A/N - Sorry for the wait, but we're back and we finally get to see what Exotic Sora gets. You all gave some really good suggestions. Too good in fact. A lot of your ideas are warrant their own chapters latter on.
This one though, seamed the best for this early in the story and was the most suggested.
So, Happy Reading.
King of the Sky
Chapter XIII
Farewell to the Reef
Uldren felt a vein pop in his forehead as he walked down the corridor to the docks.
Whatever funk hand been clouding Sora's mind had evidently cleared for the time being, with the boy practically bouncing off the walls and sometimes literally with Flow Motion, while vibrating out of his skin with energy and pestering Uldren with endless questions.
"Are we there yet?"
"Why are the Awoken blue?"
"What's your favorite part of the Reef?"
"Where can I get another one of those delicious sandwiches I had earlier?"
Sora was like a kid who just drank a gallon of cool-aid with extra sugar and a side of doughnuts.
A groan escaped Uldren as they walked and he felt such a conflicted set of emotions as Sora trailed behind him. The Awoken prince had a soft spot for kids but he hated Guardians. And while Sora wasn't exactly a kid anymore, he was certainly childish enough to pass for one.
Right now though, Uldren would have settled for just knowing WHERE Sora's endless energy came from, as the millionth question in the last thirty seconds, sprung from his lips. Especially considering what he'd just been through.
Probably from wherever those strange powers of his come from he thought.
That was another thing that set him on edge too. Uldren was confident enough in his abilities to fight a regular Guardian, but Sora…
The thought of just casually walking down the street with a childish teen who could utterly obliterate him along with several city blocks, with little effort, was not comforting to Uldren, or his ego.
And that wasn't even counting the power he gained from killing Xôlak. Or maybe that was where his sugar rush of energy had come from.
Uldren threw his head back and gave a deep sigh as they came to the end of the hall.
"Alright, we're here!" he said loudly, bringing Sora abruptly to a stop, mid-question.
He and Chirithy stared at Uldren, who just stood there for a moment, reveling in the sweet silence before banging his fist into the controls for the door, before Sora could open his mouth again.
God, why couldn't we have just Transmatted here Uldren asked himself. Cursing whatever deities or bad luck prevented it, as he walked through the door with Sora and his Ghost, hot on his heels.
Sora craned his neck to try and see over Uldren's shoulder as they walked out into the open docks of the Reef.
"Hay Uldren, are you ok?" Sora asked with concern, only to bump into the prince's back as he suddenly stopped.
"That's it!" Uldren yelled before whirling around to face the Guardian "I swear if I hear another question outta' y-…" he cut himself off and blinked a few times as he saw Sora's eyes go wide as he and his Ghost recoiled and the boy's eyes shimmered a little, as if tears would spill forth at any moment.
Uldren's eye twitched as he just stared for a long moment, frozen in place.
Damn it! Why and how is he so innocent! Uldren screamed internally as he tried to remind himself that the kid in front of him had just killed a Hive god.
But damn it, who could resist those eyes!?
In the end, Uldren just sighed as he slumped forward a little.
"Just…let's just keep moving…" Uldren muttered, just loud enough to hear as he turned around and stared walking again.
Sora and Chirithy shared a look before following after Uldren again. Walking across the wide open, if cluttered deck, leading out into the open void of space. Separated only by a thin, transparent shield.
Uldren was beyond relived to see their destination, with a number of Techeuns waiting for them at the ship.
"Finally" Uldren exhaled as they approached. Surprisingly though, he began to feel a little uncomfortable with the silence, as Sora's hurt, child-like expression was burned into his brain.
It especially got worse when Sora stopped abruptly and Uldren gave a sigh "look kid, I'm-"
"Wow!" Sora interrupted Uldren, who turned around to see the boy's sad expression, completely replaced by one of child-like wander.
Uldren felt a migraine coming on as there was a sudden burst of wind and magic past his face, as Sora dashed to the ship in an instant.
Uldren's eye twitched as he turned around slowly, to see Sora zipping around the Awoken ship, leaving blue trails of magic in his wake and taking in it's every detail.
The ship was a grayish white color with purple accents. It was shaped like a backwards, three point arrowhead, with a long, rectangular body, with three antenna sticking out the bottom at an angle, in front of a wing, with two more attached to the top corners, but the top ones were angled up and out a little.
Sora laughed a little as he zipped around "wow, this ship is cool. It's a lot different from the one I used to fly in" he said.
Sora stumbled and paused for second as his eyes went vacant, but he quickly shook himself free a whatever it was, going back to examining the ship.
Uldren groaned as he watched the display "are you done yet!?" he called out impatiently.
Sora froze in his zipping around and looked down at Uldren "oh" he said dumbly, before air-stepping next to the Awoken prince, causing him to jump a little.
"Sorry" Sora apologized while sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
Uldren groaned as he rubbed his face. He definitely had a migraine coming on.
Sora made to speak again, but Uldren cut him off by holding up his hands with a distressed sound, not even looking at Sora.
After a moment, Uldren took a breath and looked at the boy "we're here. Take the Engram, take the ship, please don't come back, goodbye now" he said in deadpan before turning around and walking away.
Sora and Chirithy just stared after Uldren for a moment before they both blinked dumbly "Uh, it was nice meeting you!" Sora called after him, only for a groan to echo back across the docks.
Sora and Chirithy looked to each other as Uldren speed walked away.
"He seamed nice" Chirithy joked and Sora smiled up at him, before turning to face the Techeuns.
The three sisters stood below the ship, waiting with Sora's Engram in the middle one's hands.
"Hay, nice to see you again" he greeted with a bright smile, as he made his way to them with a wave. A few of them winced at the brightness of his smile alone, as he approached.
Sora then noticed that one of them was missing. Specifically the one that nearly shook him to death, begging him to stay.
"Hay, where did your friend go?" He asked innocently. The Techeuns sweat dropped a little at the mention of their sister.
"Apologies Guardian. But our sister is still unconscious elsewhere" the middle one spoke.
"Oh, ok. I hope she gets better soon" Sora replied. Not at all bothered by her previous treatment of him.
The Techeun to Sora's left, just sighed at his response. They weren't sure which they found more unbelievable. Sora's power or his personality.
"Alright, it has been a pleasure meeting you Guardian, but I think it's long past time we gave you this and sent you on your way" the Techeun spoke as she gestured to the Engram.
Sora's and Chirithy's eyes seamed to almost sparkle, as they watched the tech witches hold their hands to the Engram as it floated over the middle one's hands.
(I wander what it's gonna be!) Chirithy thought excitedly as they watched the code within react.
Soon, the Techeuns began to unravel the encryption and the Engram literally opened up like a box, before fading away in a flash of dissipating data, leaving behind it's reconstituting contents.
"Oooh" Sora and Chirithy drowned with fascination as they beheld their new piece of equipment.
It was shaped like a hand cannon, but lacked the typical components that ether were used to.
The handle and bottom of the gun were ivory white, with intricate patterns of strait lines, connected to and forming hexagons, with a circular pattern on the grip.
And resting on top of this ivory, was a device of copper or brass, with an empty gap down the middle, leading into a ported channel, leading into a slightly elongated and ported orb, where a revolver's chambers would be.
The metal down the length of the "barrel", was discolored along the gap though. With hints of blue and black, as if it had been superheated, and the barrel ended in a wedge, with the top and bottom reaching further out.
"Whoa, a Sunshot!" Chirithy said with excitement as the Techeun held out the weapon for Sora to take.
"Wow" Sora said as he took the gun in his hand and felt the weight of it and a set of tiny flames, ignited from ports in the top, forming sights.
Sora spun the Sunshot on his finger before aiming down the sights at an empty wall, before switching it to his left hand and looking it over again.
"This is awesome. Thanks guys!" Sora beamed at the Techeuns, who felt as though they might go blind from the brightness.
The middle Techeun coughed into her hand to try and brake her sisters' trance.
"Yes, well. It's been a pleasure, but I think it's time you were on your way" she said.
Unfortunately for them, Sora smile only seamed to get brighter "ok, it was nice meeting you. I hope we meet again someday" he said.
The Techeun to Sora's right, awkwardly rubbed the back of her head "uh, likewise Guardian" she said, still not entirely sure how to react around him.
Sora then suddenly felt his left hip grow lighter and looked down to see his old pistol, Transmatted out, leaving an empty holster.
"Oh, thanks Chirithy" he said as he slid his first Exotic weapon into place and turned to his new ship. He quickly glance over his shoulder though "see yah later" he said with a wave and Chirithy spun around to face them to, while waving the right triangle of his shell, up and down like a hand.
"See yah" he call out as he floated over Sora's shoulder.
"Safe travels" the middle Techeun replied as they backed away and Sora moved closer to the ship.
Sora then put his fists on his hips as he looked up at the ship "wow. I wander how we get inside?" he pondered.
"I'll handle that" Chirithy chirped with a smug expression, earning a confused look from Sora.
The Guardian soon yelped though, as he found himself suddenly being Transmatted out.
Chirithy gave an evil chuckle before following him inside. Only to find Sora tangled up and sitting sideways in the seat of the, for an adult, cramped cockpit.
Sora blinked a few times before untangling himself and sitting up in his seat "ok, that's going to take some getting used to" he said while cracking his neck.
"Now you know how I feel" Chirithy muttered before scanning over the controls "ok, let's get this thing moving" he said as he took control.
Sora found himself pushed down into his chair a little as the ship lurched up "uh, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Sora asked his Ghost.
"pff, please, I've practiced this dozens of times at the Tower…and only crashed eight times out of ten…" Chirithy boasted before whispering the last part.
"What was that?" Sora asked as his gaze shot upon to his Ghost.
"Nothing" Chirithy quickly said while looking anywhere but at Sora.
"But I thought you said-"
"Oh, would you look at that! We're clear to leave!" Chirithy said quickly. Cutting Sora off.
Before he could retort, Sora yelped as he suddenly found himself launched back into his seat, as the ship took off.
The Techeuns watched Sora's ship quickly fly beyond their sight and held their breaths for a few moments longer, until they could no longer feel his overwhelming Light, saturating the area.
As much as they may have wished to study Sora and his abilities, they were glad to not have Sora practically blinding them with his mere presence.
"Now, let us report our findings to the Queen" the middle Techeun said and they quickly took their leave.
The docks were soon left empty and quiet as they took their leave…
Only to be broken, by a figure wearing a familiar black coat, whistling a merry tune as he stepped out of the shadows and gazed up to where Sora had left.
"Boy, it sure would be a shame if they had…engine troubles…" the figure said as he began idly tossing a box-like piece of machinery in his hand.
"A shame indeed" another voice spoke as a Dark Corridor opened and out walked another cloaked figure.
The first man regarded the newcomer for a moment as he scratched his chin beneath his hood.
"Luxu, is that you old friend?" He asked as he tilted his head.
Luxu laughed as he pulled his hood down "in the flesh" he said with a grin.
"Yah, new flesh. You've changed faces since we last met" the cloaked figure said as he gave Luxu an appraising look.
Luxu laughed lightly at that "yah, well we can't all be eternally young. Some of us have to stay immortal the hard way" he said before looking up to where Sora had left "so, what do you think of the little ball of sunshine? You think she'll give him trouble?" he asked.
The other man scoffed at that "are you kidding" he said as he reached up and lifted his hood just enough for his glowing blue eye and some of his blue skin to be visible "old three eyes doesn't stand a chance against him" he said before tossing the component he was hold to Luxu.
The Keyblade master caught it with ease as he began laughing "yah, he'll have her singing the whole power of friendship tune in no-time" he said as he began walking towards the Dark Corridor while motioning his companion to fallow.
The cloaked figure sighed as he fallowed "it is exciting though. The Master's plans are finally coming together. Though I will admit I am a little jealous that he hasn't allowed us to wield Keyblades yet" the man said.
"I still don't understand why you'd want one of those oversized toys" a pompous, digitized male voice called out, before there was a flash of light, and a Ghost appeared over the man's shoulder.
The Ghost's shell was grey with gold leaf embroidery, and unlike others, it was shaped like only the front half of a normal one, but bigger and minus the side triangles.
"I mean, how could that glorified club, possibly compare to my majesty?" the Ghost boasted proudly.
The apparent Guardian flicked his Ghost in the eye "for one, it wouldn't talk so much" he groaned as the Ghost bristled in agitation.
"I mean seriously. It's hard enough as it is, keeping secrets from the Hidden and now the Queen's spies, without you blabbing twenty four seven" the man continued as they fallowed Luxu.
The old Keyblade Master laughed at his fellow apprentice as they walked through the Dark Corridor. Leaving the docks empty without a trace, as though they had never been there.