it sometimes gets. If this place were any more cartoonish, surely the only things visible here would be Ichijou's mad eyes and terrifying cheshire-cat grin.]

Regardless of how much of this entire situation he's responsible for...

[Oh. He's starting to get up.]

He's solely responsible for breaking my heart! The most favorable travel takes place when the wind is at your back, right? Then let's go! Such a serious crime will earn him the makeover of his life!!

[Well now he's cackling wickedly. You've created a monster.]

Eesh.

[Flynn doesn't have to be able to see to hear that hint of crazy cranking up a notch. He's just going to stand over here. In the dark. Out of your reach, Ichijou.

And he can't believe he's going to say this, but...]

You know what? I'm for it. What's the worst that can happen? We hit a dead end and have to turn around, right?

[He's smirking now, and even if you can't see it, you can at least hear it in his voice.]

Lead on, Red. He broke your heart, you break his face. Seems fair.

[Xion frowns at the making light of Ichijou's emotions. Does she think he's being a bit dramatic? ... maybe just a little, but this is something that has deeply hurt him, and she doesn't want him to do something that might just get him more hurt.

She rises when she notices that Ichijou is standing. Concerned, she reaches out to take Ichijou's hand, and her worry and uncertainty is clear in her voice.]

I don't know if violence is the answer here... But I won't let you go alone. We'll go together.

I can use my Keyblade to feel out the floor to make sure we don't trip on anything, and you can keep your hand on the wall so that we don't run into it.

Now Mister Rider, Xion, I'm not one to go recklessly smashing objects and people. That was always the job of my bodyguards! We all know that I'm just a delicate little thing.

[Though Flynn may recall Ichijou making zombie pudding in the past, which absolutely goes into the "recklessly smashing objects and people" category.]

I only said that I'd be giving him a makeover! Yes, I'll do such a good job that you'll hardly even recognize him with his new style!

[When Xion goes for his hand, he gently grasps it. Apparently her need to supervise him doesn't bother him in the slightest, since he's going right along with it. He even starts to hum a little.]

I'm glad that I had the chance to speak with the two of you about this. I don't normally assume the best of anyone, but in this case I had wanted to so badly that it was impairing my ability to reason. Now I have a clear head and we have a plan to prevent any more mishaps in this terrible room, so in three-- nnh?

[He interrupts himself by raising one of his knees and scratching at his shin with his free hand. He could swear that he had just felt something crawling there, but whatever it is is gone now.]

We don't really need to count down, let's just go.

[ Flynn's wearing his "oh really?" face (to benefit... the darkness?) for that first bit. He's -fairly- certain he's seen Ichijou in a smashing kind of mood before.

He lets it go, though, to step after Ichijou and Xion]

Speaking of mishaps... is this a bad time to ask the obvious? If anybody has a match or a candle or something with sparks with something flammable to go with it? Yeah. Now would be a great time to remember.

[He's having trouble shaking the idea that they could walk right off a cliff and never see it coming.

On top of that, a half second behind each footstep, he swears he hears something else -- almost like a scraping/dragging sound that's trying to match the thud of their feet and isn't doing a perfect job.]

Just for arguments sake, we should probably be ready with weapons, too. Just in case.

[Xion is... relieved, at Ichijou's correction. A makeover? That can't be that bad, then.

When Flynn speaks up, it hits her that not everyone has the benefit of the abilities she can use, and that no one would know that she's already tried all that since she hasn't brought it up.]

I've tried Fire, but it didn't change anything. It doesn't look like anything can break this... And the Keyblade, that's my weapon. So I can protect everyone if it comes down to it.

[She hears familiar whispers, a skittering of claws. Suddenly Xion wonders if the darkness is just that, or if it is living, like the one she is most familiar with...

But she tries to shake the thoughts away, and firms her grip on Ichijou's hand. Even if there are Heartless here, she can fight them. She will fight them.

There is no way she is going to let any of her family lose their hearts.]

A light? Hm, well, the CATs normally emit some light... [But a few prods on the device pinned to his lapel produces no visible results.]

But of course, this isn't "normal." It doesn't seem to be doing anything. And I'm afraid that whatever the two of you have will have to suffice as far as weaponry goes. I've got a few things in my pockets, though it's nothing that would be useful in any sort of conflict unless we happen to get into a fight over who has the smoothest and most shapely nails.

[He's still humming whenever he's not speaking. Could he be doing it intentionally to block out the background noise? Whatever the reason, he doesn't seem bothered.]

Hmm, hmmmm~ the two of you seem to be a little on edge right now. Where did all this talk of weapons and things come from all of a sudden?

Just call it a hunch.

[Flynn's got the iron skillet from his kitchen that he's taken to keeping hooked into his belt -just in case- lately, but he doesn't have more than that for whatever is (possibly) stalking them.]

Okay, so we got sent here. No light works, so we can't see anything. None of us have any magic hair to fix that, and you're wondering why we're on edge?

[If his tone wasn't so pleasant, it might seem like he was freaking out, but... he's not certain there's a problem yet. So far it's just the dark. Nothing to be afraid of, right?]

Edited 2012-10-25 12:11 (UTC)

[There is a sudden gust of wind blowing at their backs, and in that moment, Flynn will hear a scream of a woman very near and dear to his heart, and something cold and swift in that gust knocks the keyblade out of Xion's hand, the weapon clattering far, far away for the time being. Once the gust has died back down, Ichijou will start to hear the subtle drip...drip...drip of water droplets falling into a body of water, the sound reverberating and echoing until the next drop hits the water once more.

All of them will hear while hear these words echoed back to them:]

Would it help if I said I wasn't going to sell all of them out to Ferran?

No, because he wouldn't care. He wouldn't give up any of his toys just because you liked one. He doesn't play like that.

[Xion gasps sharply when the Keyblade is ripped from her hand. She lunges for it, almost letting go of Ichijou's hand, but she hears it clattering against the floor. Before she can think to call it back to her, there are those words, and she freezes, her heart still in the throat.]

What...?! What was that?

Nathan? Where are you?

Oh!!

[The sudden gust sends a shiver through his body!]

Is it trying to push us to go faster? And more importantly-

[Oh dear, that lovey tone is back.]

Resarci wasn't planning to abandon me! I know that I just have to be that exception! It's the absolute truth!

I feel like my heart could flutter right out of my chest! I feel like... Like...

There may be a water leak nearby.

Rapunzel!

[Flynn panics, whirling around to stare frantically into the darkness, trying to pick out where the scream came from. He hesitates at the voices, hoping to hear Rapunzel again, but it's just those two.

Flynn takes a step back away from the other two, about five seconds away from bolting.]

A water leak? What are you... That doesn't matter!

That was Rapunzel! We have to go back!

[She was in trouble!]

[A water leak? Rapunzel? What?

What's happening?

Xion hesitates, frowning deeply. She opens the hand that used to hold the Keyblade and focused on calling it back. She may not be able to see it, but it should disappear wherever it is and reappear in her hand. She wants the comfort of its weight back.]

What was Rapunzel? I didn't hear anything other than Nathan and Resarci... Not even water.

[Something weird is going on here. And what was that gust of wind...?]

Unless this Rapunzel sounds identical to Resarci, Nathan, or a leaky faucet, or feels exactly like a significant gust of wind, I haven't the slightest idea of what you think you just heard, saw, or felt.

Although... When I think a little more about it, I can remember that Ferran had used something similar to try to get to me before. He had somehow re-created the exact sounds of a place that I spent most of my time in before coming here, then made it sound as if it had been submerged by a tsunami or something.

The silly man probably didn't realize that I don't care about what happens to that place anymore.

It sounds like he really got it right this time, though!

What?

[He's not running off just yet, but Flynn scowls into the darkness, trying to form a plan. He doesn't have any way of knowing if Rapunzel is here or if it's just an echo like the pieces of home had to them.]

So you're saying Resarci is making us hear things?

[Flynn strikes off again in the same direction they'd been heading originally. If Rapunzel is down here, he needs to find out where "here" is as quickly as he can.]

When I find that guy...

No... Not Resarci. Ferran. The man in black... The one who's really behind all this.

[Xion frowns and grips the Keyblade.]

The wind seems to want us to go this way... So, let's hurry.

[After a moment:]

Do you think Resarci and Nathan's voices were a trick, too?

[He scoffs!] Well at least two of us get it.

Clearly Resarci is... Well, he's not entirely innocent, but he's a whole hell of a lot more innocent than Ferran!

Why would you think that the conversation we heard was fake, though? It seems reasonably plausible for Nathan to have apprehended Resarci to interrogate him, and the only thing it's done is fix my broken heart. What advantage could that possibly have to our enemy?

Although if this drip-drip-drip dripping noise doesn't stop soon, I might just go berserk anyway. I know you can't hear it, but for me it's like torture!

Perhaps if we finish going to wherever the wind is taking us these irritating noises will stop. It's not like I'm going to quit moving forward just because I don't need to give Resarci a new look anymore.

U-unless he wants me to...

[Xion might just be able to feel Ichijou's hand getting a bit warmer. Apparently this line of thought is really getting his blood flowing.]

[The sensations the others hear and feel all fade away (except for the water droplets, which only seem to drop with a ridiculously and maddeningly slow frequency now), however, two voices come echoing back towards them again.]

He would for me! He said he'd bring me away from here when he's done. I'd get to go with him and the otherworlders, and--

That's what Ferran does, you fool! He tempts and promises the almost-impossible, but all he really does is leave so much pain in his wake. Anyone he works with ends up dead, and if you don't believe me, I have the records and autopsy reports to prove it.

[Not long after the voices echo away, they'll soon find themselves walking into something stringy and very sticky. Be careful; flail too much and one just might get very stuck.]

There they are again!

[Flynn feels the need to announce this since everything he hears isn't apparently available to the general public.

Unfortunately, when he hears the two of them arguing, he increases his pace, breaking into a cautious jog to try to find the source of the voices before they fade away and--]

Wha-- Ugh! What is this? Some kind of...

[He flails his arms madly for a moment, automatically trying to back away from whatever it is. He tries to tug his arms free once, then twice, then scowls at his new found invisible nemesis.]

If I can just...get... Just please don't tell me this is some giant spider web, okay? Guys -- little help here?

❧ Lost in the Dark

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