(no subject)

[arkadia]

Operation Goldilocks was mostly a success, which means Eden has work to do. Eventually. At some point.

For the moment, though, Chirithy has insisted that he train, and for once he's not trying to wriggle his way out of it.

He's found a nice wide patch of free space by the lake, has draped his jacket over a tree branch (which now has a small, grey cat settled on it, watching him with bright blue eyes), and has his keyblade in hand.

He's going through the motions of practice forms, but he doesn't seem to be that invested in it -- his form's pretty spot-on, after all.

Comments

[childofrebellion]

Cassian's next mission is starting to come together but not yet.

When Milliways appears its a good distraction and he heads out towards the firing range but stops to watch Eden. He seems to know what he's doing.

[arkadia]

When Eden clocks Cassian, he moves to rest his keyblade on his shoulder, giving him a cheerful wave with his free hand.

[childofrebellion]

He waves back and comes closer, "Hello, things going well?"

[arkadia]

"I don't know why Chirithy makes me do this. I know all the forms just fine," Eden chirps. "Oh! But I got that data from Ursus."

[childofrebellion]

"So that your body knows them without you having to think. That's why I spar or practice, you can't risk not being ready. You did. Was there any trouble?"

Cassian's guessing there must have been some and walks over to lean against the tree.

[arkadia]

"But my body already knows them," Eden protests, very mournfully. "Just one piece of trouble, I guess? Foreteller Aced caught us on our way out. Made us do some 'move my foot off this crack' challenge."

He cocks his head. "S'weird, though. It's the first time we fought, but I could've sworn I knew all his moves already."

[childofrebellion]

"I've never heard of that challenge. That's strange," Eden keeps surprising him but he's clearly a good fighter for his world.

[arkadia]

"It's an Ursus thing," Eden says, a little dismissively. "Foreteller Aced's all about being an immovable wall of force, so they have to move him as their test."

He shakes his head. "It is strange. It didn't help me at all, he's pretty much a stone wall, but I'm sure I've seen someone using his moves. Or at least practicing them."

[childofrebellion]

"I see, but you were able to beat him? If he's that good then it would make sense others would try and copy his moves,"

A lot of fighting is about learning from others.

[arkadia]

"Well ..." Eden rubs the back of his neck, awkwardly. "I wouldn't say we beat him. But he did move his foot!"

[childofrebellion]

"What actually happened?" Its not like Eden to seem uncomfortable, Cassian wants to know the story behind this.

[arkadia]

"When we were on our way there, we saw that the water in the waterways were teeming with Heartless. So, we froze the water, because we couldn't deal with all of them, right?" Eden says. "So, when Foreteller Aced confronted us on the way back through the waterways, and we couldn't beat him, I broke the ice and let out hundreds of angry Heartless for him to deal with."

[childofrebellion]

"That's ruthless. What if he hadn't been able to defeat all of them? All those Heartless would be free in the middle of town,"

It reminds him of tactics used by some of the more extreme cells who don't care about civilian risks if the Empire is hurt. In his work, Cassian tries to destroy the Empire and those around them, as a child his home and life were seen an an acceptable loss and he doesn't want others to have that happen. He can't prevent it happening but can try and minimize what he does.

[iprotectyou]

"Hoi, Eden!" Concentration? Who needs concentration? The greeter would be Baze Malbus, approaching from the bar with his staff slung over his armored shoulders. "May the Force of others be with you! Did the bear heads work?"

[arkadia]

Not Eden!

"The bear heads did work. On everyone except Foreteller Aced," Eden chirps. "Did you know there's someone in Ursus who wears clown make-up every day?"

[iprotectyou]

"Whaaat? They actually did work?" Baze says, and dissolves into raucous laughter. He cackles so long and so loud, he has to wipe tears from his eyes. "I can't believe it. So you did it, then? You retrieved the combat data?"

[arkadia]

"Sure did!" Eden says, happily. "I've shared it with all the other Unions, too."

[iprotectyou]

"Good plan," Baze says, still mirthful. He snickers, shaking his head. "So you didn't run into any trouble at all?"

[arkadia]

"Foreteller Aced confronted us on the way back. Did a whole 'I won't let you by unless you can force me to move my foot off this crack' thing."

Beat.

"It's an Ursus thing."

[iprotectyou]

Baze raises his brows. "And I assume you succeeded? How?"

[arkadia]

"Is it really so hard to believe that all of us together had the skill and power to push him back with sheer, brute force?"

Long pause.

"... I tricked him by releasing hundreds of angry Heartless on him."

[iprotectyou]

Baze laughs once again. His guffaws taper off, and he clears his throat.

"Where'd the angry Heartless come from?"

[arkadia]

"They were down in the waterway when we first went through. We couldn't fight them all, so we trapped them beneath some ice -- and I then broke the ice when we encountered Aced," Eden says. "It's super weird for that many Heartless to be beneath town, though."

[iprotectyou]

That sobers Baze up a little. "Beneath town? I assume Aced handled them all? What would you have done if he couldn't?" Baze says, his brow creased. "And your town doesn't have the ability to detect Heartless?"

[arkadia]

"Oh, sure, it was a cinch for him," Eden says, cheerily. "But if he couldn't -- well, I'd have thought of something. I always do."

He cocks his head. "I suppose we don't! I don't think it's been a problem before. Something must be drawing them to town."