IAmTheIsland

Recollections: Primal Sinister

Intruiging concept. Color me interested in joining if I may. I'll get to work on a character ASAP if allowed. I do already have an idea.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

"Hey!" Hoshi recoiled from Leon, and pulled her Keyblade away from him... them? Master of the Forge or not, she wasn't liking how he was treating her only weapon. New to her as it was, she was feeling protective of the sword. She gawked at the small person as they went on in a language she couldn't understand. She looked to the gullperson, but he seemed unconcerned by the procedings. What luck. I find the guy that's supposed to help me and he's making out with my sword. A visible eye roll rounded Hoshi's face at the thought.

"I don't know how I got it. I mean not exactly." Her mind flashed back to the stained glass floors and the eerie, phantom scene upon the island. Echos of her friends questioning her motives filled her head as fully as the strange voice from the Dark expanse. "Those Shadows... they showed up back home. I tried to fight them with another weapon... it wasn't working. Then there was this flare of light around me and next thing I knew," She gave the Keyblade a half swing, "I had this in my hand."

She took a look around before adding, "Is there anywhere else we can go to talk? This is feeling a bit expised. Plus, I need to figure out a place to stay; if those things are stalking around, I can just live on the streets."

Death of the genre

Things worth some thought.

Aging Demographics? It's hard to say without grounded data, but it does generally seem that pbp is largely an undertaking sustained by people whom came up on the mid-2000s to early-2010s Internet. Time goes on; people get old; life becomes busy and stressful; people inevitably find other things to occupy their free time (new hobbies, responsibilities to others away from the computer screen). The forum scene has slowed down on account of it being time-consuming for the "adults" and maybe not as appealing to the younger folks who came up more with Discord. But who knows, Discord could bring things back around as those RPing there come to feel contained or restrained by the platform's limitations (character limits, less customization options, generally clunkier thread management).

Insular Communities & Limited Rosters. Maybe it's just me; maybe I'm sseing the past through those rose-tinted glasses; or maybe my life wxperience had left me bitter and jaded. In recent years it's become somewhat more difficult to integrate into communities and groups. Memory of times lomg gone tell me that RPing was, at a time, open to amyome that could pitch a servicable character to the stories they were interested in; times when larger numbers of players might be seen in any givem RP.

But roster spots have become fewer as GMs have preferred to keep things smaller. Given there are fewer GMs running fewer RPs, the field has definitely shrunk. Being denied a spot in RP like being passed over for a job is more of a risk these days as GMs scrutinize more. Understandably, this is a play to keep things more manageable for GMs; small player roster and fewer character=less work to keep things together and everyome on the same page.

More detrimental are the experiences of joining something and being, in some way, kept out of the collaborative process. Seeing an RP you're in steamroll past your turn to post because your at work or in a different time zone and can't post on the same schedule leaves an aftertaste if disrespect; can't say that's happened to me here personally, bit it's happened elsewhere, prompting me to check out.

Being iced in OOC discussions and planning is also a thing, and I've spoken to a few people that I shared those experiences with (in the same RPs). Being ignored or dismissed by GMs isn't an endearing situations; especially when it leads to you being blamed for that indifference. When 4-5 players out of 9-10 actively cloyster themselves from the other half within a single RP, that's a bit of an issue. I don't doubt that it happens pretty regularly to others.

Ultimately, it all kind of ties into RPers getting older. Naturally, busy adult people will be preferrable towards keeping their hobbies within circles they trust. DnD players have their play groups, MTG folks have their preferred LGS they go to. RPers have their collaborative circles. But in that vein, might as well not front otherwise and save outsiders the negative experiences.

Overall if I were a new-to-pbp or new-to-forums person, I'm not sure I'd stick around long enough to find my niche through what I'm seeing. But I've been around a while, and I've learned that if I'm patient, something will come up eventually. Sometimes this means going dormant for stretches.

As an aside, I think that the mass diverting of OOC discussion to Discord (and previously other chat apps) hasn't dome forum world many favors. It does tend to create an ourward appearance that nothing much is going on on-site. While I understand the benefits of Discord, I think forum folks would do well to keep more active discussions in-house. I mean wr talk about the death of forums as if we aren't aiding and abetting the process by migrating to the new platforms.

In summary, things we can do/control to better help the situation:
- Stick with it, even if life gets crazy snd it takes a bit longer fkr things to get moving.
- Be patient. Getting through an RP is about endurance, not speed. (Seems like a lot of people duck out when things don't move quickly enough).
- Be open. Letting people new to the site, RP, or group can go a decent way in keeping the hobby alive.

Idk. Just me having 4am thoughts.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

A small blast shook Hoshi off of her feet, nearly dropping her to the ground. She barely managed to catch herself upon the crutch that was her Keyblade. Between herself were two of the most bizarre folks she had ever seen. One, a tall, broad-built, bird looking thing with orange hair. The other was a comically small... were they a gnome? She was still too far out of it to fully process either of them. All she knew off the bat was that the pair's sudden arrival and subsequent attack had taken out three of the Shadows; if they were here to help, Hoshi couldn't have cared less what they looked like.

She propped herself upright and watched the pair work, a gaping, dumfounded expression dominating her face. Her mouth and eyes contorted with slight annoyance when the bird called her a "little girl," though he left her little opportunity for to retort properly. Is... is this guy ok? If not for exhaustion and the anxiousness of her circumstances, Hoshi might have been able to laugh at the bumbling of the feathered one; she nearly let out a dry chuckle when he unintentionally impaled another Shadow on the tip of his trident. Wait... did he just say...?

A burst of energy rushed through her once more when the larger one spoke again. It wasn't her own though; he had given her a boost with his own magic. Not wanting to squander the momentary strength, she charged one of the two remaining Shadows, cutting it half. She rounded on the last one. As she approached it, it backed away, and continued to evade and avoid her as she pursued it. "Ugh! FINE!" She wound up, and flung her Keyblade through the air towards the Shadow. The weapon flew true, spinning perfectly and crashed hard into and through the creature's head.

The Shadow dispersed, and the Keyblade clanged and clattered onto the stone street. It lay still for a few seconds before vanishing and reappearing in her hand. Hoshi breathed in and sighed long and heavy. "Thanks for the help." She turned towards her rescuers. She immediately set upon the shorter one. He different than she had imagined him; she had pictured someone a bit... taller. But if he was who Launchpad had said he was, then she wasn't going to judge. "So... you're Leon? So like, you can help me get settled in here? That's what the guy in that shop told me."

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

Are we going to Atlantica?

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

Definitely need to add worlds or flesh out the stories further. Could always have a group in Halloween Town while another is Agrabah.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

@King Kindred Honestly, that's the kind of convoluted storyline i was hoping to avoid. Primarily because the entire Ansem story, i feel, is one best avoided, because:

1) It's needlessly confusing
2) It was constantly retconned to try and make it make more sense, but only served to make even less sense
3) It's just not that interesting to begin with.

I was probably gonna make Am and Karre Genomes, whereas Am has accepted her role as Angel of Death (Essentially translating from FFIX to this, an Angel of Death is an artificial Nobody that as had a Heart transplanted into it.) Karre is the one raging against Garlands attempts to sacrifice other worlds to save his already dead one. Both of them desperately trying to convince the other to join their side.

@mattmanganon

The twist that Xehanort stole Ansem's work and identity was/is servicable; something I wouldn't mind allowing to play out if only for the sake of not changing too much. After KHII (chronologically) though I'm meh about it because that's where everything really got convoluted.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

@Little Bird I saw that Hoshi was looking for Leon, so i thought it might be fun to introduce a different Leon to her.

@mattmanganon

I was feeling that too. Little mistaken identity situation.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

I'll appreciate keeping Zac's crew just enough away from Hoshi to keep them apart for the time being. At least until the eventual fight with Guard Armor; if that will happen.

@Bacon Maybe Hoshi flips the script from earlier and gets a save on Levi by jumping in and taking out one of gauntlets.

Also, since we're divulging character stuff...

Hider

If it's not clear already, the blackcoat that threw Hoshi through the portal was Kitsu's Nobody, presently working with what will be our version of the Organization. At present, Hoshi is to Tsu's Heart as Sora was to Kairi's, bring a vessel it latched onto to avoid being taken by the Darkness. None of this will start unfolding in ernest until after the KH1 stretch.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

Morgan...

Lucien...

Levi...

Alias...

_{I'm here for you.}

---

Barely clinging to consciousness, Hoshi was in what felt like a free fall from a cold sky. For how long, she couldn't be sure. The seconds stretched like hours, and then to eternity as if time had become meaningless. All the while she dared not open her eyes, knowing full well that all they would open to was a sightless, sceneless veil spanning in every direction. Every moment or two she felt something brush against her chest and ripple away as it grazed off of the leather coat the stranger had wrapped her in. Though her Heart was unscathed and safe, her mind and body were exhausted. Her senses had already numbed. What little willpower she had for thought hung onto her friends, hoping that they would all be ok; just as much, she hoped she could endure long enough to see them again.

When she finally fell through a second portal, she was too far gone to feel the impact of her body upon the hard, brick-layed ground on the other end.

---

Hoshi awoke in a daze of confusion and fear. It was nighttime, a fact that she was aware of even as the haze lingered over her eyes. On either side of her she felt the stone-walled buildings pressing in from her periphery, but found some solace in the orange glow coming from a nearby window; wherever she was, she could hold onto some faith that it would be welcoming, even if for a moment. When she took in the sky above, her eyes locked onto a single point of light in the distance. A star, shining brilliantly among its peers, flickered on the spot before vanishing entirely. A sharp pain cut through Hoshi’s Heart as the last of the far off light faded into the void.

“Gotta get up.” She spoke to herself with hard, heavy breaths. The impact she had been numbed to when she hit the cobblestone street beneath her was beginning to show itself. In abject pain, she pulled herself to her feet, crutching to a nearby barrel. Her spin creaked and cracked into place as she straightened her back into the fold. She winced and grunted as she took her first steps.

She found she was in a back alley of a town or village. But everything from the street underfoot to the rooftops overhead were nothing like what she had seen back home; it seemed more fantastical, like something out of the storybooks parents would read to their children. Puffs of smoke rose out from the brick chimneys, presenting a lived-in warmth that belayed the direness of her situation. Still, she knew that however friendly the people here were, she was still lost and far from home. “Well,” she shrugged, “looks like I made it. This really is another world. Hopefully the other made it out safely too.”

She emerged from the alleyway into a quaint town square. To her left, the stone wall ran to the side of a building; an open ledge was just within reach if she jumped for it, but she instead turned to her right and entered the square. She came to a stop at the top of a set of stairs and looked around more. Over the ledge running down the steps she saw someone: a woman in a white blouse and green dress standing near what seemed to be a restaurant. Hoshi locked eyes with the woman, but when she began to speak, the woman tore her gaze.

Disheartened, Hoshi turned away, and entered the shop at the top of the stairs. It was a cozy space, with a brick and stone fireplace that would have made it more cozy were it lit. Hoshi gravitated first towards a glass casing in the middle of shop floor, and contemplated its contents.

“You looking for something? Or just gawking at my wears?”

Hoshi jumped and turned. Behind the counter stood a stern looking man with blonde hair, goggles resting on his forehead, and a long toothpick held gruffly between his lips. His arms were crossed, and Hoshi could tell that he was sizing her up. “No. No.” She rubbed the back of her head nervously. “Just getting my bearings.”

“Oh.” The man’s arms fell to his side. “Shoulda figured you were another refugee.” He began to busy himself behind the counter.

“Refugee?” Hoshi cocked her head to the side.

The man sighed and pressed his finger and thumb into his temples. “Not many people end up here of their own accord. And the lucky few that DO… well they’re a lot more sure about their surroundings than you are.” He waved his hand, cutting off a would-be protest. “You look like a deer caught in headlights kid.”

“OK then.” Hoshi approached the counter, a bit upset by the man’s tone; nearly tripping over the tail of the leather coat. “So where exactly am I?”

“Traverse Town.” The man spoke pointedly.

“Alright… Come to think of it, I am looking for something… well someone; a few someone’s actually. Did anyone else come through right before me?”

“Can’t say I saw anyone. Not that I’d say otherwise. First lessons of living in Traverse Town kid: it’s best not to ask people about their past, and just as good to not go talkin’ about anyone… especially not strangers, and more so if it’s a stranger askin’.”

“Please, sir! I lost my home and got separated from my friends!”

“Join the club.” The man turned away.

Hoshi stood her ground, staring daggers through the back of the shopkeeper’s head. She had a mind to summon the Keyblade and show him what for, but held back; she was, afterall, alone, and if the shopkeeper had friends around town, she’d be in trouble.

Sensing her frustration, the keep turned back to. He seemed a little softer in his gaze, though still stern, and not about to coddle the girl in front of him. “I’m sorry. I really am, kid. But we all got rough pasts around here; we’ve all lost people we cared about out there in the Dark. My name is Cid. I’d help you find your friends if I could, but there’s other things I gotta do, like run this shop for other lost and traveling folks.”

Hoshi fell still and silent. She slumped her shoulders and lowered her head. What would she do now?

“Now, if I were you, I’d go find Leon and his crew. His lot helps folks like you as best they can. He can at least get you a place to stay while you’re here. And if your friends show up, he can help them too. Anyways, since you’ll probably be here a while, mind sharin’ your name, seeing as I gave you mine?”

“Oh. Yeah. I’m Hoshi. Where can I find this Leon guy?”

“Not sure. But I’m guessing he’ll come around here sooner or later. Best you not wander far so you can catch him.”

“Right.” Hoshi nodded and made for the door back out to the square. “I’ll look around a bit though.” She stepped outside, pulling the coat tight around herself as the night gave her a chill. She did her best to shorten the tail, though the effort was futile. “Well, guess I gotta wait and find Leon.” She shrugged, and turned the corner to the left of the shop, and up another set of steps and to a large set of double doors.

That was when she saw them. Emerging from the other side of the door was a pack of at least ten Shadows. Their predatory yellow eyes fixed upon her. She flung her arm out, and the Keyblade appeared back in her hand. Worst. Timing. Ever. She prepared to fight, cutting down the first Shadow to jump at her. A second fell to her as it followed in line behind the first. But the effort was too much too soon. She dropped to one knee, using the Keyblade as a crutch as she tried to force herself back onto two feet. “Please… someone… Alias….Levi… Lucian… Morgan… someone come.”