[Q] Beyond the Valley

[Kagami]

​

Quest Type: General Unmaking: An Arbiter's Plea (2.3k words)

Ever since Kagami walked outside her home from within the depths of the ominous valley, she had long since gone out among the ominous, monotone surroundings of the valley as she made her trek on en route. Upon closer investigation of things as it would seem, there had been a small group of outsiders who were lost among the place from nearby.​

Ah! This was good news to her, however, for some reason, they don’t look to be from around here and Kagami came somewhat closer while she was observing.

Outworlders maybe? How curious.

Kagami thought to herself as she was unsure as to who or what they fully were even if she had been outside the valley before. In all, the bigger indicator was with how they were dressed of all things, especially when it doesn’t really look like what a local from Nos’Talgia would look like.

What is going on here and especially more, why? The Valley hasn't had this much activity before as it had been known to be someplace to avoid.

Even so, she was able to keep a low profile among the fauna and flora of the valley up until the group stopped as one member heard a snap of a twig from nearby, mostly due to Kagami's minor mishap as she would stop in place as she didn't want to cause further trouble but was enough to still keep hidden.

“What was that?” asked one as they were startled.

“Was what?” asked another, turning their head to the other with a notable frown of uncertainty.

“I heard it too!” exclaimed the third before they asked. "What do you think it is?"

“What are you talking about?” asked the second as the first countered, “I’m telling the truth! I heard something!”

Shoot! They had a quick reaction which was not good. This group is going to be tricky to take down unless she is clever enough to think of a way.

“Good afternoon Kagami.” spoke a voice from nowhere which caused Kagami to freeze and look around the place for a bit. "Huh? What?"

Eventually, the Boo would turn visible before her, however, this is not any Boo. It was a normal blue one with a magic book in arm, a collared top and a blue bow and with his 'hair' as swirled as it is in the front.

This Boo was Booker, who has been someone that while nice, was also critical of her but he was also casual unlike the other Boos in the valley. After all, for as long as she remembered, he was someone that often comes around whenever Kagami head out into the valley for her ‘outings' as she calls them. Unlike the feisty Beanish, he was more than enough to tolerate her and was more or so someone to talk with, even if he does get some backlash.

“Oh, it's you Booker and another thing, tshhh! Quiet! I’m in the middle of something very important!” she scowled as she would turn back around and watch the group from behind a tree while on full alert.

“By that you mean, stealing again right?” Booker asked with a brief snark in his tone.

Without looking towards his direction, she rolled her eyes, sighing as he nodded. “Kleptomaniac as always. Nothing has changed since you came here.”

Kagami chuckled, “Well, yeah, it’s been my thing here and still is now.”

“Question, when do you think you’re going to, well, learn something more than just stealing? That lifestyle could only do so much before it’s no longer useful anymore and I know you are far more capable than this.”

Glancing back with an annoyed look, Kagami scowled. “First answer, shut up and secondly, scram! I really don’t need your lectures right now.”

“It’s not a lecture, it’s just constructive criticism, that’s all. There is a clear difference between the two sides.” Booker mused with a nod as Kagami huffed, "Sounds like a lecture to me."

Given to her current impatient nature, she would eventually leave Booker behind without a word as she was trying to get closer to the group but this time, without making any subtle noises.

The Boo's eyes widened. “H-hey, wait up for me!”

Afterwards, Booker flew after her in a hurry, however, as Kagami was hurrying along, that was when it happened as she felt a strong headache.

This feeling, this sharp feeling, it felt powerful and the immensity seemed to have triggered her own psychic aura to subtly unveil itself for a bit as she fell onto the ground on her knees, holding the sides of her head with both arms. The fact was that she was seeing visions of Darkseid, Governmore’s fall, Cevanti and several other things within the Crossroads flashing across her mind to the point that after it all, she would take a moment to what was going on.

As she was experiencing this sudden revelation, Booker hurriedly floated over to catch up to Kagami only to see what was going on, worried to see the other in this state.

“Kagami? Kagami?”

Kagami refused to answer afterwards as she was silent, only to look up to the skies above and started chuckling to herself. This has to be a joke, right? A sorry cruel joke and one that she was in denial about as she was shaking her head for sometime.

“Kagami, what the actual-” Booker spoke in shock as Kagami interrupted, “Don’t. Just don’t. It’s better off if you don’t ask.”

She chuckled before she looked back at Booker while wincing slightly as she asked, “What did I say?”

Booker rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me. You’re having one of those moments are you?"

“Haha, you’re too funny Booker. You really are but what just happened is something that would be, I dunno, a little too overwhelming for you to understand. Something of a cruel irony about how they would say, the potential end?” she asked. "You know that infamous topic, right?"

Afterwhile, she lowered her arms but her head still hurts and she thought that such would cause her nose bleed or worse but that's because she was reading too much into the situation.

Even the display, Booker wondered why he even tolerates her, especially with what prologued isolation has made her, as they say, somewhat unstable, in a sense and she had that twinkle from behind her glasses but he wasn’t going to question it.

However, he was grateful that it wasn’t any more worse- wait, WHAT?

To be continued in Part 2..
Word Count: 1,085/2,300

 

[Kagami]

​

Continued off from Part 1..

Even while shocked at the news, Booker perked up as he heard the words coming straight from Kagami. Why is she rambling those words?

"Potential end? What? Could you explain more on that?" he questioned as he knitted his brow while Kagami continued, "It's what I said."

Atleast with the sudden realization that hit Kagami, she wasn't hurt or anything as she could had slipped down the path and really hurt herself, however, it didn't seem to be the case as she did still had her hoodie on her. In fact, looking to where her knees are, there wasn't anything severe, just some dirt, that's all.

"You've still being vague Kagami." Booker sighed in annoyance. "Anyways.. is there anything else?"

Kagami was silent as she sighed," Can you just shut up for a bit? Just kinda let me have a moment to myself for just a few minutes to get to know what actually just happened and not push it to the point I take my frustrations out on ya because every single time you come along, you make things worse."

Her tone was shaky even though she was trying to maintain a smile. It hurts just to do that in itself even for someone like her.

"Kagami?"

"SCRAM!!" she exclaimed in anger. "GO AWAY!!"

Booker was silent for a bit before he replied, "Very well. I'll go but if you need me, I'll still be around."

Eventually as Booker flew off, leaving Kagami alone as she would cross her arms, looking to the ground, trying to make sense of things in silence. The fact that she was thrusted into this was something that got her more than angry as she didn't ask for this. The fact was that she wasn't a hero type let alone some stupid lackey, so why everything is suddenly on her shoulders?

It was frustrating to say the least as she was measuring up things. A force threatening the Crossroads with the Fallen Arbiter returning back from the unknown and the others are in a situation.

She could just shrug it off and try to find an alternate route but she wasn’t that certain as just letting the Unmaking happen would destroy everything in its path. In fact, is that why there were strangers just popping into the valley?

This is why she was annoyed. She wanted silence and isolation but apparently, that isn’t going to matter if everything is destroyed..

She sighed.

The fact was that this was something she wanted to avoid. It’s especially worse than hearing Booker, who criticizes her often, is but on a grander scale of annoyance.

Well, what about the good things? The fact is that it’s much harder to see the bright side of things given how much cynicism she has picked up over the years. Additionally, she had to practically force herself to be happy even as she was constantly in an aria of denial, a mask of her fragmented persona, afraid to show her true side while living in secretive misery.

Ever since she lived in the valley, the fact that with every single day, she subjected herself to psychological torment even if she didn't want to admit it. She had destroyed her own innocence after she left the orphanage years ago and arrived to stay in the Valley.

While this is all her fault, she refuses to acknowledge it.

At times, the malevolent spirits of the valley would send her whispers of discouragement, fear, uncertainty and other things to try to bring her down the spiral of entropy, however, she refused because all she could do was to continue on even if things were rough and just keep going without stopping.

While she did eventually open her eyes and sighed, she wondered if it was because of her determination that she was called to this. After all, recalling Booker's earlier spiel, he has a point with the fact that she is capable of doing something huge and that she is wasting her life away doing petty things.

Sure, she's been doing this but he wasn't going to ever get her to change her moral compass anytime soon as there's no fun playing by the rules.

No, it was all the more fun to break them!

Even so, there was really isn’t anything that could be done to avoid this, isn’t there? What a bothersome predicament.

Her eyes lowered in annoyance but briefly she looked up to the skies as she thought that this better be worth it or she is going to be one angry bean and besides, she ain’t a goody two-shoes hero and secondly, she's not running a charity of good will either!

Even though she was silent, she was thinking to herself as she needed to calm down for a bit to get the gist of things.

Maybe this could be an opportunity, maybe this could be the answer she wanted. After all, the fact that she wanted to see what was beyond this planet and the likes.

Perhaps that is her reward for doing this as this sounded something of an open door opportunity for her to take and see the rest of the Crossroads for herself instead of just reading about them.

This was essentially the next big step for her to take and the opportunity was ripe for the taking. All she had to do was to take action, the first step, and run with it.

Her thoughts began to straighten out over time before she would perk up. Maybe, just maybe..

Several minutes later..​

After being away from Kagami for awhile upon an angry grumpy request that sounded like a demand, Booker had returned as he asked, “Did you have a good time out? You look very calm.”

“Yeah, I did.” she sighed before looking back to him with a calm smirk.

“So, what was the message about?” Booker asked as Kagami answered, ”Oh, about some schmuck named Darkseid with the entire Unmaking ordeal terrorizin’ the Crossroads an’ that. Some people are fightin’ against him and that nonsense to stop him.”

Booker thought for a bit. “Ah, I see. Yes, I believe I heard something familiar from the other Boos and the likes. However.."

A pause.

"What are you going to do about it?”

“Well, I..” Kagami answered back. “After some thinkin’, I thought about joining the fight and while it ain’t going to be easy, something has to be done.”

Booker hopped up and smiled. “Really? Oh how delightful! Out of all the choices today, I’d say that’s very noble of you Kagami. Maybe perhaps there is some kernel of goodness and decency within you.”

“Nah, I just see it as an opportunity.” Kagami smirked as Booker would float down in disappointment shaking his head. “Of course. You're still a very selfish bean!”

Kagami chuckled. “Booker, how many times are we going to do this? I ain’t someone that likes to go by what ya call as noble standards. It just ain't me at the end of the day and if something needs to be done, it has to be worth it.

She looked out ahead of the valley as she continued, "This is worth it.”

"Well, regardless, I'm glad you made up your mind for a good cause. Perhaps you can get some experience, gain new friends and other things." Booker mused as she glanced over to Booker, "Some of those are true but I dunno about the whole friends ordeal."

She wasn't one to be making any friends as she has been a loner for awhile and was perfectly fine. To her, Booker feels like something of a..well, she isn't sure but he's not her friend even though sometimes he makes the mistake of calling her one, which annoys her.

Before long, she would get up and stretch her legs, briefly dusting off her knees. "Well, if I'm going to be leavin' on some grandiose journey, I should might as well pick up some things before I head out. Don'tcha agree?"

Booker didn't say a word as Kagami would look around and she hasn't seen the group that she saw earlier as she sighed in annoyance.

"Say, where did that group go? Did they move on?" she asked as Booker answered, "Well, nobody wants to be around the valley for long. They probably left and are currently safe on the outside."

Crossing her arms, she tapped her foot before she continued, "Looks like I gotta look elsewhere unfortunately for me."

Looking back to Booker, she smirked. "Anyways, I gotta get going. C'ya Books!"

As Kagami left the scene, Booker would only briefly reach out to her but it wouldn't be long before he sighed and shook his head for a bit. Afterwards, he sighed and look up to the skies, hoping that Kagami would be alright even if what she is doing is, in his case, questionable.

Word Count: 1, 482/ 2,500
Words Total: 1,085 + 1,482 = 2,567
Results: Quest Complete.