Finale: Hobo With A Shotgun

Finale: Hobo With A Shotgun
Date of Scene:	16 December 2012
Location:	Castle Oblivion
Synopsis:	The Finale of Hobo With a Shotgun.
Thanks to:	King Mickey and Will Sherman-- for usual reasons. Awesomesauce.
Cast of Characters:	Will Sherman, Riku, King Mickey
Tinyplot:	Hobo With A Shotgun

---

Riku has posed:
It happens relatively quickly. Over Riku's screams, a dry and pleasant voice speaks from the place where Ansem had been just moments ago. "Now. Let us see what we still have to work with.." The way it begins is eerily simple. To Will's perception, that emptiness where there should be something doesn't tear threads. It doesn't fray them or damage them in any way. They part as easily as thin wool clipped by shears.

Snip.

Snip.

The burnt places and the tangled and strangling threads of darkness are smoothed, reformed, and the burnt places excised with the precision of a surgeon.

Dark flames flare around Riku's outline, burning brighter and hotter in a steady build towards consuming inferno. The flames obscure the teenager but not the vicious and unpleasant cracking and popping noises that cannot be entirely attributed to the fire.

As the flames reach their pinnacle, the empty presence evaporates entirely.

"Have you.. ever had a thing.. that you put off, and you put off.. because you think to yourself. Surely I can't be that stupid?" Riku's voice sounds tired, but it does not sound weak. It in fact sounds-- very-- very torqued. A glowing echo stands a few paces next to Will Sherman with their arms crossed. A pattern of black webs across half of his face and body. "Yes. Apparently I can be." He does not look particularly surprised when a sick, gutteral cough transmutes into a roar in the middle. "There's nothing to fight anymore, you idiot. It looks like it hurts enough already. JUST LET GO."

Another series of cracking pops and a wave of darkness blasts across the intervening space. The flames all go out at once.

A reptillian shape hunches in the middle of the clearing, black scales rippling as they slowly start to uncoil from a pain wracked pretzel. "Oh, this is going to suck isn't it?" Riku's echo says with an annoyed sigh. "Fine. I've been meaning to get you to listen to me again. If I have to BEAT MYSELF into a pulp to do it, then fine." the teenager grumbles. "Magic." as a curse word, sighing as they hold out a hand. A blade of crystalline light forms in their hand. The contrast is clear and obvious however-- for as much as the echo is confident, they are diminished. A single candle flame against a very-- very big darkness.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will watches the...darkness show? It certainly wasn't a light show, as he can only watch in horror...what this man could /do/ was horrible, even if it was helping, it was frightening to see it happen to someone this way. He badly wishes he were blind right then, to see this sort of thing happen to anyone.

If it wasn't for fear, his own and for fear of hurting Riku, he'd stop him...

The outline of Riku forms, the darkness compared to Riku who was more...light. The two banter for a brief period, before the darkness expands...

t"The fu- a dragon?" he doesn't understand, why a dragon? "No...a drake I guess...maybe a Wyvern." he says, almost in a tone that might mock it's size just a bit.

However, Will moves forward, fists already balled up as he narrows his eyes at the dragon. "Yeah. Not if I have anything to say about it." he counters, "Sorry, Riku, but you ain't doing this one on your own."

Riku has posed:
"Hell if I know. Dragon. Wyvern. It's big and scary and has like a million teeth. That'll do." Riku laughs wearily. "And yeah, I think my ego can swallow some help.." he raises a hand, fingers just barely apart. "Just barely." The monster slowly uncoils, muscles still trembling and spasming from the transformation. A giant claw slams into the earth while an armored muzzle raises slowly to lock burning gazes with Riku.

"It doesn't have to be this way." Riku says very quietly, not looking away from the Drake as they advance, step by sinuous step. "You know that. You SAW IT too."

Whatever Riku is referring to is not further explained as the Drake reels backwards as if physically struck. The coughing roar of pain turns into blind rage. A long tail smashes into the ground, a paw picking up Riku's luminous echo and slamming him across the field to collide with bone-shattering force against the side of the house.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will does not anger easily.

Hurting his friend, AND THE HOME he grew up in?

That manages to make him a bit MIFFED. Will runs, right for the drake while he's distrated with Riku, aiming to get onto the dragon's back. Running up on it, he moves, his fist moving to collide with the no doubt very armored body...but Will wasn't strictly aiming to physically harm it!

Oh no, the strings were still there...and reguardless of the warnings given...he isn't given much choice. He has to fight...he HAS to help Riku. He can deal with the consiquences later...right now...

Will moves to strike out at the thing's fate, aiming to weaken it's strands, and of course, cause random CHANCE to be a bigger factor in it's life.

Specifically the bad type. "THAT WAS MY HOUSE YOU EVIL PRICK! SERIOUSLY! STOP MESSING UP MY THINGS!"

Riku has posed:
DETAILS, DETAILS.

The Drake, glistening obsidian scales the size of dinner plates ripples with a boom of cruel laughter. The golden eyes smirk at Will as they leap onto the drake's back. The punch feels like striking a metal wall, the threads trembling as they reach back to snap at Will. The teeth close where he was supposed to be and wasn't, catching a claw on the uneven terrain so that, body twisted, they can't exactly get in a good position to simply bite Will in half at the waist.

YOUR HOME, YOUR CITY, SAME THING.

Riku picks himself up carefully from the ground, groaning faintly as the aura of light comes back considerably weaker this time. Before he can recover himself enough to attack, the drake attempts to grab Will by the front of his clothes and throw him off their back in Riku's direction.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will gruns as the Drake has problems. Will, however knows when to abandon a failing prospect. The drake claws down at Will, but he manages to just narrowly roll to the ground, and out from under the dragon just in time. Back on his feet, he attempts to distract it, running backwards...hopefully giving Riku the time he needs to recover and get a sneak attack in.

"Laugh it up jerk, but I hate to break it to you...you're not even half as powerful as Riku was. I mean, seriously, look at you. You had to become a Drake...Wyvern...god what are you even? I think maybe it's called Whelp? Yeah, a whelp, to even do what you just did." he says, taunting.

Will doubles back, once more aiming to try and juke the dragon...

This time, he jukes with GUN. Specifically, the shot gun of leadership to the dragon's face.

"Surprise!"

Riku has posed:
"Ow. God, this is weird." Riku mutters to himself in an offhand way as he watches the Drake take a muzzle full of the Shotgun of Leadership. One luminous golden orb goes dark, the shotgun peeling dark and bleeding wounds across one side of the drake's muzzle.

The drake roars in pain and rage, body arching to raise up on hindlegs. Riku steps forwards to join Will. "You know." he says to the hobo king. "The dragon thing wouldn't be bad if it didn't come with being such a complete jackass." A taloned claw lashes out, but this Riku catches it on the crystalline blade.

To Will's sight there is a flash of-- something. Light shudders down the dark threads binding Riku with the Drake and the other way around. Light, and a flash of something else just at the moment of impact.

They both get pushed backwards by the force of it. The dark aura around the drake lessens as it begins to circle them both, breathing out a cone of greenish black flame.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will is fast when he wants to be, and really hasn't had the time to actually fight a REAL dragon yet. I mean, give it time, sure, but right now, he rolls forward when it breathes...right idea...

Wrong direction. Luckily, Will is very lucky, and only the back of his coat catches fire...but it requres him to roll for a moment, trying to put out the flames. The advantage is not his this time, instead, he jumps back to his feet...

And brings the shot cun across the side of the thing's face.

"Riku! Now!" he says, this time leveling the shot gun once more...

BLAM!

"Also, I know what you mean! Seriously, could you be more of a dick?"

Riku has posed:
"Don't ask." Riku says bluntly, looking annoyed at the Drake after rolling onto his feet. He had rolled the opposite direction than Will and thus, didn't catch on fire. "You didn't get to hear what he was thinking just now." He walks forwards while the Drake continues to growl, the dark shape almost leaning back away from the luminous echo before springing forwards with a snarling roar. YOUR NOTHING. Riku is pinned neatly underneath the giant claws. They slam him into the ground repeatedly. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING. (Slam) I KEPT US ALIVE. (Slam) I KEPT US SAFE. WHAT DID YOU EVER DO BUT COWER AND SNIFFLE AND WISH FOR IMPOSSIBLE THINGS? Riku stabs the downrushing claw as it raises up to crush him a final time. "Hope.. that I could be better than this." The Drake roars, darkness bleeding from the deep gouge left behind by the sword. YOU HEARD HIM. WE'LL NEVER BE WORTHY. THIS IS ALL WE HAVE.

Riku slides to one side and lunges as the Drake comes down at him. There is a brilliant flash. Not darkness exactly-- and not light exactly. Riku clings to the sword embedded in the drake's chest. "We were.. always worthy. We just didn't /listen/" The sword and Riku are thrown away as the Drake peels him off their chest and throws them across the clearing again in a thrashing rage. They explode in a rush of light as they strike the ground.

The Drake remains, chest heaving, as sparks of that twilight energy crackle and spark, heavy streamers of darkness peeling away as they turn towards Will, remaining eye narrowing.

Will Sherman has posed:
"RIKU!" Will shouts...he can only see the Drake from his position. Anger threatens to overtake him...but he stops. Loki...was all about anger, Will was not. He had to hold onto what Riku said, what the memories were trying to tell him. What this PLACE was trying to tell him...drawling on Loki's power was driving him in a bad way, using that power out of anger was basicly weakening the bonds on Loki's prison.

"Never is a long time." he says, as Will moves right as a steam of darkness tears up the land next to him. "You might be a jerk, but you're still part of Riku. You know that whatever it is your thinking isn't right." Will moves again, just narrowly avoiding the second. Will was a few feet away...he could only go forward. Going back was certain death...forward was only uncertain.

"You're not listening to him, just like he wasn't listning to you. Geeze, you ARE just a part of Riku." he says, with a tight grin...

Seal...he was a seal...

Will ducks under the drake, before aiming to slam both hands upwards. Praying to whatever was out there that he had this thing right.. His hands reach out, trying to not FREEZE the drake so much as to HOLD it there. Trying to temporarily freeze the Evil in place.

"HEY RIKU GET UP AND STOP MAKING ME DO ALL THE WORK HERE! I'M ALERGIC TO IT!"

Riku has posed:
The darkness that makes up the drake writhes underneath his hands like a basket of vipers. The surface of the reptile bubbles, twisting underneath the surface throwing off streamers of darkness like fog boiling off in the sunshine.

I.. AM.. the heavy feeling of the words pound like slabs of metal thudding into place. It sounds more like Riku's voice though, and not a presence snarling out from a thin veneer. ALL.. THAT.. MATTERS. WHAT DID.. LIGHT DO.. TO SAVE MY WORLD? WHAT DID.. LIGHT DO.. TO HELP KAIRI.. anD SORA? WHY.. SHOULD I ...LISTEN TO.. ANYONE WHEN.. MALIFICENT HAS.. PROMISED ME.. THE ONLY FUTURE I .. CAN HAVE NOW.

The Drake struggles to free themselves from Will and bear down on him with those killing fangs, an ominous glow in the back of their throat as they try to expel another rush of fire and flashfry Will on the spot. The fire doesn't come immediately though-- it just builds, and builds.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will bears down, gritting his teeth and trying to put his own power into the field. He hasn't called on this power before...it isn't exactly something he is familar with...but...

Will's lucky.

He plants his feet as the drake struggles against it, this time putting more of himself into it. There is only so much he can do, as he tries speaking again. "Coward!" he shouts, "You called the other one the snivling one...but look at you! Oh someone help me!" he mocks, "Things got too hard! I screwed up and now need someone to hold my hand and feed me darkness or I'll NEVER BE PRETTY!" he shouts trying to hold him down. "The real Riku, the one on that boat with me, ACCEPTED His faults...accepted everything he did was wrong...and you know what? He wanted to make amends! He wants to leave this gosh darned place and fix what he did! Not cower back to the witch crying about the keyblade not loving him enough!"

"You don't scare me, Dragon, you're just a baby with too much power!"

Riku has posed:
The dragon explodes. Suddenly and messily and all over the place. The darkness shudders and writhes for a few moments more before it suddenly comes apart. Riku, or at least his silohuette collapses to his knees before Will, shaking with cheated fury and hate.

"That's enough, Will." The light echo reforms and picks themselves up from the ground with a groan, walking over to where his double is glaring at Will. "Don't. Even. Think about it." he says to something unsaid between the two of them. "Do it."

The Darkness sneers. "You know what will happen. I'll just come back. YOU NEED ME. I can't say the same about you." "And we'll go round and round forever, right?" The shadow looks at the ground.

King Mickey has posed:
An emerald star can be seen shooting across the night's sky, heading in the direction of Castle Oblivion. Those who are magically entuned can sense a powerful magical presence coming from the star as it descends upon the front door of the castle.

Upon its arrival, the star begins to take shape, swiftly forming into the form of a small animorphic mouse, who squeaks with a light, 'Ooph!', as he lands upon his bottom before the massive golden white doors that lead into the castle.

Regaining his awareness, as travel through time and space can be disorienting, Mickey takes a moment to gaze around and orient himself with his surroundings. Noting the ancient castle's run-down look, Mickey's brow quirks lightly as he begins to stand, trying to figure out just where he is. The place does not appear to be a place he recalls visiting before though something about the castle gives him a vibe of familiarity. Just where has he seen this place?

(Why would the shard bring me here?) O o . thinks the King as he wanders towards the massive golden white doors of the front entrance. Just as he is about to put his hand on the door, an immense feeling of darkness overcomes him. The King does not flinch or move at the sudden sensation though it does put him on guard. He is not quite aware of what lies in side though at least he has an idea of what to expect. "Nothing ventured... Nothing gained.", escapes Mickey's lips as he pushes open the doors to reveal The Crossroads hall. The brilliant white walls cause the mouse to shield his eyes as they attempt to adjust to the illumination of the room. Before long, his vision readjusts just short of seeing an explosion of dark energy that is flung around the room. He sees the form of Riku and Will, who appear to be fighting one another. With a surprised squeak, Mickey calls out, "Boys! Just what is going on here!?"

Will Sherman has posed:
Will sighs in relief, and sinks to a knee. That was draining...he really didn't know how to control that shit.

"Yeah, all yours Riku." he says to Light Riku, who is holding Dark Riku. Yes, Will is slightly confused by this too, and he was here for all of this. "Right...your show from here Riku I'll just wa-..." then Mickey kicks the door down, dispelling the illusion of Will's home in the Dark relm. Will rubs his eyes, trying to get what was going on...

Then he looks at Mickey who is now asking them what is going on...

Wait...

Will is momentarily overpowered with both joy and guilt as he rusn over to Mickey to try and give the guy a big old hug! "Oh my god! I thought that you...when everything went to hell..." he tries to get out.

Riku has posed:
"Wow." The light echo looks towards the doors. "Huh. He kept his word. Go figure." he hehs softly, then helps his other self get up from the ground. "Stop doing that." he says in a quiet but tired voice. "What NOW?" "..just stop it. We don't kneel to anyone." The Dark part of him stares in confusion at the opposite side, and then nods very slowly.

There is another twilight flash at that brief agreement between the halves-- and then there is only one Riku. "Ow. Geez-- Will. Shotgun? Really?" he grabs the side of his face, limping somewhat as he rummages around for a potion. "Yeah. I guess so." he says in response to his own complaint. "Snicker snack and teeth and-- everything." He looks dazed-- as if he can't actually believe where they are, or that Mickey is also here. He stares at them for quite a long time in confusion. "Is this another vision? Because--there've been some weird ones."

King Mickey has posed:
King Mickey is a little surprised at Will's reaction, as the young boy nearly comes crashing into him with an almost desperate embrace. However, he does not need any special techniques or tricks to see the pain being felt by Will and merely embraces the young boy. Resting one arm around the boy, Mickey rests his hand upon Will's head, rubbing it lightly as he emits his signature chuckle, "Easy there, Will. I am just happy to see too and that you are safe."

The King looks up from his reunion and towards the form of the dazed Riku before him. He looks curiously over the silvered haired youth as he is sensing a mix of darkness and light emitting from within the young man. He calls out while still holding Will, "Riku, was it? Are you alright?"

Will Sherman has posed:
Will falls over on his butt finally, looking exhausted as Mickey actually responds. He lets out a breath, shaking his head and trying to keep the tears out of his eyes. He can't believe it...Mickey survived...then that means...the others might be okay.

Slowly he puts the shotgun away, and tries to give Riku a sheepish grin. "Sorry, it was trying to set me on fire..." he says, with a sniff.

"Does this mean we're...not in that dark place? Can we...actually get out?" he says, he almost says go home, but the thought dies in his throat.

Riku has posed:
"I... don't even know how to answer that question." Riku downs the potion, shaking his head. "So. I think I won't." he tries to summon up something, the same flame that he would banish and cause to return, but he doesn't think he has enough energy to light a candle.

This leaves him in a very vulnerable position. He looks warily at the antromorphic mouse. It's been so very long, but even the weeks and months that have passed have not made him forget what he has done. He assumes it is the same for the world outside. "Yeah. You can go back, Will. I'm-- sure Mickey will take you." He almost can't believe in the concept anymore. The world outside? Riku takes a step back away from the doors, and then another.

King Mickey has posed:
King Mickey looks down towards Will, offering him a smile of reassurance but does not reply just yet, as Riku has already answered for him. His gaze remains fixed upon the silver haired youth, who in his startled state does not necessarily appear to comprehend the conflict rising within him.

"You know you can come too if you want.", replies The King with a compassionate and yet serious tone, "I am not certain of what has fully happened yet though one thing is for certain and that is you do not appear to be well. I sense a raging storm building within you, young man. Something that I am sensing that you do not feel you are prepared to deal with."

Mickey looks down to Will and gets a similiar sense though not as severe. Resting one hand on Will's shoulder, The King looks back to Riku, offering out his hand to the youth warmly, "Come with us, Riku. I recall what happened during those moments in the vault. I will not underplay what happened then or that the journey will you face will not be difficult. However, I can help the both of you, if you will let me."

Will Sherman has posed:
Will stands as Riku starts to take a step back.

He looks at Mickey who talks, and nods once to him, "I'd like that...I think I need the help. I can explain a little better...but just not here. I don't want to be here anymore," he says, quite firmly and then...

Will walks right over to Riku, Grabs him by the ear, and starts dragging him towards Mickey. "Not getting out of this that easily. No giving up, Riku. Not now, not ever. Walking back in there is the same as giving into the bluh bluh huge witch."

"Not when I got my friend back!" he says, not letting go.

Riku has posed:
Riku stops. He doesn't look like he believes Mickey but neither does he say anything to either defend or depreciate himself. His expression is one of barely repressed fear,looking from Mickey to the searing white of the rooms beyond the doors.

He looks to Will, then back at the doors. "..kind of wishing I was still the dragon right now." he murmurs very quietly. He takes a deep breath then lets it out. "Wyvern. Whatever.. but I gues.. I don't want to pay the cost for it. Yeah." he nods very slowly.

"Yeah. Let's-- lets get out of here. Hamburger, Will?" he smirks lopsidedly. "..if I remember right, that makes everything better?"

King Mickey has posed:
Mickey looks to Will and nods, "Then consider it done, my friend. It will be difficult though I'm certain we can make it through together if we try."

As Will somewhat forcefully makes his friend join them, Mickey looks to Riku and smiles lightly, silently happy that he decided to join them of his own accord as they depart from the castle.

The trio depart from Castle Oblivion, while its mysteries still remain to be unsolved for the time being. However, the secrets that lie within shall continue to wait patiently for the chosen pair to come forth to reveal the memories that will continue to spin the future and most importantly, the fate of the universe.

The King glances back towards the ancient castle as the massive golden white doors begin to close behind them. He returns his gaze towards his new friends and says, "Shall we head home?", as he summons Star Seeker to his side.

The King points his keyblade in front of the pair as a beam of light quickly shoots from the tip, revealing their way home.

Riku has posed:
Riku gasps softly, hissing through grit teeth as the keyblade shows up. He closes his eyes tightly for a moment, and when he opens them again, the pupiless yellow has gone. His eyes have not gone back to their original shade, but he no longer looks blind. He stares at the thin beam of ligh, squinting against it as he traces that light back to the source. "Home." He snorts in derision, carefully folds one hand into a fist, then slowly releases it. He glances towards Will, then at the doors. After a long moment of hesitation he follows the others.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will looks back at Riku and then Mickey.

"Yeah...I got...a lot to do...Still...Mercade.." he says, sighing.

Mercade didn't make it out, or so Will thinks. He steps through the door to light...and then...