MOD [AQ] Failure Is Never An Option [Takeo]

[Takeo]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}

+ Description: Before heading out to find a hoard of X-characters that’s gathered in town, Ohno hands you an odd item. Take this, he says; you save the eggs, you come back--don’t fail me. (+1 Arnold Key)
+ Utilize Cure Special to cleanse the X-characters: +8 Roost
+ Save the item for later, and fight the X-characters normally: -1 Guardians, -1 Faberge, +9 Roost
+ Save the item for later and exterminate the X-characters: -12 Roost, +5
+ Run Away/defeat: -5 Roost, +2
+ Requirements: Must be Roost, must be done solo, tag for X-mod
+ Submitted by Pai
SPOILER: Click to hide
Arnold Key
+ A brass key with a mirror in it. It sees through you.
+ (Unlocks the faction level 5 power of the faction you belong to for 1 rp. 1-time use.

In his short life as a heart egg user, Takeo had only had to fight against x eggs, and corrupted heart egg users, a few times at tops. Today would be the day his strength, dedication, and loyalty to The Roost would be put to test, as a hoard of x eggs invaded downtown Otonoki, spreading the eerie sensation of despair and unstoppable, terrorizing chaos. Standing in front of his mentor, with his own knees faltering his weight, shaking with tremor of the unknown, Takeo held the prized brass key in his open palms. His eyes fell on the reflection of his face, on its tiny, delicate mirror. He was ought to go and come back in one piece, and fr that, he was ought to sue this key, to unlock the strongest, true potential of his heart's wish. However, Takeo was reluctant to do so: not because he was unsure and doubtful of his own dream-- he, more than ever, felt a strong connection-- albeit a depending obsession, for his heart's egg. In reality, Takeo was way too close to reach the fifth level of his Roost allegiance, thereto, using the Arnold Key would be a waste of a precious power up item, which he could put to better use in the future. His friends could find this way more useful than him.

So, after putting the key away on his pockets, the young man nodded to the older man, swearing to come back sane and safe. "I'm gonna make you proud," he paused; staring up at the other, with an earnest desire for approval that burnt his heart. "You gotta teach me that cure special when I come back." He added, with a scowl. It was frustrating to not have the sufficient power to face such a menace, but he looked at it with the best perspective, for his own sanity: If he made it back safely, Ohno would grant him the strongest power within the faction. Takeo would be able to protect more wishes that way.

Bidding his farewells, waving a hand back as he walked away, Takeo jogged to downtown Otonoki to meet his warrior fate. As he stampeded cross the streets of the town, the young man took out a small bottle that had been laying inside of his backpack, for quite a while. It was the other half of the energy drink he chugged on his curing battle against his friend, Elijah. Although warm and lacking carbonation, he finished the two time use item. Takeo would need all the bonuses and support, if he wasn't going to use the Arnold Key.

Upon his arrival to the downtown area, Takeo made use of his egg sense. Where were these damned, corrupted eggs?

"I'm going to purify the shit out of you!" He boasted, preparing for the battle.

Juon Keiko

[Juon]

_((#FINAO))

Ohno had been extremely serious about this task; though his gruff face was often just a ploy, and he was hardly ever serious beneath, on this occasion, his expression and tone had hardened to steel. His hands were cold as he'd handed over the Arnold Key; whether or not Takeo had needed it didn't matter--it was insurance.

Even despite Takeo's strength, the sickening levels of negativity radiating from the square that had been pointed out. It was late, after hours; the sky was dark and the streetlights were casting their hazy rays, leaving nothing but blackness in the space between them.

And it the center of the four-way stop, nothing was illuminated aside from the faint edges given by the mild glow of the traffic lights.

But something was there.

No, a lot of somethings.

Any semblance of light would reveal that, in the center, was a swarm of X-characters. They were a tightly-formed mass, swirling around each other like flies around a dead pig's head. The sheer size of the gathering made all of the individual X-characters look like specks in comparison to the overall.

Each was grinning wide with their white toothy smiles, the red X's upon their foreheads gleaming as they each oozed their own dark aura. It was so thick, the aura itself was visible, floating heavily off of the mass in all of the areas that the light hit.

What were they doing?

And why?

[Takeo]

Perhaps, and only perhaps, he shouldn't have been so cocky in the first place. Takeo sinned of over confidence when it came to fighting, and the feeling that he had got himself in a hell of a problem bit him deep in the arse. The young man clenched his fingers, tensing up each muscle of his body at the dark sensation looming in the area. In front of him, a thick cloud of x eggs floated around something. What it was, he couldn't tell just yet, but the swarm of negative energy was perceivable by more than his egg and sight senses. He could almost smell and taste the negativity spreading off of the cloud, as if an awakened synesthesia opened his mind to a new, terrifying experience. The fact that night had fallen in Otonoki didn't help, either. It was the perfect setting for a horror story or some sort, right?

BULLSHIT. He was better than this, or so he forced himself to believe. Takeo performed his character transformation,  turning into an invigorated PRINCE CHARMING. He would save the day, as Keiko told him to; as he promised Ohno.

"ORE NO KOKORO, UNLOCK!"

But first, the had to find out what was the thing these eggs were swarming over. It clicked him to believe that it could be a person, victim of the misery and despair of giving into the negative energy. Analyzing the situation, he realized how he would need a deeper connection with Ousuke, if he wanted to last long in this battle. This was going to take a long, long time.
"Takeo, listen to me!" the small fairy prompted, calling for the young man's attention with the flick of his sword.  An alerted Takeo turned his head around to see his guardian character smile confidently back at him. "I have a surprise for you. It's something you learned how to do a while ago, but you never needed to put it to use. I'm going to teach you how to buff yourself up! We will grow closer together in battle this way!"

"I'm all ears" Takeo replied quickly, summoning his pink, spiritual sword on his right hand. 

"I need you to chant something... Invigorating! Something passionate and bonding! And then, you will see what happens!"

The walk towards the swarm, albeit terrifying, gave Takeo time to come out with words that would strike hard on his heart. He needed to follow his theme too, so he favored another song, by Queen. "Warboys, it is."

"Helping to kill, those who deserve to die  

Tell me who decides  

You and I  

We have the power!!"

Takeo stood with a kendo posture 8 feet or so in front of the swarm and, bringing his eyebrows close in a scowl, he inhaled a big load of air. He kept it in his stomach, flaring his nostril in anger, only them, he let his inner fighting spirit roar out in a kendoka battle cry. His energy, as a martial artist, focused him on ending this menace. He had to be fearless, failure is never an option. This act was his own particular buff ability, which raised his FOCUS in the combat.

[Juon]

The X-Characters didn't even appear to notice him until the words rang out, breaking the silence and the darkness as the light of a Character Transformation invaded the space. A group of them turned, watching the spectacle as the individual approached, stopping with his sword stretched before him.

They seemed to look amongst each other, exchanging glances and thoughts, before their pearly-white grins stretched all the way across their faces, pushing their eyes to narrower slits sitting between the grim and the enormous red X that sat upon their heads.

A few floated forward, detaching from the swarm. One opened its mouth, uttering a string of words in its screechy, echoing voice:

"You always come when it's bad! You only ever come when it's bad!"

As if a box had just been opened, each mouth in the swarm seemed to suddenly ring out with chorusing shrieks of agreement:

"Beacon of doom! Beacon of doom!"

There were so many voices at once, it was almost deafening; and then they all returned to silence again.

But something had changed within the swarm; it appeared that their target had adjusted, as dozens of eyes shifted to turn and stare toward the young man facing them with a sword.

They all lunged toward him at once.

[Takeo]

The Prince Charming kept his eyes wide open, observing the few corrupted sprites which separated from the fly like swarm. The serious semblance on his face did not falter him, not even when the x characters flashed their creepy grins at him. Takeo raised a hand at his eye level, and shook his index fingers from side to side. "Tch, tch, tch," His tongue clicked on his teeth, dismissing their commentary, "I come before it gets bad, too. But that was a good try." He said, returning his hand to the handle of his sword. They were half right, though. He did come after everything was gone wrong, unable to keep people from despair in first place, most of the time. "You won't be calling me that when I get you cured."


He sniffled, and rubbed his sleeve against his nose. He was't feeling allergic to any of the dirt or anything, but he was feeling anxious for the fight, and that's how his body expressed anticipation. His lips curled in a defiant smirk, switching the position of his body with a turn to the left. He was ready.

In order to achieve the desired impulse and speed, on his attack, Takeo took one step forward with his right foot before taking a heavier one with his left. The momentum launched his body towards the corrupted sprites with kendo stepping, powered by the characteristic shout of such warriors. His voice turned soft, murmuring his curing spell, Crazy Little Thing Called Love:

"This thing called love, i just can't handle it 

this thing called love, i must get 'round to it
..."

"Kote! Men! Do!" He yelled afterwards, performing hits to the right and to the upper side. He light sword reached for the scattered sprites. If he had to do this one by one, so be it.

[Juon]

"You never come... you never come..."

"So we have to act bad..."

"So that you come!"

"Won't you see us?"

The X-Characters were coming fast. Some of them were deterred by the slashes that came their way, but only a few seemed to come out of it white, others bobbing and weaving out of the way, others completely missing it.

They were flying in at high-speed, all attempting to grapple onto Takeo, seeming to be aiming to swarm around him like whatever they had been swarming in the middle of the street, wanting to cluster him and submerge him in their negativity. There were so many coming at him, so many to try and shake off as they reached out with their little hands and legs and tried to grab on tight to his arms and legs and torso and head, grinning up at the princely figure with their shiny white teeth and their eyes that read only of malice and misery.

"See us!"

"See us!"

"Notice!"

"We love you!"

"Why won't you see us?"

"You're terrible."

"You steal all of our light!"

"Stop shining, you're casting us into shadow again!"

"No one will come if you're here to take the spotlight again."

"We'll drown you in shadow, too!"

[Takeo]

"What do you mean with that? I'm seeing you right now!" Takeo shouted the question loudly, swinging his light air blade from left to right. His voice came off half apathetic to what an x character should have to say, and half interested due to his innate childish curiosity. "What kind of riddle is this?" He murmured, quieter this time, watching the swarm of x characters spread off and grapple onto his body. The little creatures were strong when they acted together, like ants-- or like bees, and he didn't want to get killed. Correction, he didn't want to be corrupted.

The grip of his hands onto his pink shinning sword grew tighter as every other x sprite landed on a different part of his body. "I'm looking at you!" He yelled. "I see you! I notice you! What the hell is wrong with all of you?!" His muscles became tense, as he tried to shoo and shove them away. "If you love me so much you could... Stop this... for starters..." What point was there, to discuss with a corrupted guardian character? Takeo clenched his jaw, flashing his angered teeth at them. The pressure from the x character's weight was pushing him back, and down into the ground. He remained still, like a statue.

His lungs received a long and deep inhalation. He exhaled through his mouth, performing an exercise for relaxation. If he didn't listen to them to heart-- they wouldn't hurt him.

Takeo gathered strength from the bottom of his heart, and shouted loudly.

"CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE...!"

The adrenaline released on the shout allowed him to move the muscles of his arms, slashing an upper cut to make a way out of the swarm.

The voices of the little sprites were as annoying as the buzz of a mosquito inside of one's ear; he could tolerate this-- it was for their sake. He was here for them, right?

Takeo remembered the next lyrics to his spell, as his arms swung the sword in an eight sword cuts sequence:

Up to down; Upper right to bottom left; Upper left to bottom right; right to left; left to right; lower right to upper left; lower left to upper right....! And left to right. With each cut, he murmured:

"This thing... called love...

it cries... in a cradle all night

it swings... it jives...

it shakes... all over like a jelly fish...

i kinda like it.

crazy little thing called love!"

[Juon]

"Embrace us!"

"Embrace us!"

"Embrace us!"

"Show us you care!"

"Embrace us!"

"You don't love us!"

"Embrace us!"

"It's useless to hope you would!"

The swings came in and though some of the X-Characters that had been swarming were forced back into eggs and purified, others were beginning to adapt to the strategy. Their numbers were being cut down--about a third had been purified, the white eggs shooting through the sky and over back into the darkness between the streetlights--but the ones remaining had started to rework their maneuvers.

"Embrace us!"

"Are we useless to you?"

"You're useless!"

"Embrace us!"

Noting that Takeo's strikes were limited to what was reachable with his sword--his front and some of his sides--they had all begun swarming to pile on his back. They clung, at first, before others began dive bombing, aiming with the intention of knocking him down as they tried to cling, hoping to weigh heavily upon him, to bring him to his knees and consume him in their energy.

He was a target for their frustration, an outlet for them to vent their feelings, a beacon of light which they desired desperately to tear down and destroy to aid in satisfying themselves. And they were many.

[Takeo]

"Embrace you? What are you talking about?!" The screeches and yelling coming from the x characters buzzed his ears and numbed his sense of balance. His swing strategy was losing its purpose with the pass of time,and Takeo was growing frustrated. He roared, tossing his light sword away, which dissipated into thin air and the handle made a glass sound against the concrete. His body couldn't resist the weight of so many corrupted guardians piling onto his back, the weight of hurt hearts that pleaded for him.

Takeo was confident that his heart was strong, and in a spur of the moment, he let their weight take over his body-- but only a bit: He wanted to try a different approach. He fell on his knees, breathing heavily as to keep his own wish pure, untarnished from negative thoughts. "Okay, fine!" The Prince shouted. "I'll embrace you! Alright? You're not useless! I'm here for a reason-- and I want to help you!"

His nostrils opened in a deep breath; exhaling through his mouth in a martial manner. Takeo sat down with his legs folded, together. He was reminded of tea ceremonies for a second:

"I'll sit here, and listen to you, each of you-- as many as I can. I'll sit here and I'll try to help you. I won't attack you." He was still, at that moment, holding the weight of x characters on his shoulders and back. The least he could do was to try. "Let me listen to your worries, we can.... Work this out ?"

[Juon]

The X-characters continued to pile as he resisted, but as he let their weight begin to consume him and sat down, they stopped continuing to pile, and instead just clung to his back, maybe a little tighter than before, as if holding onto him for support. Small echoes of gentle muri's chorus'd around in mini harmonies, before one or two spoke up.

"We don't want to be..."

"... all alone."

"Not anymore!"

"We'll be together."

Not that they realized that they, in their numbers, were not alone in the fact that they were very much a group--perhaps such a trait carried over to their owners, as well; the hearts that had darkened were maybe connected, all in their own way.

[Takeo]

Although the burden in his heart was heavy, Takeo concluded that he shouldn't be so selfish and only think about his own pain: these corrupted eggs wanted and seeker comfort on him. The way they piled on his back was akin to a lonely child clinging onto someone, and he could relate that much to the feeling.

Taking deep breaths, Prince Charming focused on the words echoed by the eggs. "You don't look alone to me" his voice adopted a caring and gentle tone, coated with the empathic sweetness of an older brother. Takeo projected the image of his little brother feeling alienated, on the x eggs. "Don't you see you have each other, too?" He was as daring as to raise a hand, looking for a tainted egg, in order to give it... A kind caress. "I'm sorry for being mean to you earlier. You're causing a lot of trouble, all of you, together... You're strong wishes, though. I believe in you, and I... Believe in your owners as well. I bet they miss you all, don't you think?"

He was certain that his heart was at peace and that he could, too, put all his faith into these wishes, each of them.