w6 cyoa: hawke, aqua, gale

[mygod]

owo

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0.

[turbulency]

[ You blink, and here you are.

There's a darkness that stretches endlessly in this place, with the exception of the six shoji doors that surround you. They're lit up and opaque, the brightness impossible to see through, though you don't need to see to know that there are some crotchety old geezers seated behind each door. Each one of them wields power and influence over your fate—they are the custodians of Japan's security.

And you are but one soldier. A jujutsu sorcerer tasked with the responsibility of protecting the Japanese population against the threat of cursed spirits.

In this moment, your time in the village is distant, impossible to recall unless you focus intensely on drawing up a specific memory. Your life before the village is even further, neither the people nor places familiar to you even if you think of them.

Instead, as far as you can tell, you have always lived here in Japan. Literally none of you are Japanese or teenagers, but this is fine.

What you know is this:

1. In Japan, over 10,000 people a year are killed due to cursed spirits.
   
2. Cursed spirits are created from the cursed energy that is emitted by all humans.
   
3. You were born with the ability to manipulate cursed energy.
   
4. Despite the 125 million people in Japan, the number of living jujutsu sorcerers is only in the hundreds.
   
5. You exist to protect non-sorcerer humans.

One of the voices speaks up, ]

You have a new mission. It begins tomorrow.

[ Please all reply directly to this top level, as you will all be in this room separately! ]

[quirkwall]

[ none of us are teens nor japanese!!! we're just the 4kids dub. ]

About bloody time.

[turbulency]

[ (geto voice) you should speak more politely to your superiors

There's a pause at the sheer audacity of this response, and then another voice speaks up. ]

Do you vow to be just in your judgement?

[keeper]

[ aqua stands at attention, ready to accept her assignment. ]

Understood.

[ she will await further details... where she'll be sent, with whom, and what grade curse(s) she should be expecting... etc. ]

[turbulency]

[ That is a reasonable expectation. But not one that will be met.

A voice from another door with speak this time. ]

Do you vow to weigh the lives of the many over the lives of the few?

[alldoomnogloom]

[ how many puberty indignities must one man go through in a lifetime? and it's probably good he doesn't have a great memory right now, or he'd be somewhat argumentative about the definition of sorcerer here.

as it stands, gale straightens up - pulling his hands behind his back to twist into one another and squaring his shoulders as best as he can. ]

Of course.

[turbulency]

[ (h*grid voice) yer a sorcerer, gale

But he's a good little soldier. The hostility and tension in the space remains level, so for now there's no fear of reprimand. ]

Do you vow to use your power for the benefit of this country alone?

1.

[turbulency]

[ Welcome to the first (and last) day of your mission! You're looking sharp in your uniform, and ready to go.

After your meeting with the higher ups yesterday, the manager on this case would have given you the locations to both retrieve and drop off the Star Plasma Vessel, and informed you that you would be working with two other sorcerers on the case.

You're not expecting to face off against any cursed spirits on this mission, and while there is a cult that might attempt to interfere with the merger, their threat level is low. This is just a glorified babysitting assignment, so relax.

Except... where is your baby?

The three of your arrive at Mylord, a large shopping mall in Shinjuku full of shoppers and perky service employees. You were meant to retrieve the Vessel from her apartment, but she (according to the manager), "didn't want a bunch of weirdos scaring her neighbours". Which... fair enough.

So here you are, inside the mall, with your baby no where to be found. What do you do?

If you intend to use your cursed technique at this point, please let me know before you use it. ]

[alldoomnogloom]

[ he will bodily restrain himself from starting to punch civilians for absolutely no reason as of this moment, but I'll let you know if his bloodlust changes. anyway he thinks of himself as very polite and a good member of society and finds it quite judgmental that he would scare anyone's neighbors! god!!!!

well this is all fine. ]

Maybe we should start with the basics and ask if anyone has seen her ... ?

[ surely three grown adults looking for a teenager won't be weird. ]

[keeper]

[ gale we are begging u not to punch the civilians,,,

aqua looks around the shopping mall with an expression of mild concern. it's a lot of people... she feels a bit nervous not having their assigned water bottle in sight but surely that is just innate mom instincts. ]

I could also send my shikigami to do some scouting, but it's not a bad idea to ask around first.

[ just unleashes (invisible) millions rabbits to scour this mall, though she'll try to conserve energy if possible. ]

2.hawke

[turbulency]

[ Well, Hawke, you're seeing red after Camille got the drop on you, taking Riko with her. There are civilians all around you panicked and confused, while others are looking down and up from the other floors, peering over the railings at the commotion.

What is it that you said? You'd sacrifice everything in your path for this country? Does it feel like you did that vow justice?

At this point, your memories start to crack. You're a jujutsu sorcerer. You have to protect Japan. But also you're not. You're a sacrifice from Scawwy. A champion from Kirkwall.

Somehow, all of these things are true at the same time, and most importantly: Camille is important to you. She's been beaten down, over and over again, and you're not sure why she's here, but you know that she isn't callous enough to actually want to hurt Riko or put the country's safety in jeopardy.

That said, she also jumped off the mall walkway down to the ground floor. Are you doing the same or are you running down the floors like you did previously? There's also an elevator. ]

[quirkwall]

[ her heads a mess, her fingie is detached, there's an itch she can't scratch, and she's full of enough indignant anger to fuel a forest fire so of course, she jumps.

hawke, yes has never been more appropriate, yeah? ]

Camille!

[ it's important that she reaches camille, that much she knows. everything else feels indistinct and vague, clearly unimportant until she's got more time than during a sprint to figure out what in the bloody makers name is happening.

for now, pulling a sign display, a person, legit anything in the distance she can grab onto to pull into camille's path is more important. ]

[turbulency]

[ Hawke, you jump down after Camille, which isn't subtle in the least and draws plenty of attention from the other mall goers, but you know what, Camille did it first so is there really any point in subterfuge now? Mostly people are more confused than they are alarmed, trying to figure out if you are a group of cosplayers gone rogue.

Also, the good thing is that you're not jumping down all 7 floors. The bad thing is, 3 floors is still a substantial height, even with your cursed energy reinforced body. As you land, you'll feel a crack that starts up your ankle and up to your knee as you slam into the ground. Luckily the bone doesn't seem to be broken, but your leg is definitely not going to endure much more abuse.

But this is probably the right call, since your quick thinking has kept Camille in your sights. You can't control animate objects with your technique, but you manage to gain control of a nearby display sign advertising THE TASTE OF THE SUMMER~, which you send flying at Camille.

It doesn't hit her, but it stops her in her path at least.

Unfortunately, she immediately responds by pulling out a gun and shooting the person closest to her. The gunshot elicits screams through the population of people and a spray of blood where it bursts through its target's skull.

The message is clear: keep pursuing her, and people are going to start dying. ]

2.aqua

[turbulency]

[ Aqua, you take off after Aerith. She's agile, nimble enough to weave through the crowds despite the added weight of Riko under one arm. You notice that she doesn't attack any of the civilians as she makes her escape, though she knows you're nimble too, and the easiest way to put distance between you two would be start harming some hostages.

Every now and then, you blink and her hair seems a shade lighter. A different sort of familiar.

During this pursuit, your memories start to crack slightly. You're a jujutsu sorcerer. It is your duty to protect Japan. But also, you're a sacrifice from Scawwy. A Keyblade Master.

Somehow, none of these identities are at odds with one another. People go through different phases in life. Each one memorable, each one important. You're not just the Aqua trapped in the Realm of Darkness, after all, right?

But you know that Aerith is your friend. A light among the darkness, and you're not sure why she's here, but perhaps you can bring her back to her senses.

Is that what you want? What will you do? ]

[keeper]

[ as thin fractures appear in her memories, she begins to doubt her path—was it really the right idea to leave behind her injured teammates? she's gotten off the lightest of the three—hawke with one less finger than before, gale hampered in his movements. (there's... another reason she wants to go back to them, she thinks, but in the moment it isn't clear to her.)

and obviously, she can't ignore aerith, the most immediately recognizable presence. she's been a source of comfort for aqua, and someone aqua hopes will rely on her in turn. if she's been led astray somehow... it's her duty as her friend to bring her back to the light, isn't it? ]

Aerith! Please, don't do this!

[ will she even recognize her voice?

how can she hem off her escape? there's still the pressing urge to retrieve riko as well—already grievously injured, too. this isn't something aerith would do in her right mind (astarion did this)... aqua can't let her make this mistake (astarion did this).

she will try to summon her shikigami once more to cut off her escape route. if she doesn't have any weapons on her, she'll try to fight aerith hand-to-hand, which should hopefully get her to at least relinquish her hold on the Star Vessel. cat fight! ]

[turbulency]

[ Aqua is so right. Astarion did it.

But Aerith doesn't seem inclined to stop, even as she calls out. At least not until the divine dog makes another appearance, easily gliding onto the handrail of the walkways barrier and passing Aerith to trap her between itself and Aqua. The civilians can't see the shikigami of course, but they're taking notice of Aerith and the fact that she's carrying a schoolgirl. Still, there's no outright panic on this floor, just mild confusion and concern.

Trapped from both sides, Aerith turns so that her back is no longer to Aqua, carefully regarding her opponents on both sides.

Her expression is strained, a clear strain of grief underneath the determination that she's showing. ]

Aqua, please. [ Her voice is calm, staff at the ready. ] Please, don't make this harder than it already is.

[ In her hold, Riko is openly crying now, one hand holding her injured face and the other balled into a fist, hitting Aerith's torso as best she can. ]

2.gale

[turbulency]

[ Gale, you thought it was a terrible idea to split up. And maybe you're right. Things have gotten severely out of hand. There are civilians scrambling all around you, Riko has been badly injured and taken captive, and now, you're up against the clock to complete this mission before it's time for the merger.

Are you feeling good about your kindheartedness? Maybe it's time to be a little more cut throat?

Thankfully for you and your badly injured foot, Astarion remains on this floor of the mall.

Not so luckily for you, some nearby civilian decides to be a hero in this moment and launch himself at Astarion to pull Riko away from him. He clearly has no idea what's going on, and isn't able to see the weapons that Astarion is able to manifest from his own blood—a product of his cursed technique.

A weapon like the blade currently floating in the air, ready to run this civilian through, giving you mere seconds to respond.

Though… do you want to? Something in your memories starts to crack. You know that you're a jujutsu sorcerer. It's your responsibility to protect Japan. But also, you're a sacrifice from Scawwy. A prodigious mage from Waterdeep.

Somehow all these identities coexist as one, but throughout them all you remember Astarion. Will you stop him? ]

[alldoomnogloom]

[ gale has never been very bloodthirsty, maybe to a small detrimental degree - he’s always preferred the mediation option, the talking it through in clever ways, trying to negotiate out of a crisis. what he does know is that astarion is not like that. prone to stabbing first and asking later, if at all. but he’s been trying, hasn’t he?

putting a hand on his side briefly, he’ll start to summon his power again and launch himself at him to pin him to the ground. maybe it’s a mistake to not try and kill him instantly, but that’s not possible either. ]

[turbulency]

[ Gale, emboldened by your technique, you close the distance between yourself and Astarion in the blink of an eye despite the searing pain in your foot. Your body slams into him and hammers him into the ground with enough force to momentarily stun him, loosening his hold on Riko who falls to the side. She's still conscious, and bleeding profusely from where her face has been cut open, and immediately crawls backwards away from you both.

But Astarion is no fledging fighter, his blade strikes through the chest of the hapless bystander even as he's being attacked, and blood splatters across your back and flicks through Astarion's hair.

The man is also still alive, and lets out a panicked scream, which sets of a chain reaction of yells, and even people who had bean crowding around in confusion now start to run.

Beneath you, Astarion's face contorts into a mix of exasperation and anger, ] What in the sweet hells are you doing? Can't you tell that it's better to leave well enough alone in this moment?

[ He doesn't strike you again, and there's something in his expression that makes you think he's asking you not to make him. ]

3.

[turbulency]

[ You blink, and here you are again.

But this time, your setting is much nicer than a dark room full of shoji doors. In fact, it seems you've left Japan entirely, judging by the architecture of the building around you, which you recognize as the headquarters you all share. The building is distinctly European, and vaguely medieval. Your office contains three desks—cozy!—and all of your favourite things.

Aqua, you'll see your Keyblade propped up against one corner, though it hasn't needed to see use in a while now, along with wayfinder charms.

Gale, you'll see Tara seated peacefully on the office couch, perusing a tome. In fact, there are plenty of books all around you, full of knowledge you can pursue with no dire consequences.

And Hawke, Ser Snuffles is curled up and dozing peacefully at the base of the couch, with trinkets of your travels and all the people you've helped displayed across your desk and bookcases.

You can no longer recall the horrible fight you just endured, and all of your injuries are entirely gone. All you know is that you escaped Scawwy, and made use of your wishes to bring peace to your home: The Land of Faedas. You're all from the same place, right?

Aqua, were your closest friends Ventus and Terra, or were they Gale and Hawke? Gale, was it Astarion and Karlach for you, or Aqua and Hawke? Hawke, Fenris and Anders who? Aqua and Gale are your best friends! You still remember all these dear connections, but now it seems as if you three have been lifelong friends as well.

Regardless, it's another lovely day of helping people in The Land of Faedas, and you have a couple of items on your docket:

1. Help out a man who committed a grave sin make amends with those he hurt
   
2. Help out a family who recently lost their mother to a cult
   
3. Meet a man kept in the local jail, and determine if he's fit to leave incarceration

Each of these will take a combined effort from all three of you, so you'll need to decide as a group which order to complete them in.

Feel free to chat amongst yourselves and let me know when you've decided! ]

[alldoomnogloom]

[ pets tara pets tara pets tara

we’re gonna do 3!]

[keeper]

[ well well well if it isn't my keyblade, my personal creations (wayfinders), and my two bestest friends in the entire world hawke and gale...!!!

can aqua give them the extra wayfinders? gale can get the green one (haha ventus and gale, get it), hawke can get the orange one (it matches the red color scheme)... ]

These will keep us connected, no matter where we go.

[ do you know what else would do that? their MOBILE DEVICES which i assume they no longer have.

but yes they can go with #3 first, but she wants to pass out friendship charms to her BESTEST FRIENDS HAWKE AND GALE ]

∞

[turbulency]

[ Maybe you should just stop blinking?

Welcome to darkness.

The three of you find yourself in a vast, infinite void of black with only enough light to illuminate yourselves, and Riko in front of you. She's standing there with her face in her hands, looking again like the little girl you first saw, and not the cursed spirit she became.

You're back in your jujutsu sorcerer uniforms, worn down by all the pain and injuries that you'd accumulated in your fights against Aerith, Astarion, and Camille. You remember those fights, and that mission now. You remember your lives, Scawwy, the shopping mall, the Land of Faedas.

It's still not clear to you what's real and what isn't. Maybe none of it is. Maybe all of it is.

Most importantly, you have dug your own hands into your chests, hands wrapped around your hearts. Strangely enough, it doesn't hurt, though the rest of your injuries certainly do, and you can feel the warm beating of your hearts against your palms.

ba-dum ba-dum ba-dum
You cannot move.

From behind muffled hands, Riko speaks. ]

If you sacrifice yourself for others, does that make you a good person?

[ How do you be good? How do you stay good despite everything?

What would you sacrifice to be good? ]

[keeper]

[ her consciousness struggles to sift through clashing memories, to make sense past the noise of her injuries. to understand the warm and alien sensation of her own heart pulsing in her palm. she can feel blood slowly pushed out through her open wounds with each agonizing beat, and yet there's no pain where it should be concentrated most, in her chest.

there is only a question. she thinks through her answer.

sacrificing yourself for others does not intrinsically make you a good person—it makes you an unfortunate one. even love doesn't make you a good person—it merely gives you motivation with which to act. like any emotion it needs a direction, and it needs an intention.

but... love is where it starts, doesn't it? love is the connection that leads one person to another. ]

...It isn't about sacrifice. It's about caring.

[ not the act, but the reason behind that conviction. and she would give away the very heart in her hand, to never give up on that feeling. the overwhelming love she holds despite everything, the bonds she's forged with her friends here and back home.

it may not lead her to the right decisions, but it still makes the core of who she is. ]

[quirkwall]

[ Is any of this real…? Or not.

That said, the pulse between her heartbeat and the pain throughout her body makes everything floaty. Dreamy. Whichever words you’d like to describe the already wild trip through universes they’ve already gone through. ]

Giving a singular shit, yeah.

[ it’s the reason for her being. the cause of all of her pain, her suffering, her joy, and happiness. if she didn’t give a rotten hoot about any of her people and their causes or the world around her, none of her own sacrifices would have been worth it.

does that make her a good person though? she can't say for sure. there's plenty of people who would say otherwise but even they can't deny she's consistent with her bullshit. it's a sacrifice of dignity and pride sometimes, to hold onto beliefs when everyone else is telling her she's a right fool for supporting the mages, the elves, the whoever's got a problem of the day. the swimming shame that happens when you've got common bloody sense and yet get hateful rhetoric for it.

no... being good is simply believing in others against all odds. supporting the people around you despite what is said and what you know.

caring, essentially. ]

As long as you care... despite what pitfalls that comes with that, then you know you've done good.